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Ruling
concerning changing to whom what is vowed is to be given
Question:
Is it allowed for a person to change to whom what he has vowed
is going to go to after he finds that there are more deserving
recipients and after he had specifically stated what and to
whom he was going to give?
Response:
Before I respond to that question, I would like to make some
introductory statements. A person should not make a vow, for
vows are either disliked or forbidden, as the Prophet has
forbidden them. It is narrated that he said:
((It
does not bring about any good but it just takes by it something
from the stingy)), [al-Bukhaaree].
The
good that the one who makes a vow expects is not the result
of the vow. Many people, when they become ill, make a vow
that if Allaah cures them they will do such and such. When
others lose something they vow that if Allaah returns it to
them they will do such and such. If they become cured or find
what they had lost, this does not mean that it was the vow
that brought about that result. In fact, that is from Allaah
and Allaah is more generous and noble than to lay down the
condition that the person has stated. Instead, you should
ask Allaah directly to cure your illness or to bring back
to you what you lost. But vowing has no effect. In fact, many
people who make such vows, when what they desired comes about,
become lazy when it comes to fulfilling their vows and might
even abandon it completely. This is very dangerous. Listen
to what Allaah has said:
{And
of them are some who made a covenant with Allaah (saying,)
'If He bestowed on us of His Bounty, we will certainly give
charity and will certainly be among those who are righteous.'
Then when He gave them of His Bounty, they became niggardly
and turned away averse. So He punished them by putting hypocrisy
into their hearts till the Day whereon they shall meet Him,
because they broke that [covenant with Allaah] that they had
promised Him and because they used to tell lies},
[Soorah
at-Towbah, Aayah
75-77].
Based
on that, a believer should not make vows. As for the response
to the question, we say that if the person made a vow for
something in some place and then he found that another place
is better, closer to Allaah and more beneficial to Allaah's
servants, then there is no harm in him changing the direction
of his vow in order to get the anticipated better or more
virtuous results.
The
evidence for that is in the hadeeth
where a man came to the Prophet (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam) and said: "O Messenger of Allaah (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam) I made a vow to Allaah that if Allaah
conquers Makkah
for you I would pray in Jerusalem." The Prophet (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam) told him:
((Pray
here [instead])).
The
man repeated his statement and the Prophet (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam) again told him:
((Pray
here)).
This
happened a third time so the Prophet (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam) said:
((Follow
your own way then)), [Ahmad, Daarimee, Abu Daawood].
This
indicates that if a person finds a better or more virtuous
situation for his oath, he may change it to the better situation.
That is permissible.
Shaykh
Ibn 'Uthaymeen
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