Question
Could you please explain the following phrase ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) began to discourage us from making vows, and said, ‘They do not change anything, although they may make the miser give up something.'” (Reported by al-Bukhaari and Muslim). What does it mean by “make a miser give up something?”
Answer
Muhtaram / Muhtaramah
In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāh wa-barakātuh.
The meaning of this Hadith is that by a person making a vow, for example a person says, “If I achieve this tomorrow, I will give R500 in charity”, this will not change anything. i.e. it will not change ones Taqdeer. Rather, this person is only making things more difficult for himself and will be obligated to give the R500 in charity on which he took the vow. This is what is meant by “although they make the miser give up something” i.e. Even though this person is reluctant to spend in the path of Allah, he is now forced to spend because of the vow he made.
And Allah knows best.
Darul Iftaa
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