12. A person takes a vow that he will give R10 as charity in Makkah. It is not wajib on him to give this charity in Makkah, he can give it wherever he wishes. If a person takes a vow that he will give charity on Friday to a particular poor person, it is not necessary for him to give it on Friday or to that particular poor person whom he had in mind. Similarly, if he sets aside some money and vows to give that very money as charity, it is not necessary that he gives exactly that money which he had set aside. He could give some other money as long as the amount is the same.
13. Similarly, if a person takes a vow that he will offer salaat in the jumu’ah musjid or in Makkah, he has the choice of offering his salaat wherever he wishes.
14. A person takes a vow that if his brother is cured, he will slaughter a goat or give the meat of a goat in charity. In such a case, the vow will be valid. If he takes a vow that he will make a qurbaani, he will have to slaughter the goat during the days of qurbaani. In all these cases, the meat will have to be given to the poor. He cannot consume it himself nor can he give it to any rich persons. If he does this, he will have to repeat the charity.
15. A person had taken a vow of making qurbaani of one bull. However, he could not obtain a bull. In such a case, he should slaughter seven goats.
16. A person took a vow that once his brother arrives he will give R10 in charity. However, the moment he heard that his brother is about to arrive (but had not arrived as yet), this person gave R10 in charity. In this case, his vow will not be fulfilled. Once his brother actually arrives, he will have to give R10 again in charity. 17. A person takes a vow for the fulfilment of a certain hope or wish. For example, he says: “If I am cured from this sickness, I will do such and such a thing”, “If my brother reaches home safely, I will do such and such a thing”, “If my father wins the court case or obtains employment, I will do such and such a thing”. Once this hope or wish of his is fulfilled, he must fulfil his vow. A person says: “If I speak to you, I will fast for two days”, or, “If I do not offer my salaat today, I will give R1 in charity.” Thereafter, this person either spoke or did not offer his salaat. In such a case, the person has the choice of either paying the kaffarah for breaking the vow, fasting for two days or giving R1 in charity.
18. A person takes a vow that he will recite durood shareef 1000 times or the kalimah 1000 times. Once his vow is fulfilled, it will be wajib upon him to recite the durood or the kalimah. But if a person takes a vow of reciting Sub’haanallah 1000 times or reciting La hawla wa la quwwata 1000 times, this vow will not be valid and it will not be wajib on him to recite these forms of zikr.
19. A person takes a vow that he will complete 10 recitations of the Quran or complete the recitation of one chapter of the Quran. In both cases the vow will be valid.
20. A person takes a vow that if a certain task of his is fulfilled, he will hold a “meelad” celebration, or that he will go and spread a sheet on the grave of a certain pious person. In both cases, the vow will not be valid. Similarly, if a person vows to make an offering at the grave of a certain saint, to make an offering of sweetmeats in the musjid, to place a lighted lamp in the musjid as an offering or to hold a “giyarweeh” celebration of a certain saint, etc. then in all these cases the vow will not be valid and it will not be wajib to fulfil such vows.
21. Fasting in reverence of Maula Mushkil Kusha or to vow to implement the rituals of Konda are all baseless customs. Fasting in reverence of Maula Mushkil Kusha amounts to shirk.
22. A person takes a vow of renovating a certain musjid or building a certain bridge. Vows of this nature are not valid and it is not wajib to fulfil them.
23. A person takes a vow that if his brother recovers from his sickness, he will organize a dance or a music show. Taking a vow of this sort is sinful and it will not be permissible to fulfil it once his brother recovers from his sickness.
24. It is not permissible to take a vow in the name of anyone other than Allah Ta’ala. For example, a person says to his spiritual guide: “If a certain task of mine is fulfilled, I will do such and such a thing for you”, or a person goes to graves, or places that are inhabited by jinns and makes certain requests over there. All these acts are haraam and constitute shirk. In fact, it is even haraam to consume the food that has been prepared for such acts. As regards women visiting graves, strict prohibitions in this regard have been mentioned in the Hadith. Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has cursed such women.
