The Book on Vows and Oaths

That the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "There is no vowing for disobedience, and its atonement is the atonement of an oath."

"‏ لاَ نَذْرَ فِي مَعْصِيَةٍ وَكَفَّارَتُهُ كَفَّارَةُ يَمِينٍ ‏"

Narrated by Ā’ishah + 9 other versions

That the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "There is no vowing in disobedience to Allah, and its atonement is the atonement of an oath."

"‏ لاَ نَذْرَ فِي مَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ وَكَفَّارَتُهُ كَفَّارَةُ يَمِينٍ ‏"

Narrated by Ā’ishah + 2 other versions

That the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Whoever vowed to obey Allah, then he should obey Him. And whoever vowed to disobey Allah, then he should not disobey Him."

"‏ مَنْ نَذَرَ أَنْ يُطِيعَ اللَّهَ فَلْيُطِعْهُ وَمَنْ نَذَرَ أَنْ يَعْصِيَ اللَّهَ فَلاَ يَعْصِهِ ‏"

Narrated by Ā’ishah + 17 other versions

Another Chain with similar meanings.

حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْخَلاَّلُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنْ طَلْحَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ الأَيْلِيِّ، عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ…

Narrated by Ā’ishah + 17 other versions

That the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "It is not for a person to vow about that over which he has no control."

"‏ لَيْسَ عَلَى الْعَبْدِ نَذْرٌ فِيمَا لاَ يَمْلِكُ ‏"

Narrated by Thābit ibn ad-Dahhāk + 25 other versions

That the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "The atonement of a vow when it is not specified is the atonement of an oath."

"‏ كَفَّارَةُ النَّذْرِ إِذَا لَمْ يُسَمَّ كَفَّارَةُ يَمِينٍ ‏"

Narrated by Uqbah ibn ‘Āmir

That the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "O 'Abdur-Rahman! Do not ask for a position of leadership, for if you receive it due to asking, you will be left alone with it, and if you receive it without asking, then you will be aided in it. And if you take an oath and you see that something else is better…

لاَ تَسْأَلِ الإِمَارَةَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أَتَتْكَ عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ وُكِلْتَ إِلَيْهَا وَإِنْ أَتَتْكَ عَنْ غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُعِنْتَ عَلَيْهَا وَإِذَا حَلَفْتَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَرَأَيْتَ غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا فَائْتِ…

Narrated by Abdur-Rahmān ibn Samurah + 28 other versions

That the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Whoever takes an oath, and then he sees that something else is better than it, then he should make atonement for his oath and then do it."

حَلَفَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَرَأَى غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا فَلْيُكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَلْيَفْعَلْ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah + 7 other versions

That the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever swears about an oath and says: 'If Allah wills (Insha Allah), then there is no breaking of the oath against him."

حَلَفَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَقَالَ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ فَقَدِ اسْتَثْنَى فَلاَ حِنْثَ عَلَيْهِ ‏"

Narrated by Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar + 5 other versions

That the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever swears [about an oath] and says: 'If Allah wills (Insha Allah), then he will not have broken it."

حَلَفَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ فَقَالَ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَمْ يَحْنَثْ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

From his father (Ibn 'Umar) that the Prophet (ﷺ) heard 'Umar saying: "By my father, By my father!" So he said: "Verily Allah prohibits you from swearing by your father." So 'Umar said: "By Allah I did not swear by him after that, neither intentionally nor in narrating."

اللَّهَ يَنْهَاكُمْ أَنْ تَحْلِفُوا بِآبَائِكُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا حَلَفْتُ بِهِ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ ذَاكِرًا وَلاَ آثِرًا

Narrated by Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar + 18 other versions

That the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came across 'Umar while he was on his mount, and he was swearing by his father. So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Verily Allah prohibits you from swearing by your fathers. So let the one who swears, swear by Allah, or be silent."

اللَّهَ يَنْهَاكُمْ أَنْ تَحْلِفُوا بِآبَائِكُمْ لِيَحْلِفْ حَالِفٌ بِاللَّهِ أَوْ لِيَسْكُتْ ‏"

Narrated by Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar + 18 other versions

'Whoever swears by other than Allah has disbelieved or associated partners with Allah.'

'Whoever swears by other than Allah has disbelieved or associated partners with Allah.'"

حَلَفَ بِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ فَقَدْ كَفَرَ أَوْ أَشْرَكَ

Narrated by Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar + 7 other versions Explained

"A Woman vowed to walk to the House of Allah, so the Prophet (ﷺ) asked about that, and he said: 'Verily Allah is in no need of her walking, order her to ride.'"

اللَّهَ لَغَنِيٌّ عَنْ مَشْيِهَا مُرُوهَا فَلْتَرْكَبْ ‏"

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik

"The Prophet (ﷺ) passed by old man walking (while supported) between his two sons, so he said: 'What is the matter with this one?' They said: "O Messenger of Allah! He vowed to walk.' He said: 'Verily Allah [the Mighty and Sublime] is in no need of this person punishing himself.'" He said: "So he…

اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَغَنِيٌّ عَنْ تَعْذِيبِ هَذَا نَفْسَهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَرْكَبَ ‏.‏

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik + 8 other versions

Another Chain from Anas that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saw a man, and he mentioned similarly.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عَدِيٍّ، عَنْ حُمَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَأَى رَجُلاً فَذَكَرَ نَحْوَهُ ‏.‏ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ ‏.‏

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik + 8 other versions

That the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Do not vow, for the vows does not prevent what is decreed at all, and it only causes the miser to spend (of his wealth)."

"‏ لاَ تَنْذِرُوا فَإِنَّ النَّذْرَ لاَ يُغْنِي مِنَ الْقَدَرِ شَيْئًا وَإِنَّمَا يُسْتَخْرَجُ بِهِ مِنَ الْبَخِيلِ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah + 7 other versions

"I said:'O Messenger of Allah! I had vowed to perform I'tikaf in Al-Masjid Al-Haram for a night during the era of Jahiliyyah.' He said: 'Fulfill your vow.''"

"‏ أَوْفِ بِنَذْرِكَ ‏"

Narrated by Umar ibn al-Khattāb

From this father (Ibn Umar) who said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) often would swear with this oath: 'No! By the Changer of the Hearts.'"

يَحْلِفُ بِهَذِهِ الْيَمِينِ ‏"‏ لاَ وَمُقَلِّبِ الْقُلُوبِ ‏"

Narrated by Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar + 8 other versions

"I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: 'Whoever frees a believing slave, then Allah frees a limb from the Fire for each of his limbs, such that he frees his private parts in lieu of his private parts.'"

أَعْتَقَ رَقَبَةً مُؤْمِنَةً أَعْتَقَ اللَّهُ مِنْهُ بِكُلِّ عُضْوٍ مِنْهُ عُضْوًا مِنَ النَّارِ حَتَّى يُعْتِقَ فَرْجَهُ بِفَرْجِهِ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah + 5 other versions

"We were seven brothers without a servant except one, and one of us slapped her, so the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered us to free her."

مَا لَنَا خَادِمٌ إِلاَّ وَاحِدَةٌ فَلَطَمَهَا أَحَدُنَا فَأَمَرَنَا النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ نُعْتِقَهَا ‏.‏

Narrated by Suwayd ibn Muqarrin + 2 other versions

That the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever swears by a religion other than Islam while lying, then he is as he said."

حَلَفَ بِمِلَّةٍ غَيْرِ الإِسْلاَمِ كَاذِبًا فَهُوَ كَمَا قَالَ ‏"

Narrated by Thābit ibn ad-Dahhāk + 25 other versions

"I said: 'O Messenger of Allah! My sister vowed that she would walk to the House barefoot and without Khimar (covering).' The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Verily Allah will not do anything with the misery of your sister. She should ride, and cover, and fast three days.'"

اللَّهَ لاَ يَصْنَعُ بِشَقَاءِ أُخْتِكَ شَيْئًا فَلْتَرْكَبْ وَلْتَخْتَمِرْ وَلْتَصُمْ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ ‏"

Narrated by Uqbah ibn ‘Āmir + 2 other versions

That the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever among you swears, saying in his oath: 'By Al-Lat! By Al-'Uzza!' Then let him say 'La ilaha illa Allah' And whoever says: 'Come let me gamble with you!' Then let him give in charity."

مَنْ حَلَفَ مِنْكُمْ فَقَالَ فِي حَلِفِهِ وَاللاَّتِ وَالْعُزَّى فَلْيَقُلْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَمَنْ قَالَ تَعَالَ أُقَامِرْكَ فَلْيَتَصَدَّقْ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah + 13 other versions

That Sa'd bin 'Ubadah asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about a vow that was due from his mother, who died before fulfilling it. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Fulfill it for her."

نَذْرٍ كَانَ عَلَى أُمِّهِ تُوُفِّيَتْ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَقْضِيَهُ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ اقْضِهِ عَنْهَا ‏"

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās + 12 other versions

"Any Muslim man who frees a Muslim man, then it is his salvation from the Fire - each of his limbs suffices for a limb of himself. And any Muslim man that frees two Muslim women, then are his salvation from the Fire - each of their limbs suffices for a limb of himself. And any Muslim woman that…

امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ أَعْتَقَ امْرَأً مُسْلِمًا كَانَ فَكَاكَهُ مِنْ النَّارِ يُجْزِي كُلُّ عُضْوٍ مِنْهُ عُضْوًا مِنْهُ وَأَيُّمَا امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ أَعْتَقَ امْرَأَتَيْنِ مُسْلِمَتَيْنِ كَانَتَا فَكَاكَهُ مِنْ النَّارِ…

Narrated by Abu Umāmah + 1 other version