35/31. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 3812 — No Vow in Sin or What You Do Not Own
A Vow Concerning Something That One Does Not Own
Invalid Vows in Islam: No Sinful Vow and No Vow Over What You Do Not Own
Sunan an-Nasai : 3812
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 3812
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَيُّوبُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو قِلاَبَةَ، عَنْ عَمِّهِ، عَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ حُصَيْنٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ نَذْرَ فِي مَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ وَلاَ فِيمَا لاَ يَمْلِكُ ابْنُ آدَمَ " .
'Imran bin Husain Narrated from:
The Prophet said: "There is no vow to commit an act of disobedience, and no vow concerning that which the son of Adam does not possess."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3812In-book reference : Book 35, Hadith 52English translation : Vol. 4, Book 35, Hadith 3843
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 3812
This hadith names two limits on vows. First, there is no vow in an act of disobedience to Allah. A person cannot make sin acceptable by promising to do it. Second, there is no vow concerning something that the son of Adam does not possess. The wording links a vow to both moral permission and actual ownership. For readers searching for invalid vows in Islam, the text gives two clear examples without adding extra conditions. A vow based on disobedience is rejected, and a vow over something outside a person's possession is also rejected. The lesson is practical: before treating a vow as binding, look at what it involves and whether the person even owns the thing concerned.
What we learn from this hadith
- There is no vow for an act of disobedience to Allah.
- A vow does not make a sinful act acceptable.
- There is no vow over something a person does not possess.
- A vow must be examined for both obedience and ownership.
