35/41. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 3837 — Sinful Vows
Expiation For Vows
Why a Disobedient Vow Is Not to Be Fulfilled
Sunan an-Nasai : 3837
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 3837
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو صَفْوَانَ، عَنْ يُونُسَ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ نَذْرَ فِي مَعْصِيَةٍ وَكَفَّارَتُهُ كَفَّارَةُ الْيَمِينِ " . قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ وَقَدْ قِيلَ إِنَّ الزُّهْرِيَّ لَمْ يَسْمَعْ هَذَا مِنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ .
A'isha Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah said: 'There is no vow to commit an act of disobedience, and its expiation is the expiation for an oath.'
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3837In-book reference : Book 35, Hadith 77English translation : Vol. 4, Book 35, Hadith 3868
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 3837
This narration states that there is no vow in an act of disobedience and that its expiation is the expiation of an oath. The wording protects a person from the mistaken idea that every promise must be carried out regardless of what it contains. Here, the content of the vow matters. If it calls for disobedience, the hadith does not recognize that wrongdoing as something to perform. It then connects the vow with oath expiation. The report itself does not describe the detailed form of that expiation, so no extra list is needed to understand its central teaching. For anyone searching whether a sinful vow is binding, this hadith answers that the disobedient act is not to be upheld, while the vow is addressed through the expiation stated by the Messenger of Allah.
What we learn from this hadith
- The content of a vow matters.
- A vow involving disobedience is not to be performed.
- Its stated expiation is the expiation for an oath.
- Do not use promise-keeping as an excuse for wrongdoing.
