35/42. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 3853 — Do Not Fulfill a Vow Through Harm
What Is The Requirement Upon One Who Made A Vow That Something Would Be Obligatory For Him, Then He
Old Man's Vow to Walk: Mercy Over Self-Harm
Sunan an-Nasai : 3853
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 3853
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدٌ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ مَرَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِشَيْخٍ يُهَادَى بَيْنَ اثْنَيْنِ فَقَالَ " مَا بَالُ هَذَا " . قَالُوا نَذَرَ أَنْ يَمْشِيَ . قَالَ " إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنْ تَعْذِيبِ هَذَا نَفْسَهُ مُرْهُ فَلْيَرْكَبْ " . فَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَرْكَبَ .
Anas Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah passed by an old man who was being supported between two men and said: 'What is the matter with him?' They said: 'He vowed to walk.' He said: 'Allah has no need for him to torture himself. Tell him to ride.'" So he was told to ride.
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3853In-book reference : Book 35, Hadith 93English translation : Vol. 4, Book 35, Hadith 3884
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 3853
This narration tells of an old man being supported between two men because he had vowed to walk. The Messenger of Allah asked what was wrong with him. After being told about the vow, he said that Allah had no need for the man to torture himself and ordered him to ride. The report keeps the lesson practical and visible: the man was struggling, his body needed support, and continuing to walk was causing suffering. The Prophet’s instruction removed that hardship. Anyone searching for a hadith about an old man’s vow, walking to the Ka'bah, or self-harm in worship can see the core message clearly. A vow was not treated as a reason to continue physical torture.
What we learn from this hadith
- The old man’s condition showed that walking had become harmful.
- The Prophet said Allah had no need for his self-torture.
- He was directly told to ride.
- A vow should not be followed in a way that causes this kind of suffering.
