20/10. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 1538 — Vows Do Not Change Decree
About Vows Being Disliked
Hadith About Vows Not Changing Divine Decree
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 1538
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 1538
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ تَنْذِرُوا فَإِنَّ النَّذْرَ لاَ يُغْنِي مِنَ الْقَدَرِ شَيْئًا وَإِنَّمَا يُسْتَخْرَجُ بِهِ مِنَ الْبَخِيلِ " . قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى حَدِيثُ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ . وَالْعَمَلُ عَلَى هَذَا عِنْدَ بَعْضِ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَغَيْرِهِمْ كَرِهُوا النَّذْرَ . وَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ مَعْنَى الْكَرَاهِيَةِ فِي النَّذْرِ فِي الطَّاعَةِ وَالْمَعْصِيَةِ وَإِنْ نَذَرَ الرَّجُلُ بِالطَّاعَةِ فَوَفَّى بِهِ فَلَهُ فِيهِ أَجْرٌ وَيُكْرَهُ لَهُ النَّذْرُ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
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)."
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1538In-book reference : Book 20, Hadith 17English translation : Vol. 3, Book 18, Hadith 1538
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 1538
This hadith about vows not changing divine decree gives a clear warning. Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said do not vow, because vows do not prevent what is decreed at all. He added that vows only cause the miser to spend from his wealth. The text is not about fulfilling a vow already made; it is warning against making vows in the first place as a way to force an outcome. The hadith keeps the believer’s trust connected to Allah’s decree, not to bargain-like promises. It also points to a human weakness: sometimes a person gives only after binding himself with a vow. The lesson is to worship Allah without trying to control destiny through vows.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said not to make vows.
- A vow does not prevent what Allah has decreed.
- The hadith says vows draw spending from the miser.
- A person should not treat vows as a way to control outcomes.
