Does a Vow to Give Charity Upon Smoking Apply to Every Instance or Just Once?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
If someone says, “O Allah if I smoke, I will give charity within 40 days,” does this apply to every future instance of smoking or just once, given that the intention was for a single occurrence?
If they miss the 40-day deadline, should they still give to charity, or is an expiation (kaffara) required?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.
If you smoke, you will need to give charity within 40 days. If you miss this deadline, you will give an expiation. See below. This applies only to one instance of smoking and not to any future occurrences.
A vow is to verbally swear that if something happens, one will do some act of worship, like praying, fasting, giving charity, and the like. If that thing takes place, it is wajib for him to fulfill the vow by doing that act of worship. [Maydani, al-Lubab fi Sharh al-Kitab; Ibn ’Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]
The Expiation (Kaffara) for Breaking an Oath Is:
- Free a slave (not applicable in these times) or
- Feed ten poor people (Muslim) an average of two meals, or
- Clothe ten poor people ( Muslim) enough clothes to cover most of their bodies.
Since feeding the poor is the most viable option today, if you choose to feed the poor, you may either provide ten people with an average of two meals or feed one person twice a day for the next ten days.
If, for some reason, one cannot feed the poor, nor can one clothe them, then one should fast for three consecutive days. [‘Ala’uddin Ibn ‘Abidin, al-Hadiyya al-‘Ala’iyya]
I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. You will receive guidance and direction insha’Allah.
Related: What is the Difference Between a Promise, an Oath, and …
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I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Mawlana Ilyas Patel has received traditional education in various countries. He started his schooling in the UK and completed his hifz of the Quran in India. After that, he joined an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied secular and Aalimiyya sciences. Later, he traveled to Karachi, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern countries to further his education. Mawlana has served as an Imam in the Republic of Ireland for several years and taught the Quran and other Islamic sciences to both children and adults. He also worked as a teacher and librarian at a local Islamic seminary in the UK for 12 years. Presently, he lives in the UK with his wife and is interested in books and gardening.
