Oaths and Vows - Bulugh al-Maram 1378

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may peace and blessings be upon His final Messenger Muhammad.

Textual Analysis

This noble hadith from the collection Bulugh al-Maram addresses the important matter of oaths and their conditional fulfillment. The Prophet (ﷺ) taught that when a Muslim swears to do something, but accompanies his oath with the phrase "In sha' Allah" (If Allah Wills), he is not considered sinful if he subsequently does not fulfill that oath.

Scholarly Commentary

The scholars of Islam explain that this teaching demonstrates the perfection of Islamic legislation. When a person says "In sha' Allah," they are acknowledging their ultimate dependence upon Allah's will and recognizing that human intention alone cannot guarantee outcomes. This phrase serves as a reminder of divine decree (qadar) and prevents one from speaking with absolute certainty about future events that are in Allah's knowledge alone.

Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) stated in his commentary that this exception applies whether mentioned at the time of the oath or shortly thereafter. The wisdom behind this ruling is to teach humility and recognition of human limitation before the divine will.

Legal Implications

According to the majority of scholars, including the Hanafi, Maliki, and Shafi'i schools, the inclusion of "In sha' Allah" makes the oath conditional upon Allah's will. Therefore, no expiation (kaffarah) is required if the oath is not fulfilled. However, the Hanbali school holds that if the phrase is added immediately after the oath, it serves as an exception; if added later, it does not.

This teaching encourages Muslims to always couple their intentions and statements about the future with recognition of Allah's supreme will, thus combining determination with humility.

Spiritual Benefits

The practice of saying "In sha' Allah" cultivates constant awareness of Allah in the believer's heart. It prevents arrogance and presumption while strengthening one's relationship with the Creator. This simple phrase embodies the essence of tawhid (monotheism) in speech and action, reminding us that all affairs ultimately return to Allah's knowledge and decree.