The Book of Oaths and Vows

ʿAmr ibn ʿUthman informed me; he said: Baqiyyah narrated to us, from Abu ʿAmr—namely, al-Awzaʿi—from Yahya ibn Abi Kathir, from Muhammad ibn al-Zubayr al-Hanzali, from his father, from ʿImran ibn Husayn, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘There is no vow in disobedience, and its expiation is the same as the expiation for an oath.’

ʿAli ibn Maymun reported to us; he said: Maʿmar ibn Sulayman narrated to us, from ʿAbdullah ibn Bishr, from Yahya ibn Abi Kathir, from Muhammad al-Hanzali, from his father, from ʿImran ibn Husayn, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘There is no vow made in anger, and its expiation is the same as the expiation for an oath.’ Abu ʿAbd al-Rahman said: ‘Muhammad ibn al-Zubayr is weak; a report like this cannot serve as proof on his authority. There is disagreement about this hadith from him.’

Ibrahim ibn Yaʿqub informed me; he said: al-Hasan ibn Musa narrated to us; he said: Shayban narrated to us, from Yahya, from Muhammad ibn al-Zubayr, from his father, from ʿImran, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘There is no vow made in anger, and its expiation is the same as the expiation for an oath.’

Qutaybah reported to us; he said: Hammad informed us, from Muhammad, from his father, from ʿImran, who said: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘There is no vow made in anger, and its expiation is the same as the expiation for an oath.’ It has been said that al-Zubayr did not hear this hadith from ʿImran ibn Husayn.

Muhammad ibn Wahb informed me; he said: Muhammad ibn Salamah narrated to us; he said: Ibn Ishaq narrated to me, from Muhammad ibn al-Zubayr, from his father, from a man from Basra, who said: I accompanied ʿImran ibn Husayn. He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say: ‘Vows are of two kinds. A vow to obey Allah is for Allah and must be fulfilled. A vow to disobey Allah is for Satan and must not be fulfilled; its expiation is the same as the expiation for an oath.’

Ibrahim ibn Yaʿqub informed me; he said: Musaddad narrated to us; he said: ʿAbd al-Warith narrated to us, from Muhammad ibn al-Zubayr al-Hanzali, who said: My father informed me that a man told him he had asked ʿImran ibn Husayn about a man who vowed not to attend prayer at the mosque of his people. ʿImran said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say: ‘There is no vow made in anger, and its expiation is the same as the expiation for an oath.’

Ahmad ibn Harb reported to us; he said: Abu Dawud narrated to us; he said: Sufyan narrated to us, from Muhammad ibn al-Zubayr, from al-Hasan, from ʿImran ibn Husayn, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘There is no vow in disobedience or made in anger, and its expiation is the same as the expiation for an oath.’

Hilal ibn al-ʿAlaʾ reported to us; he said: Abu Sulaym—namely, ʿUbayd ibn Yahya—narrated to us; he said: Abu Bakr al-Nahshali narrated to us, from Muhammad ibn al-Zubayr, from al-Hasan, from ʿImran ibn Husayn, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘There is no vow in disobedience, and its expiation is the same as the expiation for an oath.’ Mansur ibn Zadhan differed from him in the wording.

Yaʿqub ibn Ibrahim reported to us; he said: Hushaym informed us; he said: Mansur informed us, from al-Hasan, from ʿImran ibn Husayn, who said—meaning, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘The son of Adam has no vow concerning what he does not possess, nor in disobedience to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.’ ʿAli ibn Zayd differed from him, reporting it from al-Hasan, from ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn Samurah.

ʿAli ibn Muhammad ibn ʿAli informed me; he said: Khalaf ibn Tamim narrated to us; he said: Zaʾidah narrated to us; he said: ʿAli ibn Zayd ibn Judʿan narrated to us, from al-Hasan, from ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn Samurah, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, who said: ‘There is no vow in disobedience, nor concerning what the son of Adam does not possess.’ Abu ʿAbd al-Rahman said: ‘ʿAli ibn Zayd is weak, and this report is mistaken; the correct attribution is to ʿImran ibn Husayn. This hadith has also been reported from ʿImran ibn Husayn through another chain.’

Muhammad ibn Mansur reported to us; he said: Sufyan narrated to us; he said: Ayyub narrated to me; he said: Abu Qilabah narrated to us, from his uncle, from ʿImran ibn Husayn, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘There is no vow in disobedience, nor concerning what the son of Adam does not possess.’

Ishaq ibn Ibrahim reported to us; he said: Hammad ibn Masʿadah informed us, from Humayd, from Thabit, from Anas, who said: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, saw a man being supported by two others. He asked, ‘What is this?’ They said, ‘He vowed to walk to the House of Allah.’ He said: ‘Allah has no need of this man’s making himself suffer. Tell him to ride.’

Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna reported to us; he said: Khalid narrated to us; he said: Humayd narrated to us, from Thabit, from Anas, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, passed by an elderly man being supported between two people. He asked, ‘What is the matter with him?’ They said, ‘He vowed to walk.’ He said: ‘Allah has no need of this man’s making himself suffer. Tell him to ride.’ So he was instructed to ride.

Ahmad ibn Hafs reported to us; he said: My father narrated to me; he said: Ibrahim ibn Tahman narrated to me, from Yahya ibn Saʿid, from Humayd al-Tawil, from Anas ibn Malik, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, came upon a man being supported by his two sons. He asked, ‘What is the matter with him?’ They said, ‘He vowed to walk to the Kaʿbah.’ He said: ‘Allah gains nothing from this man’s making himself suffer.’ So he instructed him to ride.

Nuh ibn Habib reported to us; he said: ʿAbd al-Razzaq informed us; he said: Maʿmar informed us, from Ibn Tawus, from his father, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘Whoever swears an oath and says, “If Allah wills,” has made an exception.’

Al-ʿAbbas ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzim reported to us; he said: ʿAbd al-Razzaq narrated to us; he said: Maʿmar informed us, from Ibn Tawus, from his father, from Abu Hurayrah, who traced this report to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: ‘Sulayman said, “Tonight I will certainly go to ninety women, each of whom will give birth to a boy who will fight in the cause of Allah.” He was told, “Say, ‘If Allah wills.’” But he did not say it. He went to them, but only one woman gave birth, to half a person.’ The Messenger of Allah said: ‘Had he said, “If Allah wills,” he would not have broken his oath, and that would have helped him attain what he wanted.’