By Asma bint Shameem
Mannat is making a promise to Allaah in EXCHANGE for some act of ibaadah and is a kind of vow and an oath (yameen).
So they say
“Oh Allaah, if you get me that job, I will read 100 rak’aat of Nawaafil as shukr.”
Or “if my child will get cured, I will give $100/ sadaqah.”
Or other acts of ibaadah in ‘exchange’ for what they need.
People think that by making a vow or ‘mannat’ as they say in Urdu, they will be able to CHANGE their destiny and kind of ‘push’ Allaah to give them what they want from Him Aa’oodhu Billaah.
The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said,
"Allaah says, 'The 'nadhar' (vow) does not bring about for the son of Adam anything I have not decreed for him, but his 'nadhar' (vow) may coincide with what has been decided for him, and by this way I cause a miser to spend of his wealth.
So he gives Me (spends in charity) for the fulfillment of what has been Decreed for him what he would not give Me before but for his vow!"
(al-Bukhaari)
WHY is it WRONG
1. It is disliked to make oaths and vows because it’s kind of like ‘bargaining’ or making a ‘deal’ with Allaah.
It’s like saying...
“If you’ll give me this, then I’ll do such and such”
That’s NOT the correct Adab with Allaah. And therefore it’s discouraged to make vows and oaths.
And some ulama even consider it *forbidden*.
That’s because it is *DISRESPECTFUL* to Allaah and is a kind of *UNGRATEFULNESS*.
The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
‘Do not make vows, for vows do not change qadar (the divine decree) in the slightest, but they make the stingy person give something up.’” (Muslim)
2. Think about it this way...
You say “Oh Allaah, if you get me that job, I will read 100 rak’aat of Nawaafil as shukr.”
Or “if my child will get cured, I will give $100/ sadaqah.”
Ask yourself this:
Will you NOT do shukr if you didn’t get that job?!
Will you NOT spend in the path of Allaah any more if your child is still sick?!
Will you NOT BE GRATEFUL to your Rabb, even if He *DIDN’T* give you what you wanted?!
Aren’t we supposed to be thankful and grateful to Him in ALL situations and under ALL circumstances?
3. Another point to think about...
How do YOU KNOW whatever you’re asking Allaah for and ‘bargaining’ with Him for, is actually ‘good’ for you in the long term?
How do you know it’s not bad for you?
Aren’t we supposed to TRUST Allaah and KNOW and BELIEVE that whatever He does is GOOD for us?
Allaah says:
“But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allaah Knows, while you know not.”
(Surah al-Baqarah:216)
Allaah is clearly telling us
“Allaah Knows, while you know NOT.”
Maybe the thing you’re SO desperately after, may NOT be good for you after all.
So trust Him and LEAVE it to Him.
If it’s good for you, He will give it to you.
And if you didn’t receive it, KNOW that it was NOT good for you, after all.
So there’s NO NEED to resort to vows and mannats.
If however someone does make an oath or vow, then they should fulfill it, UNLESS it’s a vow to do something sinful or against the Sharee’ah.
In that case, they should NOT fulfill their vow.
If someone does not fulfill their oath or mannat, they have to offer an expiation.
The kaffarah or expiation of breaking an oath is called ‘kaffaratul yameen” in Arabic.
Allaah says:
“Allaah will not punish you for what is unintentional in your oaths, but He will punish you for your deliberate oaths; for its expiation (a deliberate oath) feed ten Masaakeen (poor persons), on a scale of the average of that with which you feed your own families, or clothe them or manumit a slave. But whosoever cannot afford (that), then he should fast for three days. That is the expiation for the oaths when you have sworn. And protect your oaths (i.e. do not swear much). Thus Allaah makes clear to you His Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) that you may be grateful”
(Surah al-Maa’idah :89)
So Allaah has given us three choices:
Either
1. Feed ten poor people.
(Feed them what you would normally eat yourself)
OR
2. Give clothes to ten poor people
(Clothe each of the ten people with what you would normally wear and such clothing that is suitable for praying in)
OR
3. Free a believing slave.
And if you CAN’T do any of three things, THEN you’re supposed to fast for three days.
The scholars of the Standing Committee said:
“It is not sufficient to fast when one is able to feed or clothe poor persons or free a slave, because Allaah stated that one should fast only if one is unable to feed or clothe poor persons or free a slave.” (Fataawa Al-Lajnah Al-Daa’imah Li’l-Ifta’, 23/13)
If you made the same oath over and over and broke it then you have to offer only ONE expiation.
But if you made DIFFERENT oaths, and broke them, then you have to offer multiple expiations.
The scholars said:
“It is sufficient for you to offer one expiation for all previous transgressions, if the vows all had to do with the same action...If the vows had to do with different actions then you have to offer one expiation for each action.”
(Islamqa Fatwa #38934)
SOLUTION
INSTEAD of making vows when we need something, we should just make DUAA to Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala sincerely and with humility, OBEY Him to the best of our abilities and have GOOD HOPES with Him.
SURELY He will respond.
After all, what ELSE is duaa for, if we can’t simply ASK our Rabb, the One Who gives us EVERYTHING, for our needs and wants?
And WITHOUT resorting to these vows and mannats.
Allaah says:
"And your Lord said: ‘Invoke Me [i.e. believes in My Oneness and asks Me for anything] I will respond to your (invocation).
Verily, those who scorn My worship [i.e. do not invoke Me, and do not believe in My Oneness] they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!’”
(Surah Ghaafir: 60)
So let us GIVE UP these bad habits of making vows in exchange for what we want and need.
Stop trying to ‘bargain’ with Allaah.
Simply spread out your hands and ASK.
The Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said:
“Nothing can change the Divine decree except *Duaa*.” (Ahmad and others- hasan by al-Albaani)
And Allaah Knows Best
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