Is the presence of intention a prerequisite for the validity of a vow's occurrence, or does a person become bound by it merely by uttering the word "I vowed" inadvertently, without prior intention?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
One who utters a vow unintentionally, as if their tongue slips, is not bound by anything. However, for one who intends the utterance but not the meaning, such as a jester or one at play, their vow is valid and binding because they intended the pronouncement. This is supported by the statement of Umar: "Four things are binding in all circumstances: emancipation, divorce, marriage, and vows."
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/48886
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 48886
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy