Is it obligatory to fulfill a vow that involves borrowing money if it is not available, or is there an expiation for it, or is it obligatory to borrow money to fulfill it?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
A conditional vow is disliked, and borrowing money to fulfill it is permissible. It is obligatory to fulfill a vow if it is an act of obedience to Allah, and it remains a liability until one is able to fulfill it. Borrowing money to fulfill it is good as long as the one who made the promise expects to repay it. Borrowing is not obligatory because the majority of scholars hold that a vow to do something permissible is not binding. However, according to Ahmad, it is binding, and an expiation for breaking an oath is required if one abandons it. Therefore, it is more cautious to offer expiation.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/96407
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 96407
- 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