Is one obligated to fulfill a vow to slaughter a calf and distribute it to the poor immediately after the wife conceives, or should one wait until childbirth, especially given the current lack of sufficient funds?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
The inquirer's vow is a conditional vow, which is disliked to initiate. However, since she has vowed to slaughter a calf for charity, she is obligated to fulfill it if the condition it was tied to occurs, as Allah Almighty says: (And let them fulfill their vows), and as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: (Whoever vows to obey Allah, let him obey Him). Therefore, she is obligated to fulfill her vow by slaughtering a calf and distributing it to the poor and needy if her co-wife gives birth to a child. She is not obligated to do so before the condition upon which the vow was suspended occurs.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/117060
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 117060
- 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