Is the statement "If what I want happens, I will do such and such" considered a vow (nadhr), and if the speaker fears it might be a vow and changes it to "Whether what I want happens or not, I will not do anything," does the vow still become binding upon him?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
Among the pillars of a vow () is the formulation, which must be in specific wordings such as: "I owe such-and-such as a vow," or "It is a vow to Allah upon me that I will do such-and-such," or "If such-and-such happens to me, then I owe such-and-such act of worship." As for saying: "If what I desire happens, I will do such-and-such," this is not among the formulations of a vow, and nothing becomes binding by it.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/37244
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 37244
- 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