A person vowed or pledged to Allah Almighty to pray Adh-Dhuha (a voluntary prayer that can be prayed during the morning) and perform voluntary night prayers every day and did not intend to break this vow or pledge but then stopped and now wants to terminate this vow. She does not want to be put under commitment, meaning that whenever she wants to pray, she does so and then takes the reward, and if she does not, then she is not deemed sinful. She feels more comfortable this way. What should she do?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and messenger.

If the pledge had the nature of a commitment, then it is considered a vow. It is obligatory upon the vow taker to pray Adh-Dhuha and perform voluntary night prayers in fulfillment of the vow because the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “If one vows to obey Allaah Almighty, then he should obey Him.” [Malik, Al-Bukhari, Abu Daawood and At-Tirmithi]

If one takes such a vow and fails to fulfill it on some days, then it is obligatory upon him to make up for what he misses as long as he is able to do so. One is not absolved of the vow by not fulfilling it.

Therefore, it is obligatory upon the questioning sister to make up for the prayers that she vowed to offer but did not. She has to pray Adh-Dhuha every day and perform voluntary night prayer every night.

Concerning night prayers, if she did not intend a certain part of the night or a certain number of Rak‘ahs (units of prayer), then it suffices her to perform two Rak‘ahs at any time of the night, even at its beginning.

Allaah Knows best.