I made a vow, and I did not know back then what a vow means. I just said I would give my first salary in charity and I did. Then, I said that I would give a certain amount of my salary as a monthly charity, but I cannot remember whether I intended it to be a vow and pronounced it or if it was merely an inner thought. When I told my husband about that, he told me that it is considered a vow, but I told him that I was confused. Could you please advise me in this regard. I also said that I will offer charity to the poor and the needy, encourage young children to memorize the Noble Quran, and buy them gifts. Can I buy gifts for my children too from the money that I vowed to spend in charity? Is it considered a vow, given that I do not know what the vow is, but I just made a promise to Allaah?

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.

Saying that you will give your salary to-so-and-so or do such-and-such thing, or saying, “I make a promise to Allaah to do such-and-such thing," none of these statements constitute a binding vow and you are not required to do anything in this regard because a vow is made by pronouncing a statement that suggests the meaning of commitment. For example, a person says "Due on me to Allaah is that I do such- and-such thing,” or “It is due on me to Allaah The Exalted that I do such-and-such thing”.

The Maaliki scholar Khaleel said, "A vow is the commitment of a Muslim who is competent for religious assignment." [Mukhtasar Khaleel]

Likewise, if you cannot remember what you have said, it is not incumbent upon you to do anything in this regard because the basic principle with regard to one's liability is that he is not liable to anything (unless proven otherwise). Moreover, a person becomes liable to something only based on certainty (incontestable evidence and not mere doubts) and certainty it cannot be overruled with mere doubts.

 Allaah Knows best.