A vow to slaughter an animal sacrifice and offer its reward to the deceased must be fulfilled

9-8-2015 | IslamWeb

Question:

I made a vow to Allah, the Exalted, that I will slaughter a calf and dedicate the reward to my dead parents if He granted me success in building three floors. Is this permissible?

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Answer:

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 is His slave and Messenger.

The dear questioner has made a vow to Allaah, the Exalted, that if He grants him success in building three floors, he will slaughter a calf and dedicate its reward to his dead parents. Slaughtering a sacrificial animal is an act of obedience to Allaah, the Exalted, as He says (what means): {So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone].} [Quran 108:2] Offering charity on behalf of the deceased is an act of obedience to Allaah, the Exalted, as well. Abu Hurayrah reported the following:

"A man came to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and said, "My father died and left behind wealth without making a will regarding it. Will he be relieved of the burden of his sins if I give charity on his behalf?" The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "Yes."  [Ahmad and Muslim]

According to most scholars, it is incumbent on the person to deliver on this kind of vow. ‘A’ishah narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "Whoever vowed to do an act of obedience to Allaah, the Exalted, must do it." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Allaah Knows best.