Oaths & Vows

Q: Few months back my father's prostate report came abnormal. I made niyat to Allah Ta'ala that I will send someone for umrah and will stop watching TV and movies if his next report comes normal. Then I thought that sending someone for umrah is a good act and stop watching Tv and movies is a bad act, so I made niyat of it irrespective of the result of his next report.

My question is, is my oath a formal oath? Because I made niyat like this "I am making this niyat that I will send someone for umrah and stop watching Tv and movies from now.

According to what I have learnt, an oath or niyat should be taken with the name of Allah like "in the name of Allah" or "wallahi" or similar to this? I am 99 percent sure that while making the niyat I have not taken the name of Allah.

Note: Alhamdulillah with the blessing of Allah I sent one person for umrah but I am unable to avoid TV and movies, i just want to make some changes in it.

Q: I made a niyat a few months ago and now I want to make some changes to it because it is getting difficult to stick to the niyat. I made a niyat like this that "I am making niyat that I will stop committing this sin from today"

My question is, while making niyat I did not take Allah Ta'ala's name, I just said that I am making this niyat and is it still necessary for me to stick to this niyat? I want to stay on this but I just want to make some changes in it.

Q: A few years ago I made a promise that I would not have a certain food and drink until I got married but a few months ago I felt that Allah does not need me to stop eating and drinkig for a fulfilment of a need but rather I should do dua and other optional deeds. So I first gave money towards the poor (kaffara) and re-started eating what I had stopped but I am not sure if I should have done this. If not, please let me know what I should do now?

Q: I have made a niyat to Allah Ta'ala and now I am unable to stick to it. I want to make some changes in that niyat. Is it possible to do so? I have heard that Sahaabah (Companions of Nabi Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wasallam)) sometime in their lives broke kasams or niyat and paid kafaraah. May Allah Ta'ala forgive me if I am wrong, let me know if there is any way so tht I can change my niyat and make things easy for me.

Q: The kafarah for an oath is to feed ten deserving poor men or pay kafarah to ten poor people. Can one pay the amount of ten people to just one poor person as this would not involve finding ten people.

Q: I want to enquire whether all oaths made to Allah will constitute kaffaarah, example, if a person promises verbally to Allah to never miss a salaah, if a salaah is missed, should a person give kaffaarah?

Q: Someone lost money and I found it. They said that I should keep it. I said "wallahi I'm not gonna take it"Their intention was to keep it as a gift. After I gave it to them they gave it to me to put in the sadaqah tin. Because I took it in my hand do I have to give kafaraah? My intention when I said "wallahi I wont take it" I meant as a gift. 

Q: I had promised Allah Ta'ala that if He blesses my sister with a child when she was unable to conceive, I will keep 7 fasts for Him.

I even promised Allah Ta'ala to fast for two more reasons which He accepted and fullfilled.

I owe a total of 9 fasts for many years. I am trying but I am unable to do fast. Is there anything which I can do easily instead of keeping 9 fasts? I don't want to upset my Allah Ta'ala as He has done so much for me.

Q: Our elder brother is a physiological patient and on drug abuse. We tried to convince him for treatment but he refused. We started an outdoor treatment with a physiologist. In this treatment we teamed up with the psychologist and started his physiological treatment in which we perform different types of therapies. We changed our behaviour towards him and made different approaches. He is almost 75% recovered now.

Recently he started doubting us that we are doing some kind of treatment without him knowing. He started fighting with us and we denied doing any treatment as the doctor told us not to tell him at this stage. He is now asking us to put our hand on the Quran and take an oath that we are not doing any treatment for him. The doctor is advising us that after a few months, when he is fully recovered, then only should we will tell him the truth.

What does Islam say? Should we take a false oath to satisfy him for sake of his recovery and later, when he is fine then tell him the truth?

Q: If one breaks an oath multiple times about the same thing, e.g," By Allah, I will not commit this sin again," and when he breaks this oath, then without paying the kaffaraah, he takes this oath again, then breaks it once more, will the kaffaraah have to be given once, or for both times?

Similarly, if a person breaks an oath repeatedly about different matters, and without paying the Kaffaraah, makes oaths once again, does he have to pay the kaffaraah once for all matters?