What is the ruling on fulfilling a vow (Nadhr) to give specific wealth or a fixed amount as charity?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Vows
Primary text
The sound opinion within the Madhhab dictates that the entire amount vowed as charity must be fulfilled. This is because a vow is a commitment to an act of worship, and fulfilling vows is obligatory, similar to all other vows made. This is supported by the general command in the Quran: {They fulfill the vow} (Quran 76:7). Fulfillment of the entire pledged amount is only deviated from in the case of specific traditions concerning giving everything away, or due to the harm that giving away all one's wealth entails for the person making the vow.
Supporting text
A narration attributed to Ahmad permits fulfilling only one-third of the vowed amount because the wealth was designated for charity, making one-third sufficient, similar to the ruling for the entire estate. Furthermore, it is suggested that if the vowed amount is one-third of the wealth or less, the full vow must be fulfilled. However, if it exceeds one-third, only one-third must be given, likening this to the ruling concerning a bequest (Wasiyyah).