The Ruling on Women Making Vows Without Their Husband’s Permission

A vow (nazr) is when a person obligates themselves to perform a good deed for God or refrains from something that is better not to do, for God’s sake. For example, a vow might be expressed like this: "I vow that if—for instance—my sick person recovers, it becomes obligatory for me, for God, to give one hundred tomans to a poor person." But what is the ruling if this vow is made by a woman? Can she fulfill a vow without her husband's permission? Below are questions with answers from the scholars’ perspectives.

What is the ruling on a woman’s vow without her husband’s permission?

• Grand Ayatollahs Imam Khomeini, Khamenei, and Noori:
  A woman’s vow without her husband’s permission is invalid.
  Sources: Tazhib al-Masa’il (Clarification of Issues), No. 2644; Ayatollah Noori, Tazhib al-Masa’il, No. 2642; Ayatollah Khamenei, Estefta, Q. 1093.

• Ayatollah Fazel Lankarani:
  If the woman’s vow conflicts with her husband’s marital rights, it is invalid without his permission. If it does not conflict, the obligatory precaution is to have his permission, especially regarding vows involving money.
  Source: Tazhib al-Masa’il, No. 2644.

• Ayatollah Bahjat:
  According to obligatory precaution, a woman’s vow without her husband’s permission is invalid.
  Source: Tazhib al-Masa’il, No. 2644.

• Grand Ayatollahs Sistani, Safi, and Vahid:
  If a woman’s vow interferes with her husband’s rights, it is not valid without his permission. As a precaution, even for her own property (except for Hajj, Zakat, maintaining family ties, and kindness to parents), she must have her husband’s permission to vow.
  Sources: Tazhib al-Masa’il, No. 2644 (Safi and Sistani); Vahid, Tazhib al-Masa’il, No. 2708.

• Ayatollah Tabrizi and Ayatollah Makarem:
  If the woman’s vow interferes with her husband’s rights, it is invalid without his permission. If it does not interfere, the recommended precaution is to have his permission.
  Sources: Makarem, Tazhib al-Masa’il, No. 2644; Tabrizi, Minhaj al-Salihin, Vol. 2, No. 1551.

Question: Can a woman make a vow from her own property without her husband’s permission?

Answers:

• Grand Ayatollahs Imam Khomeini and Khamenei:
  No, a woman’s vow from her own property without her husband’s permission is not valid.
  Sources: Imam’s Estefta, Vol. 2, Nazr, Q. 10; Ayatollah Khamenei, Estefta, Q. 1093.

• Ayatollah Noori:
  Yes, a woman’s vow from her own property without her husband’s permission is valid.
  Source: Noori, Estefta, Vol. 1, Q. 759.

• Grand Ayatollahs Sistani, Safi, and Vahid:
  If a woman’s vow interferes with her husband’s rights, it is invalid without his permission. By precaution, even for her own property (except for Hajj, Zakat, maintaining family ties, kindness to parents), she must have her husband’s permission to vow.
  Sources: Tazhib al-Masa’il, No. 2644 (Safi and Sistani); Vahid, Tazhib al-Masa’il, No. 2708.

• Ayatollah Fazel:
  If the vow interferes with the husband’s rights, it is invalid without permission; if not, the obligatory precaution is to have permission, especially for vows involving property—even if it belongs to herself.
  Source: Tazhib al-Masa’il, No. 2644.

• Ayatollahs Tabrizi and Makarem:
  Same ruling as above—permission is needed if it interferes, and if not, it is recommended to have permission, even for her own property.
  Sources: Makarem, Tazhib al-Masa’il, No. 2644; Tabrizi, Minhaj al-Salihin, Vol. 2, No. 1551.

• Ayatollah Bahjat:
  A woman’s vow without her husband’s permission—even for her own property—is not valid by obligatory precaution.
  Source: Tazhib al-Masa’il, No. 2644.

Free Will in Making a Vow:
The person making the vow must be responsible and sane, and must vow of their own free will and intention. Therefore, a vow made under compulsion, or out of anger or lack of control, is not valid.

Invalid Vows:
A foolish person wasting time on meaningless matters, if legally deemed incompetent or prohibited by the religious authority from managing their property, their vows related to their property are not valid.

Summary:
A woman’s vow without her husband’s permission is invalid.

Question: Since the husband’s permission is obligatory, if the woman made a vow before marriage, can the husband prevent her from fulfilling it?

Answer:
If the vow is made properly and with the proper formula, fulfilling it is obligatory and the husband cannot prevent it. However, if the vow involves financial matters, the woman must pay from her own property, and the husband is not obligated to pay. If fulfilling the vow causes harm, then fulfilling it is waived to the extent of the harm, but a compensation (kaffara) must be paid.

Note: All of this assumes the vow was properly made with the proper wording. If the vow lacks the proper formula, fulfilling it is not obligatory.

Question: Does a woman need only her husband’s permission to make a vow, and does this include vows related to prayers (salawat) and recitations?

Answer:
According to Imam Khomeini’s view, any type of vow made by a woman without her husband’s permission is invalid, and later permission does not validate it. Therefore, even vows of salawat or religious recitations without the husband’s permission are invalid.