Question:
Assalamualykum..hope you are well? I wanted to find out if in islam we are allowed to take a vow of silence for a short period of time (eg 24hrs).
Let’s say a person commits a sin and after seeking Allahs forgiveness he/she vows to stay silent..
I know this is what monks do and we not allowed to follow their ways ..can you comment?
Jazakallah
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
After committing a sin one must seek forgiveness for Allah by doing sincere Tawbah (repentance) and making a firm resolution to follow the commandments of Allah.
By doing sincere Tawbah, Allah Ta’ala promises a person will be forgiven. The Prophet ﷺ has said: “He who repents for his sin is like one who has no sin.”
Therefore a person should at all times adopt what the Shari’ah points us towards, and refrain from any other customs or practices. Taking a vow of silence serves no benefit and moreover it is generally a practice associated with Non-muslims[1] and should be avoided.
Mufti Shafi’ (Rahimahullah) mentions in Maariful Quraan, (vol 8 pg. 36)
“The vow of silence has been prohibited under the Islamic Law. Before the advent of Islam silence was also a form of worship, and those who observed this fast were not supposed to speak from dawn to dusk. Islam cancelled this fast and made it mandatory to refrain from idle talk, lying and back-biting. Refraining from normal conversation is not a form of worship in Islam anymore and, hence to take a vow of silence is also not permissible. Abu Dawood (Rahimahullah) has reported the following Hadith from the Holy Prophet ﷺ
لا يتم بعد احتلام ولا صمات يوم الي الليل
It means, that a child who has lost his father may not be regarded as an orphan after attaining puberty, and the rules pertaining to an orphan cease to apply on him. And that remaining silent from dawn to dusk is not a form of worship in Islam (This Hadith has been rated by As-SuyTiti and Al-‘Azizi as Hasan).”
Rather spend one’s time in Ibadah and the remembrance of Allah, as good deeds wipe out sins.
إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ
Verily, good deeds will repel evil deeds. (Surah Hud 114)
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Arshad Ali
Darul Iftaa, Jaamia Madinatul Uloom (Trinidad)
www.fatwa-tt.com /www.jaamia.net
