Struggling to Keep a Vow to Allah - Need Advice
Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh, I’m looking for some guidance and reassurance. Some time ago, before I had steady work, I vowed to Allah that if I got a job I would give 5% of my salary to charity each month. Alhamdulillah I found work and I kept that promise for a while, and it felt really rewarding. Right now my situation is really tight. My salary is 40,000 Taka and rent alone takes 36,000–37,000. That leaves only about 3,000–4,000 Taka for everything else. Giving 5% (around 2,000 Taka) at the moment would put me in real hardship. I can’t move house right now for personal and financial reasons. On top of that, unexpected expenses came up this month - my father’s grave was damaged in a landslide/flood and needs fixing. I don’t remember the exact terms of my vow - whether I intended it to be permanent or just while I was better off - but I want to honor what I promised to Allah without causing myself harm. Even reducing it to 1% would help me stay afloat for now. Can I temporarily reduce the charity from 5% to a smaller amount, like 1%, until my finances improve? How do others manage vows to Allah when they’re facing financial hardship? I truly want to do the right thing but also need to survive and provide for necessary expenses. JazakAllahu khair for any advice or shared experiences.