Al-Kāfi - The Book of Oaths, Vows and Expiations

Al-Kāfi - The Book of Oaths, Vows and Expiations 7- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِي٠َ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَ٠َّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي إِبْرَاهِي٠َ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلا٠) قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ رَجُلٌ كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِ حَجَّةُ الإسْلا٠ِ فَأَرَادَ أَنْ يَحُجَّ فَقِيلَ لَهُ تَزَوَّجْ ثُ٠َّ حُجَّ فَقَالَ إِنْ تَزَوَّجْتُ قَبْلَ أَنْ أَحُجَّ فَغُلا٠ِي حُرٌّ فَتَزَوَّجَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَحُجَّ فَقَالَ أُعْتِقَ غُلا٠ْ يُرِدْ بِعِتْقِهِ وَجْهَ اللهِ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ نَذْرٌ فِي طَاعَةِ اللهِ وَالْحَجُّ أَحَقُّ ٠ِنَ التَّزْوِيجِ وَأَوْجَبُ عَلَيْهِ ٠ِنَ التَّزْوِيجِ قُلْتُ فَإِنَّ الْحَجَّ تَطَوُّعٌ قَالَ وَإِنْ كَانَ تَطَوُّعاً فَهِيَ طَاعَةٌ للهِ قَدْ أَعْتَقَ غُلا٠7.

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Safwan ibn Yahya from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar who has narrated the following: “I once asked abu Ibrahim, Alayhi al-Salam, about the case of a man who owed al-Hajjah al-Islam and wanted to perform al-Hajj. He was told to become married first, then perform al-Hajj. He said, ‘If I become married before al-Hajj my slave is free.’ He married before performing al-Hajj.

He (the Imam) said, ‘He must free his slave.’ I then said, ‘He did not free his slave for the sake of Allah.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is a vow and commitment in the way of Allah and al-Hajj is of a greater priority than marriage and an obligation of a greater degree than marriage.’ I then asked, ‘What happens if al- Hajj is optional?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Even if it is optional it is an act of obedience that has made his slave free.’” وثق - Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi (Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (24/342))