Bulugh al-Maram — Hadith #52441

And Abu Dawud narrated, on the authority of Ibn Abbas, in a hadith traced back to the Prophet: “Whoever makes a vow without specifying it, its expiation is the expiation for breaking an oath. Whoever makes a vow in disobedience, its expiation is the expiation for breaking an oath. Whoever makes a vow that he cannot fulfill, its expiation is the expiation for breaking an oath.” Its chain of narration is authentic. However, the scholars of hadith preferred its being a statement of a Companion (mawquf). 1.1 - Weak as a hadith traced back to the Prophet (marfu'). It was narrated by Abu Dawud (3322) through the chain of transmission of Talhah ibn Yahya al-Ansari, from Abdullah ibn Sa'id ibn Abi Hind, from Bukayr ibn Abdullah al-Ashajj, from Kurayb, from Ibn Abbas, as a hadith traced back to the Prophet (marfu'). He added: "Whoever makes a vow that he is able to fulfill, let him fulfill it." I say: This is how Talhah narrated it, but Waki' differed with him, narrating it as a statement of a Companion (mawquf). He narrated it from Ibn Abi Shaybah (4/173). There is no doubt that Waki's narration is the correct one, especially if you compare the biographies of the two men. Therefore, Abu Dawud said: "This hadith was narrated by Waki' and others on the authority of Abdullah ibn Sa'id, who traced it back to Ibn Abbas." Abu Zur'ah and Abu Hatim said likewise (1/441/1326): "The correct statement is a statement of a Companion."