Short answer
Charity you vowed (nazr or nadhr) goes to the poor, the same people who can receive zakat. In the Hanafi school you cannot use it yourself, or give it to the rich, your parents, children or spouse. Keeping a vow of charity is wajib once its condition is met.
A vow made to Allah to give sadaqah must be fulfilled. Its recipients are the recipients of zakat. A named place, day, coin or particular poor person is not binding, so it may be given to other poor people.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
A nazr is a promise to Allah to do an act of worship, often with a condition: "If I pass my exam, I will give 500 dollars in charity." Once the condition happens, keeping it is wajib. The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever vows to obey Allah must obey Him, and whoever vows to disobey Him must not. All four schools agree that a vow of charity must be kept.
Vowed charity is obligatory charity, so in the Hanafi school it goes to the same people as zakat:
- Poor and needy Muslims, and others among the eight groups.
- Not yourself or your household, and not anyone rich.
- Not your parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren or spouse.
- Not a Sayyid.
The Hanafi school does not hold you to the details. If you vowed to give in a particular city, on a particular day, or to a particular poor person, you may give it to other poor people, elsewhere or at another time. You may give money in place of food, or food in place of money.
Vows tied to a building or project, such as "I will give to the mosque", and vows you cannot keep, raise other questions; ask a scholar about your exact words. Keeping vows is praised in the Quran, but the Prophet ﷺ also discouraged making them, so it is better to give freely than to bargain with conditions.
Ask a mufti about your own case. This answer explains the general ruling. When the details of your situation matter, as they do here, ask a qualified mufti and give them the full facts. Where to ask a scholar.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Insaan 76:7
يُوفُونَ بِٱلنَّذْرِ وَيَخَافُونَ يَوْمًۭا كَانَ شَرُّهُۥ مُسْتَطِيرًۭا ﴿٧﴾
They [are those who] fulfill [their] vows and fear a Day whose evil will be widespread.
Keeping vows is praised as a mark of the righteous.
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:270
وَمَآ أَنفَقْتُم مِّن نَّفَقَةٍ أَوْ نَذَرْتُم مِّن نَّذْرٍۢ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُهُۥ ۗ وَمَا لِلظَّٰلِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ ﴿٢٧٠﴾
And whatever you spend of expenditures or make of vows - indeed, Allah knows of it. And for the wrongdoers there are no helpers.
Allah knows every vow made.
Sahih al-Bukhari 6696
Sahih... من نذر أن يطيع الله فليطعه ومن نذر أن يعصيه فلا يعصه ...
"Whoever vows to obey Allah, let him obey Him; and whoever vows to disobey Him, let him not disobey Him."
A vow of an act of obedience, such as charity, must be kept.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Ayman, section on vows. A vow of an act of worship that has an obligatory counterpart, such as sadaqah, is binding.
- Radd al-Muhtar, Kitab al-Zakat, chapter on the recipients. The recipients of zakat are also the recipients of other obligatory charities, including vows.
- al-Durr al-Mukhtar, Kitab al-Ayman, on vows. Naming a place, time, coin or poor person in a vow is not binding.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.