Must a woman who suffers from religious whisperings (waswasa) offer expiation for breaking her oath to stop praying, and is it permissible for her to suffice with fasting as expiation?
Source: FtawySummarized from the full answer at Ftawy · imported Sep 2, 2026
The cure for obsessive thoughts (waswas) is to ignore and disregard them. One should not swear an oath to abandon them, but rather strive against them.
If the oath or its breaking occurred under the influence of obsessive thoughts, then no expiation () is required.
However, if it was done by choice, then the one who swore the oath owes expiation for each oath. The Hanbalis, however, hold that a single expiation is sufficient for multiple oaths. This expiation involves feeding ten poor persons, clothing them, or emancipating a slave. Fasting is not permissible as an expiation if one is able to perform any of these other options.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · imported
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