Is expiation obligatory for every time one's mother was angered, and for every day one breaks a promise to study a specific subject?
The cure for obsessive thoughts (waswas) is to ignore them and turn away from them. If a vow (ʿahd) was made under the influence of waswas or was merely an internal monologue, then there is nothing binding in it. However, if it was made intentionally and uttered verbally, then it is treated as an oath (yamin), and expiation becomes obligatory upon breaking it. Only one expiation is required unless the wording explicitly indicates repetition. Undertaking a permissible act with such a صيغة ( صيغة referring to the specific wording or formulation of the vow) necessitates expiation if the person breaks it. The expiation is repeated if the wording implies repetition; otherwise, only one expiation is due. According to the Hanbalis, expiations for multiple oaths merge, and a single expiation suffices. A person afflicted with waswas may adopt this opinion.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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