What is the ruling on someone who swore – whether in his heart or with his tongue – not to repeat an act of worship, then repeated it out of forgetfulness or unawareness of his oath, or repeated it intentionally under the influence of obsessive whisperings (waswas)?

The cure for obsessive thoughts is to ignore them and not pay attention to them. The one afflicted with obsessions should not succumb to them or take an oath so as not to be overcome by obsessions. Rather, he must strive against his soul to abandon them without an oath. An oath is not binding by mere intention; thus, whoever swore only in his heart is not bound by anything. And whoever swore and uttered with his tongue, then did what he swore to abandon, or abandoned what he swore to do, out of forgetfulness, has not broken his oath according to many scholars. And whoever swore or broke an oath under the influence of obsessive thoughts is not bound by anything, because he is in the position of one coerced. It is permissible for the one afflicted with obsessions to adopt the easiest rulings to alleviate hardship.