Is a person suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) excused if something from the divorce-related obsessions that constantly plague him and cause him distress and grief slips from his tongue? What is the ruling on a vow he made to deter himself from these obsessions? What is the effect of the word "divorce" running through his mind or being uttered unintentionally on his marital relationship? What is the ruling if he writes it or reads it? Should he ignore these obsessions and continue his marital life despite suffering from their negative repercussions on his personal and professional life?
If a person's waswas (obsessive whispering/doubts) reaches a degree where they doubt their actions, such as divorce, then they should not pay attention to it. This is because certainty is not dispelled by doubt, and the default is for the wife to remain under the protection of her husband. These waswas must be resisted and not indulged in. As for a vow (nadhr) intended to prevent oneself from waswas, it is a "vow of obstinacy and anger" (nadhr lajaj wa ghadab), and an expiation for a broken oath (kaffarat yamin) is sufficient for it.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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