Am I obligated to pay a sum of money to the woman whose work I affected due to my fear of her, and what should I do if she is not the one concerned with the money I owe? Am I obligated to fulfill a vow resulting from unintentional obsessive thoughts? Am I obligated to fulfill a financial promise or give compensation for helping others if these are merely thoughts I cannot act upon? Am I bound by the value of the debt I intended, even if it is greater than the actual debt? What is incumbent upon me if I do not abide by my promise to give something to a person or invite them? What is the ruling on obsessive thoughts that make me doubt the permissibility of money or food? What is the ruling on thoughts that link doing good to someone with a misfortune befalling them, or with the death of a patient when visiting them? What is the guidance for me and my sister who suffer from these obsessions?
Source: FtawySummarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
The questioner is not liable for what happened to the woman in terms of fright and illness, because the questioner's action was not aggressive; rather, she intended to convey the truth to her. The questioner is not responsible for the harm if she did not intend to cause it.
As for the money due to that woman, it must be delivered to her. If that is not possible, then it should be given as charity on her behalf.
A vow is not established by mere intention without utterance, and charity is not obligatory by mere intention.
The questioner must turn away from whispers (waswas) and not pay attention to them, as this is a cure for her.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/135600