She wanted to get rid of it, so she tried to swear by Allah that she would not wash her hands more than three times, out of her desire to stop the obsessive doubts, but she doubts the purity of her hands after that
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The questioner : Her final question: This condition I am in has lasted for about five years, and I am trying to get rid of it, but I do not have a correct method to do so. Finally, it occurred to me to swear by Allah that I would not wash my hands, for example, more than three times. But then I doubt that they are not purified, so I wash them again. This has happened to me many times. I swear that I will not wash the body part more than a certain number of times, but I wash it again. Do I owe an expiation, given that I cannot count the number of times I have sworn, because they are many, and it happens every time? Is one expiation sufficient, or is it required for each oath, even though, as I said, I cannot count the number, but the purpose is the same?
The Shaykh : The answer to this is from two aspects.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The first aspect is that it is not permissible for a person to swear to leave off a sin or to perform an obligatory act, for this is what Allah has forbidden. Allah the Exalted said:[An-Nur 24:53] Therefore, what a person should do is seek Allah’s help, Mighty and Majestic, in performing acts of obedience and leaving off what is forbidden, without swearing. Rather, he should train himself to accept the command of Allah and His Messenger, by doing what is commanded and leaving off what is prohibited, without compelling himself with an oath.
As for the second aspect, this woman who swore not to wash her hands more than what she should wash them, and then did so and repeated it, it is obligatory for her to pay the expiation for an oath. As long as the act is of one kind, she is sufficient with one expiation. The expiation for an oath is as mentioned by Allah, Mighty and Majestic:[Al-Ma'idah 5:89] Feeding the poor is done in two ways: one is to provide them with breakfast or dinner by cooking food and inviting ten poor people to eat, and the second is to distribute to them grain of wheat or rice. Rice in our time is the middle of what we feed our families, so it is more appropriate than others. Its amount, according to what has been specified in the known sa' measures in most of these lands, is two sa' of rice. However, one should add to this food something to make it filling, such as meat or the like, to complete the feeding.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
This questioner is A. A. K. from Irbid, Jordan.
The Shaykh : The answer to this is from two aspects.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The first aspect is that it is not permissible for a person to swear to leave off a sin or to perform an obligatory act, for this is what Allah has forbidden. Allah the Exalted said:
And they swear by Allah their strongest oaths that if you ordered them, they would go forth [in Allah 's cause]. Say, "Do not swear. [Such] obedience is known. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with that which you do."
وأقسموا بالله جهد أيمانهم لئن أمرتهم ليخرجن قل لا تُقسموا طاعة معروفة والله خبير لما تعملونAs for the second aspect, this woman who swore not to wash her hands more than what she should wash them, and then did so and repeated it, it is obligatory for her to pay the expiation for an oath. As long as the act is of one kind, she is sufficient with one expiation. The expiation for an oath is as mentioned by Allah, Mighty and Majestic:
So its expiation is the feeding of ten needy people from the average of that which you feed your [own] families or clothing them or the freeing of a slave. But whoever cannot find [or afford it] - then a fast of three days [is required]
فكفارته إطعام عشرة مساكين من أوسط ما تطعمون أهليكم أو كسوتهم أو تحرير رقبة فمن لم يجد فصيام ثلاثة أيامThe questioner : May Allah bless you.
This questioner is A. A. K. from Irbid, Jordan.