Guidance for One Who Frequently Swears Oaths of Divorce and Prohibition

Question:
Muhammad Hamed from Damascus says: Your Eminence, may Allah prolong your life in obedience to Allah. My question is as follows: I have become accustomed to swearing an oath when I get angry or upset about anything, whether at work or at home. I say, “I am divorced” or “It is forbidden for me” that such-and-such is the case. This oath has become a habit in my day and night, and I repeat it constantly. I tried to get rid of it, but I could not. What do you advise me to do? And what is the ruling on this oath, O Your Eminence?

Answer:
We advise you to be cautious of this and not to make it a habit. We advise you to abandon swearing oaths of divorce and prohibition. This is what we advise you to do. If you do so and you are sincere, then you owe nothing. If you say, “I am divorced if so-and-so traveled,” or “I am divorced if I did not do such-and-such,” and you are sincere, you owe nothing. Or if you say, “It is forbidden for me if I do not do such-and-such,” and you did not do it, or “It is forbidden for me if so-and-so traveled,” or “It is forbidden for me if I did not eat such-and-such,” and you are sincere, you owe nothing.
However, if you say it intending to prevent something, saying, “I am divorced if you, so-and-so, do not get up from such-and-such,” or “I am divorced if you do not go back to your family,” and your intention is to prevent her, then its ruling is the ruling of an oath. You owe the expiation for the oath. Or if you say, “It is forbidden for me if I do not eat this thing,” and you ate it, and your intention was to abstain from it, then you owe the expiation for the oath. Or if you say, “It is forbidden for me if I visit so-and-so,” and then you visited him, and your intention was to abstain from visiting him, you owe the expiation for the oath, and praise be to Allah. And you should seek forgiveness for mentioning the prohibition. Yes.

The presenter: May Allah reward you and bless you.