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Fatwa CenterBreaking promise (to Allah) under influence of Waswaas
Question
Assalaamu alaykum. I have been suffering from Waswaas (devilish whisperings/obsessive doubts) for a long time. For some reason, I thought that breaking a promise is Shirk (associating partners with Allah in worship), and unfortunately I broke that promise while thinking that breaking that promise was Shirk and will lead to Shirk. Now I know that breaking a promise is not Shirk. Did I commit Shirk? Do I have to repeat the testimony of faith? Have I committed Shirk because I did something (that is not Shirk) while thinking that it is Shirk? I am scared because one mufti said that even intending to commit Shirk is Shirk. So if breaking promise is not Shirk, did I commit Shirk by breaking a promise while thinking that?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
If you broke a promise under the influence of Waswaas (obsessive whispering), as seems to be the case, then you bear no sin for it and you are not required to offer expiation, let alone that you should not consider it to be Shirk. This is because the person affected by Waswaas is held in the same position as that of the person who is compelled to do or say something under duress. You must ignore this Waswaas and pay no attention to it at all, since getting carried away with it leads to a grave evil.
Allah knows best.
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