had changed the timing of her menstrual cycle because of the irregular bleeding. Yet the Prophet ﷺ still referred her back to her customary cycle.

If someone swore, saying, “By Allah, I will certainly wear this garment,” and then someone came in and greeted him, so he replied, “And peace be upon you; if Allah wills”—intending the latter phrase to qualify the original oath—then, according to the madhhab, the exception is not valid here. According to the second view, which is the stronger one, it is valid, especially if he had intended the exception from the outset. The response to the greeting here, however, is an intervening parenthetical statement.

It is recommended to break an oath when doing so is better, ……………

His statement, “It is recommended to break an oath when doing so is better”: breaking an oath is what he referred to previously: namely, doing what one swore not to do, or refraining from what one swore to do.

For example, a man says, “By Allah, I will not do this,” then comes to us and asks: Is it better for him to do this thing and thereby break his oath, or is it better not to do it?

We say: if breaking the oath is better than not breaking it, then break it. If not breaking it is better, or if the two options are equal, then it is better to uphold the oath and not break it.

Thus, the matter falls into one of three cases:

First: breaking the oath is better.

Second: not breaking the oath is better.

Third: the two options are equal.

If breaking the oath is better, he should break it. If not breaking it is better, he should not break it. If the two are equal, he has a choice, though it is better not to break it, because Allah the Exalted says:

“And safeguard your oaths.” [al-Ma'idah 5:89]

That is, make them firm and preserved, and do not break them.