A person is struggling with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) that has severely impacted their life, leading to constant doubts about purity and cleanliness. They question whether items they previously confirmed as impure are now pure, whether they have touched impurities, and whether their actions of prayer and ablution are valid. This has caused them significant distress, affecting their ability to work, study, and live a normal life.
[AR_ID:4901]
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1 Answer
Peace be upon you,
Dear questioner, the answer may seem somewhat disheartening, but it is not as important as finding a solution and treatment. Firstly, the jurisprudential aspect of your question is only part of the solution, not the entirety of it. The solution is both jurisprudential and psychological. Knowing the jurisprudential answer will not fully resolve this issue, as it requires the element of will that arises from thought. Your thoughts need organization, which may be difficult to achieve amidst the turmoil of anxiety. We have elaborated on these matters in similar questions, and we will provide links to them below. Regarding the jurisprudential aspect, scholars agree that a person with obsessive doubts should not pay attention to their doubts and should assume purity as long as there is no certainty of impurity. Impurity requires certainty; mere doubt or suspicion is not sufficient to act upon.
We encourage you to follow the links below to learn about treatment methods for the issues you raised in your question, and we ask Allah for your well-being. He is All-Hearing and Responsive.
1- How to deal with doubts about purity and impurity.
2- How to deal with doubts about the acceptance of deeds.
May you be successful in all that is good.