Treatment for Waswasa in Moral Diseases

Question

A student of knowledge in their early stages may experience waswasa (whispers) regarding their actions, fearing they may contain elements of showing off (riya) or arrogance (ujb), even questioning the sincerity of their intentions. How can one distinguish between waswasa and a genuine affliction of these diseases? What is the remedy for this? [AR_ID:831]

Answer 1

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.

Paying attention to the state of one's soul and its direction towards God is a blessing and guidance from Him. Reflecting on the intentions of the soul is one of the noblest forms of contemplation. Therefore, after expressing gratitude for this blessing, one should continuously pray to God for steadfastness in it, while being cautious of the whispers of Satan. The realm of thought is his constant ambush, and temptation is his primary goal, while achieving sincerity is his downfall. Consequently, any servant who draws closer to sincerity will face increased scrutiny from Satan, becoming susceptible to numerous whispers and devilish insinuations aimed at diverting them from this path.

The essence of this introduction is to understand that waswasa, in general, especially in this context, is a natural occurrence that befalls the soul along this path. The key is not to respond to these whispers and to seek refuge in God from them. Seeking refuge in God means turning to the All-Knowing, Wise, Healer, and Protector. The distinguishing sign between genuine scrutiny and satanic waswasa lies in the heaviness or lightness of these thoughts. If these thoughts weigh heavily on the soul, making actions feel burdensome and possibly leading to their abandonment, they are from Satan. Conversely, if they evoke longing and desire despite the difficulty of striving towards one's goal, they are a blessing from the Most Merciful. The struggle and scrutiny of the soul are intertwined with pleasure, painting the beauty and majesty of worship, as there is no hardship without ease.

Thus, being aware of the necessity of sincerity and caution against showing off and arrogance, among other ailments, is part of the required struggles and clear paths leading to sincerity. If this is the case, one will find themselves on the path of truth, leading to productive engagement in actions, characterized by longing and desire, as mentioned. Therefore, dear questioner, it is essential to be vigilant against showing off or arrogance consistently, as sincerity in action is the ultimate goal of striving. Consequently, sincerity is a rank we need to strive to attain, which means we do not possess it fully, making us susceptible to showing off, arrogance, and other ailments. This necessitates constant vigilance. Not every self-accusation of showing off or arrogance is waswasa; rather, it can be a genuine state of the soul. The criterion for differentiation is as mentioned: whether these thoughts bring heaviness or lightness to the soul. A believer constantly suspects themselves and does not see their actions as worthy of God, as how can the finite be worthy of the Infinite? Thus, they always feel a sense of shortcoming and dissatisfaction with their actions, striving to be among the sincere. However, all these thoughts do not diminish the joy of worship and closeness to God. If they are indeed whispers from Satan, they will bring about a blameworthy sadness and heaviness in the soul, as previously mentioned.

The aim of your question may be to ascertain whether these are whispers and that you are free from showing off and arrogance. However, the advice is to suspect ourselves of false certainty if we perceive ourselves as free from showing off, arrogance, and other ailments, as no one is free from them, except those whom God has protected. The method of differentiating between vigilance and self-accusation versus satanic waswasa is merely one of the criteria.

As for the remedy, whether it pertains to waswasa or the treatment of those diseases, each has a different path. Therefore, it is advisable to refer to specialized books on this matter, as detailing it does not fit within this brief response (Books on Ethics, Spirituality, and Conduct).

May you be successful in all that is good, God willing.