Dealing with Waswasa (Whispers of the Devil)

Question

A person is experiencing doubts and whispers regarding their prayer and purification rituals, particularly about whether they have performed one or two prostrations. They seek guidance on why these doubts return and how to overcome them. [AR_ID:925]

Answer 1

Peace be upon you.

1) Waswasa is a primary tactic of the devil. The devil has no power over humans except to whisper to them, urging them to repeat prayers or question their state of purity. Therefore, one should not expect a day to come when the devil will not whisper to them, except in one of two cases:

Firstly, when a person dies, as the devil has no business with the deceased.

Secondly, when the devil dies, but he does not die in this world. Allah says: "He said, 'My Lord, then reprieve me until the Day they are resurrected.' He said, 'Indeed, you are among the reprieved until the Day of the time well-known."

As long as the devil is alive, he will whisper, and as long as both the devil and the person are alive, this issue will persist!

2) Therefore, a person must strengthen their defenses against the whispers of the accursed devil through the following methods:

First: Recognize that waswasa is a blameworthy state both rationally and religiously, as it deviates from moderation and wastes a person's energy without yielding any benefit. Waswasa is not a form of piety or care for the sacred laws, but rather a disturbance in a person's perception, weakness in their will, and submission to the evil whispers of the devil. As mentioned in a narration: "I mentioned to Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) a man afflicted with doubts in his ablution and prayer, and I said he is a rational man. Abu Abdullah replied, 'What kind of rationality does he have while obeying the devil? Ask him what he is afflicted with, for he will tell you it is the work of the devil.'"

Second: Strive to control oneself and take charge of one's will, preventing the devil from manipulating them. One should resolve to do this, certain that Allah will not punish them for not paying attention to what they doubt on the Day of Judgment. If they doubt whether they performed one or two prostrations, they should act as if they performed both. The more they disregard the doubt, the weaker the influence of the illusion will become until the devil gives up on them, allowing them to maintain a balanced approach to religious rulings. They should be confident that if they enter this challenge, they will prevail, and Allah will assist them, as Allah says: "Indeed, the plot of the devil is weak."

Third: Learn the religious rulings related to ablution and prayer from authentic sources, including issues of doubt and mistakes.

Fourth: Apply what they have learned accurately when performing ablution and prayer, without adding or omitting anything.

Fifth: The only effective treatment for the disease of waswasa is to disregard the whispers and not to act upon them for an extended period. The longer the duration of the affliction, the longer the treatment will require practicing disregard. Someone who started experiencing waswasa a month or two ago might overcome it by resisting for a few months, while someone who has dealt with it for years will likely need to disregard it for a much longer time.

As narrated by Zurara and Abu Basir from Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (peace be upon him): "Do not accustom the evil within yourselves to invalidating your prayer; do not give it hope! For the devil is cunning and becomes accustomed to what he is allowed. Let one of you proceed with the illusion, and do not frequently invalidate your prayer, for if you do it repeatedly, doubt will not return to you." Zurara said: Then he added: "The evil one only wants to be obeyed; if he is disobeyed, he will not return to you."

Sixth: After all this, the devil will come to say: "Your prayer is invalid; you missed a prostration or a unit of prayer...!" Here, you should respond simply: "I do not care about that as long as I am excused before Allah and He will not punish me on the Day of Judgment in any case."

Seventh: Increase your recitation of "There is no power and no strength except with Allah." Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "A man came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said: 'O Messenger of Allah! I have faced great hardship from the whispers of my heart, and I am a debtor and in need.' The Prophet said to him: 'Repeat these words: "There is no power and no strength except with Allah, the Most High, the Most Great. I rely on the Living Who does not die. Praise be to Allah, Who has not taken a companion or a child, and He has no partner in the kingdom, and He has no protector from humiliation. And magnify Him with a great magnification." He did not take long before he came back and said: 'Allah has removed the whispers from my heart, settled my debt, and expanded my provision.'"

Eighth: If psychological treatment does not help, then consider physical treatment, as there may be medical reasons related to hormonal imbalances in the body.

In conclusion, we ask Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, for your complete health and success in what He loves and is pleased with.