A girl suffering from excessive intrusive thoughts in prayer and ablution, sometimes repeating them, and also doubting her recitation of al-Fatihah: what is the solution?
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The questioner : I suffer from excessive intrusive thoughts, especially in prayer and ablution. When I perform ablution, I doubt whether I did it correctly, so I repeat it. Likewise, in prayer, I sometimes doubt that I did not recite al-Fatihah or something else. What is the solution? Please guide us, may you be rewarded.
The Shaykh : The solution is for a person to seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan when these doubts occur, and not to pay attention to them, but to turn away from them completely. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was guided to this when a man complained to him that he felt something in his prayer, and he said:Sahih Muslim 361.
If you perform ablution and doubt whether you completed it or not, the original state is completion, so do not pay attention to it. If you doubt whether you made the intention or not, the original state is intention. If you doubt whether you said the name of Allah or not, the original state is saying the name.
I say this regarding one who is afflicted with intrusive thoughts, because the doubts of one afflicted with intrusive thoughts are mere illusions with no basis. Therefore, do not pay attention to such doubts ever, neither in prayer nor in ablution. I think, as is often the case, that if you restrain yourself and do not pay attention to this intrusive thought, you will find hardship, distress, and psychological pain, but this will disappear soon, so be patient with it, and in a short time it will go away.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : The solution is for a person to seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan when these doubts occur, and not to pay attention to them, but to turn away from them completely. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was guided to this when a man complained to him that he felt something in his prayer, and he said:
He should not return (from prayer) unless he hears a sound or perceives a smell (of passing wind).
لا ينصرف حتى يسمع صوتاً أو يجد ريحاًIf you perform ablution and doubt whether you completed it or not, the original state is completion, so do not pay attention to it. If you doubt whether you made the intention or not, the original state is intention. If you doubt whether you said the name of Allah or not, the original state is saying the name.
I say this regarding one who is afflicted with intrusive thoughts, because the doubts of one afflicted with intrusive thoughts are mere illusions with no basis. Therefore, do not pay attention to such doubts ever, neither in prayer nor in ablution. I think, as is often the case, that if you restrain yourself and do not pay attention to this intrusive thought, you will find hardship, distress, and psychological pain, but this will disappear soon, so be patient with it, and in a short time it will go away.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.