Is a person punished for the whispers that Satan casts into his heart, such as the thought that Allah and His Messenger are not the truth?
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The questioner : Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah.
The questioner : The honorable Shaykh, a young man used to commit many sins. After he committed himself to the religion and went into da'wah, the devils began to torment him. I don't know, I mean, his devils teach him that Allah is not the truth, and that he prays and stands in night prayer, and at times leads the prayer in the neighborhood mosque, but the thought constantly circles in his mind that Allah is not the truth, that the Messenger is not the truth, and that the Companions are fairy tales. This thing is always in his mind. Is he punished for this thought?
The Shaykh : These are whispers, may Allah reward you. They are whispers that Satan casts into the hearts of the people of faith. This happened to the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), and they came to complain to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and they said: This means pure faith; this is a sign of purity. Why?
Because when Satan sees a person turning toward the truth, he diverts him from it by every means he can. But if the person is turning away, Satan is spared the effort; he does not come to him or let these whispers enter him.
The questioner : So how does one get rid of them, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : He gets rid of them. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: He seeks refuge in Allah, meaning he says: "I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan." And he should stop; he should turn away from it and not think about it at all, and it will not harm him.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah.
The questioner : The honorable Shaykh, a young man used to commit many sins. After he committed himself to the religion and went into da'wah, the devils began to torment him. I don't know, I mean, his devils teach him that Allah is not the truth, and that he prays and stands in night prayer, and at times leads the prayer in the neighborhood mosque, but the thought constantly circles in his mind that Allah is not the truth, that the Messenger is not the truth, and that the Companions are fairy tales. This thing is always in his mind. Is he punished for this thought?
The Shaykh : These are whispers, may Allah reward you. They are whispers that Satan casts into the hearts of the people of faith. This happened to the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), and they came to complain to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and they said:
One of us finds in his heart what he would wish to fall from the sky rather than speak of, or what he would wish were a burning coal rather than speak of. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: That is pure faith.
إن أحدنا يجد في نفسه ما يحب أن يخر من السماء ولا يتكلم به، أو ما يحب أن يكون حممة -أي: فحمة مشوي- ولا يتكلم به، فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: ذاك صريح الإيمانBecause when Satan sees a person turning toward the truth, he diverts him from it by every means he can. But if the person is turning away, Satan is spared the effort; he does not come to him or let these whispers enter him.
The questioner : So how does one get rid of them, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : He gets rid of them. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: