Whispers in the ablution: What are their causes and their cure?
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The questioner : Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy and blessings.
May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh. We love you for the sake of Allah.
The Shaykh : May Allah love you as you have loved me for His sake.
The questioner : The question concerns a woman afflicted with whispers regarding the ablution. What is your advice for treating such a condition, as it has caused her some hardship?
The Shaykh : I say: Satan strives to mislead the children of Adam, either in worship or in creed. The cure consists of two things:
First, that one seeks refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan.
Second, that one turns away from it and does not pay attention to it. For example, if a man enters to perform the ablution and washes his face, his hands, wipes his head, and washes his feet, he is done; he does not repeat it. Even if Satan says, "You did not complete the washing of the limb," he does not pay attention to this. If Satan says, "You did not rinse your mouth or sniff water into your nose," he does not pay attention to this. Likewise in the prayer: if he enters the prayer and, while reciting, doubts whether he said the opening takbir or not, he does not pay attention to this; he continues. If he doubts whether he prostrated twice or once, he does not pay attention to this. Thus, the whispers of the one afflicted with waswas have no ruling. Even if a man divorces his wife while afflicted with waswas, the divorce does not take effect. Satan comes to a person even regarding creed, saying: "Who created such and such? Who created such and such? Who created Allah?"
So let him say: "Allah is One, the Eternal, the Self-Sufficient. He begets not, nor was He begotten, and there is none comparable to Him," and let him turn away.
Then, even if he endures hardship in being patient and turning away from this matter, in the end it will be removed from him.
We ask Allah the Exalted to grant health to those afflicted with this and to grant us health from what He has afflicted them with.
May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh. We love you for the sake of Allah.
The Shaykh : May Allah love you as you have loved me for His sake.
The questioner : The question concerns a woman afflicted with whispers regarding the ablution. What is your advice for treating such a condition, as it has caused her some hardship?
The Shaykh : I say: Satan strives to mislead the children of Adam, either in worship or in creed. The cure consists of two things:
First, that one seeks refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan.
Second, that one turns away from it and does not pay attention to it. For example, if a man enters to perform the ablution and washes his face, his hands, wipes his head, and washes his feet, he is done; he does not repeat it. Even if Satan says, "You did not complete the washing of the limb," he does not pay attention to this. If Satan says, "You did not rinse your mouth or sniff water into your nose," he does not pay attention to this. Likewise in the prayer: if he enters the prayer and, while reciting, doubts whether he said the opening takbir or not, he does not pay attention to this; he continues. If he doubts whether he prostrated twice or once, he does not pay attention to this. Thus, the whispers of the one afflicted with waswas have no ruling. Even if a man divorces his wife while afflicted with waswas, the divorce does not take effect. Satan comes to a person even regarding creed, saying: "Who created such and such? Who created such and such? Who created Allah?"
So let him say: "Allah is One, the Eternal, the Self-Sufficient. He begets not, nor was He begotten, and there is none comparable to Him," and let him turn away.
Then, even if he endures hardship in being patient and turning away from this matter, in the end it will be removed from him.
We ask Allah the Exalted to grant health to those afflicted with this and to grant us health from what He has afflicted them with.