He says, “I suffer from a severe psychological illness, which is a type of malicious whispering (waswas). For example, if there is a person in front of me and I am remembering Allah, then
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The questioner : Regarding waswas, we received this message from the sender, your brother Ibrahim Abdullah, or from the school of Ka'b ibn Zuhayr. He says, “I suffer from a severe psychological illness, which is a type of malicious whispering (waswas). For example, if there is a person in front of me and I am remembering Allah, then Satan diverts my heart toward that person, as if I am referring to him in my remembrance.
The Shaykh : Allah is the Greatest.
The questioner : Or if I say, ‘I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,’ then my heart is diverted by Satan toward another person, for example, one named Muhammad. I am in anxiety and distress in life because of this malicious illness, which is the result of the persistence of waswas in me. Will I be considered a disbeliever because of this, and must I repeat Hajj? Please advise us, may Allah guide you?
The Shaykh : We inform our brother that the waswas he mentioned is a clear sign of faith and an indication that his faith is good and pure, because Satan only attempts to demolish what is standing, whereas he does not touch what is already collapsed. This is evidence that our brother possesses strong faith that Satan is trying to demolish and strip from him. So we tell him: these are whispers; do not pay attention to them, do not turn toward them, and do not be concerned by them. If you feel them, seek refuge in Allah from Satan the Rakee (the accursed one), for he has no authority over those who believe and put their trust in their Lord. His authority is only over those who take him as their protector. So, my brother, stick to the faith you are upon and do not pay attention to these whispers. Tell yourself that you can never stand before this man and say to him, “You are Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah.” If you cannot do that, it means that what your self is telling you is nothing, and it is merely a whisper; do not pay attention to it. Likewise, what you find regarding the actions of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) or His attributes, that is from Satan, so seek refuge in Allah from it and do not pay attention to it, and it will be removed from you, if Allah wills.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Allah is the Greatest.
The questioner : Or if I say, ‘I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,’ then my heart is diverted by Satan toward another person, for example, one named Muhammad. I am in anxiety and distress in life because of this malicious illness, which is the result of the persistence of waswas in me. Will I be considered a disbeliever because of this, and must I repeat Hajj? Please advise us, may Allah guide you?
The Shaykh : We inform our brother that the waswas he mentioned is a clear sign of faith and an indication that his faith is good and pure, because Satan only attempts to demolish what is standing, whereas he does not touch what is already collapsed. This is evidence that our brother possesses strong faith that Satan is trying to demolish and strip from him. So we tell him: these are whispers; do not pay attention to them, do not turn toward them, and do not be concerned by them. If you feel them, seek refuge in Allah from Satan the Rakee (the accursed one), for he has no authority over those who believe and put their trust in their Lord. His authority is only over those who take him as their protector. So, my brother, stick to the faith you are upon and do not pay attention to these whispers. Tell yourself that you can never stand before this man and say to him, “You are Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah.” If you cannot do that, it means that what your self is telling you is nothing, and it is merely a whisper; do not pay attention to it. Likewise, what you find regarding the actions of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) or His attributes, that is from Satan, so seek refuge in Allah from it and do not pay attention to it, and it will be removed from you, if Allah wills.
The questioner : Yes.