How to Deal with Whispers in Prayer
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
The listening sister (M. A. S.) from al-Ahsa sent a message stating in one of her questions in that message: I often doubt my prayer. For example, when I intend to stand for the second or third rak'ah, I doubt whether I prostrated and sat between the two prostrations, or whether I only prostrated once. This happens to me frequently. Is my prayer valid in this state? Do I have to repeat it? Please guide me to the correct path. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
This is from Shaytan. This whisper is from Shaytan. It is obligatory for you to oppose him and beware of obeying him. It is prescribed for you to seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan when this whisper occurs. You say: I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan, while you are in prayer, and you spit lightly three times to your left, three times, saying: I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan. If the whispering overpowers you, and if this is generally the case with you, then reject it and act according to your assumption. If your assumption is that you prostrated, do not repeat the prostration. If your assumption is that you prostrated twice, likewise do not repeat the prostration. Act according to your assumption in this matter to frustrate Shaytan and not obey him. Continue in your prayer, and nothing is required of you.
However, if the whispering is little, and you doubt whether you prostrated or did not prostrate, then prostrate and complete the prayer. If this is at the end of the prayer, prostrate two prostrations for forgetfulness before the taslim. If you rise from the prostration and doubt whether this is the first or the second prostration, consider it the first, sit between the two prostrations, and say: My Lord, forgive me, My Lord, forgive me. Then prostrate the second time, then stand for the second of your prayer, or the third, or the fourth. This is because it is obligatory for you to act according to certainty, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 571a.
So you are commanded to discard the doubt and build upon certainty if the whispering is little. If you doubt whether you prayed one or two, consider it one. If you doubt whether it is two or three, consider it two, and so on. Act according to certainty and complete the prayer. When you have completed it, prostrate two prostrations for forgetfulness before the taslim, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded.
And likewise in standing, if you doubt whether you bowed or did not bow, consider that you did not bow, and bow, then rise. If this is at the end of the prayer, prostrate two prostrations for forgetfulness before the taslim for this forgetfulness. However, if the whispering overpowers you and becomes frequent, as mentioned before, discard it and do not pay attention to it. Act according to your assumption and continue in your prayer. You do not have to prostrate for forgetfulness, because this is from the play of Shaytan. So it is obligatory to oppose him and seek refuge in Allah from him. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
The listening sister (M. A. S.) from al-Ahsa sent a message stating in one of her questions in that message: I often doubt my prayer. For example, when I intend to stand for the second or third rak'ah, I doubt whether I prostrated and sat between the two prostrations, or whether I only prostrated once. This happens to me frequently. Is my prayer valid in this state? Do I have to repeat it? Please guide me to the correct path. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
This is from Shaytan. This whisper is from Shaytan. It is obligatory for you to oppose him and beware of obeying him. It is prescribed for you to seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan when this whisper occurs. You say: I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan, while you are in prayer, and you spit lightly three times to your left, three times, saying: I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan. If the whispering overpowers you, and if this is generally the case with you, then reject it and act according to your assumption. If your assumption is that you prostrated, do not repeat the prostration. If your assumption is that you prostrated twice, likewise do not repeat the prostration. Act according to your assumption in this matter to frustrate Shaytan and not obey him. Continue in your prayer, and nothing is required of you.
However, if the whispering is little, and you doubt whether you prostrated or did not prostrate, then prostrate and complete the prayer. If this is at the end of the prayer, prostrate two prostrations for forgetfulness before the taslim. If you rise from the prostration and doubt whether this is the first or the second prostration, consider it the first, sit between the two prostrations, and say: My Lord, forgive me, My Lord, forgive me. Then prostrate the second time, then stand for the second of your prayer, or the third, or the fourth. This is because it is obligatory for you to act according to certainty, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
When any one of you is in doubt about his prayer and he does Dot know how much he has prayed, three or four (rak'ahs). he should cast aside his doubt and base his prayer on what he is sure of.
إذا شك أحدكم في صلاته، فلم يدر كم صلى ثلاثًا، أم أربعًا؛ فليطرح الشك وليبن على ما استيقنSo you are commanded to discard the doubt and build upon certainty if the whispering is little. If you doubt whether you prayed one or two, consider it one. If you doubt whether it is two or three, consider it two, and so on. Act according to certainty and complete the prayer. When you have completed it, prostrate two prostrations for forgetfulness before the taslim, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded.
And likewise in standing, if you doubt whether you bowed or did not bow, consider that you did not bow, and bow, then rise. If this is at the end of the prayer, prostrate two prostrations for forgetfulness before the taslim for this forgetfulness. However, if the whispering overpowers you and becomes frequent, as mentioned before, discard it and do not pay attention to it. Act according to your assumption and continue in your prayer. You do not have to prostrate for forgetfulness, because this is from the play of Shaytan. So it is obligatory to oppose him and seek refuge in Allah from him. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.