Fatwa ID: 07635
Answered by: Mawlana Abdurrahman Mohammad
Question:
I suffer from intrusive thoughts.
Today because of Waswasah, I got worried if I intended to mock Allah while I was just laughing at something else. I didn’t know what to do so I intentionally started checking if I’d done kufr by smiling at Allah, not with the intention of mocking Allah but I was only imagining that I was mocking him. I couldn’t check so I tried again, this time by smiling at how Allah ‘created’ humans. But this time while smiling, instead of imagining I ended up making the intention to mock how humans were created by Allah. But I didn’t want to make this intention, and my initial intention before I started smiling was not to smile with the intention of mockery – which I probably have done consciously for like 2 seconds – but the intention was not a sincere, desired intention from the heart.
I was in a state of despair and annoyance. Did I do kufr?
My second situation is that I was smiling at a sheikh and I intended to laugh humorly (not mockingly) using that smile at whatever the sheikh was going to say next (which I knew could be something Islamic and it was). I didn’t physically laugh but made the intention to use or represent that smile as a laugh of humour and not mockery. But again, I didn’t want to make this bad intention as I knew it could be bad, but I did it and took that risk out of sort of pressure from the influences of Waswasah. It wasn’t a desired intention.
Are these two situations Kufr in the Hanafi Madhab? Do I have to repeat all my Fard acts?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
May Allah reward you for your reaching out and may He grant you ease and clarity in this difficult matter. It seems that you are suffering from Waswasah (obsessive/intrusive thoughts), a condition scholars often refer to as religious OCD. I understand the difficulty you are experiencing and appreciate your effort and concern in seeking knowledge on this delicate issue.
General Islamic Principles
The first thing to remember is that Allah SWT is The Most Merciful and The Most Compassionate. He does not hold His servants accountable for actions or thoughts beyond their capacity.
Allah SWT says in the Qur’an “Allah does not make a soul responsible for more than what it can afford.” (Surah Baqarah 2:286)[1]
Allah SWT also says “Surely assumptions cannot replace the truth.” (Surah Yunus 10:36)[2]
You are also familiar with the famous Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ “Actions are [judged] by intentions, and for each person is what they intended.” (Sahih Bukhari 6689)[3]
These general principles are a source of comfort for those afflicted with Waswasah. The principle (Usool) in Shariah is that certainty is not removed by doubt (Alyaqeenu Laa Yazoolu Bish Shakk). This means that your faith (Imān) and your state as a believer remain intact unless there is a clear, deliberate, and conscious sign of apostasy or rejection of faith.
Waswasah and Apostacy
If you are someone who frequently suffers from severe obsessive thoughts, then your intrusive thoughts do not amount to Kufr or Irtidād (apostasy). Raddul Muhtār mentions that “(The conditions for its [Apostacy (Riddah)] validity are reason), sobriety, and volition. So the apostasy of a madman, a lunatic, or someone suffering from obsessive thoughts is not valid.”[4] It continues by mentioning that “Nothing takes a man out of the faith except denying what brought him into it. Then, if he is certain that it is apostasy, he will be judged as such. And if he is doubtful that it is apostasy, he will not be judged as such, because firm Islam is not removed by doubt, with [the fact] that Islam prevails.”[5]
Fatāwā Hindiyyah confirms this by stating “Whoever is afflicted with a stroke or is fed something and loses his mind, becomes delirious and then apostatizes, this is not considered apostasy. Likewise, if he is insane, or obsessive [someone suffering from obsessive thoughts], or his mind is overcome in some way, then he is like this.”[6]
Therefore, a person suffering from severe obsessive or intrusive thoughts will not be deemed an apostate (Murtadd) or a disbeliever (Kāfir). If a normal person were to utter words of Kufr or perform an action of Kufr, they would be required to renew their faith (Tajdīdul Iman) and their marriage (Tajdīdun Nikāh). More details can be found in the Fatwa “Marriage with a Murtad”[7]. Fatāwā Hindiyyah states “His conversion to Islam is to pronounce the Shahada and disavow all religions except Islam.”[8] However, an apostate (Murtadd) would not be required to repeat their obligatory acts of worship.
Treating Waswasah
1. Seek Refuge in Allah: Allah SWT commands us in the Quran “And if you are tempted by Satan, then seek refuge with Allah. Indeed, He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” (Surah A’raf 7:200)[9] Whenever you have Waswasah, start by reciting A’oodhu Billahi Minash-Shaytanir-Rajeem (I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan).
2. Ignore Obsessive and Intrusive Thoughts: The Prophet ﷺ taught us the importance of not dwelling on intrusive thoughts “So, when he [Shaytan] inspires such a question, one should seek refuge with Allah and give up such thoughts.” (Bukhari 3276)[10] Try your best to ignore these thoughts and not ponder over them.
3. Make Duā to Allah: Duā is the weapon of the believer. Ask Allah for help, patience, guidance, and ease in dealing with Waswasah. Specific supplications have been recommended to alleviate intrusive thoughts. Allah SWT states “And say, ‘My Lord! I seek refuge in You from the temptations of the Shayateen. And I seek refuge in You, my Lord, that they come near me.’” (Surah Mu’minoon 23:97-98)[11]. Look into other supplications and books of Duās that can help with your situation.
4. Seek Knowledge, guidance, and counselling: Continuously seek knowledge by consulting scholars and reading relevant resources. This will grant you the knowledge and understanding to combat Waswasah. Try reading more Quran and Hadith and learn more about how you can face these challenges.
5. Maintain Patience: Remember that overcoming Waswasah can be a gradual process. Keep making Duā and exercising patience. Seek support from scholars, family members, and trusted individuals who can provide encouragement and sincere advice.
Only Allah knows best.
Answered by Mawlana Abdurrahman Mohammad
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا (Surah Baqarah 2:286)
ظَنًّا ۚ إِنَّ ٱلظَّنَّ لَا يُغْنِى مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ شَيْـًٔا (Surah Yunus 10:36)
إِنَّمَا الأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّةِ، وَإِنَّمَا لاِمْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى (Sahih Bukhari 6689)
(وَشَرَائِطُ صِحَّتِهَا الْعَقْلُ) وَالصَّحْوُ (وَالطَّوْعُ) فَلَا تَصِحُّ رِدَّةُ مَجْنُونٍ، وَمَعْتُوهٍ وَمُوَسْوِسٍ (Radd Al-Muhtār, vol. 4, pg. 224, Darul Fikr Beirut via Shamela)
لَا يُخْرِجُ الرَّجُلَ مِنْ الْإِيمَانِ إلَّا جُحُودُ مَا أَدْخَلَهُ فِيهِ ثُمَّ مَا تَيَقَّنَ أَنَّهُ رِدَّةٌ يُحْكَمُ بِهَا وَمَا يَشُكُّ أَنَّهُ رِدَّةٌ لَا يُحْكَمُ بِهَا إذْ الْإِسْلَامُ الثَّابِتُ لَا يَزُولُ بِالشَّكِّ مَعَ أَنَّ الْإِسْلَامَ يَعْلُو (Radd Al-Muhtār, vol. 4, pg. 224, Darul Fikr Beirut via Shamela)
مَنْ أَصَابَهُ بِرْسَامٌ، أَوْ أُطْعِمَ شَيْئًا فَذَهَبَ عَقْلُهُ فَهَذَى فَارْتَدَّ لَمْ يَكُنْ ذَلِكَ ارْتِدَادًا، وَكَذَا لَوْ كَانَ مَعْتُوهًا، أَوْ مُوَسْوِسًا، أَوْ مَغْلُوبًا عَلَى عَقْلِهِ بِوَجْهٍ مِنْ الْوُجُوهِ، فَهُوَ عَلَى هَذَا كَذَا فِي السِّرَاجِ الْوَهَّاجِ. (Al-Fatāwā Al-Hindiyya, vol. 2, pg. 253, Al-Maṭba’ah Al-Kubrā Al-Amīriyyah via Shamela)
وَإِسْلَامُهُ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ بِكَلِمَةِ الشَّهَادَةِ، وَيَتَبَرَّأَ عَنْ الْأَدْيَانِ كُلِّهَا سِوَى الْإِسْلَامِ (Al-Fatāwā Al-Hindiyya, vol. 2, pg. 253, Al-Maṭba’ah Al-Kubrā Al-Amīriyyah via Shamela)
وَإِمَّا يَنزَغَنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ نَزْغٌۭ فَٱسْتَعِذْ بِٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ (Surah A’raf 7:200)
يَأْتِي الشَّيْطَانُ أَحَدَكُمْ فَيَقُولُ مَنْ خَلَقَ كَذَا مَنْ خَلَقَ كَذَا حَتَّى يَقُولَ مَنْ خَلَقَ رَبَّكَ فَإِذَا بَلَغَهُ فَلْيَسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ، وَلْيَنْتَهِ (Bukhari 3276)
وَقُل رَّبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَمَزَٰتِ ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينِ. وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ أَن يَحْضُرُونِ (Surah Mu’minoon 23:97-98)
