Fatwa ID: 05920
Answered by: Maulana Yūsuf Badāt
Question:
I suffer from chronic medically diagnosed OCD. I am undergoing therapy and have had OCD since 2014. I am having therapy 3rd time now. I suffer from overthinking, doubts and wasawasā.
My wife and I were getting intimate when I was using foreplay to please my wife. She was in such a position where I was kind of in a position but my head was up. I was kissing her stomach area and then sajdah (prostration) came to my mind. I have these doubts about divorce, sajdah or hurmat all the time. At the time sajdah came to mind but my head was not bowed down. I was bent whilst she was laying in bed and my head was near her stomach. I just kept saying NO NO NO NO and I DID NOT do a sajdah for respect or worship but my OCD gets the better of me making me think it was. From my side I know 110% it was not sajdah. My intention was to please my wife and keep her happy. I only worship Allāh. Do these doubts count as kufr? Mufti Tosir Sahib has told me I need to be certain in these situations. I’m never certain as it is the 3rd day now this thought is bugging me. I did not think of it 1st or 2nd day but now it is annoying me deep down. I know I did not intend it and I was not in the sajdah position. I was OK and Allah is only worthy of worship. To conclude, do you suggest doing nikah again. It is difficult as I have renewed our nikkah once due to having doubts about kufr. My wife said we cannot keep doing it since all the time it is all doubts. May Allah forgive me and cure me of this disease you work so hard and must be fed up with me repeatedly messaging. I have no one else. I have tried with other teachers but they all gave up on me.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
In the described situation, there was no sajdah (prostration) established. Prostration can only occur, according to Islamic law, when bowing down or humbling gestures are rendered in the presence of another being, with the clear and certain intent of veneration and or worship. Mere doubts or assumptions are not considered. – (See: Al-Qawāid Al-Fiqhīyyah, Page 25, Dār Al-Tirmidhī1)
“And if it comes to you from the devil an evil suggestion, then seek refuge in Allāh. Indeed, He is the All-Hearing and All-Knowing.” – (Qurʿān: 41:36)2
The Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) said, “I bear testimony to the fact that there is no god but Allāh, and I am His Messenger. The person who would meet Allāh without entertaining any doubt about these [two fundamentals] would enter Paradise”. – (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 27)3
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Allāh has forgiven my followers the evil thoughts that occur in their minds, as long as such thoughts are not put into action or uttered.” – (Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī 5269)4
Only Allāh knows best
Written by Maulana Yūsuf Badāt
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
1 لَا عِبْرَةَ لِلتَوَهُم – القواعد الفقهية ص٢٥ دارالترمذي
2 وَإِمَّا يَنزَغَنَّكَ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ نَزْغٌ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّه – حم فصلت إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
3 فَقَالَ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ لاَ يَلْقَى اللَّهَ بِهِمَا عَبْدٌ غَيْرَ شَاكٍّ فِيهِمَا إِلاَّ دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ – رواه مسلم ٢٧
4 عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضى الله عنه عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَجَاوَزَ عَنْ أُمَّتِي مَا حَدَّثَتْ بِهِ أَنْفُسَهَا مَا لَمْ تَعْمَلْ أَوْ تَتَكَلَّمْ – رواه البخاري ٥٢٦٩
