Fatwa ID: 06120
Answered by: Maulana Mohammed Dilwar Hussain
Question:
I am 17 years old and I am suffering from severe waswasa. This started small, regarding issues of taharah (related to bathroom and ghusl following nocturnal emissions). Then, I met with my masjid’s Imam and discussed some preventative steps. Alhamdulillah, now these waswasas are dwindling. But, since then, my waswasa is getting into areas of kufr and shirk and I never had them before. I offer all of my prayers to Alhamdulillah and have complete and full faith in Allah SWT, his Prophets, his Books, the Last Day, and the other tenets of faith. However, recently, I’ll get ABSOLUTELY horrible kufr & shirk waswasa and I struggle to escape/control them. Recently, they’ve gotten so bad that I cannot even escape their physical reaction; for instance, out of the blue, I’ll get a waswasa related to kufr or shirk and then I won’t be able to control my laughter and end up producing some laughter on it Astaghfirullah. Other times, I’ll end up blinking the second I get a waswasa which is then followed by another waswasa that seems to indicate “because you blinked at this waswasa, this means you agree with it” Astaghfirullah. I despise this SO much and I feel like such a sinner afterwards. The regret and embarrassment I feel are so strong, that I feel like crying and I sob to Allah SWT asking for forgiveness following this laughter because I am embarrassed for my sin. My question is, will I be responsible for these reactions to my waswas. Due to these physical reactions, I constantly ask Allah for forgiveness and repeat my shahadah. Will I be punished for these reactions to waswasa?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
May Allāh Ta’ālā make your matters easier for you. Ameen.
Without further elaboration on exactly what these Waswasas are, it is not possible to work out whether these whispers are matters of disbelief or not.
Allāh Ta’ālā has reminded us, that He will test us to check our fortitude and resolve in Allāh Ta’ālā.
“Do the people think that they will be left to say, “We believe” and they will not be put to test?” [Surah Al-‘Ankabut; 29:2] [1]
“We shall surely test you with fear and hunger, loss of property, lives and crops; but give glad tidings to those who have fortitude. Who, when struck by misfortune, says: ‘We belong to Allāh, and surely to Him we shall return.’” [Surah Al-Baqarah; 2:155-156] [2]
“He Who created Death and Life, that He may test which of you is best in worship: and He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving.” [Surah Al-Mulk; 67:2] [3]
However, regardless of whatever difficulties we are going through we should not become despondent in the mercy of Allāh. Allāh Ta’ālā forgives all sins (big or small). [Surah Az-Zumar; 39:53] [4]
Allāh Ta’ālā reminds us that He does not burden us with any trial greater than that which we can bear. [Surah Al-Baqarah; 2:286] [5]
Whatever troubles you are going through, Allāh Ta’ālā has specifically chosen to test you with these because Allāh Ta’ālā knows that you can handle it and through this hardship, Allāh Ta’ālā wants to give you this opportunity to turn back to Him and draw nearer to Him.
Allāh Ta’ālā says that with every hardship comes two periods of ease. [Surah Al-Sharh; 94:5-6] [6]
The Prophet ﷺ has further reiterated, “no calamity befalls a Muslim but Allāh expiates some of his sins because of it…” [Sahih Al-Bukhari; Hadith 5640] [7]
Imam Abu Ja’far At-Tahawi mentions in his remarkable work on Aqidah, Al Aqidah At-Tahawiyah, that we do not consider any of the people of the Qiblah to be disbelievers because of any wrong action (which they have committed), as long as they do not consider that action to be lawful. Nor do we say that the wrong action of a person who has belief does not have any harmful effects on them. [Al Aqidah At-Tahawiyah; pages 91-92] [8]
From this we understand, that the commission of any sin, be it physically or mentally is not sufficient to take one out of the fold of Islam. However, it must be emphasized that the commission of any sin has detrimental effects on one’s own Imaan. Left unrectified, it could lead to further sins.
At times of sin, one should actively attempt to remind oneself of the destroyer of pleasures, which is death. (i.e., If I were to die right now, then in what state will I be returning to my Lord). This should help in quashing any evil thoughts which crop into your mind. [Sunan Ibn Majah: Hadith 4258] [9]
Only through sincere repentance and Taubah can one truly atone for their sins.
There are three conditions for repenting;
- Stop committing the sin;
- Feel remorse for the sin which has have been committed;
- Make a sincere vow to never return back to the sin.
From what you have said it seems that you are already doing this. Continue to turn to Allāh Ta’ālā and be patient that His assistance will come. Whatever evil thoughts you are having as long as you do not believe them to be true, then your Imaan will not be affected, In Shā Allāh.
Only Allāh Ta’ālā knows best.
Written by Maulana Mohammed Dilwar Hussain
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
[1]أَحَسِبَ ٱلنَّاسُ أَن يُتۡرَكُوٓاْ أَن يَقُولُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا وَهُمۡ لَا يُفۡتَنُونَ
[2]وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُم بِشَیۡءࣲ مِّنَ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ وَٱلۡجُوعِ وَنَقۡصࣲ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡوَ لِ وَٱلۡأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَ تِۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِینَ. ٱلَّذِینَ إِذَاۤ أَصَـٰبَتۡهُم مُّصِیبَةࣱ قَالُوۤا۟ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّاۤ إِلَیۡهِ رَ جِعُونَ{
[3]ٱلَّذِی خَلَقَ ٱلۡمَوۡتَ وَٱلۡحَیَوٰةَ لِیَبۡلُوَكُمۡ أَیُّكُمۡ أَحۡسَنُ عَمَلࣰاۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِیزُ ٱلۡغَفُورُ
[4]قُلۡ یَـٰعِبَادِیَ ٱلَّذِینَ أَسۡرَفُوا۟ عَلَىٰۤ أَنفُسِهِمۡ لَا تَقۡنَطُوا۟ مِن رَّحۡمَةِ ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ یَغۡفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ جَمِیعًاۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِیمُ {
[5]لَا یُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفۡسًا إِلَّا وُسۡعَهَاۚ {
[6]فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلۡعُسۡرِ یُسۡرًا. إِنَّ مَعَ ٱلۡعُسۡرِ یُسۡرࣰا
[7]حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ الْحَكَمُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَتْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ مَا مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ تُصِيبُ الْمُسْلِمَ إِلاَّ كَفَّرَ اللَّهُ بِهَا عَنْهُ، حَتَّى الشَّوْكَةِ يُشَاكُهَا ”.
[8]ولا نكفر أحدا من أهل القبلة ما لم يستحله ولا نقول لا يضر مع الإيمان ذنب لمن عمله
[9]حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودُ بْنُ غَيْلاَنَ، حَدَّثَنَا الْفَضْلُ بْنُ مُوسَى، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ : “ أَكْثِرُوا ذِكْرَ هَاذِمِ اللَّذَّاتِ ” . يَعْنِي الْمَوْتَ .
