Waswasa
Waswasa — Signs, Causes and the Way to Relief
What is waswasa, what are its signs, why does it come, and how can one find relief — a guide based on the Qur'an and the authentic Sunnah.
In this article
Waswasa means the whispering of Shaytan — unwanted thoughts, doubts and disbelieving ideas that keep returning to the heart. A person who suffers from it often thinks that his faith has been destroyed. In reality, the opposite is true.
The very coming of waswasa is a sign of faith
The Companions complained to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that thoughts come to their minds which they are afraid even to speak aloud. The Prophet ﷺ said — "That is indeed clear faith." (Sahih Muslim)
That is, the very fact that those thoughts seem terrible to you proves that there is faith in your heart. For someone who has no faith, Shaytan has no need to bring such things at all.
Signs of Waswasa
- Repeated doubt about whether wudu or salah was done correctly, and repeatedly starting over
- Terrible thoughts about Allah, the Prophet or the religion coming to the heart, and being horrified by them
- Needless doubts about divorce, disbelief or oaths
- Excessive doubt about purity — washing again and again, changing clothes again and again
- Being unable to get the same thought out of your head, with a large part of the day being consumed by it
The signs of waswasa closely resemble those of OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). If it is severe and has lasted a long time, seek the advice of a mental health specialist — this is not a proof of weak faith, and getting treatment does not contradict ruqyah.
The Way to Relief
1. Do not argue, ignore it
This is the main treatment. If you try to fight waswasa with arguments, it gains even more strength. The Prophet ﷺ instructed — stop and seek refuge in Allah.
وَإِمَّا يَنزَغَنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنِ نَزْغٌ فَٱسْتَعِذْ بِٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Satan, then seek refuge in Allāh. Indeed, He is Hearing and Knowing. (Surah Al-A'raaf 7:200 — Saheeh International)
2. Recite A'udhu billah and change the subject
When a thought comes, recite "A'udhu billahi minash shaytanir rajim", then immediately turn your mind to another task. Do not sit down and think about it again and again.
3. Do not take doubt into account
An established principle of fiqh — what is certain is not overturned by doubt. If you know for certain that you have performed wudu, then when doubt comes later, you should consider that your wudu has not broken. If you follow this principle, half the strength of waswasa goes away by itself.
4. Regular amal
- The morning and evening adhkar and Ayat al-Kursi
- Surah An-Nas — the whole surah is for seeking refuge from waswasa
- Regularly reciting Surah Al-Baqarah at home, or having it played
- Reducing idle time — an empty mind is the greatest field for waswasa
Be patient. Waswasa does not go in a single day, but once the habit of ignoring it is built, its force gradually weakens, in sha Allah.
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