What is the ruling on someone who suffers from severe obsessive whispers (waswasah) during prayer, which compels them to make involuntary movements, causes them to rush through the recitation of surahs and prostration, makes them find difficulty in standing, and whose doubt about the validity of the prayer drives them to expose their 'awrah (private parts) during prayer? And what should they do?

The questioner is afflicted with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (waswasah). He should prepare for prayer, wear what covers the 'awrah (private parts), say the takbir, recite Al-Fatihah, and pray with tranquility, without paying attention to the intrusive thoughts, and he should defy them until he overcomes them. Covering the 'awrah, standing in obligatory prayers, and having tranquility in prayer are conditions for the validity of the prayer; otherwise, it becomes void and must be repeated. We advise the questioner to consult a psychiatrist for treatment, in accordance with the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: "Seek treatment, O servants of Allah, for Allah Almighty has not created a disease without creating a cure for it, except for old age."