What is the difference between a person afflicted with obsessive doubts (the muswasis) basing his actions on the greater possibility, and basing them on the first thought that comes to mind? And should a person afflicted with obsessive doubts base his actions on the first thought even if he experiences many thoughts during prayer, ablution, and other acts of worship?

The intent of theologists' statement, "The one afflicted with whisperings (waswas) builds upon the first thought," is that if it occurs to him that he has completed his ablution or prayed three rak'ahs out of a four-rak'ah prayer, he relies on this initial thought and disregards any subsequent thoughts. This opinion was held by some scholars for the one afflicted with whisperings, to distinguish him from the normal person who builds upon the minimum, and from the one afflicted with whisperings who builds upon the maximum in case of doubt, such as one who doubts whether he prayed two or three rak'ahs and thus relies on the maximum (three), which is based on what first came to his mind.