What is the path for a believer who grew up in a bad environment, disobeyed God by looking at forbidden images, and was consequently afflicted with the deprivation of the sweetness of obedience and hardness of heart, and became ill with hypocrisy, dissimulation, envy, and arrogance, and is trying to get rid of that, and prays the five daily prayers in the mosque but feels that he is a hypocrite or dissembler, and is assailed by whispers that he is not a believer but rather an infidel, and he believed them?

A person afflicted with whispers (waswas) must avoid them and not pay attention to them. He should know that he is a Muslim and is on a great path by preserving the rituals of the religion. He must cast off these whispers, and increase his faith by striving in supererogatory acts of worship (nawafil), frequently making supplication (du'a) and remembering Allah (dhikr), keeping company with the righteous, attending gatherings of knowledge and remembrance, and contemplating the names and attributes of Allah and the verses of the Qur'an. He should beware of abandoning righteous deeds out of fear of showing off (riya'). If he confirms a disease in his heart, such as envy or showing off, he should strive to cure it by frequently making supplication and knowing that all matters are in the hand of Allah.