Back to search
The question

Are excessive doubts in ablution and prayer, such as repeated doubts about the takbir or Al-Fatiha or the number of prostrations, and doubts about the discharge of secretions, and the prolonged time spent purifying oneself in the bathroom, and quickly accusing oneself of having obsessive doubts to avoid repeating ablution and prayer, considered signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder (waswasah), and what is the ruling on prayer in these cases?

Share this answer

Source: FtawySummarized from the full answer at Ftawy · imported Sep 2, 20261 min readAlso available in العربية
The answer

You are a person afflicted with obsessive thoughts, and these thoughts have reached a significant level within you. Be cautious not to succumb to these obsessions, and beware of surrendering to what Satan deludes you with. Do not pay attention to obsessive thoughts concerning ablution, prayer, and impurity. Certainty does not rule something impure except with a certainty upon which you can swear an oath. Do not pay attention to frequent doubts in ablution and prayer. Leave these obsessive thoughts behind and do not search for anything external until absolute certainty is attained. The religion of Allah is ease, so do not pay attention to the devil's delusions about something exiting or forgetting a limb or a pillar; your worship is undoubtedly valid. Allah holds you accountable for what He has obligated upon you, and He has legislated for you to ignore and turn away from obsessive thoughts until Allah bestows healing upon you, and there is no specific duration for this.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · imported

Read the full answer on Ftawy
Source platform
Ftawy
Original fatwa ID
127762
Imported
Translation status
Source text, unreviewed
Read the full ruling
Read the full answer on Ftawy