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What is the interpretation of the condition experienced by the university student who feels severely afflicted concerning matters of creed and certainty in God and the truthfulness of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, as he is assailed by recurring doubts about the existence of God, the truthfulness of the Qur'an, and matters of the torment and bliss of the grave (especially how torment and bliss affect the decaying body, the state of those who were not buried, and the questioning by the two angels of the people of the فترة (those who lived between two prophets) and those whom the message did not reach—whether they are tormented or blessed, and whether all prophets informed about the torment of the grave and the questioning by the two angels)? Also, what about doubts concerning the truthfulness of the prophethood of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him (especially after he saw a repentant sorcerer speak about the capabilities of the jinn, and the doubt concerning the Prophet's prohibition of Maria, and what that raises in terms of questions about his justice and mercy)?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

What you are experiencing is satanic whispering (waswasah), and you must disregard it and seek refuge in Allah from it, just as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to do. Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah described the cure for waswasah as adhering firmly to the truth and repelling doubts; otherwise, Satan will increase his whispers. There is a difference between doubt that expels one from the faith and waswasah. Waswasah is an attack on the heart that the servant dislikes, and his dislike of it is a sign of faith. Whereas doubt is the opposite of certainty, like one who hesitates regarding the truthfulness of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, or the occurrence of the Resurrection. The torment of the grave was known among previous nations. Scholars have differed regarding the questioning of previous nations in their graves; some see it as specific to this nation, while others see it as general. As for Maria al-Qibtiyya, her being a slave means that her master had the right to enjoy her. Finally, you must disregard satanic whispers and occupy yourself with the remembrance of Allah and worship to deny Satan the opportunity.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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