Community Discussions
Explore the latest discussions and community conversations related to this domain.
What Are the Sources of Waswas?
Main Post: I'd like to know if there is a way to distinguish the waswasah (insinuating whispers) that is coming from the Shaytan, and the waswasah coming from the nafs (soul), and can we know which is coming out of which? And if it is coming out of the nafs, are we going to be held accountable, even if we reject it?
Top Comment: The kind of waswas which tempts a person to listen to or look at haram (unlawful) things or to commit immoral actions, and makes such things appear attractive to him, comes from three sources: the nafs (or self), which is inclined to evil, the devils among the jinn (demons), and the devils ...
Was vs. Were
Main Post:
I work in a field that requires a lot of report writing, but I'm a STEM professional first and foremost. I recently encountered a grammatical issue that blew my mind when I heard a new use for "were". I have always thought it was as simple as "he was", "they were", but this person used it in a manner that resembled "if he were a fisherman" (when he was never a fisherman -- it was hypothetical). I always just thought it was correct to say "if he was a fisherman", regardless of whether it was hypothetical or not.
Please explain to me the nuances of was vs. were like I'm five.
Top Comment: To add to what the other commenter said, there was a post about this yesterday - the comments there go into more detail: https://www.reddit.com/r/grammar/comments/16ngztj/need_help_with_a_few_english_sentences_was_or_were/ Edit: Note that only "was" is correct (with the subjects "I/he/she/it") if you're talking about something that actually might have been true in the past: "If he was a fisherman when I knew him, he didn't tell me." When you're talking about something counterfactual/very unlikely in the present or future, you can use either "were" or "was" with "I/she/he/it" ("was" is more informal): "If he were/was a fisherman right now [but he's not], he'd never have to worry about having fresh fish to eat."
shaitan - What is the difference between the waswas (whispering) of the nafs (soul) and Satan - Islam Stack Exchange
Main Post: shaitan - What is the difference between the waswas (whispering) of the nafs (soul) and Satan - Islam Stack Exchange
Mental breakdown from waswas - General Islamic Discussion - ShiaChat.com
Main Post: Mental breakdown from waswas - General Islamic Discussion - ShiaChat.com
When to use “were” and “was”.
Main Post:
When do you use “were” vs “was”? I know you would use “were” for wishes like “I wish you were here” or “I wish I were on a beach” and “was” tends to depict a past already completed action. But “I wish I was at the beach” also sounds correct? What is the general rule?
Top Comment: But “I wish I was at the beach” also sounds correct? It sounds good to you because it's very common for native speakers to use "was" in informal contexts. This is fine for such contexts, but you should use "were" in formal contexts or on a grammar test. So, for things that are not true or are very unlikely in the present or future, use "were" or "was": "I wish I were/was at the beach right now." - This means you are not actually at the beach right now. This applies to conditional constructions with "if" as well: "If I were/was going to the beach tomorrow, I would be so happy." - This implies that it's not true or is very unlikely that you're going to the beach tomorrow. For things that might have actually happened in the past, you can only use "was": "If I was rude to you yesterday, I apologize." - This means that you may or may not have been rude yesterday (maybe you're unsure of whether your words/actions actually insulted the person). (This applies only to the subjects "I/he/she/it." With the subjects "you/we/they," "were" is always used in Standard English, e.g., "I wish we were at the beach.")
im so tired of waswas
Main Post:
i miss when i didnt have waswas. when i could pray my prayers with ease without having to repeat my words 5-6 times. i try so hard to ignore these whispers that what im saying is wrong, but i feel guilty for doing so. i feel as im being lazy, its just 1 word to repeat. or im being overconfident, how am i so confident that my pronunciation was right?
it started off with my wudu. i used to remake wudu 3-4 times cuz i thought i kept breaking it. it then went to being obsessed with making sure everything was washed during wudu - i would spend 15 mins doing wudu. it has now affected my salah. i get so frustrated & tired. im trying my best but i fear my salah will get rejected. some letters i cant pronounce properly as arabic isnt my first language - i pronounce them to the best of my ability but it still isnt good enough for me. i dont know what to do.
any help would be appreciated jazakallah <3
Top Comment: "A thief doesn't take something he thinks is worthless." Hazrat Ali (as) also said the only prayer without waswas is the prayer of the christians and jews, because they don't need to be misled. Waswas in itself is a sign you're doing something right. Ofc, try to minimise it, but it shouldnt put you off. Its much easier to say than do, but be genuine. If you genuinely feel like you made a mistake, correct it, however long it takes. InshaAllah it will onlh increase your reward.
Advice for & from someone suffering from waswas al qahhri/ OCD
Main Post:
I've never felt so defeated in my life.
I've been struggling with this since October and I honestly don't know where to go from here. I've seen my faith just crumble and suffer under the repeated onslaughts of OCD.
I am 100% responsible for the event that triggered it. I won't deny that ever, for it was solely my fault. But ever since then I rapidly developed shirk and kufr themed OCD. At first it was just in salah, then it was while I was eating or swallowing food, and now it's virtually every single thing that I do. Did I do it in Allah's name (open the door for ex.) or someone else's? I suffer these intrusions with almost every thing in my life. I can't even say the name Allah without being attacked by these waswas/OCD.
At first I was horrified, guilty and anxious, and thought I'd never be forgiven and would burn in hell for eternity. I've tried to put in a lot of work into it, and now I don't feel guilt or anxiety about any of these thoughts, and sometimes I've been able to dismiss or ignore them. But they STILL COME AND ATTACK ME. I might not have an emotional response to thoughts that I know aren't from me, but they STILL COME. And it's depressing and tiring and annoying, and I feel like I'm on the verge of disbelief. Not that I feel like I am a true muslim anymore.
I don't really see the point of trying anymore. I still will, but nothing's changed. I'm in so much emotional pain because I've kept up with my salah but I haven't felt at peace or truly content or connected with Allah since september. It's mental torture, having these intrusive images/thought/feelings when I'm trying to uphold the only obligations that truly matter in this life.
I don't really feel faith at all anymore, sometimes I wonder if I've sold my soul, because I can't feel it (like feel alive). I feel like a walking corpse and that sometimes I think I just have to accept my terrible fate. I'm in so much pain and I keep praying without being able to feel anything, and with my prayers constantly attacked from waswas/OCD.
Everyone has intrusive thoughts, or struggles with concentration, but not everyone has or has struggled with OCD/waswas about shirk and kufr. So if you have been blessed to not have been afflicted with this disease, please just be thankful to Allah. realize how blessed you are to even be able to say Allah's name in peace. To be able to pray without OCD, to feel like Allah is with you and doesn't hate you. To feel like Allah loves you. To be able to think good of Allah. To not feel like a disbeliever. To not be tried with horrible blapshemous thoughts about Allah that you don't want.
Please just know how blessed you are and please truly cherish the salah. Please don't take it for granted. I yearn for those days and if I could go back in time to stop this from happening I would.
Top Comment: Akhi, If you give shaytaan a finger, he will take your whole house, Never ever ever ever ever, give him your attention, never. For he will only gain more power if Allah wills. What to do? Ask yourself, is it shaytaan who is messing with me? Or an angel advising me? You will probably know the answer. If you see that it’s shaytaan, why are you listening to him? Do you believe he has any good? Trust in Allah and ignore him, how hard it may sound, but if you ignore him is stands no chance.
He is suffering from serious waswas
Main Post: For some months I have been having a problem with waswas in both my prayers and when performing wudu (ablution). I keep forgetting what I have washed in my wudu and keep forgetting how many raka’ah I have prayed. It has reached a point where I am making sajdah as - sahu (prostration for forgetfulness in prayer) for every single prayer because my mind always strays. The more I concentrate on my prayer, the more it occurs. Sometimes I think I must have prayed 6 or 7 raka’ahs (units of prayer) for a four raka’ah prayer because I simply cannot recall how much I have prayed and so I continue until I am certain. The more I do this, the worse the problem gets. I want to ignore the waswas, but I am not sure if this is sanctioned by the sharee’ah (Islamic law). I feel it is the only way to rid myself of this disease. I read surah al-Baqarah and many du’as (supplications) related to the whisperings of shaytan and surahs al-Falaq and al-Nas. With regards to wudhu (ablution) I have a combination of problems as I feel that I have not washed properly after using the bathroom or if my clothes get wet that there is something impure on my clothes. When making wudu, I feel like I have not washed properly. I try to ignore these whisperings but I am terrified that if I ignore it and I am wrong, that my prayers will not be answered. I have reached a point where my prayers can take up to an hour or more to perform and have become merely a ritual without any khushoo’ (focus) because of these problems. I finish one prayer and start fearing how I am going to manage to get through the next one. I feel I am trapped because there is no way I can miss a prayer as I know this is exactly what shaytan wants me to do. Please help me, may Allah reward you.
Top Comment: For some months I have been having a problem with waswas in both my prayers and when performing wudu (ablution). I keep forgetting what I have washed in my wudu and keep forgetting how many raka’ah I have prayed. It has reached a point where I am making sajdah as - sahu (prostration for ...