How to Conquer Doubt in Faith & Worship

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"...certainty is not annulled by mere doubt."

We all experience doubt. 

Am I on the 2nd or 3rd rakat?

Do I still have wudhu?

How many days of fasting was I supposed to make up from last Ramadan?

And the list goes on and on.

Thankfully, Islam has simple principles regarding doubt and ways to address and remedy it. I've rounded up a collection of helpful resources regarding doubt whether you are having issues of doubt in your faith or certain acts of worship such as prayer and fasting.


A Tremendous Principle which brings Ease to the Muslims – Shaykh Al-Uthaymīn

"Every Muslim who has ever had doubt regarding their prayer or other act of worship, or knows someone who is or has been afflicted with whispers from the Shaytān which affect their worship and make them believe it wasn’t completed, wasn’t performed properly, they were not in purification (if it is required) then you will find in the explanation of Shaykh Al-Uthaymīn much enlightenment...."


Certainty is never annulled except by certainty; it can never be annulled by mere doubt – Shaykh As-Sa’di | Dr. Saleh As-Saleh (Audio/PDF)

Goes over several cases where doubt may creep in and what to do (e.g. doubt in number of completed rakaat, doubt in the number of missed prayers and fasts)


I Have Constant Doubts About My Faith. Does This Make Me A Hypocrite? – Shaykh Muhammad Bazmool 

A quick benefit. Audio of the shaykh's response as well as a written translation. Includes advice for removing doubt (seeking refuge with Allah, busying oneself with the remembrance of Allah, remembering Allah's blessings



Readings in Kashf ush-Shubuhaat (Removal of the Doubts) - 11 lessons (PDF)


Kashf ush-Shubuhaat - The removal of the doubts - A set of 16 Audio Lessons taught by Abu Muadh Taqweem

 


Advice for a Person who is Immersed in Desires and Doubts – Shaykh Rabee 

What is your advice, may Allah preserve you, for one who has fell into the sea of desires and doubts?

My advice, for him is to repent to Allah and that he recalls the statement of Allah the Blessed and Most High, Say: “O ‘Ibâdî (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allâh, verily Allâh forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (Az-Zumar: 53) 



 "He said, that when supplicating for health and wellbeing the Muslim should bring to mind the diseases of the body and diseases of the heart (those which affect your religion). This is because diseases of the heart are more severe and harmful than the diseases of the body. 

He (رحمه الله) continues to say: The diseases of the body (and their harms) are well known, however the diseases of the heart (are often overlooked and they) are of two types: 

The first disease is the Shahawāt and its origins are whims and lusts. (Meaning) a person knows the truth, however he doesn’t want to follow it due to his desires and whims being in opposition to that which the Prophet (عليه السلام) came with. 

 The second disease is the disease of shubuhāt (i.e. beliefs, ideas, thoughts that are made to resemble the truth but are falsehood in reality), and its origin is ignorance, because the ignoramus acts upon falsehood whilst thinking that it is the truth. And this is an extremely dangerous sickness."


The One Who Has Fallen Into Doubts And Desires – Shaykh Rabee ibn Haadi Al-Madkhalee

Shaykh Rabee ibn Haadi Al-Madkhalee (hafidahullah) was asked:

What is your advice – Allah preserve you – to the one who has fell [sic] into the sea of desires and doubts?

My advice to him is that he repents to Allah and that he brings to mind the statement of Allah:

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

Say: “O ‘Ibadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. [Az-Zumar: 53]

So if you swam in the sea of disbelief for you is to exit with repentance to Allah (tabaaraka wa ta’aala), therefore upon him is to repent to Allah and return to Allah, the door of repentance is open for all of the servants (of Allah).


Explanation of The Book, "Doubts Surrounding Islām and How To Respond To Them" - 

Set of 24 audio lessons from 2020-2021 on a range of topics that includes: slavery in Islam, Islamic punishments, the idea that Islam was spread by the sword, the idea that Islam is oppressive to women, polygyny, and the marriages of the Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam)

Written and Taught by Shaykh Abū ‘Ammār Alī al-Ḥudhayfī of Yemen


“If you arm (equip) yourself with Quran and Sunnah, 
 you will never be overpowered. 
 However, if you don’t possess knowledge 
 you will go (astray) with the first doubt
(which is given to you)”

Shaykh Saalih Al Fawzan

 

 

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