Question: 

I am a 20 year old muslim boy. I am facing a problem from several days. I get bad thoughts and insults about Allah Ta'aala and his Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam in my mind. I get very bad words about Allah Ta'aala and i feel depressed after having such thoughts. These thoughts keep constantly coming to my mind whenever i pray salah ;and also in other times. Earlier these thoughts used to come only in salah but now they come all the time. I am also not sure whether i say these bad words in mind or did i utter it slowly because i have a habit of saying things to myself. I don't know how to deal with these thoughts. Will I be accountable for these thoughts (the thoughts are very bad sometimes i feel like i may lose eeman because of these thoughts). Thats why i am sending you this problem so i that i can get help regarding this. Please provide me a detailed answer whether I am accountable for these thoughts or not and if I am accountable then how should I repent for it? 

Answer: 

One must remember that for the evil thoughts and whisperings that come to a person’s mind unwillingly, he will not be taken to task and will not be accountable for, as long as he does entertain it and utter the evil thoughts. If he entertains and utters it, then he will be held accountable.i

Shaytaan comes to a person all the time. He plays with the heart and the mind of a person. While evil thoughts and whisperings that come involuntarily into the mind are excused, one must be extremely cautious about what one utters and articulates about Allah Ta’aala and His beloved Nabi Sallalllahu Aalaihi Wasallam as this could lead to Kufr and losing one’s Imaan.

Shaytaan’s ultimate purpose is to misguide and deviate people. He has asked Allah Ta’ala for life until the Day of Qiyaamah. The story of Shaytaan is mentioned in the Qur`aan Sharief: When Shaytaan was rejected, he said: “My Lord! Give me then respite till the day the (dead) are resurrected.”

On being granted life till the Day of Qiyaamah, he declared his open enmity for all of mankind: “By Your Might, then I will surely mislead them all – except Your chosen slaves amongst them, sincere and purified (by Your Grace).” (Surah Sawd 38: 79-83)

He will make tireless efforts for one to disobey Allah Ta’aala and to put a stop to all good actions that a person does, therefore he will interrupt and interfere with one’s Ibadat such as Salaah, reciting Quraan etc. A thief only goes to a home where there is a treasure. Likewise, Shaytaan is trying to make you despondent and leave the good you are trying to do. The best remedy is to simply ignore it by occupying yourself in some constructive work.

Another effective method to combat Shaytaan is that as soon as he instils these evil thoughts; one must immediately make Istigfaar and turn his attention towards Allah Ta’aala.

Then recite لاحول ولا قوة إلا بالله and امنت بالله ورُسوله .ii

One should keep himself occupied because an idle mind is a devil’s workshop. Try and make a routine of reciting Quran as much as possible. Verily Allah Ta’ala says: )82 وَنُنَ زِلُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاءٌ وَرَحَْْةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ )سورة الاسراء:

Translation: And We send down of the Qur'an that which is healing and mercy for the believers.

Some supplications that one can also recite:

]98 ،97 رَ ب أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَََزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَ ب أَنْ يََْضُرُونِ ]المؤمنون:

Translation: “My Lord, I seek your protection from the evil whisperings of the Shaytaan, and I seek refuge with You, my Lord, from their presence.”

أعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَ رِ نَفْسِي وَمِنْ شَ رِ الشَّيْطَانِ وَشِرْكِهِ

Translation: “I seek refuge in you from the evil of my soul and from the evil of Shaytaan and his companions.”iii Another way of keeping yourself occupied is by reading authentic Islamic literature.

At times, a person does not realize it, but the evil that he indulges in, is the cause of these evil whisperings; evil such as watching filthy videos, television programs or listening to pop and other music. Bad elements draw bad elements. Music, television, videos, etc. draws the Shayateen and evil Jinn who are attracted to and enjoy the same kind of filth.

May Allah expel such thoughts from your mind and alleviate you from this predicament that you are being faced with.

AND ALLAH TA’AALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST

ANSWERED BY: Zubair Ahmed 

CHECKED AND APPROVED BY: Mufti Muhammed Saeed Motara Saheb D.B. 

Islamic Date:27 ذو القعدة 1441 

English Date: 19 July 2020

i ،» إِنَّ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ تَََاوَزَ لُِِمَّتِِ عَمَّا حَدَّثَتْ بِهِ أَنْفُسَهَا، مَا لََْ تَعْمَلْ، أَوْ تَكَل مْ بِهِ « : عَنْ أَبِِ هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ） مسلم ج 1 ص 116 دار إحياء التراث （

وَمِنْهَا حَدِيثُ النَّفْسِ لَا يؤَُاخَذُ بِهِ مَا لََْ تَتَكَلَّمْ، أَوْ تَعْمَلْ بِهِ كَمَا فِِ حَدِيثِ مُسْلِمٍ، وَحَاصِلُ مَا قَالُوهُ أَنَّ الَّذِي يَقَعُ فِِ النَّفْسِ مِنْ قَصْدِ الْمَعْصِيَةِ، أَوْ الط اعَةِ عَلَى خََْسِ مَرَاتِبَ، الْْاَجِسُ، وَهُوَ مَا يلُْقَى فِيهَا ثَُُّ جَرَيََنُهُ فِيهَا، وَهُوَ الَْْاطِرُ، ثَُُّ حَدِيثُ النَّفْسِ، وَهُوَ مَا يَقَعُ فِيهَا مِنْ التَّرَدُّدِ هَلْ يَفْعَلُ ، أَوْ لَا، ثَُُّ الْْمَُّ، وَهُوَ تَرْجِيحُ قَصْدِ الْفِعْلِ، ثَُُّ الْعَزْمُ، وَهُوَ قُوَّةُ ذَلِكَ الْقَصْدِ، وَالَْْزْمُ بِهِ، فَالْْاَجِسُ لَا يؤَُاخَذُ بِهِ إجَْْاعًا؛ لَِِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ فِعْلِهِ، وَإِنَََّّا هُوَ شَيْء وَرَدَ عَلَيْهِ لَا قُدْرَةَ لَهُ وَلَا صُنْعَ، وَالَْْاطِرُ واَلَّذِي بَعْدَهُ كَانَ قَادِرًا عَلَى دَفْعِهِ بِصَرْفِ الْْاَجِسِ أَوَّلَ وُرُودِه ） الَِْشْبَاهُ وَالنَّظَائِرُ ص 42 دار الكتب العلمية （

ii أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: " يََْتِِ الشَّيْطَانُ الِْْنْسَانَ فَيَقُولُ: مَنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ؟ فَيَقُولُ: اللهُ، ثَُُّ يَقُولُ: مَنْ خَلَقَ الَِْرْضَ ؟ فَيَقُولُ: اللهُ، حَتََّّ يَقُولَ: مَنْ خَلَقَ اللهَ؟ فَإِذَا وَجَدَ أَحَدُكُمْ ذَلِكَ، فَلْيَقُلْ: آمَنْتُ بِاللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ " ） مسند الْمام أحْد ج 36 ص 194 مؤسسة الرسالة （ 

iii حَدَّثَنَا مََْمُودُ بْنُ غَيْلاَنَ، قَالَ: حَدَّثنََا أَبُو دَاوُدَ، قَالَ: أَخْبَََنََ شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ يَعْلَى بْنِ عَطَاءٍ، قَالَ: سََِعْتُ عَمْرَو بْنَ عَاصِمٍ الثَّقَفِيَّ، يََُ دِثُ عَنْ أَبِِ هُرَيْرَة ، قَالَ: قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: يََ رَسُولَ اللهِ مُرْنِِ بِشَيْءٍ أَقُولُهُ إِذَا أَصْبَحْتُ وَإِذَا أَمْسَيْتُ؟ قَالَ: قُلْ: الل هُمَّ عَالََِ اليَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ، فَاطِرَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالَِرْضِ، رَبَّ كُ ل شَيْءٍ وَمَلِيكَهُ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَه إِلاَّ أَنْتَ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَ رِ نَفْسِي وَمِنْ شَ رِ الشَّيْطَانِ وَشِرْكِهِ، قَالَ: قُلْهُ إِذَا أَصْبَحْتَ، وَإِذَا أَمْسَيْتَ، وَإِذَا أَخَذْتَ مَضْجَعَكَ. هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيح ) سنن الترمذي 334 / 5 دار الغرب الإسلامي (