Doubt

Doubt is a mental state in which the mind remains suspended between two or more contradictory propositions, unable to assent to any of them.

74491

Salah (Prayers) . Doubt . Dhuhr

While praying Zuhur prayer I doubted whether it was the third or fourth Rakat. I considered it the third and offered another Rakat after that. Was my prayer valid?

Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 3 months ago

If you doubt between third and forth Rak'ats, you must take it as fourth then pray one Rak'at of Salat al-Ehtiyat which is performed immediately after Salaam, by reciting Sura Al-Hamd only, then Rokoo' and two Sajdas, then Tashahhud and Salaam.

Wassalam.

74899

Atheism . Doubt . Faith (Iman)

As a student in the UK I have come across some material promoting atheism and as a result I have begun doubting everything. How can I get the doubts out of my mind and strengthen my faith?

Zoheir Ali Esmail, Shaykh Zoheir Ali Esmail has a Bsc in Accounting and Finance from the LSE in London, and an MA in Islamic Studies from Middlesex University. He studied Arabic at Damascus University and holds a PhD... Answered 4 months ago

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. Both sides of the God debate have their own arguments and rebuttals and so if a certain argument has caused confusion you should seek its response from those who have been well trained in the intellectual sciences. It is also important to consider the role of religious experience when forming the presumptions to your intellectual framework and to realize that atheists also recognize the validity of theist arguments based on the presuppositions of theists.

May you always be successful.

71477

Doubt . Salah (Prayers)

I got a doubt during Sajdah, while praying my Asr prayers, about whether I was in my third or fourth Rakat. What should I have done in that situation?

You should take it as forth Rak'at and complete the Salaah accordingly but you must pray immediately after Salaam, one Rak'at of Salatul Ehtiyat in which you recite Sura Al-Hamd only then do Rokoo' and Two Sajda then Tashahhud and Salaam.

Wassalam.

64170

Doubt

I cannot control my emotions causing me to overthink and that leads to doubts and then the realisation that I have doubted which then leads to a feeling of guilt. How can I stop this cycle from repeating?

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. To break the cycle of doubt you have to ignore your doubts. Sometimes emotions cause our imaginations to run wild, but its important to realise that such a thing is natural and to seek the knowledge that will do away with unwanted or persistent doubts. When a person is firm in knowledge their emotions will not cause them to doubt.

May you always be successful.

63810

Doubt . Atheism . God (Allah) . Faith (Iman)

There are many atheists whose words have created doubt in my mind about God. What should I do to strengthen my faith?

Rebecca Masterton, Dr Rebecca Masterton graduated with a BA in Japanese Language and Literature; an MA in Comparative East Asian and African Literature and a PhD in Islamic literature of West Africa. She has been... Answered 8 months ago

There are many scientists (particularly physicists), who, on a scientific basis, conclude that there must be a conscious transcendent being behind creation. If we look at the work of scientists and why they conclude that there is a God, this can help to strengthen our UNDERSTANDING (and not just our faith). The work of Wolfgang Smith is interesting. He is a scientist who has pointed out the philosophical errors that form the basis of today's (mainly post-Enlightenment) science. His books include 'The Quantum Enigma' and 'Cosmos and Transcendence'. It is also useful to explore a range of theodicies (arguments that tackle the question of the suffering of the innocent and the justice of God). For those that argue that there is no life after death: there are millions of anecdotal accounts that testify to people encountering those that have died in one way or another - and these cut across all cultures. There is certainly evidence that some way of existing continues after our bodies have expired. So far I haven't come across good explanations for this by atheists.

Doubt . Atheism . God (Allah) . Faith (Iman)

There are many atheists whose words have created doubt in my mind about God. What should I do to strengthen my faith?

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. It is important to be well equipped to deal with the arguments of atheists especially if their arguments and opinions have an effect on your faith. In order to do this you should seek out scholars who specialise in the intellectual sciences and speak to them about the issues and questions that remain unanswered for you. They should also be able to help you construct a framework for your beliefs as well as show you the weaknesses in the presuppositions of atheistic beliefs. In the modern study of the philosophy of religion it is well accepted that religious belief is justified.

May you always be successful

Doubt . Atheism . God (Allah) . Faith (Iman)

There are many atheists whose words have created doubt in my mind about God. What should I do to strengthen my faith?

The claims of atheists are based on their misunderstandings. If you analyse their claims carefully, you will see how their claims are false.
1. You can discuss their claims with any trusted scholar who can explain to you more facts.
2. You may read on the internet or in the library some books written to counter the misleading claims or doubts of atheists.

3. It is very useful to repeat reciting Sura al-Tawheed and LA ILAAHA ILLALLAH, and ASTAGHFIRULLAH WA ATOOBU ELAYH.

Wassalam.

63247

Doubt . God (Allah)

I read the Quran and know the truth about Islam, but I keep having doubts about the existence of Allah (swt) and I feel very troubled by such thoughts. What should I do?

Amina Inloes, Amina Inloes is originally from the US and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter on Shi'a hadith. She is the program leader for the MA Islamic Studies program at the... Answered 8 months ago

It is normal for human beings to occasionally doubt things they cannot see directly.

There are many reasons for this.

* It could be a phase or part of your own personal religious/spiritual growth, as part of expanding your concept of the nature of God.
* The materialism and busyness of the modern lifestyle can drag people down to focus on worldly issues only
* Sometimes, things we do (such as certain sins) or certain things such as overeating, overly watching television, or anything else that makes us overly like a vegetable can also interfere with our "spiritual hardware" that makes us aware of what is beyond this.

It could be all of this or none of it.

Anyway, since your concern is specifically over whether God exists, you could:
* Spend time reading books and watching videos discussing the existence of God. There are a lot of valuable materials both by Muslims and also people of other faiths.
* Spend time reading the Qur'anic discussions about God - keeping in mind that many of them were aimed at people who didn't believe in God
* Read hadith about the nature and existence of God (you could probably find some on this website)
* Prayer - one of the most personal ways that people come to appreciate the existence of God is through answered prayers. I came across someone once who empirically tested prayer and made lists of prayers that he did and when they were answered, and he concluded after a year or so that prayer was effective. Although God is above being tested, it doesn't hurt to try!
* Prayer for guidance - If you ask God to prove to you that He exists, your prayer will likely be answered.
* Spending time in nature, if it is possible, is also a good opportunity for contemplating on spiritual matters. After all, one of the main arguments for the existence of God put forward in the Qur'an as well as by philosophers is the order and beauty of the natural world. Sadly, many of us are separated from it today due to living in cities and other things and we do not always appreciate what is out there.

I am sure you will find your way - take this as an opportunity to explore a very important question of theology (the existence of God) in-depth and become an expert on it, rather than just taking it for granted!

62375

Doubt . Najasa

If one doubts whether they have cleaned an impurity on their clothes or not, should they be considered impure or pure?

If you are sure that the impurity touched your clothes and made it Najis, but not sure about cleaning it, it is then Najis till you become sure that it have been cleaned.

Wassalam.

55160

Body . Doubt . Ghusl

When performing Ghusl Janabat under a shower I wash the body parts multiple times to ensure I haven't missed any area, and it takes me approximately 30 minutes to complete it. Is this reasonable or am I am being too careful?

Zaid Alsalami, Shaykh Dr Zaid Alsalami is an Iraqi born scholar, raised in Australia. He obtained a BA from Al-Mustafa University, Qom, and an MA from the Islamic College in London. He also obtained a PhD from... Answered 1 year ago

Bismihi ta'ala

A ghusl itself should not take you more than a minute or two. Please keep in mind that when one excessively doubts and repeats their act multiple times, this will lead to waswasah, and simple things will become very difficult.

Please watch this tutorial on ghusl:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtDGChWoSeE

Also, on the topic of waswasah, watch this lesson:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz2HGVepaC8&list=PLHj5BjXrLabga8Y6BJGjty6oNCzrwmXL-

With prayers for your success.

Body . Doubt . Ghusl

No, it is sufficient to perform Ghusl al-Janabah with a single pitcher of water. It is better to balance the concern over washing everything with the concern of not wasting water. Remember that Islam came from the desert! And in most of human history people didn't have showers. Also, maybe it is not good for your skin to take very long showers.

Of course, please don't start worrying that you are committing a sin by washing too much or using too much water! Just keep in mind that Islam is meant to be easy and that Allah is forgiving; as long as you are trying to do it correctly, He is not going to punish you if you accidentally miss one small spot, and eventually you will do another ghusl for one reason or another and that spot will be taken care of.

54314

Salah (Prayers) . Doubt

While praying I easily get distracted with background sounds and so repeat the recitation. I also often get doubts if I pronounced the words correctly and I would repeat them multiple times. Why does this happen and how can I tackle this challenge?

If the doubt is rare, then you can repeat to be sure that you recite properly, but if the doubts are repeatedly happening, then you do not need to repeat nor to care for such repeated doubts because it can be from Shaitan who tries to spoil your worship by creating repeated doubts.

1. Always start your Prayers with seeking help of Allah from Satanic whispering by saying after Takbiratul Ehraam : A’ootho Billah minashaytan Arrajeem أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم.

2. Try your best to focus on your Prayers and do not let any other thought penetrate into your mind while praying.

3. Remember while praying the grave, the Day of Judgement, The Paradise, the Hellfire and your need to the Mercy of Allah.

4. Pray as if it is your last prayer because every one from us is exposed to death any time.

5. Pray to Allah ( SWT) as if you see him in your heart and talk to him directly.

wassalam.