Question
As-salamu `Alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatuh (May Allah’s Peace, Mercy, and Blessings be upon you!).
My problem is: I suffer from OCD in wudhu, where I have to repeat wudhu more than once. Now the matter has spread to the Salah also, where I sometimes repeat Salah. Also, it’s spread to issues of daily life to the extent that when I have closed a door, I go back to close it once more until I am sure it is well-closed; sometimes, I check three or four times. Also, I have obsessive suspicions about my wife and suspicions about the people around me. When someone comes to shake my hand, I have suspicions that he’s watching me despite the fact that I did not do anything wrong. I try to get rid of this habit but I cannot. Sometimes I can resist these obsessions by the favor of Allah. Now, I have very disturbing ideas about getting fired of my job. When these ideas jump into my head, I say to myself: I’ put my trust in Allah and nothing can harm me except what Allah destined for me’, but they come again and again in intervals. Could you kindly help me get rid of these obsessions and suspicions so I can live in comfort? I have suffered from these obsessions for six years. May Allah reward you the best.
Answer
We hope to help you solve your problem. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a kind of irrational and useless thinking which always occupies a person and part of his awareness and feelings although a person is full-aware of it’s absurdity.
Such obsessions shall not go by themselves if they are left without treatment, so you should resist these obsessions as much as you can.
Whenever a person surrenders to these obsessions, it’s only more fuel to the fire of these obsessions, so to speak, so it will only increase.
So what should such a person do?
They should do the following steps:
1- Fighting these obsessions by paying no attention to them and to follow the instructions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) by seeking refuge with Allah against the cursed Satan and reciting the daily Adhkar (invocations and Remembrances said at certain times on a regular basis).
2- Engage yourself in any important action and continuously occupy yourself.
3- Ask others for help.
4- Be flexible in your life as much as you can.
5- Try to change house or job if they are the causes of obsessions.
6- Try to relax, not to feel tension or continuously worry.
7- Put your trust in Allah and know that He alone is the healer. I Invoke Allah to heal every sick and to reward them from their forbearance.
8- Do not sit alone for a long time because this would leave ideas to wander in the mind.
9- Keep up Salah in the masjid and catch Takbirat-ul-Ihram (saying: “Allahu Akbar [Allah is the Greatest]” upon starting Salah).
The summary of your treatment is to ignore satanic obsessions, not to discuss them, or even think about them.
Engage yourself with other matters and by the passage of time, they will go by themselves. Just remember not to fear them because they are not real and you have nothing to do with them, but they are obsessions thrown by devils who use your sickness.
So, forget about them by any suitable means such as reading, cleaning, or physical exercise.
I advise you to visit a psychiatrist to find a suitable program for your case because there are some medications that can be helpful in your case.
Finally, I ask Allah to grant you success and cure. And do not forget to invoke Allah frequently.
