These thoughts keep coming. I'm not sure where it's coming from. Sometimes it gets to the point where I'm doubting myself and screaming to stop the thought. It's uncontrollable.
I pray every single day for it to stop. But every time I see any Islamic post or read any post those thoughts come about. I really try not to think about it. I do not believe any of it but it keeps coming. I try my best to suppress these thoughts but I can't.
Please help me and advise me. What can I do? I heard that it is was-was and whispers of syaitan but it is Ramadan. I do not want to displease Allah nor do I want to go off track. Please help me. I'm feeling really guilty.
Answer
In this counseling answer:
- Accept that these thoughts come and go. You do not need to attach yourself to them. You do not need to judge them, reflect on them, or identify yourself with them.
- Maybe you are seeking some understanding, or perhaps you have emotions that you do not fully recognize. It might feel as if it is about religion, but sometimes it may actually be about other things in your life.
Assalamu alaikum, sister,
Thank you for your question. You mentioned that you feel guilty because you have negative thoughts that you cannot control, many of them about Allah, the Prophet (peace be upon him) and about Islam. You also said that these thoughts interrupt your khushu (focus) in prayer, and every time you see an Islamic post they come up again, and you do not know what to do.
First of all, it is absolutely true that we cannot fully control our thoughts—neither the positive ones nor the negative ones. We all experience both. What we can decide, however, is where we put our focus and whether we feed these negative thoughts with further attention or simply accept that they are there and allow them to pass.
Yes, we all have negative thoughts. Instead of suppressing these thoughts or trying to push them away completely, you can take two approaches.
Become an observer
One is to simply accept that these thoughts come and go. You can imagine them like clouds that pass through the sky—appearing and then moving away again. In the same way, let them come and go through your mind. You do not need to attach yourself to them. You do not need to judge them, reflect on them, or identify yourself with them. Just allow them to pass, like images on a screen in your mind.
However, if you feel that these thoughts are connected to some inner struggle or restlessness within you, then it might help to give them a little gentle attention.
Ask yourself: What is actually bothering me? What am I feeling? What might be the deeper issue behind this?
What are you struggling with?
Maybe, when such thoughts arise, they come for a reason. Perhaps they are trying to communicate something to you. Maybe you are seeking some understanding, or perhaps you have emotions that you do not fully recognize. It might feel as if it is about religion, but sometimes it may actually be about other things in your life.
It is also normal that sometimes we experience conflicting emotions and thoughts inside ourselves. At times we struggle with these inner contradictions. I do not know exactly what you are struggling with, but perhaps a part of you is seeking clarity, understanding, or a voice.
Try to be kind to that part of yourself. With patience and understanding, you may gradually discover the root of these doubts or negative thoughts. Sometimes simply acknowledging and integrating these feelings—or finding answers to the questions behind them—can reduce the intensity of the thoughts and the emotions that come with them.
I hope this helps. May Allah make things easier for you.