Dispelling Evil Thoughts in Salaah

Q: Salaah-716: It is commonly noticed that although people are performing salaah, their minds are always engaged in some thought or another. There are many who try their best to dispel these thoughts but are unable to do so. Will the salaah be valid?

Answer: Because it is not within man's power to restrict these thoughts from coming, they will not nullify the salaah. It is however wrong to create such thoughts and take an interest in them. When a Sahabi RADI. complained of these thoughts, Rasulullaah SAW. advised him not to pay heed to them and to concentrate on his salaah.

One must therefore ignore the thoughts and concentrate on reciting one's Qiraa'ah correctly with proper pronunciation. Shaytaan will have attained his objective if one thinks that one's salaah has been rendered futile because of their thoughts.

Hadhrat Uthmaan bin Abul Aas RADI. once asked, "O Rasulullaah SAW. Shaytaan interferes with my salaah so much that I sometimes even doubt what I recite. What should I do?" Rasulullaah SAW. advised, "This Shaytaan's name is Khinzib and when you sense him arrive, seek Allaah's protection (recite Ta'awwudh) and make the action of spitting to your left side three times." Hadhrat Uthmaan RADI. says that after doing this, he was never again troubled.

Another manner of dispelling these thoughts is to frequently recite:? ('Laa Howla wa Laa Quwwata Illa Billaah'). And Allaah knows best what is most correct.

Fatawa Rahimiyyah vol.2