Upcoming Courses
Other Questions
Question
I have a problem with Shaqq (or Doubt). It normally takes me 5 - 10 minutes to perform wudu.
I wash each part of my body many times because I have been told the water has to reach my skin. Also When I pray I read loudly (even Zuhur and Asr) to make sure I am saying the words correctly. Sometimes, I repeat my prayers if I think that I can not remember a surah which I should have read in the 2nd rakah. Even if someone walks past me and looks at me I lose my concentration and repeat my prayer.
Before this started happening to me I used to do my wudu in 2-3 mins.
Also in during Ghusul, it takes a long time for me to make sure the water reaches my every part of my body. I even force water up my nose which causes me headaches.
As a result of all this, I sometimes miss my Salah and I do not read Salah anywhere else except for home or in the local mosque.
Your help and advice would be much appreciated
Answer
Having "Shakk" or doubt is common amongst many people and the problem is usually removed if you keep in view the following points.
[1] The jurists have outlined the following principle which if you hold on to tightly you should not have any problems Inshallah. Namely, "Certainty cannot be cancelled out by doubt." This means once you have done an act and moved on, you obviously have certainty that you did that act otherwise you would not be doing the following thing, thus any thought that occurs now should be seen as from Satan and ignored. This is similar to a person entering the local shop and not remembering whether he went past the stack of biscuits right next to the door. Obviously he may have doubt, but the fact that he is in the shop is enough of a proof for certainty that he indeed did pass it and any doubt now is baseless.
[2] Having followed the above principle given by the Shariah, if on some occasion one did indeed miss a part of the face, (and it was unknown to the person) then in the sight of Allah taala, the Most-Merciful, He will not hold the person to account for it, on the contrary He will give the full reward for this act because the intention of the person was to perform the act which he did to the best of his ability. The Messenger of Allah (sallalahu alaihi wasallam) said "Verily (the reward) of actions is but by intention."
[3]As for taking water into the nose, note it is sufficient for it to reach the point where the hard part/bone of the nose starts which can be achieved with considerable ease. (see Ahsan al-Fatawa, vol.2 pg.38).
Full_Answer_Here