Are You Struggling with Religious OCD – Here’s What You Need To Know

Assalamu alaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh. My dear brothers and sisters, today we delve into a sensitive topic that affects many, but it's seldom discussed openly and this is the topic of religious obsessive compulsive disorder or religious OCD. Now this condition, also known as scrupulosity, which is a subtype of OCD, obsessive compulsive disorder. It involves religious obsessions, scrupulous individuals, you would observe observe them or you would see them as being overly concerned that something they thought or something that they did might be a sin might be a violation or a breach in terms of their religious beliefs. Now, to understand this better, let me

try let me try and define it to you the American Psychiatric Association. They define OCD, normal OCD, as a disorder characterized by recurring unwanted thoughts and repetative behaviors. Religious OCD takes this a step further, by intertwining the symptoms, the normal OCD symptoms with spiritual beliefs, and religious practices. So now you would see symptoms that include obsessive religious concerns, compulsive rituals, repetitive behaviors within the rituals, and even unwanted blasphemous thoughts. Now, in terms of the Islamic perspective, you have what's wasa? And you also have what's wa salco Hurry. Now what is vice versa and what is was was acquired in Islamic tradition was wasa

refers to unwanted thoughts and this is a phenomenon that's considered normal. And when I say normal, what I mean is that it is negative but it affects almost every believer out there, and we read in Surah NAS mindshare, real was versal harness. However, when these thoughts become overpowering, when they become disruptive, now we termed them as waswas recovery, and this condition may require both medical and theological intervention.

To understand it better from a Western psychological perspective, intrusive thoughts are often considered to stem to originate from organic sources like brain chemistry. However, in Islamic theology, these thoughts can come from the neffs.

It can also come from external forces like shaytaan, like the devil, to fully grasp the intricacies of obsessive compulsive disorder, and its specific manifestation as verse was alcohol free within the Islamic teachings through the light of the Quran and the Sunnah, it is crucial to delve into the historical and religious context from which the concept of intrusive thoughts or vice versa originates. You see, the notion of shaytans influence on human behavior is deeply rooted in the Abrahamic traditions. You go into Judaism you'll see it you go into Christianity, you will see it and no doubt when you go into Islam you see it.

Take the story of Adam and Hawa alayhi wa salatu salam in the Judeo Christian narrative, as is outlined in the book of Genesis, the serpent the snake, identified as the devil as Satan tempts Eve Hawa alayhi salatu salam to partake of the forbidden fruit. Now the Quranic narrative parallels this account but obviously with nuanced differences in the Quran, it is Adam it is Adam malice let wa salam who is whispered to by shaitan with the term was was explicitly used, take the ayah in surah Taha Allah subhanho wa Taala he says, vice versa Elaine he she on who call a

demo handle don't look eyelash murottal Who's the one will kill Bella for worse wasa la he shoot on. Then shaytaan whispered to him who are the multislot was salam saying Allah Yeah, Adam, oh Adam or Adam, hell ADO Luca Allah shall hold Shall I lead you to the Tree of Eternity were mortal killer your biller and to Dominion a kingdom that will never waste away in surah Taha, which is the 20th chapter is number 120. So this event, according to Islamic teachings, Islamic tradition, led to Adam Alayhis Salam and how

Alejandra to Islam descent to Earth. Now while Allah subhanho wa Taala forgave them they were tasked with navigating a world where the devil's whispers would

regularly attempt to lead them astray until Yamo karma until the Day of Judgment, those who succeed in resisting these whispers by the mercy of Allah subhanho wa Taala will find their way back to Jana. In the Islamic worldview was wasa is not an anomaly like I highlighted earlier on it is considered normal, it is considered a universal human experience. It manifests itself in various negative forms, for example, jealousy, lust, anger, hatred, doubts about significant life decisions, and moral dilemmas to name a few. And you see even talking about general OCD studies suggest that as much as 94% of the global population experience intrusive thoughts at some point, so a good chunk of

it is going to be related to religious intrusive thoughts as well. Now understanding this historical and religious backdrop it enriches our comprehension of OCD, and was was alcohol free. It permits us now to see it not merely as a clinical condition, but as a complex interplay of different things.

So now, having understood all of this and having this as the backdrop, let's delve deeper into the different types of waswas recovery by categorizing them into at least three primary domains, you have a bada, where you know what's possible carry can come into play and disturb an individual you have Tahara a bad day is basically worship to Hara purification, and Arcada in your faith.

So as we closely examine, let's go into a Buddha in the realm of a Buddha, or worship was wa salam Akari manifests as an obsessive concern about the correctness and sincerity of one's religious practices. For example, an individual may repeatedly question whether they have performed their Salah on time, or their Salah in the right manner, they may obsess over the exact positioning of their hands, actually starts off with the intention, they may obsess over the fact as to whether they place the intention or not, or as to whether they place the intention the right way or the wrong way. They may obsess over the exact positioning of their hands in Salah, the positioning of

ruku of sujood have the pronunciation of different Ayat read in SOTL Fatiha that reading the other recitations in the do as leading to repeated performances of the same prayer that the you know, it becomes an obsessive repetition. So this form of waswas a curry can be very obstructing, as it may cause the individual to spend a huge amount of time on religious rituals, thereby affecting other aspects of life. For example, you'd have an individual who come to the masjid early, hoping to make it for Salah to Gemma in the sense the prayer with the Jamara with the congregation, but he or she makes it to the masjid. I'm going to be talking about the hara, but he gets to the masjid and the

Imam starts the prayer. And this individual would start obsessing on the intention and on the on the on the placement of the Takbeer was the Imam would progress to the second Rakhine time to third Rakow. The fourth raka this individual is frustrated is in a lot of difficulty not able to move forward. If you look at the next realm taharah purification. Here you would see what's worse, I'll carry manifesting as an excessive preoccupation with hygiene, with cleanliness. And with ritual purity with Tahara individuals may find themselves Subhanallah in a loop of constant wudu ablution never feeling clean enough to perform their religious duties. They may also become overly concerned

with the purity of their environment, leading to compulsive behaviors like repeated cleaning, or avoiding certain places or objects deemed impure. This can severely limit their ability to engage in communal religious activities in a normal way or even daily tasks. So again, coming to the example of the individual committed domestic to pray with the Jamara he or she would have made ablution and come to the masjid but now feels like the ablution is broken. And then we'll go to perform ablution and gets into this loop of you know, performing ablution and not being satisfied with it redoing the ablation ablution redoing the ablution so much to the extent that sometimes the GEMA will conclude

will end and this individual is still grappling with his or her ablution May Allah is our affairs I mean

now we have the domain of acleda faith now here was was a curry takes on a more cognitive form. It affects an individual's core beliefs about the deen intrusive thoughts may include doubting the existence of Allah subhanho wa Taala questioning the Mercy of Allah subhanho wa Taala Kush questioning the wisdom of Allah azza wa jal thinking bad thoughts about Allah subhanho wa Taala questioning the authenticity of the Quran questioning the authenticity of the

of the messenger Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam are having this you know, weighing down dread or fear that one has committed an unforgivable sin and there is no chance for mercy from Allah subhanho wa taala. So these thoughts can be very distressing as they strike at the heart of an individual's religious identity. And the person may engage in compulsive behaviors, like excessive recitation of certain ayat or certain prayers to neutralize these intrusive thoughts, but the relief is often temporary. Now understanding these specific types of Wasp versal carry not only provides a much more nuanced view of the condition, but also allows now for targeted interventions, whether it

is through cognitive behavioral techniques. As we will discuss in just a bit I'm going to inshallah touch on a few treatments or spiritual guidance from qualified religious authorities. Addressing these categories can pave the way understanding these categories can pave the way for a more holistic treatment approach. Insha Allah Allah. So by dissecting was fossil carry into these categories, we can better appreciate the multifaceted nature of this condition, which straddles the line between psychological disorder and spiritual distress. This nuanced understanding is crucial for both

doctors, medical

experts and religious leaders aiming to provide effective compassionate care for those grappling with this complex

issue, may Allah subhanho wa Taala is our affairs. I mean, now I'd like to touch on or try to give you a holistic perspective towards treatment approaches.

You see, there needs to be a collaboration between scholars between Imams and medical experts,

you we need to bridge the gap in the sense

religion

plays a very important role in in addressing this. The role of an Imam, of a scholar of a religious figure in this context is not just supplementary, it is in integral. According to me.

The religious figure provides the spiritual scaffolding upon which now the clinical treatment can be effectively built by reassuring the one undergoing these thoughts or this disorder, that these intrusive thoughts are neither a sign of weak faith, not a moral failing,

the religious figure can alleviate a significant amount of emotional distress. This spiritual guidance can be a cornerstone in the therapeutic process, offering a unique form of support that complements clinical interventions. Now in terms of clinical approaches, you have CBT cognitive behavioral therapy, the power of thought CBT is a well established treatment for various forms of OCD, including wasa recovery, it helps individuals identify, challenge and change, distorted thought patterns and beliefs. So again, scholars can play a pivotal role here by providing accurate Islamic teachings to counter

any religious misconceptions that may be fueling the obsessive thoughts. For example,

a scholar can explain the concept of Allah's mercy to someone who is overly preoccupied with the fear of divine punishment because he or she has a distorted understanding about the Mercy of Allah subhanho wa taala. Or, for example, in the area of voodoo, due to perhaps a distorted understanding a skewed understanding of voodoo, an individual may be

grappling with the ritual. On the other hand, now when the religious figure comes in and explains how easy it is and how simple it is, this can be very effective in helping this individual. So the next treatment that I'd like to discuss is ERP exposure and response prevention. In other words facing the fear. ERP is globally recognized for its effectiveness in treating OCD, obsessive compulsive disorder. It involves exposing individuals to the thoughts, images and situations that make them anxious, and then it prevents the compulsive behaviors that follow. This approach aligns remarkably well with Islamic teachings which often encourage facing one's fears and Tawakkol,

placing trust in Allah subhanho wa taala. So the religious figure, the Imam, the scholar can provide religiously sanctioned coping mechanisms that can be integrated into the ERP process. The next form of therapy that I'd like to discuss is AACT acceptance Commitment Therapy. This is all about embracing the self. So AC T focuses on helping clients accept their thoughts and emotions without judgment. This is

beautifully resonant with Islamic teachings that emphasize self care, self compassion, and understanding. The therapy encourages individuals to accept that while they cannot control their intrusive thoughts, they can control their reactions to them. So all these therapies put together my Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam.

Along with self care, and community support,

eases the journey ahead. Because managing Biswas recovery is not a sprint. Rather, it's a Euro think of it as a marathon. It requires ongoing self care. It requires including engaging in activities that nourish both the mind and the soul, whether it's through prayer, whether it is through physical exercise, whether it is through voluntary community involvement, you know, in charity projects.

All of this put together, you have to understand self care is vital. And the support of a compassionate community can be a powerful healing force. So if you can bring in a few friends, if you can become part of a community, a supportive community, a caring community, become part of a team become part of an institute and that's what we at Sakina Sakina Institute we strive to do. This can be a powerful healing force, offering both emotional support and practical assistance was was alcohol free.

Islamic religious OCD is a complex issue that requires a multi layered approach for effective management. By combining medical interventions with Islamic Guidance and techniques, individuals can ensure loudhailer navigate this challenging condition more effectively. It is a journey that requires time, sober, patience, and often

a medical or a team of medical professionals and religious figure, a spiritual guide. But with the right support and resources, it is a journey that can lead to a more peaceful and fulfilling life in sha Allah Allah. And before I conclude the video, I would also like to share a condensed a very summarized list of Islamic techniques or practices that I believe can be used to help reduce waswas or carry.

Number one, I'd like to start off by seeking the protection of Allah subhanho wa taala. Now this is a commonly used technique by us Muslims to help protect ourselves from Shaytaan. So when we Muslims seek refuge in Allah, we are basically calling out to Allah subhanho wa Taala to protect us from the devil's influence from the devil's Mischeif. Now a person with hostile carry may use this technique for protection from shaitan. Who is giving them intrusive thoughts, since there is direct evidence of this technique being recommended to corporate vice versa? It is no doubt a commonly prescribed practice to help an individual come out of this or is that person's affairs, Allah subhanho wa

taala. He mentioned sort of facilite

what in my Enza

Menaka Amina shaytani nosy one first dive below in the hobo Samuel Haleem. And if an evil whisper from Shaytaan tries to turn you away, then look at the command of Allah seek refuge in Allah. first dive Billa in the who who was Samuel Aleem, verily He is the oil here the oil. No I am number 36 In another place Allah subhanho wa Taala he says well kohlrabi are who do become in hamazon Tisha teen are always will be Kuraby Ron and say, My Lord Robbie, I will be coming hamazon at Shelton I seek refuge I seek Your protection from the whisperings mean hammers attea shouting from the whisperings of the shayateen of the devils and I seek refuge with You, my Lord, lest they may attend or come

near me Subhanallah we have an aeration, where a Sahabi comes to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and he says yeah rasool Allah, the narration goes along the lines of these words shaitan is messing with my prayers. He's spoiling my prayers and he's confusing my recitation of the Quran. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam then went on to say, this is a devil, a specific devil. Specific shaytaan called cleans up, Allahu Akbar. So if you think that he is around, in other words, if you are able to diagnose and you you know, you like the Sahaba he comes and says, also, Allah shaitaan is messing around with my prayer. If you sense he's around. Then say, the Prophet goes on to teach

us say I seek refuge with Allah from you, and to

dry spit. You blow your breath with light spit on your left three times.

Three times, that the Sahaba he says, I did exactly that. And Allah took this devil away from me Subhan Allah, you have to do it with firm belief. My dear brothers and sisters, the next obvious practice is rakia rakia. A lot of you are familiar with it, it is a practice in which the Quran is read, or certain do as prayers taught to us by the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is read

by for example, putting your hand on the area that is causing the distress and you recite over it. This practice

that, you know is recommended for different types of medical ailments as well as psychological ailments, spiritual healing. So since an individual with these thoughts might feel tension in their head, or chest, they can place their hand on either the head or the chest and perform Rukia over that area.

For example, if you look at this hadith where

a Sahabi comes to the Prophet salallahu Salam, and he complains to the prophet of a disease in his body, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam then says, Put your hand in the place or on the place of the pain and say

Bismillah three times Bismillah three times Bismillah Bismillah Bismillah and then the Prophet sallallahu Sallam went on to say, say seven times. I will do Billahi while Kudarat de min Shari ma Adji do we have? I'm going to repeat the statement for the sake of education. I will do Billahi we're coup de Rottie he, I seek the protection of Allah I seek refuge with Allah wa CODATA he and his power

and majesty, mindshare, li ma Ajit.

From the evil that I feel Whoa ha there from the evil that I suffer from the pain and evil that I'm suffering from. You read the seven times Allahu Akbar. So this is again, a very powerful teaching through an authentic hadith from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. The next technique that I'd like to touch on is the vicar, which is obviously the remembrance of Allah subhanaw taala. Now this again, to be conscious of Allah, that can be specifically used by those experiencing these thoughts, to alleviate feelings of distress. The purpose of this is to mindfully reflect on Allah, on the attributes of Allah. Okay. And by doing this, you start feeling closer to Allah subhanho wa

Taala and you will begin to reap the psychological benefit of feeling protected by Allah, the highest power that has

obviously the ability to protect you to change your condition to change your situation. And the devil's whispers just fade away into into nothing Subhanallah

there's actually research out there that indicates that those who have

have a secure attachment to God have lower levels of depression, lower levels of psychological distress, whereas those who have an insecure attachment have higher levels of all of these aspects this depression, anxiety stress, they could not only helps build a more secure attachment connection with Allah, but it can also help alter and change cognitive distortions for those, you know, suffering because of what's worse I'll carry especially those who think that Allah is not going to forgive me.

Allah is, you know, going to do me to Johanna, the more you involve yourself in the it helps you to focus on the mercy of Allah. It helps you focus on the love that Allah subhanho wa Taala has for you. And similarly, with the help of a religious figure,

a scholar in the picture. Now, a healthy bond can be created with Allah subhanho wa Taala and this will no doubt alter unhealthy cognitions in sha Allah dal as Allah Subhan Allah Allah says in the Noble Quran, Allah be decree law heat at the minute Kolb rarely in the remembrance of Allah. Do hearts find rest Allahu Akbar.

So as you can see, my dear brothers and sisters, these techniques are so powerful. And the last one that I'd like to mention is dua because we need the help of Allah.

And it is prescribed for all believers for all Muslims. You can make dua during your five daily prayers you can make dua at any point when feeling distress. So when you make dua, you're turning to Allah subhanho wa Taala to help you and they're obviously specific to us taught to us by the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, for example, we have the DUA, but the Prophet taught us when someone is feeling anxious when you're feeling feelings of anxiety, the Prophet taught us this to what is the dua Allahumma in near Abduch EBO Abdic you've been ametek Nasir TB adic milden figure hockomock I don't feel kuduk as a Luca Bhikkhu lisman who are like some made to be enough sick oh and Zelda

houfy kitab ik our ILM Tahoe ahead and min holodeck I will be here feel if you're ill Mila Vibia InDeck and Taj Mahal Allah Quran Robbie Kelby one no rasa D wa Jalla, Hosni whether herba me beautiful, powerful Doha. If I can mention it in the in the description, go check it out in sha Allah, O Allah, I am your servant, son of Your servant, son of your maidservant now see a TV addict my four lock is in your hand, your command over me is forever executed and your decree over me is just add balloon fear called out as I look at the coolest men who are like I asked you by every name belonging to you, which you named yourself with or revealed in your book or you talk to any of your

creation or you have preserved or thought the behavior element of it or index or you have preserved in the knowledge of the Unseen with you. And Tajmahal Allah Quran Arabiya called be that you make the Quran Rabi will be the spring of my heart, the life of my heart, and the light of my breast and a departure from my sorrow from my, from these intrusive thoughts, and a release for my anxiety, Allahu Akbar. Such a powerful dua so many brothers and sisters, as you can see all these techniques and another one that just comes to my mind right now is black seed, black cumin.

There are you know, there's obviously the Hadith of the Prophet, Allah Islam and along with that modern day research indicates that black cumin black seed, Nigella sativa, that's that's the term that's used, at least in terms of when you read through these research papers. Modern day research indicates that black seed in fact has powerful healing properties and helps treat anxiety and depression as well as many other medical conditions. Now, obviously, more research needs to be conducted on how and to what extent black cumin affects different levels of OCD, but it can be used as a supplement to therapy to help you you know, cope with this. And here we fall back on to the

Hadith of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam an authentic hadith where he Abu Huraira the Allahu Anhu he says, I heard Allah's Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam saying There is healing in Blackseed for all diseases, except that.

So having mentioned all of this, I'd like to conclude by saying that this I hope that this video serves as

the stepping stone to help you towards a journey of healing and wholeness was was alcohol free is not just a challenge. It's a journey, a journey that tests the resilience of your faith, the strength of your character, and the depth of your Tawakkol your trust in Allah. But remember my dear brother, Medea, sister, you are not alone on this path. With the right blend of medical interventions, and Islamic spiritual guidance, you can navigate the complexities of this condition more effectively in sha Allah Allah, from seeking refuge in Allah, to rakia from vicar to Doha, and even the benefits of Blackseed each has its beautiful place in a holistic approach to managing

religious OCD was was alcohol free. These are not just technics. They are lifelines that connect you back to Allah subhana hotel, offering both spiritual and psychological relief.

Therefore, let us not forget the invaluable role of community support and professional guidance. Scholars, doctors, imams, religious figures, spiritual guides, family and friends, they can all be pillars on which you lean on during this journey. Their collective wisdom, support, compassion and care can be the light that guides you through the darkest tunnels of doubt and fear in sha Allah Allah. As we conclude let us turn our hearts and hands to the heavens praying for all those affected by vice versa carry your Allah R Rahman r Rahim the Most Merciful the Most Compassionate we asked you to shower your infinite mercy upon those upon each and every individual suffering from a

swastika hurry your Allah grant them the strength to overcome their trials to overcome their challenges. The wisdom to seek the right help and faith to remain steadfast in your EBA in your worship, your Allah enveloped them in your mercy heal their hearts and guide their steps. Your Allah you are the best of healers the most capable of affairs husband Allahu enamelware Killa namun Mola when atma Nasir and you are the most generous in blessings, I mean, the horrible I mean, I hope this prayer serves as a beacon of hope and made this video in sha Allah Tala be a resource that empowers you to take the next step in your journey towards healing a holistic healing and wholeness. Thank

you for watching the video. Do subscribe to my channel if you haven't already liked the video and share it around so that we can help others and may Allah subhana wa tallas peace and blessings be upon you all until next time. Assalamu alaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh