Satanic Whisperings

Question

I feel sometimes, when making Wudhu', that my ablution has been invalidated, and also during prayer, and I do not know if this is true, or if it is whispering (from Satan); therefore, many times I repeat my Wudhu' which sometimes makes me miss the congregational prayer, and I think too much during prayer. Please benefit me and advise me, and you will be rewarded, Allah willing.

Answer

These whisperings are from Satan and you must reject and disregard them and complete your Wudhu' and prayer, as it has been authentically reported from the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) that he said:

"He should not leave (the prayer) unless he hears a sound or smells an odour." [Al-Bukhari no.177 and Muslim no. 361]

And in Sahih Muslim it is reported on the authority of Abu Hurairah (Radhi Allahu Anhu), from the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) that he said:

"If any of you found anything in the belly and he was unsure whether anything had come out or not, he should not leave the mosque, unless he hears a sound or smells an odour."

Based upon these two Ahadith and others carrying the same meaning, every believer, man and woman, should know that one should not leave the prayer or Wudhu' because of the whisperings (of Satan). Rather, it is ordained for him that he should ignore them, unless he knows for certain in the matter of ablution that he has not made Wudhu'. And Allah is the Granter of success.


Shaikh Ibn Baz (Rahimahullah)

Reference: Fatawa Islamiyah Volume 2 Page 77-78

Question

I feel when I begin the prayer and after performing one or two Rak’ah that I have broken wind; does that invalidate the Wudhu or not? And if this is continuous what should I do?

Answer

It seems as if this is the whispering of Satan, which is intended to cause the worshiper to ruin his acts of worship, or make them a burden on him; and it has been reported in a Hadith on the authority of Ibn Abbas (Radhi Allahu Anhu) from the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) that he said:

"Satan comes to one of you during his prayer and blows at his backside, so that he thinks that he has broken wind although he has not; so if this happens, he should not leave (the prayer) unless he hears a sound or smells an odor." (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

This was reported in Bulugh Al-Maram by ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani

And it was reported on the authority of Abu Sa'id (Radhi Allahu Anhu) that the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) said:

"If the devil comes to any of you and says: 'you have broken wind.' It should be said to him, 'You are a liar'" (Ahmad and Ibn Hibban)

That is, one should say it to himself. Therefore, we advise the questioner not to pay any attention to these satanic thoughts and imagination, so that they will stop quickly. However, if this is definitely real, and it is, as he says, continuous, then the ruling for him is that of one who continuously breaks wind, and its emission during prayer or whenever it occurs will not nullify his Wudhu, like the continuous flow of urine, because constantly repeating one's ablution entails hardship, therefore, he should remain in prayer and make Wudhu for every obligatory prayer when it becomes due.

Shaikh Ibn Jibreen

Reference: Fatawa Islamiyah Volume 2 Page 84-85