How to Overcome Waswas in Islam (Part 2) ?

Most of the Muslims who are wondering how to overcome waswas , are unaware of the schemes of Shay’tan that he weaves to slowly slip a Muslim away from the straight path. All the five cases of doubts and waswas in Islam, that we have discussed inPart 1: How to get Rid of Waswas of this post are a result of the nefarious schemes and scams of Shayta’an , that he such craftily spins to make our minds become inundated with countless worries and apprehensions about the essence of our faith in Islam. Let’s keep in mind that his goal is none but one :

” To fill your mind with worries and scruples that you lose your focus on every Ibadah that you perform which brings you close to the mercy of Allah Ta’ala & promises you a reward in the final abode of Jannah.

Below are a few tricks which the Shaitan uses:

Knowing these tricks is the first step towards answering your question of ” how to overcome Waswas ” ; Knowing these tricks shall enable you to become aware of the schemes that are being plotted against you . You shall feel empowered to right away catch the thoughts of was’was in your mind and then cast those thoughts away in the recycle bin , because after all “Those thoughts are not your property and you have all the right to put them in their rightful abode , which is a Trash Bin ” –

So here we are

How to Overcome Waswas?Step 1 : Discover Your Enemy’s Tricks

(Trick # 1 ) Shayta’an knocks and steps inside your heart using your individual Weakness:

We are aware that Shaytan gradually misguides mankind through waswas . But he does not use the same approach for everyone. People differ in their nature, personality and ways of thinking; what appeals to one, may not appeal to another. So Shaytan may seek to conquer someone by exploiting his love for money, while he may subdue another by his lust for fame, or might delude another by emotion. Shaytan has different ways to enter a man’s soul and misguide it; these doorways to a person’s heart are referred to as, ‘weakness.’

Imam Ibnul-Qayyim said in Igaathat al-Lahfaam (1/32), “The Shaytan flows through the son of Adam like blood, until it is as if he becomes part of him, so he (shaytaan) finds out what he (a person) likes and prefers; once he knows that, he uses it against a person and enters into him through this door. He also passes this information on to his brothers and allies among mankind, so that when they want to achieve their nefarious aims against one another they do so through means of that which people love and desire. Whoever tries to enter through this door will gain entry, and whoever tries to enter through any other way will find that the door is barred to him and he will not get what he wants.”

It is thus not the way of Shaytan to openly call one to disobedience. He will encourage negligence in prayers by whispering to the person to complete his worldly work before he leaves for prayers. After he has completed his work, Shaytan will remind him of food, and after that he will remind him of something else until the time of prayer has perished .

Trick # 2  Using Was’was , Shaytan makes a Muslim realize that he is helpless:

Shaytan plays a very wise game. He whispers a spark of doubt in your mind and then slowly keeps inflaming it. For example : He shall cast a doubt in your heart that ” Allah is not listening to YourDua’s” . Now what he does is that , he slowly instigates that doubt and turns it into a raging flame by reminding you of certain times when you asked for something from Allah Ta’ala but you never received it ; Moreover he inflates the happiness and achievements of your friends , relatives and other people in your eyes so much so that you start to become a little aggrieved from Allah Ta’ala – Shayta’an whispers that Allah tala’ treats you like a mother treats a stepchild so as to create a wedge between your connection with Allah Ta’ala . Now one of the two things usually happens :

1) Either you start to become disappointed from Allah Ta’ala

2) Or You fight back against these intrusive thoughts .

But once you fight back , shayta’an comes back with greater force and casts even bigger misgivings between you and Allah ta’ala . And there comes a time when you start to feel helpless before Shayta’an –

Remember !

If a person is strong in his faith and observes the limits of Allah, he can defeat Shaytan. Allah’s Messenger said, “The believer can seize the forelock of his Shaytan as one of you seizes the forelock of his camel whilst traveling.” [Musnad Ahmad]

Imam Ibn Katheer explained, “What is meant by seizing his forelock is defeating him and overwhelming him, as one does with a camel when it runs away, then you seize it and overpower it.” [alBidayah wan-Nihayah (1/73)]

Trick # 3  Shaytan’ usually casts Doubts / Was’was once he has failed at his bigger attempts to mislead you :

If after employing all kinds of temptations and deceptive arguments, Shaytan still does not succeed in diverting the son of Adam from his religious commitments, he resorts to corrupt his acts of worship and deprive him from the rewards. He stirs up doubts and makes the person anxious and uncertain.

In Saheeh alBukharee, it is narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah said:

“When the call to prayer is pronounced, the Shaytanruns away breakingwind loudly, so that he will not hearthe adhaan. When the call to prayerends, he comes back, but when the iqaamah starts, he runs away. And when the prayer begins, he comes back until he whispers into the heart of the person, and says to him, ‘Remember such and such, remember such and such – things that he did not remember before the prayer until he does not know how manyraka’ahs he has prayed.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee (608)]

Is your mind opening to the Schemes and plans of your eternal enemy?

Finally ……

Now you know a tad bit more about How to overcome Waswas. Since you have become aware of the evil schemes of your enemy , it is high time for you to realize that no matter how much troubling your state is under the impact of was’was , it is not something which is Unknown or Alien – We have been warned against this in countless Verses of the holy Quran and the sayings of our beloved Prophet Muhammad ( May Peace be Upon him ) . So your first duty towards your spiritual wellness is to gently tell yourself that: ” What I am passing through is curable with the blessings and mercy of Allah ta’ala “. This Mindset is very important in your first step towards aswering your worry of how to overcome waswas .

I conclude this post with the glad news that Allah ta’ala has given us in his Glorious book Chapter # 16 , Verse # 99-100 that :

“Verily! He (Shaytan) has no power over those who believe and put their trust only in their Lord (Allah). His power is only over those who obey and follow him (Shaytan), and those who join partners with Him(Allah).”