Does Forgetting Past Kufr Absolve You?

Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question

I am suffering from OCD thoughts about kufr. I am very satisfied with the answer that kufr is an intentional and active choice and you cannot become kafir without knowing that a certain act means kufr or not. 

I read on one website that if you didn’t remember that you have done kufr or not in the past you have to renew your faith. 

Is it possible that one committed an act of kufr intentionally and he didn’t remember? My mind created a thought that maybe I have also done some act of kufr in the past which I forgot? Is it possible this can happen to a sane person?

Answer

Thank you for your question. 

I believe that you are having a case of waswasa. If you are a person without any previous incident of mental health issues, memory loss, or mental disorders, you should not assume that you have committed kufr in the past and then forgot about it.

Fight this waswasa (baseless misgivings) with knowledge and dhikr. Set up a good routine for yourself where you learn some obligatory knowledge every day and do some dhikr. Anytime a negative or compulsive thought comes to you, bless the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

Also set up a daily routine of exercise, eating healthy, taking Vitamin D, and spending time with the Qur’an and good religious people. Our religion is a social one and you should not spend too much time alone. Pray with people, learn with them, eat with them and talk with them. Also, spend time in charitable efforts and volunteer services. Concerning yourself with the plight of others will distract from weighing your own faith every day.

Here are some daily du`as for you.

May Allah give you the best of both worlds and give you peace and certitude with your iman.

A Reader on OCD and Waswasa (Baseless Misgivings)

[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad 
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria, for two years, where she studied Aqidah, Fiqh, Tajweed, Tafseer, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her Master’s in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan, where she studied Fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She recently moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.