What Should I Do If I Have Misgivings (Waswasa) about Passing Wind?

Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Question

I have a problem with constipation and gas.

When I began to start a prayer, I get a little waswasa that I passed wind.  When I asked questions about it, I was told to ignore it, which worked for a while, but the Waswas persisted and worsened. This has been going on for quite some time. It got to the point where I had to repeat wudu for each salah because I thought I heard something come out.

How can I deal with this?

Answer

I pray you are well.

Do not worry. This matter can be resolved. Just make wudu, pray, and leave the matter. Your sensations are manifestations of OCD, which you are suffering from in general. The best thing you can you is to learn the rulings of the prayer and base your practice on that knowledge, and not on the feelings or sensations you may experience.

Please look into some form of therapy. That will help you heal from your issues. Please listen to this seminar for more clarity. May Allah facilitate the matter for you.

The advice you were given in the past was correct: simply pay no attention to the sensation. Only treat your wudu as invalid if you actually hear a sound or smell something.

One of the companions was experiencing something similar and the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, advised him to not end the prayer if he didn’t smell or hear anything. [Muslim]

If you’re still bothered by the OCD, tell yourself that you have done all that you are expected to do in the Shari’a. Beyond that, there is nothing to worry about.

Please check out our OCD archives for more details on similar answers.

Related:
A Reader on OCD and Waswasa (Baseless Misgivings)

[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History he moved to Damascus in 2007 where, for 18 months, he studied with many erudite scholars. In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years in Sacred Law (fiqh), legal theory (Usul al-fiqh), theology, hadith methodology, hadith commentary, and Logic. He was also given licenses of mastery in the science of Quranic recital and he was able to study an extensive curriculum of Quranic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.