What is the ruling regarding recurring whispers [waswas] concerning purity (taharah) and prayer (salat), which include doubting the purity of toilet water, the purity of the body and clothes, the validity of ablution (wudu) and ritual bath (ghusl), the number of times one should wash during ghusl, and whether water has reached the limbs of ablution, in addition to issues of flatulence, feeling a need to urinate or defecate while performing wudu or prayer, doubting the recitation of Al-Fatiha or the number of rak'ahs in prayer, and does coconut oil prevent water from reaching the hair during ablution?
The solution to this problem is easy and lies in relying on Allah Almighty and ignoring the whispers [waswasa]. It is unlikely for toilet water to splash onto the body or clothes, and everything mentioned about repeating ablution and redoing what you doubted you had washed are delusions and whispers. Touching a door with a wet hand or entering the house with unclean water does not cause harm and does not necessitate washing. Gases do not nullify ablution unless they are emitted, and urinary retention does not prevent prayer unless it is genuine and prevents performing the pillars. Urinary incontinence, according to the Maliki school, does not nullify ablution if it is continuous for most of the time. If you doubt reciting Al-Fatiha or any pillar, consider that you have performed it and do not repeat it. As for coconut oil and its effect on water reaching the hair during ablution, experts should be consulted.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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