{"_id":"676ac011631b2ecff5b5cb64","title":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"How should I deal with my anxiety and obsessive focus on my deeds?\\n\"}]}","question":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"I’m just having a lot of anxiety over hyper-focusing on my deeds. I feel like I need to almost compulsively keep track of everything I do to prepare myself for the day I’ll be held accountable in front of Allah. I realized after getting some naseeha inadvertently, that I personally need to focus on my heart and getting closer to Allah.\\n\\nIs there any advice you can give to someone like me whose weakness is overthinking these hypotheticals, is there any measures I can take apart from duaa?\\n\\nSomething that really stresses me is the thought of all my sincere efforts amounting to nothing if it’s in my qadr to be led astray later in life, or even without realizing. However, when I really think about it, I don’t think Allah would let my efforts go to waste, He is the most just. It seems contradictory to me that that would be the case, but of course Allah does whatever He wills.\\n\\nWould it be correct to say that for example, knowing my weaknesses and knowing how Shaytan might try to distract me from the remembrance of Allah, I can allocate my efforts towards what I think is more spiritually productive? And largely not focus on those things that I know get me overthinking on things in the deen that scare me or take up my time in an unhealthy way? Is this an okay perspective for me to have and implement?\\n\"}]}","answer":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"There are several areas to address in your question.\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"underline\":true,\"bold\":true},\"insert\":\"Was’was (Whisperings)\"},{\"insert\":\"\\nThe compulsive tracking and hyper focusing on your deeds as you described, are signs of was’was or whisperings from the shaytan. Allah (ﷻ) said: \\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"bold\":true},\"insert\":\"\\\"Whispering comes from Satan, so that he may grieve those who believe, while it is not harmful to them in the least, except with Allah's permission. And in Allah the believers must place their trust.\\\" (\"},{\"attributes\":{\"link\":\"https://quran.com/58/10\",\"bold\":true},\"insert\":\"Quran 58:10\"},{\"attributes\":{\"bold\":true},\"insert\":\").\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\nShaytan's ultimate goal is to prevent you from worshiping Allah. Overthinking about the sincerity of your intentions and deeds, could inadvertently lead one to giving up all together on worship, due to feelings of worthlessness. Recite Surah al-Naas eleven times in the morning and evening, as this Surah is protection against the Shaytan.\\n\\nThis affliction may be a way to purify you from previous sins or to test you for an elevation of spiritual rank. In any case, be patient, ignore the thoughts, and fill your heart with the remembrance of Allah. The more you remember Allah (through dhikr, prayer, duaa, reading of Quran, seeking knowledge, etc.), the less influence Shaytan will have over you.\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"underline\":true,\"bold\":true},\"insert\":\"Husn il Dhann Bil’Lah(Thinking Well of Allah (ﷻ)\"},{\"insert\":\"\\nAbu Hurayra (May Allah be pleased with him), narrates that our beloved Prophet ( ﷺ) said: \"},{\"attributes\":{\"italic\":true},\"insert\":\"“Allah Most High says: I am according to my slave’s opinion of Me, and I am with him when he remembers Me. If he remembers me to himself, I mention him to myself. When he remembers me in a gathering, I mention him in a gathering greater than that\\\" (Bukhari; Muslim).\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\nTaking a moment to reflect on this beautiful hadeeth, Allah ﷻ tells us that the state of our own hearts is what will define, which light we see our Creator in. It is impossible to reflect on the love and mercy of Allah ﷻ that surrounds us, when we have filled all of our time overanalyzing every action and every deed. Rather we should reflect on the state of our hearts in relation to Allah ﷻ and what we can do to improve that connection.\\n\\nA good starting point to gain closeness to Allah ﷻ is through the obligatory acts of worship. Refocus your time and energy on building focus in your prayer and utilizing the sacred time after prayer to connect with Allah ﷻ through dhikr and duaa. Make small goals at a time and give yourself about 40 days to establish a new habit, before adding on another one. Busy your mind with improvement, rather than focusing on what you perceive as your weaknesses or failures.\\n\\nAs you mentioned Allah ﷻ has the Will to do as He pleases, but He also blessed us with free will. Use that free will to think the best of Allah ﷻ and have confidence in your intentions when you state them as pure, that He ﷻ will accept them as such, insha’Allah.\\n\\nYou’re off to a good start by seeking naseeha from trusted people of knowledge and attending gatherings for the sake of Allah ﷻ, in order to learn more. May Allah ﷻ continue to guide you on the path that will bring you closer to Him insha’Allah.\\n\"}]}","tags":[{"_id":"668d9ff20b76658b4c2329d9","tag":"Worship: Intention","count":103},{"_id":"668da0320b76658b4c2330a7","tag":"Worship: Tazkiyyah","count":87},{"_id":"676ac011631b2ecff5b5cb60","tag":"Doubt","count":2},{"_id":"676a12b032bfcaa23a80b9c6","tag":"Whisperings","count":2},{"_id":"674b80d6590d1c166348baf1","tag":"Anxiety","count":1}],"createdOn":"2024-12-24T14:07:13.610Z"}