The remedy for the whispers (of Satan) during prayer

Question:


When I start to pray, I suffer a spice of whispers and thoughts, and sometimes I don't know if I have recited, nor how many have prayed Rakahs. Please, tell me that I have to do.


Answer:


It is prescribed for the worshipper--man or woman--approaching the prayer with humility towards Allaah and to recall that he remains standing before his Lord, so Satan away from him and whisper will be reduced, in the implementation of the words of Allaah:

Believers will have triumphed. Those who are present and humble themselves in his salat. [1]

If the whisper becomes frequent, is prescribed to seek refuge in Allaah from the Satán, when the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) ordered to Uthman bin Abi Al-' As, when he informed him that Satan had confused his prayers.And when the worshipper becomes uncertain in terms of the number of Rakahs he has prayed, he should assume the least, basing his assessment on what is safe, and then to complete his sentence. He then performed two prostrations of forgetfulness before making the Tasleem, based on the narration of Abu Said, may Allah be pleased with him, the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) in which he said:

If either of you is in doubt about his prayer, and he does not know how much has prayed, three or four (Rakahs) then that you leave aside doubt and base your estimate on what is safe. Then it dessert twice before making the Tasleem, if he has prayed five, your prayer will be an intercessor for him, and if he completed the prayer properly, this will be a humiliation for the Satan. [2]

and Allaah is the giver of success.

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[1] To Al - Muminun 23: 1 - 2.
[2] No 571 Muslim.

Shaykh 'Abdul-' Azeez Bin Baz

Fataawa Islamiyyah Vol. 2 page 182