ABSTRACT

Waswâs al-Qahri is a manifestation of some kind of ‘obsessive-compulsive disorder’ commonly expressed in Muslim populations. Muslims who suffer from Waswâs al-Qahri showed, beyond acceptable behaviours, extreme acts and behaviours in acts of worship and their daily activities. For example, Muslims with Waswâs al-Qahri have anxieties or fear that their acts in the process of ablution or the prayer itself are somehow inadequate and that the acts must be repeated until reaching a self-defined perfection. The strength of these Waswâs may vary, so much so that they appear, to non-specialists, to be very strong and it seems that the sick person is doing that willingly. From an Islamic perspective, these unwanted thoughts are whispered into the minds and hearts of people by Jinn. There are different types of Waswâs al-Qahri including: Waswâs al-Qahri Fee Aqeedah, obsession related with belief; Waswâs al-Qahri Fee Taharah, obsession related to purification; and Waswâs al-Qahri Fee Kwaf Min Fuqdan al Saytara, obsession related to cognitive and affective experiences of losing control of one’s life. Many Muslims suffering from Waswâs al-Qahri are concerned about the implications of the disorder in relation to accountability. From the edicts of many eminent scholars of Islam, there is a general consensus that the individual shall not be judged or punished by Allah. Imams or faith healers with religious knowledge from the Qur’an and Sunnah have an increased sensitivity to distinctions between enhanced religious practices and Waswâs al-Qahri in worship and pathological obsessive-compulsive disorder. More research is needed with Muslim communities to better understand this condition as previous research concerning religiosity and OCD has mainly focused on the Judeo-Christian tradition. This has implications for both clinical and spiritual intervention strategies.