Day: April 4, 2025

■ How does the whisper of doubt (waswasa) work?

Waswasa is a deceptive thought, a false suggestion that creates confusion and doubt in the heart and mind. It is not merely a passing thought but a targeted attempt to mislead a person from the truth. The Qur’an warns about it, and if we deeply reflect on Surah An-Nas, we realize its source and its function in human spiritual struggles.

Allah ﷻ has created various unseen entities, some to guide, some to test, and some to mislead. Among them is Khannas, a hidden entity positioned near the heart—about an inch or two below it. This entity is not imaginary; it is real, and the Qur’an itself mentions it.

Khannas is a creature that spiritually attaches itself to the human heart. Its appearance in the unseen world resembles that of a small elephant clinging to the heart. Its trunk (like an elephant’s) remains attached to the heart’s surface, and through this connection, it injects whispers (waswasa) into the heart.

This waswasa does not come randomly; it has a purpose. Whenever the heart begins to receive an abundance of divine light (Noor), Khannas becomes active, trying to block this flow. It sees Noor as a threat, so it works to cut off its supply by misleading the person. It injects false thoughts, doubts, and negativity to disrupt the spiritual connection.

Waswasa is like a negative spiritual force that originates from this entity. Some people have an exceptionally strong Khannas, and sitting in their company alone can transfer their whispers into your heart. That is why the elders of our faith have repeatedly warned against bad company.

Many people claim, “We know what is right and wrong, so sitting with bad people won’t affect us.” But they fail to understand that just as strong Noor can radiate from a Wali Allah (friend of Allah), strong negativity can radiate from those with an overpowering Khannas.

When someone with a strong Khannas sits in a gathering, their waswasa can spread to those around them. This is why our elders have advised against sitting with those who oppose the Aulia Allah or spread negativity against the spiritual path. Just as sitting with a righteous person can bring divine blessings, sitting with a hypocrite or misguided person can expose you to their whispers of doubt.

The Qur’an itself warns against keeping the company of hypocrites, lest their fire reaches your heart:

❝And do not incline towards those who do wrong, lest the Fire should touch you.❞

(Surah Hud, 11:113)

The secret of the heart and its magnetic pull

Now, here is an important spiritual secret for you:

When your heart is filled with divine Noor, it becomes like a magnet that attracts more Noor. If you daily engage in Dhikr Allah hoo 15min, your heart will automatically absorb this Noor. It will strengthen you spiritually and make you resistant to negative influences.

But if the heart is filled with sins, heedlessness, and desires, it will attract negative forces instead. It will automatically absorb waswasa, evil thoughts, and doubts.

A person with a darkened heart does not necessarily have to do wrong; their heart will pull negativity toward itself even without effort. This is why some people continuously struggle with doubts, negative assumptions, and lack of peace. Their hearts have become magnets for misguidance.

The first and most crucial step is to free the heart from the influence of Khannas. But this cannot happen without a true Murshid (spiritual guide).

A Murshid grants Dhikr of Allah hoo, which gradually removes the 180,000 layers of darkness covering the heart. Without this purification, whispers will continue to take root. Until the heart is cleansed, the person will remain a victim of doubts and negative thoughts.

This is why, despite performing religious rituals—prayers, fasting, reading the Qur’an, even Hajj and Umrah—many people still struggle with waswasa. Outwardly, they seem pious, but internally, their hearts are filled with darkness.

They perform external worship, yet their hearts oppose the Aulia Allah. They read the Qur’an but still criticize the Prophets. They offer prayers but still speak ill of the righteous. They fail to realize that their external deeds alone are not enough; the condition of the heart matters.

The only way to remove Khannas is to flood the heart with Noor. When Noor increases beyond a certain point, Khannas cannot bear the heat and flees. This is why the spiritual path emphasizes increasing divine light within the heart.

The Prophet ﷺ taught that increasing divine remembrance (Allah hoo Allah hoo) within the heart burns away darkness. Noor acts like fire for Khannas—it makes its presence unbearable.

If someone has a correct belief (Aqeedah) but lacks Noor, Khannas will not leave. It will continue its whispering and misleading thoughts. But when the heart is filled with Noor, the negative forces cannot survive.

Waswasa does not only come from Khannas attached to the heart. It can also enter through company and surroundings.

For example, you may think a person is trustworthy because they are family—a mother, sister, wife, uncle—but you do not know what resides in their heart. Their own Khannas may transfer whispers into your heart simply through interaction.

This is why we must be careful with whom we spend time. A person’s outward identity does not always reflect their spiritual state.

When waswasa enters a heart that does not engage in Allah hoo Allah hoo (remembrance of Allah), it settles in and grows into bad assumptions (su’ al-zann). This is one of the most dangerous conditions of the heart because it blinds a person from reality.

A person affected by bad assumptions will see negativity even in goodness. No matter how much someone tries to do good, the affected person will always doubt them. Their mind will twist reality, and they will start seeing everything with suspicion.

This is exactly what Shaytan wants. He targets the source of your spiritual growth by planting doubts against it.

If the heart is engaged in divine remembrance (Allah hoo Allah hoo), these whispers will not affect it. The Noor from Dhikr will cut off the influence of waswasa before it settles.

If the heart does not yet have enough Noor to resist waswasa, then the spiritual gaze (Nazar) of the Murshid can help shield it.

But if there is no Murshid, and no Noor in the heart, then the waswasa will take root and take complete control.

Waswasa is a hidden enemy, but its impact is powerful. It can make a believer doubt their own faith, turn them against the righteous, and distance them from divine guidance.

The only way to remain protected is to strengthen the heart with Noor, remain in good company, avoid bad gatherings, and continuously engage in Allah hoo Allah hoo 15min daily.

May Allah ﷻ protect us from the whispers of Khannas and fill our hearts with Noor.