Waswasah about deodorant
Fatwa No: 343573

Question

I performed Ghusl (ritual shower) and think that I remember washing under my arms and everywhere else. I also faintly remember putting on deodorant after finishing. The next morning, I started getting whispers as to whether I washed the armpit because there was deodorant on it. I did not get this whisper until after I prayed the Thuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib, Ishaa, and the Fajr the next morning. What should I do? Do I just ignore the whispers because they happened after the Ghusl and because I faintly remember putting deodorant after completing it? I do not remember exactly, but I kind of recall washing my armpits while performing Ghusl and kind of remember putting on deodorant after I finished showering. However, I just do not remember 100 %, and the whisper came hours after the Ghusl because I smelled the deodorant on myself; the doubt did not come initially when I first smelled it. It came later. What should I do?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

First of all, you should know that having doubts about an act of worship after performing it does not affect its validity. Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen wrote, "Doubting after finishing an act of worship does not have any effect ... no matter how excessive the doubts are." For more benefit, please refer to fatwa 119112.

Assuming that you do not suffer Waswasah (obsessive doubts), then this doubt is of no effect because it occurred after completing the act of worship. However, since you already suffer Waswasah, then you must totally ignore these doubts and give them no attention at all. Verily, getting carried away with Waswasah leads to grave evil.

Allah knows best.

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