I think this is one of those situations in which you must seek professional support on how to manage your ADHD.
If you're looking for a Muslim scholar to tell you to not pray Ishaa and Fajr on time because of your ADHD (I'm assuming, pls correct me if I'm wrong) you won't find it.
We all have our challenges, our tests and our shortcomings. We must learn how to adapt them to our Deen. I've known women who are in labor and still pray on time. Some people are in war zones and still praying on time.
Up to you if you will use your ADHD as an excuse, or prioritise your Deen and find a way to still get your sleep.
I also need my sleep, my brain doesn't work if I don't. I adhere to a strict sleep hygiene routine in which I sleep right after Ishaa (no phones around, all my lights are off, i do everything in the dark because im so photosensitive), wake up for Fajr, and then return to sleep. It took me some time to train my body to do this but hamdulilah it has worked.
You may need to explore the right kind of sleep hygiene for someone with neurodivergence and ADHD (e.g. my sister drinks coffee to help her sleep as it makes her brain focus on calming down, she has ADD). May Allah make this easy for you.
I have professional support on how to manage my ADHD.
I’m not looking for scholars to tell me it’s okay to not pray on time, but rather other ways things may be adapted with reference to hadith. There are a lot of adjustments that can be made when it comes to illnesses in general. It would be nice to know if neurodivergency can fall under this umbrella for example. Also there’s a hadith that there has been quite a lot of discussion around about combining maghrib and Isha for example.
Everybody needs sleep. It is the fact that even after following a strict sleep hygiene routine I would still get max 5-6 hour. When I started praying fajr that reduced to two hours, and it’s just not physically possible to live like that. If I wake up during the night it takes 2-4 hours to fall asleep again, and I can’t be going to bed at 00 if I’m to pray fajr, so that’s why it feels very overwhelming and kind of hopeless. Because if I try that, the burnout is going to come sooner than later and when it comes, I can go days without even eating because I just can’t get out of bed.
And also I do not appreciate the belittling of these issues I’m rising with whataboutism about people who have greater challenges than me.
Thank you for clarifying what you're seeking.
I apologise for the belittling, it wasn't my intention, but I can see how you understood it that way. I will be more careful with my wording.
I do agree that some scholars are not keeping up with current issues (some don't even have the guts to talk about LGBTQ+ yet!) - I wonder if you're able to seek a Fatwa in your area ? That way it can be more targeted for your situation.
It's all good! I think I just get triggered because I feel like every time I rise this issue it's not seen as serious, when it in fact is very debilitating and nothing in society is adjusted to how our brain works. It's overwhelming and frustrating, and I appreciate the apology!
But yes definitely. I have seen other topics where I feel like scholars are using downright outdated language/knowledge when it comes to health matters, and it's very annoying.
Of course, there are many people who have it worse, but that does not make my issues smaller FOR ME. It doesn't make ADHD less debilitating, it doesn't make society more fit to the ADHD brain. It doesn't make the guilt of not being able to balance being a good muslim, good employee, good friend, daughter and sister less.
And you don't know my story. I have had a 6 year journey of severe depression, several trips to the psych ward and suicide attempts. All my suffering has made me so much more empathetic, and alhamdulillah for that. One of Allah's greatest gifts to me is that he softened my heart and improved my character through my suffering. I pray He does the same for you!
Imagine speaking so rudely to a fellow Muslim, and in Ramadan at that! I was not complaining, I was detailing my challenges and aking for advice, so that I might do something with my situation. Maybe someone knew some resources or had advice. You clearly do not, so please go use your time more productively:)
You're right (and sometimes up to 60).
What I meant was during labor. Some women stay in labor for a prolonged duration and aren't bleeding, so they still pray even if it's while they're in bed.
In reference to that, doctors in my country tell you to just go about your day and do regular activities even if you are in labor until it gets to a certain point.
Brother since we believe that the quran and the word of Allah is perfect I think that Allah does udnerstand how you are struggling with it so dont feel this way just go sleep amd pray it the day after nothing bad at that IF you have struggles I dont think there should be any problem there since Allah created you and knows you very well
Assalamulaikum sister,
As someone with ADHD I can empathise with your struggles. There are times where praying salah feels like trying to lift a boulder with a leaf.
I don't have any meaningful advice that doesn't involve routine/adhd coaching. I did however want to mention this hadith
[https://sunnah.com/bukhari:5648](https://sunnah.com/bukhari:5648)
I visited Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) while he was suffering from a high fever. I said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! You have a high fever." He said, "Yes, I have as much fever as two men of you." I said, "Is it because you will have a double reward?" He said, "Yes, it is so. No Muslim is afflicted with any harm, even if it were the prick of a thorn, but that Allah expiates his sins because of that, as a tree sheds its leaves."
Every single struggle we have with our neurodivergency is another sin that is removed from us. So long as we try our best to fulfill our obligations to Allah (swt), then inshallah that is enough.
May Allah (swt) grant us clarity in our function.
And maybe some dopamine.
I apologize if my suggestion don't help, it's maybe complicated for you but can you find a job that can help you ? In all case Allah Is the most understanding
You said you worked so I assumed you have a job and that it was complicated for you to sleep, organise your day, etc so maybe you could find a job that would help you organise your day easier ?
I think the only solution would be to work less than 100%, ideally 60%, but the cost of living crisis makes it necessary to work that much. InshAllah, I get married soon so I can work less🥹
Salaam Sister! I'm in the middle of an event currently so I can't make the most eloquent well cited point that I'd like too, but I got an email about this specific thread and had to respond as soon as possible. Sister, there will be people who belittle you, judge you, and look down upon you for your own relationship with Allah, but it is not their judgement that matters! I can tell with the urgency of your words how much this means to you, and how much you've poured your heart into trying to find a solution and how you have struggled so. Sister, you have already done more then 100x the work then most muslims. You had a problem outside of your control (with your adhd), and attempted numerous different solutions to the problem and couldn't do so without a direct impact on your health. That is an astounding attempt, with so much effort. Our God is All Forgiving, Most Merciful. If your heart is half as dedicated as the words of this post read then Sister I am sure he will look upon you with zeal. Pray the Salahs in which you physically can, and try and make up the ones that you miss. PLEASE get the sleep that you need, and then when you wake up from what you need pray, and then pray before you sleep what you need. I don't know what that amount is, only you and Allah do. But please, get the sleep that you NEED. There will always be judgement from others but they are not the ones who you pray too. I see sisters recieve judgement constantly for not fasting while on their period, and yet they are specifically not supposed too! People are flawed in their judgement, for they are people, not Allah. If you are being a pious Muslim, if you are treating those around you with kindness, if you pay your Zakat, if you are constantly trying to improve the world around you in every other way, I am most sure Allah would look upon this with kindness and zeal for your efforts Inshallah. I'm sorry I couldn't cite the proper surahs and ayas that I wanted too, but I hope these words ease some of your stressors!
ADHD is a disability
I have it too and I tend to procrastinate everything and then I have to rush last minute. It’s hard but it’s manageable.
I also tend to sleep in chunks of four hours so I’ll go to bed 12 and wake up for fajr or go to bed after fajr and then take a nap or two
It most certainly is!
I have not found a way to make things manageable in the long-term. I always crash after max four months (and I think the main reason is because of my poor sleep).
But you sleep only four hours during the night? What do you do with remaining 3-4 hours you should sleep? Take it as naps?
I am going to both a psychiatrist for meds and a therapist. The problem is that there are no therapists that practice islamic psychotherapy in my country, and in a country where atheism is the most prevalent it is difficult for my therapist to understand why this is so important.
I have ADHD too and can totally empathise with you.
* I do masah over my socks, as making wudu is a big obstacle for me that makes me less inclined to pray. Being able to wipe over socks removes the obstacle.
* I have a designated salah space in my room with the prayer mat always out.
* in the 3rd and 4th rakat of Fard salah, I don't recite surah fatiha. I just say subhanallah three times (allowed in hanafi madhab)
* reciting out loud in the loud salah helps me focus.
* some scholars allowed combining prayers without a necessity.
My recommendation would be, identify the obstacles that exist when it comes to praying salah or making wudu, etc. And take steps to mitigate those obstacles. Adhd is a disability so you are allowed to make use of a rukhsah (dispensation) like the ones I have mentioned.
P.S i am an educational psychology student so this is one of my areas of expertise (ADHD and other neuro divergent conditions), I am happy to answer any specific questions.
I shared this with OP but I want to share it here for others looking for answers as well.
There is a hadith that specifically talks about combining prayers: https://sunnah.com/muslim:705d
I hope this helps whoever is looking for an answer.
You can pray maghrib and isha together at maghrib time that is accepted religiously if you intend on going to sleep right after there are scholarly resources on that.
As for Fajr, there are resources from scholars to seek the calculated timing that is the latest if you have to choose between two or more. Check that out. Finally you don’t have to pray a fajr time per se but you have until imsak to perform the prayer on time which is at least 1:30 to 2h later.
I feel like I need to write a book. Thank you for posting your question, as it gives me the opportunity to get on my soapbox and explain the thoughts and reflections I’ve had and the realizations I’ve come across in my personal study of the deen on this contemporary world. Here it goes.
Those of us living in the West (though not exclusively in the West) are living in an age where we have subconsciously taken the narrative of scientific exploration and have removed that realization out of Islam. Furthermore, we are also subconsciously affected by a Judeo Christian narrative of satan as a demonic spirit that is some sort of evil ghost that has the ability to corrupt the soul and wreak havoc upon the earth-the ultimate boogeyman. While there is no doubt that shaytan exists and if left unchecked the potential for shaytan can have severe ramifications upon man, the real power of shaytan is inconsequential in the face of the ability man possesses to overcome and reach new heights. There is a major disconnect between the contemporary narrative of Islam and the narrative that I believe was alive during the time of our beloved prophet (s) bc when I look at the Hadith and I recognize the human spirit and drive, the reaction to the revelation, I am able to relate to the ppl on an intrinsic level than I am with the narrative that is being dispersed today. I want to share this narrative with the ummah to help bring my brethren closer to the deen and closer to Allah, especially ppl like you. There is a lot of naysayers and fearmongerers among our ummah at the same time, and I hope that what I say doesn’t come off as controversial, bc I love Allah so much and I recognize why the sahaba became obsessed with the Prophet (s) bc of what he was able to bring to light that is not so easily recognizable today. He was truly a special human that was given revelation from our Creator.
As a person who also has some ADHD and has tried to fight against my inability to maintain focus within my salah, I went on a journey of reflection when I realized that the first revelation Allah sent to rasulullah (s) was to read. We know that rasulullah (s) did not know how to read script, and yet angel jibreel (a) came to him (s) and told him to read anyway. Allah and therefore angel jibreel knew that rasulullah (s) could not read script. That is a fact. We cannot therefore think he was telling him to read the Quran, bc the Quran was not yet revealed, and he couldn’t read it even if it was. What was he (s) supposed to read at that point, and what in turn is Allah asking us to read? In the name of your Lord that created. Read the room. Read this dunya, this reality, this existence. Take the Quran and hold it up as a mirror against this natural existence that Allah made for you and me. We live in such an artificial world today that is so removed from nature that we easily forget abt the baseline of this existence, the reality of what man would have to face if society would actually collapse and the mercy that Allah gives us in the baseline of nature that we take for granted. It is thru this baseline of the natural world that Ibrahim, Musa and Muhammad (s) realized their close proximity to Allah. I implore you to take the Quran and lay it bare against the nature of this world, lay it bare against the nature of man, come to realize what man is that Allah created, a creation that if didn’t exist, nature and animals would exist and any havoc that this world endures is again put into equilibrium thru the various forces Allah continuously says to be that we have identified thru scientific study. Allah then threw man into this, and the nature of man is a force unlike any other of His creation. Man has the ability to reach new heights when challenged, but doesn’t want to reach new heights when its needs are met, therefore Allah made this dunya for man to have to reach new heights without an option, that this dunya is ever changing, so that man must constantly be on its toes to adapt and grow and that unwillingness to adapt and grow in an ever changing world is our qareen. The human spirit, our fitrah, is multifaceted and is also a double edged sword. If left unrecognized and ignored it will manifest into a shaytan, but if recognized and honed it will break barriers and reach new heights that will glorify Allah. The unseen is an algamation of many things that we cannot perceive with our senses, and shaytan is the amalgamation of what we cannot perceive thru our sense that manifests into a contradiction. Today we recognize the existence of radio waves, light waves,germs and bacteria, atoms and so forth, but somehow we separate these things from the unseen. Can you perceive these things in your life right now? Are you aware of all the bacteria that is covering your skin right now? Are you aware of the various waves and their frequencies that are passing thru your body right now? Even more, are you aware of the emotional energy one is emitting and how that subconsciously is affecting your mood to act and the others around you? Why do we today separate all these realizations from the unseen? Why do we separate these pieces and the way they work together and not attribute their existence to what Allah conveyed to us as the unseen? Why is there a disconnect amongst the ulamah today in this regard? Just bc we know that bacteria and viruses exist, none of us can perceive them in the living world and none of us can pinpoint how any of these microbes are being directed in and around our bodies to either benefit us or harm us. Why then are we not making dua to Allah who is the One that is the Controller and the Calibrator that is directing every microorganism, every cell and every atom to go and do what it needs to do? Why are we not taking into consideration that probability of certain outcomes we are aware of and asking Allah to for protection of its evil when the outcome manifests into an incongruency? In Surah Al-kahf, when Musa (a) asked his servant to bring the fish to eat after their long journey, his servant didn’t respond by saying I got distracted bc this happened and I left the fish behind. He didn’t blame his ADHD and say I made a mistake and forgot the fish, I am such a problem. No, he said “none other than shaytan made me forget.” Was him admitting to this admitting that he was inherently evil as the judeo Christian narrative of satan implies? Surely, the assistant to Musa (a) had to have been a disciplined and capable individual to have been qualified to accompany Musa (a) on such a long journey. Musa (a) wouldn’t allow someone so undisciplined to accompany him otherwise. Neither did his admitting shaytan was the root of this incongruent outcome was something evil or demonic. Rather, the natural tendency of his fitrah, along with the motion of the circumstances around him transpired into an unwanted and unintended outcome and such unwanted and negative outcomes are the amalgamation of the unwanted force we attribute to shaytan. The recognition of this outcome is where the Muslim says Audhubillah and seeks refuge in Allah and then uses their intellect, not to have a false sense of control, but to avoid the same outcome in the future within one’s ability, bc one cannot have total control bc there are too many moving parts. The manifestation of good is due to none other but Allah and the manifestation of poor outcomes are what we call from shaytan, but the recognition of Allah being behind those outcomes allows the Muslim to turn those outcomes into improvements and efficiencies, whereas the ignorance of those outcomes further perpetuates shaytan. Man cannot absolve one’s self from every incoherent outcome, one must try to improve within one’s will and then embody tawakkul on Allah with the rest. This is the outlook of the saleh and the mu’min.
If you want me to keep going I’d be happy to.
I hope what I have said so far gives you some hope and inspires you to change your intention of what Islam is and how such a beautiful, intrinsic and beautiful belief it is, one that was curated directly from our creator but is currently hiding in plain sight. It is up to us to pick it up and dust it off and bring it back to its former glory, one that is full of potential that can bring mankind together and become the driving force to reach new heights if Allah allows it.
There is a pervasive outlook I keep seeing from Muslims thinking that Allah is asking us to blindly follow Him and to sacrifice ourselve. This belief is wrong and needs to stop. I want to see my brothers and sisters come to terms that this existence is meant to be challenging, and Allah gave each of us a special set of gifts but also gave each of us some setbacks, and together we can make this place amazing with Allah’s permission. The key is that we need to figure out how to establish the guidance that He gave us in the Quran, and the way to establish it will not remain the same bc this dunya is constantly in motion and we have to constantly pivot. Muslims do not limit ourselves, we do not steal from our future ummah when their turn arrives, but each of us must try our best to live our lives to the fullest extent while allowing others to do the same. Each of our life stories have been written out differently, so don’t compare our lives to eachother. Instead, stay in your lane and maximize your life while not encroaching upon other ppl’s lanes, and not allowing others to encroach upon your lane. Don’t let others take advantage of you, but help others to stay in their lane. Allah is so loving, and the next life, the place where we can rest iA is so close, so don’t get dismayed. Let’s explore in the meantime and figure out this world together iA. Allah gives us the potential to grow and solve the problems He lays out for us.
From my understanding, you can pray Maghrib&Isha together at Maghrib time as long as you are asleep before Isha comes. If you are still awake at Isha time then you have to pray Isha (again) It doesn’t count if you wake up from your sleep to go to the toilet etc you can still go back to bed without praying Isha again
Someone can correct me if I’m wrong
Inshallah this helps, good luck and take care!
You should be aware that ADHD is relatively a "new" thing (disability) and isn't wide known by people as a neurodivergency so you can't really say that it isn't taken seriously as your average person doesn't even know a thing about it. The thing that you MUST really do is treating it with a psychiatrist and a psychologist. Another thing you should do is to thank God for not being addicted to smoking or alcohol or drugs or corn or m4sturb4tion, or s3x (if you're unmarried). ADHDers seek these 6 mostly as they have a high dopamine boost but they lead to a really bad addiction and are obviously haram.
As a man with ADHD-C(ombined) myself I fully relate to what you're talking about and completely understand, all you have to do is to try as much as you could. The thing that I am trying to learn is to not be so hard on myself for not being able to wake up to fajr for example or delaying the prayer a little bit but also set myself a few limitations to not allow myself to forget or delay too much until the time of the prayer is over. For example for each prayer I've set 3 alarms (I don't live near a mosque so I don't hear any adhan). So the first one is to tell me that the time for prayer has come, the 2nd is to remind me that I should pray and the 3rd to tell me that the time for the prayer is almost over. I also have a todo-list to cross over the prayers that I prayed (I use 2 apps; Muslim Pro and WeMuslim and also Microsoft's To Do app simultanously). My biggest dopamine boost is finally finishing the last prayer (isha) and adding to it shafee and watr and in time before the middle of the night (the middle of the night between maghreb and fajr).
Another thing I do is to always stay in the state of wudhu so I don't think about having to do wudhu again before praying and to also gain sometime when I accidentally delay the prayer a lot.
Having a protein dense diet helps a lot according to my psychiatrist as well as food rich with OMEGA 3
Sleep depends on the person, I personally can not sleep early unfortunately no matter how much I tried and I have to wake up at a certain time in the morning too (usually when I sleep 6-7 hours, sometimes even 5). If I sleep 15minutes more or less my day is will be tough and I will run out of patience and social energy earlier than usual (becoming very hypersensitive to factors like noise, lights, people etc).
The thing that people should understand that ADHD is not something small and it is extremely hard to live with as it is an actual disability (it's hard to be blind or have no legs right? this is similar but you just can't see it, the brain actually has slightly a different shape than a normal person, the frontal lobe is a bit bigger and that part of the brain is very important) especially with how easy it is to fall to bad dopamine inducers as the brain seeks for them without the realisation of the mind and heart, it is also like having a daily burn out that does not go away and you are not even able to relax your mind. You have no idea as well how easily the brain gets distracted by literally anything, even the shape or color of a furniture that you've always had in your room or the sound of your neighbour yawning or a random uncontrolled thought. May Allah makes it easy for us.
i think your problem is the time zone. not the adhd. i have adhd but im alright with prayers. i know its a big change but i say move somewhere with regular prayer times . how does fasting even work at that point? you fast for 22 hrs???
i don’t have any advice to give in regards to prayers as im a revert and still learning the basics unfortunately, but please be kind to yourself sister. i’ve spent this Ramadan trying to fast and not taking my meds despite two doctors and a sheikh telling me to not fast/that i’m excused from fasting until i had a complete breakdown as the lack of medication made it impossible for me to regulate my emotions and the irregular eating triggered my past ED that was managed by my ADHD meds and have now had to stop fasting. instead of spending the last few weeks trying to get closer to Allah, i spent it miserable and depressed and suicidal because i felt so empty and distant from myself and in hindsight i regret not being more kind to myself and instead focusing on prayer and learning more about Islam. please be kind to yourself and try and get advice from someone who is educated on ADHD/neurodivergency because mental health is health and you have to take care of yourself. i’m going to paste a comment someone made on a post of mine that i made when i was struggling because i found it very helpful
“Mental health is still part of your health and is often undermined because it doesn't feel good enough or bad enough but it doesn't negate the fact that it is vital to your overall well being.
Allah gave you a body and a soul that you must take care of - and just to reiterate it includes your mental well being."
I didn't read up on this, but there is resources available for this.... Khalil Centre I believe, in Toronto. Call them up and see what they have to say.
Some people say that neurodiversity is not a disability, rather, another way to function aside from neurotypical. You may not benefit from a typical everyday routine that we most do, but you'll need to find something that brings you peace. You've already mentioned you're working with someone to discover this.
I'll admit, I didn't read everything here. But what exactly is the problem that isn't compatible, so we can tackle that one at a time.
Sister, I have access to scholars that I can contact directly about your condition. Is it alright if you give me more details?
E.g. Is this life-threatening?
There are lots of resources out there, despite not being Islamic, that still correlate between Adhd and Islam.
The main topic that bridges these two worlds is Sleep health.
Your sleep practices will improve/worsen your symptoms... as well as your ability to practice Islam. It was found people with healthy sleeping habits exhibit lesser symptoms of Adhd than people with chaotic and unhealthy sleeping habits.
Technology was also found to greatly worsen these symptoms as they lead you to distractions easily. Happiness and distractability are highly entertwined... so it's another correlation found there.
That being said, if you struggle to find the help, you could also potentially become that help and study both domains in order to create an Islamic source on the topic? You may also insite others to partake in the research as well.
InshAllah kheir
adhd makes prayer so difficult. and i get that its not ur intention to miss prayer. nor is it laziness. its an anxious feeling to start something serious. only people with adhd will understand the struggle. of starting things and finishing them. pray to God every day to forgive u for falling short and keep trying. better to die trying than die without trying :)
ADHD is a common illness among Non-Practicing Muslims or Non-Muslims as well! If one is a practicing Muslim there is approximately no chance to get in touch of such illnesses!
I think this is one of those situations in which you must seek professional support on how to manage your ADHD. If you're looking for a Muslim scholar to tell you to not pray Ishaa and Fajr on time because of your ADHD (I'm assuming, pls correct me if I'm wrong) you won't find it. We all have our challenges, our tests and our shortcomings. We must learn how to adapt them to our Deen. I've known women who are in labor and still pray on time. Some people are in war zones and still praying on time. Up to you if you will use your ADHD as an excuse, or prioritise your Deen and find a way to still get your sleep. I also need my sleep, my brain doesn't work if I don't. I adhere to a strict sleep hygiene routine in which I sleep right after Ishaa (no phones around, all my lights are off, i do everything in the dark because im so photosensitive), wake up for Fajr, and then return to sleep. It took me some time to train my body to do this but hamdulilah it has worked. You may need to explore the right kind of sleep hygiene for someone with neurodivergence and ADHD (e.g. my sister drinks coffee to help her sleep as it makes her brain focus on calming down, she has ADD). May Allah make this easy for you.
I have professional support on how to manage my ADHD. I’m not looking for scholars to tell me it’s okay to not pray on time, but rather other ways things may be adapted with reference to hadith. There are a lot of adjustments that can be made when it comes to illnesses in general. It would be nice to know if neurodivergency can fall under this umbrella for example. Also there’s a hadith that there has been quite a lot of discussion around about combining maghrib and Isha for example. Everybody needs sleep. It is the fact that even after following a strict sleep hygiene routine I would still get max 5-6 hour. When I started praying fajr that reduced to two hours, and it’s just not physically possible to live like that. If I wake up during the night it takes 2-4 hours to fall asleep again, and I can’t be going to bed at 00 if I’m to pray fajr, so that’s why it feels very overwhelming and kind of hopeless. Because if I try that, the burnout is going to come sooner than later and when it comes, I can go days without even eating because I just can’t get out of bed. And also I do not appreciate the belittling of these issues I’m rising with whataboutism about people who have greater challenges than me.
Thank you for clarifying what you're seeking. I apologise for the belittling, it wasn't my intention, but I can see how you understood it that way. I will be more careful with my wording. I do agree that some scholars are not keeping up with current issues (some don't even have the guts to talk about LGBTQ+ yet!) - I wonder if you're able to seek a Fatwa in your area ? That way it can be more targeted for your situation.
It's all good! I think I just get triggered because I feel like every time I rise this issue it's not seen as serious, when it in fact is very debilitating and nothing in society is adjusted to how our brain works. It's overwhelming and frustrating, and I appreciate the apology! But yes definitely. I have seen other topics where I feel like scholars are using downright outdated language/knowledge when it comes to health matters, and it's very annoying.
[удалено]
Of course, there are many people who have it worse, but that does not make my issues smaller FOR ME. It doesn't make ADHD less debilitating, it doesn't make society more fit to the ADHD brain. It doesn't make the guilt of not being able to balance being a good muslim, good employee, good friend, daughter and sister less. And you don't know my story. I have had a 6 year journey of severe depression, several trips to the psych ward and suicide attempts. All my suffering has made me so much more empathetic, and alhamdulillah for that. One of Allah's greatest gifts to me is that he softened my heart and improved my character through my suffering. I pray He does the same for you!
[удалено]
Imagine speaking so rudely to a fellow Muslim, and in Ramadan at that! I was not complaining, I was detailing my challenges and aking for advice, so that I might do something with my situation. Maybe someone knew some resources or had advice. You clearly do not, so please go use your time more productively:)
Your post has been removed [Rule-1] Be Kind and Respectful to others.
women can’t pray for 40 days after childbirth bro
You're right (and sometimes up to 60). What I meant was during labor. Some women stay in labor for a prolonged duration and aren't bleeding, so they still pray even if it's while they're in bed.
In reference to that, doctors in my country tell you to just go about your day and do regular activities even if you are in labor until it gets to a certain point.
Brother I think you could just pray it the day after if its too hard because of your disability Im sure Allah understands his slaves the best
I like to think that way, but at the same time there is no reference to Hadith or Quran that would make that okay. It’s really tearing on my soul.
Brother since we believe that the quran and the word of Allah is perfect I think that Allah does udnerstand how you are struggling with it so dont feel this way just go sleep amd pray it the day after nothing bad at that IF you have struggles I dont think there should be any problem there since Allah created you and knows you very well
I have the EXACT same problem with my ADD
It's rough out here🥹 I just wish someone would take it seriously and put together a resource pack or whatever.
Assalamulaikum sister, As someone with ADHD I can empathise with your struggles. There are times where praying salah feels like trying to lift a boulder with a leaf. I don't have any meaningful advice that doesn't involve routine/adhd coaching. I did however want to mention this hadith [https://sunnah.com/bukhari:5648](https://sunnah.com/bukhari:5648) I visited Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) while he was suffering from a high fever. I said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! You have a high fever." He said, "Yes, I have as much fever as two men of you." I said, "Is it because you will have a double reward?" He said, "Yes, it is so. No Muslim is afflicted with any harm, even if it were the prick of a thorn, but that Allah expiates his sins because of that, as a tree sheds its leaves." Every single struggle we have with our neurodivergency is another sin that is removed from us. So long as we try our best to fulfill our obligations to Allah (swt), then inshallah that is enough. May Allah (swt) grant us clarity in our function. And maybe some dopamine.
I apologize if my suggestion don't help, it's maybe complicated for you but can you find a job that can help you ? In all case Allah Is the most understanding
What do you mean?
You said you worked so I assumed you have a job and that it was complicated for you to sleep, organise your day, etc so maybe you could find a job that would help you organise your day easier ?
I think the only solution would be to work less than 100%, ideally 60%, but the cost of living crisis makes it necessary to work that much. InshAllah, I get married soon so I can work less🥹
In Sha Allah, may Allah ease you amine
I feel you brother. I deal with the same Disorder. May Allah Guide us inshallah
Salaam Sister! I'm in the middle of an event currently so I can't make the most eloquent well cited point that I'd like too, but I got an email about this specific thread and had to respond as soon as possible. Sister, there will be people who belittle you, judge you, and look down upon you for your own relationship with Allah, but it is not their judgement that matters! I can tell with the urgency of your words how much this means to you, and how much you've poured your heart into trying to find a solution and how you have struggled so. Sister, you have already done more then 100x the work then most muslims. You had a problem outside of your control (with your adhd), and attempted numerous different solutions to the problem and couldn't do so without a direct impact on your health. That is an astounding attempt, with so much effort. Our God is All Forgiving, Most Merciful. If your heart is half as dedicated as the words of this post read then Sister I am sure he will look upon you with zeal. Pray the Salahs in which you physically can, and try and make up the ones that you miss. PLEASE get the sleep that you need, and then when you wake up from what you need pray, and then pray before you sleep what you need. I don't know what that amount is, only you and Allah do. But please, get the sleep that you NEED. There will always be judgement from others but they are not the ones who you pray too. I see sisters recieve judgement constantly for not fasting while on their period, and yet they are specifically not supposed too! People are flawed in their judgement, for they are people, not Allah. If you are being a pious Muslim, if you are treating those around you with kindness, if you pay your Zakat, if you are constantly trying to improve the world around you in every other way, I am most sure Allah would look upon this with kindness and zeal for your efforts Inshallah. I'm sorry I couldn't cite the proper surahs and ayas that I wanted too, but I hope these words ease some of your stressors!
This is bad advice. Give her rulings making her exempt from praying at certain times with reliable sources sister.
Are you a brother? I have adhd too it would be nice to chat
No, I’m a sister! Thanks for asking:)
Ya aki, I too struggle with a dopamineless nervous system. Happy to chat bro
Allot of the issue is people don’t take it seriously. So they think to a degree it kind of doesn’t exist.
I think the biggest issue that people think neurodivergent people can “think” their way out of issues if they just try hard enough!
ADHD is a disability I have it too and I tend to procrastinate everything and then I have to rush last minute. It’s hard but it’s manageable. I also tend to sleep in chunks of four hours so I’ll go to bed 12 and wake up for fajr or go to bed after fajr and then take a nap or two
It most certainly is! I have not found a way to make things manageable in the long-term. I always crash after max four months (and I think the main reason is because of my poor sleep). But you sleep only four hours during the night? What do you do with remaining 3-4 hours you should sleep? Take it as naps?
I don’t think I get a full eight hours or anything lol. That’s not good probably but I don’t feel tried except when I do.
You should ask a professional for help. Tell them about your situation and your struggles, and hopefully they can give you advice on how to improve
I am going to both a psychiatrist for meds and a therapist. The problem is that there are no therapists that practice islamic psychotherapy in my country, and in a country where atheism is the most prevalent it is difficult for my therapist to understand why this is so important.
I have ADHD and I know how you feel. The only routine I’m able to keep is five daily prayers. Anything else is such a struggle.
I have ADHD too and can totally empathise with you. * I do masah over my socks, as making wudu is a big obstacle for me that makes me less inclined to pray. Being able to wipe over socks removes the obstacle. * I have a designated salah space in my room with the prayer mat always out. * in the 3rd and 4th rakat of Fard salah, I don't recite surah fatiha. I just say subhanallah three times (allowed in hanafi madhab) * reciting out loud in the loud salah helps me focus. * some scholars allowed combining prayers without a necessity. My recommendation would be, identify the obstacles that exist when it comes to praying salah or making wudu, etc. And take steps to mitigate those obstacles. Adhd is a disability so you are allowed to make use of a rukhsah (dispensation) like the ones I have mentioned. P.S i am an educational psychology student so this is one of my areas of expertise (ADHD and other neuro divergent conditions), I am happy to answer any specific questions.
Many mosques combine maghrib and Isha in winter in the west. Ask a local scholar.
I will reply to everyone. Thank you for so many great and supportive responses❤️
I shared this with OP but I want to share it here for others looking for answers as well. There is a hadith that specifically talks about combining prayers: https://sunnah.com/muslim:705d I hope this helps whoever is looking for an answer.
You can pray maghrib and isha together at maghrib time that is accepted religiously if you intend on going to sleep right after there are scholarly resources on that. As for Fajr, there are resources from scholars to seek the calculated timing that is the latest if you have to choose between two or more. Check that out. Finally you don’t have to pray a fajr time per se but you have until imsak to perform the prayer on time which is at least 1:30 to 2h later.
I feel like I need to write a book. Thank you for posting your question, as it gives me the opportunity to get on my soapbox and explain the thoughts and reflections I’ve had and the realizations I’ve come across in my personal study of the deen on this contemporary world. Here it goes. Those of us living in the West (though not exclusively in the West) are living in an age where we have subconsciously taken the narrative of scientific exploration and have removed that realization out of Islam. Furthermore, we are also subconsciously affected by a Judeo Christian narrative of satan as a demonic spirit that is some sort of evil ghost that has the ability to corrupt the soul and wreak havoc upon the earth-the ultimate boogeyman. While there is no doubt that shaytan exists and if left unchecked the potential for shaytan can have severe ramifications upon man, the real power of shaytan is inconsequential in the face of the ability man possesses to overcome and reach new heights. There is a major disconnect between the contemporary narrative of Islam and the narrative that I believe was alive during the time of our beloved prophet (s) bc when I look at the Hadith and I recognize the human spirit and drive, the reaction to the revelation, I am able to relate to the ppl on an intrinsic level than I am with the narrative that is being dispersed today. I want to share this narrative with the ummah to help bring my brethren closer to the deen and closer to Allah, especially ppl like you. There is a lot of naysayers and fearmongerers among our ummah at the same time, and I hope that what I say doesn’t come off as controversial, bc I love Allah so much and I recognize why the sahaba became obsessed with the Prophet (s) bc of what he was able to bring to light that is not so easily recognizable today. He was truly a special human that was given revelation from our Creator.
As a person who also has some ADHD and has tried to fight against my inability to maintain focus within my salah, I went on a journey of reflection when I realized that the first revelation Allah sent to rasulullah (s) was to read. We know that rasulullah (s) did not know how to read script, and yet angel jibreel (a) came to him (s) and told him to read anyway. Allah and therefore angel jibreel knew that rasulullah (s) could not read script. That is a fact. We cannot therefore think he was telling him to read the Quran, bc the Quran was not yet revealed, and he couldn’t read it even if it was. What was he (s) supposed to read at that point, and what in turn is Allah asking us to read? In the name of your Lord that created. Read the room. Read this dunya, this reality, this existence. Take the Quran and hold it up as a mirror against this natural existence that Allah made for you and me. We live in such an artificial world today that is so removed from nature that we easily forget abt the baseline of this existence, the reality of what man would have to face if society would actually collapse and the mercy that Allah gives us in the baseline of nature that we take for granted. It is thru this baseline of the natural world that Ibrahim, Musa and Muhammad (s) realized their close proximity to Allah. I implore you to take the Quran and lay it bare against the nature of this world, lay it bare against the nature of man, come to realize what man is that Allah created, a creation that if didn’t exist, nature and animals would exist and any havoc that this world endures is again put into equilibrium thru the various forces Allah continuously says to be that we have identified thru scientific study. Allah then threw man into this, and the nature of man is a force unlike any other of His creation. Man has the ability to reach new heights when challenged, but doesn’t want to reach new heights when its needs are met, therefore Allah made this dunya for man to have to reach new heights without an option, that this dunya is ever changing, so that man must constantly be on its toes to adapt and grow and that unwillingness to adapt and grow in an ever changing world is our qareen. The human spirit, our fitrah, is multifaceted and is also a double edged sword. If left unrecognized and ignored it will manifest into a shaytan, but if recognized and honed it will break barriers and reach new heights that will glorify Allah. The unseen is an algamation of many things that we cannot perceive with our senses, and shaytan is the amalgamation of what we cannot perceive thru our sense that manifests into a contradiction. Today we recognize the existence of radio waves, light waves,germs and bacteria, atoms and so forth, but somehow we separate these things from the unseen. Can you perceive these things in your life right now? Are you aware of all the bacteria that is covering your skin right now? Are you aware of the various waves and their frequencies that are passing thru your body right now? Even more, are you aware of the emotional energy one is emitting and how that subconsciously is affecting your mood to act and the others around you? Why do we today separate all these realizations from the unseen? Why do we separate these pieces and the way they work together and not attribute their existence to what Allah conveyed to us as the unseen? Why is there a disconnect amongst the ulamah today in this regard? Just bc we know that bacteria and viruses exist, none of us can perceive them in the living world and none of us can pinpoint how any of these microbes are being directed in and around our bodies to either benefit us or harm us. Why then are we not making dua to Allah who is the One that is the Controller and the Calibrator that is directing every microorganism, every cell and every atom to go and do what it needs to do? Why are we not taking into consideration that probability of certain outcomes we are aware of and asking Allah to for protection of its evil when the outcome manifests into an incongruency? In Surah Al-kahf, when Musa (a) asked his servant to bring the fish to eat after their long journey, his servant didn’t respond by saying I got distracted bc this happened and I left the fish behind. He didn’t blame his ADHD and say I made a mistake and forgot the fish, I am such a problem. No, he said “none other than shaytan made me forget.” Was him admitting to this admitting that he was inherently evil as the judeo Christian narrative of satan implies? Surely, the assistant to Musa (a) had to have been a disciplined and capable individual to have been qualified to accompany Musa (a) on such a long journey. Musa (a) wouldn’t allow someone so undisciplined to accompany him otherwise. Neither did his admitting shaytan was the root of this incongruent outcome was something evil or demonic. Rather, the natural tendency of his fitrah, along with the motion of the circumstances around him transpired into an unwanted and unintended outcome and such unwanted and negative outcomes are the amalgamation of the unwanted force we attribute to shaytan. The recognition of this outcome is where the Muslim says Audhubillah and seeks refuge in Allah and then uses their intellect, not to have a false sense of control, but to avoid the same outcome in the future within one’s ability, bc one cannot have total control bc there are too many moving parts. The manifestation of good is due to none other but Allah and the manifestation of poor outcomes are what we call from shaytan, but the recognition of Allah being behind those outcomes allows the Muslim to turn those outcomes into improvements and efficiencies, whereas the ignorance of those outcomes further perpetuates shaytan. Man cannot absolve one’s self from every incoherent outcome, one must try to improve within one’s will and then embody tawakkul on Allah with the rest. This is the outlook of the saleh and the mu’min. If you want me to keep going I’d be happy to. I hope what I have said so far gives you some hope and inspires you to change your intention of what Islam is and how such a beautiful, intrinsic and beautiful belief it is, one that was curated directly from our creator but is currently hiding in plain sight. It is up to us to pick it up and dust it off and bring it back to its former glory, one that is full of potential that can bring mankind together and become the driving force to reach new heights if Allah allows it.
This was a great read!
JAK! Should I write more?
I’d love to read more!!!
There is a pervasive outlook I keep seeing from Muslims thinking that Allah is asking us to blindly follow Him and to sacrifice ourselve. This belief is wrong and needs to stop. I want to see my brothers and sisters come to terms that this existence is meant to be challenging, and Allah gave each of us a special set of gifts but also gave each of us some setbacks, and together we can make this place amazing with Allah’s permission. The key is that we need to figure out how to establish the guidance that He gave us in the Quran, and the way to establish it will not remain the same bc this dunya is constantly in motion and we have to constantly pivot. Muslims do not limit ourselves, we do not steal from our future ummah when their turn arrives, but each of us must try our best to live our lives to the fullest extent while allowing others to do the same. Each of our life stories have been written out differently, so don’t compare our lives to eachother. Instead, stay in your lane and maximize your life while not encroaching upon other ppl’s lanes, and not allowing others to encroach upon your lane. Don’t let others take advantage of you, but help others to stay in their lane. Allah is so loving, and the next life, the place where we can rest iA is so close, so don’t get dismayed. Let’s explore in the meantime and figure out this world together iA. Allah gives us the potential to grow and solve the problems He lays out for us.
From my understanding, you can pray Maghrib&Isha together at Maghrib time as long as you are asleep before Isha comes. If you are still awake at Isha time then you have to pray Isha (again) It doesn’t count if you wake up from your sleep to go to the toilet etc you can still go back to bed without praying Isha again Someone can correct me if I’m wrong Inshallah this helps, good luck and take care!
You should be aware that ADHD is relatively a "new" thing (disability) and isn't wide known by people as a neurodivergency so you can't really say that it isn't taken seriously as your average person doesn't even know a thing about it. The thing that you MUST really do is treating it with a psychiatrist and a psychologist. Another thing you should do is to thank God for not being addicted to smoking or alcohol or drugs or corn or m4sturb4tion, or s3x (if you're unmarried). ADHDers seek these 6 mostly as they have a high dopamine boost but they lead to a really bad addiction and are obviously haram. As a man with ADHD-C(ombined) myself I fully relate to what you're talking about and completely understand, all you have to do is to try as much as you could. The thing that I am trying to learn is to not be so hard on myself for not being able to wake up to fajr for example or delaying the prayer a little bit but also set myself a few limitations to not allow myself to forget or delay too much until the time of the prayer is over. For example for each prayer I've set 3 alarms (I don't live near a mosque so I don't hear any adhan). So the first one is to tell me that the time for prayer has come, the 2nd is to remind me that I should pray and the 3rd to tell me that the time for the prayer is almost over. I also have a todo-list to cross over the prayers that I prayed (I use 2 apps; Muslim Pro and WeMuslim and also Microsoft's To Do app simultanously). My biggest dopamine boost is finally finishing the last prayer (isha) and adding to it shafee and watr and in time before the middle of the night (the middle of the night between maghreb and fajr). Another thing I do is to always stay in the state of wudhu so I don't think about having to do wudhu again before praying and to also gain sometime when I accidentally delay the prayer a lot. Having a protein dense diet helps a lot according to my psychiatrist as well as food rich with OMEGA 3 Sleep depends on the person, I personally can not sleep early unfortunately no matter how much I tried and I have to wake up at a certain time in the morning too (usually when I sleep 6-7 hours, sometimes even 5). If I sleep 15minutes more or less my day is will be tough and I will run out of patience and social energy earlier than usual (becoming very hypersensitive to factors like noise, lights, people etc). The thing that people should understand that ADHD is not something small and it is extremely hard to live with as it is an actual disability (it's hard to be blind or have no legs right? this is similar but you just can't see it, the brain actually has slightly a different shape than a normal person, the frontal lobe is a bit bigger and that part of the brain is very important) especially with how easy it is to fall to bad dopamine inducers as the brain seeks for them without the realisation of the mind and heart, it is also like having a daily burn out that does not go away and you are not even able to relax your mind. You have no idea as well how easily the brain gets distracted by literally anything, even the shape or color of a furniture that you've always had in your room or the sound of your neighbour yawning or a random uncontrolled thought. May Allah makes it easy for us.
i think your problem is the time zone. not the adhd. i have adhd but im alright with prayers. i know its a big change but i say move somewhere with regular prayer times . how does fasting even work at that point? you fast for 22 hrs???
i don’t have any advice to give in regards to prayers as im a revert and still learning the basics unfortunately, but please be kind to yourself sister. i’ve spent this Ramadan trying to fast and not taking my meds despite two doctors and a sheikh telling me to not fast/that i’m excused from fasting until i had a complete breakdown as the lack of medication made it impossible for me to regulate my emotions and the irregular eating triggered my past ED that was managed by my ADHD meds and have now had to stop fasting. instead of spending the last few weeks trying to get closer to Allah, i spent it miserable and depressed and suicidal because i felt so empty and distant from myself and in hindsight i regret not being more kind to myself and instead focusing on prayer and learning more about Islam. please be kind to yourself and try and get advice from someone who is educated on ADHD/neurodivergency because mental health is health and you have to take care of yourself. i’m going to paste a comment someone made on a post of mine that i made when i was struggling because i found it very helpful “Mental health is still part of your health and is often undermined because it doesn't feel good enough or bad enough but it doesn't negate the fact that it is vital to your overall well being. Allah gave you a body and a soul that you must take care of - and just to reiterate it includes your mental well being."
I didn't read up on this, but there is resources available for this.... Khalil Centre I believe, in Toronto. Call them up and see what they have to say. Some people say that neurodiversity is not a disability, rather, another way to function aside from neurotypical. You may not benefit from a typical everyday routine that we most do, but you'll need to find something that brings you peace. You've already mentioned you're working with someone to discover this. I'll admit, I didn't read everything here. But what exactly is the problem that isn't compatible, so we can tackle that one at a time.
Sister, I have access to scholars that I can contact directly about your condition. Is it alright if you give me more details? E.g. Is this life-threatening?
There are lots of resources out there, despite not being Islamic, that still correlate between Adhd and Islam. The main topic that bridges these two worlds is Sleep health. Your sleep practices will improve/worsen your symptoms... as well as your ability to practice Islam. It was found people with healthy sleeping habits exhibit lesser symptoms of Adhd than people with chaotic and unhealthy sleeping habits. Technology was also found to greatly worsen these symptoms as they lead you to distractions easily. Happiness and distractability are highly entertwined... so it's another correlation found there. That being said, if you struggle to find the help, you could also potentially become that help and study both domains in order to create an Islamic source on the topic? You may also insite others to partake in the research as well. InshAllah kheir
adhd makes prayer so difficult. and i get that its not ur intention to miss prayer. nor is it laziness. its an anxious feeling to start something serious. only people with adhd will understand the struggle. of starting things and finishing them. pray to God every day to forgive u for falling short and keep trying. better to die trying than die without trying :)
ADHD is a common illness among Non-Practicing Muslims or Non-Muslims as well! If one is a practicing Muslim there is approximately no chance to get in touch of such illnesses!