Nahar al-Otaibi
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Nahar al-Otaibi is a contemporary Islamic researcher and theological author known for his study Athar al-Shakk wa al-Waswas fi Wujud Allah ala Aqidat al-Muslim (The Impact of Doubt and Whispering Concerning the Existence of God on the Muslim Creed).
Scholarly Focus
Al-Otaibi addresses doctrinal and psychological issues concerning faith (iman), specifically distinguishing between deliberate religious doubt (shakk) and intrusive whisperings (waswas) regarding the existence of God. According to the view of the early Muslim scholars (the Salaf), he explains that doubt is a voluntary state that contradicts and completely negates certainty (yaqin), whereas whisperings are fleeting, involuntary thoughts that assail the mind while certainty remains settled in the heart. Citing authorities such as Ibn Taymiyyah, he emphasizes that because involuntary thoughts enter the mind without a person's deliberate choice, detesting and repelling them constitutes an indication of explicit faith.
Al-Otaibi underscores the necessity of clarifying these matters due to the proliferation of skepticism and online discussions surrounding the existence of God on social networks and modern media. He regards belief in God's existence as the foundational core and premise of all Islamic principles and branches of practice, likening it to the trunk of a tree relative to its branches.
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List of Works
This contemporary theological study examines the definitions, doctrinal implications, and legal rulings surrounding deliberate religious doubt (shakk) and intrusive satanic whisperings (waswas) concerning the existence of God according to the creed of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah. It explores the boundary between involuntary mental intrusions and theological skepticism, detailing how each affects faith alongside traditional means to address them.