Question:

Assalaamu ‘Alaykum.
Are there devils and whispers during Ramadan? I feel that there is something within me that urges me to act contrary to what I believe in. Is it the soul which is a persistent enjoiner of evil? I do not know. But I get annoyed with such matters and I fear displeasing Allah. I thought that such whispers would disappear in Ramadan but they did not. What should I do? I feel that I have another completely different person inside me.

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Ever-Merciful
Dear sister, Assalaamu ‘Alaykum.
It is authentically reported that the Prophet said: "When Ramadan comes, the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
According to the apparent meaning of the words of the Prophet the devils are chained (during Ramadan) and so they cannot deceive or mislead humans. This is the sound way of understanding the Hadeeth (narration).
However, this does not mean that man does not experience whispers during this month. When man is born, a companion of the Jinn and a companion of the angels are assigned to him. The Jinn companion, the devil, commands man and urges him to do evil. On the contrary, the companion of the angels commands man and urges him to do good. This is according to an authentic Hadeeth reported by Muslim on the authority of the Prophet .
Having known this, there are several methods to ward off the whispers you have:
First: Seeking help from Allah The Almighty and relying upon Him. This is the best and foremost method.
Second: Ignoring and warding off these whispers.
Third: Seeking refuge in Allah from the accursed devil.
Fourth: Reciting and repeating the verse in which Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {He is The First and The Last, The Ascendant and The Intimate, and He is, of all things, Knowing.} [Quran 57: 3]
The first three methods are reported from the Prophet through authentic Hadeeths and the fourth one is reported from Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him.
Moreover, rejoice and have hope in the mercy of Allah The Almighty, for these whispers, even if they are related to the creed and to Allah, do not harm you. Such matters in fact afflict humans unwittingly and one is unable to avoid them. It is reported that some righteous and good Muslims experienced these matters, such as when some of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, asked the Prophet about the whispers they were experiencing regarding Allah The Almighty. The Prophet responded: "Do you get these evil thoughts?" "Yes," they replied. He said: "This is true faith." [Muslim]
The Prophet clarified that attempting to ward off these whispers and their grief for having them within themselves indicate strength and veracity of faith. You are experiencing the same thing, as you detest these devilish whispers and try to ward them off. This, praise be to Allah, indicates the trueness of your faith, as the Prophet said.
Fifth: Using regularly the Sharee‘ah-approved Ruqyah (the Prophetic method of healing with the Quran). Ruqyah is a great medicine and it heals the believer's physical and spiritual diseases. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And We send down of the Quran that which is healing and mercy for the believers.} [Quran 17: 82] The word "healing" includes both matters.
A good and reliable form of Ruqyah is to recite the Chapters Al-Faatihah, Al-Ikhlaas, Al-Falaq, An-Naas as well as the verse of Al-Kursi (verse 255 of Chapter Al-Baqarah) and then breathe onto your hands and wipe your body therewith. It is permissible to recite these Chapters over a vessel of water and then use it in washing and drinking. This should also include the following protective supplications by the Prophet :
1- "'A‘oothu bikalimaati-llaah at-taammaat min sharri ma khalaq (I seek refuge in the perfect Words of Allah from the evil of that which He Created)."
2- "'A‘oothu bikalimaati-llaah at-taammah min kulli Shaytaanin wa haammah wamin kulli ‘aynin laammah (I seek refuge in the perfect Words of Allah against every devil, vermin and evil eye)."
3- "'A‘oothu bikalimaati-llaahi at-taammaati min ghadhabih wa ‘iqaabih wa sharri ‘ibaadih wa min hamazaati ash-shayaateen wa an yahdhuroon (I seek refuge with the perfect Words of Allah from His wrath, punishment, the evil of His servants as well as from the incitements of the devils and lest they be present with me.)”
4- "'A‘oothu billaahi As-Samee‘ Al-‘Aleem mina ash-Shaytaan ar-rajeem min hamzih wa nafkhih wa nafthih (I seek refuge in Allah The All-Hearing The Omniscient from the accursed Satan and from all his pride, his magic and his whispers.)"
The manner of recitation is to recite over water while the vessel is near to your mouth and then breathe out air after reciting the verse or the supplication. The Ruqyah should be repeated from time to time. You should also be keen to recite the Chapter Al-Baqarah often as well as the reported Athkaar (supplications) of the morning and the evening.
We ask Allah to heal you from all diseases, keep you healthy in this world and safe in the Hereafter and to grant you a righteous husband and good offspring. Ameen.
Allah is The Bestower of success.