Hello I am desperately hoping that someone here can help me. I posted this on another forums and am hoping someone anywhere on the internet can help me as therapy didn't work. I have a very unusual situation. I am not a religious person and have never been religious. I am an Agnostic and have been an Agnostic my entire life. I have been diagnoned with OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) which has crippled my life to the point where I can't take it anymore. Recently I have had fears regarding religion (it began with Christianity and fear of going to Hell/Selling my soul to the devil) but it has shifted primarily to Islam now. I live in the West and most therapists are unfamiliar with Islamic Theology and that's why I am hoping someone here can help me.
My fear revolves around being a Hypocrite (Munafiq?). I understand that a Hypocrite is someone who pretends to be a Muslim but is actually not one. This is awkward because I have gotten over the fear of going to Hell in any religion for disbelieving. But my fear is that I (a non-Muslim) am somehow a Hypocrite and this will lead me to being punished more severely in the afterlife IF Islam is the truth. I can't repent my fears or anything. For me it is a matter of "I don't think any religion is true but if I am wrong and Islam is true, then it is better to be a "disbeliever/kafir" than a "hypocrite/munafiq" since the punishment would be less severe if I am wrong about religion.
OCD works in the way that I fear if I do "X" then "Y" will happen (with Y being something bad in this case being a Hypocrite). But this happens so much and interferes with my life so to try and control this I try to "scare myself" by saying if I don't do "X" then I am a Muslim. I even said this out loud and typed it into the internet (in a way to scare myself into not worrying and if I do worry then I have publically said that I am a Muslim and would then be a hypocrite). So X=Can't do something (like wear a blue shirt or watch a certain movie) and Y=if I do it then I am a Muslim (both actually I am not). But later on I can't remember what I said is not allowed to do and now I am terrified that I am doing or have done what I said to not do. (I wore blue shirt) and because of that someone who potentially had heard what I said or read it (I typed it into google search and I'm scared someone will trace my internet/is watching me) would think I'm a Muslim and thus me being a hypocrite since I am actually Agnostic. I have tried to combat this by repeadetly saying I am not a Muslim no matter what things I said or did (out loud, on the internet etc). I have even tried to change who I am because of this (I threw away my clothes, left my job etc) so that no one would think I am the same person that said "I am a Muslim if I do X" and I wouldn't be a hypocrite. This has cost me so much money and further ruined my life. I am in so much fear and terror. It makes no sense. I am fine with going to Hell if Islam is right but I can't stand the thought of being a Hypocrite and being punished more.
Please, please, please don't try and tell me to convert or to trust in God, it won't help my problem. I can't repent. I guess what I want to know about my unique case is that if somehow I became a hypocrite, is it possible to go back to being just a kafir or once you are a hypocrite then you are one forever? Is the punishment for munafiq only to those who die in a state of it or to anyone who was ever in a state of it at any given time? Do you think I became a hypocrite? Is there a solution to this without converting?
I will have to repeat this because of my fears. I am not Muslim and I have never been a Muslim. I am an Agnostic. I do not want to be a hypocrite I don't know how this whole mess started but it's rooted in my OCD, fear and stupid mistakes I made in trying to control the fear by scaring myself/tricking myself and all the doubt. I hope at least sometimes I even doubt that. It's so troubling. : (
Considering all this, do you think I am a Hypocrite according to Islam Theology or simply a Disbeliever?
Thank you for reading this crazy long post and I deeply appreciate it anyone can help me.
My fear revolves around being a Hypocrite (Munafiq?). I understand that a Hypocrite is someone who pretends to be a Muslim but is actually not one. This is awkward because I have gotten over the fear of going to Hell in any religion for disbelieving. But my fear is that I (a non-Muslim) am somehow a Hypocrite and this will lead me to being punished more severely in the afterlife IF Islam is the truth. I can't repent my fears or anything. For me it is a matter of "I don't think any religion is true but if I am wrong and Islam is true, then it is better to be a "disbeliever/kafir" than a "hypocrite/munafiq" since the punishment would be less severe if I am wrong about religion.
OCD works in the way that I fear if I do "X" then "Y" will happen (with Y being something bad in this case being a Hypocrite). But this happens so much and interferes with my life so to try and control this I try to "scare myself" by saying if I don't do "X" then I am a Muslim. I even said this out loud and typed it into the internet (in a way to scare myself into not worrying and if I do worry then I have publically said that I am a Muslim and would then be a hypocrite). So X=Can't do something (like wear a blue shirt or watch a certain movie) and Y=if I do it then I am a Muslim (both actually I am not). But later on I can't remember what I said is not allowed to do and now I am terrified that I am doing or have done what I said to not do. (I wore blue shirt) and because of that someone who potentially had heard what I said or read it (I typed it into google search and I'm scared someone will trace my internet/is watching me) would think I'm a Muslim and thus me being a hypocrite since I am actually Agnostic. I have tried to combat this by repeadetly saying I am not a Muslim no matter what things I said or did (out loud, on the internet etc). I have even tried to change who I am because of this (I threw away my clothes, left my job etc) so that no one would think I am the same person that said "I am a Muslim if I do X" and I wouldn't be a hypocrite. This has cost me so much money and further ruined my life. I am in so much fear and terror. It makes no sense. I am fine with going to Hell if Islam is right but I can't stand the thought of being a Hypocrite and being punished more.
Please, please, please don't try and tell me to convert or to trust in God, it won't help my problem. I can't repent. I guess what I want to know about my unique case is that if somehow I became a hypocrite, is it possible to go back to being just a kafir or once you are a hypocrite then you are one forever? Is the punishment for munafiq only to those who die in a state of it or to anyone who was ever in a state of it at any given time? Do you think I became a hypocrite? Is there a solution to this without converting?
I will have to repeat this because of my fears. I am not Muslim and I have never been a Muslim. I am an Agnostic. I do not want to be a hypocrite I don't know how this whole mess started but it's rooted in my OCD, fear and stupid mistakes I made in trying to control the fear by scaring myself/tricking myself and all the doubt. I hope at least sometimes I even doubt that. It's so troubling. : (
Considering all this, do you think I am a Hypocrite according to Islam Theology or simply a Disbeliever?
Thank you for reading this crazy long post and I deeply appreciate it anyone can help me.