AOA, Sometimes when I am about to sleep or am sitting I have sudden urges to read 2 Rakat of Namaz Nafl and sometimes when I read them and go back to bed I again have urges to read 2 Rakat of Namaz Nafl. Is this wrong? Since sometimes even during my Exams I tend to stop writing and start reciting Durud and Surahs in my heart. Is it wrong to be paranoid about religion like this?

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

First of all, it is not correct to say “paranoid about religion” because paranoia is a form of madness. So, saying “paranoid about religion” is like saying “madness about religion”. It is well known that Islam, whether regarding its Sharee'ah (divine laws) or creed, has no madness and never leads one to that; rather, it is full of wisdom, mercy and it calls for ease.

As for the urge you find to offer prayer and to perform more of it and to recite Quran a great deal, this is not something wrong; rather, it is a form of goodness, blessing and grace that you should thank Allaah The Almighty for. Actually, the one who finds himself guided to do a great deal of prayer, then a gate to Paradise has been opened to him. In Paradise, there is a gate called the gate of prayer from which those who frequently perform prayer will enter. Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Whoever spends a pair (of things) in the Cause of Allaah, will be called from the gates of Paradise, “O slave of Allaah! This gate is better for you.” The one who is among the people of prayer will be called from the Gate of Prayer...” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Scholars said: “The one who is among the people of prayer will be called from the Gate of Prayer,  means, and Allaah Knows best, when prayer becomes one’s most frequent act of worship, for one may do a great deal of prayer and thus it becomes his most frequent act of worship.”

In another Hadeeth, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said:

• “Know that the best of your deeds is prayer.” [Ahmad - Al-Albaani graded it Saheeh (sound)]

• “Prayer is the best thing prescribed, so whoever can do a great deal of it, let him do that.” [At-Tabaraani - Al-Albaani graded it Hasan (good)]

Al-Mulla ‘Ali Al-Qaari said in Sharh Al-Mishkaah: “Prayer is the best thing prescribed” means, it is better than any act Allaah The Almighty imposed on His slaves to get closer to Him. Az-Zarqaani said in Sharh Al-Muwatta’: “The best of your deeds is prayer” means, it is the best act of worship in reward and thus it is the best act for it combines all acts of worship such as reciting Quran, Tasbeeh (saying, Subhaan Allaah), Takbeer (saying, Allaahu Akbar), Tahleel (saying, Laa ilaaha illa Allaah), abstaining from the speech of humans and things that break one’s fast...” [End quote]

Therefore, whenever you want to do a great deal of prayer and reciting Quran, then hasten to do it and make the utmost use of that opportunity and do not lose that goodness under the pretext that this may be a paranoia. Such thoughts are really nothing but whispers of the devil who strives hard to discourage one from doing acts of worship.

As for reciting Quran and sending blessings on the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, while taking exam, there is no doubt that Thikr (Remembrance of Allaah) is something required; however, Islam never asked nor ordered (its followers) to do what can impede a person's life and his necessary worldly interests. Busying yourself with Thikr while taking an exam may cause failure or getting low marks and thus you lose important benefits which you need in your worldly life. So, you should rather strive hard during the exam to get the right answer and when you finish it you may remember Allaah The Almighty and send blessing on the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

We ask Allaah The Almighty to guide us and you to all good.

Allaah Knows best.