I am 26-years old female (working). I am very hardworking and very concern of my work. But since few days whenever I pray or read Quran I feel uneasiness in my heart (God forgive me), I try not to comment any sins or be on straight path but after being regularly offering prayers and performing all duties at certain time I deviate from right path and commit a great sin. Why does this happen with me. Please advice. Answer me confidentially on my email address.

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 is His slave and Messenger.

You should know, dear sister, that the devil is very keen on misleading people, luring them and preventing them from the obedience of their Lord. Allaah Says (what means): {Verily Satan is an enemy to you: so treat him as an enemy. He only invites his adherents, that they may become companions of the Blazing Fire.}[Quran 35:6] However, it is a mercy of Allaah that He did not close the door for those whom the devil lured and deceived, but He ordered them to repent and promised them forgiveness and mercy. Allaah Says (what means): {Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by committing evil deeds and sins] do not despair of the Mercy of Allaah. Verily, Allaah forgives all sins. Truly, it is He who is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful."}[Quran 39:53]

Moreover, the Prophet said: "Whoever repents before the Sun rises from the West, Allaah will accept his repentance." [Muslim] So, if a Muslim commits Zina (fornication or adultery), he should sincerely repent to Allaah fulfilling all the conditions of repentance which are mentioned in Fatwa 87903, and he should know that the Mercy of Allaah is vast and that He forgives all sins including associating partners with Him unless one dies in that condition. Moreover, the Prophet said: "I swear by Whose Hands my soul is, if you do not commit sins, Allaah will replace you with other people who would sin and seek His forgiveness, and He will forgive them." [Muslim] Indeed Allaah likes forgiving.

As regards your feeling of uneasiness the past few days, it might be that this is because of the sin that you have committed. Sins have bad effects on the heart. Allaah Says (what means): {But whosoever turns away from My Reminder (i.e. neither believes in this Quran nor acts on its orders, etc.) verily, for him is a life of hardship.}[Quran 20:124]

Besides, the Prophet said: "When a believer commits a sin, his heart is stained by a black spot. If he repents and seeks forgiveness, his heart is polished [the black spot is removed], if he again commits the sin, the black spot stains his heart again."  [Ibn Maajah] So in order to find tranquillity and peace in one's heart, one should repent to Allaah and seek His Forgiveness, remember Him and exalt the mention of the Prophet as much as possible. Allaah Says (what means): {Verily, in the remembrance of Allaah do hearts find rest.}[Quran 13:28] A man asked the Prophet : "What if I exalt your mention all the time." The Prophet replied: "If you do so, Allaah will suffice you regarding all your worldly matters as well as those of the Hereafter." [Ahmad]

As regards wondering why you have committed the sin, then the answer is that a person commits a sin due to his following the devil, Allaah Says (what means): {And whosoever follows the footsteps of the devil, then, verily he commands Al-Fahsha' [i.e. to commit indecency (illegal sexual intercourse, etc.)] and Al-Munkar [disbelief and polytheism (i.e. to do evil and wicked deeds, to speak or to do what is forbidden in Islam, etc.)}[Quran 24:21] Or because of following one's desires which order him to do evil, Allaah Says (what means): {Verily, the (human) self is inclined to evil…}[Quran 12:53]

Among these steps of the devil and desires is looking at what is forbidden and being in seclusion with a marriageable man and establishing suspicious relationships with marriageable men on the basis of friendship or on the basis of being a colleague at work, and laughing with them and looking at films which call to adultery and fornication, lack of shame, and other steps (which if followed) will lead to committing sins and fornication or adultery.

Therefore, a person should be careful not to follow the steps of the devil, and he should be steadfast on the obedience of Allaah and His Prophet . Allaah Says (what means): {And if you obey him, you will be [rightly] guided.}[Quran 24:54]

For more benefit please refer to Fataawa 83607 and 82399 about the requirement that a woman should fulfil in order to work.

Allaah Knows best.