1) My enquiry is that a long time ago when I used to pray for Allaah I used to cry and when I raised my hands up to Allaah for forgiveness, I would feel something now I can't cry and I don't feel the Baraka of the Salah. Please help me. 2) When I was pregnant I fasted all of it, but I had this weird cravings that I would smell and chew and also swallow a mug that is made of hard clay. And I did swallow some of it. What does that mean about my fasting?

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. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

You have to know that the devil is very keen in repelling a believer from the obedience of Allaah by using all possible means. If he is unable to induce him to commit major sins, he tries hard to make him commit minor sins, like preventing him from being submissive in his prayer in order to make him miss the goodness and sweet taste of obedience and the sweetness of addressing his Lord. We have already discussed the means which lead to submissiveness during prayer, reverence, and concentration in Fataawa 88068 and 82335, so please refer to them.

As regards eating hard clay during Ramadan, this breaks the fast. The Fiqh Encyclopaedia reads: "The jurists agreed that deliberately eating mud and stones, and the like, invalidates one's fasting."

We have also issued Fatwa 81573 clarifying that a pregnant woman is permitted to break the fast if she fears for her own self or her foetus, so please refer to it.

Allaah Knows best.