Assalamu alaikum - Dealing with obsessive doubts about salah and wudu

As-salamu alaykum. Lately I keep seeing so many influencers online insisting things like your salah is invalid if your back isn’t perfectly straight, or that missing 1cm of skin in wudu makes your prayer pointless, or quarrelling over exactly where your hands should be. How do you stop getting irritated by this and avoid turning it into OCD about every little detail? Here’s what’s helped me and some practical steps you can try: - Remember intention matters. Allah knows our niyyah. Do your best with the knowledge you have and don’t let tiny uncertainties steal your peace. - Stick to reliable scholarship. Follow a trusted scholar or your local imam’s guidance rather than random clips. Different madhahib have slightly different rulings; pick a sound source and be consistent. - Make dua and ask Allah to remove waswas (whispers). The du‘a of the Prophet ﷺ for protection from doubts can be very comforting. - Keep things simple in practice. Learn the basic, valid requirements for wudu and salah and apply those. If you’re fulfilling the essentials, minor variations don’t nullify your worship in most cases. - Limit exposure. If certain accounts or videos trigger you, mute or stop following them. Protect your heart and mind. - Use practical checks, not measuring. If you’re unsure about a tiny bit of skin, redo wudu when it’s reasonable, but don’t get stuck measuring millimetres. Aim for balance. - Talk to someone: a knowledgeable local imam, a trusted Muslim friend, or a counselor if the doubts are severe. Sometimes these things are more than just normal concern and need professional help. - Focus on khushu (concentration) and the bigger picture: sincerity, regularity in prayer, good character. That’s what truly counts. You’re not alone - many of us face waswas. Gentle persistence, reliable guidance, dua, and sometimes cutting out anxiety-inducing content go a long way. Hope this helps.