Correspondence of Hazrat Moulana Shah Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar Saheb (rahimahullah)
Condition:
I experience many lustful thoughts and sexual fantasies. In most cases it is about those whom I have never seen but have merely heard their name. These thoughts occur mostly about religious people. They come by their own and then overpower me to such an extent that I cannot gauge whether I brought them deliberately or they came to me on their own. When these thoughts come to me, I experience three conditions: (1) the thoughts are in my mind, (2) the nafs enjoys this, (3) this thought confuses my heart as to whether this is a sin or not. These thoughts do not come to me when I am in solitude only, but also when I am with my house-folk, walking about, engaged in house-work, etc. When these fantasies go beyond the limit, the heart becomes restless and starts beating faster. I engage in istighfaar, etc. for some time and then experience some peace. I gauge from this condition that I deliberately brought these thoughts. But this happens rarely. When this happens in normal times, I offer salaah and I feel okay. But when it happens on those days of the month when I am not offering salaah, these thoughts increase and, in fact, go beyond the limit. I am most troubled by the fact that I do not know whether they come to me on their own or whether I bring them deliberately into my mind. I am also troubled by the fact that why do I have these thoughts about someone whom I have not even seen?
Answer:
Allah Ta‘ala has placed a natural inclination towards the opposite gender in every human being. The coming of thoughts is also included in this. Allah Ta‘ala did not make man responsible to remove these thoughts. However, there is another stage after this, viz. to deliberately occupy oneself with these thoughts. The fact that these thoughts are remaining within you so excessively is proof that after these thoughts come to you, the nafs (carnal self) occupies itself with them. Allah Ta‘ala made man responsible to save himself from entertaining such thoughts.
The treatment for this is that a person strives and saves himself from these thoughts. Engage in some other permissible task, turn the attention of the mind to something else, and ponder over death, resurrection, and Hell for one or two minutes. Bear whatever pain you experience in doing all this. If there are any shortcomings, atone for them through seeking forgiveness. By repeatedly fighting these thoughts, insha-Allah, the nafs will be overpowered. Continue your efforts in this regard and never become despondent. (Solutions to Spiritual Maladies for the Lovers of Allah Ta‘ala, pg. 254)