Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
I am a sunni. I have been having problems doing ghusl. Sometimes I cannot get the niyat instilled correctly, sometimes I cannot get the sincerity especially when there are intrusive thoughts, sometimes, I cannot feel the water touching especially hard to reach parts, sometimes doubts abt thoroughly cleansing the body. I tried to ignore these feeling and thoughts but I am not always successful. When it is very bad, I repeat the ghusl. In the past, I felt good after repeating a ghusl. Recently, I don’t feel completely purified after repeating for one reason or another or just a general feeling of not purified.
Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,
The intention is straightforward: it is the resolve to perform an action, and its sign is to know in your heart what you’re doing. It is not normally conceivable that one would perform a specific action (such as fasting or prayer) without having intended it. Thus, you should ignore the misgivings about lack of intention, and simply continue, assuming–as Prophetic guidance entails–that your intention and resultant action are sound.
Please see the following related SunniPath Answers (http://qa.sunnipath.com):
Baseless Misgivings (Waswasa): Some General Principles
Misgivings: the fiqh of doing one’s best…
Misgivings (waswasa) on toilet matters
And search for more related SunniPath Answers on http://qa.sunnipath.com
Jazakum Allah khayr.
And Allah alone gives success.