Al-Matalib al-'Aliyah 3003 — Whispering doubts

It is narrated from Shahr bin Hawshab that a man said to Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her): "Indeed, one of us finds in himself such (displeasing) thoughts and whispers that if he were to bring them to his tongue his Hereafter would be ruined, and if they (the thoughts) were exposed (to people) he would be killed." The narrator said: On hearing this, Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said 'Allahu akbar' (Allah is the Greatest) three times, then said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had also been asked about this, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) too said 'Allahu akbar' (Allah is the Greatest) three times and then said: "In fact, the believer is only being tested (through such intense whispers)."
Abu Ya'la narrated this hadith in his Musnad; in its chain Layth bin Abi Sulaym and Shahr bin Hawshab have been criticised; however, the substance of the theme concerning such whispers is also reported in reliable hadiths of Sahih Muslim and others, where he (peace and blessings be upon him) declared the fear of such whispers to be a sign of clear faith.