Rare Difficult in Praying Salah

--- **Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh,** I hope you are well. I am writing to seek guidance regarding a difficulty I am facing in my Salah. I used to pray normally—silently with lip movement and a soft whisper. But over the years, due to waswasah and anxiety, I slowly started praying louder to avoid doubts about pronunciation. Now it has become a habit I cannot undo, and I feel I must hear every word clearly for my Salah to be valid. Even small background sounds like a fan disturb me, so I recite much louder than necessary. Because of this pressure, Salah has become very tiring. My tongue sometimes becomes stiff due to anxiety, and even Attahiyat becomes a struggle. I also tried returning to silent prayer, but it feels forced, unnatural, and even more incorrect, which increases my anxiety. This habit has also increased the duration of my Salah. Time is not an issue for me, but in India where people pray fast, others sometimes question why my prayer takes longer, which makes me more conscious. Praying in the mosque becomes harder because Imams complete Attahiyat very quickly. Many times the Imam stands up while I am still halfway through, which adds to my fear and confusion. All this has affected my khushu, and I often feel emotionally drained after Salah. I love Salah deeply and do not want waswasah to take away my peace. My questions are: 1. Is my Salah valid if I cannot clearly hear my recitation due to background sounds like a fan? 2. Can I pray with a soft whisper or only lip movement, even if doubts remain? 3. How can I break this habit of loud recitation and return to the proper silent method? 4. What should I do when I pray slower than the congregation or struggle to finish Attahiyat behind the Imam? 5. Are there Islamic guidelines or steps to overcome this type of waswasah? I would be grateful for your advice. May Allah reward you for helping people in these matters. **JazakAllahu Khairan. Wassalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah.** ---