DEPRESSION IN THE ‘LIGHT’ OF ISLAM
“You lack in imaan, your faith in Allah is not good enough, being sad is kufr, don’t be ungrateful by crying and moping around all the time”!
This is what most people hear when they say they’re depressed. I did too. 😔
After going through a phase of clinical depression/anxiety myself a couple of years ago I can say for a fact that it is undoubtedly one of the darkest places you can ever be. And it is 100% REAL!
WHY you spiral into depression is another story but today I want to focus on what Islam says about depression. 💬 [edit: sadness, crying, grief].
The popular story of Prophet Yaqoob (a.s.) who cried relentlessly and was overcome with grief (even lost his eye sight) when he was separated from his son Prophet Yusuf (a.s.) shows us that sadness is a completely normal emotion and it’s not only okay to express it but that grieving is a process.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has felt sadness in his heart and cried multiple times. For instance, he cried at the death of his son Ibrahim, he has weeped in prayer several times and has burst into tears when he saw the martyrdom of his grandsons (peace be upon them) in his dream.
Does this mean their faith in Allah was shaky? Does it mean they didn’t have patience/’sabr’? Does it mean that they did not accept the will of Allah? No! In fact when Yaqoob (a.s.) was questioned by one of his other sons about his depression, he answered:
“I only complain of my distraction and anguish to Allah…” (Yusuf, 12/86)
Through this statement Allah unravels some extremely important points:
• You can complain TO Allah (of your situation) but not ABOUT Allah. Know that there is goodness in difficulties even though you cannot see it at the time.
• Crying (particularly in prayer) is encouraged in Islam.
“The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There are seven whom Allah will shade with His shade on the day when there will be no shade but His…(the seventh being) a man who remembers Allah when he is alone and his eyes flow with tears.”
-Bukhari and Muslim
• The virtue of patience/sabr should NOT be equated with crying. They are two separate things.
(I remember crying for no reason at all, but asking Allah for help even when there was hardly any clarity of thought at the same time).
• Dont tell your boys that there is weakness in crying, teach them that strength lies in goodness of character, sensitivity and prayer.
Having said this I want to emphasize here that depression is different for everyone. Sometimes it can get to the point of wanting to take one’s own life. If it ever does remember this 👇🏽
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “None of you should wish for death due to a calamity that has afflicted him. And if he cannot, but long for death, then he should say: O Allah, Let me live as long as life is better for me, and take my life if death is better for me.”
-Bukhari 5347, Muslim 2680
And more importantly (alongside prayer) GET PROFESSIONAL HELP!
The darkness will be lifted I assure you (in sha Allah). 🙂
Pray for guidance but ask for professional counsel as well. ➕
Hope this helps someone. 💙
#depression
#islamicpsychology
#mentalillness
#anxiety
#psychology