10 Tips to Fight Depression !

Assalam O Alaykum,

I would like to share this article,which is very usefull for everyone.

Well,from last few days,i’m xtrmly depressed,so,I was looking for some solution.and i
found this article.

.. Feeling down in the dumps, depressed, having the blues: these are just some of the terms
used to describe a feeling of hopelessness and despair that can hit even the most optimistic
of us at some point in our lives. While clinical depression requires proper professional
treatment, the occasional feeling of sadness due to factors ranging from economic difficulty
to harassment and discrimination can be helped through some simple spiritual practices.
Here are a couple that can help:

1. Look at those below you

The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whenever you see
someone better than you in wealth, face or figure, you should look at someone who is
inferior to you in these respects” (Bukhari, Muslim). If you are reading this article online,
consider this: you are one of the lucky set of human beings on the planet who can afford a
computer and internet connection or at least have access to one. The United Nations
Development Program’s 2007 Human Development Report notes that there are still around
1 billion people living worldwide at the margins of survival on less than $1 a day, with 2.6
billion living on less than $2 a day. Also consider that in the Quran (14:7), God says that if
you are thankful to Him for what you have, He blesses you with more.

2. Serve your fellow human beings

The best way to thank God is to serve humanity, especially those who have less than you.
Serving others is uplifting and rewarding. It helps us gain a better perspective on life’s
challenges, making us realize how very often, are problems seem so small compared to the
awesome difficulties others face. That’s why when the Prophet Muhammad, peace and
blessings be upon him, and the Muslims were a small, poor and persecuted community,
they used to give to the poor even more. They understood that when you are generous when
you have less, you achieve the perspective of a winner. You are focused on the bigger
picture.

3. Read Surah Ad Duha

According to one report, after the Prophet had begun receiving revelation from God, at one
point a long period of time passed with no such communication from Allah. As a result, the
Makkans ridiculed the Prophet and he became severely depressed. That’s when this chapter
was revealed (Quran 93: 1-11). The chapter is a beautiful reminder to us to see life in the
greater scheme of things, to be grateful for what we have and to never give up striving for
what is right. This chapter of the Quran can be considered a direct recipe from God for
depression.

4. Turn to God in all situations

Remember that nothing can harm you without the consent of God. While you must take
care of yourself, rely on God and know that He is always with you and only He can give
you strength in difficult times. Also remember that He will help you can come out of a
trying situation as a better person if you deal with it positively.

5. Remember God’s Names

God has many beautiful Names which describe His attributes and powers. These are
reminders of His Love, Mercy, Forgiveness, Justice, Strength and much, more.
Supplicating to God using these Names reminds us that God has these attributes more than
any other being and that we can and must rely on Him during good and bad times.

6. Say ‘Hasbun Allahu wa Ni’ mal Wakeel‘;

This has been translated as “God suffices me and He is the best guardian.” It is an excellent
way of reminding us that whatever worries we have or problems we face, God has the
answer and cure to all of them and is the only One who can really do what is best for us.

7. Make sure when you leave home,

you read this Dua ‘In the name of Allah, I place my trust in Allah, and there is no might nor
power except with Allah.’ Bismillahe tawakkaltu alAllahe la haula wa la quwwata illa
biAllah.
8. Take your spiritual break from the world,

five times a day Taking a break away from school, work or other life activities to spend a
few minutes to remember God helps you reconnect with the Creator of the Universe, fortify
your soul and strengthen your resolve to live a better life that is in tune with your faith and
principles.

9. End your day on a good note

Shakespeare once wrote a play entitled “All’s well that ends well.” That’s good advice for
dealing with depression too. End a day that may have been riddled with challenges and
frustrations by making Wudu before going to bed, thinking of God and the Prophet and
counting every blessings you have

10. Stop Shaytan in his tracks

Shaytan is the source of many of our negative emotions. It’s his job to make us feel
pessimistic and to despair of any good in life. When you feel these feelings coming on, stop
him dead in his tracks: say Aoutho billahi minash Shaytan ir Rajeem (I seek refuge in Allah
from the accursed satan).

1. ISLAMIC SOLUTION TO DEPRESSION

by Shaykh Omar Baloch

Depression vs Sadness

Let’s start by pointing out some basic differences between Depression and
Sadness. In essence, sadness is part and parcel of human life and part of being
“human”. It is a normal human emotion that more or less all human beings
experience in different phases in their lives. Even holy personalities like Moses,
Jesus and Muhammad went through deep sadness. This is just like if a bee
comes and stings someone, there will be an immediate reaction. The Quran, the
holy book of Islam, provides ample examples from the lives of different
messengers-who were the greatest of all human beings-that they all went
through pain, suffering and the resulting sadness in their lives. From that
perspective, we can conclude that sadness is “normal”. According to Islamic
teachings, God Himself claims that it is HE who bestows happiness and
sadness:

“IT IS HE WHO MAKES YOU LAUGH AND CRY” (QURAN)

But still that immense sadness of Prophets and Messengers (PBUT) didn’t stop
them from pursuing their missions even more vigorously. Their sadness didn’t
result in hopelessness nor in a state of inaction-in other words, they went
through periods of sadness but not depression.

Depression on the other hand, is characterized by hopelessness, loss of

meaning in life, self-worthlessness and feeling of sadness without being able to
identify the cause of the gloominess in life. The two states of crying and
laughing are unique to the Human being, that no other animals shares, and its
purpose is to make us reflect on the realities of life. Everyone experiences
symptoms of depression, but when the symptoms remain for two weeks or
more it is called clinical depression. However, the Quran teaches us, we have to
be careful of many of the symptoms of depression even it is for a short time.
Depression is the result of not being able to do what we want. It is a sense of
loss of freedom & control.

Below we will discuss different types of depressions, and will have solutions to
the hopelessness, meaninglessness, self-worthlessness and daily dysfunctional
life from an Islamic perspective. All change begins by sees things in a new light.
By embracing these truths you will be able to bring light into the gloom of your
life.

Some Basic Truths

1.No human being is burdened with trouble and difficulties they cannot
bear.The Quran teaches “(God) will never place a burden on a soul that it can
not bear”. This shows that the human being can bear many unthinkable
burdens, that one initially feels that they cannot bear. How many times in your
life, you felt you cannot take it anymore, but you lived through it? How many
humans go through great difficulties in life but live through it?
2.After every hardship is easeLife is one difficulty after another. One task after
another, one issue after another. However, it is important to know that while life
tests us, there is ease after hardship. There is the ease of death after the
hardship of life, there is ease of sleep after the hardships of the day, there is
ease of retirement after the hardship of a career, and everything has a high and
a low. What goes up, must come down, likewise, Tough times only mean, the
times of ease are near. The Quran teaches, “The morning light after the
stillness of darkness”….when its dark everything seems still as if it will never go
away. The fact is nothing remains forever and nothing remains the same. So,
after every time of difficulty there is ease. The Quran teaches, “There is ease
after hardship, Indeed there is ease after hardship.”
3.Suffering purifies our humanness

When we go through difficult times, when we have a financial loss, when we

lose a loved one, when we struck by bad times, it brings out the real
humanness in us, and we begin to ask the very questions that are most
fundamental to us, “Why are we here?”, “What is the purpose of life”, “why
me”, “What happened to all my plans and dreams, etc. We learn the frailty of
our humanness. The Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (peace be upon him) said,
“Look at the ones who are less fortunate then you, not at the ones are more
fortunate then you.”

Hunger attracts food. Hunger is a spiritual experience, it is good for the soul,
and food is an experience of the body. In the same way, ease and happiness is
good liked by the body and is welcomed, and hardships and difficulty are
disliked by the body but are very good for the soul. It forces the soul to deal
with the difficult questions of life. It helps us to grow as humans, to find and
deal with our human frailness. And our human frailness helps us to find our
inner most nature.

It’s not the events, which take place that cause happiness or depression-but it’s
our inner reflection of our situation that determines our spirituality and our
emotional maturity.

4.You are not in control, but can choose what you want to do Depression
happens because of a feeling of helplessness. A feeling that we are not in
control; you should embrace that you are not in control at the moment. You
should embrace your lack of control over your situation. Most depression occurs
because of external situations and how we allow external situations to affect
our insides. Perhaps, it’s a good time to turn to the One Who does control
everything. All we ask is you is to, try this… pray to God, even if you don’t
believe in God, pray to Him, talk to Him, and you will feel so comforted in your
heart. Tell God that you know He is in control. Cry to him. We are taught that by
turning to God, we restore ourselves like a dying plant becomes green with
water. As an experiment, do this on blind faith and see if it works, say, “All
admiration belongs to you, if good comes to me its from you, and if some
trouble comes to me its from you, I submit to you, and this situation to you.”
Say this even if you do not believe in God, and see how you feel in the inside.
Second, you can take action regarding your situation. Life is all about choices; a
choice is like putting a seed in the ground that may bare fruit. You put the seed,
and the unseen forces bring the rain. Work on what you can do, you can sow
the seed, you can make the right choices, and you can start to work in a
direction that you want to move in.
5.Three Days The past is gone forever. The Present is all you have, and the
future; leave it for when it comes. The life in this world is short, our time for this
life is constantly running out. One of the great scholars of Islam said, “There is
only one day separating me and the Kings. As for the yesterday, their taste of it
has vanished, and both they and I equally fear what tomorrow will bring. Thus,
there is only today. What will today bring?”
6.Everything is in a Flux, and Most Change is SpontaneousNothing stays the
same. The atoms, the celestial bodies in the heavens, air, water, etc, nothing
stay the same from one moment to the next. Everything is in a flux, this means
people in health will soon face illness, people in illness will soon have relief.
Those that are happy today will soon undergo some sadness, and those that are
sad will have happiness. Most changes in life are spontaneous; losing a job,
death of a loved one, an accident, a terminal illness, etc. This means that your
situation will not be the same forever, if you are not in control today, there will
come a time where it is.
■Belief is the Greatest Cure No pill, counseling session, techniques to cope can
compare to a strong belief in God. As long as one believes in a loving God, one
has a reason to be optimistic. Belief can give you the ability to handle all sorts
of difficult situations. It can give a person the ability to see the positive in the
overwhelmingly negative situation. If you do not believe in God, I would suggest
to believe in Him, give it a try and see if your outlook on the situation changes
for the positive. We all need a something to keep us focused and keep us going,
we all need something that bring clarity to our world, all need to hold on to
something for support. If there is a God, and there is, there is nothing stronger
then the knowledge you can hold on to him to help you cope with your
situation. Also, if there is a God, there must be good in what you are going
through, you may not understand that today, but if we look at our past
situations in life, we will see how the hard times, made us grow. There is a
saying, “God does not create trash.”—Humans being the greatest creation of
God, and YOU were an idea God had that came into existence, so your worth is
that God thought of you to begin with. Also, God does not forsake His care over
his creation and you are His creation.
1.Expectations Most of our depression happens due to high and sometimes
unrealistic expectations. If we can lower our expectations, we minimize the risk
of going into depression. If we can minimize our expectation from others-then
we really put ourselves in a position of strength and fortify ourselves from being
exposed to feelings of being let down, betrayal and rejection-which are strong
precipitating factors for losing self esteem, feeling low and going into
depression.
Classification of Depression as a Psychiatric Disorder

According to DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical manual Version IV), below are
some of the major types of Depression:

■Major depressive disorder (also known as clinical depression or major

depression)
This is a specific diagnosis from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders by the American Psychiatric Association. |
Here are some sub-categories of major depression:

■Atypical depression, a cyclical sub-type of major depression where sleep,

feeding and perception of pleasure are normal but there is a feeling of lethargy
■Melancholic depression a sub-type of major depression characterized by an
inability to feel pleasure combined with physical agitation, insomnia, or
decreased appetite
■Psychotic depression, a sub-type of major depression combined with psychotic
or delusional perceptions
■Depressive Disorder Not Otherwise Specified
■Postpartum depression, a depressive episode occurring within a year of
childbirth
■Dysthymia, a long-term low-grade depressive condition
■Adjustment disorder with depressed mood, previously known as “reactive
depression”
■Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a depressed mood related to the seasons
Other major categories include Bi-polar Depression (manic Depression) and
Dual Diagnosis (Depression along with Substance Abuse). Dual Diagnosis is
most difficult to diagnose and treat because most often people suffering from
major depression self medicate using illegal addictive substances and end up
seeking therapy for substance use. Once treatment for addiction progresses to
an extent, depression comes up to the surface. On other times, depression acts
as a catalyst to relapse in substance abuse and maintains the vicious cycle for
the victim of dual disorder.

The Quranic Treatment of Depression

Let’s now talk about some of the evidence based reasons why people develop
depression

Social Causes of Depression

Family problems: marital problems, parent-child relationship, marital problem

and depression of parents affecting their children. Lack of affection,
attachment, acceptance and bond within the family. When marriage is not
working, it often turns to a stressor, which leads to depression and substance
abuse. Depression of one spouse usually affects the other and the marriage.
Even if the depressed spouse recovers-he/she is likely to relapse due to
unsatisfying marriage. Marital discord often leads to depression and vice-versa,
it may also lead to verbal, physical and emotional abuse.

Solution:
If you find yourself in this situation then

■The first thing to think about is if you need to be in a healthier environment.

Never stay in an abusive place.
■As a family; try to do activities together like eating, going out to the park,
taking a walk, do something spiritual, etc. Do not do things in which the family
is not engaged with themselves like watching tv, movie, etc.
■Help the family member admit there is a problem
■The husband and wife should make a list of their grievances and share it with
each other every night or at least every week. Know your triggers. Focus on
YOUR own responsibilities, rather then YOUR rights.
■Journal and/or find a hobby
■Help someone; especially someone in your situation
■Take a holiday trip together
Lack of Positive Social Network: Stressful social environments, lack of support
network, high expectations and social competition due to cultural norms,
ethnicity and social class play a role in overwhelming people and as a result,
they become vulnerable to depression. A depressed person turns out to be
over-sensitive to social criticism and feed-back, displays low self esteem,
becomes dependent on people and constantly seeks re-assurance in a way that
drives people away from him/her and thus re-enforces his/her idea that he/she
is unworthy as a person.

Solution: If you find yourself in this situation then

■Spend a day doing good deeds

■Smile
■Journal one good thing about yourself everyday. Did you do a good deed? Did
some good fortune come your way?
■Join any sports club, gym or volunteer at a place
■Attend a seminar on a topic you like
■Get a pet
■Rebuild relationships you have lost over time from your family, relatives, high
school days, etc
Gender Issues: Societal norms regarding gender expectations can be source of
stress, especially when women have to play multiple roles like a working mom
who has to take care of her family, go to work and may be attending school
simultaneously. Research also suggests that women are more likely to get
overwhelmed by stressful events than men. Research suggests that single
mothers are thrice more prone to depression than married mothers. Relative
lack of power and discrimination in workplace, financial stress of low paid jobs,
lack of social support network-especially for single mothers, biological factors
like menstrual cycle, pregnancy, child-birth and menopause-they all contribute
to increased risk of depression in women.

Solution: If you find yourself in this situation then:

■See what are the responsibilities you really want to take on & those things that
others can do, you do not need to over burden yourself with— prioritize, and
don’t let other things bother you
■Do not let yourself become over stressed, and if you do take a break
■Know yourself and your body’s limits. Eat properly, sleep properly, give
yourself personal time, exercise, etc.
■Create a schedule
■Read a book
■It’s ok to ask for help (friend, spouse, a support group, a self help for working
mothers or single mothers)
■Hang out with friends
Medical Reasons: Research suggests that stroke, heart attack, cancer,
Parkinson’s disease and hormonal disorders can cause depression in a person
by causing chemical imbalance in the person’s brain..

Solution: If you find yourself in this situation then

■Take extra care of your nutrition.

■Do not over eat. Fill your stomach with 1/3 food, 1/3 water, and leave one 1/3
for air
■Exercise
■Spend time looking at & contemplating nature
■Sleep well
■Incorporate Prayer in your daily schedule
■If you hear bad news, or something that make you upset, just sit down have a
drink of water and see the bright side to the situation
Now, let’s shed some light on how depression is affecting the modern society:

Social Impact of Depression:

Major depression is 4th most disabling condition in the world, and 2nd most in
the developed world. As well as the human cost, the burden on society is
incredible. At the rate of increase, it will be the 2nd most disabling condition in
the world by 2020, behind heart disease. It is estimated 35 to 40 million
Americans living today will suffer from major depression at some time during
their lives, with about half of this amount suffering from recurring depression
symptoms. A major risk outcome of depression is suicide. Here are some facts
correlating depression and suicide:

■About a quarter of suicides in the US are felt to be due to undiagnosed, or

misdiagnosed major depression.
■Up to 80% of suicide deaths are in sufferers of major depression.
Given that suicide is the 8th largest cause of death in the US, it’s no wonder
that major depression is classed as “the nation’s leading mental health
problem”

Islamic Solution to Depression:

■Defining Goal of life: Islam teaches us that we should focus our goal on
succeeding in our life to come after this life. If we emphasize on the transitory
nature of this worldly life-then most of our problems of this life lose it’s
importance in our lives and subsequently lose their power of a having negative
impact on us.
■With difficulty, comes ease.
■Everyone needs a support system, and everyone needs a best friend, and
everyone need role models.
■God never burdens a soul more than it can bear.
■Develop gratitude for the blessings that God has given you.
■A depressed person needs a source to turn to, turn to God for help, support,
mercy and forgiveness.
■If there is a God, and there is, only good will become of the negative situation
one finds themselves in.
■Find out purpose and value in your life and in everything that you’re going
through.
■Incorporate prayer in your schedule at least twice a day. Talk to God.
■Live one day at a time.
■Surrender your unmanageable problems and things over which you’ve lost
control of to God.
■Always Hope in Allah’s mercy.
■Get involved with your religious organizations, charities, or some other
volunteer work
■One should say “al-hamdu lillah” a few hundred times a day. A phrase in the
Arabic language that means “All praise and gratitude for God”. Muslims say this
phrase when they are in difficult situations.
■If we think it is a bad situation, it could have been worse. If we think it is a
good situation, it is still a test for us. Everything is from God and we should
praise Him often. Thanking Him is one way to praise Him—al-hamdu lillah.
■Each one of us came to this world for a purpose
■Exercise
■Nutrition
■Sleep well
■Read
 ■Contemplate
■Write a Journal
■Reconnect with your lost relationships
■Spend time in nature
■REMEMBER THE “SOME BASIC TRUTHS”

There is a difference between just being depressed, and clinical depression.

Just being depressed is what happens when something bad or unfortunate happens to
you. You are sad or upset for a while, and gradually, the bad feelings go away. Think
of just being depressed as a big dose of sadness - this happens to pretty much
everyone at one or more points in their lives (death of a family member, loss of a job,
house burns down, etc). In this case, people "go on" with life, although they may have
reminders (maybe the first anniversary of a death) which trigger sadness again.

Clinical depression is what it is called when there is no underlying cause for the
sadness that goes on for a long period of time (for instance, someone is extremely sad
and crying all the time, but nothing bad has happened to them). People who are
clinically depressed find it very difficult to even live their day-to-day lives. They can't
just "go-on" with life, and become very dark (in their mind) and may have other
effects, such as loss of sleep or appetite, thoughts of suicide, or lack of any physical
energy.

Clinical depression can be assisted by having someone around to make sure a person
gets up and gets moving every day, they eat healthy, and avoid sugar. Having a
hobby with a friend (who will again, get you up and moving) can also help. If you have
a friend who is Muslim, perhaps sitting and reading Quran together can be your
"hobby". If you can't get pulled out (or pull your friend/family member out) of your
depression, you may need to speak with a counselor first, or as a last resort, look to a
medical professional for medical intervention.

If at any time a depressed person feels suicidal - GET HELP!

Salaam,

I am a medical student (3rd year) with a degree in Psychology and I strongly disagree
with you. Depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain and one cannot simply "get
over it." Now I am not talking about the person who is grieving natural grief due to a
loss or trauma, but clinical depression. I am rounding in Psychitry presently and many
of my patients have a very strong belief in God.

Just yesterday I was observing a group session that addressed grief and one patient
said prayer was the only thing that saved her. Depression is a medical condition, just
like a broke leg or collapsed lung or an infection. There are medications and
counseling that can help the patient get on a more even keel. Sadly our society still
stigmatizes these people who are struggling to get better, thus creating a bigger
obstacle to overcome.

Brother, I suggest you do some reading and research in this area before passing such
harsh judgement. You specialty is radiology so perhaps you should limit your medical
opinion to your area of expertise. Or maybe you should rotate in a Psychiatric clinic for
a few weeks and see it up close and personal.
Wasalaam

Depression is not weak faith

Depression is not being given the attention it deserves in Muslim communities. Indeed,
many of our scholars dismiss depression as simply weak faith.

BY IRFAN YUSUF, APRIL 10, 2005

I spent my high school years wearing the uniform of an Anglican Cathedral School in
Sydney's Central Business District (CBD). Like most adolescents, I was heavily into
music. Unlike all my other classmates, I attended Muslim youth camps during the
Christmas holidays.

The music at St Andrews was an interesting mix. At chapel, we would listen to the
sounds of one of the world's great church choirs. But in our locker rooms and in the
walkmans we listened to outside of class, it was Aussie rock.

At the Muslim camps, most of the "woggier" Muslim kids listened to Spandau Ballet
and Duran Duran. But being a St Andrews boy, I had to keep the Aussie rock alive. My
stereo was bigger than their's, and didn't they regret it!

My idea of decent Muslim camp music was AC/DC or INXS (before they became
popular in the US). Midnight Oil was also a rebellious favourite (most of the over-hair-
gelled Lebanese kids could not understand the lyrics
most of the time).

But one sound brought St Andrews and Muslim camp

kids together. It was the sweet sound of the Finn
brothers. Whether they called themselves Split Enz (a
band that only seemed to enjoy American success in
Canada) or Crowded House or whether performing
solo, the Finn brothers were a hit for all of us.
Dying for some understanding
But behind every great singer or band is a good
drummer. And the magical drummer of both Split Enz
and Crowded House was the talented Paul Hester. Paul was part of the musical force
that brought St Andrews lads and Muslim camp louts together.

Paul's end was also caused by a darker force that brings an end to persons of all ages
and religions. Paul suffered from depression. He battled with the illness for years. He
must have won many battles with it. But eventually, he lost the war.

When I heard about Hester's suicide, I could not help but remember one of my
relatives in Pakistan. The last time we spoke, he told me of visiting one of our uncles
in a psychiatric hospital in Karachi. The uncle was lying on a mat on the floor with all
the other patients. The stench of the ward was overbearing. The patients were a
motley bunch � schizophrenics, the drug addicted and patients suffering various
degrees of psychosis. My uncle was depressed and had been so for years.

Depression is supposed to be the common cold of psychiatric illnesses. Yet it kills an

awful lot of people and destroys even more lives than one would expect from a simple
flu. What saddens me is that depression is not being given the attention it deserves in
Muslim communities.

Indeed, many of our scholars dismiss depression as simply weak faith. One prominent
Muslim youth leader in Melbourne is known to have advised one depressed young man
to recite dua's (supplications) and take himself off the anti-depressants he had been
prescribed. The young man followed the advice. Within 6 months, he had attempted
suicide twice.

I was fortunate to meet a classically trained scholar from the United States last year.
Naeem Abdul Wali was trained in Turkey by prominent scholars and sufis from the
Naqshbandi tradition. I asked him what should have been a simple question: How can
we tell the difference between sinful despair (giving up on the mercy of Allah and
failing to recognise the truth of the last verse of Surat al-Baqarah)* and the symptoms
of depression?

Shaykh Naeem agreed that it should be a simple question. He also agreed that if
tasawwuf is the science of Islamic psychology, its practitioners should be able to
answer such a fundamental question. But sadly, there was no easy answer.

In the case of his own Shaykh in Turkey (Mahmud Effendi), Shaykh Naeem
acknowledged that many persons suffering depression approached him and asked for
help. If he felt he had the skills to help them through spiritual means, he did. If not,
Mahmud Effendi would advise them to see a psychiatrist.

This is true scholarly humility, a far cry from the arrogance of those local mosque
imams and their blank-cheque fatwas on depression being weak faith.

Shaykh Naeem said that many ulama had failed to keep themselves abreast of recent
developments in psychological treatment. More than that, it seems to me that many
self-help books on the market merely re-package the existing ancient wisdom of
traditional religions (including Islam). Indeed, I have probably read at least 5 ahadith
of general advice given by the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of God be
upon him) which mirror the basic prescriptions of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
(CBT).

But if you tell that to many of our imams, they will say you are falling prey to
dangerous innovation.

We need to take depression more seriously. It is affecting more and more people in
our communities. We ignore it at our peril. Yes, we know suicide is morally
reprehensible and forbidden under the sharia. Depression often leads to suicide. This
fact in itself should make us more vigilant of recognising depression and encouraging
others we suspect are suffering from it to seek help.

Our imams also need to consider upgrading their knowledge of psychological and
counselling techniques. They need to be equipped to provide spiritual support to
depression sufferers and their carer families. Our community organisations need to be
equipped with strategies to educate their communities about depression, its symptoms
and effects.

Most of all, the stigma attached to depression must be lifted. Depression is an illness
like diabetes. Both can be properly medicated and controlled. But both can also kill.
* "La yukallifullahu nafsan illah wus aha", which more or less means Allah does not
burden any individual with something s/he cannot bear. Abdullah Yusuf Ali (God have
mercy on him) translates the verse as: "On no soul doth God place a burden greater
than it can bear".

Irfan Yusuf, an Australian industrial and employment lawyer, is a freelance writer

whose interests include law, gender issues, international relations, spirituality and
conservative politics. His writings can be seen online at Planet Irf and Madhab Irfy.

The Phenomenon of Grief and Depression

Im�m al-Haramain Sa'�d ash-Shuraim
First Khutbah

O people! I advise you all and myself to fear Allah and be pious because that is the source of
might, honour and security in this life, and the way to salvation on the Day of Resurrection, as
Allah says that which translates as:

�And there is none of you except he will come to it. [i.e., Hell] This is upon your Lord
an inevitability decreed. Then We will save those who feared Allah and leave the
wrongdoers within it, on their knees.� (Maryam: 71-72).

Slaves of Allah! If one takes a just and unbiased look at the current condition of mankind in
general and the Muslims in particular, in an era where technology is at its most advanced and
civilization is at its most developed in economic, medical, military and informational terms, they
will find that all this worldly knowledge, information and development is inherently deficient and
inept because it cannot produce a single human being who realises the reason for his creation.

There is no doubt that this is a fact, otherwise, how can one explain the spread of
ignorance and illiteracy in the era of knowledge and technology? Why is there so much
poverty at a time of abundant resources? Why is unemployment overwhelming in an
era of mass production and manufacturing? Why do some international researchers
who specialise in community affairs call this era an era of grief and depression after
they called the previous one an era of anxiety?

We do not need many evidences to prove that we are suffering from the spread of this
phenomenon, the phenomenon of grief and depression.

Slaves of Allah! This is the destructive problem of our time and it is the most widespread
amongst all the psychological diseases in the world. It is continually on the increase. An
accurate International survey affirms that ten percent of the world's population suffers from it,
including the Muslim countries, which means that hundreds of millions of people are living
through this bitter reality. Moreover, there is proof that this phenomenon is starting at a
younger age as time goes by and that it affects twice as many females as males. This has
resulted from the fact that women are not practicing their natural role in the community due to
them shouldering responsibilities which they were forced to, leading them to leave the role of
raising their children to maids and day care centres.

The number of suicides resulting from grief and depression has exceeded eight hundred
thousand annually, and this is beside the fact that eighty percent of those who suffer from it do
not see doctors in order to report or solve the problem.

This is not a new phenomenon and its causes are not mysterious, rather it is the natural and
expected result when people become obsessed by gathering and collecting worldly belongings
and when people�s concerns become purely materialistic. Therefore, this problem differs from
one country or community to another and is dependent on the weakness of people�s belief in
Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, The Last Day and the divine decree. This is in
addition to people�s behaviour and the degree of security, justice and love between the people.

This phenomenon has interested scholars of various disciplines, medical doctors, writers and
journalists who have studied and addressed this problem. In many cases the articles written
have been of little benefit, and as much as people have addressed this problem, no one seems
to have approached it correctly. The only correct and acceptable way of curing and solving this
problem is if its diagnosis is founded on scientific treatment which is based on authentic
laboratory tests and reports conducted by trustworthy specialists who apply the principles of
Islam to all their tests and stay away from the purely materialistic bias which fails to attach any
value to the spiritual side of the problem.

Grief is a something natural that humans feel due to their common problems, it is when it
increases and overwhelms a person that it becomes what is known as depression. This is a
condition that is considered to be at the highest level of grief and results in a person becoming
controlled and dominated by their inner misery, the result of which is despair and loss of
happiness. It is usually accompanied with headaches, bone problems, ulcers and other
symptoms; it also makes a person lose their taste of joy and happiness. The results of
depression include laziness, loss of energy and hatred of life which makes some people feel that
suicide is the only solution. Imaam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

"Four things destroy the body: anxiety, grief, hunger and sleeping late."

Applying medical treatment with a religious foundation, extracted from the Book of Allah and the
Sunnah of the Prophet sallallaahu �alaihi wa sallam is vital because it is the most perfect and
safest form of treatment, especially when one compares this to the hundreds of medications and
tranquilizers which have flooded the market and which the human body becomes addicted to,
thereby descending into a worse and more serious condition than depression.

Some medical reports state that swimming and frequently doing house work is a
solution for depression, but it is ludicrous to imagine that depressed people will
always remain in swimming pools or be constantly doing housework. On the other hand,
it is accepted that a person can easily be remembering Allah, glorifying him and seeking His
forgiveness at all times, whether he is standing, sitting or lying down. This is how Allah
described the people of understanding when He says that which translates as:

�[Those] Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and
give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying]: 'Our Lord! You did
not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from
the punishment of the Fire'�. (Aal �Imraan: 190-191).

Therefore, we can see the importance of spiritual treatment to these problems, although there is
no doubt that medication is also necessary, but the point is that we must not ignore the spiritual
treatments that exist for these problems.

One may well ask: we realise that these problems exist, but what are the reasons behind them
and what is the solution?

The answer is that in some cases, there are purely medical reasons behind depression which
cannot be ignored, the most common being the frequent consumption of medication, drugs and
alcohol. This leads to a person becoming addicted to them and subsequently feeling that their
life is pointless without them. This results in a chemical imbalance within the brain which causes
depression. Another reason why depression takes place is due to heredity, when one inherits
them through their genes. We shall concentrate on the some of the reasons why depression
exists which have been specifically addressed by Islam and dispraised and warned against it in
many verses of the Qur�aan and in various Ahaadeeth.

In many Qur'aanic verses and Ahaadeeth it is mentioned that the heart which is heedless of the
remembrance of Allah, which is reflected by the heedlessness of the tongue is an indication of
grief and misery for the person who is afflicted by this. Allah says that which translates as:
�And whoever turns away from My remembrance � Indeed, he will have a depressed
[i.e., difficult] life, and We will gather [i.e., raise] him on the Day of Resurrection
blind.� (Taa Haa: 124).

Also, it is also mentioned in the Sunnah that sins lead to depression, as stated in the book of
Imaam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy upon him, that the Prophet sallallaahu �alaihi wa sallam
said,

�If a slave�s sins increase and he does not have enough good deeds which would
wipe these out, then Allah will afflict him with grief and sorrow in order to wipe them
out�.

Being anxious and concerned about the future and the lack of belief in divine decree and pre-
destination is another cause of this problem. Some people worry about what the future holds for
them and fear being incapable of dealing with problems, disasters and calamities, if and when
they arrive. One finds that such people are in such a frenzy at times of tribulation that if they
could find refuge in a cave or other remote and concealed place, they would rush like mad to get
to it.
Bad dreams caused by Satan, who instils sorrow in a person, also play an important role the
cause of depression. The Prophet sallallaahu �alaihi wa sallam informed us that Satan comes to
people as they sleep and makes them see things which results in them feeling grief and sorrow.
This is why we see many people who suffer from depression not being able to sleep properly.

Other reasons that lead to depression are debts which a person cannot repay, cowardliness at
the time of fear and stinginess whilst aggressively collecting wealth.

The Proof that debts cause grief and anxiety lies in the Hadith where the Prophet
sallallaahu �alaihi wa sallam went into the mosque one day and found Abu Umaamah, may
Allah be pleased with him, and said: �O Abu Umaamah! Why do I see you sitting in the mosque
when it is not prayer time?�
Abu Umaamah, may Allah be pleased with him, replied: "It is due to Anxiety and grief, which
resulted from debts that I owe."
So the Prophet sallallaahu �alaihi wa sallam said: �Shall I teach words which will take away
your grief and by which Allah will help you repay your debts, if you were to say them?�
Abu Umaamah, may Allah be pleased with him replied: "Yes! O Messenger of Allah."
Thereupon, the Prophet sallallaahu �alaihi wa sallam said:
�Every morning and every evening say, O Allah! I seek refuge in you from anxiety and grief,
weakness and laziness, miserliness and cowardliness, the burden of debts and from being over
powered by men." After this, Abu Umaamah, may Allah be pleased with him, commented that:
"I did this and Allah relieved my sorrow and anxiety and helped me repay my debts."

These were some reasons behind depression, and through these one can clearly see the
connection between depression and straying away from the guidance and the path of Allah,
committing that which Islam has prohibited, and being attached to worldly matters. Allah says
that which translates as:

�So whoever Allah wants to guide � He expands his breast to [contain] Islam; and
whoever He wants to misguide � He makes his breast tight and constricted as though
he were climbing into the sky. Thus does Allah place defilement upon those who do
not believe.� (Al-An�aam: 125).

Second Khutbah

O people! In order to address this topic in a comprehensive manner we must briefly point out
some of the best ways of curing this problem, based on the Islamic texts in addition to the
testimony of eminent and specialised medical doctors:

The first and most important is the obligation of the Muslim nation of performing Jihaad for the
sake of Allah, propagating it and inviting people to perform it, and warning against being
inclined towards this life and its pleasures. This is the way to a prosperous and tranquil heart,
and a means of getting rid of grief and misery. The Prophet sallallaahu �alaihi wa sallam said:
�When people become stingy, deal with �Eenah (a form of Ribaa), follow their cattle and
become satisfied with agriculture (i.e., become attached to agriculture and commerce) then
Allah will afflict them with humiliation until they return to their religion�.

The Prophet sallallaahu �alaihi wa sallam also said,

�Perform Jihaad because it is one of the gates that lead to Paradise, and a way
through which Allah relieves people from anxiety and grief�.

The correct understanding and belief in divine decree and pre-destiny is another way to treat
this problem. When a person believes that there was no way that he could have escaped
whatever befell him and that all matters are in the Hands of Allah, including ones provisions and
death, and that no one will die until he consumes all his decreed provision and until he lives for
the whole amount of time that was given to him, then he will definitely rely on Allah completely
without any worry or grief and will face all his problems with strength and resolution. Also, if
people acknowledge that whatever Allah has decreed resulted from His perfect wisdom, then
they will be content with whatever He decrees. One who is discontent will become an easy
victim for grief, disease and following base desires. Al-Hasan, may Allah have mercy upon him,
was asked how he attained his good manners, he replied:

"From being content with the decree of Allah".

Abu Haatim, may Allah have mercy upon him, reported that some of the Salaf said regarding
being content:
"There is no rank higher or mightier than being content. It is the peak of loving Allah".

This is exactly why Prophet Zakiryaa, peace be upon him, supplicated to Allah to grant this to
his son, as Allah says that which translates as:

��And make him, my Lord, pleasing [to You]."(Maryam: 6).

Contentment can only be established when the slave has firmly in his mind the
conviction that whatever Allah decrees results from His wisdom. Allah provides and
deprives for a wise reason, and this is the only thing that will make a person feel at ease during
times of hardships. This also applies during times of prosperity, as Allah informs us in the
Qur�aan about Prophet Sulaymaan, peace be upon him, with that which translates as:

��'This is from the favour of my Lord to test me whether I will be grateful or

ungrateful. And whoever is grateful � his gratitude is only for the [benefit of] himself.
And whoever is ungrateful � then indeed, my Lord is free of need and Generous.' (An-
Naml:40).

This is also evident in the saying of the Prophet sallallaahu �alaihi wa sallam when his son
Ibrahim died:

�The eyes cry tears, and the heart becomes sad, but we will not say that which will
bring the wrath of our Lord. If it was not a true promise, and that we will meet in an
appointed time, and that the last will eventually follow (die) after the first, then we
would have cried hard for your death (O Ibrahim). Indeed we are saddened by your
departure� (Al-Bayhaqi & Ibn Maajah).

By saying this, the Prophet sallallaahu �alaihi wa sallam meant that had he not known that
there was a wisdom from Allah behind taking his son, he would have extremely been saddened.

Extra prostration and glorification of Allah and worship in general takes away grief.
Allah says that which translates as:

��And We already know that your breast is constrained by what they say. So exalt
[Allah] with praise of your Lord and be of those who prostrate [to Him]. And worship
your Lord until there comes to you the certainty [i.e., death].� (Al-Hijr: 97-99).

Whenever the Prophet sallallaahu �alaihi wa sallam felt grief or worry, he would rush to prayer.
The Prophet sallallaahu �alaihi wa sallam said:

�Whoever continuously asks forgiveness from Allah, then Allah will make a way out
for him from all his worries, and will provide him from means he never would have
expected�.

The dish of Talbeenah is another relief from grief and anxiety, as narrated by �Aa�ishah, may
Allah be pleased with her, that the Prophet sallallaahu �alaihi wa sallam said:

�Talbeenah relieves a person�s heart from anxiety and some of its grief� (Bukhari &
Muslim).

Talbeenah is a natural medicine which is prepared by boiling wheat or barley with either honey
or milk, or both of them.

The final cure is that which the Prophet sallallaahu �alaihi wa sallam advised us with when he
said:

�Allah will relieve any slave who is afflicted with grief and anxiety from his anxiety
and replace his grief with happiness if he says: 'O Allah! I am Your servant, son of
Your servant, son of Your maidservant, my forelock is in Your hand, Your command
over me is forever executed and Your decree over me is just. I ask You by every name
belonging to You which You named Yourself with, or revealed in Your Book, or You
taught to any of Your creation, or You have preserved in the knowledge of the unseen
with You, that You make the Qur�aan the life of my heart and the light of my chest,
and a departure for my sorrow and a release for my anxiety. O Allah! Teach me from it
that which I am ignorant of and remind me with it that which I was made to forget; I
ask You by Your mercy, for You are the Most Merciful, to grant me its recitation during
the hours of night and day in the form which pleases You'� .

The people asked: "O Prophet of Allah! Should we learn (i.e., memorize) these
words�. He sallallaahu �alaihi wa sallam replied:

�Yes! Everyone who hears this should memorise it�.

What I have mentioned are some helpful ways of curing the sickness of depression.