Islam and Anxiety: No, Mental Illness does not mean Lower Imān

Ameena Barhoum
November 2, 2021
Islam, Lifestyle

Everyone gets anxious. It’s normal and human and basically a requirement for living in the 21st century at this point. In fact, anxiety is an important response of the human body. The symptoms of anxiety – the sweaty palms, raised blood pressure, heightened senses, increased alertness – are all critical in warning us that danger is approaching. Back in the day (like way back stone age times), this would be life-saving – the difference between dying at the hands of a sudden wild animal attack and surviving the encounter.

Nowadays though we are stimulated so constantly (not to sound like an ethnic parent on Whatsapp but social media can be very problematic), and these same signals are going off for no reason. We’ve become hyper-vigilant and almost anything can set off our body’s natural anxiety response.

Looking at the jacket in the corner of your room when it’s dark? Triggered anxious response.

Upcoming job interview? Triggered anxious response.

Impending assignment deadline? Triggered anxious response.

Of course life goes on, whether we are ready to face it or not. And if we don’t face it, it keeps piling up and up until eventually you feel like you’re drowning.

And sometimes that drowning feeling sticks around for a while.

I The Reality of Mental Health and Islam

According to the National Health Survey 2017–18, 1 in 5 Australians suffer from mental health issues¹. To pretend like this doesn’t affect our Muslim populations is unwise, as these are staggeringly high statistics for an issue unbearably taboo within most Muslim communities.

Mental health is a central element to one’s well being. Islam advocates that believers maintain their body in this life, in order to continue to best worship and please Allah. The physical maintenance of our bodies is important, but an overlooked yet incredibly significant element of this complex body we have been blessed with, is our minds.

And, like our bodies, sometimes our minds become injured or unwell.

There is a quiet shadow that falls over people when you mention mental health or display symptoms of mental illness. It’s a topic that’s not to be seen or heard, with poor mental health often correlated with low imān (piety), as if mental illness is somehow a punishment or penance for a lack of spirituality.

It’s almost ironic that this attitude is so pervasive in Muslim communities, since the sacred Islamic tradition has a long history of discussing and supporting individuals with mental illness. The mind, body and soul have been long recognised as separate entities, that together make up the entirety of a person’s wellbeing.

Centuries of Islamic scholars and philosophers including Al Kindi, Al Ghazali, Al-Razi and Ibn Sina all make references to the different faculties of the body and mind, and the importance of retaining health and balance in both, in order to holistically improve our spirituality.²

The earliest record of a dedicated psychiatric hospital is found in Baghdad, dated back to the Muslim civilisation in the 9th century. Records of the second psychiatric hospital to exist was also found in a Muslim society, in Cairo at the end of the 9th century.³ Treatment of mental illness has a rich history within the Islamic record, as our religion has always prioritised taking care of oneself.

To help yourself mentally improve is to help yourself gain a stronger connection with Allah.

II Mental Health and the Prophetic Experience

Following the deaths of his first wife, Khadijah (RA) and his patron uncle, Abu Talib, the Prophet ﷺ experienced a great deal of mental anguish, that period recorded as ‘The Year of Sorrow’ in most historical records. This year featured several traumatic events for the Prophet ﷺ, as the loss of protection from Abu Talib resulted in a response of physical violence by his enemies. This year also included the infamous Taif visit, in which the Prophet ﷺ was forcefully and brutally thrown out of the city after attempting to bring them to Islam.

Hence, experiencing mental distress is something faced by even the best of people, our dearest Prophet ﷺ, and to conflate it with spirituality seems to be a dangerous trend that has proliferated.

Mental illness is a test, just as physical illness is a test. As with all tests from Allah they are given in order to strengthen our bond and love for Him, putting our trust in Allah whilst actively working to better ourselves.

Unlike physical illnesses however, most mental illnesses negatively skew the way you view things, particularly about yourself or events in your life. This is more than just an attitude problem; your brain’s synapses have been altered and aren’t working normally, just like if you had injured your leg and now found it difficult to walk.⁴ This is why an anxious response can be triggered by seemingly harmless events, or why excessive worrying can lead to difficulty engaging in basic everyday tasks.

This is where the community issue lies, as whilst there is support and avenues for different physical illnesses, the path to get help for mental illness is a lot trickier to find. This is even worse when there is pressure to remain silent about the issue, or stigma and judgement about your level of spirituality. It is difficult to reach out for help when you are already in a vulnerable mental state. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ advocated for the importance of embracing and acknowledging one’s emotions, good or bad, as both are a means of getting closer to Allah. Along with this advice is the reminder to monitor one’s inner narrative during difficult times, and the role a community plays in supporting individuals struggling with these issues is invaluable. ⁵

The Prophet ﷺ also emphasised the importance of seeking help and not suffering in silence.⁶ This is easier said than done, but especially in the 21st century, where Muslims are suffering all over the world and we are living through a global pandemic, the need to speak out and get professional help for mental illness has never been more important.

In writing this article, I was extraordinarily nervous, as if this piece might serve as a confession to something I was not ready to share. I think this shows the strength of the stigma of mental illness in the Muslim community, a deep internalisation that prevents many Muslims from taking the Prophetic advice and finding avenues of help for themselves.

Anxiety is an illness, and like all illnesses it should be treated with seeking out actual remedies (including therapy, potentially medication, meditation and breathing techniques) while also putting our faith in Allah.

III Practical tips to improve Mental Health

The Prophet ﷺ also emphasised the importance of seeking help and not suffering in silence. This is easier said than done, but especially in the 21st century, where Muslims are suffering all over the world and we are living through a global pandemic, the need to speak out and get professional help for mental illness has never been more important.

In writing this article, I was extraordinarily nervous, as if this piece might serve as a confession to something I was not ready to share. I think this shows the strength of the stigma of mental illness in the Muslim community, a deep internalisation that prevents many Muslims from taking the Prophetic advice and finding avenues of help for themselves.

Anxiety is an illness, and like all illnesses it should be treated with seeking out actual remedies (including therapy, potentially medication, meditation and breathing techniques) while also putting our faith in Allah.

1. Plan time to worry

Okay I know this sounds counterintuitive but hear me out. The thing is anxiety is a habit, it’s not something that you can immediately switch off and the more you try to stop worrying, the worse it usually gets. So, set aside some time to indulge your worries. Leave 5 minutes in your day to just let your brain do its worrying so that it tires itself out. Sometimes I picture my brain with mental illness as a 5-year-old child – it needs to run around and tire itself out so that it can be more easily taken care of. However, if ruminating about these worries makes you feel worse, it’s important to get them out of your mind. Which brings us to the next point.

2. As cliché as it sounds, write⁷

Now writing isn’t exactly everyone’s cup of tea, nor does it work wonders for everyone, but it’s always brought up with anxiety remedies because it does have a lot of merit. What you write is entirely up to you, whether it just means writing a clear schedule of everything you need to do so the thoughts aren’t racing in your brain, or doing some old fashioned journaling and writing down your thoughts in a notebook. It could also be worth keeping note of your triggers and observing what works for calming yourself down, because tracking your own personal anxiety patterns is always helpful. Either way, write, because releasing your thoughts on the page means they won’t be stuck in your head as much.

3. Have a nice scent going⁸

This one might sound dumb, but it’s easy and lighting a candle or incense or having a diffuser go off in the background can work wonders. Your brain will subconsciously calm down if your environment is comfortable and soothing. Smelling some lavender, peppermint or chamomile will activate certain receptors in your brain, making the whole relaxation process so much easier.

4. Be kind to yourself

This is by far the hardest one, but try and remember that you are not the overbearing anxiety, it is an illness that you are fighting. You were designed perfectly by Allah and your brain reflects that, it only ever wants to protect you, it’s just gotten a bit confused in the process. So be kind and give yourself concessions, it is not easy to live with anxiety.

IV Duas to make anxiety easier

The fortunate part of being a Muslim is that we can turn to Allah. Mental illness is a difficult thing to overcome because it shapes your thought patterns as well as your feelings, which means the cycle is hard to break. Though there is true solace in knowing that at the end of the day, Allah is always going to be there for you to turn to.

Complaining and venting to Allah isn’t only beneficial to get things off your chest and ease anxieties, but also a great way to get rewarded, so dua is a vital avenue of importance for anxious Muslims.

This also stresses the idea that mental health is not something to be ashamed of, because it’s something that Allah is aware of as our Creator, and thus talking to Him about your worries can really be life-changing.

There’s this recurring and very human idea that nobody truly understands us, but Allah does, and it’s something we should take advantage of as Muslims. Allah can bring us comfort that no human can, so below are some easy go-to anxiety duas that I have found to be exceptionally useful.

Dua when you feel like you have nothing to rely on

حَسْبِىَ اللَّهُ لآ إلَهَ إلّا هُوَ، عَلَيْهَ ثَوَكَّلتُ، وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ

HasbiAllahu la illaha illa Huwa, ‘alayhi tawakkaltu, wa Huwa Rabbul arshil adheem

Allah is sufficient for me. There is none worthy of worship but Him. I have placed my trust in Him, and He is the lord of the Majestic Throne.

Dua for when you feel like you can’t say anything right

رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِي يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي

Rabbi-shrah li sodri, wa yassir li amri, wahlul uqdatan min lisani yafqohu qawli

Lord, lift up my heart and ease my task for me. Remove the impediment from my tongue so that they may understand my speech.

Dua when you can’t shake the feeling of impending doom

هُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ جَهْدِ الْبَلَاءِ، وَدَرَكِ الشَّقَاءِ، وَسُوءِ الْقَضَاءِ، وَشَمَاتَةِ الْأَعْدَاءِ

Allahumma inni a’uzu bika min jahdil-bala’, wa darki shaqa’, wa su’il-qadha’, wa shamatatil-a’da’

O Allah, I seek refuge in You from severe calamity, from misery to fall upon me, from misfortune in the decree, and from the joys of the enemies.

As a final note, it is worth remembering that Allah does not burden a soul with more than it can bear (Quran 2:286). I’ve seen this verse so many times (and in a lot of Instagram bios funnily enough), but it remains deeply touching every single time. Allah does not burden a soul with more than it can bear. Mental illness, especially anxiety, is exceptionally overwhelming. Yet, you will always be able to bear it. That is a guarantee. Allah has deemed you stronger than even you yourself may realise, and I truly believe mental illness can be an invaluable (albeit difficult) pathway to strengthen your relationship with the only One who matters. May Allah help us all with our mental struggles and allow them to be a means of retaining His mercy, in this life and the next.

¹ Australian Bureau of Statistics, “Mental Health, 2017-18 Financial Year” (2018) <https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/mental-health/latest-release>
² Haque, A. (2004). Psychology from Islamic Perspective: Contributions of Early Muslim Scholars and Challenges to Contemporary Muslim Psychologists. Journal of Religion and Health 43, 357–377.
³ Ibid. For further reading see Skinner, R. (2010). An Islamic approach to psychology and mental health. Mental Health, Religion & Culture 13(6), 547-551; Hasan, A., and Tamam, A. (2018). The Implementation of Mental Health Concept by Imam Al-Ghazali in Islamic Counseling Guidance. Journal of Strategic and Global Studies: 1(1), 1-12.
⁴ Martin, E. I., Ressler, K. J., Binder, E., & Nemeroff, C. B. (2009). The neurobiology of anxiety disorders: brain imaging, genetics, and psychoneuroendocrinology. The Psychiatric clinics of North America, 32(3), 549–575.
⁵ Awad, R. “Prophet Muhammad’s Approach To Mental Health”, Yaqeen Institute For Islamic Research (2020) <https://yaqeeninstitute.org/rania-awaad/prophet-muhammads-approach-to-mental-health-holistic-healing-series>
⁶ Ibid.
⁷ For further reading see L’Abate, L., & Sweeney, L. G. (2011). Research on writing approaches in mental health. Emerald Group Publishing.
⁸ For further reading see Perry, N., & Perry, E. (2006). Aromatherapy in the management of psychiatric disorders: clinical and neuropharmacological perspectives. CNS drugs, 20(4), 257–280.

Disclaimer: The views, opinions and conclusions presented in these pieces are strictly those of the authors. MYA does not necessarily endorse the personal views of the authors.

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Ameena Barhoum

Ameena Barhoum is an Arts (International Relations)/ Laws student at USYD. Writing has always been her favourite medium of expression and she enjoys talking about books as much as she enjoys reading them.