Praise be to Allaah.  

 

What the Shaytaan wants to do is to cause the Muslim grief and stress. Being introverted and thinking constantly about pain and sorrow gives the Shaytaan a great opportunity and may cause the worries and stress to multiply. Looking forward to a happy life and being optimistic is one of the means of feeling content and at peace. It is known that this world is a mixture of ease and hardship, joy and sorrow, hope and pain, so why should a person help the dark side to prevail over the bright side? 

 

Wisdom dictates that if a man cannot make optimism prevail, then at the very least he should think in a balanced and objective manner.

 

Let us remind you that Allah has bestowed a great blessing upon you by making you a Muslim. You should be aware that Satan is always lying in ambush to block your path to Paradise.

 

Allah made the remedy of depression and grieves the Qur'an and Sunnah. In fact, it is from the Mercy of Allah that He made Qur'an a source of cure and relief for Believers. The remedy of Qur'an may be found in many forms:

 

First, try to establish firm faith in your heart, which in turn, has good and remarkable effects in the heart, feelings, and actions of the person. Having faith in Allah, in His Good Names and Attributes, in Devine destiny and in the Last Day, etc., are among the fundamentals of Islamic faith, and they are the greatest protectors against depressions, grief, etc.

 

Second, make efforts to arouse interest in Taqwa, doing good deeds, remembering Allah, making Du'a, seeking refuge in Allah, and be assured of the great returns in this life and rewards in the Hereafter for those who engage themselves in doing good deeds.

 

Third, be hopeful and attract your attention to the bright side of this life. Your illness is a common and usual matter, you are not the only one who is facing this disease, there are many other people who are also suffering from more acute and severe disease. This sickness needs patience and the treatment will cure you, Inshah Allah.

 

Fourth, recite Qur'an and the Azkar proved in the Sunnah on the patient. The Azkar that are not in Qur'an and Sunnah should be free from Shirk. Also we advise you to read the book "sorrow and depression in the light of Qur'an and Sunnah", written by Abdullah al-Khatir .

 

You have to take it easy and be cautious about these thoughts, because if you indulge in thinking about them, their results could be regretted later. You have to be aware about this matter. Our points could be summarized in the following:

 

1. A Muslim is required to be steadfast on the Religion of Allaah. Being steadfast is an objective in itself. So one should not look at whether he is rewarded in this life or not.

2. True happiness for a person is in the obedience of Allaah, seeking His pleasure and having the sweetness of faith. The Prophet  was the happiest person and did not possess anything from the pleasures of this world. Months would pass by without him lighting a fire in his house to cook food as 'Aa'ishah, the mother of the believers  informed us. [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

3. Possessing wealth and engaging in worldly pleasures are not evidence of being happy. Allaah informed us that wealth could be a punishment for its owner, as Allaah says (interpretation of meaning): {So let not their wealth or their children impress you. In reality Allah's plan is to punish them with these things in the life of this world.}[9:55].

4. When Allaah withholds something from someone in this world, this does not mean that He is not pleased with him. On the contrary, this could mean that He is pleased with him. The Prophet  said: "When Allaah loves a people, He afflicts them, so whoever is pleased, Allaah will be pleased with him, and whoever is angry, Allaah will be angry about him." [At-Tirmithi and Ibn Maajah]

5. A Muslim is in need of having pious friends who can help him in being obedient to Allaah. Having such friends does not contradict his reliance upon Allaah.

6. There is no harm in thinking about the future and about a job. Try to provide the means and seek the help of Allaah and do not be in despair. You have to be careful about being pessimistic. You have to know that no soul will die until it consumes all of its provision. So do not perish yourself by thinking too much about this matter.

7. It is an obligation to perform the prayer at its fixed time and making constant dua'a (supplications).

8. You must not allow yourself to think of killing oneself as it is a major great sin. So you have to stop any whispers that might occur to you about it.

 

You are to call yourself to account, to repent and to seek Allah's forgiveness so that He may pardon you and help you.

Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have given up As-Salat (the prayers) [i.e. made their Salat (prayers) to be lost, either by not offering them or by not offering them perfectly or by not offering them in their proper fixed times, etc.] and have followed lusts. So they will be thrown in Hell. Except those who repent and believe (in the Oneness of Allâh and His Messenger Muhammad SAW), and work righteousness. Such will enter Paradise and they will not be wronged in aught.}[19:59-60].

 

If something bad happens to a believer, he either bears it with patience or panics. If he is patient he earns a great reward and accepts the will and decree of Allaah, because he knows that it comes from Allaah, so he feels content with it and accepts it. So what reason is there to panic and feel stressed? 

 

On the contrary, if he is not patient and he reacts to what befalls him of sin with panic and anger, and worry and stress, he will lose the reward that Allaah has promised to those who are patient. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

 

“Only those who are patient shall receive their reward in full, without reckoning” [al-Zumar 39:10] 

 

You should sincerely turn toward Allaah and call upon Him (du’a’), beseeching Him to relieve him of this waswaas (whispers from the Shaytaan) and seeking refuge in Him a great deal from the accursed Shaytaan. For it annoys the Shaytaan to see a believing slave feeling peace of mind and contentment, so he whispers to you to distract you from that and make you fearful and confused.  

 

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught us a du’aa’ by which we may ward off worries and distress. Ahmad (3528) narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

 

“There is no-one who is afflicted by distress and grief, and says: ‘Allaahumma inni ‘abduka ibn ‘abdika ibn amatija naasyati bi yadika, maada fiyya hukmuka, ‘adlun fiyya qadaa’uka. As’aluka bi kulli ismin huwa laka sammayta bihi nafsaka aw anzaltahu fi kitaabika aw ‘allamtahu ahadan min khalqika aw ista’tharta bihi fi ‘ilm il-ghayb ‘indaka an taj’al al-Qur’aana rabee’ qalbi wa noor sadri wa jalaa’ huzni wa dhihaab hammi (O Allaah, I am Your slave, son of Your slave, 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 have 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 breast, and a departure for my sorrow and a release for my anxiety),’ but Allaah will take away his distress and grief, and replace it with joy.” He was asked: “O Messenger of Allaah, should we learn this?” He said: “Of course; everyone who hears it should learn it.” (Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 199) 

 

In al-Saheehayn it was reported from Ibn ‘Abbaas that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to say, when he felt distressed:

 

“La ilaaha ill-Allaah al-‘Azeem ul-Haleem, Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah Rabb il-‘arsh il-‘azeem, Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah Rabb is-samawaati wa Rabb il-ard wa Rabb il-‘arsh il-kareem (there is no god except Allaah, the All-Mighty, the Forbearing; there is no god except Allaah, the Lord of the Mighty Throne; there is no god except Allaah, Lord of the heavens, Lord of the earth and Lord of the noble Throne).”

 

And it was reported from Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to say, when something upset him:

 

“Yaa Hayyu yaa Qayyoom, bi Rahmatika astagheeth (O Ever-Living One, O Everlasting One, by Your mercy I seek help).”

 

And it was reported that Asmaa’ bint ‘Umays (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to me: “Shall I not teach you some words to say when you feel distressed? ‘Allaah, Allaah, Rabbee laa ushriku bihi shay’an (Allaah, Allaah, my Lord, I do not associate anything with Him).’”

 

It was reported from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No person suffers any anxiety or grief, and says:

 

‘Allaahumma innee ‘abduka wa ibn ‘abdika wa ibn amatika, naasiyati bi yadika, maadin fiyya hukmuka, ‘adlun fiyya qadaa’uka, as’aluka bi kulli ismin huwa laka sammayta bihi nafsaka aw anzaltahu fi kitaabika aw ‘allamtahu ahadan min khalqika aw ista’tharta bihi fi ‘ilm il-ghaybi ‘andak an taj’ala al-Qur’aana rabee’ qalbi wa noor sadri wa jalaa’a huzni wa dhahaaba hammi (O Allaah, I am Your slave, son of Your slave, son of Your female slave, 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 breast, and a departure for my sorrow and a release for my anxiety)’

 

- but Allaah will take away his sorrow and grief, and give him in their stead joy.”

 

We suggest that you change something in your daily routine, to allow yourself the opportunity to do different kinds of permissible things that will relieve you of boredom and renew your energy. There is nothing wrong with travelling for leisure purposes or to relax, so long you do not go to extremes. Even better than that is if you can travel for the purpose of ‘Umrah and to visit the Prophet’s mosque, because a change of scene can be very beneficial. 

 

Also, you should keep away from places that make your worry and distress worse, or that stir these feeling up again. You should avoid reading novels that tell sad stories, and should try not to sit with people who are worried and distressed, even if their intention is to console you.  On the contrary, you should try to read useful books that will take you away from these worries. If you feel stressed and upset, you should not isolate yourself or think constantly about your problems in this situation.  

 

Our advice to you that you should raise your head and look forward, and view the future with optimism and the certainty that you will succeed. You have a great deal of potential for success and high achievement, and a lot is to be expected of someone like you. 

 

We hope that these troubles and worries will be lifted from you. May Allaah make things easy for you and relieve you of your distress and worry. 

 

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