Musleh Khan – Life #16 My mental health is overwhelming. Can Islam help
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In this segment, the speaker discusses the importance of Islam's reassurance and healing process for mental health struggles. The speaker explains that Islam provides guidance on how to handle mental health struggles, including the importance of not being in a mental state or causing fear and tension. The speaker also emphasizes the need to be mindful of words and messages when talking to someone in mental health, as it is a vulnerable state.
AI: Summary ©
My mental health is a struggle, can Islam
help?
All of us struggle with some form of
mental health.
Some of us may have anxiety,
stress,
depression,
all forms of mental health. Does Islam help
us cope and navigate through any form of
mental health?
Absolutely.
Our prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam during the
Meccan phase
was a really difficult time for his prophethood.
He was constantly
persecuted,
he was called every name in the book,
He was constantly threatened all because
he was Muslim
and he was a prophet
trying to convey a message
of unity,
of coming back and worshiping
one true creator.
All of these things
certainly took a toll on the mental health
of our Prophet alaihis salat wasalam.
So Allah reveals a very beautiful verse at
the end of Suratul Hijal. Listen to this
verse.
Allah Ansojal says,
Allah gives him reassurance.
We have complete knowledge
of what is happening in your chest based
on what they're saying about
you. You know how we say words can
kill?
So the words of the Quraysh and the
Mushrikun,
especially in Mecca,
really hurt the Prophet alaihis salatu wasalam.
So what does Allah do?
The first thing Allah does
the first thing Allah does is He gives
reassurance
to His Prophet alaihis salatu wasalam that he's
not alone.
We have knowledge.
You know that's Quran's way of saying I'm
right here, I know what's going on, I
know how you feel, I know what you're
going through.
So don't worry, we have complete knowledge. Now
put that in perspective.
It's like reaching out to someone
and just asking them how are they doing.
You haven't heard from them in a while.
You sent a text message. You didn't get
no response.
Just reaching out and letting someone know you're
there is part of a healing process for
mental health.
Then Allah highlights the exact problem.
Based on what they're saying we know it's
caused within
you the sense of fear and tension,
confusion,
loss,
not
understanding which direction is this going to, why
is this happening to me. So the second
point is reassurance that not only am I
here to support you, but I'm also here
because I understand
how you feel.
Now listen to the cure, the next ayah.
The first thing the prophet
is told
That's number 1.
That's number 2.
That's number 3.
Number 4. So listen to these 4 step
by step guide in this eye from
Allah to cope with and recover from mental
health struggles.
Number 1, fasabih bihamdi rabbik Allah says make
tasbih
of Allah by praising Him.
You know what tasbih is? Tasbih
are phrases that we say to elevate the
status and authority of Allah.
So saying SubhanAllah
these types of phrases
all fit in tasbir.
You're raising the authority of Allah in your
life.
Why is that important?
Because when you feel during your mental health
struggle, feel like you have no control,
it's a reminder
Allah is always in control.
People won't control you.
It's a way of reminding your heart and
your mind, wait a minute,
why am I so worried about what people
have said about me or done to me?
Allah is in control.
Allah is the one that I should trust.
Allah is the one that I should hold
on to for reassurance.
Number 2,
it's one thing to say to usbih. Now
Allah wants action from us. So he says
be amongst those who are making sajda.
You know why it's beautiful
that sajdah
to prostrate, why it's highlighted in this area?
We all know when are we closest to
Allah in prayer?
In sujood.
So indirectly by Allah saying be amongst those
who make
sujood, He's indirectly saying just get close to
me,
I'm right here, pour your heart out to
me, talk to me
and do it especially
when you're in
sujud.
So
here you are, you've started
praising Allah.
Number 2, you got out of the bed,
you got out of the room, you got
out of that state, and you started moving
your life again.
Cause a lot of people when they struggle
severely with mental health they lose their appetite.
They isolate themselves. They don't want to talk
to nobody. Don't want to be around anybody.
Because why? That mental health state has grappled
them to such an extent that they literally
don't want to be around anyone.
So this
process helps to break that cycle.
So after now of being amongst those who
are in sujud,
Allah
says
this is the life you should carry on
with. Just worship your Master, worship Allah.
What is the real message
Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala
does not want you to go back to
the state that you were in.
So he tells you in a very subtle
way
turn your whole life into worship. In other
words,
as long as you continue from now
until the ultimate certainty comes which is death.
So is Allah is really indirectly
saying
go on this journey,
stay close to me and worship me, don't
ever break that link between you and me,
and do this for the rest of your
life. You know what's really beautiful?
The word Yaqeen in this ayah means death.
But Allah does not spell it out or
say it explicitly,
death.
It's replaced with something a little more subtle,
yaktim.
Why?
Death is the last thing you want to
mention to somebody going through mental health struggles.
You don't want to put those names and
that kind of image in their mind because
why? They're in a very delicate and vulnerable
state. So you have to be very cautious
of the language and try to find lighter
words and messages to get your point across.
It's so beautiful how subtle Allah
is in this ayam,
but at the same time it's so powerful
and so clear.
Live your life where you are constantly
connected with Him. Insha'Allah,
mental health,
whether it is there or not,
it will never control you.
You instead
will control it. May Allah
make it easy for you.