E1. Success In The Neglected Areas Of Ourselves

Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.

Play Bismillah Alhamdulillah wa Salatu was Salam ala Rasulillah, just out of jolla rewarding the people who showed up on time. I don't think that the people who came in on time ought to be punished for showing up on time to wait for others who may needed more time in sha Allah to, to show up. So just few thoughts on La masala, Allah rasool Allah, this being

May and it also being Mental Health Awareness Month, few thoughts insha Allah before we start our, our program. And this is something that I absolutely love to share.

When we think of mental health, the tendencies that we're always thinking of this is something that that is created in, in Western cultures, not aware of the richness of Islam, specifically, the Quran, when it comes to this topic.

A quick way of appreciating this is, if you were to ask the average Muslim, to describe what Jannah paradise looks like,

or their perception of paradise as readers of the Quran, most of the time people will be talking about food in Jannah drinks in genuine companions in Jannah. And that is all true. And there is nothing wrong with appreciating this type of reward. May Allah subhanaw taala make us all of the people of paradise. My favorite description of paradise, which is one of the most repeated, repeated one of the most repeated descriptions of paradise in the Quran, in 11 different places. The Quran is a place where people experience absolute emotional psychological health, in 11 Different places Allah Subhana Allah promises people of Janna la hopeful and Allah him, well, our homea has unknown

in Jana, you will not experience any fear, nor will you experience any grief or sadness. Well, if you're not experiencing fear, and you're not experiencing sadness, it means that you are fully prepared to truly enjoy the moment

you ask any psychiatrist, any therapist, and they will tell you that the most common disorders are mood disorders, and anxiety disorders, mood disorders, or depression and depression related disorders. And then anxiety.

And usually depression is related to something that happened. And anxiety is about anticipation of something wrong that will happen.

Or as they say, what is left of our memories, and what is their of our imaginations. So we become either prisoners of our memories, or we become captives of our imaginations to sad about yesterday, too worried about tomorrow and we miss out on living today.

So the Quran says, Once you make it to Paradise, none of this happens. And by the way, Subhan Allah Subhan Allah, there is no amount of physical joy that can compensate for the emotional pain.

There is no amount of physical joy that a person Physical Material joy that a person can go through that will compensate or make up for emotional pain that the person is experiencing.

But in the absence of emotional pain, a person is absolutely ready to enjoy anything that is physical that comes their way. So, gender will not make sense. If a person is experiencing any emotional joy or they are not in a good psychological place. So the Quran insists that when people come to Jannah they will not experience any sadness they will not

experience any grief, and they will not experience any fear. The minute you are in this stage, that is when we are absolutely most healthy. And that is when we are ready to experience physical joy and take joy in material material things.

Not only that, but then also the Quran would speak about, you know what else is there that is emotional in paradise, you've got to love this. We're talking about success and remember that the ultimate success for us believers is to live this dunya in a way that will also make us of the people of Africa. Ultimately, that is the goal. So what happens now? Then the Quran will tell us that in addition to you not experiencing grief, not experiencing any fear, then the Quran gets a little bit more specific. So for example, in Surah Al hedger, ALLAH SubhanA, Allah tells us in nonmotile tnfa Jana tinware own indeed those who are God conscious shall be in gardens where the

springs gushing

in aromatherapy and FE Jana in one room with holo hubby Salam in ammini. And they will be told to enter it in peace, absolutely feeling a man feeling safe.

And then of all things the Quran says, One as that man feels will do to him in Lille,

and we shall pull by force, every iota of resentment that is in their heart. And it's interesting that the Quran speaks specifically about resentment

of all emotions that we may harbor resentment happens to be the most negative and one of the most hurtful.

But even then the Quran does not say that we shall take away the Quran searcher is that we shall pull by force NASA know. The word NASA in Arabi

expresses that the other party is holding on to something that must be taken away from them. And it must be taken away by force must be taken away by force. Why would resentment be taken away by force because we usually want to hold on to something that is good.

But resentment, everybody knows resentment is not good. So much so that the Quran would tell us I can see what he's doing.

I can see what he's doing.

So, now, what happens is it will be pulled away by force, because the other person is holding on to it.

And the question that begs itself, the resentment is bad,

why do you hold on to it? Whereas they have said resentment is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.

And when we resent somebody, you know, they say that just to illustrate and I apologize, you know, sometimes we speak like this and and somebody may be experiencing this so I apologize if this evokes or emotes any emotions there. And please, if you at any given point you need to take care of yourself, please do so. Including stepping out if you need to.

You still illustrate to how bad resentment is.

In its like most extreme forms. When we resent a person, there is nothing that they can there is nothing good that they can do or say.

So much. So the example that they give is, imagine a burn victim.

It doesn't matter how tenderly, lovingly, compassionately well intention, you come and touch their burn and say I am sorry for your pain. No matter what your intentions are, how gentle you may have been. It hurts. And people say when they resent people, they can't accept compliments. They can't be consoled by them. They don't see any good in them nor any good in what they say.

their mere presence can actually ruin our mood. I was so looking forward to this

conference, but then man i

So that oh my just absolutely. I felt so deflated, just ruin the mood just just knowing that they shared the same space with me just ruined it for me.

Now imagine there is a handler we made it to Jen and says yes or no, no, no, not him. Please come on in Jana. Oh. So now the Quran tells us see the Quran wants people to really, really enjoy paradise. But the Quran wants to make sure that you are in a good emotional place to enjoy paradise. So we've taken care of the grief. We've taken care of the feed.

But now we've got relationships. You know, I was given example, the other day person invited people for a barbecue, and they've got everything down. They invited all their great friends, but they did not know that two people there don't like each other.

I mean, the food is read, everything is set, but that's to people just absolutely. What do you do? So now the Quran comes and tells us, you make it to paradise. Nizar, and now we shall pull by force. And again, we haven't answered the question is, if resentment is so bad, why don't we hold on to it?

And in psychology, they have an answer.

It's an attempt to an answer because humans are very complex. They say that because holding on to resentment gives us the illusion of moral superiority.

See, as long as I hold on to it, somehow the score is always one zero in my favor.

And letting go of that is too scary.

And it will further reinforces the fact that I am a victim.

And being a victim

is a comforting place to be many times. Sometimes we may hold on to resentment, rightfully so not every resentment is a bad resentment. But then knowing us most of our resentments would actually we would be better if we were to just let go off.

So then the Quran tells us because the Quran wants people to enjoy paradise I remember we're talking about this because this is may This is Mental Health Awareness Month and we want to as Muslims, we want to appreciate mental health, from within our tradition. And from within our tradition, we are saying that the most common repeated description of Paradise is being in the state of emotional well being, law, how often Allah himolla whomever has an own, they shall not experience any grief nor shall they experience any fear. And then the Quran tells us also part of it is that there will be no resentment. So, now, you are doing well emotionally, the inside of you towards those who are around

you is good. Now, you can enjoy whatever food whatever drink whatever is taking place is taking place there, but one has to appreciate this.

The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would wake up in the morning and amongst the very first draw he would make is Lahoma in anaerobic Amin Al Hamdulillah hasn't or Allah who seek refuge in You from grief and from anxiety.

And in some narrations are also becoming a Hemi Well, Assam, we seek refuge in You from anxiety and worry. In Arabi, we have hum and hum. They say that hum is a type of worry or anxiety where the reason for the anxiety is actually known. And sometimes you feel anxious, but you don't know why.

A lot of people experienced this

I feel anxious. I don't know why. It seems to be very cloudy. And the prophetic term is risen from volume from clouds. I know something you don't I just I can't put my finger. I don't know what it is. So whether the source be known or the source be not known, the end result is the same and that is some kind of

anxiety or worry,

unfortunately, and I know you're all here to listen to Sheikh Hassan so inshallah I'll be stopping soon. The unfortunately, the most

common way that we tend to deal with anxiety is

avoidance, humans. That's what we really do. We tend to deal with our anxiety by avoidance, but avoidance is just a form of delay. If it's not avoidance, it is distraction. But that is also another form of delay.

And then, if we're not paying attention, we tend to develop poor coping mechanisms, or CO poor coping tools for that.

And again, in light of this been an informative, transparent session. One of the most common tools that we see nowadays used is people smoking, smoking marijuana specifically.

And the most common reason that people give is after the first stage, which is the stage of curiosity. Second stage is it helps me deal with anxiety.

To in I think for the past two weeks, I've been two articles on CNN regarding this issue.

First article was about two weeks ago, and it was about how 30% of new cases of schizophrenia and psychosis are actually marijuana induced paranoia, marijuana induced schizophrenia.

Unfortunately, with these things, many times the damage is irreversible.

Five days ago, CNN had another article on marijuana and this time it was on the level of THC in marijuana. So usually people who smoke are looking for two things CBD and THC. CBD is the downer part and THC is the upper part.

The natural level of THC in marijuana is at 1.5%.

Nowadays, people grow marijuana genetically modified and they can get the potency of THC at 90%

from 1.5% they can make the THC level at 90%

Can you imagine the craziness that is there?

And I love the way the Quran approaches this topic.

Yes, Alana Can you hungry? We'll measure Kulfi Hema if Monica career woman if you're already nurse, they inquire they ask you Oh Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam regarding intoxicants and gambling. Let the people know that in them. There is a lot of evil and some benefits to people.

The Quran tells us that there are some benefits in these things to people. Yes, there are benefits to gambling.

Local Public Schools are supported by gambling. Is that good? Is that good?

Saying no doesn't make you religious by the way.

Is that good? Yeah, that's good.

If you smoke, it will take care of your anxiety. Is that good? Yeah, it is good. But then the Quran comes back and says where is Mahoma? Akbar Amina Hmm. However, the evil the sin in them is far greater than the benefit that they offer you.

So the Quran is saying when people come and argue about the benefits of marijuana,

tell me the benefits. And I'll give you even more benefits to marijuana. Do they help with anxiety? Of course they do. Do they help with nausea? Of course they do ask anybody who's going through chemotherapy. As people who are taking HIV AIDS medications, it really makes their nausea so bad, and they can really give them medication because it's medication that is causing the nausea. So what really works best for them is is smoking weeds. Ask people who have joint pain. Ask neurologists who have been treating patients whose tremors and they'll tell you when it's been working for their or their benefits in them. Of course there are benefits in them.

And the religious argument is not proving that there is no benefit in them whatsoever. What the Quran says is that evil in them outweighs the benefit in them. So how is this related to what we're talking about? See when people are anxious and they smoke?

The level of anxiety comes down.

But here's what happens. See the anxiety goes up

away, but then when the anxiety comes back, it comes back with more intensity

when it comes back with more intensity, now you either have to Smilk in greater quantity or in more frequency. And ultimately what happens is you become dependent on it.

And the worst type of dependence is

emotional dependency.

When you wait for someone, or for something to make you feel better, you have surrendered so much power over to that one or to that one thing

by all following It's very depressing to be talking about this in the morning, isn't it?

Okay,

Allahu wa Salatu was Salam ala Rasulillah. So anyways, so this is this is the part where you know, it comes to hear people talking about mental health and emotional man, it is such in the Quran and we teach this course on when you're when we teach Islam and psychology, you just get to appreciate this field of the Quran and in Islam and in the teachings of the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wasallam and in the teachings of, you know, great Muslim,

great Muslim scholars, but make it part of your success is you know, all your plan for success and may Allah Subhana Allah make us all amongst the successful ones Yarrabah. alanine, is this idea of practicing good, healthy, genuine self care.

That leads into emotional health. Please remember, emotional health is a personal responsibility.

Did you hear what I said?

Emotional Health is a personal responsibility.

When you wait for other people, to make you feel

right there, you've already lost.

I'm not saying this so that the people around us don't have any responsibility. What I'm saying is that initially for the most part, unless you are a child,

emotional health is a personal responsibility.

At least do your part.

At least do your part. And it begins with this sense of awareness, developing a good understanding of what it means to be emotionally healthy, making sure that you practice self discipline and these are all these are all these are all emotions in the Quran, one and half and Nakamura behave in a Hanif sandal HAUER And whosoever is in all that one day they will stand before the Lord and they have practiced self restraint. Or as they say, motivation keeps us going. self discipline keeps us growing. And what happens is that many times we have lost you know, this idea of self discipline in the deen is not a prison.

It is the most beautiful act of liberation

that you can actually accomplish.

There is pleasure in self discipline.

And you must see this idea of Halal and Haram as an opportunity to practice self discipline. And as a result of self discipline. There is a true sense of liberation that comes that comes our way.

Anyways, I've spoken too much, but Joseph Miller here

Good to have you in Memphis and your presence here is beautiful Masha Allah Kabara Allah had Allahu Allah Allah wa salam ala ala Sayidina Muhammad