Menu
How might Islamic beliefs, practices, and values influence the mental health of Muslims? Here we speculate on possible positive and negative effects. These hypotheses will be tested by systematic research in the following chapter.
Positive Effects
Muslims believe that what is written in the Qur’an is God speaking directly to them. Table 1 and Table 2 present a sample of verses from the Qur’an and Hadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad) that relate to mental, behavioural, and social health. The Qur’an encourages believers to live in harmony with others, thus enhancing social relationships and ensuring that others will be around to provide psychological support when needed: “Seek the life to come by means of what God granted you, but do not neglect your rightful share in this world. Do good to others as God has done good to you. Do not seek to spread corruption in the land, for God does not love those who do this” (28:77).
The Qur’an places emphasis on fairness, forgiveness, and mercy, which might be expected to address issues related to guild and holding grudges. For example, while the Qur’an promises swift and severe punishment for disbelief and sin, forgiveness is readily available: “But if you avoid the great sins you have been forbidden, we shall wipe out your minor misdeeds and let you in through the entrance of honour” (4:31) and “Say, “[God says], My servants who have harmed yourselves by your own excess, do not despair of God’s mercy. God forgives all sins: He is truly the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful” (39:53). Finally, the high value that Muslims place on family and community, work, putting people before possessions, and positive attitudes, as noted in the last chapter, should enhance mental health and well-being. How do Muslim beliefs and values, then, apply to specific mental health issues such as depression, suicide, anxiety, substance use/abuse, and chronic mental illness?
Depression. There are many verses in the Qur’an that address issues related to mood. The Prophet Muhammad himself probably suffered from various mood states while being marginalised, excluded, and persecuted for his revolutionary religious teachings, a time when both his wife and his uncle who raised and supported him died. It was during this period that the following verse was revealed:
“By the morning brightness and by the night when it grows still, your Lord has not forsaken you [Prophet], not does He hate you, in the future will be better for you than the past; your Lord is sure to give you so much that you will be well satisfied. Did He not find you an orphan and shelter you? Did He not find you lost and guide you? Did He not find you in need and make you self-sufficient?… talk about the blessings of your Lord” (93:1-8, 11).
This emphasis on the blessings of the Lord is important to note, since a focus on positive aspects of life and avoidance of negative ruminations is central to how cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for depression works. Likewise, the Qur’an emphasises that God’s help is always available: “So truly where there is hardship there is also ease. The moment you are free [of one task], work on, and turn to your Lord for everything” (94:5-8).
Table 1. Verses on mental, behavioural, and relational health in the Qur’an
Coping with Illness (physical and mental). “If God touches you [Prophet] with affliction, no one can remove it except Him, and if He touches you with good, He has power over all things: He is the Supreme Master over His creatures, the All Wise, the All Aware” (6:17-18)
Depression. “People, a teaching from your Lord has come to you, a healing for what is in [your] hearts, and guidance and mercy for the believers. Say [Prophet], “In God’s grace and mercy let them rejoice: these are better than all they accumulate.”” (10:57-58)
“We send down the Qur’an as healing and mercy to those who believe…” (17:82)
Self-condemnation. “No blame will be attached to the blind, the lame, the sick” (24:61)
Forgiveness. “Prophet, when believing women come and pledge to you that they will not ascribe any partner to God, nor steal, nor commit adultery, not kill their children, nor lie about who has fathered their children, nor disobey you in the righteous thing, then you should accept their pledge of allegiance and pray to God to forgive them: God is most forgiving and merciful” (60:12)
Suicide. “…do not contribute to your destruction with your own hands, but do good, for God loves those who do good” (2:195)
Eating Disorder. “”Eat from the good things. We have provided for you, but do not overstep the bound, or my wrath will descend on you” (20:81)
Substance Use and Gambling. “They as you [Prophet] about intoxicants and gambling: say, “There is great sin in both, and some benefit for people: the sin is greater than the benefit”” (2:219)
“You who believe, intoxicants and gambling, idolatrous practices, and [diving with] arrows are repugnant acts – Satan’s doing – shun them so that you may prosper. With intoxicants and gambling, Satan seeks only to incite enmity and hatred among you, and to stop you remembering God and prayer.” (5:90-91)
Proper Use of Money. “Spend in God’s case: do not contribute to your destruction with your own hands, but do good for God loves those who do good” (2:195)
Table 2. Mental, behavioural and relational health in the Sunni Hadith (from Sahih al-Bukhari, vol 7, book 71)
Hope. “The Prophet said, “There is no disease that Allah has created, except that He also has created its treatment.” (582)
Bereavement and Grief. “Aisha used to recommend At-Talbina for the sick and for such a person as grieved over a dead person. She used to say, “I heard Allah’s Apostle saying, “At-Talbina gives rest to the heart of the patient and makes it active and relieves some of his sorrow and grief.”” (593)
Suicide. “The Prophet said, “Whoever purposely throws himself from a mountain and kills himself, will be in the (Hell) Fire falling down into it and abiding therein perpetually forever; and whoever drinks poison and kills himself with it, he will be carrying his poison in his hand and drinking it in the (Hell) Fire wherein he will abide eternally forever; and whoever kills himself with an iron weapon, will be carrying that weapon in his hand and stabbing his abdomen with it in the (Hell) Fire wherein he will abide eternally forever.”” (670)
Fear and Anxiety. “The prophet ordered me or somebody else to do Ruqya (if there was danger) from an evil eye.” (634)
“Allah’s Apostle use to treat with a Ruqya saying, “O the Lord of the people! Remove the trouble. The cure is in Your Hands, and there is none except You who can remove it (the disease).”” (640)
“Allah’s Apostle said, “Avoid the Mubiqqat, i.e., shirk and witchcraft.”” (659)
Maintaining Mental Health. “Whenever Allah’s Apostle went to bed, he used to recite Surat-al-Ikhlas, Surat-al-Falaw and Surat-an-Nas and then blow on his palms and pass them over his face and those parts of his body that his hands could reach. And when he fell ill, he used to order me [Aisha, his wife] to do like that for him.” (644)
Positive Effects (Depression, continued)
The Qur’an also stresses the need to be thankful: “Remember that He promised, “If you are thankful, I will give you more, but if you are thankless, my punishment is terrible indeed”” (14.7; see also 2:172, 2:185). Muslims believe that God doe not want believers to feel sad or carry a heavy burden: “…God wants ease for you, not hardship. He wants you to complete the prescribed period and to glorify him for having guided you, so that you may be thankful” (2:185). Being thankful is known to be a powerful antidote to depression (Lin, 2015).
The performance of righteous deeds is another way to counteract depression, as the Qur’an promises joy (13:29), a great reward (17:9), and hope (18:46) as a result. Believers are encouraged never to give up hope, since God is always there to help: “…do not despair of God’s mercy – only disbelievers despair of God’s mercy” (12.87) and “…God will find a way out for those who are mindful of Him, and will provide for them from an unexpected source; God will be enough for those who put their trust in Him…” (65:2-3).
Suicide. Murder is forbidden in Islam. The Qur’an says, “Do not kill each other, for God is merciful to you. If any of you does these things, out of hostility and injustice, We shall make him suffer Fire: that is easy for God” (4:29).
Likewise, as noted earlier, the Qur’an says “…do not contribute to your destruction with your own hands, but do good, for God loves those who do good” (2:195). The desire for death by a Muslim is discouraged even when physically ill and suffering, no matter how severe that suffering. Muslims believe that only God has the right to take a human life (except during war, when defending one’s own life or defending the life of another). Rahman (1998, p 60) explains this attitude: “Sick people, as indeed healthy ones too, are strongly prohibited from desiring or praying for death, let alone committing suicide; for if a person is good, he may do more good if he lives longer, and if a person is not good, longer life may afford him a chance for conversion.”
Anxiety. The Qur’an promises peace to those who focus on and trust in God: “those who have faith and whose hearts find peace in the remembrance of God – truly it is in the remembrance of God that hearts find peace” (13:28). In Islam, doing good deeds is important for experiencing that peace: “They shall have the Home of Peace with their Lord, and He will take care of them as a reward for their deeds” (6:127). The Qur’an also says, “But God invites everyone to the home of peace, and guides whoever He will to a straight path. Those who did well will have the best reward and more besides. Neither darkness nor shame will cover their faces: these are the companions in paradise and there they will remain” (10:25-26).
The Qur’an assures Muslims who experience fear or guilt that God is always near and ready to be merciful, if they are willing to change their ways: “Call on your Lord humbly and privately – he does not like those who transgress His bounds: do not corrupt the earth after it has been set right – call on Him fearing and hoping. The mercy of God is close to those who do good” (7:55-56). The Qur’an also encourages those who are anxious to call on God: “Call one me and I will answer you…” (40:60). Muslims are also instructed to read the Qur’an, which has the answers to whatever they are struggling with: “People, a teaching from your Lord has come to you, a healing for what is in [your] hearts, and guidance and mercy for the believers” (10:57).
Finally, the Qur’an insists that putting trust in God is the answer to any and all problems: “God will be enough for those who put their trust in Him…” (65:3). Indeed, according to Bowlby (1952), a secure attachment (in his care, attachment to God) should result in greater well-being, less anxiety, and overall better coping.
Substance Use/Abuse. The use of intoxicants (alcohol or drugs) is forbidden in Islam. The Qur’an explains: “You who believe, do not come anywhere near the prayer if you are intoxicated, not until you know what you are saying…” (4:43). Besides interfering with prayer and one’s focus on God, intoxicants may also cause fighting among the faithful, preventing them from serving God during times of war and peace: “You who believe, intoxicants and gambling … are repugnant acts – Satan’s doing – shun them so that you may prosper. With intoxicants and gambling, Satan seeks only to incite enmity and hatred among you, and to stop you remembering God in prayer…” (5:90-91).
Although not mentioned in the Qur’an, illicit drugs are intoxicants that fog the mind: “Narrated Aisha [wife of the Prophet], Ummul Mu’minin: I heard the Messenger of Allah say: Every intoxicant is forbidden; if a faraq of anything causes intoxicant, a handful of it is forbidden” (Sunan Abu Dawud 26:3679). This applies to cigarette smoking because it is harmful to the body (based on the Qur’an 7:157). Consequently, Islamic scholars have unanimously forbidden smoking (Permanent Committee of Academic Research and Fatwa, Saudi Arabia, Fatwa No: 15928, Part 13, p 62).
Chronic Mental Illness. Although the Qur’an does not say much about chronic mental illness (other than perhaps “God does not burden any soul with more than it can bear” in 2:286), there are sayings of the Prophet Muhammad documented in the Hadith that address this to some extent. According to a well-known Hadith, “The Prophet said, “There is no disease that Allah created, except that He also has created its treatment”” (Bukhari 7/71/582).
In Islam, those with chronic severe mental illness are excused from their actions. According to Hadith (recorded in Abu Dawud #4403 and Ibn Majah #2041), the Prophet Muhammad said: “The pen is lifted (stopped from writing the deeds) from three: the sleeping person until he wakes up, the handicapped or insane person till he becomes able to reason, and the child till he grows up (reaches the age of puberty).”
Finally, according to another Hadith, “Anas ibn Malik narrates that: A woman, who had a defect in her brain, said: “Allah’s Messenger, I want to talk to you.” He said: “Mother of so and so, choose on which side of the road you would like to stand and talk, so that I may fulfill your need.” He stood with her on the sidewalk until she spoke to her heart’s content” (Sahih Muslim, source unknown). Thus, the Prophet Muhammad sets an example of being compassionate towards those with chronic mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and other illnesses of the brain.
Negative Effects
Misunderstanding of Islamic teachings in the Qur’an and Hadith also have the potential to generate or worsen emotional illnesses in those who are vulnerable. Indeed, the punishments promised to those who do not abide by Islamic teachings are severe, and thus may promote guilt, anxiety, or stigma. For example, Muslims may be anxious over not having done enough good deeds to outweigh their bad deeds, given the strong emphasis on good deeds in the Qur’an. The Quran promises that on the Judgement Day everyone’s deeds, good and bad, will be laid out before them and weighed. Those whose good deeds outweigh their bad deeds will go one place, and those whose bad deed outweigh their good deeds go to another place. Consider the following verses from the Qur’an:
“On that Day, people will come forward in separate groups to be shown their deeds: whoever has done an atom’s-weight of good will see it, but whoever has done an atom’s-weight of evil will see that (99:6-8).
“The one who’s good deeds are heavy on the scales will have a pleasant life, but the one who’s good deeds are light will have the Bottomless Pit for his home” (101:6-9).
“On that Day when the Trumpet is blown [Judgement Day], the ties between them will be as nothing and they will not ask about each other: those whose good deeds weigh heavy will be successful, but those whose balance is light will have lost their souls forever and will stay in Hell – the Fire will scorch their faces and their lips will be twisted in pain” (23:101-104).
Hell as described in the Qur’an is a terrible place, one that could evoke much fear and anxiety. While the descriptions are to motivate people to change their ways and live a life submitted to God, they could contribute to pathological anxiety to those who have these tendencies to begin with.
“We shall send those who reject our revelations to the fire. When their skins have been burned away, we shall replace them with new ones so that they may continue to feel the pain…” (4:56)
“…The guilty person will wish he could save himself from the suffering of that Day by sacrificing his sons, his spouse, his brother, the kinsfolk who gave him shelter, and everyone on earth, if it could save him. But no! There is a raging flame that strips away the skin, and it will claim everyone who rejects the truth, turns away” (70:11-17).
“…Garments of fire will be tailored for those who disbelieve; scalding water will be poured over their heads, melting their insides as well as their skins; there will be iron crooks to restrain them; whenever, in their anguish, they tried to escape, they will be pushed back in and told, “Taste the suffering of the Fire”” (22:19-22).
Also, it may be difficult for some Muslims to understand why a person has severe mental illness or is otherwise suffering emotional problems when the Qur’an explicitly states:
“those who have faith and whose hearts find peace in the remembrance of God – truly it is in the remembrance of God that hearts find peace – those who believe and do righteous deeds: joy awaits these and their final homecoming will be excellent” (13:28-29).
“He responds to those who believe and doing good deeds, and gives them more of his bounty… Whatever misfortune befalls you [people], it is because of what your hands have done – God forgives much – you cannot escape him anywhere on earth … (42:26,30).
If peace, joy and bounty are the rewards for remembering God and having faith and doing good deeds, then the reverse should also be true. Indeed, the Qur’an says as much – “it is because of what your hands have done” (42:30). In other words, those who are sad or anxious may be viewed as not having enough faith, not doing good deeds, or not following the teachings of the Qur’an. Those with emotional problems such as depression or anxiety problems, then, may be criticised, blamed for their problems, and consequently excluded from society or discriminated against. This, of course, is true for all religions that hold to high moral values and promise benefits for those who follow the teachings of that religion.
Finally, some Muslims may pick out verses from the Qur’an and use them to push their extreme agendas (while ignoring other verses that moderate these teachings). This may be done to justify harming others who do not believe as they do or who oppose their ideas. Desire for power and control may cause such psychopathic individuals to distort Islamic teachings to further their own selfish gains. The result is worldwide terrorism and manipulation of vulnerable people whom these individuals prey on and indoctrinate to serve their ends.
Conclusions
Islamic beliefs, practices and values have the potential to have both positive effects on mental health and negative effects. When rightly understood, Islamic teachings may help to guide life and provide tremendous peace and meaning in the face of adversity. When misunderstood, though, the opposite is possible. It is essential for mental health professionals to keep in mind both of these possibilities, since positive and negative effects may be present in the same individual. However, these are just speculations. In the next chapter, we examine systematic unbiased quantitative research that has put these possibilities to the test.