MBH QnA Corner
Your Questions - January, 2022

Is there a cure for anxiety, stress and depression in the Qur'an and Sunnah?

Answered by: Shaykh Zafar ul Hasan

The Cure of Depression and Anxiety from Qur'an and Sunnah

1. Strong Belief in Tawheed (Oneness of Allah Almighty)

اَلَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَلَمۡ يَلۡبِسُوۡۤا اِيۡمَانَهُمۡ بِظُلۡمٍ اُولٰۤـئِكَ لَهُمُ الۡاَمۡنُ وَهُمۡ مُّهۡتَدُوۡنَ‏ 

"..and establish prayer for My remembrance."

[Taha 20:14]

So, in the light of this Ayah, the most important dhikr of Allah is offering prayers five times a day.

If a person continues to recite الحمدللّٰه , سبحان الله, etc, but fails to offer the obligatory prayers, then he wouldn't be able to attain peace and tranquility as he has left out the most important dhikr of Allah. Allah has kept tranquility and contentment in Salah.

Prophet of Allah صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم  said:

"The coolness (comfort) of my eyes is in Salah (prayers)"

[Sunan Nisai 3392]

???? All of our stress and anxiety can be treated with prayer as Salah (prayer) is the most important dhikr of Allah.

 2. Friday Prayer:

يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اِذَا نُوۡدِىَ لِلصَّلٰوةِ مِنۡ يَّوۡمِ الۡجُمُعَةِ فَاسۡعَوۡا اِلٰى ذِكۡرِ اللّٰهِ وَذَرُوا الۡبَيۡعَ​ ؕ ذٰ لِكُمۡ خَيۡرٌ لَّـكُمۡ اِنۡ كُنۡتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُوۡنَ‏ 

"O you who have believed, when [the adhān] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumuʿah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew."

[Al-Jumu'ah 62:9]

Listening to the teachings of Deen in the Friday Sermon, attending religious gatherings to learn about Quran and Sunnah has also been declared as a form of Remembrance of Allah.

 Prophet of Allah صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم said:

????When you pass by Riyadh ul Jannah (gardens of Paradise), let (yourself) feast.” They said: “And what are the gardens of Paradise?” He said: “The circles of remembrance.”

[Tirmidhi 3510]

Introspection:

Unfortunately, we would rather spend hours sitting in our homes, watching useless dramas and other programs than going out and participating in religious circles to learn about our Deen, Quran and Sunnah.

وَمَنۡ يَّعۡشُ عَنۡ ذِكۡرِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ نُقَيِّضۡ لَهٗ شَيۡطٰنًا فَهُوَ لَهٗ قَرِيۡنٌ‏ 

"And whoever is blinded from remembrance of the Most Merciful - We appoint for him a devil, and he is to him a companion."

[Az-Zukhruf 43:36]

3. Recitation of Qur'an:

Recitation of the Qur'an is another important form of remembrance of Allah.

يٰۤـاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوا اذۡكُرُوۡا اللّٰهَ ذِكۡرًا كَثِيۡرًا ۙ‏ 

وَّ سَبِّحُوۡهُ بُكۡرَةً وَّاَصِيۡلًا‏ 

هُوَ الَّذِىۡ يُصَلِّىۡ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَمَلٰٓـئِكَتُهٗ لِيُخۡرِجَكُمۡ مِّنَ الظُّلُمٰتِ اِلَى النُّوۡرِ ؕ وَكَانَ بِالۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ رَحِيۡمًا‏ 

تَحِيَّتُهُمۡ يَوۡمَ يَلۡقَوۡنَهٗ سَلٰمٌ ۖۚ وَاَعَدَّ لَهُمۡ اَجۡرًا كَرِيۡمًا‏  

O you who have believed, remember Allah with much remembrance. And exalt Him morning and afternoon. It is He who confers blessing upon you, and His angels [ask Him to do so] that He may bring you out from darknesses into the light. And ever is He, to the believers, Merciful. Their greeting the Day they meet Him will be, "Peace." And He has prepared for them a noble reward.

[Al- Ahzab 33: 41-44]

Tarjuman ul Qur'an, Abdullah ibn Abbas said:

Even if you go through the entire Quran, you wouldn't find the word کثیرا ( too much or infinitely) with any good deed except for Dhikr (remembrance) of Allah.

وَاذۡكُرُوا اللّٰهَ كَثِيۡرًا لَّعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُوۡنَ‏:

"...and remember Allah often that you may succeed."

[Al-Jumu'ah 62: 10]

4. Morning and Evening Adhkar:

وَاذۡكُرْ رَّبَّكَ كَثِيۡرًا وَّسَبِّحۡ بِالۡعَشِىِّ وَالۡاِبۡكَارِ

"...And remember your Lord much and exalt [Him with praise] in the evening and the morning."

[Aale Imran 3:41]

Dhikr of Allah can be made at anytime in the day, as much as we can, but we should try to make sure to recite the morning and evening adhkar.