Cure of Modern Stress in The Qur'an
Since 2012-12-13
Stress is the most common aliment of modern age. It has been implicated in the causation of peptic ulcer disease, coronary heart disease, depression, auto immune disease, hypertension, diabetes and even cancer.
Stress is the most common aliment of modern age. It has been implicated in the causation of peptic ulcer disease, coronary heart disease, depression, auto immune disease, hypertension, diabetes and even cancer. In milder form it manifests in form of unrest, violence, at work, school, and home. Common medical problems like tension headache, insomnia, and obesity are also attributed to unusual stress. None of us are free from stress but some deal with it better than others.
Stress results from the following factors:
a. Fear of the unknown and trying to see through and control the destiny.
b. Losses in our life of people and things dear to us and our inability to recover those losses.
c. Inner conflict between our heart and mind between what is known to be the truth and our failure to accept it as truth. Acceptance of truth may require changing our habits and way of life which we may adhere to for some reason like pleasure, joys, taste, pride in race or heritage etc.
Let us examine how Quran deals with such situations.
Our losses are a trial for us:
{And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Sabirin (the patient ones, etc.). (155) Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: "Truly! To Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return." (156) They are those on whom are the Salawat (i.e. blessings, etc.) (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided-ones.} [Al-Baqarah 2:155].
{وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ ﴿١٥٥﴾ الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّـهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ ﴿١٥٦﴾ أُولَـٰئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ ۖ وَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ} البقرة: 155-157
Transliteration: Walanabluwannakum bishayin mina alkhawfi waaljooAAi wanaqsin mina alamwali waalanfusi waalththamarati wabashshiri alssabireena (155) Allatheena ithaasabathum museebatun qaloo inna lillahi wainna ilayhi rajiAAoona (156) Olaika AAalayhim salawatun min rabbihim warahmatun waolaika humu almuhtadoona
Thus in Islam, we do not have concept of the ownership of goods and life. Everything belongs to God and returns to him. So if we don’t own that thing why mourn our loss?
a. Our destiny is predetermined. We do not have control on that part. What we have control over is a limited free will, that is our actions, our choice to do good or bad, to believe in God or not to believe in Him, but we have no control over tomorrow’s event not related to our actions i.e. whether my wife will have a son or daughter, whether his/her eyes will be brown or black, or whether I will have an accident or not tomorrow. Worrying over such things is of no use.
b. Rejection of faith in Quran is called a disease. This denial of truth is due to arrogance.
{In their hearts is a disease (of doubt and hypocrisy) and Allah has increased their disease. A painful torment is theirs because they used to tell lies.} [Al-Baqarah 2:10].
{فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ فَزَادَهُمُ اللَّـهُ مَرَضًا ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْذِبُونَ} البقرة: 10
Transliteration: Fee quloobihim maradun fazadahumu Allahu maradan walahum AAathabun aleemun bima kanoo yakthiboona
Therefore after lying to ourselves, we set up an inner conflict - between heart and mind. In order to contain that conflict the mind sends signals to glands for secretion of hormones like adrenaline which leads to rapid heart rate, perspiration, tremor, the basis of lie detector test.
3 stages of spiritual development of soul age
a. Nafsul Ammara: -The Passionate soul {And I free not myself (from the blame). Verily, the (human) self is inclined to evil, except when my Lord bestows His Mercy (upon whom He wills). Verily, my Lord is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.} [Yusuf 12:53].
{وَمَا أُبَرِّئُ نَفْسِي ۚ إِنَّ النَّفْسَ لَأَمَّارَةٌ بِالسُّوءِ إِلَّا مَا رَحِمَ رَبِّي ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّي غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ} يوسف: 53
Transliteration: Wama obarrio nafsee inna alnnafsa laammaratun bialssooi illa ma rahima rabbee inna rabbee ghafoorun raheemun
This soul inclines toward sensual Pleasure, passion and self-gratification, anger, envy, greed, and conceit. Its concerns are pleasure of body, gratification of physical appetite, and ego.
If this evil soul is not checked it will lead to unusual stress and its resultant effects.
b. Nafsul Lawanunah (The Reproaching Soul). {And I swear by the self-reproaching person (a believer).} [Al-Qiyama 75:10].
{وَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالنَّفْسِ اللَّوَّامَةِ} القيامة: 2
Transliteration: Wala oqsimu bialnnafsi allawwamati
This soul is conscious or aware of Evil, resists it, asks for God’s grace, and pardon, repents and tries to amend and hopes to achieve salvation.
{And (there are) others who have acknowledged their sins, they have mixed a deed that was righteous with another that was evil. Perhaps Allah will turn unto them in forgiveness. Surely, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.} [At-Tawbah 9:102].
{وَآخَرُونَ اعْتَرَفُوا بِذُنُوبِهِمْ خَلَطُوا عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَآخَرَ سَيِّئًا عَسَى اللَّـهُ أَن يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ} التوبة: 102
Transliteration: Waakharoona iAAtarafoo bithunoobihim khalatoo AAamalan salihan waakhara sayyian AAasa Allahu an yatooba AAalayhim inna Allaha ghafoorun raheemun
This soul warns people of their vain desire, guides and opens the door to virtue and righteousness. It is a positive step in spiritual growth.
c. The satisfied soul (Nafsul Mutmainnah). {(It will be said to the pious): “O (you) the one in (complete) rest and satisfaction! (27) “Come back to your Lord, Well-pleased (yourself) and well-pleasing unto Him! (28) “Enter you, then, among My honoured slaves, (29) “And enter you My Paradise!”} [Qur’an 89:27-30].
{يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ ﴿٢٧﴾ ارْجِعِي إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً ﴿٢٨﴾ فَادْخُلِي فِي عِبَادِي ﴿٢٩﴾ وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي} الفجر: 27-30
Transliteration: Ya ayyatuhaalnnafsu almutmainnatu (27) IrjiAAee ila rabbiki radiyatan mardiyyatan (28) Faodkhulee fee AAibadee (29) Waodkhulee jannatee
This is the highest state of spiritual development. Satisfied soul is the state of bliss, content and peace. The soul is at peace because it knows that inspite of its failures in this world, it will return to God. Purified of tension, it emerges from the struggle with obstacles blocking the peace of mind and heart.
What should we do in panic and despair? In panic non-believers behave differently than believers. They have no one to return to, to ask for mercy and forgiveness, their life is this life, which they cannot control, thus get more depressed and increase in their state of wrong doing. Then we will see that if they are used to casual drinking will start drinking more and become alcoholic, or a barbital criminal.
On the other hand a believer should do the following:
a. Increase dhikr (Remembrance of God)
{Those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism), and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.} [Ar-Ra’d 13:28].
{الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ} الرعد: 28
Transliteration: Allatheena amanoo watatmainnu quloobuhum bithikri Allahi ala bithikri Allahi tatmainnu alquloobu
b. Increase their prayer.
{O you who believe! Seek help in patience and As-Salat (the prayer). Truly! Allah is with As-Sabirin (the patient ones, etc.).} [Al-Baqarah 2:153].
{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ} البقرة: 153
Transliteration:Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo istaAAeenoo bialssabri waalssalati inna Allaha maAAa alssabireena
c. Ask forgiveness
{I said (to them): Ask forgiveness from your Lord; Verily, He is Oft-Forgiving;} [Nuh 71:10].
{فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا} نوح: 10
Transliteration: Faqultu istaghfiroo rabbakum innahu kana ghaffaran
In addition to above we are also asked to continue to struggle to up-grade ourselves.
{Verily! Allah will not change the good condition of a people as long as they do not change their state of goodness themselves (by committing sins and by being ungrateful and disobedient to Allah).} [Ar-Ra’d 13:11].
{إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ} الرعد: 11
Transliteration: inna Allaha la yughayyiru mabiqawmin hatta yughayyiroo mabianfusihim
In summary, I conclude that stress results from lack of inner peace due to conflicts within us and leads to external disturbances in our behavior and health. Inner peace can only be achieved by believing in God, the All Mighty, and remembering him frequently and asking for his help and forgiveness in times of difficulties.
By Shahid Athar
With little modification
Huda Tv
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