Stress Management in Islam

Stress management refers to the wide spectrum Islam wants people to live a stress-free life.
of techniques and psychotherapies aimed at Thus, Islam gives a methodology to avoid or
controlling a persons levels of stress, especially overcome stress. The following are some of the
chronic stress, usually for the purpose of remedies to be adopted:
improving everyday functioning. It is also
Seek Allahs Help: Always seek Allahs help for
defined as a predetermined strategy for coping
whatever you want. Asking Allah for something
with psychological or emotional turmoil. As part
or seeking His help and protection in difficult
of a health benefits package, a company may
situations will help reduce a persons stress as
offer stress management therapy to improve
he starts depending and relying on the supreme
job performance. Stress management
power with a hope that his needs will be
comprises a wide range of approaches to help
fulfilled by Him. In actuality, supplication
you better deal with stress and adversity. It
creates a platform for a person to share his
might include problem solving, prioritisation
needs, thoughts and desires with Allah, which in
and time management. Another approach
turn helps the person to reduce his
includes enhancing skills to withstand adverse
psychological burden. The stronger the faith of
situations by improving emotional flexibility,
the person in supplication, the lesser will be his
finding greater meaning in life, increasing the
level of stress. Allah also wants his slaves to
sense of control and cultivating optimism.
supplicate; not doing so makes Him angry. The
In the fiercely competitive world we live in Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him)
today, the most widely accepted truth is the once said, Allah is angry with those who do not
growing stress and tension in our lives. People ask Him for anything. (Tirmidhi)
going through anxious moments are a common
Do your part and leave the rest to Allah: One
sight whether at home or in the street. The
day Prophet Muhammad noticed a Bedouin
cause of worry could be anything from missed
leaving his camel without tying it. He asked the
bus or broken down car on the road to a power
Bedouin, Why dont you tie down your
cut at home. Workplace cannot be an exception
camel? The Bedouin answered, I put my trust
to this phenomenon. Thus, in order to help
in Allah. The Prophet then said, Tie your
people, overcome stress many neo-spiritual
camel first, then put your trust in Allah.
movements have emerged.
(Tirmidhi)
Whenever one does a task, he should do his
best and then leave the result to Allah. Allah
knows best, what is good and what is bad for
us. When one starts feeling that he is
responsible for the result, he goes on to take
more stress and awaits a positive result and
goes under depression when the outcome is not
in his favour. But when the person leaves the
result to Allah, he never takes any kind of stress,
even if the result is not in his favour.

Remember that human responsibility is

limited: While we need to carry out our duty to
the best of our abilities, always remember that
you dont control the outcome of events. Even
the Prophets did not control the outcome of

their efforts. Some were successful, others were you have played. Thus, strongly believing that it
not. You only have to do your duty and leave is Allah alone, who has the control over the
the results to Allah. Regardless of the results of outcome, will help the individual to reduce or
your efforts, you will be rewarded for the part overcome the stress.

Leave the world behind: Use the five daily
Salahs as a means to become more hereafter
oriented and less attached to this temporary
world. Start preparing yourself for Salah as soon
as you hear the Adhan. When you stand ready
which he might encounter when he incurs
worldly loss.
Seek help through Patience and Salah: Allah
has created human beings to test them. Thus, in
case of difficulty one must remember that the
difficulty is from Allah to test the person. In
such difficult situations one needs to seek
Allahs help with Patience and Salah as Allah
says in the Qurn, Seek help through Patience
and Salah. (Qurn 2:45) Having patience in any
activity will reduce the stress of the individual,
with a hope that the difficulty would move
away sooner or later. Patience and Salah are
two oft-neglected stress busters. Ultimately,
patience helps to keep our mind and attitude in
check in situations of stress.
to pray, mentally prepare yourself to leave this
world and all of its worries and stresses behind
you. Staying away from worldly desires will help
the person overcome any level of stress
Stress has become part of ones life and it is
very difficult to avoid it. Thus, Islam has
provided us with so many methods and
techniques which can be adopted by individuals
to avoid and overcome their stress. Basically,
certain beliefs and practices of Islam act as
stress busters for people.
Remember that this life is a Test: Allah says in
the Qurn, And We will surely test you with
something of fear and hunger and a loss of
wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings
to the patient. (Qurn 2:155) Whenever one
encounters any problem, he should always
remember that the problem is nothing but a
test from Allah to see how we respond to it.
Being mindful that it is only from Allah will help
us avoid being stressed.
Remembering that Allah has control over
everything: It is important to remind ourselves
that we dont control all the variables in the
world but Allah does, as He is the Wise, the All
Knowing. Sometimes our limited human
faculties are not able to comprehend His
wisdom behind what happens to us and to
others, but knowing that He is in control and
that as human beings we submit to His Will,
enriches our humanity and enhances our
obedience towards Him. Remembering that
Allah has control over everything helps a person
to overcome his stress as he starts relying on
someone else to help him overcome the
problem.
Remember that Allah is the provider: Allah says
in the Qurn, And will provide for him from
where he does not expect. And whoever relies
upon Allah then He is sufficient for him.
Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose.
(Qurn 65:3) We should always remember that
Allah is the Provider. It is Allah alone who feeds
us all. Remembering that Allah is the provider
will help us remember that getting a job or
providing various provisions for our family is in
Allahs hand and not ours and will ultimately
help us avoid stress.
Remember that Allah controls Life and Death:
Allah says in the Qurn, Wherever you may
be, death will overtake you. (Qurn 4:78) If
you fear for your physical safety and security,
remember that only Allah gives life and takes it
back and, that He has appointed the time for it.
No one can harm you except if Allah wills.
Having this belief that Allah has complete
control over ones life and death; the individual
will work and live freely without any kind of
tension or fear, which in turn will help the
individual to avoid or overcome any kind of
stress.
Remember that Life is Short: Allah says in the
Qurn, Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.
(Qurn 94:6) Its easy to get caught up in stress.
The belief that the life of this world is short will
remind us that whatever difficulties, trials,
anxieties, and grief we suffer in this world are
something we will only experience for a short
period of time. However, if we remember that
our life is short and temporary, and that the
everlasting life is in the Hereafter, this will help
us put our worries and tension aside and
ultimately live a stress-free life.
Remember Allah: Allah says in the Qurn,
Verily, in the remembrance of Allah the hearts
find rest. (Qurn 13:28) One needs to
remember Allah always in every aspect of his
life. Remembering Allah gives the individual a
spiritual support which will make him feel
confident and strong, the clouds of worry and
fear are driven away and the mountains that
make up his problems are blown away. The
degree in which we remember Allah, our heart
will be calm and cheerful, as His remembrance
will carry with it the meaning of total
dependence upon Him, of turning to Him for
aid, of having good thoughts about Him, and of
waiting for victory from Him. When ones heart
feels heavy with stress or grief, one needs to
remember Allah which will help him reduce his
stress to the greatest extent.
Relying on Allah for Everything: Allah says in
the Qurn, And when you have decided,
then rely upon Allah. (Qurn 3:159) Once we
have established a plan, we intend to
implement it. One needs to put his full trust in
Allah, which will make his will and
determination much stronger to accomplish the
task. Relying on Allah for everything will give
you the feeling that Allah is with you all the
time, which will in turn help us avoid any kind of
stress which we are about to face or will help us
to overcome the stress which an individual is
undergoing.
Connect with other People: We must have
relationships with other people. The five times
Salah in congregation which we perform gives
us a platform to mingle and interact with other
fellow brothers and share our problems or
grievances, which helps us reduce our stress
and sometimes even find solutions to the
problems.
Work for a Noble Cause: Involve yourself in
enjoining good and forbidding evil as Allah says
in the Qurn, And let there be (arising) from
you a nation inviting to (all that is) good,
enjoining what is right and forbidding what is
wrong. (Qurn 3:104) Doing this work will
not only keep a person busy but will also
provide us with a platform to channel our
energies on constructive activities rather than
zeroing in on and consistently worrying about
difficulties we are going through, thus this will
ultimately help us avoid any kind of stress.
hearts and minds. Connecting with the Qurn
will help us connect with Allah. Having a strong
relationship with the Qurn becomes a means
to heal our hearts and avoid stress and worries.
Be Thankful to Allah: Allah says in the Qurn,
If you are grateful, I will surely increase you
[in favour] (Qurn 14:7). Allah has blessed us
with countless bounties, but man fails to thank
Him for the same. Continuously thanking Allah
reminds us not only to be grateful for what we
have but also that we are so much better off
than millions of others, whether it is in terms of
our health, family, financial situation or other
aspects of our life. And being grateful for all we
have helps us maintain a positive attitude in
situations of worries and challenges which we
encounter in our daily lives.

Make the Qurn your partner: Allah says in the Having a check on ones Soul: In order to avoid
Qurn, O mankind, there has come to you stress, we need to have a constant check on our
instruction from your Lord and healing for what soul as well. As Prophet Muhammad (peace and
is in the breasts (Qurn 10:57). Build a blessings of Allah be to him) once said, Your
strong relationship with the Qurn. Reading most ardent enemy is your evil self which
and listening to the Qurn will help refresh our
resides within your body; if this soul is not By SYED KAZIM-15 Feb 2015
checked, it will lead to unusual stress.
(Bukhari) The Qurn also says, He has
succeeded who purifies it. And he has failed
who instils it (with corruption). (Qurn 91:9-
10)

Today stress has become an inevitable part of

ones life. Following the teachings of the Qurn
and the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (peace
and blessings of Allah be to him) will help us not
only not only to overcome stress but also to
avoid it. Allah Himself has sent tranquillity into
our hearts so that we are not stressed. Allah
says in the Qurn, It is He who sent down
tranquillity into the hearts of the believers that
they would increase in faith along with their
(present) faith. (Qurn 48:4) Thus, tranquillity
is a sign of strong faith while worries and stress Source: Radiance Viewsweekly:
a sign of weak faith. https://goo.gl/INrYaG