Depression

Mental illness is one of the most over looked things in the community and most of the time associated with sunning. Especially when you go to the sheik giving you thé guilt trips of doing wrongs, telling you to make more Dua pray and read more quran to soften your heart.

Despite have some threads do Truth in the sense that every son we commit creates a black spot in our hearts, one thing that is failed to be mentioned is that when we have any form of ill spiritually speaking , be it depression or exhaustion or fatigue or any illness what so ever, Allah is Clemson us of our sins. Which is something very positive to be taken in a negative stand point of perception.

Depression and mental illness is the worst thing that can happen to a person and should not be wished upon anyone. And it is always good to have someone to talk to or have someone for moral support as well as understanding.

Sometimes someone just needs and ear for you to hear them out. And other times you hey jus want you to be there to hold on to them. We all have different tests in the dunya, and it’s not to say that people ask for it. Mental illness could be the result of many things. Childhood trauma, bad environment, yes sinning spiritually but not always.

Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri and Abu Huraira:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that.” ( Sahih al bukhari )

Below is a simple story that shows your environment matters when it comes to deen and how it affects you spiritually and psychologically

Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Amongst the men of Bani Israel there was a man who had murdered ninety-nine persons. Then he set out asking (whether his repentance could be accepted or not). He came upon a monk and asked him if his repentance could be accepted. The monk replied in the negative and so the man killed him. He kept on asking till a man advised to go to such and such village. (So he left for it) but death overtook him on the way. While dying, he turned his chest towards that village (where he had hoped his repentance would be accepted), and so the angels of mercy and the angels of punishment quarrelled amongst themselves regarding him. Allah ordered the village (towards which he was going) to come closer to him, and ordered the village (whence he had come), to go far away, and then He ordered the angels to measure the distances between his body and the two villages. So he was found to be one span closer to the village (he was going to). So he was forgiven.” (Sahih al bukhari)

Now something to note here is that the foret monk was ignorant and not well knowledgeable while the second was. And it also shows that Allah is always there to accept your forgiveness if you truly seek it.

Going back to mental illness, it is somethings we all need to acknowledge exists and not just shrug under the rug, thinking it’s a reason for attention.

Be it your friend or family member, it’s important to hear them out and be there for them, as it is truly a struggle and a test from Allah, yes it is a test from Allah like many other things in life. And based upon the first hadith, it is a form of cleansing. Allah wishes to clear us of all sins before entering the next world, before going to Jannah.

This world is full of tests and trials and ll to teach us how to walk the path, understand our lord and how to serve him.

Pain and being lost is part of life as well as our existence. So that our souls can reach out to the devine, to thé source of where our souls originate.

So please never disregard mental illness, of any shoe or form. Self harm, hate, distorted self beauty. The spirit and the mind are very interconnected than we think in addition to our actions. Our actions and experiences affect us mentally, psychologically and spiritually. So it’s always important to be surrounded with positivity. Reach out and support how ever you can even with Dua or salat.