Islām strongly emphasizes taking care of one’s mental health as it is linked to one’s overall well-being, (ex: emotional, physical and behavioural). In addition, the Islāmic perspective reveals that a stable mental health reduces the chances of negative thinking patterns. Furthermore, a strong connection with Allāh (SWT) also plays a significant role in an individual’s mental health.
How can unstable mental health play a detrimental role in one’s life through an Islāmic perspective and how does this impact their connection with Allāh (SWT)?
Let’s look at this through the lens of Qur’ānic verses, Aḥādīth, religious sources, and scientific knowledge:
The Negative Effects of Unstable Mental Health
1) In Islām, a lack of faith or disbelief can be seen as a barrier to fully understanding the deeper truths of our minds and life itself. When someone experiences doubt, they may struggle to clearly distinguish between what is real and what might be influenced by negative thoughts or emotions. This can sometimes affect their mental well-being, as they may find it difficult to challenge self-critical or harmful thoughts. In this context, it’s believed that a person’s ability to perceive and understand—through their heart, mind, and senses—can feel diminished or clouded.
2) Ensuring one has stable mental health allows one not to worry about things that are out of one’s control. For example, attachment to the material world may cause anxiety and worries. In Islam, the material world is linked with loss and tensions.
Imām Alī (AS) said:
“Why when you attain a little of this world, you become delighted, and a great deal of the hereafter you have lost does not sadden you? Also, when you lose a worthless worldly thing, you become so anxious and worried that your face expressions clearly show your great anxiety, and your little impatience is revealed.”
3) From an Islāmic perspective, consistently focusing on the negative aspects of life is discouraged, as it can take a toll on a person’s emotional and mental well-being. Islām encourages a balanced outlook that nurtures hope, gratitude, and trust in God’s wisdom, even during difficult times. For example, being pessimistic and thinking negatively of one’s own self, family members, relatives, society, and environment, may cause additional distress and worries in one’s life. Furthermore, if people don’t care for their mental health, they can engage in suspicion and cynicism; behaviours that Islām discourages due to the negative spiritual spiral they can cause.
Imām Ṣādiq (as) said:
“The excessive yearning and lust towards dunya leads to sorrow and grief, and asceticism (abstaining from the worldly base desires) is a source of tranquility and comfort for both heart and body.”
How to Maintain Stable Mental Health from The Teachings of our A’immah
Below are some ways to maintain stable mental, physical and spiritual health:
(1) Fasting
Prophet (SAW) said:
صُومُوا تَصِحُّوا
“Fast so you can attain spiritual and physical health and comfort.”
Imām Bāqir (as) said:
اَلصَّوْمُ جُنَّةٌ
“Fasting is a shield and a protection from negativities.”
(2) Positive Thinking
Amīr al-Mu’minīn (as) said:
حُسْنُ اَلظَّنِّ رَاحَةُ اَلْقَلْبِ وَ سَلاَمَةُ اَلْبَدَنِ
“Thinking Positive about others is a source of relief for the heart and protection for the body.”
(3) Sleeping
Imām Ṣādiq (as) said:
النوم راحة للجسد، والنطق راحة للروح، والسكوت راحة للعقل
“Sleep comforts body, reflection comforts soul, and silence comforts intellect.”
As mentioned above, Islām highlights key points towards ensuring a stable mental health for one’s bodily and spiritual needs. Our religion has provided all the tools required to maintain a harmonious relationship between our physical health, mental health, and religious strength.
