Islamic Solution to Depression

Islamic Solution to Depression:

* Defining Goal of life: Islam teaches us that we should focus our goal on succeeding in our life to come after this life. If we emphasize on the transitory nature of this worldly life-then most of our problems of this life lose it’s importance in our lives and subsequently lose their power of a having negative impact on us.
* With difficulty, comes ease.
* Everyone needs a support system, and everyone needs a best friend, and everyone need role models.
* God never burdens a soul more than it can bear.
* Develop gratitude for the blessings that God has given you.
* A depressed person needs a source to turn to, turn to God for help, support, mercy and forgiveness.
* If there is a God, and there is, only good will become of the negative situation one finds themselves in.
* Find out purpose and value in your life and in everything that you’re going through.
* Incorporate prayer in your schedule at least twice a day. Talk to God.
* Live one day at a time.
* Surrender your unmanageable problems and things over which you’ve lost control of to God.
* Always Hope in Allah’s mercy.
* Get involved with your religious organizations, charities, or some other volunteer work
* One should say “al-hamdu lillah” a few hundred times a day. A phrase in the Arabic language that means “All praise and gratitude for God”. Muslims say this phrase when they are in difficult situations.
* If we think it is a bad situation, it could have been worse. If we think it is a good situation, it is still a test for us. Everything is from God and we should praise Him often. Thanking Him is one way to praise Him—al-hamdu lillah.
* Each one of us came to this world for a purpose
* Exercise
* Nutrition
* Sleep well
* Read
* Contemplate
* Write a Journal
* Reconnect with your lost relationships
* Spend time in nature
* REMEMBER THE “SOME BASIC TRUTHS”

What’s Your Body Telling You - The Science and the Quran

Food is an essential prerequisite for life and as such the primary goal of eating and drinking is to enable the body to function normally. With food, or the lack of it, the destinies of individuals are greatly influenced. We should "eat to live", and "not live to eat". The Holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) recommended even for pious man the quantity of food "which is just sufficient to keep his back-bone erect".

Islam enjoins us to have a balance diet in order to have a variety of nutrients. When we look at verses from the Holy Qura'n, the recommended foods indicate nutrient density. It states:

"O you people! Eat of what is on earth lawful and good!" (2:168)

"So eat of (meats), on which Allah's name hath been pronounced if ye have faith in his signs." (6:118)

"The game of the sea and its food are permitted to you." (5 :99)

"Pure milk, easy and agreeable to swallow for those who drink." (16:66)

"He it is who produceth gardens with trellises and without, and dates, and tilth with produce of all kinds and olives and pomegranetes, similar and different, eat of their fruit in season." (16:141)

These recommended foods mentioned in the Holy Qur'an, will certainly fulfill daily protein, carbohydrates, fat and vitamins requirements.
Nutrition is a matter of life-long eating habits which become set with age. Dietary patterns also vary from one person to another according to the difference of cultural and geographic environment to another. To ensure a proper supply of the essential nutrients, we must combine food sources of these nutritients in the right amounts. This results in a healthy well-balanced diet. But there are times, when our body produce different signs. The body could be telling us something. Therefore, learning to read your body’s signs can be the key to preventing serious illness.

The Symptom: Crease on Earlobe
People who have a diagonal crease on both earlobes are more prone to heart disease, says a study by the Royal Sussex County Hospital in the UK. “The crease is a diagonal line pointing up towards your eyebrow.,” says Denise Armstrong, lifestyle manager at Hear Research UK. “The crease doesn’t cause heart disease, but people who inherit this characteristic also appear to inherit genes that cause increase risk of heart problems. “Keep risk of heart disease at a minimum by eating a low-fat diet, getting regular exercise and stop smoking.

The Symptom: Red Palms
“Red palms are sign of raised estrogen levels in your blood, so first check you aren’t pregnant,’ says Dr Naomi Harris of Royal Australian College of GPs. “If you’re not pregnant, ask your doctor to run tests on your liver. If your liver isn’t functioning efficiently it won;t be able to break down hormones and toxins in your blood, making it look redder than normal, resulting in red palms. “Maintain a healthy liver by avoiding alcoholic drinks.

The Symptom: Twitching Eyelids
If your eyes are twitching most of the time, you could be lacking magnesium, says Alex McClelland, accredited dietitian with the Dietitians Association of Australia. “Early signs of magnesium deficiency can result in muscle spasms, which may also cause eye twitching, she says. Research from Germany ‘s University of Lubeck shows magnesium deficiency can increase the risk of osteoporosis and hear disease. “Keep magnesium levels at their optimum by including green vegies and nuts in your diet every day,” says McClelland.

The Symptom: Discoloured Hair
Got more grey hair than your uncle or aunt? “If premature greyness doesn’t run in your family, get tested for pernicious anemia,” says Dr Joan Liebman-Smith, co-author of Body Signs: From Warning Signs to False Alarm. This autoimmune disease means your body can’t absorb vitamin B12 properly. Reduced levels of B12 make it hard for your body to produce melanin, which is what gives your hair its colour. Get your daily dose of B12 from red meat, milk and eggs. If you’re experiencing other signs of pernicious anaemia, such as paleness, weakness and tingling in your extremities, visit your doctor.

The Symptom: Blisters
If even your most comfortable shoes are giving you blisters, you should get it check out; it could be an early sign of Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes can damage nerves in your lower limbs, preventing them from functioning properly. So, if your shoes are rubbing, or you’ve walked too far, you won’t feel the pain, causing the blister to occur. Avoid Type 2 Diabetes by eating healthily and getting regular exercise. If you have blisters you can’t feel, go straight to your GP.

The Symptom: Hoarse Voice
If you’re constantly clearing your throat and you’re not a smoker, consider what you ate at your most recent meal,” Dr. Liebmann-Smith suggests. “A horse, croaky voice can often be a symptom of reflux,” she says. “If you’ve eaten a particularly rich meal, the acid from the food in your stomach can rise back u youroesphagus, irritating it and giving you Darth-Vader-style speech. “Cut down on culprit foods such as citrus fruits, coffee, chocolate, onion and garlic. If this doesn’t make a different, see your doctor.”

The Symptom: Knobbly Knucles
Gnarly hands and fingers could be a sign that you’re suffering from early stages of arthritis. “Arthritis can wear away cartilage and bone around the a joint, which makes knuckles look lumpy,” says Dr. Graeme Jones, medical director at Arthritis Australia. “This is particularly noticeable around the knuckles and toes, as they’re so small. “Reduce pain from arthritis by resting a hot or cold pack on the inflamed area. Escaping very cold and humid weather will ease symptoms too.”

The Symptom: Excessive ear wax
Enough wax in your ear to open a candle shop? You might need to include more healthy fats in your diet, says Dr. Liebmann-Smith. “Studies show that excessive ear wax can be caused by a deficiency of essential fatty acids in your diet,” Dr. Liebmann-Smith says. “We’re not sure why this happens, but there’s definitely a proven link. “Boost your intake of good fats by eating mackerel or sardines twice a week. Over-cleaning ears can also cause a build-up of wax, so ditch the cotton buds and let your ears clean themselves.

Read the sign: Rumbling Stomach
The growling noise is caused by your muscles propelling food down the gastrointestinal tract, meaning everything is in working order.

Read the sign: Dark Circles Under the Eyes)
Normally due to nothing more than lack of sleep, these are a reminder that your body needs rest, says Dr. Liebmann-Smith.


In conclusion, Islam enjoins us to only eat good food and in moderation. Good food must contain three essential components:
• nutritional benefits and efficientcy in producing the needed energy.
• lightness for the stomach
• ease of digestion

Allah (SWT) says in the Holy Qur'an:
"O you who believe, do not forbid the good things which Allah has made lawful for you and do not exceed limits. Surely Allah does not love those who exceeds the limits." (5:90)

And then defining moderation, the Prophetic guidance on the best of common diets is: "one third food, one third water and one third air." Because, when the stomach is saturated with food, it will not be able to take in water, and when food and water exceed their recommended level, one may suffer from pulmonary difficulties, resulting in stress and exhaustion from lungs being unable to easily deliver oxygenated blood to the left atrium of the heart. Wallahu A’lam

Dua or Supplication to alleviate Grief, Distress and Anxiety

The Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم he said as reported by the noble companion Abdullah ibn Mas’ood رضي اللّه عنه and reported by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad. اللَّهُـمَّ إِنِّـي عَبْـدُكَ، إبْـنُ أَمَتِـكَ، the Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم said No slave is afflicted with anxiety and grief and then says, O Allah I am your slave son of your male slave, son of your female slave, نَاصِـيَتي بِيـدِكَ my forehead is in your Hand, مَاضٍ فِيَّ حُكْمُـكَ،and Your judgment upon me is assured, عَـدْلٌ فِـيَّ قَضَـاءُكَ، and whatever You have decreed for me is just, أسْـأَلُكَ بِكُـلِّ اسْمٍ هُـوَ لَك I ask You by every name belonging to You سَـمَّيْتَ بِـهِ نَفْسَـكَwhich You have named Yourself,فِـي كِتَـابِكَ ، أَوْ أَنْزَلْتَهُ or You have revealed in Your Book, أَوْ عَلَّمْتَـهُ أَحَـدًا مِـنْ خَلْقِـكَ or You taught one of Your creation, أَوِ اسْـتَأْثَـرْتَ بِهِ فِـي عِلْـمِ الْغَيْـبِ عِنْـدَكَ or You have preserved knowledge of that Name with You in the Unseen, I ask You that You make the Qur’aan the spring of my heart,أَنْ تَجْعَـلَ القُـرْآنَ رَبِيَـعَ قَلْبِي ، وَنُورَ صَدْرِي ، and the light of my chest, وَجَـلاَءَ حُـزْنِي وَذَهَـابَ هَمِّـي ، a banisher for my grief and a reliever for my anxiety.”

The Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم said, “إِلاَّ أَذْهَبَ اللّهُ حُزْنَهُ وَهَمَّهُ وَأَبْدَلَ مَكَانَهُ فَرَحَا whoever says this Allah سبحان وتعلى will replace his distress and grief with joy.
The Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم was asked “O Messenger of Allah should we not learn this? He صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم said, “Certainly! It is proper and befitting for the one who hears of this supplication that they learn it.”

This hadith is reported by Imam Ahmad contains amazing benefits. Benefits that are important to each and every one of us because there is not one of us except he will be met with trials and tribulations and this is a test from Allah سبحان وتعلى, to distinguish between those who are truthful and those who are faking. Allah عزّ وجل He said in the Noble Qur’aan in Surathul Baqarah verse 155,
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الأَمْوَالِ وَالأنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ
Certainly we shall test you with fear, hunger, loss of wealth, life and fruits but give glad tidings to the patient”

Imam Sa’adi رحمح الله تعلى mentions in his explanation of the Qur’aan ‘Taysir al Kareem ar Rahman’ explaining this verse, he said, (Arabic) “Allah the Most High informs us that He would definitely test His servants. (Arabic) So, the one who is truthful can be distinguished from the one who is faking and is a liar.” So, the one who is annoyed and irrational can be recognized from the one who is patient. And this is the Sunnah of Allah عزّ وجل. So from this verse we benefit that each and every one of us will meet a test. Depending upon our reaction, then this will show whether we are from those people who are patient or from those people who are irrational and impatient.

With regards to this hadith then I will use some of the words of the people of knowledge to explain it. Ibnul Qayyim رحمح الله تعلى firstly and foremostly, and some of the other scholars from amongst the people of knowledge. In this life as Shaykh Abdur Razak he mentions the slave is tried with a variety of painful experiences. These painful experiences they affect the heart, causing it to become restless and they cause pain to the soul. Also it may be disturbing and stressful, what you have suffered and experienced.

Now brothers and sisters there is something that you have to understand and this is an important point mentioned by Ibnul Qayyim and others, if the pain that you have experienced is related to things that have happened in the past, then that is sadness. Understand this. If the pain that has afflicted the heart is connected to something that has happened in the past, then this is sadness(Huzn). And if it is connected to something that you expect and fear will happen in the future then this is worry(Hamm), and if it is related to something that is going on in your life right now then this is anxiety or stress.

And there is no way to remove these three things from the heart unless we truly return back to Allah عزّ وجل and humble ourselves before Allah. Surrendering to Allah عزّ وجل and accepting His command and believing in His pre-decree. And knowing His Names and Attributes and believing in His Book. And reading the Qur’aan and contemplating upon it and acting upon it. This is the only way that you can remove sadness, worry and anxiety from the qalb (heart).

And I say to you that this supplication, dua is not something only meant to be said upon the tongue. Many people they make d'ua or they mention various adkhar and it is just a movement of the tongue. There is no feeling in the heart. And that is why Ibnul Qayyim رحمح الله تعلى mentioned in his book ‘al Fawaid’ (Arabic) the most superior remembrance and the most beneficial form of remembrance is that which is found in the heart and it is spoken upon the tongue. And the one who is mentioning Allah the one who is supplicating to Allah, invoking Allah he should understand the meaning of what they are saying and the intent behind it.

Many people make dua, many people make dhikr but they don’t understand what they are saying and they don’t understand the core messages behind it. So therefore they may not achieve what they expected to achieve due to the deficiency in themselves.
Further, when we make dua to Allah عزّ وجل, we have to supplicate to Allah سبحان وتعلى with love, fear and hope
What is the proof? Allah عزّ وجل, He said in the Qur’aan,
أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ يَبْتَغُونَ إِلَى رَبِّهِمُ الْوَسِيلَةَ أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ وَيَرْجُونَ رَحْمَتَهُ وَيَخَافُونَ عَذَابَهُ

And Ibnul Qayyim mentioned “Some people suffered from anxiety or stress and they think the answer is to do something haram or something that they used to do in the past, because Shaytaan is whispering them to commit such behaviours. Ibnul Qayyim further added that, “If the anxiety, worry and stress are removed by using means other than the Qur’an for instance if you are sick and you regain health then the anxiety, stress and worry will return back.” However if the Qur’an is the spring of your heart then it will banish those things forever as long as that belief is in your heart. Ibnul Qayyim رحمح الله تعلى added, “Whoever is not cured by the Qur’an then Allah سبحان وتعلى will not cure that individual, who ever is not happy with the Qur’an (in terms that they believe it to be sufficient) Allah سبحان وتعلى will make nothing sufficient for them.”

The sex of the baby: From the Holly Quran to science

Watch this video to see one of the many miracles of the holly book of ISLAM "the Quran".

A Message From Ibn Al-Haytham

Ibn al Haytham - The First Scientist - Alhazen
Abu Ali al-Hasan ibn al-Hasan ibn al-Haytham was the first person to test hypotheses with verifiable experiments, developing the scientific method more than 200 years before European scholars learned of it—by reading his books.

Born in Basra in 965, Ibn al-Haytham first studied theology, trying unsuccessfully to resolve the differences between the Shi'ah and Sunnah sects. He then turned his attention to the works of the ancient Greek philosophers and mathematicians, including Euclid and Archimedes. He completed the fragmentary Conics by Apollonius of Perga. He was the first person to apply algebra to geometry, founding the branch of mathematics known as analytic geometry.

A devout Muslim, Ibn al-Haitham believed that human beings are flawed and only God is perfect. To discover the truth about nature, he reasoned, one had to eliminate human opinion and allow the universe to speak for itself through physical experiments. "The seeker after truth is not one who studies the writings of the ancients and, following his natural disposition, puts his trust in them," he wrote, "but rather the one who suspects his faith in them and questions what he gathers from them, the one who submits to argument and demonstration."

In his massive study of light and vision, Kitâb al-Manâzir (Book of Optics ), Ibn al-Haytham submitted every hypothesis to a physical test or mathematical proof. To test his hypothesis that "lights and colors do not blend in the air," for example, Ibn al-Haytham devised the world's first camera obscura, observed what happened when light rays intersected at its aperture, and recorded the results. Throughout his investigations, Ibn al-Haytham followed all the steps of the scientific method.

Kitâb al-Manâzir was translated into Latin as De aspectibus in the late thirteenth century in Spain. Copies of the book circulated throughout Europe. Roger Bacon, who is sometimes credited as the founder of modern science, wrote a summary of it entitled Perspectiva (Optics).

Ibn al-Haytham conducted many of his experiments investigating the properties of light during a ten-year period when he was stripped of his possessions and imprisoned as a madman in Cairo. How Ibn al-Haytham came to be in Egypt, why he was judged insane, and how his discoveries launched the scientific revolution are just some of the questions answered in Ibn al-Haytham: First Scientist, the world's first biography of the Muslim polymath known in the West as Alhazen, Alhacen, or Alhazeni.

Midwest Book Review calls Ibn al-Haytham: First Scientist a "fine blend of history and science biography." Booklist concurs, praising Ibn al-Haytham: First Scientist as a "clearly written introduction to Ibn al-Haytham, his society, and his contributions." Kirkus Reviews touts the book as "an illuminating narrative...of a devout, brilliant polymath." Children's Literature adds, "Steffens deftly weaves an overview of Muslim history into this biography."

In a new series from the BBC, Science and Islam: The Empire of Reason, physicist Jim Al-Khalili of the University of Surrey takes viewers on a journey through the Middle East, across North Africa, to Spain to tell the story of the dramatic advances in learning that emerged in the Muslim world between the eighth and fourteenth centuries.

In this segment, Al-Khalili describes Ibn al-Haytham’s development of a revolutionary methodology that used “true demonstrations,” or experiments, to test hypotheses—a discipline we now call science. See it for yourself.

Wudu' as a brain stimulant

The further the scientific discoveries go, the more proofs appear - of an undoubted use of everything the ALMIGHTY has prescribed for his best creation - a human being. I'd like to offer the readers an interesting material on the fact, how wudu' or an ablution stimulates the cerebral cortex and why it is Sunnah to renew your ablution after it is spoiled.

First of all, a cerebral cortex is working according to the dominant principle, i.e. if the there is one excited area in the cerebral cortex, it suppresses the rest of the cortex activity. Going to the toilet is an enormous excitement factor which suppresses the rest of the cerebral cortex. An ablution, performed after this brings the entire cortex into the optimal condition. An English scientist U. Penfield made the following discovery in 1956: an irritation of certain skin areas excites certain areas of the cerebral cortex. An ablution, especially the one performed thrice, is such an optimal excitement (irritation). One can see in the scheme of this English scientist U. Penfield how almost all the cerebral cortex is getting excited when ablution is done. In this scheme one sees very distinctly that while giving an ablution to these certain body parts a much greater area of the cerebral cortex gets activated rather than while washing the whole body.

According to Sunnah, an ablution is to be done not only before prayer but also before any natural enterprise: a trip, studying etc…where an active and dynamic brainwork is required. All this knowledge on the effects of ablution would be not possible if the scientific discoveries had not been made, starting from China, 5 thousand years ago and in England in the 20th century. Therefore, science is one of the Islam's constituents. One of the Hadiths says: "There are two sciences: religion science and body science". And today's scientific discoveries show the interrelationship of these two sciences. It shows that science is Islam's constituent. Sharl Meesmar very truly said: "An increase in knowledge of the science's weakens faith of the follower of other religions , but increases the faith of the followers of Islam". Perhaps, Islam appreciates the time, spent on science study, rather than the time, spent on formal and unconscious performing of Islamic rites. It is not difficult to imagine a cerebral cortex condition of a Muslim who performs an ablution 5 times a day and who renews it each time he breaks it, it is Sunnah to be in a state of ablution all the time.

Medical benefits of Wudu

Medical benefits of Wudu

“O believers! When you prepare for prayer, wash your faces and your hands to the elbows; and Rub your heads and your feet to the ankles. If you are in a state of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body. But if you are ill, or on a journey, or one of you comes from offices of nature, or you have been in contact with women, and you find no water, then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands, God does not wish to place you in a difficulty, but to make you clean, and to complete his favor to you, so that you may be grateful.” (Chapter 5, Verse 6)


“Homonculus”
Homonculus (Homonculus, a sensory map of your body) means a tiny man within man, which controls him.

1-The mapping is not in the order like head, face, trunk, hands, foot etc, but according to the spinal enervation. So is the order in the Wudu

2. Mouth is rinsed first and the face is washed later. This is exactly the sequence the homunculus shows.

3. Again, instead of rubbing head along with the face, hands and forearms are washed first and then head is rubbed. This again is according to the sequence shown in the map.

4. In Wudu, first, hands are washed followed by wrist, forearm and elbow. Homonculus again depicts the same sequence, not from elbow to hand.

5.80% of Homunculus, the mini-man controlling the man from inside the brain gets activated.

6. It helps in countering the skin cancers.

7. The recurrent washing of the skin and the removal of sweat, dust and other chemicals will also decrease the chances of infective and allergic disorders of the skin. These include furuncles, pyomas, deep-seated abscesses, rashes, allergic dermatitis, etc.

8. Oral Hygiene is another important result of the Wudu. The rinsing of the mouth and the brushing of teeth (miswak) are sure to cause a substantial decrease in all the diseases of the mouth, teeth and gums. The Prophet said: "If I had not thought this to be an unbearable hardship for my followers I would have prescribed the use of Miswak before every prayer." (Bukhari, Muslim)”. It was narrated by the Lady Aisha (RA) that the Prophet (SA) said; "Miswak is purification of mouth and gratification to the Lord."

9. Wudu has also a very direct relationship with the practice of Istanja, a process in which genitals are washed after urinating. If the drops of urine remain on the body, it signals an impurity, which must be removed as a precondition for the Wudu
nThere is a direct link between Istanja habits and the urinary tract Infections. UTI’s  can be prevented with istanja.