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:
“Be sure we will test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives, but give glad tidings to those who are steadfast, who say when afflicted with calamity: To God we belong and to him is our return. They are those on who (DESCEND) blessings from God and mercy and they are the once that receive guidance. 2:155

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. WorTying 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 heart there is a disease and God has increased their disease and grievous is their penalty because they lie to themselves.” 2:10

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 harmones like adrenaline which leads to rapid heart rate, perspiration, tremor, the basis of lie detector test.

This lying conflict could be due to “SMALL” crimes like theft or adultery, or big crimes like rejection of God.

3 stages of spiritual development of soul age

a. Nafsul Ammara: -The Passionate soul “I do not absolve myself Lo the (human) soul is prone to evil, save that whenever my Lord has mercy. Lo, Lord is forgiving; merciful.” 12:53 (Surah Yusuf)

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.

Hadith “your most-ardent-enemy is your evil self which resides within your body” (Bukhaii).

If this evil soul is not checked wiR lead to unusual stress and its resultant effects.

- b. Nafsul Lawanunah (The Reproaching Soul). “Nay, I swear by the reproaching soul” 75:1

This soul is conscious or aware of Evil, resists it, asks for God’s grace, and pardon, repents and tries to ammend and hopes to achieve salvation.

“And (There are) others who have acknowledged their faults. They mix a righteous action with another that was bad. It may be that Allah will relent toward them. Lo! Allah is relenting, merciful.” 9:102

Hadith “These are two impulses within us. One spirit which calls towards good and confirms the truth. He who feels this impulse should know that it comes from Allah. Another impulse comes from our enemy (Devil) which leads to doubt and holds untruth and encourages evil. He who feels this should seek refuge in Allah from the accursed devil.”

This soul warns people of their vain desire, guides and opens the door to virtute and righteousness. It is a positive step in spiritual growth.

c. The satisfied soul (Nafsul Mutmainnah). “O (you) soul in (complete) rest and satisfaction. Come back to your Lord, will pleased (yourself) and will pleasing unto him. Enter you then among my devotees, enter you in my heaven.” 89:27-30

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)
“who have believed and whose heart have Rest in the remembrance of God. Verify in the remembrance of God, do hearts find rest.” 13:28

b. Increase their prayer.
“O you who believe, seek help with steadfastness and prayer. For God is with those who are steadfast.” 2:153

c. Ask forgiveness
“And I have said: seek forgiveness from your Lord. Lo He was ever forgiving.” 71:10

In addition to above we are also asked to continue to struggle to up-grade ourselves.
” surely God does not change the condition in which a people are in until they change that which is in themselves.” 13:11

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.

From: Islamicmedicine.org

“As an adult, I have learned to put a name to this seasonal depression: Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. Somewhere, somehow, a wise and knowing person recognized that millions upon millions of human beings across the world acknowledged the same symptoms I had suffered through virtually every autumn and winter of my entire life. This wise and knowing person put a name to it, and suggested treatment: light. Bright, blazing, intense, warm, wonderful light.” – Mirium

Many people suffer from what is call SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder. SAD is a particular form of acute depression. People born in warmer climates and move to cold climates find they are unusually susceptible to this disorder. However, no matter where you live, this disorder usually begins when the temperature begins to drop, and the daylight hours grow short. This winter depression may be accompanied by a craving for sweet foods and a resulting weight gain, as well as difficulty in motivating oneself to rise from bed in the morning before sunrise. In severe cases medical attention needs to be sought, especially for those persons whose normal routines are interrupted and they find themselves withdrawn and overly sad, seeking sleep during the daytime hours, and unable to perform their normal duties.

Some people also experience Summer SAD due to lack of exposure to the sun in the summer months. This may be due to long hours at indoor work or to avoidance of the sun in very hot climates – such as Saudi Arabia. Symptoms of Summer SAD may be poor appetite, weight loss and insomnia. Either type of SAD may also include symptoms present in some other kinds of depression, such as feelings of guilt, a loss of interest or pleasure in activities, persistent feelings of hopelessness or helplessness, or physical problems such as headaches and tummy troubles.

In ALL cases of SAD, however, melatonin seems to be the common link in the causes of the disorder. Melatonin is a natural hormone made by the body’s pineal (pih-knee-uhl) gland. The pineal gland lies at the base of the brain. When the sun goes down, and darkness comes, the pineal gland “goes to work.” As melatonin production rises, a person begins to feel less alert and body temperature starts to fall. Sleep seems more inviting. Then, melatonin levels drop quickly with the dawning of a new day. Levels are so low during the day, in fact, that scientists often have difficulty detecting melatonin at all during the day. Melatonin levels thus go hand in hand with the light-dark cycle, not just for people, but also for plants and animals that keep alert during the day. Melatonin production is also related to age. Children manufacture more melatonin than the elderly do and melatonin production begins to drop at puberty. Also, when days become shorter and darker the production of this hormone increases. Melatonin levels in the body determine a person’s activity and “energy” level. High melatonin levels cause drowsiness, while low melatonin levels correspond to an alert state of consciousness.

Light therapy using special light lamps is the most common ways to alleviate this struggle for alertness. Our bodies need a full spectrum of light to carry out a variety of metabolic processes and produce melatonin at acceptable levels. Light entering the eye regulates body chemistry, and in particular, the secretion or suppression of melatonin. Note, however, that due to UV dangers, therapists do not recommend the use of tanning beds as a cure for SAD http://www.nu-light.com.

Some very light-sensitive people who live or work in dim environments may feel improvement with increased exposure to normal room light. Research studies show, however, that most sufferers of SAD and winter doldrums require exposure to light levels much higher than ordinary indoor lamps and ceiling fixtures provide. Such therapeutic levels are five to twenty times higher (as measured in lux or foot-candles by a light meter) than typical indoor illumination in the home or office. Aside from these environmental treatments, some sufferers find that standard antidepressant medications provide relief, even if they do not reach their normal level of well being until spring or summer. Many patients have been in psychotherapy and found it to be helpful to them in many ways – but unfortunately, not in relieving their SAD symptoms www.lightandions.org/blt.htm.

However, as Muslims we can have faith that the symptoms of SAD will not remain all year long. For Allah (swat) set everything in motion and the days will grow long again as soon as December 21st. On this shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, the sun is at its lowest and weakest, a pivotal point from which the light will grow stronger and brighter once again feeding us with light and warmth. This event will alleviate SAD and make it easier to arise and perform wudu and salat.

Sources:

American Academy of Family Physicians. “Information from Your Family Doctor, Seasonal Affective Disorder.” American Academy of Family Physicians. February 2000.

Anderson JL; Rosen LN; Mendelson WB; Jacobsen FM; Skwerer RG; Joseph-Vanderpool JR; Duncan CC; Wehr TA; Rosenthal NE. “Sleep in Fall/Winter Seasonal Affective Disorder: Effects of Light and Changing Seasons.” Journal of Psychosomatic. 1994 May, 38:4, 323-37.

Bagby RM; Schuller DR; Levitt AJ; Joffe RT; Harkness KL. “Seasonal and Non-Seasonal Depression and the Five-Factor Model of Personality.” Canda: University of Toronto: J Affect Disorders. 1996 Jun 5, 38:2-3, 89-95.

Birtwistle J; Martin N. “Seasonal Affective Disorder: Its Recognition and Treatment.” British Journal of Nursing. 1999 Aug, 8:15, 1004-9.

Lindsley, Gila. “Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): About Light, Depression & Melatonin.” USA: New Technology Publishing, Inc.

http://www.healthyresources.com.

http://www.nu-light.com/

www.lightandions.org/blt.htm

source: islamonline.net, islamicmedicine.org

2. Increase prayers: “O you who believe! Seek assistance through patience and prayer; surely, Allah is with the patient (Qur’an, 2:153).” Regardless of the type of meditation, recent studies have verified the physiological effects of meditation. Most of those mediations consist in focusing on something, repeating some words and breathing (Greenberg, p.142, 143).

3. Perform ablutions: The most important component of relaxation is what Hans Loehr calls “the rituals of success.” These rituals may be as simple as making ablution; yet, they must be performed properly for it is not enough to pass water on the body parts – those parts must be massed.

4. Ask for forgiveness : Even if a person has not done anything wrong, he must insure the forgiveness of Allah. “Then I said, ‘Ask forgiveness of your Lord; surely, He is the most Forgiving’” (Qur’an, 71:10).

5. Recite the Qur’an: The Prophet (SAW) said, “… Qur’an is a remedy for illnesses of the mind” (Bukhari). “The echo of sound has a medical effect and is now widely utilized,” says Dr. Greenberg. “The recitation of or listening to the Qur’an has an effect on the body, the heart and the mind! It is said that the letter Alif echoes to the heart and the letter Ya’ to the pineal gland in the brain. Dr Ahmed El Kadi of Akber Clinic (Panama City, FL) conducted and published the effects of listening to Qur’anic recitation on physiological parameters ( i.e., the heart, blood pressure, and muscle tension), and reported improvement in all factors, irrespective of whether the listener was a Muslim or a non-Muslim, Arab or non-Arab. Obviously, it can be postulated that those who understand and enjoy the recitation with a belief in it will get maximum benefits,” writes Dr Athar.

6. Make the hereafter one’s main concern: “Whoever has the hereafter as his main concern, Allah will fill his heart with a feeling of richness and independence; he will be focused and feel content, and this world will come to him in spite of it. Whoever has this world as his main concern, Allah will cause him to feel constant fear of poverty; he will be distracted and unfocused, and he will have nothing of this world except what was already predestined for him,” said the Prophet (SAW). One of the greatest causes of stress is money – how to pay the loans, whether one’s job will be lost, what will happen to the family if the father dies, etc.

7. Think positively: Muslims should forget about the bad things of the past and think of good things, always having hope that he can be better. Trying to change the past is a foolish and crazy waste of time, “for saying ‘if only…’opens the way to Shaytan” said the Prophet (SAW). The Prophet (SAW) also said, ” Know that victory (achievement) comes through patience, and that ease comes through hardship.” Muslims understand that there’s no reason for panic in the case of crisis – no reason to be distressed or worried for we know that after hardship come ease!

8. Do not waste time on thoughts of fear or stress: “The search of time is one of the most frequent causes of stress” (Seyle, p.102). Laziness is the mother of all evils, and the Prophet (SAW) used to seek refuge in Allah from it. Understanding that this life is short and time precious, Muslims should try to work hard and pursue worthy knowledge (Munajjid).

References

Athar, Shahid, MD. “Modern Stress and Its Cure From Qur’an.” www.islam-usa.com < http://www.islam-usa.com/> .

Greenberg, Jerrold S. CSM = Comprehensive Stress Management. WCB: McGraw-Hill. 1999.

Munajjid, Sheik Muhammad. Book of Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid: Dealing with Stress and Worries.

Sahih Bukhari.

Seyle, Hans. The Stress Without Distress. N.Y.: Lippincott. 1974.

Shakir Translation. Holy Qur’an