Mental Health & Wellness

The Qur'an and Sunnah ground emotional well-being in a true relationship with God, who gives human life its purpose and meaning.

Islamic spirituality provides ultimate purpose and meaning to human life, two aspects central to human flourishing and a healthy emotional state. At the core of the faith is servitude, surrender, and submission to God. In doing so, we are, counterintuitively, given the opportunity to attain true freedom and liberation from the shackles of this world.

Through daily prayer (salat), supplication (duʿaʾ), and the remembrance of God (dhikr), believers are given constant sources of protection and relief. The Qur'an states, "Surely in the remembrance of God do hearts find rest" (Qur'an 13:28). Within submission is also belief in divine decree (qadar), the conviction that everything that happens to us is part of God's just, wise, and compassionate plan. This shifts our thinking from agonizing over questions like "Why me?" or "What did I do to deserve this?" toward frameworks that offer hope, a deeper sense of God-consciousness, and solace in the Qur'an.

Researchers have found that spirituality and religiosity are associated with better mental health. Such findings are welcome, but they are not the reason Muslims believe. Almost any set of beliefs can bring comfort for a time, including false ones. The peace the Qur'an describes is not a byproduct of believing something useful. It comes from turning to the One who truly is there, and it holds firm through hardships that would unravel a comforting illusion. This is the strongest anchor by which to navigate life: a deep attachment to God.

Video: Are Religiosity and Mental Health Connected? | DoubleTake S3 E13

Yes. Muslim scholars have discussed ailments of the heart and mind for centuries, and contemporary scholars recognize the need for both spiritual and clinical treatment of mental health struggles.

Many Muslim scholars have dedicated their lives to exploring the spiritual and psychological dimensions of human well-being and flourishing, including aspects that would fall under the contemporary category of mental health.

In clinical psychology and psychiatry, many practitioners increasingly recognize the role of spirituality as part of both the prevention and treatment of mental illness.

In discussing the beneficial role that spirituality and psycho-spiritual practices such as prayer can have on mental health, we do not intend to minimize other forms of treatment. Muslim scholars understood this balance centuries before the development of modern psychiatry. The fourteenth-century scholar Ibn al-Qayyim (d. 751/1350), for instance, writes: “The second type is a disease that causes pain in the moment, such as worry, distress, sadness, and anger. This disease may be removed by natural remedies, such as removing its causes or treating it with what counters those causes… For just as the heart suffers from what the body suffers, the body often suffers from what the heart suffers” (Ibn al-Qayyim, Ighathat al-lahfan).

The Qur'an speaks of two kinds of happiness: happiness in this world and happiness in the Hereafter.

The Qur'an does not disparage the life of this world. God states:

It is He who created for you all that is on the earth. (Qur'an 2:29)

Eat from what your Lord has provided for you and give Him thanks. (Qur'an 34:15)

Do not neglect your rightful share in this world. (Qur'an 28:77)

Thus, while believers enjoy the good things of this world, they work toward the higher goods of the next. Happiness depends on our attitude toward this world and how we live in it. If we are engrossed in the material world and treat it as an end in itself, we will forget the ultimate purpose of our creation.

According to al-Ghazali, the moderate way of living resembles the lives of the prophets, since it fulfills the needs of both this world and the Hereafter:

Know that the happiness of everything, its pleasure and its serenity, accords with the needs of its nature. The nature of everything accords with what it has been created for. The eye delights in [seeing] beautiful images, and the ear delights in [hearing] harmonious sounds. Every limb can be described like this. The heart's distinctive delight is in the knowledge of God, the Most High, because the heart was created for it.

Paper: The Divine Gift of Gratitude: The Secret of Happiness in the Modern World

The Qur'an and Sunnah acknowledge the validity of negative emotions and offer guidance on how to deal with them in a healthy way.

One of the first steps the Qur'an takes in navigating such emotions is to reorient our perspective. It reminds us not to become or remain overly attached to this world and its distractions, and that the pursuit of virtue leads to ultimate happiness in the Hereafter:

Wealth and children are the adornments of the life of this world, but that which endures, [such as] righteous deeds, is better in reward with your Lord, and better [as a source] of hope. (Qur'an 18:46)

It is normal to experience sadness and grief, even intensely. Just as God gave us life, He gave us emotions. These emotions can be beneficial and a means of drawing nearer to God when we deal with them well.

Muslim scholars and clinicians have offered a number of practical approaches to these emotions. One is the Duha Approach, which helps us navigate such feelings in a healthy and constructive way (see "Do the Qur'an and Sunnah offer guidance on how to deal with trauma and pain?" below).

Video: Is Sadness A Sign of Weak Iman? | Animation

The Qur'an and Sunnah acknowledge negative emotions and mindsets, and from their teachings we can derive practical ways to overcome them.

The Qur'an describes human nature as prone to anxiety and fear:

Truly, man was created anxious: when evil befalls him, fretful; when good befalls him, begrudging, except for those who pray. (Qur'an 70:19–22)

Some practical steps from the Islamic tradition for dealing with negative emotions include:

• Practice the prophetic teaching of husn al-zann, thinking well of others. Give others, and yourself, the benefit of the doubt, and try to understand where your thoughts or emotions might be coming from. Remember that other people's actions may not reflect their feelings toward you, but their own negative experiences.
• Recall the Prophet ﷺ and the difficulties he endured compared to your own.
• Remind yourself that there are great blessings and opportunities in difficulty and suffering, and that God has promised we will be tested by things that may cause us anxiety, grief, and a sense of loss: "We will certainly test you with a touch of fear and famine and loss of property, life, and crops. Give good news to those who patiently endure" (Qur'an 2:155).
• Lastly, strive to remember that God is always with you, even when it feels as if the entire world is against you.

Video: 3 Reasons Why You Think the World Is Against You

No. Even the most pious people have experienced moments of despair. But believers are taught not to wish for death, and to seek help when they are struggling.

The Qur'an tells us that when the pains of labor drove Maryam, the mother of Jesus, to the trunk of a palm tree, she cried out, "I wish I had died before this and been long forgotten" (Qur'an 19:23). She was among the most pious and noble people ever to walk the earth. Even people around the Prophet ﷺ, such as a young man who told him of his wish to die, experienced these kinds of thoughts.

However, the Prophet ﷺ instructed believers not to pray for death. He taught, "None of you should wish for death because of a calamity that has befallen him. If he must do something, let him say: 'O God, keep me alive so long as life is good for me, and cause me to die if death is better for me'" (Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 5671).

In general, believers are taught to approach life as something good, not to hate it, but to see it for the profound blessing and gift that it is, and to keep negative things in perspective.

Along the way, do not suffer alone or in silence. There is no shame in seeking help, and reaching out does not make you less of a person. Seeking help to be healthy and whole is itself a way of honoring the life God has given you. It is an act of worship, not a sign that you are a bad person.

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide or needs emotional support, in the United States you can call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or visit KhalilCenter.com. Outside the United States, please contact your local crisis line or emergency services.

Yes. The Qur'an uses stories that readers can relate to, and it offers ways of coping with temporary negativity and distress.

The Qur'an tells the stories of many people who experienced profound distress and other negative emotions, and it provides priceless guidance on how to overcome them. It teaches that even the greatest of people, from God's prophets and messengers to righteous men and women, went through periods of deep distress, grief, or sorrow. From this, we learn that such emotions are a normal part of human experience. Just as God gave us life, He also gave us emotions.

Seeking solace in the promise of eternal, untainted happiness in Paradise compared with the temporary nature of this life, striving to remember God frequently through dhikr, and turning to God with our complaints and pains in prayer and supplication are all actions inspired by Qur'anic guidance that help us through negative emotions. Seeking the support of groups or trusted people who have gone through similar experiences, such as grief and bereavement support groups, may also provide needed validation and relief.

Video: 20 Ways to Cope with Stress

The Duha Approach is one example of how the Qur'an can guide us through trauma and pain.

This approach is based on the chapter of the Qur'an known as al-Duha (The Morning Light). The chapter was revealed during a particularly difficult period in the life of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, marked by profound sadness and anxiety. By reflecting on the surah and drawing lessons from it, we hope it can serve as a blueprint for overcoming and healthily managing suffering and trauma. Each step in the Duha Approach mirrors the structure of the chapter itself.

The first step is to establish a sense of attachment and connection to God. Experiencing hardship or trauma is not a sign that God hates you, as even the greatest of human beings, the Prophet ﷺ, experienced severe difficulties.

The second step is to shift perspective and remind ourselves that whatever we are experiencing now will pass, just as this world itself will one day pass. The Hereafter and its promises of reward and lasting contentment far outweigh the brief hardships of this world.

The chapter then offers something similar to a technique in cognitive therapy: reshaping how we view and interpret our current situation. The surah does so by turning the Prophet's attention away from his present difficulties and reminding him of the blessings God has given him, and of His guidance and care for him. The next step is to take action to improve our patterns of behavior and, with them, our mindsets. Lastly, the approach encourages gratitude. Consistently acknowledging the things that are worth being grateful for can radically improve our general state of being.

See full infographic: Touched by Trauma: Your Lord Has Not Left You Alone

The Qur'an and Sunnah teach that hardship is not a sign of God's displeasure, and that every pain a believer endures can expiate sins.

The Qur'an and Sunnah do not present life as a place where only good things happen to good people and bad things happen only to bad people. In fact, the Prophet ﷺ taught that it is often the opposite: "When God loves a people, He tests them" (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, no. 2396, graded hasan gharib by al-Tirmidhi). He went even further and said that the most severely tested people "are the prophets, then the next best, then the next best… the servant will continue to be tested until he is left walking upon the earth without any sin" (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, no. 2398, graded hasan sahih by al-Tirmidhi).

When faced with the pains and difficulties of this life, we should remember these comforting words of the Prophet ﷺ: "No fatigue, nor disease, nor anxiety, nor sadness, nor pain, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even the prick of a thorn, except that God expiates some of his sins because of it" (Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 5641). And: "Trials will continue to befall the believing man and woman, in themselves, their children, and their wealth, until they meet God with no sins" (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, no. 2399, graded hasan sahih by al-Tirmidhi).

Tazkiya is the process of working to purify the heart and soul.

The word comes from an Arabic root (z-k-y) that carries two meanings at once: purity and growth. The same root gives us zakat, the obligatory charity that purifies a person's wealth while causing blessing in it to grow. Tazkiya is therefore not only the removal of what corrupts the soul but also the nurturing of what makes it flourish, like clearing weeds so that a garden can grow. The Qur'an describes this as part of the Prophet's mission: he was sent to recite God's verses to the people, to purify them (yuzakkihim), and to teach them the Book and wisdom (Qur'an 62:2).

Muslims use several terms for this process of purifying and refining the heart and soul. These include purification (tazkiya), purification of the soul (tazkiyat al-nafs), spiritual excellence (ihsan), and Sufism (tasawwuf). All of these terms point to the tradition's emphasis on striving for a refined and purified inner state in harmony with the commands of God.

This endeavor grows out of verses of the Qur'an such as "He has succeeded who purifies it, and he has failed who corrupts it" (Qur'an 91:9–10), as well as statements of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ such as "The faith of a servant is not upright until his heart is upright, and his heart is not upright until his tongue is upright" (Musnad Ahmad, no. 13047).

Purifying the soul means cleansing it of vices and adorning it with virtues, through practices such as mindfulness, repentance, good deeds, and refining one's character.

The steps toward purifying ourselves of vices and adorning ourselves with virtues include practicing mindfulness of God (muraqaba), repentance (tawba), performing good deeds, and striving to perfect and beautify one's character (akhlaq). Among the objectives of tazkiya are cultivating virtues, such as reverent fear and consciousness of God (taqwa), sincerity, truthfulness and honesty, generosity, forbearance, forgiveness, patience, and modesty, and removing vices, such as heedlessness, dishonesty, stinginess, envy, shamelessness, and indecency.

From an Islamic perspective, intrusive thoughts may be understood in terms of both external (Satanic) and internal (personal or biological) influences, although OCD itself is a clinical condition that should be understood and treated accordingly. Being overcome by excessive thoughts is not a sign of weak faith or of any defect in the person.

Paper: Clinicians, Imams, and the Whisperings of Satan

Unwanted, obsessive thoughts about religion are classified as a specific form of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) known as scrupulosity. A person with scrupulosity is preoccupied with religious matters beyond normal limits, to the point that the preoccupation begins to harm their daily functioning.

In Arabic, this condition is known as al-waswas al-qahri. The word waswas is the Qur'an's term for the insidious, whispered suggestions that creep into a person's mind (Qur'an 114:4–5), and qahri comes from qahr, meaning overpowering force or compulsion. Together, the phrase means "compulsive whispering": intrusive thoughts and compulsions related to belief or worship that become excessive, dysfunctional, and distressing. These thoughts run against the person's own values, which is why they cause such distress, and they are believed to stem from either internal (personal or biological) or external (Satanic) sources.

Being overcome by such thoughts is not a sign of weak faith, and it does not reflect on the person's character. When some of the companions told the Prophet ﷺ that they found thoughts within themselves too terrible to speak aloud, he replied that their distress at those thoughts was a sign of clear faith (Sahih Muslim, no. 132). The problem is not the thought itself, but how one copes with it. Those who suffer from al-waswas al-qahri can benefit from a treatment plan that includes evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), particularly exposure and response prevention (ERP), with a culturally competent clinician, alongside appropriate religious guidance from a knowledgeable imam, or similarly qualified Muslim spiritual leader.

Video: Are the whispers of Satan a type of OCD? | Animation

Mindfulness is to be fully aware of God at all times, and as a result to do as many good deeds as possible.

In the Islamic tradition, mindfulness is the virtue of muraqaba, a word derived from a root meaning "to watch, observe, or regard attentively." As a technical spiritual term, it is defined as "the servant's constant knowledge and conviction that the Truth, glory be to Him, oversees his outward and inward states." A Muslim in a state of muraqaba knows at every moment that God is aware of him or her, inwardly and outwardly.

Muraqaba is a complete state of self-awareness in one's relationship with God, in the heart, mind, and body. Knowing that God is always watching, we pay greater attention to our actions, thoughts, feelings, and inner states. Muraqaba is also the fulfillment of worshipping God with a proper understanding of His beautiful names, so that they guide us to be more intentional in our actions. As God says, "Know that God knows what is in your souls, so be mindful of Him" (Qur'an 2:235).

Ibn al-Qayyim and al-Ghazali both devote chapters of their works to the merits and realities of muraqaba. It is not just a recommended trait but the realization of the highest trait of all, spiritual excellence (ihsan). As the Prophet ﷺ defined it in the famous hadith of Gabriel, ihsan "is to worship God as if you see Him, for if you do not see Him, He certainly sees you" (Sahih Muslim, no. 8). Spiritual excellence, in other words, is to be completely aware and mindful of God at all times, the very peak of faith.

See full infographic: How to be a Mindful Muslim

Yes, although meditation in the Islamic tradition may differ from what many people picture when they hear the word.

To answer this question, we must first look at how meditation is defined. Meditation is "continued or extended thought, reflection… devout religious contemplation or spiritual introspection," from the Latin meditatio ("thinking over"). As a general term, meditation refers to any deliberate and directed mental activity. In therapeutic and spiritual practice, studies have found that various kinds of meditation help people achieve mindfulness and its associated benefits in everyday life.

Some Muslims are hesitant about the word "meditation" because there are so many kinds, some of them tied to religious beliefs and practices that contradict Islam. But in the linguistic sense of the word, Muslims have always practiced several forms of meditation, and through them have reached advanced spiritual states in worship, prayer, and remembrance.

The medieval theologian Ibn al-Qayyim gave one of the best and most concise explanations of the many kinds of meditation in the tradition. He describes an essential part of preparing for the Hereafter as "reflecting (tafakkur), remembering (tadhakkur), examining (nazar), deep consideration (taʾammul), taking lessons (iʿtibar), contemplating (tadabbur), and seeking insight (istibsar)." Each of these words describes a different shade of mental activity that can be considered a form of meditation.

To learn more about these components of contemplation, read Dr. Zohair Abdul-Rahman's paper The Lost Art of Contemplation.

While "meditation" may evoke images and associations foreign to the Islamic tradition, Muslims are encouraged, and in some cases obligated, to engage in practices and cultivate inner states that could be described as meditative.

These practices include prayer as well as deliberate contemplation (tafakkur), remembrance of God (dhikr), silence, and mindfulness of God (muraqaba), among others.

Of prayer, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said that of all the things made beloved to him in this life, "the coolness of my eyes" was placed in prayer (Sunan al-Nasaʾi, no. 3939). When he felt overwhelmed or troubled, he routinely sought refuge in God through prayer. On one occasion, he asked his companion Bilal to call the people to prayer, saying, "Give us comfort through it, O Bilal" (Sunan Abi Dawud, no. 4985).

Yes. Contemplation and God-centered awareness are deeply rooted in the Qur'an and Sunnah.

The Prophet ﷺ embodied what it means to be a mindful believer. Even before he received the message of Islam, he would often retreat to a quiet place of seclusion in the Cave of Hira, where he found clarity and refuge (Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 3). It was during one of these periods of seclusion that revelation of the Qur'an began.

In the Islamic tradition, mindfulness and meditation are tied to muraqaba, a comprehensive self-awareness deeply intertwined with God-consciousness. It means living in the world as God intended, so as to attain true presence and reach higher states of spiritual strength and connection, especially in prayer.

Mindfulness and meditation can bring real benefits even when practiced without God, and Muslims may use various meditative techniques provided that they do not involve worship of anything besides Him. However, mindfulness that leaves God out remains incomplete, for it cultivates awareness without necessarily directing that awareness toward its ultimate purpose.

Modern mindfulness programs, many of them adapted from Buddhist meditation and stripped of their religious framework, have been widely studied. Research summarized by the American Psychological Association has found that mindfulness practices can reduce stress, improve focus and concentration, and decrease emotional reactivity. These benefits are real for anyone who practices, Muslim or not, in the same way that anyone benefits from rest or exercise. Many scholars consider neutral techniques, such as attention to the breath, permissible, provided they involve no rituals, chants, or beliefs tied to the worship of anything other than God.

Yet mindfulness that sets God aside works against its own aims in several ways:

• Attention without an object: Mindfulness without God trains attention on the present moment but cannot say what the present moment is for. Awareness becomes its own goal. In the Islamic tradition, awareness points beyond itself, to the One who is aware of us.
• A self without its source: It asks us to observe the self while setting aside the question of who made it. The Qur'an warns against being like those who forgot God, "so He made them forget themselves" (Qur'an 59:19). Self-awareness that excludes God loses the very self it set out to find.
• Acceptance without judgment: Modern mindfulness asks people to observe their thoughts without judging them. While this can be therapeutically beneficial, the Islamic tradition also asks believers to hold their thoughts and deeds to account (muhasaba), recognizing that some thoughts require moral evaluation and, when appropriate, resistance.
• Calm without rest: It promises stillness while denying the One in whom "hearts find rest" (Qur'an 13:28). It can quiet the mind for a time, but it cannot answer the heart's deepest need, which is for its Creator. Critics such as Ronald Purser, in McMindfulness (2019), argue that workplace mindfulness programs often help people cope with stressful conditions instead of questioning them.

The Islamic tradition does not reject attentiveness; it completes it. The scholar ʿAbd al-Qadir al-Jilani described muraqaba as knowledge of four things: God, Satan, the soul’s capacity to suggest evil, and the deeds to be done for God’s sake. Modern mindfulness attends only to the third.

One way to cultivate mindfulness is to practice mindfulness exercises regularly.

Choose a time of day when you can find solitude and quiet, and a posture you find comfortable. Begin by becoming aware of your natural breathing while relaxing the tension in your muscles. As you do this, aim to be not only outwardly silent but inwardly silent as well, setting aside inner dialogue and wandering trains of thought. Instead, focus on God and His awareness of you. You can incorporate dhikr to anchor your thoughts and focus.

Through regular exercises like this one, we can deepen our awareness of God and of our inner states in relation to Him, and hopefully reach lofty spiritual states and their fruits: an enriched quality of life, enhanced worship, and God's pleasure. For the full exercise, see How to be a Mindful Muslim: An Exercise in Islamic Meditation.

See full infographic: How to be a Mindful Muslim