At the very centre of our faith is the importance of caring for ourselves whether that be mentally, spiritually, or physically. We are often reminded that in many other religions such as, Buddhism is the importance of practicing mindfulness. However, the tradition of spirituality within Islam is the least examined in terms of its impact on wellbeing. In the modern era, society tends to focus on Islamic dogma, emphasizing ritual and legal doctrines, whilst neglecting to explore the spiritual and psychological dimensions for human wellbeing to allow us to flourish.
In today's world, the pursuit for emotional balance and reduce anxiety is indeed a universal issue to help the decline in mental health. Rates of depression have massively increased especially, since the pandemic leading to more people seeking out antidepressants or sadly turning to suicide. This can be incredibly true for women during their postpartum stage where their emotional wellbeing is directly impacted.
The Quran reiterates the importance of tawwakul in Islam. Our trust in Allah. We may not always know the meaning of life or why we are tested in moments of hardship, but our imann (faith) is also tested. We can see that developing a foundation of spiritual growth can strengthen our emotional wellbeing by understanding that happiness in this world (dunya) is momentary. People often believe the transient states of happiness obtained through entertainment, wealth and possession will enable them to escape their hemm (anxiety and problems) in life. This temporary nature, which is often exacerbated by the likes of social media, will lead a person into an existential crisis. Seeking meaning in our life through our work, helping others in our community and our remembrance of Allah can lead us out of this abyss. It is about discovering what makes our lives worth living that leads us to emotional balance.
This understanding leads to spiritual intelligence. A person will begin to see the world and everything that unfolds around them through their connection to Allah and the Quran. For example, when a person observes the change in the season or the colour of the leaves on the tree this may remind them of the temporary stages of life and therefore, wants to strive to make use of their time. This person's mind is constantly abstracting an understanding with their creator through a positive, significant reflection of the meaning of life to fuel their spiritual wellbeing of optimism, gratitude and perseverance.
Ibn al-Qayyim (d. 751 AC) once said that "the past can never be changed or corrected with sadness (huzn), but rather through contentment (rida), patience (sabr), a firm belief in destiny (Iman bil qadar) and verbal recognition that everything occurs because of Allah".
If you haven’t done so already, do check out our antenatal course run by our Muslim doulas @shemsdoula and @thesunshinedoula who explore the importance of wellbeing in Islam.