Coping with Depression, stress and anger

wow masha Allaah! lol bro you've had some krazy experiencez! you know.. why dont we have a separate thread for you like one a 'akulion corner' where you can post in your experiences.. this way it wont go offtopic and you'll get a lot of people postin in too insha Allaah.

for once i can use ma 'trainee mod' powers and split this thread into a 'akulion corner'.. what do you think bro? i think its a good idea insha Allaah.


wasalam o 'alykum warahmatulahi wabarakatuh.

format_quote Originally Posted by akulion

Dear Bro Lybian hero Salam Alaikum,

I dont go around saying I love you to sis :P lol that was a joke bro..man ur gona give me bad name loool

Dont let the non-muslims make you stop doing something that even the Prophet said to do, he said "If you love your brother then let him know that you love him"

Infact let me tell you a story from my college days (I went to college in the UK) - Note: This story may seem a little 'disgusting' to some but please dont judge, its a true story.

In college my closest friends circle was composed of: 2 egyptian brothers,and a brother from congo. Apart from them people who also used to hang out with us included, 1 bulgarian guy, 1 isreali guy, 1 american guy and 3 american girls. (The reason for the high number of americans is cos my college was an american college in uk)

Anyways me and my muslim bros used to use a 2 liter bottle of pepsi (filled with water) to do taharah (since in the UK they dont have systems to do taharah. (Taharah for those who dont know is basically washing up after u visit the toilet).

Moving on......We used to keep this bottle in one of our rooms and had it marked with a black marker - in big writing it said - "POISON - DO NOT DRINK" (since it was something we took to the toilet so it was uinclean).

Anyways the non muslims in our group often used to see us take the bottle with us to the toilet everytime we would visit the toilet. So one day the Isreali guy couldnt take it anymore and said, "What the heck do you do with that bottle man? Some weird kinky stuff?"

So we all tried to explain to them all that we used it to wash up after going to the loo. They ofcourse thought it was RIDICLOUS and LAUGHED. One thing to know about me is that I am a very out spoken person and when it comes down to explaining something to someone I will not hesitate to use the most basics and vivid descriptions to explain a thing to someone.
Their laughing was upsetting me, so I stood up and said, "Do you know the difference between us and you all?".
Taken aback they said, "what?"
I replied, "The different is that if you smell your ass right now it will stink to high hell, but if you smell mine, it wont! Go ahead try it!"
Everyone was shocked!.
I continued, "Washing after the loo is very benefical, because while all you do is smear the popo all over your buttoks with a piece of paper, we actually use water to clean everything away and then wash our hands with soap! As a result, your backsides stink cos there is still popo inside (no pun intended to Intel inside). Wheras, we are clean and less likely to develop diseases, bacteria, and other problems."

Alhamdolillah by the Mercy and Grace of Allah, my explanation had such a profound effect on those people that the Isreali guy started doing taharah regularly from that day forth, and one of the American girls eventually reverted to Islam through me Alhamdolillah.

Victory dance


So bro never stand down to these people - we have to teach them the TRUTH so they will give up their ridiclous ideas once and for all insha'Allah

wow mashaalah brother..crazy story..but really nice..mashaalah

Assalamualaikum

I bid peace for this is my first post and I sincerely hope I may get what I intended for. I urgently need words of truth and kindness, guidance from all brothers and sisters, wherever you are in helping me deal with a problem I am facing.

I ask that Allah, God will provide generously the Iman and conviction and clarity I urgently need to continue my passage of life.

This my story.

I am a born Muslim who is married to a non-Muslim sister who converted to Islam, Alhamdullilah. Our marriage initially, has not been too smooth and at one point in time my wife seemed to have lost most of her belief and trust in Islam. At that point in time too, I could recall that I was determined not to allow fallout in the marriage and it was still my responsibility to guide her back. I could also recall during that time that somehow my Iman was affected and It seemed that I was 'pushed' towards losing my own faith in Islam. I still remembered how physically and mentally painful it was, as though something, like a part of my body was ripped apart. Unfortunately, something else, possinly syaitan, had the better of me and in the moment of helplessness, I entirely forgotten Allah or God. It continued that way for quite some time until finally we made a decision to quit our jobs and move to live in her country of birth to be near her own parents.

In her country, which is a completely non-muslim country, we continue to have more quarrels and one day, we had a very severe one, where I almost injured my own wife, and then it dawned on me that I was not the person I was anymore. My heart was numb and my head was filled with heaviness and pain. I had no friends there and I felt extremely unaware of anything that surronds me. Somehow, in my desperation, I began to zikir and reflected Allah. In my loneliness, I sank to a depression and started to lose sleep. It continued for 2 years and felt like dying everyday. And I thought, there is nothing else that can help me, while what is left is my remembrance that I once grew up as a Muslim. I started praying and asking Allah in loneliness for help for that 2 years, however my sleep has not got any better. I suffered from severe fatigue and my chest started to ache. And then finally one day, my wife suddenly mentioned she belived in Allah, Islam.

We moved back to my country. I consulted a psychiatrist who prescirbed to me antidepressants to aid in my sleep. Somehow, it seemed things has not got any better for me. The only good thing is my wife seemed a good Muslim now.

As for me today, I am dealing with a mental torment that lives a life on its own. I long for the Iman I had or probably never had, and I still pray, but in the midst of my own prayers, the mental torment will come and I will have the feeling to reject Allah. I cannot explain what it is, but this is torturing me. I will suddenly lose all memory I had and all I felt was as though I sank to a state of depression. Sometimes, it felt so hard to point my heart to Allah. I ask anyone who is willing to help me.

wa alykum a Salaam warahmatulahi wabarakatuh.

Question

Scholars of Islam, as-Salamu `alaykum. Please shed light on how a believer can maintain his faith and trust in Allah. Also, are there different levels of trust in Allah?

Answer

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear sister in Islam, thanks a lot for your question which reflects your care to have a sound belief and faith. Allah commands Muslims to refer to people of knowledge to become well acquainted with the teachings of Islam.

As for your question, we’d cite the following statement on “Faith and Trust in Allah” by Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi, former President of the Islamic Society of North America:

“Allah says in the Qur’an, “Whatever is in the heavens and on earth, declare the praises and glory of Allah. He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise. To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. He gives Life and Death and He has Power over all things. He is the First and the Last, the Evident and the Hidden and He has full knowledge of all things. He created the heavens and the earth in six Days, then He established Himself on the Throne (of authority). He knows what enters within the earth and what comes forth out of it, what comes down from heaven and what mounts up to it. And He is with you wherever you may be. And Allah sees well all that ye do. To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all affairs are referred back to Allah. He merges Night into Day, and He merges Day into Night; and He has full knowledge of the secrets of (all) hearts.” (Al-Hadid: 1-6)

We must have strong and deep faith and trust in Allah. Allah knows everything and He is with us wherever we are. He has power and might. He is Wise and Merciful. We should trust in Allah in all situations, whether happy or sad, whether successful or confronted with difficulties and problems.

“If Allah touches you with affliction, none can remove it but He; if He touches you with happiness, He hath power over all things. He is the Omnipotent over His servants; and He is the Wise, Acquainted with all things.” (Al-An`am: 17-18)

Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) reported: I was (once) behind the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) when he said to me: “O son, I will teach you few words: Remember Allah, and He will protect you. Remember Allah, and you will find Him close to you. When you have to ask for something, ask of Allah. When you seek help, seek Allah’s help. Believe firmly that if all the creation desires to benefit you in anything, they can never benefit you, but that which Allah has decreed for you. If they all unite to harm you, they will not be able to harm you in anything, but that which Allah has decreed for you.” (At-Tirmidhi, hadith no. 2440)

These are important words. They are part of our faith as Muslims. We believe in One God. We are the people of tawhid (belief in the Oneness of Allah). Tawhid affects our lives, our personalities, and our behavior. Tawhid gives us:

1. Dignity and self-esteem. A believer in tawhid knows that Allah alone is the possessor of all power and none beside Him can benefit or harm a person or provide for his/her needs or give or take away life or wield authority or influence. This makes a person independent and highly dignified. Such a person would not disgrace himself/herself by bowing in homage to any creature, or begging anyone else. Such a person is not overawed by any person’s greatness. A person of tawhid has great determination, patience and perseverance. He/she is unshaken by any difficulty. He/she relies on Allah and places his/her trust in Allah. When such a person makes up his/her mind and devotes it to do Allah’s commands, he/she has full confidence in the support of the most powerful Lord.

2. Modesty and humbleness. A believer in tawhid knows that Allah is the Ultimate power and only Allah controls everything. Whatever one has is given by Allah. Allah can take away just as He can give. He/she knows that whatever happens in this world, big or small, good or evil, advantage or disadvantage, success or loss, increase or decrease, life or death, richness or poverty, health or sickness, everything happens by the will of Allah. A believer in tawhid cannot be arrogant and self-conceited because he/she believes that his/her merits or achievements are not due to his/her own worth, they are gifts from Allah. Such a person is always thankful to Allah and recognizes how much he/she depends upon Allah.

3. Morality, tolerance and open-mindedness. The believer in tawhid is always morally upright. All his/her standards come from One and the Same authority, the authority of Allah. He/she does not have double or multiple standards. There is only One Lord and the Lord treats all people equally. The rules of Allah are universal and they are applicable to all people in all places. A believer in tawhid knows that Allah has created everything in this universe and that everything and every being belongs to Allah. This makes a person very open-minded, tolerant and caring. Sometimes people say that monotheism makes people intolerant, but we say that this is the most tolerant and compassionate belief system because we do not believe that this belongs to my God and that belongs to some other god. It is polytheism and atheism that divide people and create intolerance and dissentions, not tawhid.

4. Ultimate peace and contentment. The belief in tawhid purges the mind of jealousy, envy, and greed and keeps away the temptation of resorting to base and unfair means for achieving success. The believer has faith that everything is in the hand of Allah. The honor, power, reputation, authority and everything are under His control and He gives to whomsoever He wills. The duty of the human being is to struggle, to do good and to trust in Allah.”

(Excerpted, with slight modifications, from: http://www.pakistanlink.com/religion.html)

Focusing more on the levels of trust in Allah, Dr. Muhammad Ash-Shahat Al-Jindi, the head of the Shari`ah Department, Faculty of Law, Helwan University, states:

“First of all, you should know that having trust in Allah is an integral part of the confidence that a Muslim should possess. One’s trust in Allah is really a surrender to His Infinite Will. In fact, a Muslim should depend on Allah in all times and under all circumstances.

Surely, the first level of trust, as far as trust in Allah is concerned, is to have firm belief in Allah and to have unshakable belief in pre-destination. With this, the Muslim will be rest assured that whatever happens around him is only through Allah’s Will. For example, the people who are the most righteous and God-fearing possess such level of complete trust in Allah particularly at times of distress. Referring to this, Allah Almighty says: “Say: Naught befalleth us save that which Allah hath decreed for us. He is our protecting Friend. In Allah let believers put their trust!” (At-Tawbah: 51)

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), quoted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying: Allah the Almighty said: “I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assemble better than it. And if he draws near to Me an arm's length, I draw near to him a fathom's length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.”

Having said this, I would like to say that there are other levels of trust in Allah, and those levels differ according to people’s faith and sincerity. It is no wonder to see people remembering Allah at times of distress and they may forget Him at times of joy and luxury. Of course, the pious people always remember Allah and possess full trust in Him along the course of their life.

Finally, I would like to say that every committed Muslim must know that all what happens is done through Allah’s Infinite Will, and without having such belief one is not regarded a real Muslim.”

If you are still in need of more information, don't hesitate to contact us. Do keep in touch. May Allah guide us all to the straight path!

Allah Almighty knows best.

Source.

Salaam o 'alykum warahmatulahi wabarakatuh.

You may also want to check this thread out insha Allaah.

http://www.islamicboard.com/cyber-co...l-selling.html


if the info. above doesn't help that much, then please do mention it - we will try to look for a fatwa with a even more closer approach insha Allaah.

we will keep you in our prayers insha Allaah.


wa Salaam o 'alykum warahmatulahi wabarakatuh.

I don't know if this will help or not. I don't have much knowledge of the Muslim religion even though I am Muslim. I can only give you advice based on my personal experiences (yet still, it might not be good advice).

My advice is for you to seek forgiveness from Allah. Maybe the reason why you feel compelled to reject Allah is because you feel guilty about “losing your Iman” and so you feel like you don’t deserve to pray to Allah. If that is the case then what I think you should do is ask for forgiveness and then try to make up for it by doing good to others. Often times I feel like I am in such great debt to Allah for all that he has done for me and there is no way for me to pay him back. So instead, I try to be good to other people, with hopes that this will please Allah (I always believed that Allah would want to see good things happen to his servants). And so that is what I would do everytime I feel guilty for something I have done and feel like I need to make it up to Allah, I would think of a way to improve myself and help those around me and do my best to accomplish it. Maybe you doing the same thing might help.

A quote that gets me through hard times is “While Allah exists (and he always shall), there will always be hope.” I can’t remember where I got the quote from.

I don’t know if this advice helps your or not, I hope it will.

Salaam o 'alykum warahmatulahi wabarakatuh.

masha Allaah well put bro guardian. i want to put a hadith which affects me drastically alhamdulilah:


Allaah subhanahu wa ta'aala says:


Hadith - Qudsi 34

O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great at it.