Iman and Mental Health presentation and pdf

It's a religious text based textbook

1. Mind & Soul:
Exploring the Relationship Between
Iman and Mental Health
Dr. Sara Ali
Adult, child and adolescent psychiatrist


WASEELA Institute presents

2. Agenda
Part 1: 11:30-12:30 pm
●Introduction
●Check-in
●Case
●Iman and Wellbeing
●Iman and Mental Illness
Break: 12:30 pm-12:40 pm PT
Part 2: 12:40-1:30 pm
●Islamic Heritage and Mental Health
●Islamic opinions on Seeking Help
●Seeking Help: When and How?
●Q&A
●Conclusion & Dua

3. Check-in
Describe your emotions
over the last few weeks?

5. Latifha, a 35-year-old Muslim woman, has battled persistent low mood for as long as she can remember.
She has spent most of her life feeling as though a heavy emotional fog lingers over her, making it difficult
to experience sustained joy. While she has moments of relief, they are fleeting, overshadowed by an
underlying sense of sadness, self-doubt, and guilt. She has always tried to stay connected to her faith,
finding moments of solace in prayer, but it often feels like an uphill battle.

With Ramadan coming, Latifa feels overwhelming sense of anxiety and sadness unlike friends and family
around her who are experiencing joy and excitement. A recurring thought haunts her: Why does everyone
else seem to find joy in their faith while I feel so empty?

This question becomes even more painful when she compares herself to her cousins. Unlike her, they
are not particularly observant—some rarely pray, others fast inconsistently—but they seem genuinely
happy. Their laughter comes easily, their confidence radiates, and they navigate life with an ease she has
never known.

She wonders if she is failing in both faith and life. If I pray, fast, and try to be a good Muslim, why don’t I
feel better? This thought fuels a deep sense of guilt. The guilt creates a cycle—she feels depressed,
which makes worship feel difficult, which then makes her feel ungrateful, which worsens her depression.

Case

6. Latifha, a 35-year-old Muslim woman, has battled persistent low mood for as long as
she can remember. She has spent most of her life feeling as though a heavy
emotional fog lingers over her, making it difficult to experience sustained joy. While
she has moments of relief, they are fleeting, overshadowed by an underlying sense of
sadness, self-doubt, and guilt. She has always tried to stay connected to her faith,
finding moments of solace in prayer, but it often feels like an uphill battle.

With Ramadan coming, Latifa feels overwhelming sense of anxiety and sadness
unlike friends and family around her who are experiencing joy and excitement. A
recurring thought haunts her: Why does everyone else seem to find joy in their faith
while I feel so empty?

This question becomes even more painful when she compares herself to her cousins.
Unlike her, they are not particularly observant—some rarely pray, others fast
inconsistently—but they seem genuinely happy. Their laughter comes easily, their
confidence radiates, and they navigate life with an ease she has never known.

She wonders if she is failing in both faith and life. If I pray, fast, and try to be a good
Muslim, why don’t I feel better? This thought fuels a deep sense of guilt. The guilt
creates a cycle—she feels depressed, which makes worship feel difficult, which then
makes her feel ungrateful, which worsens her depression.

What is going
on with Latifah?

7. Latifha, a 35-year-old Muslim woman, has battled persistent low mood for as long as
she can remember. She has spent most of her life feeling as though a heavy
emotional fog lingers over her, making it difficult to experience sustained joy. While
she has moments of relief, they are fleeting, overshadowed by an underlying sense of
sadness, self-doubt, and guilt. She has always tried to stay connected to her faith,
finding moments of solace in prayer, but it often feels like an uphill battle.

With Ramadan coming, Latifa feels overwhelming sense of anxiety and sadness
unlike friends and family around her who are experiencing joy and excitement. A
recurring thought haunts her: Why does everyone else seem to find joy in their faith
while I feel so empty?

This question becomes even more painful when she compares herself to her cousins.
Unlike her, they are not particularly observant—some rarely pray, others fast
inconsistently—but they seem genuinely happy. Their laughter comes easily, their
confidence radiates, and they navigate life with an ease she has never known.

She wonders if she is failing in both faith and life. If I pray, fast, and try to be a good
Muslim, why don’t I feel better? This thought fuels a deep sense of guilt. The guilt
creates a cycle—she feels depressed, which makes worship feel difficult, which then
makes her feel ungrateful, which worsens her depression.

What does she
needs to feel
better?

8. Latifha, a 35-year-old Muslim woman, has battled persistent low mood for as long as
she can remember. She has spent most of her life feeling as though a heavy
emotional fog lingers over her, making it difficult to experience sustained joy. While
she has moments of relief, they are fleeting, overshadowed by an underlying sense of
sadness, self-doubt, and guilt. She has always tried to stay connected to her faith,
finding moments of solace in prayer, but it often feels like an uphill battle.

With Ramadan coming, Latifa feels overwhelming sense of anxiety and sadness
unlike friends and family around her who are experiencing joy and excitement. A
recurring thought haunts her: Why does everyone else seem to find joy in their faith
while I feel so empty?

This question becomes even more painful when she compares herself to her cousins.
Unlike her, they are not particularly observant—some rarely pray, others fast
inconsistently—but they seem genuinely happy. Their laughter comes easily, their
confidence radiates, and they navigate life with an ease she has never known.

She wonders if she is failing in both faith and life. If I pray, fast, and try to be a good
Muslim, why don’t I feel better? This thought fuels a deep sense of guilt. The guilt
creates a cycle—she feels depressed, which makes worship feel difficult, which then
makes her feel ungrateful, which worsens her depression.

Identify some
misconceptions
Latifah may have or
we may have about
her regarding the
topic “Iman and
Mental Health?”

9. Mental Health/
Mental Illness Iman

11. Worshiping Allah
Subhanahu Wa Tala’
●Change in
emotional
distress and
problematic
behaviors.
●Improved
functionality
Thoughts
Behaviors
Emotions
Physical
sensations

12. Setting expectations
“Psychological well-being broadly
relates to perceptions of happiness
and thriving.35
Life satisfaction is a positive mental
health outcome measuring how rich
and meaningful one finds their life.36”

35 Ed Diener and Katherine Ryan, “Subjective Well-Being: A General Overview,” South African Journal of
Psychology 39, no. 4 (2009): 391–406.

13. Setting the framework and Purpose
Although meaning and purpose can be sought in many ways,
Islam alone provides complete answers to the existential questions
that we all encounter at some point in life
https://yaqeeninstitute.org/read/paper/faith-in-mind-islams-role-in-mental-health#ftnt6
“And I did not create the jinn and
mankind except to worship Me.”

[ 56 :تﺎﯾراﺬﻟا]

14. This is halal
juice ;)

16. Seeing beyond the point in time!
Death Day of
judgment
Hereafter and the infinite paradise
Looking at the bigger picture.
We don’t know the details of it but we have a framework.

17. Exercising self-control and emotional regulation
shutterstock

18. YAQEEN INSTITUTE: HOW TO BE A
MINDFUL MUSLIM:
AN EXERCISE IN ISLAMIC MEDITATION
https://yaqeeninstitute.org/read/paper/how-to-
be-a-mindful-muslim-an-exercise-in-islamic-
meditation

19. CAN Iman
PREVENT
Mental
Illness?

20. Categories of Mental Illnesses
Neurodevelopmental
Disorders
Personality
Disorders
Trauma Disorders
Mood Disorders Anxiety Disorders
OCD and related
Disorders
Substance Use
Disorders
Eating Disorders
Psychotic
Disorders

21. Unpacking Misconceptions
Mental Illness is NOT just ONE thing.
We need to move away from Generalizations.

22. Causes of Mental Illness

23. Iman/Faith
(Spirituality)

24. DEPRESSION,
Anxiety and
many Mental
Disorders are
MULTIFACETED!
2/15/24Sample Footer Text 24

25. Neurodevelopmental
Disorders
E.g. ADHD, Autism,
Intellectual
Disabilities
Iman
Need Iman to Cope. Need Sabr, Reda
Need Iman to deal with Guilt, With why me? Or why my family?

26. Allah Al-Shafi
Need Iman to Cope. Need Sabr, Reda
Need Iman to deal with Guilt, With why
me? Or why my family?

27. Iman
Stressors
Depression
/Anxiety

28. CAN Iman
PREVENT
Mental
Illness?

29. 2/15/24Sample Footer Text
29
Risk
factors
Protectiv
e factors

30. 2/15/24 Sample Footer Text 30

31. Latifha, a 35-year-old Muslim woman, has battled persistent low mood for as long as
she can remember. She has spent most of her life feeling as though a heavy
emotional fog lingers over her, making it difficult to experience sustained joy. While
she has moments of relief, they are fleeting, overshadowed by an underlying sense of
sadness, self-doubt, and guilt. She has always tried to stay connected to her faith,
finding moments of solace in prayer, but it often feels like an uphill battle.

With Ramadan coming, Latifa feels overwhelming sense of anxiety and sadness
unlike friends and family around her who are experiencing joy and excitement. A
recurring thought haunts her: Why does everyone else seem to find joy in their faith
while I feel so empty?

This question becomes even more painful when she compares herself to her cousins.
Unlike her, they are not particularly observant—some rarely pray, others fast
inconsistently—but they seem genuinely happy. Their laughter comes easily, their
confidence radiates, and they navigate life with an ease she has never known.

She wonders if she is failing in both faith and life. If I pray, fast, and try to be a good
Muslim, why don’t I feel better? This thought fuels a deep sense of guilt. The guilt
creates a cycle—she feels depressed, which makes worship feel difficult, which then
makes her feel ungrateful, which worsens her depression.

What is going
on with Latifah?

32. Iman Expands your psychological tool box!

33. Unpacking Misconceptions
Iman will make people live happily ever after in
“Dunya.”

34. Unpacking Misconceptions
Either its lack of Iman or its illness.
I should do Rukayah or take pills.

35. SPIRITUALITY AND DEPRESSION
IN NON-MUSLIM FOCUSED STUDIES
2/15/24Sample Footer Text
35
“Higher levels of spirituality and
religiosity are generally associated with
lower depressive symptoms.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8462234/#B16

36. SPIRITUALITY AND DEPRESSION
IN MUSLIMS FOCUSED STUDIES
2/15/24Sample Footer Text
36
Those who have believed and whose hearts are
comforted by the remembrance of Allah.
Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah do
hearts find comfort and contentment.


ۗ ِ ﱠﷲ مُﮭُﺑوُﻠُﻗ اوُﻧَﻣآ


https://yaqeeninstitute.org/read/paper/faith-in-mind-i
slams-role-in-mental-health

37. Overcoming Depression Faster
Furthermore, in studies following depressed
people over time, religiosity was associated with
overcoming depression faster.30

Although studies of Muslim samples are not as common,
many of them have found similar results.
Sasan Vasegh and Mohammad-Reza Mohammadi, “Religiosity, Anxiety, and Depression among a Sample
of Iranian Medical Students,” The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine 37, no. 2 (2007): 213–27

38. During COVID
Although fewer studies of Muslims exist, in a
meta-analysis of studies of Muslims in the Middle
East, nine out of 10 studies found that
religiosity was related to lower levels of
anxiety.33

In our own research at Yaqeen during the
COVID-19 pandemic, we also found that aspects
of religiosity were associated with reduced
anxiety in Muslims worldwide

39. Hallucinations and
Psychosis
Is it a
spiritual
illness?

40. When experiencing visual hallucinations, the
occipital cortex, particularly the visual
association areas within it, shows Increased
activation, indicating that this brain region is
involved in generating the hallucinatory visual
experience, even though the hallucinations
themselves are not real visual stimuli
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7836488/

41. Break for Salah

42. Mental Illnesses
diagnosis and
treatments are IN
MUSLIM
MANUSCRIPTS

43. MENTAL
HEALTH IN
MANUSCRIPTS
WRITTEN BY
MUSLIM
SCHOLARS
2/15/24Sample Footer Text
43

44. MENTAL HEALTH IN MANUSCRIPTS
WRITTEN BY MUSLIM SCHOLARS
2/15/24Sample Footer Text
44
Religious
writings
E.g. Ibn al
qayyim (The
disease & The
cure),
Al-Ghazali
Medical writings
Al-Razi
(Al-Hawi) Ibn
Sina, (Al-Kanon
Fi Al-Tib)
Psychological
writings
Al-Kindi on the
Device for
Dispelling
Sorrow
Philosophical
writings
Ibn-Miskawayh
“Happiness in
perspective of
ethical philosophy”
ناﺰﺣﻷا ﻊﻓد ﻲﻓ ﺔﻠﯿﺤﻟا

45. SOME MENTAL HEALTH CONTENTS
2/15/24Sample Footer Text
45
a)Definition of the soul (psyche) and its
different classifications
b)Theories about human perception,
motivation, cognition, and learning
c)Theories of Sleep and dreams
d)Morals theories of psychological
well-being
e)Behavioral and cognitive therapies
a)Advices about keeping the soul healthy
and avoiding depression.

b) The effect of diet, exercise, place of
living and the four seasons on peoples’
modes and psychological well-being and
recommendations for a better mental
health.

46. Is the treatment of mental illness a
Contemporary Western concept?

نورﺎھ ﺮﻤﻋ .د .ﺔﯿﺑﺮﻌﻟا ﺔﯿﺴﻔﻨﻟا ﻲﻓﺎﺸﻤﻟا ﺦﯾرﺎﺗ ﻲﻓ ةءاﺮﻗ .ﺔﯿﺑﺮﻌﻟا تﺎﻧﺎﺘﺳرﺎﻤﯿﺒﻟا
.ﺔﻔﯿﻠﺨﻟا
http://arabpsynet.com/archives/op/apnJ9O
marHarounElkhalifa.pdf
Bimaristans were public hospitals that treated internal
diseases, ophthalmic conditions, and mental illnesses.
There is no evidence of the existence of psychiatric
hospitals in the world before the Islamic era (Kamal
Sarhan, 1989).
The Tulunid Bimaristan: In the year 872, Ibn Tulun built
a bimaristan in Fustat and stipulated that when a
patient was brought in, they would be provided with
bedding, clothing, and comforted with medicines, food,
and doctors until they recovered.

47. AL-KINDI’S REMEDY FOR REDUCING SORROW

2/15/24Sample Footer Text
47
•Al-Kindi’s logic goes something like this: Keeping
things forever cannot possibly exist, not in this world
at least. So al-Kindi advises:
•“We should not desire that which does not and
cannot exist”.


https://www.cambridgemuslimcollege.ac.uk/al-kindi-on-sorrow/

48. WHY SEEK
HELP?

49. SHOULD WE SEEK TREATMENT?
• َهَّللا َّنإف ِهَّللا َدابع اوَوادت َلاق ىوادتن ال نأ ٌحانج انيلع له ِهَّللا َلوسر اي اولاقف َجِرُح
َيِطعأ ام ُريخ ام ِهَّللا َلوسر اي اولاق َمرهْلا اَّلإ ًءافش ُهَعم َعضو اَّلإ ًءاد عضي مل ُهَناحبس
.ٌنسح ٌقُلُخ َلاق ُدبعلا
•هجام نبا حيحص : ردصملا | ينابلألا : ثدحملا | كيرش نب ةماسأ : يوارلا
The Prophet said,”Seek cures, O servants of God, for God has placed a cure for
” .every ailment that He has allowed, except for old-age/death

50. مﻼﺳﻹا ﻲﻓ يوادﺗﻟا
● نِم ٍةَمْرُبب ْتَرَمأَأ اَهَت َّصاَخَو اَهَلْهأَأ اَّلإ َنْقَّرَفَ ت َّمُث ،ُءاَسِّنلا َكلذِ ل عمَتْجاَف اَهِلْهأَأ نِم ُتِّيَ ملا َتاَم اَذإ ْتَناَك اَه َّنأ َمَّلسو هيلع ُهَّللا ىَّلَص ِّيبنلا ِجْوَز ،َةَشِ?اَع ْنَع
ُبِهْذُت ،ِضيِرَ ملا ِداَؤُفِل ٌةَّمِجُم ُةَنيِبْلَّتلا :ُلوقي َمَّلسو هيلع ُهَّللا ىَّلَص ِهللا َلوسَر ُتْعِمَس يِّنإف ،اهنم َنْلُك : ْتَ لاق َّمُث ،اَهْيَلَع ُةَنيِبْلَّتلا ِتَّبُصَف ،ٌديِرَث َعِِنُص َّمُث ، ْتَخِبُطَف
.ِنْزُ حلا َضْعَ ب
● ،ِنزُ حلا َضعَ ب ُبِهذُت اه َّنأو ،ِضيرملا ِداؤفِل -ميجلا ِرْسكو ميملا ِّمَضب (ةَّمِجُم) ىوْرُتو

● ُنيِعُ ت يتلا ِلِاسولا ِّلُك ُذاختاو ،ِّلَقألا ىلع اهَفيفخت وأ ،ِعاطتسملا َرْدَق مهنع اهَعْفَد اولِواحي نأو ،مهِنازحأل اومِلسَتسَ ي الأ ِتِّيملا ِلهأل يغبني هَّنأ :ِثيدَ حلا يف
.ِةَّبِحألا ِةقرافُمو ِةبيصملا ِلُّمحت ىلع ِبلَقلاو ِسفَّنلا ِةيوقت ىلع



https://dorar.net/hadith/sharh/14157
Describing talbīnah, the Prophet ﷺ said, “It strengthens the heart of the bereaved person, and
removes [some of] the sorrow within the heart of the ill person, similar to how one of you
removes dust from their face by washing their face with water.”
19

51. A question of this nature related to schizophrenia in particular was put to
islamqa.info.
The response included the following: Medical treatment is allowed in Islam in
general terms, and is not regarded as changing the creation of Allaah. The ruling
among the scholars is that it is either permitted (mubaah) or recommended
(mustahabb). The Hanafis and Maalikis are of the view that
Medical treatment is permitted, and the Shaafa’is and some Hanbalis are of the
view that it is mustahabb.
The view of most of the Hanbalis is that it is better not to do it. Ahmad ibn Hanbal
narrated that Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When Allaah created the
disease, He also created the cure, so seek the cure.” Narrated by Ahmad, 12186;
classed as hasan by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 1633… It makes no
difference with regard to medical treatment whether the sickness is physical,
mental or nervous. The word da’ (disease, sickness) in the ahaadeeth is
general in meaning and includes all kinds of sickness.
https://www.amjaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Mental-Health-and-Legal-Capacity-AMJA-2023-Zarab
ozo.pdf

52. Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

It is permissible to treat sickness according to scholarly consensus. The
Muslim may go to a doctor for internal sickness, injuries, nervous problems
and so on, for him to diagnose his sickness and treat it appropriately, using
medicines that are permitted according to Islam, according to his medical
knowledge, because this comes under the heading of taking the usual
means, and it does not contradict the idea of putting one's trust in Allaah.

53. ﺔﯾﺳﻔﻧﻟا ﺔﯾودﻷﺎﺑ يوادﺗﻟا مﻛﺣ

54. SHOULD WE SEEK TREATMENT?
•:سﻣﺧﻟا تﺎﯾﻠﻛﻟﺎﺑ فرﻌﺗ ،ﺔﻌﯾرﺷﻟا دﺻﺎﻘﻣ
•.سﻔﻧﻟاو ،لﺎﻣﻟاو ،لﺳﻧﻟاو ،لﻘﻌﻟاو ،نﯾدﻟا :ﻲھو
نأ ،مﮭﻟوﻘﻋ مﮭﯾﻠﻋ ظﻔﺣﯾ نأ ،مﮭﺳﻔﻧأ مﮭﯾﻠﻋ ظﻔﺣﯾ نأ ،مﮭﻧﯾد مﮭﯾﻠﻋ ظﻔﺣﯾ نأ :ﺔﺳﻣﺧ قﻠﺧﻟا نﻣ عرﺷﻟا دوﺻﻘﻣ
.مﮭﻟاوﻣأ مﮭﯾﻠﻋ ظﻔﺣﯾ نأ ،مﮭﻠﺳﻧ مﮭﯾﻠﻋ ظﻔﺣﯾ
.ةدﺳﻔﻣ وﮭﻓ ﺔﺳﻣﺧﻟا لوﺻﻷا هذھ توﻔﯾ ﺎﻣ لﻛو ،ﺔﺣﻠﺻﻣ وﮭﻓ ﺔﺳﻣﺧﻟا لوﺻﻷا هذھ ظﻔﺣ نﻣﺿﺗﯾ ﺎﻣ لﻛ
The five cardinal essentials of Islamic teachings are:
1-Preservation of Faith (di’n), 2- Preservation of Life (al-nafs), 3- Preservation of Mind (al-‘aql) ,
4- Preservation of Progeny (al-nasl), and Honor (al-irdh), 5- Preservation of Property (al-ma’ l).

55. WHO TO GO TO
•Pediatrician/primary care doctor
•Psychiatrist
•Psychologist/counselor/therapist

56. To find the right fit. Prioritize your needs
●Muslim or non-Muslim provider
●Male or Female provider
●Virtual, or In-person
●Insurance versus Out of pocket

61. https://www.psych-doctor.com/sanjose