Islaamically approved treatment for Postnatal Depression

 

             Fatwa # 3828 {The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta’}

Question: I am a Muslim woman in my twenties. I was married about a year & a half ago & thanks to Allaah, I had a baby six months ago delivered naturally. A week after delivery, I began to suffer from severe depression, which had never happened to me before. I lost interest in everything, even taking care of the baby. I went to a psychiatrist & took medication until recently, but it was of no use & I became tired of long treatment.

Perform Ruqya over a patient by reciting Al-Mu’awwidhat

Narrated ‘Aaisha (رضي الله عنها) :

"Whenever Allaah’s Messenger (صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم) became sick, he would recite Mu’awwidhat (Soorat Al-Falaq and Surat An-Nas) and then blow his breath over his body. When he became seriously ill, I used to recite (these two Surahs) and rub his hands over his body hoping for its blessings."

[Saheeh Al-Bukhaari, Hadeeth No.535, Vol.6]

Source : The Book of As-Salaam (Greetings): Chapter 20 – To perform Ruqya over a patient by reciting Al-Mu’awwidhat [Soorat Al-Falaq (113), and Soorat An-Nas (114) and blowing one’s breath and saliva over the patient while reciting these Verses. Al-Lulu Wal-Marjan

Compiled by: Fuwad Abdul-Baqi, Translated by: Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan