Two ways to Deal with Mental Illness

By Sheikh Saleh al-Fawzaan (حفظها الله)

Question: The questioner asks: What is the treatment for a person afflicted with anxiety, sorrow, grief, and physical diseases and a cure for restlessness, whispers, the evil eye and magic? May Allaah preserve you.

Sheikh Saleh al-Fawzan: This will fall into one of two categories. This can be caused by mental illness and in this case the person should consult a psychiatrist. Perhaps they can find a treatment for him. Or his illness can be the result of whispers, stress, and sadness caused by Shaitân. The treatment for this is by the remembrance of Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى and the authentic supplications, taken from the Qur'aan and Sunnah, likewise the {adkhaar} supplications of the morning and evening. And before all of this, the person should preserve and maintain the five daily prayers for surely they assist the person in all of his affairs.

The Zuhd of Abu Ubaydah & the Tears of Umar

 

It is reported from ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar:

When ʿUmar b. Al-Khaṭṭāb arrived in Al-Shām, he said to Abū ʿUbaydah – Allāh be pleased with them: “Take us to your home.” Abū ʿUbaydah said, “And what will you do with my home?” ʿUmar replied, “Just take us there.” Abū ʿUbaydah said, “You only want to cry your eyes out over me.” So he entered his house and saw nothing [by way of furnishings] in it. ʿUmar asked, “Where are your things? I see nothing but rags, a water-skin and a dish (tray), and you are a governor! Do you have food?” So Abū ʿUbaydah went over to an old pail (bucket) and took out some scraps, and ʿUmar began to weep. Abu ʿUbaydah said to him, “I told you you would cry your eyes out over me. O Commander of the Believers, sufficient for you from the dunyā is what delivers you to your place of rest.” ʿUmar said, “The dunyā changed us all except you Abū ʿUbaydah.”

Abū Dāwūd, Kitāb Al-Zuhd article 123, and others.

The Link Between Blessings & Gratitude

 

It is reported that ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib رضي اللّه عنـه said:

"Blessings arrive with gratitude [to Allāh], and gratitude is connected with more [blessings], and the two are tied together: more blessings from Allāh will never stop unless gratitude from the servant stops."

Ibn Abī Al-Dunyā, Al-Shukr article 18

People Change & Allaah Forgives

 

It is reported that ʿAbdullāh b. Masʿūd رضي الله عنه said:

"Do not be hasty in praising people or blaming them, for perhaps what pleases you from a person today will displease you tomorrow, and perhaps what displeases you today, will please you tomorrow. Indeed, people change. It is Allāh who forgives the sins. And Allāh is more merciful to his servant the day he meets him than a mother who lays out a bed for her child in an empty patch of land and feels [the ground]: if there is a risk of being stung, it will be her instead of him (her child), and if there is a risk of being pricked by a thorn, it will be her instead of him."

Al-Bayhaqī, Shuʿab Al-Īmān article 6177, and others.

The dangers of bid’ah

An example of the fiqh of the Sahabah with regards to the dangers of bid’ah is illustrated by the narration of Hudhayfah Ibn Al- Yamaan (رضي الله عنه) and what he said to his companions and students when he took two rocks and placed one on top of the other and asked them,

“Do you see any light between these two rocks?

They replied, “No, Oh Aba ‘Abdullah, we do not see any light between them except for a very small amount.”

He told them, “I swear by Him whose Hand my soul is in, bid’ah will appear until you do not see from the truth except that which is equivalent to the amount of light you see between these two rocks. I swear by Allaah, that bid’ah will spread so much so that if a person leaves it, it will be said about him that he left the Sunnah.”

[Narrated by Ibn Waddaah in al-Bid’ah (pg. 21)]

Dying while Adhering to the Sunnah.

From Mu’tamar bin Sulayman رحمه الله who said:

‘I visited my father while I was heartbroken and he said: ‘What is wrong?’

I said: ‘My friend has died.’

He asked: ‘Did he die upon the Sunnah?’

I answered: ‘Yes.’

He said: ‘Then do not worry about him.’

[Al-Laalkaa'iee 1/67/61]

Imam Malik ibn Anas رحمه الله (d. 179 A.H.)  said:

‘If a person meets Allaah with the equivalent of the earth in sins, but meets[1] Allaah while upon the Sunnah, then he will be in Paradise with the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, the righteous and how excellent are these companions.’

[Dhum al-Kalam wa Ahlihi 5/76-77]

Imam Ahmad رحمه الله (d. 241 A.H.) said:

‘Whoever died upon Islaam and the Sunnah then he has died upon all goodness.’

[Seer Alaam an-Nubala (11/296)]

Yahya bin Jafar رحمه الله said:

‘If I had the capability to increase the age of Muhammad bin Ismaeel -i.e. al-Bukhari- taken from my age I would have done so, since indeed my death is the death of one man, but his death was the going away of knowledge.’

[Tareekh al-Baghdad 2/24]

Hasan Basri رحمه الله who said:

‘O Ahl-ul- Sunnah be gentle may, Allaah have mercy on you since indeed you are from the fewest in number.’

[Al-Laalkaa'iee 1/57/19]

The importance of Seeking knowledge -1

 
- by Umm Hyatt al-Amerikiyyah  (حفظها الله)

Lecture given to the sisters at Masjid al-Imaam Muqbil (UK)

on: 5th Rabi-ul-Thaani, 1438H / Tuesday, 3rd January 2017

The Messenger of Allaah صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم said,

                                                          

"Whoever takes the path hoping for knowledge, Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى makes easy for him the path to Paradise. Verily, the angels lower their wings for the seeker of knowledge out of pleasure of what he is doing. Verily all that is in the heavens and earth seek forgiveness for the knowledgeable, even the fish in the water....."

   (Abu Dawud & At-Tirmidhi)

Click to read & download

Sufyan ath-Thawri's letter to his brother

The following is one of Imaam Sufyaan’s letters:

My brother, use the time you have between dawn and sunrise to contemplate the previous day: Remain steadfast on the good deeds you performed the previous day, and abandon anything you did out of disobedience to Allaah (سُبحانه وتعالى). Do not repeat the same mistakes, for you do not know whether or not you will live for the rest of your day! As long as you are alive, the option of repentance is available to you, but refraining from sinning is easier for you than trying to perform a sincere repentance. A sincere repentance involves regret and a firm resolve never to repeat the same sin again.

Wherever you are, fear Allaah. If you perpetrated a sin in secret, then repent to Allaah in secret. And if you perpetrated a sin out in the open, then repent to Allaah out in the open. Do not let one sin lead to another (so that they pile up onto one another). Cry frequently and as much as you are able to, and do not laugh (frequently), for you were not created without purpose. Join ties with and be kind to your family, your relatives, your neighbors, and your brothers.

When you intend to show mercy, show mercy to the poor, to orphans, and to the weak. If you intend to give charity…or to perform a good deed, then do it right away, before the Shaytaan (Devil) positions himself between you and the execution of what you intended to do. Act always on a good intention: eat with a good intention and drink with a good intention.

The Raafidhah Cult (of Iran) are the Most Dangerous of all the Innovators

Sheikh  ibn Baaz رحمه الله

The modern state of Iran is officially an Ithnaa’ashariyyah (Twelver Shiite) state, where 90-95% of the people there are Twelvers, also known as Raafidhah, Imaamiyyah, or Ja’faree Shias.

Sheikh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (رحمه الله) identified this specific sect as the most dangerous of all Shia sects. He said:

…The Shiites have many different sects, each one having a variety of deviations. The most dangerous of them is the Khomeinian Raafidhah Twelver Sect (the official religion of Iran), due to the large number of their missionaries and all the major acts of polytheism found in it, like seeking help from the (deceased) Prophetic family members, believing them to have knowledge of the Unseen, especially the twelve imams, as they claim. This is also due to their expelling the majority of the Companions from the Religion and their abusive speech toward them, the likes of Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them). We ask Allaah for safety from the falsehood they are upon…

 

Source: His Fatwaa Collection (4/439). (Arabic)

Sheikh Ibn Baaz was also asked about the concept of Ahlus-Sunnah coming together with the Raafidhah Shiites. He replied:

10 signs of deficiency in Al- Wala wal Baraa

Sheikh Saalih Al Fawzaan حفظه الله

1) Imitating them in dress and lingo;

2) Residing in their lands and not moving from their lands to the lands of the Muslims to save one’s Deen (i.e, hijrah);

3) Travelling to the lands of the kuffaar for tourism and vacation;

4) Helping them, giving them victory over the Muslims, speaking well of them and defending their honour;

5) Seeking their aid, trusting them, putting them in positions to know the secrets of the Muslims and making them advisors;