1. Increase dhikr (remembrance of Allah):
"Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the
remembrance of Allah: for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do
hearts find satisfaction (Qur'an, 13:28)."
2. Increase prayers: "O you who believe! Seek assistance through patience and prayer; surely, Allah is with the patient (Qur'an,
2:153)." Regardless of the type of meditation, recent studies have
verified the physiological effects of meditation. Most of those
mediations consist in focusing on something, repeating some words and
breathing (Greenberg, p.142, 143).
3. Perform ablutions: The
most important component of relaxation is what Hans Loehr calls "the
rituals of success." These rituals may be as simple as making ablution;
yet, they must be performed properly for it is not enough to pass water
on the body parts - those parts must be massed.
4. Ask for forgiveness : A person must ensure that he asks forgiveness from Allah. "Then I said, 'Ask forgiveness of your Lord; surely, He is the most Forgiving'" (Qur'an, 71:10).
5. Recite the Qur'an: The
Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said, " Qur'an is a remedy for
illnesses of the mind" (Bukhari). "The echo of sound has a medical
effect and is now widely utilized," says Dr. Greenberg. "The recitation
of or listening to the Qur'an has an effect on the body, the heart and
the mind! It is said that the letter Alif echoes to the heart and the
letter Ya' to the pineal gland in the brain.
Dr
Ahmed El Kadi of Akber Clinic (Panama City, FL) conducted and published
the effects of listening to Qur'anic recitation on physiological
parameters ( i.e., the heart, blood pressure, and muscle tension), and
reported improvement in all factors, irrespective of whether the
listener was a Muslim or a non-Muslim, Arab or non-Arab. Obviously, it
can be postulated that those who understand and enjoy the recitation
with a belief in it will get maximum benefits," writes Dr Athar.
6. Make the hereafter one's main concern: "Whoever
has the hereafter as his main concern, Allah will fill his heart with a
feeling of richness and independence; he will be focused and feel
content, and this world will come to him in spite of it. Whoever has
this world as his main concern, Allah will cause him to feel constant
fear of poverty; he will be distracted and unfocused, and he will have
nothing of this world except what was already predestined for him," said
the Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam). One of the greatest causes
of stress is money - how to pay the loans, whether one's job will be
lost, what will happen to the family if the father dies, etc.
7. Think positively: Muslims
should forget about the bad things of the past and think of good
things, always having hope that he can be better. Trying to change the
past is a foolish and crazy waste of time, "for saying 'if only' opens
the way to Shaytan" said the Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi
Wasalaam)(Bukhari). The Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) also said,
" Know that victory (achievement) comes through patience, and that ease
comes through hardship."(Tirmidhi). Muslims understand that there's no
reason for panic in the case of crisis - no reason to be distressed or
worried for we know that after hardship come ease!
8. Do not waste time on thoughts of fear or stress: "The
search of time is one of the most frequent causes of stress" (Seyle,
p.102). Laziness is the mother of all evils, and the Prophet
(Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) used to seek refuge in Allah from it.
Understanding that this life is short and time precious, Muslims should
try to work hard and pursue worthy knowledge.
References
Athar, Shahid, MD. "Modern Stress and Its Cure From Qur'an."
Greenberg, Jerrold S. CSM = Comprehensive Stress Management. WCB: McGraw-Hill. 1999
Courtesy: www.everymuslim.net