Prayer: The Great Escape From Depression
How Salah Helps You Escape Depression, Stay Happy And Prosper
Daily 5 times Salah can help you escape depression and stay happy. Do you feel depressed and sad often? Well there’s a big chunk of folks that feels the same way.
According to WHO, about 280 million people have depression worldwide. According to Anxiety & Depression Association Of America 16.1 million Americans are affected by Major Depressive order every year. Now, I’m on a trip to find out how Salah helps you escape depression and be happy. But first let’s understand what depression exactly is?
Do You Know What’s Depression?
Put in simple terms, depression is the difference between our desires and our reality. According to American Psychiatric Association, “ Depression( Major Depressive Disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act.” Depression can cause emotional and physical problems. It can decrease your ability to function at work and at home.
Is Sadness And Depression The Same?
Although sadness and depression share some common signs like no interest in normal activities, and feeling pain. They’re different. While depression is a mental disorder, being sad is normal. For example, if your loved one passed away, it’s natural to feel sad for a period of time.
Is There Any Treatment For Depression Right Now?
When you’re suffering from this problem and you visit your doctor ….he’ll give you medicines for symptoms like lack of sleep etc. And you may visit a therapist to discuss the issues that cause depression. He’ll help you look at the bright side.
Are You Treating Depression From Its Roots?
You may follow your doctor’s advice and improve. But deep inside your heart you know the things that caused you depression. Maybe you tried your best but couldn’t make it. You wanted that job, that car, that girl but couldn’t get it. You were fair but folks were unfair to you. While medicines and therapy may put dust on these feelings… facts are facts..
Therapies cut the branches and leaves of depression. Salah cuts the deep roots of depression. When offered properly Salah prevents and treats depression effectively. I call Salah “The Great Escape Plan From Depression.” Why?
Let’s see…
- Salah Cures Depression By Connecting You With Your Creator Daily
If you read the Glorious Quran.. Allah Subhana Wa Tallah tells us the effects of His remembrance. Its clearly mentioned in the Quran, “ 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.” Surah Ar- Rad, Ch. 13, V. 28
Allah says, “And be ye not like those who forgot Allah; and He made them forget their own souls! Such are the rebellious transgressors!”( Surah Al-Hashr, Ch. 59, V.19) Allah further tells us, “ Remember me, I will remember you.” (Surah Al-Baqarah Ch.2,V.152)
According to Harvard Medical School meditation helps with depression. A regular practice can help your brain better manage stress and anxiety that can trigger depression.
One great way to meditate is to connect with your Creator. And that can help you accept or change negative emotions. It can help you develop a higher understanding of life and events.
Salah connects you with your Creator Allah Subhana Wa Tallah. When you raise your hands for takbeer and say ‘Allahu Akbar’, you realize the glory of Allah. He is the Most High. This tells your subconscious mind that no matter how big a person is, how wealthy or how respected… there’s no comparison to Allah Subhana Wa Tallah, who’s The Creator. And the fact that you’re having the privilege to connect with Him. Then when you recite Al-Fatiha and say “ Praise be to the Lord Of The Worlds”… You realize that all the praises are due to Allah and Allah alone. This tells you that any worldly things or people you’re looking up to are a deception for the eye. Why? Because they’re created. The real glory belongs to no one but Allah. Then you recite ‘Ar Rahman Ar Raheem’ ‘The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful’.. you realize that everything that’s walking on this earth is by the mercy of Allah.
Maybe life’s hard but when you remember Allah, His Mercy, it gives you real joy. Salah prevents and cures depression from its roots. After that you recite, “ Master of the day of judgement”.. This reminds you about the real picture. That this life is temporary… no matter what you desire… Even if you get it, its all a test and deception… you’ll have to finally return to The One who created you. This surely helps you escape depression. Doesn’t it? Then you say, “ Thee do we worship and it’s Thine aide we seek”…
Do you know what causes depression? In my opinion, a major reason is feeling helpless… Imagine how content you’ll be when you ask for help from The Source itself.. The Lord Of The Worlds… it surely helps you escape depression.
Did you ever come across a brother or a sister who does not have much of the worldly things.. all you see is there beard and hijab and they look happy, satisfied and smiling…. Why? Because of the power of Iman. You saw the amazing effects of Salah on them. I’ve see such people in life. And I’ve seen this in my life ..when I pray and reflect on the meaning.
- Salah Cures Depression By Showing You The Real Picture Of Life Daily
Let me ask you a question… if a cat spent all its life thinking that it was a dog, how happy the life of the cat will be? You see, the cats and dogs, they’re always fighting. Similarly if you spend your life with a wrong picture of life.. your life is going to be a mess.
Imagine, if the whole focus of your life is this dunya… you’ve got a wrong picture. It’ll not only steal your akhira but will keep you depressed. Because our desires are like a Jinn, once it gets out of bottle, it never stops.. Our desires have no end. No matter how much money you make, you can still find someone who has more money than you.
If you look at it from another angle. If your focus is this dunya only, and you don’t get much of this dunya… what will happen? Well you might end up committing suicide.. And there are countless cases of suicide every year… According to WHO 703000 people commit suicide every year. Salah is a great tool at your disposal. It keeps you on track and reminds you of the reality of this life at least 5 times a day.
A big part of depression is having a distorted image of reality. For example, if you were passing through traffic and the only good thing that happened to you was a gentleman waving his hand to you and smiling… if you pay attention to the traffic problem and rude guys only, you’ll probably destroy your day… but if you think about the gentleman who smiled at you and waved his hand… you’ll make a great day. This is an example of the Cognitive Therapy developed by Aaron Beck in the 1960s.
While this therapy helps you look at the positive side of things.. its still limited to this dunya.
While thinking about the gentleman is good.. you still faced those rude guys.. didn’t you?
5 times Salah helps you deal with this negativity by reminding you of the next life. You remember that this life is a test… not just that… when you recite Al Fatiha… you recite the verse “Show us the straight path, the path of those who earned your favour, not those who earned your anger.” What message are you getting from this verse? This verse is telling you that there are three types of people…
- those who walk the straight path,
- those who go astray
- and those who earned the wrath of Allah.
But how can you relate this to what happened on the road? Well maybe those rude guys, those arrogant ones, they’re not on the straight path…
Not just that, you get a real picture of this.. This life is temporary and you’ll have to answer about everything to your Creator.
In fact a road is a good example of the temporary nature of this life. I see many accidents almost daily, road rage and fighting. But it all ends when the person dies.. well maybe that person was wealthy and that made him arrogant…nothing is left for him as his body stops working..
After Al Fatiha, you may recite the verse of the Qur’an which says, “Every soul shall have a taste of death.” (Surah Ali ‘Imran, Ch. 3, Verse. 185) Remembering death in itself is enough to escape depression and prevent it.. But Salah rewards you much more than that. It reminds you of the Glory of Allah, His Mercy, The Day Of Judgement And the Path of the righteous. And having this picture.. you’re less likely to confront depression and you can escape depression by performing Salah properly on a daily basis.
- 5 Times Salah Gives You Hope For The Future Daily
When you’re depressed, you lack hope for any improvement of the situation. It let’s you withdraw from normal life. As they say that you can live about 45 days without food, about 3 days without water but without hope you can’t live for one day.
There’s inverse relation between hope and depression. The more hope you have, the less depressed you’ll be.
Take for example Synder’s Hope Theory which was proposed by acclaimed American Psychiatrist Charles Richard Synder. It suggests that when people have high hopes, they develop a positive outlook at life.
While the hopes of this life are good, there’s no guarantee you’ll always get what you want. You may develop different techniques of dealing with problems, that’s good…
Salah gives you a genuine hope. It gives you hope for this life and the hereafter. When you say takbeeer, that’s hope in itself, Allah is the Greatest, no matter how many odds are against you, If Allah helps you, you’ll be fine. As Allah says, “If Allah helps you, none can overcome you; but if He forsakes you, who is there to help you after Him? In Allah let the believers put their trust.” (Surah Al ‘Imran, Ch. 3, Verse. 160)
When you recite Al Fatiha and celebrate the praises of your Lord… you recite “It’s Thee we worship and it’s Thine aid we seek.”.. This is a message of hope… You’ve someone to count on. When the Creator of Heavens and Earth is there for you, you believe in Him and ask for His help… your hopelessness fades away…
You realize that no matter how many facts are against you, if Allah Wills, you’ll achieve your desired goals.
Then there’s hope for the next life. The life which Allah promises the believers and the righteous… It’s hard to describe that life in a few lines but here’s a glimpse…
“He will forgive your sins, and admit you to Gardens beneath which rivers flow, and to beautiful mansions in Gardens of Eternity: that is indeed the Supreme Achievement.” (Surah Al-Saf, Ch. 61, V. 12)
There’s another side, those who reject faith and do evil will enter hellfire.. and one of the traits of those entering hellfire is not offering Salah…
When Allah talks about the traits of those who’ll enter Jannah, he talks about Salah. This indeed helps you escape depression and feel happy.
- Daily Salah Rewires Your Brain For Optimal Performance Everyday
One of the key symptoms of depression is withdrawing from activity. And that is just a reflection of what’s happening inside your head.
According to American Psychiatric Association...
“Depression is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act.”
It’s clear from this definition that the way you think and you feel determines whether you’ll be depressed or not. American Psychiatry Association also says that low self esteem and continuous exposure to violence, neglect, abuse or poverty may make some people more vulnerable to depression.
It suggests that the way to treat depression is helping the person changing his thoughts and behaviours to respond to challenges in a new positive way.
Given this understanding… Let’s see how Salah rewires your brain for optimal performance…
Salah Raises Your Self Esteem Instantly
When you offer Salah, it raises your self esteem. First, in the fact that you’re worshipping The Creator and doing a worthwhile act. It also reminds you of your real status… that you’re honoured by Allah, that you’ve a high status in the scheme of things.. so much so that each and every action you do, every word you say will be accounted for in the hereafter. You’re the one who has been given the honour to offer Salah.. When you recite the Qur’an in Salah, you may recite… “ We have honoured the sons of Adam; provided them with transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things good and pure; and conferred on them special favours, above a great part of our creation.”( Surah Al-Isra, Ch. 17, V.70 ). So you realize you’re no ordinary creature but the son of Adam(pbuh) who has been honoured by Allah.
Salah Changes Your Thoughts From Negative To Positive Daily
Offering Salah changes your thought patterns and the way you look at things. You’re reminded of the temporary nature of this life, the test and the promise of Allah for the next life. So your outlook on events changes.. a bad event does not remain a bad event but a test from Allah… so is the good event… they’re both tests from Allah.
Salah Instantly Changes The Way You Feel
Salah changes the way you feel. When reminded of the glory of Allah, your need to seek His help and your duty to follow the righteous path. All those reminders essentially change the way you feel about life and the events around you. You become patient, optimistic and strong.
- Daily Salah Keeps You Happy By Boosting Your Love For Allah
According to psychology 97% of your happiness depends on your relationships. The better the relationships, the happier your life will be. The longest Harvard Study on happiness found the same. And the more important a relationship to you, and the better it is, the happier you’ll be..
Because if you love someone and the stronger your love for that person… a good relationship with that person will translate into happiness in your life….
What if you have a strong relationship of love with Allah, the Creator of the Heavens and Earth?
Allah says, “Believers are overflowing with the love of Allah.” (Surah Al Baqarah, Ch. 2, V.165) The love of Allah is bound to bring you inner peace and happiness… but first you need to have a strong relationship with Allah.
Salah is a great way to build a strong relationship with Allah Subhana Wa Tallah. It is a trait and sign of those who’ll enter Jannah… and a clear marker of the love of Allah..
When you carve out 10-15 minutes, 5 times a day to offer Salah… you’re building a strong relationship with Allah. It’ll increase your love for Allah. Knowing that you’ve a good relationship with your Maker, your Creator… you’re bound to be thankful in good circumstance and patient in tough times.
Depression is not something shameful. Its just being human. Even a believer can be affected by it… but Salah offers a continuous way to cope with depression if you have it and escape it eventually if Allah Wills.
- 5 Times Salah Cures Depression By Giving You A Break From The Daily Rat Race
Continuous exposure to conditions that trigger depression like violence, rude people etc. can make it hard to escape depression. In this condition Salah gives you a nice break 5 times a day… you see the aim of meditation is to connect with your inner self or to higher spiritual power.
Salah is not an artificial meditation. It is pure connection with yourself and your Creator Allah Subhana Wa Tallah.
Allah is the source of peace, He is As-Salam
While the memory of bad events or apparent failures can lead to depression.. the remembrance of Allah can help you escape this satanic trap..
When you offer 5 times Salah properly and connect with Allah.. He is The Most Merciful and The Most Gracious… you get a moment of truth, you get pampered…
…its like pure water flowing from its source… the sound is amazing, the taste is original, it’s all peace.. similarly the remembrance of Allah is seeking peace from its original source.
These daily 10-15 minute 5 times a day.. are a breath of fresh air in this busy life and never ending river of challenges.
- Salah Cures Depression By Taking You To A Trip Of Time
In my opinion, one of the ways, Salah cures depression is reminding you of the lives of the prophets(peace be upon them all) . After Al Fatiha, you may recite Surah al Fajr which talks about Pharaoh ….how he used to oppress people and claimed to be their Rab. His power was unchallenged.. so much so that he ordered the killing of every son born in every house to kill Prophet Moses(pbuh) but Allah brought baby Moses(pbuh) to his house where he lived. If you and I were born in that age, maybe we would’ve been slain… isn’t that depressing? Of course, it is..
Allah gave him time to repent.. He ordered Prophet Moses(pbuh) to talk politely to him.. that he might repent.. but his arrogance knew no limits..
Finally when he went beyond all bounds.. Allah drowned him with his army in the sea while chasing Prophet Moses (pbuh) and his followers.. So what this event has to do with your depression…?
It means that if you’re depressed because you see oppression, if there’s injustice.. rest assured that Allah’s justice will prevail.. and that’s good to remember to escape depression.
- Daily Salah Cures Depression By Keeping You Humble
There are outside forces that lead to depression but there are inside forces that lead to depression as well.. I’m not saying that it’s your fault.. what I’m saying is that you may have developed these feelings as a result of constant exposure to hardships.. feelings like negative self talk, hatred etc.. And these are not the only negative feelings.. you may be feeling disgusted, exhausted etc. Allah knows, i fell from the sky so many times. I know how it feels. I’ve heard all the stories and I’ve been one of the stories. I think, one of the ways to cope with this is to stay humble. But by being humble, I don’t mean being taken advantage of.. by humble I mean staying conscious of the fact that our job is to resort to whatever worldly means that are fair and put in our best… and remember at the same time that it is only by the permission of Allah that a goal will be achieved, a problem will be solved… that’s quite a thought..
Salah is a perfect way to remind you of this reality. When you say takbeeer , you’re reminded of His Glory, when you go in sujood, you’re humbled by the fact that you’re dependent on Allah no matter how smart, intelligent, wealthy or skilled you are.. That helps you stay humble and escape depression.
- Daily Salah Lets You Escape Depression By Keeping You Optimistic
Wouldn’t you agree that being optimistic is a key to staying happy and away from depression? I surely think so.. In fact, without optimism, no worthwhile gaol can ever be achieved.. would you prepare hard to pass an exam if you’re not optimistic? Surely no…
But daily life pressures can break you down and the Satan can blow hard on your candle of optimism….
When you prostrate to Allah, you submit to Him, you celebrate His praises and supplicate to Him.. you become optimistic.
“And for those who are conscious of Allah, He (ever) prepares a way out.” (Surah At-Talaq, Ch. 65, V. 2)
“And whoever put his trust in Allah, He is sufficient for him.” (Surah At-Talaq, Ch. 65, V. 3)
“And whoever is conscious of Allah, He brings about ease for him in his affair.” (Surah At-Talaq, Ch. 65, V. 4)
It impossible to mention tens of hundreds of verses of the Glorious Qur’an which are a beacon of hope for the believers… SubhanAllah reciting Quran in Salah helps you escape depression.
- Salah Cures Depression By Improving Your Self Discipline Daily
I’ve talked about discipline in my previous blog posts…but hey.. i found another good definition of discipline.. I like it.. so I’ll share it with you now.. This definition comes from the book “The Neuroscience of Self Discipline” by Ray Clear..
“Self discipline is your ability to systematically and progressively work towards a goal until you reach it. It includes acquiring knowledge and skills. It’s your ability to become positively obsessed, single minded and efficient, to strive without giving up, to work continuously day after day, week after week and year after year until your purpose is fulfilled.”
By definition depression is characterized by withdrawal from activity. What’s the anecdote of inactivity? You got it.. it’s Activity.. offering Salah 5 times daily does require discipline and it builds your mental muscle… Take for example Fajr Salah, you get out of the comfort of your bed, do ablution and stand in front of your Creator.
The good news is that improvement in discipline in one area of your life will improve in other areas of your life. It includes work, family, social life etc. Salah is a gold mine, the more you dig deep, more gold you find.
Salah is indeed the secret weapon of a believer. It helps us cope with depression and escape it. It does so by connecting you with your Creator, by giving you the real picture of life, giving you hope for both worlds, rewiring your brain, increasing your love for Allah. It does so by giving you a break, by taking you to a journey of time and keeping you humble, optimistic and disciplined.
Now you need to get your facts straight .. you’ll only reap these benefits if you perform Salah properly, reflect on its meaning … and give Salah the place it deserves in your life. Are you ready?
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