Delusions, psychotic disorders, and other mental illnesses in the light of Islam
Assalamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatuLlah, bismiLlah ar-Rahman ar-Raheem. All praise is to Allah, everything good comes from Him and every error of mine comes from me alone. So may Allah forgive me for such mistakes.
Disclaimer - I am not a professional nor a scholar: I limit myself to sharing from those who are, and putting information together. None of this content should be taken as a replacement for spiritual counselling or actual mental health support. I am simply your sister fiLlah.
According to WebMD, “Psychotic disorders are a group of serious illnesses that affect the mind. They make it hard for someone to think clearly, make good judgments, respond emotionally, communicate effectively, understand reality, and behave appropriately.”
There are many different psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and delusional disorder. Other disorders, such as some personality disorders (like borderline personality disorder) or mood disorders (like bipolar disorders), may also feature psychotic symptoms. Moreover, psychotic disorders may be co-morbid with other mental illnesses, such as post-traumatic disorders, personality disorders, and more.
Symptoms may include:
difficulty concentrating
depressive episodes and anxiety
problems sleeping a healthy amount of time
delusions
hallucinations with one or more of the five senses
disorganized speech
suicidal tendencies and/or self-harm
Is it my fault if I have a psychotic disorder? Do I deserve to suffer because I am a “bad muslim” even though I strive to be better?
Being mentally ill, having a psychotic disorder, or suffering from delusions does not have to do with how religious or righteous one is. Dr. Abu’l Mundhir Khaleel ibn Ibraaheem Ameen, in his book “The Jinn & Human Sickness”, states: “Even those who are righteous and upright in their religious commitment are not free from the problems of delusions.” In fact, it is clear that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala sends tests to all of His believers, including prophets, messengers, and other people who were extremely close to Allah ta’ala.
Allah says:
Every soul will taste death. And We test you with evil and with good as trial; and to Us you will be returned.
Qur’an, 21:35
And He also says:
And fear the trial which will not strike in particular (only) those who have wronged among you...
Qur’an, 8:25
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The greatest reward comes with the greatest trial. When Allah loves a people He tests them. Whoever accepts that wins His pleasure but whoever is discontent with that earns His wrath.”
Narrated by at-Tirmidhi (2396) and Ibn Majah (4031). Classed as saheeh by al-Albani.
Depending on the situation, a calamity that befalls an individual may be a test for those around them, and a blessing for them.
Shaykh Al-Munajjid said on this topic:
Not every sickness or handicap is necessarily a punishment; rather it may be a test for the child’s parents, by which Allaah will expiate for their bad deeds, or raise their status in Paradise if they bear this trial with patience. Then if the child grows up, the test will also include him, and if he bears it with patience and faith, then Allaah has prepared for the patient a reward that cannot be enumerated.
That said, it is also plausible that one’s suffering is a means for them to get closer to Allah, or to be purified from their sins.
It was narrated that Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
«The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:“If Allah wills good for His slave, He hastens his punishment in this world, and if He wills bad for His slave, He withholds from him (the punishment for) his sin, until He requites him for it on the Day of Resurrection.”»
Narrated and classed as hasan by at-Tirmidhi (2396); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh at-Tirmidhi.
This shows that when Allah loves his believers, He tests them so that their sins may be expiated quickly and more easily.
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported:
«The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “There is no Muslim who is afflicted with pain as much as the prick of a thorn or more but that Allah will expiate his sins just as leaves fall from a tree.”»
Narrated in Saheeh Bukhari (5324), Saheeh Muslim (2571).
Alhamdulillah, every little pain we suffer in this Dunya will earn us expiations from sins. So what about serious illnesses and long-lasting emotional pain?
Every person’s situation will be different, some will be tested to have their status elevated, some will be tested for expiation, some will be tested because of Allah’s mercy, some will be test for all of the aforementioned reasons, and so forth. Many times, individuals’ lives may be full of obstacles and tests because of reasons that are unclear to us, and only known to Allah.
Moreover, everyone sins, and everyone needs more and more guidance, for man is imperfect, and only prophets were most perfect in matters that regard religion! Do not despair of Allah’s mercy and forgiveness, and rest assured His plan is the best plan of all.
Will I be punished if I sin in times where I am unable to reason clearly or understand what I am doing?
Whenever a Muslim who suffers from hallucinations hears or sees something terrible, such as something that undermines Islam or which places doubts in his mind about Allah, or similar things, they will not be held accountable for it.
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
«The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah has forgiven my ummah for whatever whispers [waswasah] cross their minds so long as they do not act upon it or speak of it.”»
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (2391) and Muslim (127).
Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Fath al-Baari (5/161):
What we may understand is that there is no blame for what crosses a person’s mind, unless it is translated into actions or words as a result of that thought. What is meant by whispers [waswasah] is when a thought resides in a person’s mind without him feeling happy with it, or it takes root in his mind.
Moreover, Shaykh al-Munajjid states,
If we assume that this sick person uttered what was on his mind under the pressure of his illness or of the whispers in his heart in the sense that he was overcome and could not help it, and these words came out of him without him intending that, then he will not be brought to account for that, because he did not intend to say it out loud. (..) If he says something when he is compelled, without intending or wanting to, then he will not be brought to account for it.
What is the cause and cure of such disorders?
Verily every sickness has a cure that Allah has sent. Any physical and psychological disease may be caused by a problem which resides in one’s body or brain, or alternatively, by jinn, devilish whispers, going astray from the right path of Islam, and so forth; or even both.
The cure may be found in the deen (religion) as well as meds or other therapies.
For more information, please read the book “The Jinn & Human Sickness” by Dr. Abu’l Mundhir Khaleel ibn Ibraaheem Ameen.
Shaykh al-Munajjid says on this matter:
The depression that people feel may be a sickness that needs to be treated and needs referral to specialists; or it may be feelings of distress that may be relieved by doing a lot of acts of worship, remembering Allah, keeping company with good and righteous friends, and keeping busy with beneficial actions. (...) Whatever the case, Allah has not sent down any disease but He has sent down a cure for it, and there is a remedy for this depression no matter what type it is. The believer should adorn himself with patience and certainty of faith, and he should turn to Allah a great deal and ask of Him, because the keys to goodness are in His hand.
In any case, it will certainly not cause harm if one who suffers from a psychotic disorder starts reading more Qur’an, reciting adhkar, and surrounding yourself with righteous people who are understanding and supportive and will remind you of Allah, and to be patient in a beautiful way. Even if such a person’s disorder is not caused by jinn, being closer to Allah will undoubtedly give them a powerful weapon against impatience, despair, or their condition becoming worse due to devilish whispers.
Am I allowed to see a psychologist or psychiatrist, and take anti-psychotic medication or other types of medication?
Yes, upon scholarly consensus, finding a cure to your diseases is permitted or encouraged. It is not reprehensible, and one should take care of one’s body, mind and soul as best as possible, as long as the means of doing that are halal.
It was narrated that Abu’l-Dardaa’ (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
«The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah created the disease and the cure, so treat disease but do not treat it with anything that is haraam.”»
Narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Mu’jam al-Kabeer, 24/254. Classed as saheeh by al-Albani.
Ibn al-Qayyim said on the matter:
In the saheeh ahaadeeth there is the command to use medicine, and these ahaadeeth state that this does not contradict the idea of putting one’s trust in Allaah, just as warding off hunger, thirst, heat and cold by means of their opposites does not contradict it. Rather the reality of Tawheed cannot be perfected without following the means which Allaah has created in order to reach ends, both by His universal will and in His laws that He has prescribed. Ignoring this matter undermines the very essence of putting one’s trust in Allaah, just as it undermines the concept of Allaah’s command and wisdom, and weakens it so that the one who does not use the means to an end thinks that not using them is a stronger form of putting one’s trust in Allah. But not using the means to an end is a sign of weakness which contradict the idea of putting one’s trust in Allaah, the essence of which is the reliance of the heart on Allaah to provide that which will benefit a person in this world and in the Hereafter, and to ward off that which will harm him in this world and in the Hereafter. But it is essential to depend on use of the means, otherwise one is denying the wisdom of Allaah and the laws which He has prescribed. So the slave of Allaah should not call his helplessness dependence on Allaah, or call his dependence on Allaah helplessness.
(Zaad al-Ma’aad, 4/15)
It is true that sometimes, medication may contain dubious ingredients, or may have enormous side effects which makes one wonder whether it is worth taking such medication. In such cases, one should ask (or look for) a specific fatwa on the matter. Keep in mind there is some disagreement among scholars on some matters, such as the use of gelatin in some pills.
I pray that Allah aids every person suffering from mental illness in the best way possible, and hope everyone who reads this can find some comfort and guidance, in sha’ Allah. May Allah reward you greatly. And if you find I have committed an error, remind me gently, and correct me without hesitation. And finally, verily Allah knows best.
