ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ ٱلْقُلُوبُ ﴿٢٨﴾
Who have believed and whose hearts have rest in the remembrance of Allah. Verily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest!
What does Islam say about depression and mental health?
Life, death and the afterlife Quran · 3 Hadith · 1 Sources · 1
Short answer
Islam treats illness, including illness of the mind, as real and encourages seeking treatment. It teaches that sadness is part of life, that prayer and the remembrance of God bring peace to the heart and that one should also see a doctor.
The fuller answer
The Prophet ﷺ said, 'God has not sent down a disease without sending down a cure,' and told people to seek treatment. Depression is not a sign of weak faith. Prophets themselves felt grief: Jacob wept for Joseph until his eyes turned white, and the Prophet ﷺ called the year he lost his wife and uncle the 'year of sorrow'.
Muslims find comfort in prayer, the Quran, charity, community and trusting that hardship will pass. These are an addition to and not a replacement for therapy or medication. Suicide is forbidden in Islam, as life is a trust from God, and anyone with such thoughts should seek help immediately from a doctor, a trusted person or a crisis line.
From the Quran
فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا ﴿٥﴾
But lo! with hardship goeth ease,
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَأْكُلُوٓا۟ أَمْوَٰلَكُم بَيْنَكُم بِٱلْبَٰطِلِ إِلَّآ أَن تَكُونَ تِجَٰرَةً عَن تَرَاضٍۢ مِّنكُمْ ۚ وَلَا تَقْتُلُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًۭا ﴿٢٩﴾
O ye who believe! Squander not your wealth among yourselves in vanity, except it be a trade by mutual consent, and kill not one another. Lo! Allah is ever Merciful unto you.
From the Sunnah
The authentic hadith behind this answer, from Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim and the Sunan with the grade of the scholars of hadith. Open a reference to read it in the hadith library of this site.
Arabic text
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أَحْمَدَ الزُّبَيْرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي حُسَيْنٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَطَاءُ بْنُ أَبِي رَبَاحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ دَاءً إِلاَّ أَنْزَلَ لَهُ شِفَاءً ".
Sources
The hadith and reports behind this answer. Open a number to read it in the hadith library of this site.
- The year of sorrow: Ibn Hisham, as-Sirah an-Nabawiyyah.
This answer follows the mainstream Sunni understanding and is general learning, not a fatwa. Where Muslims differ, the answer says so. Have a question of your own? Write to us.