Fighting Depression Through The Remembrance Of Allah

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Question : Lately I’ve  been feeling really down & depressed.  Can you post some du’a’s or adhakār that might help with this?

Answer : Allah Most High says, “Truly, it is by the Remembrance of Allah that hearts find rest.” [Qur’an, 13.28]

One of the great early Muslims said, “Everything that hearts find of worries and sadness is because of what they have been denied of beholding Allah.”

What is remembrance (dhikr) of Allah?

Imam Sha`rani explains in his Lawaqih al-Anwar al-Qudsiyya that its essential meaning is to have Allah in heart and mind at all times. Remembrance of the tongue and worship of the limbs is a means to this.

Normally, of course, ends are not reached if the proper means are not taken.

Sayyidi Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi said,

“Be with Allah

You will find Allah with you.”

كُنْ مَعَ الله  ***  تَرَ اللهَ مَعَك

Be with Allah by loving Him, turning to Him in all your affairs, by obeying His commands out of love, thanks and servanthood, You will find Allah with you, for He is “closer to you than your jugular vein,” and He does not let the efforts of those who seek Him go to waste.

Reciting the Qur’an

As for what Surah to recite, the scholars say that it is superior to make it one’s habit to recite the Qur’an regularly, every day (even if only for a short amount of time), with reflection, longing and love for Allah, and attentiveness to what Allah is telling one, for the Qur’an is the guidance of Allah to you.

The Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “The most beloved of works to Allah are those which one is constant upon.” This is because they change your life completely, unlike short-lived bursts of activity, the scholars explain.

Surat Ya Sin is very powerful: the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him, his family, and companions) called it, “The heart of the Qur’an.”

It is also very recommended to send a lot of blessings upon the Beloved of Allah, the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace), for he is the ultimate mercy from Allah to humanity, and we have been informed, “Whoever sends blessings upon me once, Allah blesses them ten times .”This is explained to be the least of the reward…

The scholars mention that for those sick or troubled (and others) it is good to recite the Salat al-Tibbiyya, along with the sunna ways of sending blessings and peace:

Allahumma Salli `ala Sayyidina Muhammadin

Tibbil qulubi wa dawaa’iha

Wa nuril absari wa diya’iha

Wa `afiyatil abdaani wa shifaa’ha

Wa `ala Aalihi wa Sahbihi wa Sallim.

اللهُمّ صَلِّ عَلَى سَيِّدِنا مُحَمَّدٍطِبِّ القُلُوبِ وَدَوائِهاوَنُورِ الأَبْصَارِ وَضِيَائِهَاوَعَافِيَةِ الأَبْدَانِ وَ شِفَائِهَاوَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وَسَلِّمْ

O Lord! Send blessings on our master Muhammad,

The medicine of hearts and their cure,

The light of eyes and their illumination,

The health of bodies and their healing,

And upon his family, companions, and send peace.

Walaikum assalam,
Faraz Rabbani