Friday Sermon (Oct 4, 2024) – Mental Wellness and Spiritual Balance: Key to Success in Life

In today’s fast-paced world, mental health has become an essential aspect of overall well-being. As Muslims, we are blessed with a religion that not only cares for our physical needs but also emphasizes mental wellness. Allah, in His infinite wisdom, provides us with guidance that helps us achieve balance and peace of mind. This Friday’s sermon highlights the importance of maintaining a healthy and balanced soul and how our faith offers powerful tools to achieve it.

In the khutbah, it is beautifully mentioned how our souls have a right over us, a reminder that mental health should be a priority. The Qur’an and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) offer profound wisdom on how to nurture our souls. One key takeaway is the emphasis on seeking comfort in remembrance of Allah and being content with His decree, which can lead to inner peace and resilience, even in times of hardship.

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The sermon also addresses the importance of cultivating mental wellness within our homes and families. It encourages us to leave behind the stresses of work and approach our families with kindness, love, and patience. Our homes should be a haven of tranquillity, where mental and spiritual well-being are fostered for the benefit of both adults and children.

Nurturing Mental Health Through Faith

Islam provides practical tools for enhancing mental wellness, including regular prayer, remembrance of Allah, and adopting a positive outlook. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) taught us to be optimistic and hopeful, always expecting good from Allah. This optimistic mindset not only strengthens faith but also promotes mental resilience, helping us face life’s challenges with patience and grace.

Let us take the guidance from this khutbah to heart and apply it in our daily lives, seeking balance in both our physical and mental well-being through a strong connection with Allah.

Full Khutbah (Friday Sermon)

First Sermon

All praise is due to Allah, the Creator of souls, their initiator, fashioner, and perfecter. And I bear witness that there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that our master and Prophet Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, his family, companions, and all who follow his guidance.

To continue: O servants of Allah, I advise you and myself to fear Allah. The Almighty has said:  يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ‌اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلْتَنْظُرْ ‌نَفْسٌ مَا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍ

O you who believe, have taqwa of Allah, and let every soul see what it has prepared for tomorrow. [Qur’an: 59:18]

O believers, a sound soul that is balanced, calm, and healthy is among the greatest blessings upon a person. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

طِيبُ النَّفْسِ مِنَ النِّعَمِ

A sound soul is among the blessings. [Adab al Mufrad]

Indeed, our religion gives great care to mental health. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: وَإِنَّ ‌لِنَفْسِكَ ‌عَلَيْكَ ‌حَقًّا

Your soul has a right over you. [Bukhari and Muslim]

Hence Allah has commanded us to take measures to preserve it and forbade everything that weakens it or causes it to collapse as Allah, the Exalted, says:

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ ‌مَنْ ‌زَكَّاهَا* وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنْ دَسَّاهَا

Successful indeed is the one who purifies it, and failed is the one who corrupts it. [Qur’an: 91:9-10]

 A balanced soul is a source of happiness and contentment for a person, driving them toward achievement and success. So how do we maintain a sense of balance with regards to our mental health, O servants of Allah? This is by making our imperative and orientation one of drawing near to Allah, seeking comfort in Him, constantly obeying Him, and remembering Him, as these collectively are among the greatest means to enhance peace of mind and heart. Allah, the Exalted, says: أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ‌تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ

Surely, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest. [Qur’an:13:28]

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to say to his caller to prayer, Bilal: يَا بِلَالُ، أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ، ‌أَرِحْنَا ‌بِهَا

O Bilal, establish the prayer, relieve us with it. [Abu Dawud]

And he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: جُعِلَتْ ‌قُرَّةُ ‌عَيْنِي ‌فِي الصَّلَاةِ

The coolness of my eyes has been made in the prayer. [al-Nisa’i]

Contentment with Allah’s decree and destiny is one of the causes of inner peace and tranquillity. Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) said: إِنَّ اللَّهَ إِذَا قَضَى قَضَاءً؛ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُرضَى بِهِ

Indeed, when Allah decrees a matter, He loves that people are pleased with it. [Ibn Abi Dunya]

Do not be among those who, when faced with hardships or when covered by the cloud of worries, see the world as dark before their eyes, collapse, and submit to despair and hopelessness. For Allah, the Exalted, criticized such people, saying: وَإِنْ مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ فَيَؤُوسٌ قَنُوطٌ

And if evil touches him, he is hopeless and despairing. [Qur’an: 41:49].

Instead, it is imperative to be a believer in Allah’s decree and destiny in all circumstances, with hearts repeating the phrase: ‌لَنْ ‌يُصِيبَنَا إِلَّا مَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَنَا

Nothing will befall us except what Allah has written for us. [Qur’an: 9:51]

We should know with certainty that what has befallen us, even if it appears evil outwardly, is ultimately good for us, as Allah says: وَعَسَى أَنْ تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ

It may be that you dislike a thing, but it is good for you. [Qur’an: 2:216]

Among the ways to strengthen mental health is optimism, positivity, and avoiding surrender to negative thoughts and feelings. Expecting good brings it, and expecting harm invites it. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was someone of hope in Allah. So, O servant of Allah, always expect good, and have a good opinion of your Lord. Have you not heard the saying of Allah in the Qudsi hadith: ‌أَنَا ‌عِنْدَ ‌ظَنِّ ‌عَبْدِي بِي

I am as My servant thinks of Me? [Bukhari and Muslim]

Do not be of those who imagine evil before it happens, fear illness before it comes, or expect poverty before it strikes. This is from the whispers of Satan, as Allah said:

الشَّيْطَانُ ‌يَعِدُكُمُ ‌الْفَقْرَ

Satan threatens you with poverty. [Qur’an: 2:268]

  Do not live in the past with painful memories, as that hinders work and burdens the soul. Avoid fear of the future and anxiety about what is to come, for that is from Satan’s whispers, meant

لِيَحْزُنَ ‌الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا

To make those who believe sad. [Qur’an: 58:10]

Be cautious about comparing yourself to others, for that opposes contentment. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‌قَدْ ‌أَفْلَحَ ‌مَنْ ‌أَسْلَمَ وَرُزِقَ كَفَافًا، وَقَنَّعَهُ اللَّهُ بِمَا آتَاهُ

Successful is the one who has accepted Islam, been provided with sufficient provision, and whom Allah has made content with what He has given him. [Muslim]

Every person has been given something by Allah, with prior knowledge and immense wisdom: وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ‌وَاللَّهُ ‌يَعْلَمُ  

And Allah knows while you do not know. [Qur’an: 2:216]

O Allah, grant us mental wellness and physical well-being. Help us act according to Your words, O Lord: O you who believe, obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and those in authority amongst you. (Qur’an: 4:59). I say this, and I seek Allah’s forgiveness for myself and for you, so seek His forgiveness, for He is the most forgiving, most merciful.

Second Sermon

 All praise be to Allah in the fullest sense, and peace and blessings be upon His Prophet and servant, and upon his family, companions, and those who followed his guidance after him.

To continue: O servants of Allah, the mental well-being of our children and families is a trust around our necks. Let us give it our utmost attention, just as we care for their physical health, let us attend to their mental and spiritual health so that our homes become places of comfort and tranquillity. Do not bring your work problems home, nor burden your family with the stresses of your day. This has a negative effect on their mental health. When you arrive home, O father, leave behind all the pressures of life and greet your family with a smile and warmth. Treat them with love, kindness, gentleness, and mercy, for:

فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ إِذَا أَرَادَ ‌بِأَهْلِ ‌بَيْتٍ ‌خَيْرًا؛ أَدْخَلَ عَلَيْهِمُ ‌الرِّفْقَ

If Allah wills good for a household, He brings gentleness to them. [Musnad Ahmad]

Let wisdom guide your actions and patience govern your dealings. Your mental state is a mirror for your family, and its results reflect upon them. Let them draw from your stability and calmness, bringing goodness and peace to their souls, which will shape their personalities and interactions with others. Let us reflect upon the patience of Sayyidina Ibrahim (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), whom Allah described as: إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لَأَوَّاهٌ حَلِيمٌ

Forbearing, tender-hearted, and oft-returning to Allah [Qur’an: 11:75].

Let us reflect on how he brought goodness to his offspring? Allah said: فَبَشَّرْنَاهُ ‌بِغُلَامٍ ‌حَلِيمٍ

So We gave him the glad tidings of a forbearing boy. [Qur’an: 37:101]

Let us be keen, O servants of Allah, on our mental health, and let us spread its fragrance in our homes, fostering it in our spouses, children, and communities. O Allah, send peace, blessings, and barakah upon our master Muhammad, and upon his family and companions. Be pleased with Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali, and all the noble companions. O Allah, make us believers in You, worshipers of You, and obedient to You. Show mercy to our parents as they raised us as children, O Most Merciful of the merciful.

Our Lord, grant us the good of this world and the good of the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.

O Allah, maintain stability in our nation, grant us well-being, and expand our provisions. Bless our spouses and children. Guide the President of the Nation, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, his deputies, and his brothers, the rulers of the Emirates, and the trustworthy Crown Prince to what You love and are pleased with. O Allah, have mercy on Sheikh Zayed, Sheikh Rashid, and the founding leaders, and admit them into Your vast Gardens. Envelop the martyrs of the nation with Your mercy and forgiveness.

O Allah, have mercy on the Muslim men and women, and the believing men and women, the living and the dead.

O Allah, grant us blessings akin to rain and do not make us among those who despair. O Allah, relieve us.

O Allah, relieve us. O Allah, relieve us. Our Lord, give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire. Servants of Allah, remember Allah the Great and Glorious, and He will remember you. Be grateful to Him for His blessings, and He will increase you. So establish the prayer.

Conclusion

The khutbah reminds us that our mental health is as important as our physical well-being. By staying connected to Allah and following His guidance, we can achieve a balanced, healthy soul. Let us strive to implement these teachings in our lives and foster a mentally healthy environment for ourselves and our families.