Saying: "Al-Hamdulillaah": The Anti-depressant!

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Allaah تعالى said:

﴿أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ﴾

{Verily, in the remembrance of Allaah do hearts find rest}

📚 [Surah al-Ra`d (13): 28]

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`Aaishah رضي الله عنها said: “When the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ saw something he liked, he ﷺ would say:

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي بِنِعْمَتِهِ تَتِمُّ الصَّالِحَاتُ

❝Al-Hamdu lillaahil-ladhee bi ni`matihee tatimmus-saalihaat

(Praise is to Allah by Whose grace good deeds are completed).❞

And if he ﷺ saw something that he disliked, he ﷺ would say:

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ

❝Al-Hamdu lillaahi `alaa kulli haal

(Praise is to Allah in all circumstances).❞”

📚 [Sunan Ibn Maajah (3803) and graded as “Hasan li ghairihee” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

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Ibn al-Qayyim said:

❝And whoever is preoccupied with al-Hamd (saying: al-Hamdulillaah), he will be given bounties one after the other.❞

📚 [al-Daa' wal-Dawaa' (1/187-188)]

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📑 Note:

Depression and anxiety are a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, they are also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and at home.

One of the ways to calm one’s nerves down and put the heart to rest is by doing the Adhkaar (the remembrance of Allaah), as Allaah تعالى said in the above-quoted Aayah.

One of the Dhikr which the Prophet ﷺ used to do was to say: ❝Al-Hamdulillaah!❞ Whatever be the situation, whatever be the news – even if it was unpleasant or disliked, he ﷺ would still say: ❝Al-Hamdulillaah!❞

There is a reason for this. This is to remind us that nothing happens except by the Will of Allaah. It is to remind us that what has passed us by – which we failed to attain – was not going to befall us, and what has befallen us was not going to miss us. And to remind us that victory comes with patience, relief after affliction, and ease after hardship. So, no matter what the situation is, one should always say: ❝Al-Hamdulillaah!❞

And as Ibn al-Qayyim said that whoever is preoccupied with saying Al-Hamdulillaah, he will be given bounties one after the other. And there is no bounty greater than finding a heart which is calm and satisfied. If a person has Millions of Riyals while his heart is at unrest, he will not be able to enjoy his wealth.

A person can take prescription medicines and anti-depressants to fight depression, but there is nothing like saying ❝al-Hamdulilaah❞ to fight depression, sorrow, and anxiety.

Ibn al-Qayyim said in “Al-Fawaaid” (paraphrased): The feelings of distress, sorrow, and grief which are removed by other than the Qur’aan will return.

So, whenever you feel that your heart is at unrest, keep saying as often as you can: ❝al-Hamdulilaah! al-Hamdulilaah! al-Hamdulilaah!❞, and see the immediate calmness you will feel inside you!