| Psycho-Therapy
of Depression by the Radiant Hope:Death
is not the greatest loss. Death of one's will and spirit,
while he is still alive, is the greatest loss. As such depressive
illness is the biggest killer. According to World Health Organization
and World Bank, depression is currently the fourth leading
cause of disability world wide, and its incidence is increasing
rapidly. “In the Western world, upto one third of the
population have had an episode of depression at some point
in their lives. Of these 15 to 20 per cent can be diagnosed
with chronic depression. It is projected that depression will
be second leading cause of death and /or morbidity by the
year 2020.” It is a serious illness that can affect
anybody, even teenagers. It can affect a person's health,
happiness, thoughts, feelings, and all aspects of behaviour.
There are two kinds of depression:The
sad kind is called Major Depression. The other kind is Manic-Depression
or Bi-polar Illness, when feelings of being down and depressed,
alternate with being hyperactive and sometimes acting recklessly.
Besides medical sciences and psychology, researchers
are now seriously turning to religion to find solutions to
social and psychological problems, such as mentioned above.
"Religious faith addresses the facts of life and death”,
states a recent issue of the British `Medical Journal."
The study concludes that spiritual belief might provide an
existential framework in which grief is resolved more readily.
Strong beliefs help in better adjustment and less
psychological distress. It was also replicated that the absence
of spiritual belief is a risk factor for delayed or complicated
grief. Attention to spiritual matters is an important
component, as it helps in readjustment in life after the loss.
Now turn to the Quran, and examine verses 39-53
to 55, which provide a prescription which may be studied and
examined with reference to modern scientific research and
knowledge! Look into verses 39-53 to 55, 2-156 & 157 and
6-12, quoted earlier, again.
The very first verse of Al-Faatihah and `Basmallaah' hold
out assurances of the limitless Mercy of Allah. Take a little
more closer look at Al-Faatihah. After starting in The Name
of The Ever All-Beneficent, The Ever All-Merciful, and offering
thankful Praises to the Ever All Lord-Master-Sustainer, reference
to the limitless Benevolence and Mercy is repeated. To ensure
the dejected and the disgusted soul that inspite of all his
sins and shortcomings the Benevolence and Mercy of Allah are
Ever All-Embracing and for all, without limit. This has been
repeated at innumerable places in the Quran and the Hadiith.
Once the depressed soul gets a glimpse of the ray of hope
and his faith is re-activated, then only he responds to any
further counseling, curative process or therapy.
Psycho-Therapy of Stress
and Anger: Negative Effects of Disbelief
Harun Yahya, in his book ‘The Nightmare of Disbelief’
(pp. 104-107) dilates upon stress, tension, pain, etc., due
to disbelief (disobedience, rebellion against the truth –
the law of nature). “Stress, an alarmingly widespread
misery, also named the `universal torment’, is traceable
to psychological origins. It is a general state of tension
in mind and body caused by fear, insecurity, hopelessness,
anxiety and feelings like fear…The body responds to
stress, by initiating a series of biochemical reactions…
Chronic stress does great damage to the body, mainly to the
bodily functions…There is an important relation between
stress and the tension and the pain stress causes… This
is an unusual situation for the human body and its persistence
over an extended period of time is detrimental to health and
the natural balance of the body…”
In this situation, Al-Faatihah beams the ray of
hope, which presents a bouquet in colours with the prescriptions
for life, universalism, righteous conduct, God-consciousness
and fear through the prism of the Quran, e.g., look at Allah’s
following commandment and analyze it in the perspective of
Al-Faatihah: `Overcome rage’: Allah likes those
who control their anger and rage.
Anger is one such emotion, which every individual
expresses to show his despair, helplessness and sometime his
authority over others. Besides psychologists, studying effects
on human personality, historians, extending the borders of
history, are also now making attempts to analyze the role
of `emotions’ in the formation of history
and its progress. Mubarak Ali, in his article “The Role
of Emotions” (The Dawn, August 10, 2003, quoting from
Barbara Rosen Wein’s book, “The anger’s
past: The Social Uses of Emotion in the Middle Ages”,)
deals with how anger related to various classes
who showed their anger in their particular circumstances;
e.g., example, the anger of the priestly class was associated
with religion, while rulers, nobles and feudal lords possessing
power and authority behaved autocratically using anger as
a tool to control their subjects.
“Anger had many features in the medieval
period. One of them was to abuse and curse in a state of anger.
The nature of the curse indicated social and religious status…
In the case of a religious man, he sought the help of God
to destroy or eliminate the adversary or enemy… Contrary
to religious curses, secular ones were different. In this
case, the opponents were abused in such terms that were regarded
socially challenging. In other cases, those who had the authority
accused their subordinates…” For rulers “it
was the tradition that whenever a royal edict was issued it
would mention that in case of disobedience, royal wrath would
not spare anyone… The peasants were regarded as uncultured
and savages, therefore, their anger was judged in the light
of their social status… In 1233 C.E, Pope Gregory IX
proclaimed a crusade against the rebellion of peasants in
Bremen calling them wild beasts. The rebellions of peasants
were judged by ruling classes not as a result of exploitation
but from disobedience to authority..The change in Europe occurred
as a result of the Renaissance which initiated, in the words
of Norbert Elias, `a process of civilization”. In the
changed environment, it became a virtue to control
anger and behave like a gentleman. In the modern
age, the nature of anger has further changed as a result of
the democratization of society. Now, not people but rulers
are afraid of people’s anger.”
Have a second look at the statement of the Quran
that, Allah likes those who control their anger and
rage, and also look at the revolutionary doctrine
presented by Al-Faatihah in those days (more than 1400 years
ago), enveloped in (1-1 to 3). Mercy, Benevolence, and Forgiveness,
inculcating tolerance, accommodation, appreciation, mutual
respect, help and love, through collective approach and universalism
(1-5 & 6); some of which were only recognized by the West
through long and painful processes of Reformation, Renaissance,
Industrialization, Democratization, etc. There are lessons
in other aspects of `anger’ and `wrath’ in the
history of those who suffered them (1-7), because of denial
of the Truth of which Al-Faatihah is the exposition.
Those who disbelieve and remain rigid in their
disbelief in the prescriptions and injunctions of the Quran
meant for welfare and benefit of humanbeings – individuals
and society as a whole – continue to suffer from social,
moral, and psychological disorders and diseases. Bill Clinton,
President of USA had to admit in his annual message to Muslims,
on the occasion of Eid, that Islam offers solution to human
problems, emerging out of destruction of the institution of
family, in the West.
Consequence
of Behavioral Disorder:Consider an example
of nature’s `intelligence’ in the order and discipline
that is working at all levels, including that at the cellular
and molecular levels. Every cell in the body is programmed
by its DNA. It divides and multiplies at a certain rate. It
is a very `intelligent’ and precisely calculated process,
except in cancer, yet not purely mechanical or simply mathematical.
It takes place according to internal need of the cell, combined
with demands emanating from the cells of the body, in constant
communication with each other through chemical messages.
Deepak Chopra describes anti-social behaviour
and its consequences, in very precise terms (“Quantumn
Healing”, p.42). “Cancer is a wild, anti-social
behaviour, whereby a single cell reproduces itself
without check, heeding no signals from anywhere except, apparently,
its own demented DNA…When the final crisis comes, the
cancer cells perish with the rest of the body, doomed by their
ungoverned appetite for self-expansion.” Similarly society
also can not afford to allow wild and anti-social behaviour
of any individual or a group which brings its own as well
as the doom of the whole society, explained beautifully in
verse 7 of Al-Faatihah, and evident in innumerable examples
in the history of mankind.
The
Laws of Nature (The Truth)
“He (Allah) constructed the universe, and
established its Laws.
(set up the balance).”55-7
“God’s
Laws are Perfect”. Psalms 19-7
“Thou
art the Imperishable,
The Highest End of Knowledge,
The Support of this universe.
Thou, The Ever Lasting Ruler of the Law of Righteousness.”
Bhagavad Gita 11-18
The laws of
nature have been so made that they work with certainty, stability
and predictability under given conditions. There is no arbitrariness
or sudden fluctuations in their working. Both in the outward
and inward life, gradual process and steady movement takes
place. It allows time for introspection, enquiry, reflection,
understanding and action. This also affords opportunity for
adjustment and correction - before the decree is implemented
in Truth, which is irresistible, when issued.
"Should
God hasten (the consequences of evil) on men
as they fain would hasten their good,
then were their end decreed" 10-11.
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