As we are slowly reeling out of covid, we all are facing a substantial emotional surge. The disruption of our everyday life has indeed caused colossal discomfort. We have been facing an unnamed fear for the last year and a half. It has been a regular battle, with the emotions primarily negative. As the situation is new and highly unpredictable, so will be the response to this unforeseen danger.
So, how do you deal with such a plethora of negative emotions every day? Will improving your spiritual life affect your emotional well being.
Many studies point to the tremendous value spirituality brings to regulating emotional imbalance. Developing one’s spirituality is more important than financial achievements.
So, somewhere improving our spiritual health could affect our emotional well being, ultimately bringing a positive impact on our physical self. This article brings to you five essential steps from the Quran and sunnah that will improve your spiritual and emotional health during this covid crisis.
But before we dig in, let’s understand the terms we are constantly using right now.
What is spiritual and emotional wellness?
Emotional wellness is a way of accepting your emotions, taking yourself the way, you are, and maintaining a positive outlook on life.
Spiritual wellness is a way to support mental and emotional wellness. It fosters personal growth by developing connections between mind and body.
How does spirituality affect one’s emotional and mental well being?
Even though we have made tremendous advancements in science and technology, we have seen a vast decline in the mental state of individuals.
Rates of depression have dramatically increased between 1988 to 2008 in the United States.
One thing that baffles most psychologists is that money and happiness have nothing to do with anxiety levels or the rates of suicides. Using anti-depressants has increased at an alarming rate, around 400 percent.
People in developing countries like Niger and Togo may not be happy but have meaning to their lives. They might not have money or even the bare essentials of life, but they have a purpose attached to their lives.
All these studies depict that understanding the meaning of our existence is the core feature of spirituality. It is so weird that people indulge in obtaining possession and entertainment to nullify their emotions.
But technically, what they need is spirituality to regulate their emotional balance.
Dr. Robert quote.”
Spiritual intelligence is how a person processes the world around him and discovers the meaning and significance of life. Spirituality is an essential component in the healing and protection of the mind. Spiritual wellness affects the emotional health of an individual.
The Quran and the hadith of the prophet Muhammed (P.B.U.H.) is an abundant resource of increasing spirituality (helping understand the ultimate purpose of one’s life) and emotional wellbeing connected to our physical wellbeing.
Extracting the gems from the Quran and sunnah, we bring to you five ways to improve your spiritual wellbeing, giving you hold of your emotions in these most unprecedented times.
1. The more you read Quran, the more you get:
COVID-19 has made so many people lose their livelihood many people are struggling to make ends meet. In many countries, the number of poor people has increased tremendously. Not to mention the loss of lives people are experiencing. In Islam, we are always asked to look after the poor.
In the Quran, Allah (swt) says: “Help one another in acts of piety and righteousness. And do not assist each other in acts of sinfulness and transgression. And be aware of Allah. Verily, Allah is severe in punishment” (Quran 5:2).
Zakat is the 4th pillar of Islam. It is not just a mere charity. Zakat is the right of the poor, which the rich must pay. By giving what you would love for yourself, we are disconnecting ourselves from it. In doing so, we are trying to detach our emotions from it.
Consumerism has consumed this world. But even people who have the best of this world, commit suicide. By helping out people and giving from whatever, we have, we understand that nothing we own is ours to stay with us. Eventually, not even our bodies. This form of detachment from worldly stuff will help us help those in need, giving an intense positive feeling and a deep sense of worth for ourselves for being helpful.
2. Live in the present:
Will we ever get back to being normal? Will we ever get to travel? What if the vaccine has long-term side effects? Covid 19 has bought in huge uncertainty around. Universities, schools, shut down, exams being indefinitely postponed. Not able to conduct examination (in most countries) looking at all this, it feels we are heading towards doom!!
Relax!! Breathe!! Yes, you need to breathe. What has gone none can change what is going to happen; none can predict. Most of the anxiety arises from the question ” what if” whether relevant or irrelevant to the situation.
‘Umar said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘If you were to rely on Allah as He should be relied on, He would provide for you as He provides for the birds. They go out early in the morning hungry and return in the evening full.’” – Narrated by at-Tirmidhi and he said, “Hadith Hassan.”
In Islam, we are asked to have tawkkul. Believing Allah will eventually give us what is best for us. We think we control everything, but this whole covid scenario has shown us how wrong and far from the truth we are. We have seen how unpredictable life is.
Bringing twakkkul into our lives will help us be more mindful of our present situation. Focusing on the present and how you can be better at that moment rather than worrying about the future or feeling guilty about the past.
None of these are in our control. Focusing on how to live the present moment reduces so much anxiety and stress around the future.
In Islam, the five compulsory daily prayers are meant for taking the time out from busy schedules, thus freeing the mind from worldliness and all its worries and concerns.
As Allah says, “Remember that God knows what is in your souls, so be mindful of Him.” [Qur’an 2:235]
3. Forgiving gives joy:
After trying to be mindful and aware of your present, the next step that would help your spiritual wellbeing of your mental health.
Holding on to past grudges and hate would eventually destroy one’s peace of mind without causing any pain to the one we feel resentment towards.
Forgiving someone takes a lot of courage and determination. And it all gives you inner peace and helps you get rid of so many negative emotions like jealousy, fear, and negativity.
Forgiving brings healing to your heart and also makes you hopeful of gaining forgiveness from Allah.
Quran 64:14 says, “O you who believe! Verily, there are enemies for you among your wives and your children (i.e., may stop you from the obedience of Allah), therefore beware of them! But if you pardon (them) and overlook, and forgive (their faults), then indeed, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
It’s essential to understand this aspect of spirituality. It makes you free of grudges and the whole negative emotional baggage that drags you down every day.
Also, forgiving will help you draw closer to Allah, as the prophet Muhammed (p.b.u.h) himself pointed out.
The Prophet (P.B.U.H.) said,
Allah will not be merciful to those who are not merciful to mankind ~ Bukhari 7376
4. Gratitude the best attitude:
Lockdowns, a deadly virus. There is so much that is negative around us. But even in these circumstances, there is a ton of stuff we still can be thankful for.
“If you are grateful, I would certainly give you more; and if you are ungrateful, my chastisement is truly severe.” (14:7)
Even for something as minute as just being alive in this instance, we need to be thankful. Gratitude helps you make a massive shift in your mindset. Instead of focusing on what you don’t have, it shifts your focus on what you have.
Making you content, which will be a massive boost for your spiritual wellbeing. In the many duas, we recite every day, one may notice how we are constantly taught to be thankful. It just not a mere spiritual practice. Being grateful and including gratitude in your life helps you improve your spiritual wellbeing, which would eventually lead to being more content about your present state. This highly helps in emotional wellbeing. Having gratitude attracts a positive attitude. “Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” Eckhart
5. Love unconditionally:
People have gone through losses at an unprecedented level. Add to the anxiety covid as a disease itself is causing. Covid related anxiety.
The feeling of hopelessness and not being loved is encompassing a human being from every end.
Understanding that Allah loves you, and this time too shall pass. experiencing that love of Allah in various spiritual acts of worship or religious practices.
To understand Allah’s love, we need to understand his Rahma. We call upon him five times a day by saying Ar Rahman Ar Raheem, literally translated as the most gracious and merciful.
Irrespective of whether you believe or not, he loves you unconditionally.
Understanding that love will help you to love other human being unconditionally and without any expectation because we have put all our expectations on Allah.
Unconditional love will give you contentment and happiness as you are caring for someone without any expectation.
Unconditional love increases your spiritual wellness as you are connected to Allah a lot, thereby creating a self-containment feeling that will positively impact your emotions, thereby improving your physical health.
Apart from these steps, some additional steps will help you gain emotional wellness, which will create a positive impact on your immunity, thereby creating good physical health.
- A strict sleeping schedule that is planned according to the night and early morning salah.
- Intake of a healthy, nutritious, balanced diet.
- Reflect and observing the creation around us always has a positive calming effect.
- Maintain social distance but stay connected with your relatives and friends.
- Take time out to help anyone in need.
- Journal your thoughts, do not let them erupt up like a volcano.
- Try to include little supplications every day, take steps to enhance your ibadah every day.
- Try to memorize and understand the Quran, make genuine attempts to connect with the message of Allah.
Conclusion:
These daily practical steps, along with the steps from the Quran and sunnah, will help you increase your spiritual wellness, which will impact your emotional well being that way helping you attain a positive and healthy mental state in these testing times.
May Allah help each one of us to get closer to him during these times.
