This document provides guidance on maintaining emotional health during stressful times based on Quranic principles and the example of Prophet Musa. It discusses that stress can have both positive and negative effects depending on one's ability to manage the stress response. The key is achieving a synthesis between emotion and reason. For Muslims, there is meaning to be found in all situations which helps in dealing with difficulties. Effective stress management strategies discussed include prayer, serving others, making dua, spending time in nature, and maintaining a sense of humor. The document emphasizes that while a little stress can be good, too much negative stress should be avoided, altered, adapted to, or accepted.

1. Maintaining Emotional Health in Stressful Times
Quranic example of mastering stress
Prophet Musa
1. But when he came to it, he was called from the right side of the valley in a blessed spot -
from the tree, "O Moses, indeed I am Allah, Lord of the worlds."
And [he was told], "Throw down your staff." But when he saw it writhing as if it was a snake,
he turned in flight and did not return. [Allah said], "O Moses, approach and fear not. Indeed,
you are of the secure. (Qasas 28:30-31)
2. He said, "Rather, you throw." And suddenly their ropes and staffs seemed to him from their
magic that they were moving [like snakes].
And he sensed within himself apprehension, did Moses.
Allah said, "Fear not. Indeed, it is you who are superior. (Taha 20:66-68)
3. And when the two companies saw one another, the companions of Moses said, "Indeed, we
are to be overtaken!"
[Moses] said, "No! Indeed, with me is my Lord; He will guide me." (Shuara 26:61-62)
Therefore, emotions can be controlled
Stress:
 Effect of emotions on our bodies
 Not a direct response to stressor but rather one’s ability to mediate the stress response
Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. (Baqara 2:286)
Therefore, we have inner strength we do not even realize
Emotions:
Feelings provide a constant readout of current reactions to ongoing events --- {Feedback Loop}

2. Synthesis between emotion and reason is the key to mental health
People must feel their feelings and then make sense of it through finding meaning
-For Muslims there is meaning in everything
Allah created the heavens and earth in truth. Indeed in that is a sign for believers (29:44)
A definition of a human: “if you have a why, you can bare any how”
The whole world has meaning and therefore by understanding the reality of things we can deal
with them
Prophetic Dua:
‫َابه‬‫ن‬ِ‫ت‬ْ‫ج‬ِ‫ا‬ ‫َا‬‫ن‬ْ‫ق‬ُ‫ز‬ ْ‫ار‬ َ‫و‬ ً‫ﻼ‬ِ‫اط‬َ‫ب‬ ‫ل‬ِ‫اط‬َ‫ب‬ْ‫ال‬ ‫َا‬‫ن‬ ِ‫ر‬َ‫أ‬ َ‫و‬ ‫اعه‬َ‫ب‬ِّ‫ت‬ِ‫ا‬ ‫َا‬‫ن‬ْ‫ق‬ُ‫ز‬ ْ‫ار‬ َ‫و‬ ‫ا‬‫ق‬َ‫ح‬ ّ‫ق‬َ‫ح‬ْ‫ال‬ ‫َا‬‫ن‬ ِ‫ر‬َ‫أ‬ ‫ﱠ‬‫م‬ُ‫ه‬‫ﱠ‬‫الل‬
O Allah! Show us the Truth as Truth and give us ability to follow it and show us the Falsehood as
Falsehood and give us the ability to avoid it.
Reality of Stress
 A little bit of stress is good for us – can motivate, push, hone skills, educate
Ex: Fighting has been enjoined upon you while it is hateful to you. But perhaps you hate a
thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah
Knows, while you know not. (Baqara 2:216)
Ex: Pressure makes pearls & diamonds
 Most great people in history have encountered trials in their lives
 Tests elevate our ranks
 Expiation for sins
Nature of the world is difficulties
 Ibn Ata’llah: Do not be surprised when difficulties happen in this worldly life. This is its
nature.
 And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and
lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient (Baqara 2: 155)
 Manage expectations

3. Ex: dial up modem vs DSL
Allah promises believers a GOOD life not necessarily an EASY one (Nahl 16:97)
Prophetic attitude to stress
 Took things easy
-Looked at the bigger picture
Ex: Hadith - ‘How wonderful is a house that has vinegar’
Ex: Hadith - ‘Look at how Allah saves me. They insult Muzzam and I am Muhammad’
 Confucius:
‘Can the excellent man get sad?’
‘Yes, but he never falls into pieces’
Model to predict resilience to stress/psychological issues
[Protective Factors] x [Risk Factors] = RESILIENCE
Spending time in nature
Connecting with friends/family
Reading a book/Watching a movie
Keeping sense of humour
Hobbies
Healthy lifestyle – exercise, eating, sleeping
Prayer
When one is not coping well with stress: 4 A’s
Avoid---Alter---Adapt---Accept

4. 3 Quranic approaches to dealing with stress
1. Prayer
2. Serving Others
‘Indeed, the human being is anxious. If touched by adversity, despondent. If blessed by
wealth, stingy.
Except for the ones who pray. Who are constant in their prayers.
And those within whose wealth is a known right. For the poor and the needy’. (Ma’arij 70:20-
25)
3. Dua
‘O Allaah, I take refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, weakness and laziness, miserliness and
cowardice, the burden of debts and from being over powered by men.’
‫علمنا‬ ‫مبلغ‬ ‫وﻻ‬ ‫همنا‬ ‫أكبر‬ ‫الدنيا‬ ‫تجعل‬ ‫ﻻ‬ ‫اللهم‬
‘O Allah, don’t make the worldly life our greatest concern and the extent of our knowledge’
Dua of Yunus:
َ‫َك‬‫ن‬‫ا‬َ‫ح‬ْ‫ب‬ُ‫س‬ َ‫نت‬َ‫أ‬ ‫ﱠ‬‫ﻻ‬ِ‫إ‬ َ‫ه‬َ‫ل‬ِ‫إ‬ ‫ﱠ‬‫ﻻ‬‫ين‬ِ‫م‬ِ‫ل‬‫ا‬‫ﱠ‬‫ظ‬‫ال‬ َ‫ن‬ِ‫م‬ ُ‫نت‬ُ‫ك‬ ‫ي‬ِّ‫ن‬ِ‫إ‬ (Anbiya 21:87)
“None has the right to be worshipped but You. Glorified are You. Truly, I have been of the
wrong-doers."
Dua of Musa:
‫ي‬ ِ‫ر‬ْ‫م‬َ‫أ‬ ‫ِي‬‫ل‬ ْ‫ّر‬ِ‫س‬َ‫ي‬ َ‫و‬ ‫ي‬ ِ‫ْر‬‫د‬َ‫ص‬ ‫ِي‬‫ل‬ ْ‫ح‬َ‫ر‬ْ‫ش‬‫ا‬ ِّ‫ب‬ َ‫ر‬ (Taha 20: 25-33)
“My Lord, expand my chest & make my affairs easy for me”