Question
Why does my faith decreases whenever I feel down? Like I would have some doubts about my religion, Islam, and I would think that god hates me, is punishing me, and doesn’t have mercy on me.
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Response
As-Salaamun ‘Alaikum – peace be with you,
Thank you for reaching out to us. We know that it isn’t easy and we appreciate the confidence you have placed in us. May you be rewarded, Ameen.
We want to start off by reassuring you that these thoughts are completely natural and recognising this first and foremost might help you to identify with them less intensely. From a spiritual perspective, these thoughts do not have any value or credit because they are out of our control, and hold no value as long as we do not act upon them.
Doubts about Allah (SWT’s) mercy and love could be as a result of regularly ruminating about these thoughts so they have become instinctive, impulsive and regular. The main discomfort is because we feel they are true and hence we are unable to view them as just thoughts that hold no power to our inner faith. As an example, if you think regularly think yourself to be unworthy then your conscious actions and life will begin to manifest to be that way also.
Ibn al-Qayyim said, “Know that passing thoughts are not harmful. Indeed, they are only harmful if they are sought after and engaged. For a negative thought is like a passerby on the road; if you ignore him, he will depart from you.” From this it can be deduced that the mind will always pose such questions, but it is up to us to disregard them as just thoughts as they arise. We must remember that we Allah (SWT) does not hold us to account for these passing thoughts so we should not hold importance to them.
To gain control over your daily life from a practical perspective, we suggest establishing a healthy routine. Make a calendar or timetable or use a tool like Google or many other free online scheduling resources. ‘Low’ moods can occur as a result of not achieving meaningful goals. For example if you want to exercise, go outside for a walk or learn a new hobby, you need remind yourself that you can and are worthy of committing to a healthy habit.
Doubts will always remain but we can learn and teach the brain to behave differently in reaction to these negative thoughts. Please note that unhealthy thinking habits can lead to self-sabotage, low mood and over time, a detrimental impact on your faith. It is a relentless cycle unless it is addressed.
Try researching Islamic CBT resources. Some good websites include:
- A self-monitoring log in this workbook to record fluctuations in mood.
- Muslim Counsellor and CBT therapist
These are just some humble suggestions. We sincerely hope and pray that one or more of them will be suitable to your circumstances and help create ease for you, In Shaa Allah (if Allah wills). If you would like to discuss anything else on your mind, we also offer more personalised counselling here at Inspirited Minds.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you need any further support.
Allah knows best and we hope this helps In Shaa Allah (if Allah wills).
Du’aa (supplication) always,
IM Support Team
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Ask Inspirited Minds is a safe, anonymous and confidential space for you to ask specific questions or seek advice around your mental health and wellbeing. We will publish your question and our response on our website but will make sure to make it anonymous and change any identifiable details. If you are going through these problems, then it’s highly likely someone else is going through something similar and we hope our advice can also be of help to others in a similar situation.
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