The Fatigue of the Soul, the Call of the Heart, and the Human Return to the Self
Introduction: Why Is the Modern Human Being So Tired?
In recent years, people have been forming similar sentences to one another:
“I have no desire for anything.”
“There is an unexplained heaviness inside me.”
“My heart suddenly tightens, and I think I am going to die.”
In medical terminology, these conditions are called depression, anxiety, and panic attacks.
However, Islam does not view these states merely as illnesses.
Islam explains them as a disturbance in the balance between the human soul, heart, and body.
This article does not deny medical knowledge.
On the contrary, it presents the Islamic perspective alongside psychology.
Because in Islam, a human being is not only a brain, but a soul.
Not only hormones, but a being in search of meaning.
Who Is the Human Being in Islam? — The Root of the Problem Begins Here
In Islam, a human being is:
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not only a material body,
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not only a psychological mechanism,
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not only a social role.
A human being is three-layered:
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Body — the physical system
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Mind / nafs — desires, fears, thoughts
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Soul / heart — meaning, faith, conscience, connection
In the modern era, treatment mainly focuses on the first and second layers.
But the third layer — the soul — is very often forgotten.
Islam says:
“When the heart becomes exhausted, the body also collapses.”
How Is Depression Understood in Islam?
What Is Depression? (From an Islamic Perspective)
In Islam, depression is:
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not laziness,
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not lack of faith,
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not weakness.
Depression is most often a state of:
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loss of hope,
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loss of meaning,
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feeling worthless.
In the Qur’an, this state is expressed as:
“Do not despair of the mercy of Allah.”
This verse is not accidental.
Because despair is the suffocation of the soul.
Depression — When the Soul Says “Stop”
From the Islamic perspective, depression is sometimes a warning:
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you have taken on too much,
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you have moved away from yourself,
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you have only given, but not received,
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you have lost meaning.
In Islam, the soul is not a mechanism that must function under force.
The soul demands attention.
Sometimes depression says:
“Living like this is too heavy for me.”
Did the Prophets Also Experience Sadness?
Islam does not hide an important truth:
the prophets also experienced sorrow.
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Yusuf (peace be upon him) cried in prison
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Yaqub (peace be upon him) grieved until his eyes turned white
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Muhammad lived through the “Year of Sorrow”
Therefore:
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sadness does not contradict faith,
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pain is not a sin.
Islam does not call humans to become emotionless,
but to feel correctly.
How Is Anxiety Explained in Islam?
What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety is:
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fear of the future,
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a feeling of losing control,
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an attack of “what if…” thoughts.
Islam connects this state to a weakening of trust in God (tawakkul).
Why Does a Human Being Want to Control Everything?
Because the modern human being is taught:
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to plan everything,
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to allow no mistakes,
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to reject weakness.
But Islam says:
“You make effort, but know the outcome comes from Allah.”
Anxiety often arises this way:
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the human takes responsibility for the outcome as well,
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sees Allah merely as a “distant power,”
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carries the burden alone.
And this is too heavy for the soul.
Anxiety — The Illness of Living in the Future
Islam brings the human being back to the present moment:
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today’s provision is for today,
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tomorrow belongs to Allah.
A person who constantly lives in the future:
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loses today,
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keeps the soul in constant tension.
This is where anxiety is born.
How Are Panic Attacks Understood in Islam?
What Is a Panic Attack?
A panic attack includes:
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sudden fear of death,
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tightness in the chest,
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a feeling of suffocation,
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the body sends a “danger” signal without real danger.
In Islam, this state is understood as fear slipping out of control.
What Is Fear Like in Islam?
Islam does not deny fear.
But it changes its direction.
Islam says:
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do not fear everything,
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fear only Allah.
What does this mean?
It means that:
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death is not your enemy,
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your heart does not rule your fate,
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life is not chaotic.
Panic attacks are often built on fear of death.
Islam, however, explains death not as an end, but as a transition.
What Does a Person Lose During a Panic Attack?
What the person loses is:
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a sense of trust.
In Islam, there is a center of trust:
“Verily, hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah.”
This verse is a psychological key for panic attacks.
Remembrance (Dhikr), Supplication (Dua), and Prayer (Salah) as Psychological Mechanisms
Acts of worship in Islam are not only for reward.
They are psychological regulators.
Dhikr
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slows the breath,
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stabilizes heart rhythm,
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creates calmness in the brain.
Prayer (Salah)
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brings the body into rhythm,
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grounds the person,
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gives the feeling: “I am not alone.”
Supplication (Dua)
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is emptying the inner burden,
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sharing control,
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lightening the load.
In Islam, supplication is:
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not weakness,
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but psychological relief.
Is Islam Against Medical Treatment?
No.
Islam clearly states:
“For every illness, there is a cure.”
Islam:
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does not deny the doctor,
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does not reject medication,
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does not oppose therapy.
On the contrary, it says:
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find the cause,
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but do not lose the meaning.
The healthiest path is:
medicine + psychology + faith together.
How Does Islam Offer a Way Out of Depression?
Islam does not promise miracles.
But it shows a path:
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do not stay alone,
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do not remain silent,
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do not blame yourself,
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do not see Allah only as a punisher.
Islam says:
“Allah is closer to you than you are to yourself.”
This closeness keeps a person standing.
Conclusion: These States Are Not Weakness of Faith
Depression, anxiety, and panic attacks are:
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not a sin,
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not disbelief,
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not something to be ashamed of.
They are often:
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the soul’s call for help,
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the human need to return to the self.
Islam does not break a human being.
Islam rebuilds a human being.
And perhaps the greatest healing of our time is this:
“I am not alone.”