ISLAM AND DEPRESSION (ENGLISH VERSION)

ISLAM AND DEPRESSION (ENGLISH VERSION)

          In July 2017, the entertainment world was shocked by the death of one of Linkin Park's singers, Chester Bennington due to a long-standing depression in his body. Since the news of his death was exposed to newspaper as well as on television, people began to aware on mental health issues. What is depression and how much depression can lead to death? Discussing the issue on depression, I am willing to start writing and touch on the awareness on the mental health in each of the souls who read. The primary purpose of this essay is to express that depression is one of God's tests to His servants with a weak mental state, then Islam as a barrier to suicide and ultimately, I will discuss challenges in dealing with depression.

            Depression is one of Allah's test to His servants to test their faith. This is in line with the word of Allah in Surah Al-Ankabuut: 2, meaning:

"Does man think that they will be left alone, saying: 'We believe,' while they are not tested? '

            This verse clearly states that every believers will be tested. Life tests can exist in many forms of physical, mental, hunger, anxiety, and other ways. Many cursory views and words are dubbed in the debatable discussion, whether in the real world or in the virtual world about mental health. Some people also threw their shallow views by opining that mental illness is the punishment of God's for weaknesses of faith, lack of a strong relationship to God or the assumption that the depression is deliberately fabricated. Imam Ar-Razi said, depression is also one of the clinical diseases, which is due to changes in the human nervous system. Psychologists stressed on these groups by issuing the fact that mental illness levels are partial to physical injury and require further treatment such as other physical illnesses. Based on the confession by those that have successfully liberated themselves from depression, the most powerful weapon is to always seek the strength that God heals their condition. In fact, the spiritual shields are rebuilt by improving the practice of fardhu, multiply the dhikr, sunah prayer and draw themselves closer to Allah in one third of the night.

            Furthermore, Islam is a barrier to the desire to commit suicide. Depression is closely related to the desire to commit suicide or self-injury. Most people with depression have a negative cycle of thought, unable to interpret any events that occur in their lives with a positive impression and infiltrate with extreme emotions such as being too sad, extremely sensitive and overthinking. The negative thoughts revolved around the same cycle causing a feeling of excitement to be incapable to rise even in the minds and souls eventually desire to end the life. Nevertheless, most of the depressed patients claim to be fearful of God's promise in the hereafter to make the execution of suicide stunted. The promised Azab is based on the hadith of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH):

            From Abu Hurairah RA, he said: Rasulullah SAW said, "The person who suicides by hanging himself, he will hang himself in hell. The person who stabs himself (with a sharp weapon) then he will stab himself in hell. And the person who committed suicide by spreading out of the high place, then he will be deployed in hell ". [HR. Bukhari]

            This Hadith clearly shows that the act of suicide is illegal in the religion of Islam. God prohibited suicide to stop the emotional or physical pain as Islam has come to the world as a continuous hope. Islam comes to the world as an endless opportunity. As long as human are alive, the hope of healing and opening a new life sheet is always there with God's blessing mercy to those who are patient. There must be a way that God will open for those who are given with His tests.

            In addition, the challenges in dealing with depression become increasingly thicker and reinforced with environmental culture and negative perceptions of mental health. Undoubtedly, our community is unaware of mental health issues. Excerpts from the Utusan newspaper reported that the National Health and Morbidity 2015 study showed about 4.2 million Malaysians aged 16 and over, or 29.2 percent of the country's population, suffering from various mental problems. Mentioned about 'mental', it always appeared in the word of 'crazy'. Not only that, those who have mental illness are accused of being subtle creatures and left without treatment. Children and adolescents are also not exempt from mental illness. They should be given with attention because the phases of personality development are active during this time and most of them remain as long-last characters. It’s saddening when parents denioed them with depression, even though they have been confirmed by experts. When patients met with counselors or psychologists, they are said of being weak and not wise enough to solve the problem. The community tried to take a ‘safe’ step by not bringing those who have mental illnesses to meet specialists on the ground of not serious disease and want to run away from the obsessive views of the community against their families.

            

Allah says in Surah Saad, verse 26:

"... then judge between the people and the truth (which is revealed to you); and do not follow your lusts, for thus it will lead you astray from the way of Allah ... "

Based on the above paragraph, we can conclude that the real solution to problem solving is to justify the human being to bring mental patients with depression, schizophrenia, autism and others to the specialist to be treated as soon as possible and not delayed by reason of ego to prevent the situation from getting worse. The importance of being fair to those suffering from depression by giving treatment as soon as possible is that it is impossible for God to put their hopes and chances to heal and regain health after the treatment.

            In conclusion, Islam has outlined the test of Allah SWT not only exists in physical illness, lack of basic needs such as hunger but also in mental and emotional form. Burdened with mental and emotional tests can lead to depression and sparked the desire to commit suicide so that the misery of the chest can be stopped immediately. When this happens, society needs to play a role by giving emotional and moral support to these patients. Islam encourages His servants to help each other because by helping, it open all doors of hope to those in need. Hence, Islam and Hope are integrated. It is inseparable and has great implications.