Compiled by Shaykh Dr Seventy-Six (HA)
Physician (MD,Internal medicine), Spiritual seeker, Antiquarian of Islamic manuscripts.
Summarising the Problem:
Dr Bruce Hubbard (PhD) Conceptualises the problem as follows:
Worry?
Worry is an anxious preoccupation with an anticipated negative event. Over the course of evolution, worry helped us adapt by directing awareness to true problems that once identified can be effectively addressed. In this way worry is effective in managing challenges of your everyday life.
Unhealthy Worry?
For some people, this process breaks down. Their minds become trapped in a endless process of “figuring it out.” They are plagued by thoughts and images of disastrous outcomes that in reality may never come to be. Worriers are particularly challenged by problems that have no clear solution. Instead of accepting and managing these difficult realities, they are viewed as evidence of the futility of even trying to work things out.
Obsessive Thinking?
Obsessive Thinking Unhealthy worry is part of a broader problem called obsessive thinking. Obsessive thinking is an inability to gain control over recurrent, distressing thoughts, images. These thoughts and images are embedded in a complex network of feelings, sensations, and at times, behavioral rituals and routines.
Rumination?
Obsessive worry is focused on future outcomes. Rumination, another form of obsessive thinking, is the uncontrollable preoccupation with the past. Rumination is experienced as guilt, regret and anger, over perceived mistakes, losses, slights, actions taken or not taken, opportunities forever lost, with irreversible, catastrophic results.
And Islam says?
Do you suffer from any of these or recognise someone who does?
Modern Psychology proposes to address the thought pattern of such a patient but the Prophet of Allah (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) offers a different diagnosis summarised in the following beautiful Hadeeth:
أَلاَ وَإِنَّ فِي الْجَسَدِ مُضْغَةً إِذَا صَلَحَتْ صَلَحَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ، وَإِذَا فَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ. أَلاَ وَهِيَ الْقَلْبُ
Beware! There is a piece of flesh in the body if it becomes good (reformed) the whole body becomes good but if it gets spoilt the whole body gets spoilt and that is the heart.
Join us on an epic journey to explore, decode and ultimately control your (obsessive, runaway) mind by focusing your heart!
