depression no more

current research suggests, that religion is a fundamental necessity for mental health, contrary to the atheist's view that it is a mental illness. this "mental illness" perspective is the brainchild of the 19th century atheist thinker Freud, but since then he has been comprehensively refuted. the american author Patrick Glynn sums it up:

"Yet, the last quarter of the twentieth century has not been kind to the psychoanalytic vision. Most significant has been the exposure of Freud's views of religion (not to mention a host of other matters) as entirely fallacious. Ironically enough, scientific research in psychology over the past twenty-five years has demonstrated that, far from being a neurosis or source of neuroses as Freud and his disciples claimed, religious belief is one of the most consistent correlates of overall mental health and happiness. Study after study has shown a powerful relationship between religious belief and practice, on the one hand, and healthy behaviors with regard to such problems as suicide, alcohol and drug abuse, divorce, depression, even, perhaps surprisingly, levels of sexual satisfaction in marriage, on the other. In short, the empirical data run exactly contrary to the supposedly 'scientific' consensus of the psychotherapeutic profession."
[Patrick Glynn, God: The Evidence, The Reconciliation of Faith and Reason in a Postsecular World]

the fact that those who fail to abide by religious moral values experience "stress" is revealed by Allah in the Qur'an:

"But if anyone turns away from My reminder, his life will be a dark and narrow one..."
[QS Ta-Ha 124]

this "dark and narrow" life, or stress/depression, to give it the current name, is the outcome of non-believers' failure to abide by the moral values imparted by faith. today, doctors maintain that a calm and self-assured composure are essential for protection from the effects of stress. a calm and peaceful disposition is only possible by living according to the Qur'an. indeed, it has been revealed in many verses of the Qur'an that Allah imparts "serenity" upon the believers [QS at-Taubah 26, al-Fath 4]. our Lord's promise to the faithful has been revealed as follows:

Anyone who acts rightly, male or female, being a believer, We will give them a good life and We will recompense them according to the best of what they did.
[QS an-Nahl 97]

the day we learn to love

in the relationship between a man and a woman, the establishment of a mutual bond, outside of that approved by God, is one of the most critical factors leading to "idolatry", or "shirk" in arabic. it may take the form of marriage, or "living together", which has gained an increasingly widespread acceptance.

in this romantic understanding of love, the "lovers" show to each other all the duties that should be directed toward God, and they show to each other those feelings that should be reserved for God, as if they had an existence apart from Him. these individuals, instead of keeping God in mind, think only of each other. when they first open their eyes in the morning, instead of thanking their Creator for the new day, they think of each other, seeking to please only each other, not to please God. they are willing to sacrifice themselves for each other, but not for God.

in short, each turns the other into god. likewise, when we consider various examples of this warped understanding of love, as has become so widespread in the world, we will find that romantic men and women will openly declare to each other, "I worship you", "Wherever I go, I think about you", and other such expressions. however, wherever one looks, and wherever one goes, the only Being who deserves to be adored is God, the Lord of the Universe.

unfortunately, romantic love appears to be an innocent kind of love, though it is a type of "idolatry", reprehensible in the sight of God. however, satan blinds people to the truth, and so, in this case, he has again warped the truth to make it seem pleasant, and to make people follow the way he shows them:

...Satan made their actions seem good to them and so debarred them from the Way, even though they had been granted insight. [QS al-Ankabuut 38]

the Qu'ran calls special attention to the errant passion felt for a man/woman in this kind of romantic love. the recipient of this love can be anyone: a husband/wife, boyfriend/girlfriend, even a distant "platonic" love. if this kind of love prevents a person from remembering God as he ought, or makes him prefer his beloved in his heart rather than God, it leads that person into idolatry. people who live absorbed in this romantic man-woman relationship, are often unaware of the dangers into which they have put themselves. because of the fact that they have followed their cues since childhood from a misguided society, without knowing that the Qu'ran is their only guide to the right path, they are completely unaware that the way they have been living is a wrong in the sight of God. because they live their lives without cognisance of God, they become trapped in a mire of ignorance, though they believe they are on the right way. however, because they have no faith in God, their wisdom and understanding have become blind.

the kind of romantic love that leads to idolatry has become acceptable in society under completely "innocent" rubrics, as "mere romance", "true feelings", or "dating"; it is even praised and encouraged. usually, it is at a young age that people fall under the influence of romanticism, which prevents the development of their minds and conscience, keeping them ignorant of religion, faith and the purpose of creation. they have forgotten God, and know nothing about loving or fearing Him. idolatry then becomes the common practise of this misguided generation.

television and films often impose romantic and emotional subjects on viewers. they contend that sentimentality is merely a natural tendency in human beings. romance is one of the most consistent and marketable themes in music, poetry and literature. satan knows very well that sentimentality is a sickness that prevents people from thinking properly, of recognising reality, of being mindful of God, and of contemplating the purpose of creation and the afterlife, and that it lures people away from practising their religion, and leads them ultimately into idolatry. therefore, he seeks to mislead society at every turn by means of an intense and constant bombardment of sentimental themes.

consequently, those who think that idolatry simply refers to the worship of false-gods, or statues made of stone or wood, should be careful not to regard themselves as immune from this matter, or to be among those who will say on the last day, "By God, our Lord, we were not idolators." [QS al-An'aam 23]

the "M" word

marriage is considered an important turning point in one's life. every young girl or boy looks forward to meeting the person of her or his dreams. a good mate is a major goal in life and young people are almost "indoctrinated" with the importance of finding one. however, relations between man and woman are fundamentally based on unsound grounds in ignorant societies, namely societies in which people do not accept the Qur'anic way of life: "friendships" are solely romantic relationships in which both sexes seek emotional satisfaction. yet, marriages are usually based on mutual material benefits. many women try to find a "prosperous man" in expectation of a high standard of living. for such a purpose, a young girl may easily accept to be the life-long spouse of someone for whom she has no affection. on the other hand, what a man seeks in a woman is very often "good looks".

yet the rationale behind the viewpoint of an ignorant society neglects a crucial fact: all these materialistic values are eventually doomed to perish; Allah can take back the fortune of a man in a moment. similarly, it takes but a few seconds to lose good looks; as city dwellers, for instance, our daily commuting to and from work can at any time be thwarted by an accident that may leave hideous and permanent scars on the face. time, meanwhile, deals irrecoverable damage to our health, strength and beauty. under such unpredictable conditions, what consequences are there in a system based on purely materialistic values? for instance, think of a man who only marries a woman because he is impressed by her good looks. what would he think if her face is badly injured in an accident? would he leave her when wrinkles start to appear on her face? the answers no doubt reveal the unreasonable basis of materialistic thinking.

the type of marriage acceptable in the presence of Allah is, however, based on totally different criteria. contrary to the marriages common in an ignorant society, where people are heedless about earning the good pleasure of Allah, the criteria is not money, fame or beauty; but a marriage intended to gain His good pleasure. for believers, the only criterion is taqwa, in other words, 'the avoidance of all that is prohibited, the fulfilment of all that is commanded, and the fear of Allah.' consequently, a believer can only marry someone who displays a deep loyalty to Allah. people find peace and happiness in this marriage. the relevant verse follows:

And among His Signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquillity with them, and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts): verily in that are Signs for those who reflect.
[QS ar-Rum 21]

taqwa being the sole bond, believers will surely meet a pleasant life in the Hereafter. as they remind each other righteousness and guide one another to the paradise all through their lives, they will also remain close friends for all eternity [the true soulmate!]. their relations are described as follows:

The believers, men and women, are protectors one of another: they enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil: they observe regular prayers, practice regular charity, and obey Allah and His messenger. On them will Allah pour His mercy: for Allah is exalted in power, Wise.
[QS at-Tawbah 71]