The Concept of Mental Health in the
Holy Quran and the Hadeeth
Prof. Mohammed Osman Najaty, KUWAIT.

ABSTRACT


Man is made up of body and soul. Each of these two components of man has its inmate needs. The body has its inmate needs that must be satisfied in order that the individual can live and the human species can survive. The soul also has its inmate needs that express themselves in man's spiritual longing for knowing God, belief in Him and worshiping Him. Satisfaction of these spiritual needs determines man's feeling of security and happiness.

Conflict arises between these two components of man. This conflict is, in fact, the basic psychological conflict that man suffers in his life. Perhaps, it is God's will that the way that man adopts in solving this conflict becomes the real test of man in this world. Those who really succeed in this test are those who can reconcile the material and the spiritual components of their personalities, and can establish the greatest amount of equilibrium between them. Therefore, they deserve the reward of being happy in this world and also in the later eternal life.

Islam follows in educating people a purposeful method that can establish equilibrium between the material and the spiritual components of their personalities in order to be normal persons who can enjoy mental health and happiness. Islam's method of education has two approaches. One is to strengthen the spiritual component in man by inviting him to believe in the only one God and to worship Him. The other approach is to ask man to dominate his material component by controlling his drives emotions and sensual desires. By these two approaches of education, Islam teaches people to attain equilibrium between the material and spiritual components of their personalities, and thus enjoy security, happiness and mental health.


 Article printed with permission from Dr. A.R. El-Gendy, Secretary General Assistant, Islamic Organization for Medical Sciences (IOMS)
Please Check out IOMS's website which contains a wealth of information on health/medical issues for Muslims at:
http://www.islamset.com

 

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