Stress in Islam, Stress Management Techniques, Stress Relief Strategies, Stress in Children

 Muslims can deal with prolonged stress better when they

understand where it comes from. Stress, doctors say, usually stress comes from fear of the unknown, the future, and death. However, Allah (SWT) has already provided us with prevention against those fears. "And We will most certainly try you with somewhat of fear and hunger and loss of property and lives and fruits; and give good news to the patient" (Noble Qur'an, 2:155). The Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, "Your most ardent enemy is your evil self which resides within your body. If this soul is not checked, it will lead to unusual stress." (Bukhari)

Furthermore, since Muslims are told in the Noble Qur'an that humans are on this earth only as passengers, we should not have this fear of loss. A Muslim's destiny is predetermined, so worrying about it is fruitless. We only have "limited free will" to believe in Allah (SWT) or not, or to chose good deeds or bad ones.

Rejecting faith in Allah (SWT), though, is against nature and a sign of disease. "In their hearts is a disease, and Allah increases their disease. A painful doom is theirs because they lie" (Noble Qur'an, 2:10). Having no one to turn to during a crisis, the non-believer can become violent or turn to alcohol.

Stress in Islam, Stress Management Techniques: Put the Glass down! Stress Relief Strategies

A professor began his class by holding up a glass with some water in it. He held it up for all to see and asked the students, 'How much do you think this glass weighs?'

'50 gms!'... '100 gms!'... '125 gms' ... the students answered.

'I really don't know unless I weigh it,' said the professor, 'but, my question is: What would happen if I held it up like this for a few minutes?'

'Nothing' the students said.

'Ok! What would happen if I held it up like this for an hour?' the professor asked.

'Your arm would begin to ache', said one of the students.

'You are right, now what would happen if I held it for a day?'

'Your arm could go numb, you might have severe muscle stress and paralysis and have to go to hospital for sure!' ventured another student; and all the students laughed.

'Very good. But during all this, did the weight of the glass change?' asked the professor.

'No'

'Then what caused the arm ache and the muscle stress?' The students were puzzled.

'Put the glass down!' said one of the students.

'Exactly!' said the professor. 'Life's problems are something like this. Hold it for a few minutes in your head and they seem okay. Think of them for a long time and they begin to ache. Hold it even longer and they begin to paralyze you. You will not be able to do anything'.

'It's important to think of the challenges (problems) in your life, but EVEN MORE IMPORTANT is to have trust in Allah (SWT) and to 'put them down' at the end of every day before you go to sleep. That way, you are not stressed, you wake up every day fresh and strong and can handle any issue, any challenge that comes your way!'

So, as it becomes time for you to leave office today, Remember friend to 'PUT THE GLASS DOWN TODAY' and have tranquility by putting trust in Almighty Allah (SWT).

Noble Qur'an says: "He it is who sent down tranquility into the hearts of the believers that they might have more faith added to their faith". (48:4) Tranquility is sign of strong faith while worries and stress is sign of weak faith.

Tell to your mind every day before you go to sleep: "YAA AYYATUHAN NAFSUL MUTMAINNAH, IRJI'II ILAA RABBIKI RADHIYATAN MARDHIYYAH, FADKHULII FII IBAADII WADKHULII JANNATII". (Al-Fajr 89:27-30)

"O soul that is at rest satisfied. Return to your Lord well-pleased (with Him), well-pleasing (Him). So, enter among My servants, and enter into my Paradise" Noble Qur'an.

By worrying so much, do not turn your life to hell. Good luck.

Stress in Islam, Stress Relief Strategies: The Club 99 Stress Management Techniques

Some time ago, there lived a King. This King should have been contented with his life, given all the riches and luxuries he had. However, this was not the case! The King always found himself wondering why he just never seemed content with his life.

Sure, he had the attention of everyone wherever he went, attended fancy dinners and parties, but somehow, he still felt something was lacking and he couldn't put his finger on it.

One day, the King had woken up earlier than usual to stroll around his palace. He entered his huge living room and came to a stop when he heard someone happily singing away, following this singing. The King saw that one of the servants was singing and had a very contented look on his face.

This fascinated the King and he summoned this man to his chambers.

The man entered the King's chambers as ordered. The King asked why he was so happy?

To this the man replied: "Your Majesty, I am nothing but a servant, but I make enough of a living to keep my wife and children happy. We don't need too much, a roof over our heads and warm food to fill our tummy. My wife and children are my inspiration; they are content with whatever little I bring home. I am happy because my family is happy."

Hearing this, the King dismissed the servant and summoned his Personal Assistant to his chambers.

The King related his personal anguish about his feelings and then related the story of the servant to his Personal Assistant, hoping that somehow, he will be able to come up with some reasoning that here was a King who could have anything he wished for at a snap of his fingers and yet was not contented, whereas, his servant, having so little was extremely contented.

The Personal Assistant listened attentively and came to a conclusion. He said, "Your Majesty, I believe that the servant has not been made part of The Club 99."

"The Club 99? And what exactly is that?" the King inquired.

To which the Personal Assistant replied, "Your Majesty, to truly know what The Club 99 is, you will have to do the following, place 99 Gold coins in a bag and leave it at this servant's doorstep, you will then understand what The Club 99 is."

That very same evening, the King arranged for 99 Gold coins to be placed in a bag at the servant's doorstep. Although he was slightly hesitant and he thought he should have put 100 Gold coins into the bag, but since his Personal Assistant had advised him to put 99 Gold coins that is what he did.

The servant was just stepping out of his house when he saw a bag at his doorstep. Wondering about its contents, he took it into his house and opened the bag. When he opened the bag, he let out a great big shout of joy...Gold Coins... so many of them. He could hardly believe it. He called his wife to show her the Gold coins.

The servant then took the bag to a table and emptied it out and began to count the Gold coins. Doing so, he realized that there were 99 Gold coins and he thought it was an odd number so he counted again, and again and again only to come to the same conclusion... 99 Gold Coins.

The servant began to wonder, what could have happened to that last one Gold coin? For no one would leave 99 Gold coins. He began to search his entire house, looked around his backyard for hours, not wanting to lose out on that one Gold coin. Finally, exhausted, he decided that he was going to have to work harder than ever to make up for that one Gold coin to make his entire collection an even 100 Gold Coins.

The servant got up the next morning, in an extremely horrible mood, shouting at the children and his wife for his delay, not realizing that he had spent most of the night conjuring ways of working hard so that he had enough money to buy himself that Gold coin. He went to work as usual - but not in his usual best mood, singing happily - as he grumpily did his daily errands.

Seeing the man's attitude change so drastically, the King was puzzled. He promptly summoned his Personal Assistant to his chambers. The King related his thoughts about the servant and once again, his Personal Assistant listened. The King could not believe that the servant who until yesterday had been singing away and was happy and content with his life had taken a sudden change of attitude, even though he should have been happier after receiving the Gold coins.

To this the Personal Assistant replied "Ah! But your Majesty, the servant has now officially joined The Club 99." He explained: "The Club 99 is just a name given to those people who have everything but yet are never contented, therefore they are always working hard and striving for that extra one to round it out to 100!

We have so much to be thankful for and we can live with very little in our lives, but the minute we are given something bigger and better, we want even more!

We are not the same happy contented person we used to be, we want more and more and by wanting more and more we don't realize the price we pay for it. We lose our sleep, our happiness; we hurt the people around us just as a price to pay for our growing needs and desires. That is what joining The Club 99 is all about."

Hearing this King decided that from that day onwards, he was going to start appreciating all the little things in life.

Striving for more is always good, but let's not strive so hard and for so much that we loses all those near and dear to our hearts, we shouldn't compromise our happiness for moments of luxuries!

Stress in Islam, Stress Management Techniques: The Monkey with the Wooden Apples

There once was a happy monkey wandering the jungle, eating delicious fruit when hungry, and resting when tired. One day he came upon a house, where he saw a bowl of the most beautiful apples. Monkey took one in each hand and ran back into the forest.

Monkey sniffed the apples and smelled nothing. He tried to eat them, but hurt his teeth. They were made of wood, but they were beautiful, and when the other monkeys saw them, he held onto them even tighter.

Monkey admired his new possessions proudly as he wandered the jungle. They glistened red in the sun, and seemed perfect to him. He became so attached to them, that he did not even notice his hunger at first.

A fruit tree reminded him, but he felt the apples in his hands. He couldn't bear to set them down to reach for the fruit. In fact, he couldn't relax, either, if he was to defend his apples. A proud, but less happy monkey continued to walk along the forest trails.

The apples became heavier, and the poor little monkey thought about leaving them behind. He was tired, hungry, and he couldn't climb trees or collect fruit with his hands full. What if he just let go?

Letting go of such valuable things seemed crazy, but what else could he do? Monkey was so tired. Seeing the next fruit tree, and smelling its fruit was enough. He dropped the wooden apples and reached up for his meal. Monkey was happy again.

Like that little monkey, we sometimes carry things that seem too valuable to let go. A man carries an image of himself as "productive" - carries it like a shiny wooden apple. But in reality, his busyness leaves him tired, and hungry for a better life. Still, letting go seems crazy. Even his worries are sacred apples - they prove he's "doing everything he can." He holds onto them compulsively.

Stress in Islam, Stress Relief Strategies: Alexander the Great Stress Management Techniques

Alexander the Great is known as the most powerful military leader and conqueror of the ancient world. Before he turned 30 years old he conquered an empire stretching over 3,000 miles from Greece to India. He was born in 356 BC in Macedonia, known today as northern Greece.

Alexander the Great, after conquering many kingdoms, was returning home. On the way, he fell ill and it took him to his death bed. With death staring him in his face, Alexander realized how his conquests, his great army, his sharp sword and all his wealth were of no consequence.

He now longed to reach home to see his mother's face and bid her his last adieu. But, he had to accept the fact that his sinking health would not permit him to reach his distant homeland.

The mighty conqueror lay prostrate and pale, helplessly waiting to breathe his last. He called his generals and said, "I will depart from this world soon, I have three wishes, please carry them out without fail."

With tears flowing down their cheeks, the generals agreed to abide by their king's last wishes.

"My first desire is that," said Alexander, "My physicians alone must carry my coffin."

After a pause, he continued, "Secondly, I desire that when my coffin is being carried to the grave, the path leading to the graveyard be strewn with gold, silver and precious stones which I have collected in my treasury."

The king felt exhausted after saying this. He took a minute's rest and continued. "My third and last wish is that both my hands be kept dangling out of my coffin."

The people who had gathered there wondered at the king's strange wishes. But no one dare bring the question to their lips. Alexander's favorite general kissed his hand and pressed them to his heart. "O king, we assure you that your wishes will all be fulfilled. But tell us why do you make such strange wishes?"

At this Alexander the Great, took a deep breath and said: "I would like the world to know of the three lessons I have just learnt.

Lessons to learn from last 3 wishes of Alexander the Great...

I want my physicians to carry my coffin because people should realize that no doctor can really cure any body. They are powerless and cannot save a person from the clutches of death. So let not people take life for granted.

The second wish of strewing gold, silver and precious stones on the way to the graveyard is to tell People that not even a fraction of gold will come with me. I spent all my life earning riches but cannot take anything with me. Let people realize that it is a sheer waste of time to chase wealth.

And about my third wish of having my hands dangling out of the coffin, I wish people to know that I came empty handed into this world and empty handed I go out of this world.

With these words, the King closed his eyes. Soon he let death conquer him and breathed his last.

In conclusion, a surprisingly effective remedy for stress is to "remember death". The Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, "Remember frequently the one who will destroy all your pleasures - death! For there is no one who remembers death when in straitened circumstances, but his situation will become easier..."