Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Is meditation to relieve stress permissible in Islam?
Walaikum assalam,
It would depend on the nature of the meditation.
Allah Most High has promised us in the Qur’an that, “Verily, it is through remembrance of Allah that hearts find rest.”[13: 28]
And He encouraged us, “Call on Me: I will answer you.” [Qur’an, 40: 60]
And He told us, in a hadith qudsi, through the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace), “I am as my servant thinks of Me, and I am with him when he calls on Me.”
The way to relieve stress, and illumine hearts, is through remembrance of Allah and reflection.
One should recite the Qur’an out loud, while reflecting on its majesty and meanings.
One should send a lot of blessings on the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him, his family, and companions). [see article below]
One should do as much dhikr of Allah as one can, such as repeating La Ilaha Illa Allah. [see article below]
One of the great early Muslims said, “Everything that hearts find of worries and sadness is because of what they have been denied of beholding Allah.”
What is remembrance (dhikr) of Allah?
Imam Sha`rani explains in his Lawaqih al-Anwar al-Qudsiyya that its essential meaning is to have Allah in heart and mind at all times. Remembrance of the tongue and worship of the limbs is a means to this.
Normally, of course, ends are not reached if the proper means are not taken.
Sayyidi Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi said,
“Be with Allah
You will find Allah with you.”
Be with Allah by loving Him, turning to Him in all your affairs, by obeying His commands out of love, thanks and servanthood, You will find Allah with you, for He is “closer to you than your jugular vein,” and He does not let the efforts of those who seek Him go to waste.
Reciting the Qur’an
One should make it one’s habit to recite the Qur’an regularly, every day (even if only for a short amount of time), with reflection, longing and love for Allah, and attentiveness to what Allah is telling one, for the Qur’an is the guidance of Allah to you.
The Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “The most beloved of works to Allah are those which one is constant upon.” This is because they change your life completely, unlike short-lived bursts of activity, the scholars explain.
It is also highly recommended to send a lot of blessings upon the Beloved of Allah, the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace), for he is the ultimate mercy from Allah to humanity, and we have been informed, “Whoever sends blessings upon me once, Allah blesses them ten times.” This is explained to be the least of the reward
The scholars mention that for those sick or troubled (and others) it is good to recite the Salat al-Tibbiyya, along with the sunna ways of sending blessings and peace:
Allahumma Salli `ala Sayyidina Muhammadin
Tibbil qulubi wa dawaa’iha
Wa nuril absari wa diya’iha
Wa `afiyatil abdaani wa shifaa’ha
Wa `ala Aalihi wa Sahbihi wa Sallim.
O Lord! Send blessings on our master Muhammad,
The medicine of hearts and their cure,
The light of eyes and their illumination,
The health of bodies and their healing,
And upon his family, companions, and send peace.
Wassalam,
Faraz Rabbani,
Amman, Jordan.