Many people misunderstand the true roots of emotional and psychological suffering. In Islam, the heart (qalb) is not merely a physical organ, it is the center of faith, intention, and inner stability. When the heart is repeatedly exposed to sin, heedlessness, and disobedience to Allah, it gradually becomes hardened and spiritually sick. That sickness then manifests as emotional pain, anxiety, emptiness, and restlessness.
Allah says:
وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَضْحَكَ وَأَبْكَى
“And it is He who makes [people] laugh and makes [them] weep.” (Qur’an 53:43)
Our emotions are not accidents or chemical glitches, they are under the command of Allah. When the heart is close to Him, it finds peace. When it turns away, it falls into turmoil.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Indeed, in the body there is a piece of flesh; if it is sound, the whole body is sound, and if it is corrupt, the whole body is corrupt. Truly, it is the heart.”
(Bukhari & Muslim)
This hadith exposes a reality modern psychology refuses to acknowledge: the heart governs the human being. When the heart is corrupted by sin, arrogance, lust, and heedlessness, the mind and emotions inevitably follow.
The Failure of Modern Psychiatry
Modern psychiatry and psychology claim to treat anxiety, depression, and emotional suffering, yet they deliberately ignore the soul. They reduce the human being to chemicals, neurons, and trauma narratives, while denying the spiritual disease that lies at the root of the pain.
They tell people to “express their feelings,” “accept themselves,” and “take medication,” but they never tell them to repent, purify the heart, or return to Allah. They attempt to silence the symptoms while leaving the disease untouched.
You cannot medicate a corrupted heart.
You cannot therapize away spiritual emptiness.
You cannot chemically replace iman.
Their approach treats humans like broken machines, not accountable souls created to worship Allah.
Allah, however, gives the true cure:
أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ
“Indeed, it is by the remembrance of Allah that hearts find peace.” (Qur’an 13:28)
When a servant abandons sin, stands in the night, cries before Allah, and seeks forgiveness with sincerity, the heart is washed clean, and with it, the anxiety, despair, and heaviness begin to lift.
No pill can give you sakīnah.
No therapist can give you īmān.
No diagnosis can replace tawbah.
Only Allah heals the heart, and when the heart is healed, the mind and soul follow.
Imam Hassan Ali Kasi