World Health Organization defines mental health as a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community. It is an integral component of health and well-being that underpins our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships and shape the world we live in. Mental health is crucial to personal, community and socio-economic development.
Mental health is more than the absence of mental disorders. It exists on a complex continuum, which is experienced differently from one person to the next, with varying degrees of difficulty and distress and potentially very different social and clinical outcomes.
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.
ISNA Mental Health
Mission, Values and Strategic Goals
Promote the mental wellbeing and resilience of Muslim individuals, families, and communities by recognizing and uplifting the efforts of Muslim communities and organizations. Our aim is to do this by leveraging Islamic Psychology and knowledge, Muslim history and culture, and related mental health theory to facilitate mental health literacy in Muslims and the providers interested in supporting them.
1. What is mental health literacy?
It is important to recognize that all knowledge based on sound evidence is congruent with Islam:
Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim.” (Sunan Ibn Mājah 224, Grade: Sahih)
Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The virtue of knowledge is more beloved to me than the virtue of worship, and the best of your religion is piety.” (al-Ādāblil-Bayhaqī 818, Grade: Sahih)
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “When the human being dies, his deeds end except for three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who prays for him.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1631, Grade: Sahih)
Abdullah ibn Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever practices medicine without any prior knowledge of medicine will be held liable.” (Sunan Ibn Mājah3466, Grade: Sahih)
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “Moses asked his Lord about six traits he thought he had… Moses said: Who are the most knowledgeable of Your servants? Allah said: A scholar who is unsatisfied with his knowledge and adds the knowledge of people to his own…” (Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān 6217, Grade: Hasan)
Mental health literacy according to Jorm (2019) includes multiple components such as knowledge surrounding (a) preventing mental disorders (b) recognizing when a disorder is developing (c) the available treatments and supports available (d) effective self-help strategies for mild concerns and (e) how to support others who are in a mental health crisis.
Strategic Goals
Muslim individuals, families, and communities will recognize the relationships between mental health, Islamic teachings, and the history of Muslims.
Muslim individuals, families, and communities will learn how to identify and address their mental health needs, including through available treatments and how and where to access them.
Muslim individuals, families, and communities will learn approaches rooted in both Islamic and mental health understandings to build resilience in the face of mental health difficulties.
Muslim individuals, families, and communities will have access to a tangible landing page that localizes Muslim-specific resources developed by our communities and organizations for appropriate preventative care, non-acute care, and mental health crises.
Muslim mental health professionals, and non-Muslim providers who are interested in serving Muslims, will learn how to provide culturally and spiritually integrated services to Muslim individuals, families, and communities in need.
