Music to ease one's low moods and mental health issues

[HopefulBeliever 20]

Salam alakum,

Growing up I listened to various genres of music. In my community I was surrounded by individuals/ family/ friends who were very strict and did not listen to music at all under any circumstance (they would walk out at weddings with music playing) and others who would listen to music in every circumstance. I saw it as harmless, it generally lifted my spirits, entertained me and allowed me to relax. My favourite genre was "indie" music which had no/ minimal profanity and was rarely offensive.

However, over the years I stop listening to music for the duration of Ramadan and found this quite easy. Since Ramadan 2018 I have not played any music at all. At that point I decided it was better for my soul not to rely on songs and musicians to sooth me and instead I will focus on dhikr and my faith instead.

Since I decided to quit listening to music I have had moments of temptation but I haven't given up even when I had really low and depressing days. Please note I have not been diagnosed with depression or any mental health illnesses but I have seasonal bouts of depression, anxiety and low moods which can be very difficult i.e. I question my life and find it hard to get through the day and continue with life.

Today, I am having a low day and am really tempted to play something uplifting. Please share your thoughts and experience about using music to calm the mind and entertain etc.

Feel free to share hadiths etc about the above-mentioned topics but please note that my madhab permits playing music with no profane content but I am just taking a precautionary stance:

http://english.bayynat.org.lb/Editorials/Shariah_Music.htm 

[BowTie 384]

[layman 999]

End of the day, how musics affect your relationship with Him swt. 

Syariah approach always to be in the safe side...haram/halal.  Follow halal way and avoid haram.  don’t listen to musics under the category of haram.

To some people their ears hear the musics but they don't listen.  There is sort of filters in their brain and heart.  Where ever we go we can always hear musics...in the bus, restaurants, air plane,... sometimes we make a phone call  to a friend and while waiting for him to answer, there is musics.

At the same time when we walk in the street, our eyes see women with no hijab or sexy ladies.  If we have trained our brain and heart, and we saw but our brain and heart are blinded to it (there is a veil)  As if we don't see it.  Our brain just don't registered.  If we are not sure of the effect of seeing on ourselves then cast down our eyes..follow syariah ways.  Always take precautions, the relationship with Allah swt is more important.

Some people...anywhere they looks or listens..they see HIM swt.  Their body is here but their souls are somewhere else.

Try to know your own self and make a good choice.

[Haji 2003 9,531]

On 1/9/2019 at 5:27 PM, HopefulBeliever said:

Today, I am having a low day and am really tempted to play something uplifting. Please share your thoughts and experience about using music to calm the mind and entertain etc.

 

The ability to switch on music as and when one wants to, has only been possible within the past 50 years. 

There is nothing in the make-up of human beings that causes us to want to listen to music, in the way that we have an urge to eat, drink or sleep. 

Get some exercise that will release endorphins which will chemically put your brain in a better place.

[Sirius_Bright 4,445]

On 1/9/2019 at 10:57 PM, HopefulBeliever said:

Today, I am having a low day and am really tempted to play something uplifting. Please share your thoughts and experience about using music to calm the mind and entertain etc.

I'll advise you to listen to Nauha or Mankabat instead. This way you'll be saved from a sin and instead get reward I. A. 

[RepentantServant 95]

 

Listen to Hussain Faisal's latmiyat. They're amazing. This guy's voice is unreal. I've replaced my music habits with a lot of his latmiyat. Mind you, I still have a ways to go but this guy is awesome. 

[skylight2 560]

On 1/11/2019 at 1:14 PM, BowTie said:

A very good criteria ... in fact some music conversely allow one to improve one's concentration (ie not only it does not distract, but improves focus)... Of-course this is also something individual - taste of music etc. 

[eThErEaL 3,085]

On 1/9/2019 at 12:27 PM, HopefulBeliever said:

Salam alakum,

Growing up I listened to various genres of music. In my community I was surrounded by individuals/ family/ friends who were very strict and did not listen to music at all under any circumstance (they would walk out at weddings with music playing) and others who would listen to music in every circumstance. I saw it as harmless, it generally lifted my spirits, entertained me and allowed me to relax. My favourite genre was "indie" music which had no/ minimal profanity and was rarely offensive.

However, over the years I stop listening to music for the duration of Ramadan and found this quite easy. Since Ramadan 2018 I have not played any music at all. At that point I decided it was better for my soul not to rely on songs and musicians to sooth me and instead I will focus on dhikr and my faith instead.

Since I decided to quit listening to music I have had moments of temptation but I haven't given up even when I had really low and depressing days. Please note I have not been diagnosed with depression or any mental health illnesses but I have seasonal bouts of depression, anxiety and low moods which can be very difficult I.e. I question my life and find it hard to get through the day and continue with life.

Today, I am having a low day and am really tempted to play something uplifting. Please share your thoughts and experience about using music to calm the mind and entertain etc.

Feel free to share hadiths etc about the above-mentioned topics but please note that my madhab permits playing music with no profane content but I am just taking a precautionary stance:

http://english.bayynat.org.lb/Editorials/Shariah_Music.htm 

At the very beginning of your journey to God, music can be a useful tool at certain times when you feel heavy and hard in the heart.  Music can sometimes soften your heart a bit.  But Music becomes problematic when you find yourself "depending" on it for your happiness.  You may just need to hear it for a few minutes in order to move from your cerebral faculty of the brain into your emotional heart.  If Music does something else to you, like if it tends to increase lustful thoughts (for example), or if tends to make your angry (for example), then you are probably not hearing the right music for your soul type.  Once you are in touch with your emotional heart, shut the music off and listen to something more spiritual like a Qasida.  After the Qasida pulls you in more deeper into your heart due to its more sacred nature, then turn that off and listen to the Qur'an (This should be be the most interiorizing sound for you as it should induce from within you a sense of adkhar worship and finally a sense of sacred silence).  Some people enjoy listening only to sacred music (like Qasidas) and they don't get any pleasure from more the popular music.  Others don't enjoy Qasidas that much and would much rather prefer listening to the Qur'an (not because of its melody but because of what effects it has on the heart).  

May God guide us all on the Straight Path

Take care

Masalama

 

Ethereal