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This is How You Heal with Islam: A 7-step Guide
Learn how Islam can help you heal in the deepest way
Bint Azizi
December 22, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 12 minutes
Table of Contents
Why Healing with Islam is the Answer
Healing is the process of cleansing your spiritual heart from the effects of sins and adopting positive habits and protective behaviors to prevent relapse. Every Muslim has sins they need to heal from—because none of us are free from them.
“Say, ‘O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.’”
(Qur’an, 39:53)
If you’re striving to emerge from darkness, break free from self-destructive patterns, or purify your heart, this guide is for you. It offers a practical, step-by-step approach to healing from the harm of sins.
How Shaytan Made You Unhappy
Shaytan's power is limited to influencing our thoughts. He cannot force us to disobey Allah; he can only whisper and tempt. One of the most empowering steps you can take is to develop mindfulness of Shaytan—becoming aware of his mental tricks designed to make you stray from the path of Allah, whether immediately or gradually over time.
And Shaitân (Satan) will say when the matter has been decided: "Verily, Allâh promised you a promise of truth. And I too promised you, but I betrayed you. I had no authority over you except that I called you, and you responded to me. So blame me not, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can you help me. I deny your former act in associating me (Satan) as a partner with Allâh (by obeying me in the life of the world). Verily, there is a painful torment for the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers).” [Qur'an, 14:22]
According to Imam ibn Qayyim, in his book Bada’i Al-Tafsir Ibn Qayyim, here are Shaytan’s strategies to harm you:
Leading you to disbelief in Allah or to polytheism.
Encouraging you to engage in bid'ah (religious innovations) and stray from the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace be upon him) thus causes you to eventually commit kufr or shirk.
Tempting you into committing major sins.
Luring you into many minor sins that gradually lead you to destruction.
Making you waste your life in this dunya and your energy by distracting you with permissible activities that do not benefit or harm you in the akhirah.
Making you busy with good deeds that are less virtuous, keeping you from more rewarding actions that have greater virtue.
Key takeaway: Shaytan’s tricks only succeed if you fail to notice and take action against them.
Understanding Sins
A sin is not merely an act of disobedience; it is an action that harms your soul and sabotages your well-being. Allah created us to worship Him, and when we stray from this purpose, we invite harm into our lives.
"And I (Allâh) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone)."
—[Qur’an, 51:56]
Sins are like poison to the heart, as Ibn Qayyim explained—corrupting it just as toxins harm the body. The impact of sins varies: major sins leave deeper scars, while minor sins accumulate over time to create significant damage.
There are a few effects of sins described by Imam Ibn Qayyim in his book Ad-Daa' Wa Ad-Dawaa' (The Disease and The Cure) such as:
deprivation of provisions
a feeling of desolation between the person and Allah
seclusion from the people
difficulty in accomplishing matters
an actual darkness one finds in their heart
sins weaken the heart and body
being prevented from carrying out obedience
sins reduce lifespan and erase blessings
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) described this process:
"Verily, when the servant commits a sin, a black mark appears upon his heart. If he abandons the sin, seeks forgiveness, and repents, then his heart will be polished. If he returns to the sin, the blackness will be increased until it overcomes his heart. It is the covering that Allah has mentioned: ‘No, rather a covering is over their hearts from what they have earned.’"
—[Qur’an, 83:14; Sunan al-Tirmidhī 3334; Grade: Hasan (fair) according to Al-Albani]
Healing from sins goes beyond stopping the sin itself. It is about restoring your connection with Allah and realigning yourself with the true purpose for which you were created.
Key Takeaway: Sins harm your heart and distance you from your true purpose of worshiping Allah. Healing begins by recognising the spiritual damage caused by sins.