Navigating Anxiety: Hope From Our Sunnah For Anxious Muslim Minds | Ustadha Dr. Rania Awaad

Dr. Rania Awaad provides spiritual and practical mental health insights and coping tools into navigating complicated feelings of anxiety. She speaks about breaking the cycle of anxiety and finding calm in the storm.
This lecture was delivered via Maristan on July 15, 2022. It was delivered at The Muslim Unity Center. Please subscribe to The Muslim Unity Center's channel on KZbin: / @mucmichigan48302
- More sessions on mental health: mcceastbay.org/mental-health
- More sessions for Muslimahs: mcceastbay.org/women
- More Ustadha Rania: mcceastbay.org/rania
- More Maristan sessions: mcceastbay.org/maristan
Dr. Rania speaks about Abu Umama (RA), the five types of anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety, phobias, irrational fears, post-tramautic stress disorder, relaxation techniques, keeping worry diary, Islamic psychology, being in service of Allah, love sickness, and where and how to find resources to overcome anxiety.
Grounded in Islamic traditions, Maristan aims to lead professional clinical care, education, and research in advancing holistic, mental, and spiritual wellness.
- More from Dr. Rania: mcceastbay.org/rania
- More Dr. Rania's Friday Evening Halaqas: www.mcceastbay.org/womens-halaqa
Ustadha Rania Awaad
Raised in the U.S., Ustadha Rania Awaad began her formal study of the traditional Islamic sciences when her parents permitted her to travel to Damascus, Syria, at 14. Her desire to continue studying the Deen resulted in multiple trips back to Damascus, interspersed between her high school, college, and medical studies. She was honored to receive Ijaazah (authorization to teach) several branches of the Shari’ah sciences at the hands of many renowned scholars, including many female scholars. She has received Ijaazah to teach Tajwid in the Hafs and Warsh recitations from the late eminent Syrian scholar Shaykh Abu Hassan al-Kurdi. In addition to completing several advanced texts of the Shafi’i madhhab, she is licensed to teach texts of Maliki fiqh, Adab and Ihsan. Currently, Ustadha Rania teaches online and local classes for The Rahmah Foundation, Rabata, and is on the faculty of Zaytuna College, where she teaches courses in Shafi’i fiqh, women’s issues in fiqh, and has helped develop and co-direct the Tajweed and Hifz program.
Ustadha Rania is also a medical doctor with a specialty in Psychiatry. She completed her Psychiatric residency and fellowship training at Stanford University, where she is currently on the faculty as a Clinical Instructor in the Stanford Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences department. Her medical interests include addressing mental health care concerns in the Muslim community- particularly that of Muslim women and girls. She has been awarded grants from the NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) to conduct research on this topic and has presented her findings at several medical conferences. Other ongoing endeavors include compiling manuscripts addressing female-related mental health and medical issues from a fiqh-oriented perspective. She currently serves as the Director of the Rahmah Foundation, a non-profit organization that teaches Muslim women and girls traditional Islamic knowledge. In this capacity, she also heads the Murbbiyah Mentoring Program, which trains young women to teach and mentor Muslim girls and teens. Ustadha Rania is both a wife and a mother; she has been counseling and teaching women classes on Tajwid, Shafi’i Fiqh, Ihsan, marriage, and raising children since 1999.
Learn more about Dr. Rania and her work at med.stanford.edu/psychiatry/re...
Dr. Rania Awaad M.D., is a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the Stanford University School of Medicine where she is the Director of the Stanford Muslim Mental Health & Islamic Psychology Lab as well as Stanford University's Affiliate Chaplain. In the community, she serves as the Executive Director of Maristan.org, a holistic mental health nonprofit serving Muslim communities, and the Director of The Rahmah Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating Muslim women and girls.
In addition, she is faculty of Islamic Psychology at Cambridge Muslim College and The Islamic Seminary of America. She is also a Senior Fellow for Yaqeen Institute and the Institute of Social Policy and Understanding. Prior to studying medicine, she pursued classical Islamic studies in Damascus, Syria, and holds certifications (ijaza) in Qur’an, Islamic Law, and other branches of the Islamic Sciences. Follow her @Dr.RaniaAwaad
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[@MCCEastBay]

- More sessions on mental health: mcceastbay.org/mental-health - More sessions for Muslimahs: mcceastbay.org/women - More Ustadha Rania: mcceastbay.org/rania - More Maristan sessions: mcceastbay.org/maristan

[@salams4375]

MashaAllah this sister is a gem.🥲 She is so inspiring and very light hearted. May Allah preserve her and reward her for all that is doing for the ummah.

[@TM-ki9yt]

Aameen

[@bashirharun1922]

This is the best lecture I have ever listened in regard with this topic. May Allah s.w reward you on this mu sister

[@sidali2590]

This lady is an inspirational speaker

[@awatifomar294]

Masha Allah ❤

[@adzbenjamin2048]

I really need this right now. I had panic attack while brushing my teeth yesterday.

[@user-ni1xy8ti1h]

- «اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوْذ بكَ: مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ: مِنَ الْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَمِنَ الْبُخْلِ وَالْجُبُنِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ: مِنْ غَلْبَةِ الدَّيْنِ وَقَهْرِ الرِّجَالِ». (متفق علیه).

[@ShafaatAli-re4id]

May Allah protect everyone muslim bro and sister

[@fatimahridriguez6916]

Ameen

[@patriciaduvet2553]

Where do I get help?

[@asmadar5879]

Amazing research, she got me through the pandemic, Allah swt protect her and grant her barakah

[@saveUyghurs]

Ameen

[@fatimahridriguez6916]

Allaahummah Ameen

[@awatifomar294]

جزاك الله خيرا وبارك الله فيك

[@hearty1240]

Shukran 🤍 Some people do not understand that many of those who are struggling with mental health issues, resulted from traumas experienced as early as their childhood. Nobody gets to choose whether or not they could have a happy childhood, since their experience will be dictated by the choices made by their guardians/parents. It's Allah's decree as part of the tests towards human beings. It's also a test of assumption, which Allah has designed towards those who do not have to struggle with mental health problems. We are here for grace, to accept help from others when we have to, and to give help when others need us.

[@zahaartistry8179]

the way she says sallalahu alaihi wasalam ❤

[@SobeeaAahmad]

Excellent lecture. I don't listen to long lectures, but this one is worth it

[@nadiaabdulrahman7091]

Allahuma salli wasalem wa barik ala habibana wa rasoulina Mohammad❤

[@TM-ki9yt]

Thank you Dr. Rania Awaad. Feeling anxious then on top of that stigma makes it that much more difficult to cope. I am glad you started a conversation that will benefit many. I just hope that Muslim Community can help all with or without health insurance, limited income etc.

[@hirsiegal6072]

I just love her presentation,well researched and professional speech Mashaa’allah mashaa’allah shukran ukhtii karimah my Allah protect you all.

[@anisaalmy4889]

How come this massage from 9 months ago is showing up

[@zaitonmdnoor4437]

Barakallahu lakum. I love your approach n lecture, a combination of hadith n modern psychology. From Malaysia

[@SobeeaAahmad]

42:54 ❤ how true

[@remas5200]

Beautiful and amazing lecture mashallah sister. Thank you for all the work you do. I’m truly inspired as a social worker in Florida. Mashallah. ❤

[@AhmedAhmed-np5ky]

thank you for the wounderful speech my sister

[@nazuddin6346]

May Allah bless you Dear sister Ameen

[@saradigota7201]

after the pandemic, everyone has these anxieties when you go outside for a walk, it feels very uncomfortable, i hope people will heal all the discomforts

[@nazuddin6346]

Subhan Allah

[@nedp7686]

Maasha Allah. Subhaannallah Allahu Akbar

[@shamimhuq4141]

❤😊mashallah may Allah protect and preserve you Ameen. An inspiration for us muslim girls

[@nadams8683]

I just love her presentations , well researched mashallah

[@ifrahalim588]

Jazaka Allah Dr. Rania for adressing is tabu in our community. it's unfortunately, some of our elemantary student have suidaliize thoughs, and ou community are not aware of it. As a lementary school teacher, I know that younger children are experiencing it. We don't have family therapist or counseling in our community. Some muslin families especially new muslim families, and we don't have recourses. Jak

[@noorein1946]

ما شاء الله

[@chynar1630]

Wow it was so right moment right time right when I needed this . Thank you so much. Very well explained very informative May Allah make it easy for people who are suffering from mental problems and anxiety 😞🤲🤲🙏

[@ayubali9261]

Mash Allah

[@saadkah]

Masha Allah, you explained well ❤ Jajak Allah

[@BadriaMohamedb]

Asa wr wb Jazakallah Khair, May Allah Bless you and help you to spread this vital message. 🤲🏽🤲🏽🤲🏽❤️❤️❤️

[@fatimahridriguez6916]

Ameen

[@ahmadjunaedi3517]

A beautiful and smart muslimah, we like her idea

[@bareeraahmed2985]

SubhanAllah..I hope this sister continues sharing her wisdom publicly. This video is a gem mashaAllah

[@mohamedsuleiman8991]

Mashallah amazing

[@zafferali349]

May Allah bless you sister

[@emet030789]

Beautiful

[@shabanarm5214]

Mashallah, subhanallah Beautiful speech

[@bluemountaine]

Thank you! There is also a kind of anxiety based condition that is not very known and difficult to go through : depersonalization and derealization..

[@mohamedbouzid182]

Maachallah sister

[@FAlmansour]

Shukran Dr Rania jazzakumullah kheir

[@faaj8028]

This is really interesting! I've been searching about what Islam says about these issues and couldn't really find it. Thank you sister. This is amazing. You explain it so well. May Allah reward you.

[@aliesnabimagray3174]

Mashallah nice ❤

[@rawenifa8643]

بارك الله فيك

[@nilofershariat2803]

Thank You💖

[@user-uc2zd2ho4m]

Hey sister I just watched some of ur clips u rill have content may Allah reward u

[@haybitsasi2535]

Thank you for your presentation. You have given me the tools I need . Really appreciate you passing this on to the Ummah, in the way you did it.

[@abdimohamed355]

Mashallah great presentation awesome ukhtii karima

[@IbrahimKabay-pq3tz]

AMMEEN❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@yusooftk4599]

Mashaallah. Our sister Dr. Rania.. Beutyfull class

[@ghadiramiloud6246]

This was so so helpful ❤

[@jsjdjjsjdj4050]

ما شاء الله بارك فيك يا اختي الفاضلة محتوى مفيد تحياتي لك اتمنى لك التوفيق والنجاح والسعادة والاستقامة

[@yourlexusgirl5814]

For the sake or Allah, i love this lady.

[@sidali2590]

So do i

[@MuhammadZubair-bj7uu]

MashALLAH Assalam o alaikum very nice

[@IbrahimKabay-pq3tz]

MASHALLAH❤❤❤❤

[@user-qw5pi2eq7i]

مشاءالله تبارك الله اللهم اهدهم اجمعين والعالم كله اجمع الى الاسلام الحق والعدل والصدق والمحبه والصلح والصلاح ولأمن ولأمان ودخول الجنه مع مع النبيين والصديقين والشهداوالصالحين وحسن اولئك رفيقا والفردوس الاعلى والحور العين للرجال والنساء يكونبن مثل الحور العين اذا اسلمين وختارين الاسلام الحق

[@mohamedsh9435]

Subhaanallaah

[@amelel-rayis]

ما شاء الله، بارك الله فيكي وزادك علما ❤

[@IbrahimKabay-pq3tz]

SUBHANALLAH❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@miskiya8555]

JZK! Dr. Rania, is there a way to contact with you for a treatment?

[@amahr2945]

Barakallah ou fik my syster

[@fatimaezzahraelkarmi5650]

May allah bless you ❤

[@abdinasirmahamed9260]

masha alah beautifull and faithfull

[@chaudhryjd9230]

Unmatchable views on an extremely difficult topic by the Muslims Dr. Great service to the cause of Islam.

[@asanti75]

Thank you very much! It is nice if you provide a copy in pdf or power points , much appreciated

[@haciahmetozdemir8831]

Merhaba Eyyy El mümine güzel insan değerli kardeşim benim HAYIRLI huzurlu SAĞLIKLI sabahlar sabbahal hayr keyfe hal. Asselamun aleyküm Türkiye den yürekten sevgiler saygılar selamlar 🌹🇹🇷🌹👋🕊👋🕊👋🕊

[@mdjahidhasan8781]

❤️❤️

[@nurhossain8036]

Salam

[@haciahmetozdemir8831]

🌹👋🌹 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته رحمة الله عليكم وعلى أمة محمد. ما شاء الله سبحان الله ، أنت تتحدث بشكل جيد للغاية وتتحدث بشكل جيد للغاية. حبي الصادق من تركيا. أعرب عن احترامي. حاجي أحمد أوزدمير🌹🇹🇷🌹👈👋🕊👋

[@user-qw5pi2eq7i]

ادعوالناس الى الاسلام الحق والعدل والصدق والمحبه والى الكتاب والسنه والتشريع الاسلام ودراسته وتطبيقه علينا رجل ومراه وكل مكلف عاقل بالغ في الاسلام

[@ShafaatAli-re4id]

I'm hearing you

[@ifrahalim588]

Could you explain ruhii mental lines. Jin sihir, ayn.

[@wanderingsoul2758]

27:40

[@haciahmetozdemir8831]

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم صلاة صباح الجمعة تقرأ في تركيا الآن ، الصلاة خير من النوم ، الصلاة خير من النوم ، الصلاة خير من النوم.❤🤲🌹🤲🌹🤲🌹🇹🇷🇹🇷🇹🇷🇹🇷🇹🇷

[@saradigota7201]

can anyone help me out with this: i have narcistic parents, im actually very strong but they give me anxiety, they are the only family i have left and can rely on, except they are old and narcistic. I am learning to keep healthy boundaries but im afraid theyll die one of these days soon cuz theyre old and one got many surgeries, and ive been to distant to them these days for my own health cuz of the abuse they caused me mentally and physically.Im in pain and anxiety, May someone give me good advice please

[@arafatalshujaa8897]

Imagine if they die and you’re to distant, that regret will hurt 😔. Your anxiety has built up throughout the years and I understand it’s not easy.I believe they have an excuse for their parenting,who knows how they were raised? Treating your parents with rahma is the reason you will enter genna . Shaytan is trying to trick you to give up in the end of your parents life stay strong 💪 and you’ll feel happy in the end .Its worth it!

[@Sunflower_star11]

Dear sister Sara, it’s sad and very hard to go through narcissistic abuse. I myself am a survivor and every day is a struggle. Take it as a test from Allah and I know how hard is this. My prayers are with you. Just a humble suggestion, if they are in a very weak state... don’t leave them. Just be there for them... help them in every possible way but for your mental health don’t take their attacks and insults as personal.... I know it’s very very hard..... Grey rock is a good technique. Just don’t indulge in conversation with them. May Allah give you strength and blessings. ❤

[@saradigota7201]

Thank u both djazzakallahghairan for ur advices.

[@saradigota7201]

Yes its very difficult. Thanks for the advice.Because Ive went trough sexual abuse done by my sibling and my parents putted it away as if nothing happened, even putted me after that in the same room to sleep in same room of this abusing sibling for two years on a couch. My youth was never the same again. I always was depressed and confused of whats happening on young age. I was also never allowed to have friends cuz my parents and siblings would always interfere with it tryna have controle over éverything, so i never enjoyed friendships cuz of their overcontrolling behaviour that i didnt want friendships at all anymore cuz of the negative vibes they gave me. They would have always things to say about any of my friends behaviour and even the clothes they wear when they are with me.They told me i couldnt hang out with this friend anymore and i should thell em that untill they changed their clothed they are not allowed to hang out with me. Meanwhile my brothers were allowed to behave and do anything they liked and go out with any kinds of friends anywhere even if they are convicted criminals, they still were allowed. The opposite of what i and friends wear,behave and location of going was all monitored and controlled and discussed or insulted anytime. My mum would always come in between whenever we had visit of famly or relative, she never allowed me to talk, when i talked she would punish me afterwards instead by insults and arguing of discouraging communication with family or friends. Or had to put me on some kind of pedestal, instead of just be normal. Overeating was also a big thing, she forced me always to eat more than i could every meal, every day, gets angry when i say no i already have enough on my plate thank u. so i was always overweight to just keep the sanity at home. Once a relative noticed and told my mum it is abuse to keep your kid overweight indulging them with to much food instead of letting them just be kids and make them happy or communicate their needs. mum never changed and was always overweight herself too. i was only allowed to go to home or school. All my succeses or wants were either or put away or fully openly told to their relatives, they never kept anything between me and them as an amana,all my personal stuff was always put out there weirdly enough. My brother was even laughing in a bullying way with my father about my first new job and said like gerarrahere,we dont care about you and your job etc.my first job wich i was so proud and happy about.My brothers always would stalk me sometime unto my workplace or school, they would suddenly just show up out of nothing there. I could never keep a job because i never had a stable emotional growth cuz of them and anxieties everytime of the day. i always felt sick on the inside as i had to always keep strong outside. Always felt afraid to connect with people cuz i wasnt able to keep healthy relationships/communication, afraid telling anyone what i went trough as they wouldnt understand as i didnt even understand what was happening sometimes, cuz thats what narcists do, they attack you in very viscious ways,you almost cant even describe what just even happened. They are untill this day agressive and rage unto a point they are pushing me with their hands or even sometimes my mum hitted me when i was in a depressed and sick era after all this struggeling on my own with all this mental abuse when i was in my early twenties, my body just gave up,mentally. My mum was never allowed to work by my father,not allowed to have her own money troughout her whole life, so she relies untill this day on us the children. All the normal kids i knew always got a lil amount of money to buy little stuff but i never got it, not even the childcare money by law meant for the kids. My parents argue and yell at eachother exactly évery time they are talking with eachother,évery meal when together. My father has no compasion or imediate understanding when talking with him about anything whatsoever, hes narcistic and my mum eventually more so too. My mum got breastcancer eventually, and knee replacement surgery, cuz her body couldnt even stand all the damage of her being married to my dad, he was way more narcistic than her and anyone can ever handle. So thats why im very traumatised and wont settle for anyone to be married with cuz i get agatated or anxieties dealing with people who seem to have same narcistic traits. Im im my thirties now, i dont think ill ever marry (happily) cuz of all the traumas and i keep atracting toxic people, my parents and siblings always wanted a arranged marriage for me. Mum has some narcistic traits as well as she never had a mum in her upbringing herself, her mum died at an early age of 7 and is traumatised ever since, cuz she got abused as well by her stepmothers, and eventually fell in the arms of my narcistic father to marry him on a early age of around 16,and got her first kid this young, so it was an escape for her to marry him growing up in poor conditions without her biological mother. She seemed never really happy in her marriage with my dad cuz he isolated her fully of everything and everyone. I dont think mum has much more to live after her last surgery. I am only thankfull for her to have cared for me as she brought me up even if she did it mostly in a narcistic way by love bombing and after that attacking every action and word with my siblings or father but she did it whole heartedly with all she could and had. So im the one in very much pain right now cuz they are all i have left in my life even after all the narcistic abuse. And for my dad even he narcistic, he always tried to teach me about islam. Ive diceded for my own sanity and health when i was around 27 years to became more and more distant with them cuz i dont want to end up all sick to the point as like my mum but its also impossible to fully avoid your parents whom were with you your whole life and not having any other (good) people around as we mentioned above. I always think like, if i were a other kid, they wouldve left lóng time ago when the abuse began around 12 years old, but i probly wouldve ended on the streets, worse than i am now, cuz the help is very bad overhere for (muslim) children.

[@TM-ki9yt]

@@saradigota7201 I agree with the two comments made. Just do your part. InshaAllah, you will feel much better when they depart from this world as you would have done your job. In the end, you are responsible for your own deeds. May Allah give you ease and have mercy on you. Thank you for sharing your personal issue. I will keep you in my duas your sister in Islam inshaAllah.

[@ifrahalim588]

Whst about stress, burn out, sleep?

[@farzanazargar264]

Kindly suggest the Seerah we should read ?

[@anisaalmy4889]

Asalamualiakum

[@haciahmetozdemir8831]

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته رحمة الله عليكم وعلى أمة محمد. ما شاء الله سبحان الله ، أنت تتحدث بشكل جيد للغاية وتتحدث بشكل جيد للغاية. حبي الصادق من تركيا. أعرب عن احترامي. حاسي أحمد أوزدمير🌹👋🌹 عليكم بركات الجمعة تقبل صلاتنا تقبل صلاتنا ربي يحفظ حكمنا من حسد الناس الذين صاروا شياطين من شر الشيطان إن شاء الله. امين امين🌹🇹🇷🌹

[@anwarahmed7123]

Can one take antidepressants if advised by a non Muslim professional

[@haciahmetozdemir8831]

Hello my dear brother, hello beautiful person, hello Muslim person, I convey my most heartfelt sympathies from Turkey, my haji Ahmet Özdemir🇹🇷🌹🇹🇷☕️🍫☕️👈👆

[@fatimahussain9531]

Muslim women who after first child suffering thyroid. What do you say about them?

[@anisaalmy4889]

I am requesting to get a contact information about this sister. I am on crisis. I need help

[@anisaalmy4889]

How come no body responds to my question. Is she just a speaker or helps people.

[@MCCEastBay]

maristan.org/about-us

[@SukhdevSingh-ge5rj]

What about the generalization of demonic possession for mental situations ... .... ....

[@JalalUddinBirolDinajpur]

I am a Bangladeshi Muslim. I need a friend for practice English. If any one agree please inbox me.

[@nawalseyam859]

Audiences shouldn’t walking in the front of the camera ? It is disrespect for the speaker.

[@ummuluqman]

Agreed.

[@Genocide2024]

Sister you sound like brother Omar's sister.

[@nawalseyam859]

لماذا الحاضرين يتماشوا أما الكاميرا ؟ هذا لا يليق

[@mahnazbahaji2648]

Ejo cares important. لیس مهم

[@SukhdevSingh-ge5rj]

45:28 So hilarious 😂. Can you read Arabic? Allah SWT bless you and bless you, dearest sister.

[@zaynabhanif2257]

AsSalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatahu, pls may I have an email address to contact you personally pls

[@Amina-pe1ju]

May ALLAH Bless You With A Place In Jannat Ul Firdos, Ustadha. Aameen. ♡