10. Go easy on brain stimulants

Stimulants in tea, coffee, chocolate and cola raise the levels of the body stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. The more you consume, the more addicted your system will become to these stimulants and you will eventually need to increase your daily 'dose' to relieve stress and keep you going. 70 Remember what Prophet Muhammad (;@) commanded: «There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.» 71 The subconscious mind 0ur mind has the most amazing powers, most of which are yet to be discovered and learned. Only you can tap your mind's seemingly unlimited potential. There are two levels to the mind: the conscious level, which is our perception of what happens around us, our rational thinking and our behaviours; and the subconscious level, which can be considered as our back-up system, the storage unit of our emotions. Positive thoughts generate prosperity and bliss, while negative ones result in troubles and distress.

What is meant by that is that every thought or emotion directly affects your physical body. 72 Cells cannot discriminate between true or false suggestions sent to them by the mind - whether conscious or subconscious; they accept them as 70 Holford, 2005b. 71 Alµned and Malik, authenticated by Albani. 72 Dyer, 1990. they are. Therefore, the key here is belief: whatever you really believe in, your subconscious mind will take as an undoubted fact and it will directly show on your physical health and emotions. This interior consciousness is an attribute of the soul: the source of power, intelligence and wisdom. Allah says in His Qur' an: ,,£..,.~ / / >/(I>// ,J, ), ! ' / / / ),},!I>// / /~ ('l'O. : ~ I •,;r)"(~ 0:~ ,:.U ~ ~.J..J ~ ~ ~ .

J ,.i...::..~ b~,..- ~When I have fashioned him [the human] and breathed into him of My spirit, fall down in obeisance unto him) (Quran 15: 29) So, through the humble wisdom of your own mind, you can change your whole life. It has the potential to lift you to happiness, abundance and security. All you need is Faith, and the reaction or the response you will get from your subconscious mind will be determined by the nature of your thoughts and beliefs. The power of your subconscious mind is not subject to logical thinking; it executes whatever you have true faith and belief in. 73 Thus, it is crucial to give it consistently positive, and harmonious thoughts; if you keep concentrating on how poor, unhappy, weak or incapable you are, mental images of vulnerability and weakness along with apprehension and incompetence will be conveyed to all the body tissues, which in their tum will be affected by these destructive vibrations and your body will keep hindering you with illnesses, imbalances in the various physical systems and lack of motivation or energy. The idea of subconscious suggestion can be seen in the behaviour of many early Muslims.

The Prophet (~) even taught his own daughter, Fatimah, this technique when she came with her husband, 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with them) asking the Prophet (~) to help them hire a servant, as the housework was becoming too 73 Murphy, 2000. much for them to bear. «Prophet Muhammad (~) sat gently beside them and taught them a dhikr to say every night just before going to bed: 33 times <lll .:.i~ Sub/Jan Allah (Glory be to Allah), 33 times Ji ...\.J-1 Al!Jamdu Zillah (All praise is for Allah) and 34 times ~i Ji1 Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest). He told them, "The following morning, you will find within yourself the strength to perform all the needed work." They tried it with total faith and it worked; they no longer felt that they needed a servant.» 74 The same autosuggestion principle worked for Abu Darda', a Companion of Prophet Muhammad (~). When people came rushing to inform him that his house was on fire, Abu Darda' replied: "No, it isn't." They told him that they just come from his neighbourhood, and that all the houses there were on fire. Again, in total faith, he repeated that his house was perfectly safe. They all went back to check, and to their surprise, the whole area had completely burnt down except for a single house - Abu Darda's home.

He then explained that Prophet Muhammad (~ ) had taught him this dhikr: "O Allah! You are my Master and Protector! None has the right to be worshipped except you. I place my trust in You; You are the Owner of the Mighty Throne. What Allah wills, happens, and what He does not will, does not happen.

There is neither might nor power except with Allah, the Sublime, and the Most Great. I know that Allah is the AllPowerful, and He is the All-Knower of everything. 0 Allah! I seek refuge in You from the evil in myself and from the evil in any beast you master. Allah is on the straight path." 75 The Prophet (~) had told Abu Darda' that whoever said these words in the morning would be protected till night, and whoever said 74 'Abd al-Kafy, 2005-2006. 75 lbn Sani, .:,-)1 .:r.1. them at the end of the day would be protected till the following morning. These are not mere words: Abu Darda' totally believed in them and in Allah's power and will.

Remember, Faith is the key! The subconscious mind perceives through intuition, or what we sometimes call the 'sixth sense'. You can see and hear with your usual senses, you conscious mind understands the material images and worldly facts that you are faced with; but true interpretation, real perception of the hidden meanings behind all creations can only be grasped with your internal instinct: a built-in insight that is not limited to what you have learned or even experienced in your life. Allah tells us about those who do not use their internal instinct to reach His true Path: J >!(\/ •>1_/ I ,, ,: > •> j >~.>,f ;, u~ ~ ("""'J '1S uJ~ ;, ~1 ( \VO. l..1 :....jl_:,...-,1 'Jr- ) ~®" / > /0~ ) ) , / / >' ..)Y.~, v:\~,:I\ ~ \" .JI ct.:Ll,,-r,~ - ._,, ~And surely, We have destined many of the jinns and humans for Hell. They have hearts with which they do not understand, they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear [the truth].

They are like cattle, nay even more astray: those, they are the heedless ones!~ (Quran 7: 179) Your internal instinct is a Divine gift. Many of the Companions of the Prophet (~) experienced this gift; they earned it through their deep faith and devotion to Allah and through purification of their bodies and souls, so that they could free their minds and their intuition. The subconscious mind is very sensitive to suggestions: it does not have the ability to negotiate or barter; it simply receives whatever is sent by the conscious mind and accepts it. Your conscious mind is the only passage through which any information can reach the subconscious mind. 76 This means that with your will, you have the ability to filter the suggestions received, stored and executed by your subconscious. When I reached the age of eighteen, I started urging my parents to teach me to drive.

I took lessons for weeks and practiced for months, but all in vain. I could not control the car - I was too scared. Once, I sat on my bed thinking and trying to figure out what was wrong with me. I realized that no female members of my family could drive: my mum, aunts and cousins had all tried to learn and failed miserably. So that was the problem.

Without realizing it, I subconsciously believed that since I was a female member of this family, I would not be able to learn to drive either. It took me a while to erase this negative attitude from my mind and to replace it with a powerful belief that I was capable of doing it. It was only when I mentally accepted this new suggestion that my subconscious powers began to act accordingly, and All)amdulillah, I soon got my license. There are two types of mental suggestion. The first is autosuggestion, in which a person makes a suggestion to herself or himself, which may be either positive or negative.

The subconscious mind accepts these kinqs of suggestions, executes them and acts upon them to bring to our lives either success and prosperity or failure and misery 77 . Sometimes, these autosuggestions can be involuntary, as in my case with the driving experience. A negative suggestion can only be overcome through the force of a positive one when strengthened with true faith in Allah, then by belief in our own capabilities and potential. A hypnotherapist tries to deliver these suggestions to his or her clients while they are in a state of trance. In 76 Murphy, 2000. 77 Ibid. my humble opinion, I would not trust surrendering my conscious to a total stranger, to fill it (while I am in a state of unawareness) with whatever s/he liked.

We all have the power to correct our beliefs and convictions, this is a built-in mechanism in every human being; we only have to learn how work with it to get the full benefit from it. Prophet Muhammad (Blessings and peace be upon him) taught us to make remembrance of Allah, and gave us dozens of examples of Dhikr-Alliih. Some of these are to be recited specifically in the morning and evening. These are not just meditation exercises; they are a continuous active remembrance of Allah's power, a regeneration of our faith and belief. If you practice them regularly and faithfully, they constitute a type of autosuggestion, protecting you from poverty, disease and evil thoughts, and opening in front of you the doors to a prosperous, happy and healthy life in this world, and to a promised eternal reward beyond all human limitations and boundaries.

The second type of suggestion is known as heterosuggestion. Heterosuggestions are ideas delivered by other persons, or by our cultural environment, like socially held beliefs, customs and traditions. 78 These also may involve either constructive or destructive information. We have the right to accept or reject them; we have the will and the power to choose, and then to take responsibility for our choices. One example of a form of heterosuggestion is fortune-tellers. Some people like to visit fortune-tellers, or insist on reading their horoscope each morning in the newspapers, thinking they can predict and foresee events in their future.

This is totally contradictory to the teaching of our religion, as Prophet Muhammad (~) said: « Whoever goes to a fortune-teller and believes him (or her), has disbelieved in 78 Murphy, 2000. what was revealed to Muhammad.» 79 The type of information the diviner is providing are mere suggestions, they cannot see into the future. In the Quran, the Jinn say of themselves: ( \ • : c:r. JI •_;_,...,) ~And we do not know whether evil is intended for those on earth, or whether Allah intends for them a Right Path) (Quran 72: IO) Their predictions of failure can tum true if you believe in them, as your subconscious mind will work upon them until it executes them. It is a pity that, ignorance and unawareness lead so many people to this path. Hypnotism, tea leaves, astrological formulas, and other forms of heterosuggestion have no power over us; it is people who choose to give these things the power to control their lives.

Let us take an example of a useful, positive heterosuggestion as found in this statement by the Messenger of Allah (~): «When you visit a sick person, say good words to him for the sake of Allah, for although that does not prevent any harm, it still brings relief to the patient's heart.» 80 In a sound hadith, the Messenger of Allah (~) used to supplicate for a sick or afflicted person, and say to them: «It is all right, you will be purified (through this affliction), Allah willing.» 81 These two hadiths demonstrate the important role the emotional state of the patient plays in his or her recovery; this is the main secret behind the miraculous recovery of some people who were not expected to survive particularly destructive illnesses such as 79 Muslim. 80 Tirmidhi and Ibn Miijah. 81 Al-Bukhari. with difficult cases of cancer. New research suggests the importance of psychological treatment along with conventional remedies prescribed for chronic diseases, in order to strengthen the patient's immunity. Relieving the anxiety of the affected person by some simple but honest words enhances his or her resolve and gives them hope and energy to fight the illness. Try your own suggestions. Before going to bed, think of something pleasant - a favourite holiday spot, something you have always dreamed of doing or having - always visualize a prosperous, happy life, relieve yourself from your daily hassles and worldly distress.

Leave your subconscious mind to execute your matters for you and depend on and trust in Allah. Do not be impatient for the results; just keep practicing it every night with total faith, contentment and patience. Then, when your problems are solved and your happy ending is reached, always remember and give thanks and praises to Almighty Allah who can, by His Will, make anything happen. (A~ : ~ •_;_r-) ~® ~~ J'a J~ J l~:~- ;J{I T~~ ,f>l w1~ ~Verily, His Command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it: Be! And it is) (Quran 36: 82) Finally, always remember that any calamity that befalls you is of your own doing (although at first you may not recognize it), and that anything good is from Allah. 4'~ ""C~ ... ~.~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~~ t_; ~1 v: rJ:f ::- ,,,.. ~~ ;G ~,. ~~ • . ,., ~).. r ~Whatever of good reaches you, is from Allah, but whatever of evil befalls you, is from yourself..) (Quran 4: 79) Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) ~ concept of neurolinguistic programming (NLP) was introduced in the 1970s by Richard Bandier, a mathematician and computer programmer who was also interested in psychology.

He developed these ideas further after collaborating with Dr. John Grinder, an assistant professor in linguistics. NLP is a behavioural technique that boosts your emotional intelligence and helps better understand and deal with your thoughts, feelings and emotions. When you have a better understanding of what is going on inside your mind and heart, you will surely be more capable of having better relationships and more fruitful communication with others. This technique aims at allowing a person to change or eliminate bad thoughts and behaviours, control desires, choose his own mental and psychological state of wellbeing and adopt constructive beliefs and attitudes.

It is a guide for better quality of life simply by programming your own 'biological computer' .82 NLP is a new term, but it is not really a new idea. As we mentioned earlier, Islamic dhikr is meant to perform the same role by positively reprogramming your mind, thus adjusting your emotional status and constantly reminding you of your final ultimate goal: Allah's pleasure. The practice of Dhikr-Allah keeps open an everlasting link between you and your spiritual source of energy. To better understand the concept, let us take a look at a typical start to the day: Most of us wake up in the morning and automatically reach for the kettle or the coffee maker to take our morning dose of caffeine. Caffeine helps the release of the motivating neurotransmitters dopamine and adrenaline, thus gradually 82 James, 2005. waking you up.

However, the more caffeine you consume, the more irresponsive your brain becomes to it and to the action of the natural 'inhouse' stimulants dopamine and adrenaline; consequently, more caffeine is needed to achieve the same level of stimulation. 83 Another way some people start their day is to stay in bed for a while, remembering their problems, occupations and engagements. 84 I have to meet my unfair boss again today, I have a deadline that I need to work on, I have to help the kids study for their exams, my husband will keep torturing me about my weight problem, and the list goes on and on. This stressful exercise naturally raises your adrenaline level, which pushes you to jump out of bed and face the new day. However, you face this day as an automated anxiety machine, loaded with stress hormones and ready to explode in the face of the first unfortunate human being you encounter. Now look at the Islamic way to 'program' your day. There is a dhikr you say upon awaking: "All praise and thanks are due to Allah who brings us to life after he caused us to die (during sleep) 85 and unto Him is the resurrection.

(Al]Jamdu lillah alladhee a]Jyana ba 'da ma amatana wa ilayhin-nushoor.) 86 83 Holford, 2005b. 84 Ibid. 85 For an explanation of this concept, please read the explanation of verse 42 of Soorat az-Zumar (Quran 39: 42). 86 Bukhari and Muslim; This and most of the supplications and remembrances of Allah in this book are taken from Fortification of the Muslim: supplications from the Quran and Sunnah, compiled by Sa'eed ibn 'Ali ibn Wahf Qahtani, Cairo: Dar as-Salaam. The pronunciation of this dhikr first thing in the morning constitutes a quick yet powerful reminder of our unlimited blessings. By giving praise and thanks to Allah, we soundly remind ourselves that there are hundreds of gifts in our lives that we need to thank Him for. One is the gift of breath, or life itself, as the words of this dhikr make reference to the state of unconsciousness that we are in while we sleep, a state not unlike being 'dead' for a while. Another day alive means another opportunity to work and give - another chance to fulfil our duty to ourselves, our surroundings and our Creator.

Mentioning the Resurrection every morning is a continuous reminder of our ultimate goal in life, of the unimportance of this mortal life, and thus the unimportance of all our seemingly insurmountable problems. This simple yet powerful dhikr gives us the motivation and the enthusiasm we need to start the day - without the intoxicating effects of caffeine and stress. If we add to this the Prophet's (~ ) habit of drinking a spoonful of honey dissolved in half a cup of warm water, we are giving our brain the amount of glucose needed to help it synthesize the serotonin neurotransmitter - an effective and potent mood booster. Now there is the ultimate Islamic way to start your day! Another example of brain reprogramming is the 'mirror supplication (du 'a')'.

Prophet Muhammad (~ ) taught us that when we look in the mirror we should say: "O Allah! Peifect my manners as you have peifected the creation of me. (Allahumma kama a!J,santa khalqee, i!J,san khuluqee.)" 87 Again, when you look in the mirror, what do you see? A pleasant, good looking, relaxed and self-confident human being, or 87 AJ:imed (graded as sound by Albani). an ugly, dissatisfied, unhappy creature? When they look at themselves in the mirror, some people see only their apparent physical defects, upon which they build their self-image and behavioural responses: I have a huge, ugly nose, I wish I had more hair, I'm too short (from men), and: I am too fat, who on earth would wish to marry someone like me?

My husband's going to leave me for another woman (from women). In contrast, the Islamic mirror dhikr gives us a recurring boost of selfesteem. We are the creation of Allah: how can we be ugly? Allah (~) says: ,.(~ ~/}- -:--/~t ~~~// ...

'°'t~ .•• 1~~.Y""' i:.rI~~ ~--· And He has given you shape and made your shapes good [looking]. ..P (Quran 40: 64) This is an assurance from Allah that we are beautiful - each and every one of us. Along with this confidence lesson, another lesson is delivered to us: Do not get too confident. Arrogance is a sin in Islam, so supplicate for good manners, as this is what really matters to a true Muslim. There are hundreds of examples of Dhikr-Allah that our beloved Prophet (Blessings and peace be upon him) taught us. He did not leave one detail of human action without teaching us what to say upon performing it.

There is a dhikr or du 'a' (supplication) to be said for waking up, for going to bed, for putting on new clothes, for undressing, for entering and leaving the toilet, for entering or leaving the mosque and for entering the market (or mega mall, as the case may be). There are supplications and remembrances for eating, visiting the sick, sneezing and travelling and others said in cases of fear, physical pain, panic, anger or distress; and others in case of delight, amazement or upon receiving pleasant news. 88 88 For more details check: Fortification of the Muslim, supplications from the Qur·an and Sunnah compiled by Sa'eed ibn 'Ali ihn Wahf Qahtani or in Arabic, '-0..,.d:-I ~I c.r.';) ~ I ~ I c..r' ~ \ J.1)1. Emotional Body 8t has been proven that mental and emotional stresses affect body tissues and secretions. Destructive emotions like fear, resentment, worry, envy, boastfulness and egotism truly poison the body. Dealing with crisis, stress and problematic events is a recurring aspect of daily life.

How we adapt and cope with these challenges affects not only our psychology and emotions, but also our physical body and immune system. Sources of stress ~ r e are three major sources of stress: 1