22/07/2025
*Islamic Healing when dealing with Brain Fog*
Have you ever felt confused yet unsure why?
Have you ever felt like at times, there are moments in life when your brain is fogged and you are unable to grasp certain things in life? Do you feel like it is difficult to focus or be attentive? Or does your brain and heart feel a little out of place due to circumstances of life or your state of body and mind?
It is normal to feel this way, as life is non-linear. One moment we can be most clear and certain, and other times we can feel totally displaced and confused.
*Our Human Nature.*
This is how Allah SWT describes us in the Qur'an as beings that have never been stable creatures.
Allah SWT says in Surah Al-Maarij Verse 19:
إِنَّ الْإِنسُنَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا
Indeed, mankind was created anxious.
Allah also mentions in Surah Al-Nisa Verse 28:
يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ أَن يُخَفِّفَ عَنكُمْ وَخْلِقَ ٱلْإِنسُنُ ضَعِيفًا
And Allah wants to lighten for you [your difficulties]; and mankind was created weak.
*Find the reason to your brain fog.*
Brain fog happens to even the best of us.
The one way for us to really know the reason is for us to engage in self-reflection or what we know Muhasabah. Muhasabah is an act of relooking at what we did right, or wrong or simply re-evaluating our life and its choices. Different people experience brain fog for different reasons. Some experience it due to high levels of stress, leading unhealthy lifestyles, holding onto grudges, laziness or engaging in sins.
*Devise ways to overcome it spiritually.*
For many of us, brain fog usually stems from laziness, sin, stress or an issue with physical health and habits. Start with boosting your spiritual health by engaging in recitation of Dhikr, the Qur'an and improve your salaah habits.
Find comfort in the upcoming verses and incorporate them in your daily life.
*Read the Qur’an*
Find comfort and clarity in the Qur'an.
Its power to heal you from your brain fog is explained as a cure in Surah Al-Isra' Verse 82:
وَنُنَزِلُ مِنَ ٱلْقُرْءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَآءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلَا يَزِيدُ الظَّٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا خَسَارًا
And We send down of the Qur'an that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss.
*Do your daily Adhkaar.*
The daily litanies is the fortress that will protect you from both external and internal evil. The best time to do so is during the morning and the evenings.
Follow the advise of Allah SWT:
يَأَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا اللهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيْرًا وَسَبِّحُوْهُ
بُكْرَةً وَأصِيْلًا
"Believers, remember Allah often and glorify Him morning and evening" (Surah Al-
Ahzab Verses 41-42).
*If you have problems, then stand in prayer.*
Do not undermine the power of prayer.
Remember when Allah says:
وَاسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَوةِ وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِنَّا
عَلَى الْخَشِعِينَ
"And seek help through patience and prayer.
Indeed, it is a burden except for the humble." (Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 45)
*Incorporate ways to overcome it physically.*
Brain fog may at times too come from your physical state. As the saying goes, a healthy body leads to a healthy mind.
Consider re-looking at your physical habits, diet and food intake.
The Prophet Muhammad SAW's diet is examplary. He consumed healthy food such as honey, dates, pomegranates and figs.
*Be aware of what you eat.*
Another Hadith mentions that the Prophet SAW advised people to portion their food and not overeat:
The Messenger of Allah SAW said: "A human being fills no worse vessel than his stomach. It is sufficient for a human being to eat a few mouthfuls to keep his spine straight. But if he must (fill it), then one third of food, one third for drink and one third for air."
[Ibn Majah 3349]
*Sleep well, live well.*
Sleeping is also a very important aspect of life.
Sadly, the reality is that many of us lack sleep due to our densed schedules or our preoccupied minds or bodies with social media or activities that hinder us from sleeping well.
The Prophet SAW was known to sleep early, and wake up early to finally stand in prayer, resting slightly before Fajr and engaging in remembrance in the mornings. Break the habit of late night sleeping and see how it works wonders. Our bodies are meant to rest at night as mentioned in Surah An-Naba Verse 9-10:
وَجَعَلنَا نَومَكُم سُبَاتا - وَجَعَلِنَا اللَّيلَ لِبَاسا
And have made your sleep as a thing for rest, And have made the night as a covering (through its darkness).
*Make a lot of Dua for clarity and ease.*
Remember that the giver of clarity is Allah SWT. Ask Allah SWT for protection and a way out of your distress. Use these Prophetic du'as to help you:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ الْهَمّ وَالْحُزْنِ وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ وَالْبُخْلِ وَالْجُبْنِ وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ
"O Allah, I take refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, weakness and laziness, miserliness and cowardice, the burden of debts and from being overpowered by men." (Al-Bukhari)
Another du'a to ask Allah SWT to untangle yourself from your own self is to read:
اللَّهُمَّ رَحْمَتَكَ أَرْجُو فَلَا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةً عَيْنٍ وَأَصْلِحْ لِى شَأْنِى كُلَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَا أَنْتَ
"O Allah, I hope for Your mercy. Do not leave me to myself even for a blink of an eye. Correct all of my affairs for me. There is none worthy of worship except You."
*Let loose and connect back to your nature.*
Take breaks when you need it, especially when you are burnt out. This does not mean that you break away from worship, it just means that you allocate time for different times and don't overdo, such that you feel burnt out.
There is a Hadith of the Prophet SAW when a companion named Hanzalah reported his hypocrisy because he felt he was different in seatings of worship than he was at home with his family. The Prophet SAW advised: "If you were to remain in the same state as you are in my presence, the angels would shake hands with you in your beds, in your paths, and in your gatherings. But, O Hanzalah, there is an hour and an hour." (Sahih Muslim)
*Avoid Sin and Distractions.*
Brain fog can also come from sins and being distracted by worldly matters.
When we are preoccupied with worldly matters, we become easily anxious and fear of losing out clouds our minds.
Similarly, engaging in sin, causes our consciousness to feel down, guilty and lost. To cure this, move back to Allah through Zuhud and Taqwa.
Ali RA mentions that Taqwa is:
Fearing Allah swt, Acting upon the commands of the revelation (the Qur'an), Being happy and content with less, and getting ready for the day of departure (from this life to the next).
Zuhud on the other hand cures worldly attachment as mentioned in a scholarly saying:
Ali bin Abi Talib RA said: "Zuhud is not being too happy when one gain profits and not being too sad one suffers loss."
Sufyan At-Thawri said: "Zuhud towards this world is not having elaborate and grand wishes."
Let us pray; "O Allah, make this world be in our hands (as ours) but not in our hearts that will lead to love of worldly matters."
*Find ways to renew.*
Life is a constant struggle and we will face many changes that will challenge our state of mind. For those who Allah loves, difficulty will keep coming his or her way, and it is normal to reach a state of brain fog when things are unfamiliar or disoriented
As Muslims, we must always strive to constantly renew ourselves by finding new ways to find clarity, such as keeping our lives purposeful, organised and surrounded by an environment that helps with that. We ask Allah SWT to give us guidance in constantly cleansing our minds and hearts, to the end of our lives where we meet Allah in a state of clarity and obedience.
(Al-Falaah)
