Understanding Thoughts: Where They Come From and Where They Lead
Umm Sahl

The program is designed to guide students through a process of emotional healing and thought management grounded in religious devotion and spirituality. Umm Sahl will help us understand the four sources of all thoughts, postive and negative, and strengthen our connection to Allah to build emotional resilience, allowing us to overcome negative and ill thoughts that cause conditions such as depression, despair and anxiety. Drawing from the Qur’an, Sunnah, and critical works from traditional scholars such as Imam al-Ghazali, the program helps us recognize the sources of our negative thoughts and develop healthy strategies that align with a Muslim ethos for managing them.

Topics we will cover:

• Understanding how thoughts arise and influence emotions

• Distinguishing intrusive thoughts from sinful actions

• The Sources of thoughts: Where do they come from?

• Thoughts: divine, angelic, satanic, egocentric

• Discovering the implications of thoughts: Where do they lead?

• Using the Quran and sunna for comfort and healing

• Strengthening the heart through dhikr and remembrance

• Building supportive connections within family and community

Unchecked negative thoughts that are nurtured or left to grow like weeds have wreaked havoc on the human mind and soul; and Muslims are not exempt to this.

The symptoms include sadness, loss of interest in day to day activities, loss of appetite, and isolation from friends and family. Intrusive thoughts can lead to ideas about self-harm or even suicide. This state is almost always brought about by facing trials and difficulties in one’s life. 

In this short course, Umm Sahl will begin to explore the idea of thoughts: where do they come from, and where do they lead? Her research from the Quran, Sunnah and critical works of the scholars of this Ummah will give students a better understanding of their thoughts, and how to manage them.