The Healing Power of the Qurʾān: Reducing Stress and Anxiety

Unlocking Tranquility

For Muslims, the Qurʾān has always been a means to help reduce stress and anxiety. The Qurʾān describes itself as a remedy for ailments that are in the heart. O mankind! There has come to you instruction from your Lord and healing for what is in the breasts and guidance and mercy for the believers (Qurʾān 10:57). A recent study in the Journal of Religion and Health investigated the impact of Qur’an recitation on anxiety in hemodialysis patients.[1] Sixty hemodialysis patients were randomized to either Qur’an recitation or a control group.

Qurʾān Recitation

The study involved having patients listen to the recitation of the Qurʾān in traditional cantillation voice. Patients that were placed in the control group were not exposed to the recitation of the Qurʾān and received no intervention. The study found a significant reduction in anxiety among the group of patients who listened to the Qurʾān versus those who did not. Additionally, it demonstrated that listening to the Qurʾān is an effective intervention for anxiety in patients undergoing hemodialysis. The effectiveness of the Qurʾān to relieve stress and anxiety is not limited to patients undergoing hemodialysis, but for others as well.

Spiritual Recitations Reduces Stress

Additional studies confirm that the Qurʾān is a source of stress reduction for mental health patients.[2] The results showed significant differences between the test and control groups in their mean mental health scores after listening to the Qurʾān. No significant gender differences in the test group before and after intervention were found. These results suggest that listening to the Qurʾān could be recommended by psychologists for improving mental health and achieving greater calm.

Discover the Healing Power of Spiritual Remembrance

These studies corroborate the Qurʾānic verses that describe it as a healing. And declare that [the Quran] is a guidance and healing for the believers (Qurʾān 41:44). Feeling a bit down? Try giving the Qurʾān a chance. The Qurʾān and remembrance of God bring peace and tranquility to the heart. Those who believe and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest (Qurʾān 13:28).

[1] Abamohamadi, Hassan, Nemat Sotodehasl, Harold G. Koenig, Changiz Jahani, and Raheb Ghorbani. “The Effect of Holy Qur’an Recitation on Anxiety in Hemodialysis Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial.” Journal of Religion and Health 54, no. 5 (2015): 1921-1930.

[2] Mahjoob, Monireh, Jalil Nejati, Alireaza Hosseini, and Noor Mohammad Bakhshani. “The Effect of Holy Quran Voice on Mental Health.” Journal of Religion and Health 55, no. 1 (2016;2014;): 38-42.