How I Finally Silenced My Overthinking (Hamna's Story Part 2) with Hadith and Psychology. The loudest battles are fought in the silent corners of the mind.

In the previous part of Hamna's story, you read how she struggled, the first steps to healing and deeper questioning. Let's follow her journey to how she says goodbye to toxicity.

If you haven't read the first part, click this:

PART ONE OF HAMNAS STORY

Solution to Overthinking

"My dear, whenever you need me, I am here for you. You are not alone." The librarian simply said. She handed her a book,

"Keep this close to you. It looks at the issue from every angle: Quranic, spiritual, and scientific.

I believe the answers to your questions are in this book. May Allah make it easy for you."

Dear Readers,

We shouldn't tell a drowning person to "just learn how to swim." Instead, we should offer a hand to pull them from the water before they drown. A shoulder to lean on isn't just for those in mourning; it's also for the living who are struggling to stay afloat. And that's exactly what the librarian did for Hamna. She didn't give her a command; she extended an invitation to begin a journey.

She said:

· "You are not alone." — This was an invitation to empathy.

· "Keep this book close to you." — This was an invitation to knowledge.

· "Look at it from every perspective." — This was an invitation to reflection.

· "May Allah make it easy for you." — This was an invitation to trust in Allah.

The librarian knew that Hamna already had all the answers within her. She just needed someone to show her the path. This was a teacher's invitation to a student, not to be taught, but to discover.

Hamna had brought that book back with her. She started reading. It was written:

"To reach the root cause of problems, it is extremely important to first look inward and understand your own thoughts."

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that some people from amongst the Companions of the Apostle ﷺ came to him and said:

Verily, we perceive in our minds that which every one of us considers too grave to express.

He (the Holy Prophet) ﷺ said: Do you really perceive it?

They said: Yes.

Upon this, He ﷺ remarked: That is the faith manifest.

The Process of Looking Inward: A Deep Exploration

1. Identify and Accept:

First, you must accept that the thoughts in your mind exist. Ignoring or suppressing them is useless; instead, you must expose them.

Say to yourself:

"Okay, this thought is lingering in my mind. I see it. But it is not reality."

2. Investigate:

Ask yourself:

   · Did this thought come from my own experience or beliefs, or did someone else impose it on me?

   · Is there any real basis for this thought, or is it merely fear and doubt?

   · Would I think this same thing about a close friend?

If the answer is 'no,' then,

· Why am I treating myself this way?

The best way to draw out these hidden, hammering thoughts is not to bother someone else or show them your pain, but to take a pen and, without any restrictions, write down every single thought that is causing a storm in your mind.

Along with this, a hadith was written. After reading it, she understood the advice the Prophet ﷺ gave to his companions. Things were starting to make sense.

3. Counterattack - Reframe:

It was written that when bad thoughts attack, you should counter them. For every negative thought, insert a positive response into your mind.

-Negative Thought:

"I can't do anything."

=Response (Voice of Consciousness):

"I can do this. If Allah wills, everything is possible."

-Negative Thought:

"Everyone is against me."

=Response:

"I am enough for myself because Allah is with me. Allah will send me people who value me. This is my test and trial; I must be patient."

-Negative Thought:

"I will fail."

=Response:

"I will try my best. The result is in Allah's hands. Every experience teaches you something. Humans are here to learn."

-Negative Thought:

"I have ruined everything."

=Response:

"I am human; I can make mistakes. I will learn from my mistake and, God willing, become successful. But I must not stop; I must keep moving forward."

There was another hadith with this that boosted her courage.

Healing through Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

Overthinking often manifests as intrusive, negative thoughts. This is directly identified in the Sunnah as Waswas.

"Allah has forgiven my Ummah for what they say to themselves (what they think inwardly), as long as they do not speak about it or act upon it."

Sahih al-Bukhari 6664, Sahih Muslim 127

4. Give the Command:

The next task was to give a command. The final and most powerful step is to give your mind a clear command until it is under your control.

Say:

-"Stop! Now, stop. That's enough."

-"I will not think about this anymore. What I did or what someone did to me. I will not call it bad."

-"My mind is at peace."

When the devilish waswasa (whisperings) that make us fail and insert negative thoughts hear that you have affirmed your faith in Allah and that He is with you and will make everything better, that everything happens by His will, it will immediately leave you.

When you say,

"A'oodhu billahi min ash-shaytan ir-rajeem" (I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan),

Satan hears it and leaves. Your mind will also become peaceful upon hearing this affirmation. All negative thoughts will vanish. The overthinking will stop. It will feel like you are swimming through ocean waves.

This is the belief (Yaqeen) a servant has in their Lord. This is called Iman (faith), this is called belief.

By repeating these phrases, they become a genuine conviction in our minds. And when this belief is firmly seated in our hearts and minds, Satan cannot mislead us even if he tries, and the words of negative people will not affect us.

This is not a one-day process. It requires daily practice. This is why the beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) said it is a continuous practice, like strengthening a muscle.

At first, your voice will sound weak, but as you continue to counter the thoughts, your conscious voice will grow stronger and the negative subconscious voice will grow weaker.

This is the true psychological and spiritual strength that is based on self-awareness.

TIP: Ablution & Showering Work Best to Clear Your Mind

Hamna started practising what she learned from the amazing book. She began combining Quranic and spiritual teachings with a scientific point of view. Every day, she would check her thoughts, write them down, challenge them, and seek refuge in Allah. Whenever a negative thought or a whisper of doubt or hopelessness tried to enter Hamna's mind, she now had a powerful new weapon.

She stopped trying to fight it with her own weak logic. Instead, she would immediately, either silently in her heart or in a whisper, say:

"أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ"

"A'oodhu billaahi min ash-shaytaan ir-rajeem." (I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan.)

This was her first and fastest defence.

Sometimes, if the feeling was particularly strong or persistent, she would gently step away and find a quiet corner. She would close her eyes and deepen her connection, sincerely reciting additional prayers for protection:

· "اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ أَنْ يَحْضُرُونِ"

"Allahumma inni a'oodhu bika min hamazaat ash-shayaateen, wa a'oodhu bika Rabbi an yahduroon."

(O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the incitements of the devils, and I seek refuge in You, my Lord, from their presence.)

To firmly reaffirm her faith against the doubts, she would declare:

"آمَنْتُ بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ"

"Aamantu Billahi wa Rusulih." (I believe in Allah and His Messengers.)

She recited these with full focus and conviction (trusting completely that Allah would answer her plea and remove the waswas).

Most importantly, Hamna learned the critical step of not engaging with the toxic thought. She wouldn't argue with it, analyze it, or let it spin out of control. The moment she felt its presence, she would seek refuge and then consciously let the thought go. She would then gently distract herself by focusing on her breath, starting a conversation, or immersing herself in her next task.

This practice became her shield. 

In a very short time, she discovered the secret the librarian had wanted her to understand. She didn't show this happiness to anyone; instead, she decided to act on it.

She wasn't alone anymore. She laughed and joked with her true friend, Amal.

Changed Mind, Changed World:

One day at the university, the same old scene happened. The same girls got in her way and looked at her with mocking eyes. One even muttered a jab:

"Look, here comes the teacher's pet."

If this had been the old Hamna, hearing this would have broken her heart and ruined her day. But today's Hamna took a deep breath, smiled, and kept walking as if she hadn't heard a thing.

A voice called from behind her:

"Whatever, she didn't answer here. Just watch, she'll definitely say something in the group chat."

But they were wrong. In the chat, she only talked normally about the assignment.

The next day, when they saw Hamna, her face showed no anger, no sadness, no despair; just a calm, peaceful smile.

The girls were shocked. Their poisonous words did not affect her.

In that moment, Hamna had truly won. She hadn't taken her anger out on herself because of their words, nor had she taken it out on Amal. She didn't let the fire burn her, and she didn't burn anyone she loved.

The Greatest Battle

After emerging from the storm of overthinking, Hamna had become a new person. One day, at the first official session of the university's 'Mental Health Awareness Club,' several new students were present, all going through the same mental anguish.

A young man, with a familiar anxiety on his face, spoke:

"But Hamna, the hardest part is that people don't understand. They say, 'It's all in your head,' or 'Just ignore it.' They don't know how real it is."

Hamna smiled, a smile filled with the depth of experience and patience.

She stepped forward and looked seriously at everyone.

"You are absolutely right. And do you know why they can't understand? Because our biggest battle isn't with someone else."

She placed her hand on her heart.

"Our biggest battle is with ourselves."

"This war is fought inside our own minds. Our own thoughts become our greatest enemy, and then our own faith and reasoning become our greatest allies. That's why outsiders can't see the intensity of this battle.

They only see silence, irritability, or sadness. They can't see this inner, bloody war where every moment a thought strikes like a sword."

The hall was completely silent. Everyone was feeling this truth. The young man who asked the question, his eyes lit up as if he had finally found the answer he was searching for.

Hamna continued,

"And the good news is, once we understand that the enemy is not outside but within, our strategy changes. We stop trying to change the people outside. We put our energy into strengthening that inner voice that says,

'You can do this. You are strong. Trust in Allah.'

We expose our thoughts, question them, and challenge them. That is the real victory."

That was the moment everyone felt they were not alone. Their mental war was their own, but they were all fighting on the same battlefield.

Reference: Sahih Muslim 132a

In-book reference: Book 1, Hadith 247

Hayes, S. C., et al. (2012). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Guilford Press. Beck, J. S. (2011). Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Basics and Beyond. Guilford Press.

Here is the ultimate solution to overthinking and the final part of Hamna's struggle! Comment below and share your thoughts!

جَزَاكَ ٱللَّٰهُ خَيْرًا