The Importance of Empathy in Muslim Mental Health

“The believers, in their mutual love, compassion, and mercy, are like one body: when any limb aches, the whole body responds with sleeplessness and fever.”
(Sahih Bukhari & Sahih Muslim)

Introduction

Empathy – the ability to share and understand another’s feelings – is foundational to human connection. In simple terms, it is the ability to step into another’s shoes and respond with presence. In the context of mental health, empathy builds trust, reduces stigma, and has been shown to improve therapeutic outcomes. For Muslims, it goes one step further, as it is not only a psychological asset, but a spiritual imperative, deeply rooted in the Qur’an and Sunnah.

To fully appreciate its power, it's helpful to understand what empathy actually entails and how it differs from similar concepts.

What Is Empathy?

Empathy can be categorised into three forms:

• Cognitive empathy: to understand another’s perspective.

• Emotional empathy: to share another’s emotional experience.

• Compassionate empathy: feeling moved to act and help the person.

It is important to note that empathy and sympathy, although often used interchangeably, are not the same. The distinction is that sympathy is to feel for someone, whereas empathy is to feel with someone. While sympathy involves acknowledging one’s hardships, empathy moves deeper and nurtures fostering genuine connection and support.

Understanding these forms of empathy helps us see why it plays such a critical role in mental health care, both in clinical and everyday settings.

Why Empathy Matters in Mental Health

Empathy in mental health is crucial for building trust and rapport between caregivers and clients. It encourages open communication, emotional vulnerability, and has been shown to improve outcomes. A caregiver who can listen without judgement, understand emotions, and then respond with compassion is much more likely to provide the healing and support clients require, leading to better results and client satisfaction.

Beyond its impact on healing, empathy is also essential in reducing isolation – a major contributing factor to the worsening of mental health symptoms. When people feel heard and validated, they are less likely to withdraw or suffer in silence. Moreover, being empathetic is mutually beneficial; studies have shown that it can reduce burnout for caregivers by mitigating stress, making empathy a sustaining force for both client and caregiver.

While modern psychology recognises the value of empathy in mental health with several studies conducted over the years, Islam has long emphasised this principle through the example of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, offering a timeless model of compassionate care and emotional insight.

The Islamic Perspective on Empathy

Perhaps not formally known, empathy is not a new concept for Muslims. Our faith teaches it as a core principle of good character, modelled most beautifully by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. His life was a living example of what it means to feel with others, to care deeply, and to act with compassion.

Allah ﷻ captures this essence of the Prophet’s ﷺ character in a powerful verse in Surah At-Tawbah:

"There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; he is concerned over you, and to the believers is kind and merciful."
(Surah At-Tawbah 9:128)

Let’s take a moment to reflect on what this verse teaches us about the depth of the Prophet’s ﷺ empathy:

• “From among yourselves” – The Prophet ﷺ wasn’t distant or detached. He ﷺ shared the culture, the struggles, and the everyday experiences of his community. He ﷺ was one of them. That familiarity allowed him to truly relate to their pain — a key element of genuine empathy.

• “Grievous to him is what you suffer” – He ﷺ didn’t just witness suffering; he ﷺ felt it. Deeply. Their pain became his pain, even when it didn’t directly affect him. This is emotional empathy at its highest level — a grief that sits in the heart, not just the mind. We can also see this as a  manifested example of the Hadith that teaches us that the Muslim community is one body; when one part feels pain, the whole body responds with fever.

• “He is concerned over you” – Concern implies action. It means more than feeling — it means caring enough to do something. The Prophet ﷺ didn’t turn away from people’s pain. He moved toward it, offering presence, reassurance, and support.

• “Kind and merciful to the believers” – These two words — ra’ūf (kind) and rahīm (merciful) — elevate empathy into something even more profound. It’s not only about understanding but also about providing emotional safety and comfort. It’s about easing burdens and responding with care.

From this single ayah, we’re reminded that empathy isn’t just a noble trait — it’s part of Prophetic character. It’s not weakness to feel deeply for others. It’s faith in action. Showing kindness and mercy, especially to those who are mentally or emotionally struggling, is a powerful way to walk in the footsteps of the Prophet ﷺ.

Another story that beautifully shows the Prophet’s ﷺ empathy is the incident of the little boy whose bird passed away.

Narrated by Anas ibn Malik (RA): “The Prophet ﷺ used to come to visit us. I had a younger brother who was called Abu ‘Umayr. He had a small bird he used to play with. It died, and the Prophet ﷺ came one day and saw him sad. He said, ‘O Abu ‘Umayr, what happened to the little bird (al-nughayr)?’” (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)

Abu ‘Umayr was a small boy, likely no older than five or six. Most adults might dismiss a child’s sadness over a pet, but the Prophet ﷺ noticed it immediately. Not only did he acknowledge the boy’s emotions, but he ﷺ did so gently, using his nickname and asking about the bird by name.

This moment might seem small, but it teaches a huge lesson: no feeling is too little to be validated. Empathy means tuning in, even to the pain others overlook. The Prophet ﷺ created space for a child to feel seen and comforted, something many would ignore.

These examples from his ﷺ life remind us that empathy is not only prophetic; it’s powerful. Whether through grief, loss, or small heartbreaks, it’s our duty to show up for others with softness, concern, and mercy.

Challenges Faced by Muslims with Mental Health Struggles

Despite growing awareness and efforts to destigmatise mental health in the Muslim community, challenges remain. Many still view mental illness as a sign of weak faith, or worse, reduce it to the effects of the evil eye or jinn possession. Spiritual matters can certainly influence well-being, but this narrow view overlooks the psychological, emotional, and biological realities that people live with every day.

For Muslims already struggling with their mental health, these misconceptions can be incredibly harmful. Instead of receiving understanding and support, they may be met with suspicion, dismissal, or unhelpful advice. This often leads to further isolation, shame, and silence — the very conditions that worsen mental health symptoms.

When a person’s pain is not acknowledged with empathy, they may recoil, internalise blame, and struggle even more. That’s why it’s essential to shift our collective response. We need to build spaces where faith and mental health are not seen as opposites, but as interconnected parts of the human experience. This begins with normalising emotional struggles, educating our communities, and empowering faith leaders to speak with both compassion and psychological insight.

In short, the solution lies in creating a culture of empathy.

Empathy as a Response to These Challenges

In the face of the aforementioned misconceptions, empathy becomes essential. It begins by recognising a simple, vital truth that mental illness is real. It is not a reflection of weak iman, lack of gratitude, or distance from Allah ﷻ. Many righteous people, including prophets, experienced deep emotional pain. What makes a difference is how we respond — to ourselves and to others.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself faced immense grief and loss during his life. He ﷺ lost loved ones, companions, and even his ﷺ own children. In one such moment, as he ﷺ held his dying son Ibrahim, the Prophet ﷺ wept. When asked about his ﷺ tears, he ﷺ replied:

“Indeed, the eyes shed tears, the heart grieves, and we are saddened by your departure, O Ibrahim. But we will only say that which is pleasing to our Lord.”
(Sahih Bukhari)

This moment teaches us something profound: feeling deeply is not a lack of faith, but and parcel of being human. The Prophet ﷺ showed us that we can hold grief and trust in Allah at the same time. Empathy, then, is not just a therapeutic tool, it is a sunnah. It allows us to meet people where they are and walk with them through their pain, without judgment.

By validating someone’s experience and offering sincere emotional support, we can begin to break the silence that surrounds mental health. We can help Muslims stop seeing themselves as “bad Muslims” for struggling. We can remind them that emotional pain is not a sign of failure, it’s a call for care.

How to Develop Empathy in Mental Health Support

So how can we as Muslims help each other with empathy? Whether we want to learn empathy as a professional, a family member, or friend, here’s a simple 6-step model to build this essential skill:

1. Active Listening – Attentively listen without interrupting or judging.

2. Non-judgemental Attitude – Hold space without blame or shame.

3. Cultural Competency – Understand the unique pressures and values of Muslim clients.

4. Ask, Don’t Assume – Each person’s experience is distinct.

5. Educate Yourself – Learn about mental health,  and it’s biological and emotional factors.

6. Reflect on Prophetic Compassion – Let the Prophet ﷺ inspire your own actions.

Conclusion

Empathy is not just a soft skill; it’s a transformative force, especially in the context of Muslim mental health. It is a two-way blessing: the receiver feels heard, understood, and empowered, while the giver experiences greater satisfaction and reduced burnout. By embracing empathy as taught in the Qur’an and Sunnah, we can create safer, more compassionate spaces for healing, reduce stigma, and help our communities grow both spiritually and emotionally.

If you’re someone who holds space for others — whether you’re a therapist, a friend, or a family member - here are the tips from the Quran and Sunnah:

·       Don’t just hear — feel.

·       Don’t just feel — care.

·       Don’t just care — support with mercy.