I just came down with the flu the first time in almost a year. It hit me right after dealing with a painful boil, and I can’t help but think the boil weakened my immune system. It reminded me of something I’ve been trying to teach my kids: the body is always listening to the state of the mind and heart, and sometimes even sickness has hidden benefits.

Stress vs Calm: Two Medicines We Choose From

Science shows that when you live in constant stress, your body keeps pumping out cortisol and adrenaline. Those chemicals help you in short bursts, but if they dominate, they tear you down. Immunity drops, your cells age faster, and illness finds a way in.

But when you bring calmness, gratitude, and trust in Allah, your body responds differently. Endorphins, dopamine, serotonin these “healing chemicals” strengthen your brain, balance your blood pressure, and give your immune system a boost.

Allah already told us: “Unquestionably, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.” (Qur’an 13:28). That “rest” isn’t only spiritual. Science shows it’s physical too.

The Prophet ﷺ tied the heart and body together clearly: “There is a piece of flesh in the body; if it is sound, the whole body is sound, and if it is corrupt, the whole body is corrupt. Indeed, it is the heart.” (Bukhari, Muslim).

The Wisdom of Falling Sick

Getting sick isn’t always bad news. Islam reframes it as mercy:

• “No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that.” (Bukhari, Muslim).
• The Prophet ﷺ said: “If Allah intends good for someone, He afflicts him with trials.” (Bukhari).

Science echoes this. When you fight off an infection, your immune system “learns” it builds memory so next time you’re stronger. Fever, which we often see as an enemy, is actually a tool Allah built into us: it stresses pathogens and boosts immune-cell function. Just like muscles grow stronger after resistance and repair, the immune system stays sharp through mild illness and recovery.

So when I caught the flu after my boil, I told my kids: This is my body’s reset button. It’s tiring, yes. But it’s also training. Spiritually, sins are being wiped. Biologically, the immune system is doing push-ups.

The Power of the Mind on Strength

One of the wildest studies I’ve read showed that people who only imagined lifting weights without touching a dumbbell became 13% stronger after a few weeks. Their muscles didn’t grow, but their brains trained their nervous system to recruit fibers more efficiently.

That’s exactly how intention works in Islam. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Actions are only by intention, and every person will have only what he intended.” (Bukhari, Muslim). Even before you move, your inner rehearsal carries weight. With Allah, it’s reward. With your body, it’s real strength.

Teaching This to My Kids

Here’s how I’ve been trying to pass it on:

• Stress weakens: I remind them that staying anxious or angry doesn’t just make you “feel bad” it literally weakens your defenses.
• Calm heals: Saying alhamdulillah, breathing deeply, and remembering Allah is like taking natural medicine.
• Imagining goodness counts: When they picture themselves praying with khushu‘, being strong, or showing kindness, they’re not just daydreaming. Their brain is laying down pathways to make it easier when the moment comes.
• Illness is growth: When they fall sick, I tell them their body is learning. Their sins are being forgiven, and their immune system is being trained.

Islam as a Lifestyle, Not Just Rituals

This is why I keep telling my kids: Islam isn’t just a religion you practice for a few minutes a day. It’s a lifestyle that fits the way Allah created us. Every part of it dhikr, salah, sabr, shukr is medicine for the heart, the mind, and the body.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, while there is good in both. Strive for what benefits you, seek help from Allah, and do not feel helpless.” (Muslim).

Strength, in Islam, isn’t just about muscles. It’s resilience of the heart, clarity of intention, and patience in trials. And the beauty is this: when you live Islam as it was meant to be lived, you’re aligning yourself with your fitrah — your natural design. The result is health in every sense: physical, mental, spiritual.

Closing Reflection

My flu after the boil was annoying, but it was also a reminder. The body breaks down so it can rebuild. The heart wavers so it can find its way back to dhikr. And every trial, even a small one, is purification.

I want my kids to grow up knowing that to see that every thought, every intention, every alhamdulillah is medicine. The pharmacy is already inside them. They just need to learn which bottles to open.

Disclaimer: I am not a scholar. Qur’anic verses and Hadith are from authentic sources (Bukhari and Muslim where specified). Any mistakes are mine.