Are you feeling hopeless?
Here are three steps to come back stronger than ever before.
Are you tired of chasing something over and over again that you need at the moment? It might be a job you need while going through financial hardships. It might be marrying someone when you feel alone. It could also be feeling the cure for your physical or mental challenges. Or you lost a loved one, and you are not yet able to absorb that it happened to you.
This situation can lead to feelings of low self-worth, regret, and disappointment regarding what has occurred or not. These feelings can permeate every aspect of your life, causing you to feel down and resulting in decreased energy and focus, often below the minimum.
In this article, I will provide you with a framework to help you overcome challenging situations, emerging stronger than ever. This framework emphasizes building your self-worth, staying action-oriented, and gaining better control over your inner dialogues. It consists of three steps that center around your relationship with Allah SWT.
Here are three steps to follow:
1. Have the right perspective about your situation.
Whatever situation we face, we are still on a journey. We are still part of this transient world, ‘Dunya.’ We will all return to our creator, like the people before us and those coming after us.
Allah says;
We will certainly test you with a touch of fear and famine and loss of property, life, and crops. Give good news to those who patiently endure— who say, when struck by a disaster, Surely to Allah we belong and to Him we will all return.
(Quran 2:155-156)
Everyone on earth is going through some kind of struggle at the moment. Unfortunately, modern social media influence makes people unaware of this fact and the true nature of this world.
Another important factor of having the right perspective of this situation is your thought about Allah SWT. What do you think about Allah SWT while going through your challenge?
Allah Says
Allah is Ever Kind to His servants. He provides to whoever He wills. And He is the All-Powerful, Almighty.
(Quran 42:19)
Allah SWT knows precisely what you go through and why it is happening to you. He is the one who is going to provide you at the right time. When He decides to do it, no one or nothing in this world can stop it from coming to you. Let it be a job, marriage, provisions, kids, guidance, help, relief, peace, power…………..
Therefore, think positively and keep high hopes about Allah SWT while facing the challenge.
Allah says
Indeed, ˹it is˺ We ˹Who˺ created humankind and ˹fully˺ know what their souls whisper to them, and We are closer to them than ˹their˺ jugular vein.
(Quran 50:16)
All glory be to Allah. Look how close Allah SWT is to you! Can you imagine anyone who knows what is going through your mind every moment and always remains closest to you? There is no one worthy of worship except Allah SWT.
Therefore, let us set the right mindset while facing the challenge. It is part of this world, and Allah is aware and is there to take care of you during the whole journey and remain closer to you than even your Jugular veins.
2. Tie your camel
Now we know Allah SWT is closest to us, whether we know it or not, whether we worship him or not. Allah SWT is the closest to every mankind; he knows what they go through and even their whispers.
Now, let’s look at what we can do while we face these challenges. Allah SWT created this world for us in a 'cause and effect’ mode. This means that in any situation, we need to act, and then the changes happen. Allah SWT has sent us as the agents of change to this world with unique capacities and skills.
Allah Says
It is He Who hath made you (His) agents, inheritors of the earth: He hath raised you in ranks, some above others: that He may try you in the gifts He hath given you: for thy Lord is quick in punishment: yet He is indeed Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful
(Quran 6:165)
When Musa A.S. with Banu Israel was stuck between the Red Sea and the army of Firaun, Allah instructed him to hit the sea with his stick, revealing the path for them to walk across.
When Maryam (A.S) gave birth to Isa (Jesus) (A.S), Allah asked her to shake the trunk of a palm tree and provided her with ripe and fresh dates.
When Ayoob (A.S) cried to Allah Allah and asked for a cure for his disease, all his family left him. Allah asked him to stamp his foot on the ground, providing a water stream from underneath. It cured him completely, and his family returned to him.
Subhanallah! This is our beautiful relationship with our creator. We are sent to this world with free will. When we use that free will to please Allah SWT, amazing things will happen, even beyond our imagination!
Therefore, understand the ‘'cause & effect’' of the challenge that you are going through. Seek knowledge and skills, and put in your sincere work for that change to happen.
It is also important to be sincere in your intentions. Do every act and effort for the sake of Allah SWT. This must be your big WHY. Whatever the outcome, each effort will be rewarded with the most merit.
Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab:
I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, "The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions, and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended."
(Sahih al Bukhari - 1)
3. Leave the outcome (tawakkul) to Allah SWT!
Once you have taken all the means, leave the outcomes to Allah SWT. Is that difficult? Pause for a moment. Was everything that happened in your life in proportion to your efforts? You prepared so well for the exam, but the score was lower than expected. Some other day, you fell short with your preparation but were so happy to see your score! Way higher than your expectations!
Prophet Nuh (A.S) invited people to Allah SWT for over 900 years. But even his son did not believe in him. Only a few believers were there. Our beloved prophet Muhammed (ﷺ) invited people to Deen for 23 years. Subhanallah, look at the ummah and followers of him! Outcomes are always from Allah SWT alone.
Allah SWT asks;
And have you seen that [seed] which you sow? Is it you who makes it grow, or are We the grower?
(Quran 56: 63-64)
Trust Allah with the outcome. It is always from Him alone. Allah did not create us to test our best outcomes. Instead, he wants us to do the best actions within our given time.
Allah says
He is the One˺ Who created death and life in order to test which of you is best in deeds. And He is the Almighty, All-Forgiving.
(Quran 67:2)
Focus on your processes and actions, and do them with excellence for the sake of Allah alone. Leave the outcome entirely to Allah SWT. What would happen then?
Allah says;
And rely upon Allah; and sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.
(Quran 33:3)
All you need to do is connect deeply with Allah SWT. Take the time to get to know Him better and strengthen your relationship with Him. Even during difficult times, maintain a smile, work to the best of your ability, and trust in His surprises, whether in this world or the hereafter. None of your pain or efforts will go to waste. Allah SWT is the one closest to you always :)
I ask Allah SWT to ease the challenges of anyone who reads this. May Allah give you goodness and multiply the blessings with it. May Allah keep you steadfast in any situation and give you the final victory in this world and in the hereafter. Aameen.
Until next Friday. Insha Allah.
Duáas
Haneef
What If I told you you can focus for 90 minutes⌛ on a task without distractions? You don’t need to read it further if you can do so already.
Do you check your phone🤳🏻 for a moment and then find yourself lost in another part of the online world in a few hours?
Are your internal distractions preventing you from taking action on your important tasks?
Is a life event that happened to you still distracting, and do you find it difficult to focus on your life?
Join me on Sunday, December 29th, 2024, for an interactive workshop where you will learn and practice strategies to conquer all your distractions. You will achieve this by getting closer to Allah SWT through TaQwa habits.
Please don't let any distractions stop you from taking advantage of this opportunity.
Register now👇🏻! Bismillah.