Trusting Allah SWT When the Going Gets Tough

By: Zainab Sandhu

For many of us, the past several months have been the most confusing times of our lives, and it is difficult not to be anxious. When we try to find answers about the upcoming future, we hear conflicting answers which only exacerbate the anxiety we already have. Many of us are out of work and are experiencing financial hardship; many of us have missed out on celebrating important life changes like graduations and weddings; and many of us are simply terrified at the thought of our loved ones becoming sick. The stress we are experiencing during this pandemic is, in part, a consequence of societal pressure to plan every detail of our lives in order to ensure maximum worldly success. So it is natural that a phenomenon that leaves us uncertain about the next months, or even years, completely turns our society upside down.

The interesting part of the Coronavirus pandemic is that it is a universal experience- almost everyone around the world is being impacted by the virus one way or another. The media has inundated us with advice articles and “healthy” coping mechanisms to overcome pandemic-induced stress (all coming from sources that do not have professional credentials to give this kind of advice). The advice tends to err on two extremes, either hyper-productivity or hyperstagnation. On one end, we are encouraged to use every possible minute for “productive purposes” like excessive exercise or learning a new language, and on the other end, we are encouraged to “relax” by binge watching shows and movies. Both methods rely on essentially escaping reality. We are bound to forget what is going on around us if we’re spending all day watching TV or obsessing over crossing things off a to-do list.

As Muslims, we know that Allah SWT is the All-knowing and the most-Merciful. In these last few months, humanity has shown that it is powerless against this tiny virus and that no one can overpower the will of Allah SWT. It is only from Allah SWT’s mercy and from our utmost certainty in His mercy that we can overcome this stressful time in our lives. Tawakkul is not a coping mechanism: rather it is an overcoming mechanism. Instead of rejecting reality through distractions, Tawakkul allows us to see through the situation in a healthy, pragmatic way.

Allah SWT says in Surah Baqarah, “Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear.” Allah SWT would never put us in a situation that we cannot endure, no matter how difficult the situation may seem. Coming to terms with this can be difficult if we do not embrace Tawakkul with increased Ibadah (worship). Changing our mindset is not easy, especially when we are being tested with a very difficult, unexpected situation.

Here are a few tips to actively improve your mindset to increase your Tawakkul:

1. Savor your prayers with khushoo: Although this may not be the case for all of us, many of us have more free time because of the lock-down. Use that time to make up when you had to rush through prayers to return to worldly obligations. Focus on every word you recite and take as much time as you need to get through your salah.

2. Increase your remembrance of Allah outside of your five daily prayers: I personally am guilty of restricting my remembrance of Allah SWT to only my five daily prayers. Allah SWT says in Surah Al-Imran, verse 9 that the men of understanding are those, “Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], ‘Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.’” Therefore we must try to incorporate more time for introspection and dhikr during the day outside of our five daily Salawat. For people who are still working busy jobs or have children, free time can be a rare luxury. Instead of trying to carve out time for dhikr, incorporate it into your daily obligations. Dhikr can be done while doing daily chores like cooking, cleaning, walking, and driving. While doing work or studying that requires your full mental capacity, take a few short breaks to thank Allah SWT for giving you the blessings to be able to work and study. Remembering Allah SWT can be incorporated into any daily life task.

3. Stop excessively scrolling: Social media can be equally harmful as it can be helpful. Spending too much time on social media can lead to you constantly compare your situation to that of others, becoming upset after seeing acquaintances who are not following the required precautionary measures, spending too much time lamenting at how pre-pandemic times were, and a plethora of other harmful mental stress. It also leads to precious time that you lost that you could have spent with your family or remembering Allah SWT. A lot of devices and browsers have apps set up that limit your screen time or give you a warning that you have spent too much time on social media. Using these apps can be a useful first step to curbing excessive use of social media.

4. Seek Allah’s forgiveness and help through du’a: Allah SWT’s mercy is infinite. It is only from Allah SWT’s will that we can mitigate and then put an end to this virus. It is obvious that the best way we can exercise Tawakkul is to actively seek Allah’s help and forgiveness. Here are a few du’as among the many out there that you can recite to seek Allah SWT’s forgiveness:

ثيغتسأ كتمحرب مويقاي يحاي

Oh Living and Eternal one, in Your mercy I seek relief

ينعوفعاف وفعلا بتح وفع كنا مهللا

Oh Allah, You are forgiving and You love to forgive, so forgive me

ينإ كناحبس تنأ لاإ هلا لا ينلماظلا نم تنك

There is none worthy of worship except You (Allah SWT); exalted are You. Indeed, I have been among the wrong-doers

5. Seek professional help: Most of the “self help” available on the internet is conflated with conflict of interest. Seeking professional help from a therapist, especially a trained Muslim therapist, can be helpful during these confusing and difficult times, even if you do not have a diagnosable mental illness. Many Islamic institutions like Yaqeen Institute have articles written by licensed Muslim therapists about these issues and can also be helpful to consult. Do not let cultural stigma prevent you from seeking professional help.

In a society where we are constantly pressured to maximize our worldly productivity, it can be difficult to grapple with the uncertainty brought about by this pandemic. Insha’Allah, we can overcome the uncertainty of these new changes by having certainty in the One who brought these changes.