The Great Change
We live in a time, an era, where technology has rapidly changed the face of civilization in a way that’s never been seen in human history. While on the surface everything seems to have gotten easier on the outside in terms of mode of transportation, we have planes that can take you across the world within 24 hours, in terms of food and nutrition, you can go to your local grocery store and get basmati rice from India, or mangos from Mexico, and so on and so forth. In terms of communication, with one call, you can talk to anyone in the world, even now more-so with video communication, emails, etc. While life has for the better transformed our day-to-day difficulties compared to that which many of our predecessors faced. One can even argue, the average human today in the western world lives in greater ease and comfort then a king would have even 100 years ago.
The Problem
But while on the outside, one can argue, things “look” like they have impacted humans for the better. On the inside, talk to any man, woman, or child, and the common notion is the ocean of anxiety we are all living in. If we look from the Islamic point-of-view. This is expected, as Allah has clearly defined the qualities of mankind in the Quran, and one the qualities they possess is in terms with this state of being anxious. As Allah says, “Indeed, mankind was created anxious- (Quran. 70:9)” and who knows the creation better than its creator? We now understand the constant fluctuations of emotions that occur in every person is part of Allah’s design. But one may ask, why create us with this quality?
The Solution
As we know, the life of this world is this constant state of tests. The married person in an abusive marriage longs to see the days of happiness when they were single. The single person yearns to see the day they get a companion in marriage. The poor seek the money of the rich, the rich seek the peace of mind of the poor. Everyone is constantly facing their daily challenges, their tests, which is in part the purpose of our existence in this world. To be tried through fitnah, which root words come from the purification of Gold. Gold by its raw form isn’t valuable, its only after the intense heat that removes the impurities do we see its worth. I often reflect on the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) when he said “the world is a prison for the believer and a paradise for the unbeliever.” (Muslim 2956). Why a prison for the believer when we can enjoy the same facilities as the non-believers for the most part. Sure some things are made haram for us. But for the majority we share the same in terms of provisions, livelihood, entertainment, etc. The prison is this dunya(world) stops us from our eternal home of bliss In Shaa Allah. We are confined to this world for our present state, so we must live with the things it has in store for us. One of them is the constant anxiety. Anxiety of the future, anxiety of our sins, anxiety of controlling certain things, etc.
Some ways we can combat these anxieties is to identify what ticks them. Just as the addict itches to crave their desires. Anxiety also has certain things that can quickly trigger in a person. Lets take at a few examples, some you may relate with, others you may not, but the common theme is the same.
- Stress
The first of those things is stress. Stress isn’t just a mental state of mind, not by any means. In fact, stress harms more your physical state just as much as your mental. If you are stressed, you are too caught up in emotions to clearly think rationally about your state of affairs. As your mental capacity reaches its limits, your physical condition starts to strain, you have a mixing bowl of anxiety with no way of emptying it. So start with targeting what stresses you and try to stop it before it festers. For some, it may be social media. You see a post of your friends traveling, married, with kids, enjoying life, while you look at your situation and see the complete opposite. Don’t compare your life with anyone. Allah has given what he has given. As he says(S.W.T), “And do not wish for that by which Allah has made some of you exceed others. For men is a share of what they have earned, and for women is a share of what they have earned. And ask Allah of his bounty. Indeed Allah is ever, of all things, Knowing.”(Quran 4:32).
If this is your vice, get off social media, if this is where your trigger starts, and focus on you and yourself. On the day of judgment, everyone will stand alone, so worry about your affairs and your circumstances. Who knows? Perhaps they are being tried in what they have been given and on the outside you think they are succeeding but in their accountability before Allah, they aren’t. And Allah knows, and we know not.
- Control
2.) Give up control of your affairs. We all love controlling things that determine our outcomes in life. A person who wants a raise at work, will try their best to please their boss knowing the annual review is a few months away. But who changes the heart of your boss, you or Allah? Verily Allah is the turner of hearts. So if you look to please anyone, please him and ask him to give you that which is better for you. Once you give up trying to control every single affair, you can in turn relax and know that the one you have trusted to for your affairs controls all things, and he is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Aisha(R.A), our mother, said when Khawlah came to the messenger(PBUH), complaining about her husband as mentioned in the opening ayah of Surah Al-Mujadliah. Aisha said, Praise be to Allah, who heard the complaints of this woman from above the seven heavens, when I couldn’t even hear what she was saying and I was right near her listening. So if you want to complain, complain to Allah, let him take care of your affairs and he is capable of all things.
- Peace
Seek peace in your heart. When we are so caught up with our affairs, we lack in everything but what is fundamental to our hearts, and that is the remembrance of Allah. The biggest obstacle to our peace is the sins we do. When we are stressed/anxious, we turn to other than Allah to soothe it. Perhaps in music? As the scholars would say, the voice of Shaitan, influencing your thoughts? If you’re listening to music, I swear by Allah, your mood will swing with whatever you are listening to. So limit/cut the music, and focus on clarity, perhaps through the listening of lectures, quran, dhikr, etc. Perhaps its the social media? The constant bombardment at your fingertips of this, that, and everything else. If it’s always making you feel a certain way, cut the social media. Log off, delete the app, take action before addiction starts to take over you. Whatever it is that triggers it, be conscious of it, and take action before the inaction eats at your anxiety.
Closing Statement
Whatever you are going through brothers and sisters, remember this world is always temporary. It was never meant to last and so are the problems that come with it. They won’t always last forever. We are just here for a brief moment, this dunya, maybe 50,60,70, if we are lucky, 80 years? Compared to the infinity of the life to come? It’s not worth it. Sure live it, no one is saying you can’t have a good life, but don’t be so attached to it, because with attachment will come its problems. Keep your eyes on the prize, trust in your Lord, who is in control of every affair. As he S.W.T says “With Him are the keys of the unseen—no one knows them except Him. And He knows what is in the land and sea. Not even a leaf falls without His knowledge, nor a grain in the darkness of the earth or anything—green or dry—but is ˹written˺ in a perfect Record.”(Quran 6:59). Most importantly remember, this will all be worth it, the anxiety, the depression, on that day, when you will see the reward for your patience. As I conclude with what the prophet Muhammad(PBUH) said, as narrated by
Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The most privileged people in the world among the people of Hellfire will come on the Day of Resurrection to be dipped in Hellfire, then it will be said: O son of Adam, did you see any good? Did you get any blessing? He will say: No, by Allah, my Lord! Then, the most miserable people in the world among the people of Paradise will come on the Day of Resurrection to be dipped in Paradise, then it will be said: O son of Adam, did you see any hardship? Did you have any distress? He will say: No, by Allah, my Lord! I did not once see hardship or distress.”(Muslim 2807)