For some of us, life have become too busy for us to 'live' any more. It is too easy to get lost, to feel dead, yet, carry on with our daily duties as if nothing has happened. We don't have have time to step back and think about what is going wrong, because stepping back would mean falling back on schedule. Eventually, we become so tired that we lose focus. We forget why we do what we do - uni, work, Islamic events, friends, family etc - everything becomes just another point to tick off from a to-do list. We fall short on building our relationship with Allah (swt), then we start to feel guilty, then we just forget about it all because we don't have time to think! Our faith becomes a roller-coaster, and we begin to feel nauseous in the emotional up and down.
At times like this, it is extremely easy to fall into the worst trap of Shaitaan - losing hope in Allah. This is what happens: We become busy. --> The quality of our worship lessens. --> Our relationship with Allah becomes weak. --> Our gratefulness decreases --> Baraqah decreases --> We feel like Allah is not helping us. --> We lose hope.
Once we lose hope, that is it. From there, it becomes very easy to spiral down to being the worst person in each of us. Each individual knows their worst moments and it is different from everyone. But, we get there when we lose hope. When we feel like there is no way that Allah will accept us now.
However, we do not think about the implications of our thoughts. When we 'lose hope', what we are essentially doing is putting a limit on Allah's abilities. Who are we to decide who Allah will forgive? Who are we to think that we know ourselves better than the Being who knows every cell in our body, every speck of our thoughts, every moment of our future?
As someone once said - when you fall to the bottom of the ocean, you have two choices: you can either remain there and possibly sink further, or, you can gather pearls and swim back up again.
Here are THREE suggestions on how we can swim back up when we hit the rock bottom of faith:
- Make dua - there is no alternative to this. Allah is the only one that can help you fight against Shaitaan. You are NOT strong enough to do it yourself, so, ask for help. Shamelessly.
- Be honest to yourself.
- Regularly purify your intentions - this is probably the hardest thing to do. How do you quantify your sincerity? If you cannot, how can you purify it? The best way that I find is to just talk. Just talk to Allah and yourself. Say what you want to get out of an action OUT LOUD, and ask Allah for help. Visualise your heart becoming clean. Visualise Jannah.
- Think about and write down all the times that Allah (swt) pulled you out from a difficult situation. If He has done it all those times, He will do it again inshaAllah.
- Take active steps in renewing your relationship - start reading the Quran again, ponder over the words, start doing dhikr again, bring back khushu in your prayers. These need to be done simultaneously with the dua and reflection. Only when YOU try to align your internal and external self, would you be able to do so.
I hope this helps you and myself. May Allah help each of us on our way back to Him.
