Calm in the Face of Corona
A recent NYTimes article was published yesterday citing the rising purchase of guns in our nation due to the covid-19 pandemic. Our citizens are worried about supply chains breaking down and are vying to protect their homes from potential robberies and looting of supplies. While this is a testament to the fact that our system is broken and has done a poor job of protecting the most vulnerable among us, it also provides a lens into the anxiety and desperation that many of us are experiencing.
We may not be driving to the closest gun shop, but all of us are feeling a sense of unease due to the unknown. If we take some time to look inward and examine the state of our hearts, we may find that there are a few kinks that need to be fixed in regards to our relationship with Allah (swt).
When the Prophet Muhammad (sas) stopped receiving revelation for several months after the initial revelations came down, he was worried that Allah (swt) was displeased with him (sas). The first surah revealed after that period of silence and desperation was Surat ad-Duha which is roughly translated as the Morning Brightness. Allah swears by the most hopeful time of the day and the most restful time of the night that He, aza wa jal, has not forsaken His Prophet (sas). And then He reminds him, and by extension us, that the Hereafter is better for us than this life.
The surah continues by comforting the Prophet- “We will give you until you are satisfied. Did He not find you an orphan and give you refuge? Did He not find you lost and guided you? And He found you poor and made you self-sufficient?”
Imagine how comforting these words were to the Prophet (sas) after a long period of feeling isolated from his Lord. Imagine the sense of calmness that overwhelmed his heart knowing that whatever worst-case scenario that came to his mind was actually not true. In fact, quite the opposite turned out to be true.
Now think about the worst-case scenarios that have played out in our minds as we self-quarantine. And now think about the worst-case scenarios that have played out in our minds before this pandemic. Oftentimes the biggest enemy that needs to be subdued is our own anxiety. It hijacks us from rational thought, brings out the worst of our humanity, and produces within us a fight or flight response that we end up regretting later. In this time of uncertainty, however, Islam provides us with a sense of clarity and rational thinking. Why am I on this Earth? Why am I a breathing, living soul in this world? Why am I placed here in this specific time and in this specific place witnessing a calamity before my very eyes?
Reorienting our hearts to our divinely ordained purpose not only subdues our anxiety, it cuts through all the noise and distraction that fills up our headspace. We may have been heedless of our blessings and now we are aware of the clean water that enters our home, the shield of protection around our families, and the unwavering promise that Allah makes to us by saying that He is with us wherever we may be (57:4). And wouldn’t it be better for us to die in this state than in a state where we were neglectful of our blessings and heedless of our purpose here on Earth?
Remember, everything that Allah (swt) gives us and tests us with is a mercy from Him. Read the morning athkar with your children. Keep repeating this dua:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحُزْنِ ، وَ أعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ , وَ أعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْجُبْنِ وَ الْبُخْلِ , وَ أعُوذُ بِكَ مِن غَلَبَة الدَّيْن و قَهْر الْرِّجَالِ
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from grief and sadness, from weakness and from laziness, from miserliness and from cowardice, from being overcome by debt and overpowered by men (i.e. others).
Leave the worry behind. Ibn Ata’illah in his hikam wrote, “Save yourself from worry. Someone else already took care of your affairs for you.”
Everything that we will be asked about will have to do with the choices we make during times of ease and times of hardship. Even though Allah has taken away so many of our distractions, we can fill up this free time by saturating ourselves with the latest news, snapping at our kids, and feeling hopeless and desperate. At the end of the day, we won’t find ourselves any better than the way we were acting prior to this wake-up call.
The Prophet Muhammad (sas) reminds us to “keenly pursue what is of benefit to us,” (احرص على ما ينفعك). Let us fill our homes with a calm acceptance of Allah’s decree. Cultivating a hopeful spirit and a good opinion of Allah (swt) does not cost us anything. It will, however, bring a sense of tranquility into our homes and a resolve that whatever happens, Allah is watching and constantly caring for us. We know that this is a temporary abode and what we do during this time can elevate our levels with Allah.
Using this time to train our bodies and reorient our souls to how fleeting this life truly is can be a life-changing experience for all of us. So, instead of waiting impatiently for this time to end, guard it. Keenly pursue it and allow it to elevate you and your family. May Allah bring coolness to our homes and hearts as He brought coolness to Ibrahim (as) in the pit of the fire. Persevere and pray. The One who created this virus is the One who will also take it away. May Allah allow us to constantly perceive our lives through the right lens, strengthen and heal our hearts from our self inflicted viruses, and forgive us for our shortcomings.