Quran and Sunnah reduce Sadness, a coping strategy
Sadness and anxiety are a part of this life. Sadness and anxiety are natural emotions that Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ‘ala created in us. Everyone experiences these feelings and a certain degree of worry and anxiety exists in every single one of us.It’s completely normal.
Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ‘ala created a wide range of emotions and we will all experience these emotions, even the prophets, peace and blessings be upon them all, experienced sadness and anxiety.
We all know that Prophet Ya ‘qub, Aleyhi Salam, was so sad when he was separated from his son Yusuf. So sad that he cried so much that he lost his life. lost his eyesight, SubhanAllah.
SubhanAllah. We even know that our beloved Prophet, Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, experienced sadness in his life. There was even a period of time in his life called, the year or the time of sadness. And when experiencing times of distress, we have to remember that yes, Allah did tell us, he gave us the heads up and told us that we were going to be tested.
But guess what? At the same time, he said, Allah ﷻ will not burden a soul more than it can bear. So know that you are strong, and that Allah ﷻ is telling us that we can overcome whatever challenges come our way.
And that the fact is, is that we’re given these challenges because he knows we’re strong enough to handle them. And oftentimes, we underestimate our abilities. But Allah ﷻ knows how resilient and strong he created us.
Sometimes our sadness is not for things that affect us directly but it could be because of the pain of the ummah. We Muslims are like one body. There is a hadith,
الْمُسْلِمُونَ كَرَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ إِنِ اشْتَكَى عَيْنُهُ اشْتَكَى كُلُّهُ وَإِنِ اشْتَكَى رَأْسُهُ اشْتَكَى كُلُّهُ ” .
Muslims are like one body of a person; if the eye is sore, the whole body aches, and if the head aches, the whole body aches.(Sahih Muslim 2586d)
So if we feel the pain of our muslim brothers and sisters, it is a sign of our Imaan.
1.Have Sabr, Life is a test
Allah says in Quran,
You ˹believers˺ willsurelybetestedin your wealth and yourselves, and you will certainly hear many hurtful words from those who were given the Scripture before you and ˹from˺ the polytheists. But if you are patient and mindful ˹of Allah˺—surelythis is a resolve to aspire to.
-Ali Imran 3:186
So the first thing required from us is Sabr and the need to be mindful to Allah. It is only Allah who can bring relief. All matters are in hands of Allah and this life is just a matter of test.
Allah swt says in Qur’an surah Baqarah-
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—2:155
2. Abundant Astaghfar
The second thing we all can do is abundant Astaghfar
A man complained to Al-Hasan about a drought, and he said to him: “Pray to Allah for forgiveness.”Another man complained to him of poverty and he said to him: “Pray to Allah to forgive you.”Another man said to him: “Pray to Allah to bless me with a child.” He said: “Pray to Allah for forgiveness.”Another complained to him that his garden was dry. He said to him: “Pray to Allah for forgiveness.”
He was asked about it and he said: “This is not my personal opinion, for Allah says in Surah Nooh (interpretation of the meaning): ‘Ask forgiveness from your Lord, verily, He is Oft Forgiving; He will send rain to you in abundance. And give you increase in wealth and children, and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers.” Tafseer Al-Qurtubi (18/301–302)
The following are the verses of Surah Nuh from the Noble Quran.
And said, ‘Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver.
3. Increase recitation of Qur’an
Quran has many stories of the people of past and we see the same things repeated in our times. For example I can personally relate whatever happening in Gaza to the story of people of ditch . The king tried to remove the iman from the boy and he ended up the whole village becoming Muslim. And when the whole community became Muslim, they were put to test by being thrown into ditch of burning fire. They all died in this world but in reality the shaheed enjoy the best provision with their lord.
When we listen to Quran and contemplate, we will find many stories, many verses of hope and many verses of glad tidings.
4. Make Abundant Dua
Allah ﷻ has the perfect knowledge, the perfect wisdom, the perfect mercy, the perfect justice. And any and every aspect of all of there and what and Allah ﷻ is all powerful. Dua is a very powerful tool. Read abundand of Darood and make dua in times of tahajjud for the Ummah.
May Allah help us all.
.
