بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم

Seven Ways to Find Solace in Times of Distress

October 7, 2023, and the following days have shaken the world, and continue to do so. With each passing minute, with each new death, and inexplicable suffering increasing, the world watches. Some with tears, some with loud cries, and many, silently. 
This isn’t a post about the details of what happened and is happening or who has the right to defend themselves (is this even up for discussion?) or who do we “condemn” —this is about how to feel connected and how to find some sort of solace when everything is a nightmare. 

But first, something I know many of us want to shout out, a shocked proclamation appealing to humanity. 

You don’t have to pick a side, or be Muslim, but be human!

How can anyone with a shred of empathy see the horrors unfolding in front of their very eyes, through posts and reels as if from a movie of dystopian destruction, turn a blind eye?
It’s distressing seeing the cold-hearted lies spewing forth, the collective efforts to dehumanize and justify. It’s depressing seeing the words of Malcolm X echo true,  “If you are not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.” 

And this is when the following ayah from Surah Al-Ma’idah, sinks in:

وَحَسِبُوٓا۟ أَلَّا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌۭ فَعَمُوا۟ وَصَمُّوا۟ ثُمَّ تَابَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ ثُمَّ عَمُوا۟ وَصَمُّوا۟ كَثِيرٌۭ مِّنْهُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرٌۢ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ ٥:٧١

They thought there would be no consequences, so they turned a blind eye and a deaf ear. Yet Allah turned to them in forgiveness [after their repentance], but again many became blind and deaf. And Allah is All-Seeing of what they do. (5:71)

Here is a brief explanation of the verse, from Ma’ariful Quran. Read it, and know that this has happened again and again and again. 

Commentary

This is an account of how the Bani Isra’il kept breaking the pledge taken from them. As said in verse 70, whenever their Messenger brought a command which did not suit their fancy, they would break their pledge and go about betraying Allah to the limit that they would falsify His Messengers, even kill some of them. They were commanded ` to believe in Allah and act righteously.’ But, this was what they did in response. As for the other part of the command – ` Belief in the Last Day’ their behavior was equally reckless. After having committed acts so oppressive, they became totally carefree as if they would not have to pay for what they had done and as if the consequences of their injustice and rebellion would never come out in the open. Under this false impression, they became totally blind and deaf to Divine signs and words. They went on doing what should have not been done. So much so that they killed some prophets and put some others behind bars. Finally, Almighty Allah imposed on them the mastery of Nebuchadnezzar (King of Babylonia, 605-562 B.C., who took them as slaves to Babylon – Old Testament, book of Daniel). When, after a long time, they were sent back to Jerusalem from Babylon with help from some Persian kings who secured their release from disgrace under Nebuchadnezzar, they repented and turned to make amends. Allah relented and accepted their repentance. But, with the passage of some time, they went back to their old practices which made them so blind and deaf once again that they dared kill Sayyidna Zakariyah (علیہ السلام) (Zechariah) and Sayyidna Yahya (John) and were all set to kill Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) (Jesus ). 

This is literally happening again, but this time, Allah has made their savagery and their oppression come to light. Those with a heart and a moral compass see the truth and are shaken. As for those who remain silent, or defensive or post videos mocking the pain of others, your heart may beat but we question if it lives. This world is temporary. And oh, murderers of any innocent soul, perhaps you may feel powerful and (nau’zubillah) God-like, when with the touch of a button, innocents are killed, but remember you do not own life. Death was already decreed. You do not even own your life. You can sit in luxury, surround yourself with walls, climb the highest tower, and lock all your doors — but your life can be stolen just as easily as the life you stole.

In the meantime, what can we, those whose hearts feel crushed, those who teeter on the edge of helplessness and despondency do?

First and foremost, 

1. Don’t feel helpless. Don’t feel despondent. 

How can we, who are scrolling through the terror from the comfort of our bed feel this way when those who are sleeping to the sounds of bombs and waking up to destruction and crawling out of rubble have only حسبناالله و نعم الوكيل on their tongues?
It comes in a hadith that the Prophet (SAW) has said, “When you hear a man saying, People are destroyed, then he has destroyed them.”

 عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ‏:‏ إِذَا سَمِعْتَ الرَّجُلَ يَقُولُ‏:‏ هَلَكَ النَّاسُ، فَهُوَ أَهْلَكُهُمْ‏.‏

Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When you hear a man saying, ‘People are destroyed,’ then he has destroyed them.” (Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 759)

Why do you think this is such? Why is this person responsible? Because those words he utters spread despair and hopelessness and that can lead to defeat. So let’s shed our tears and anxiety in the comfort of duaa, but stand strong and choose our words wisely when speaking to the people.

2. Place your Trust in Allah.

The epitome of placing our trust in Allah SWT, lies in the words of 

  حسبناالله و نعم الوكيل 

“Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs.”

Ultimately, Allah SWT has power over everything. No good and no bad can come without the will of Allah SWT. As mentioned in Surah At-Taghbun, 

مَآ أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَمَن يُؤْمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ يَهْدِ قَلْبَهُۥ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌۭ (٦٤:١١)

No calamity befalls ˹anyone˺ except by Allah’s Will. And whoever has faith in Allah, He will ˹rightly˺ guide their hearts ˹through adversity˺. And Allah has ˹perfect˺ knowledge of all things. (64:11)

There are numerous Quranic verses and ahadith that reassure and give solace. Recite, reflect, and resign yourself to the will of Allah. After all, 

فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا(٩٤:٥)

So, surely with hardship comes ease. (94:5)

3. Dua

As mentioned before, there is no one greater to turn to than Allah SWT. And nothing is impossible for Allah SWT, nobody loves and knows you more than Allah SWT,  so pour out your heart in dua. 

“عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ “‏ مَا دَعْوَةٌ أَسْرَعَ إِجَابَةً مِنْ دَعْوَةِ غَائِبٍ لِغَائِبٍ ‏”

‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: “No supplication is more readily responded to, than the supplication made for someone absent. (Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1980)

Yaqeen Institute has a great article written with different duas that can be recited, here; https://yaqeeninstitute.org/read/paper/duas-for-relief-and-protection

4. Donate

Donate with a sincere intention to please Allah SWT and aid those in need. One, from many of the virtues of giving charity is;

وَعَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «بَادِرُوا بِالصَّدَقَةِ فَإِنَّ الْبَلَاءَ لَا يَتَخَطَّاهَا»

Ali (RAD) reported Allah’s Messenger (SAW) as saying, “Give sadaqa without delay, for it stands in the way of calamity.” (Mishkat al-Masabih 1887)

5. Increase in acts of worship. 

، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ أَنَّهُ قَالَ ‏ “‏ عِظَمُ الْجَزَاءِ مَعَ عِظَمِ الْبَلاَءِ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ إِذَا أَحَبَّ قَوْمًا ابْتَلاَهُمْ فَمَنْ رَضِيَ فَلَهُ الرِّضَا وَمَنْ سَخِطَ فَلَهُ السُّخْطُ ‏”‏ 

It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, “the greatest reward comes with the greatest trial. When Allah loves a people He tests them. Whoever accepts that, wins His pleasure but whoever is discontent with that earns His wrath. (Sunan Ibn Majah 4031)

Have you always wanted to wake up for tahajud? This is your chance, your motivation to cry out to Allah in the silence of the night.
Have you wanted to instill a routine of a page of Quran every day? Instead of agonizing at the images on your phone, take the time to read the Quran as a means of sadqah-jariya for those who have passed away.  
Have the masajid been empty? This is the chance to encourage our fathers, brothers, and sons that just as they march for justice, fill the masajid too. And just as we fill the streets with shouts of “Free Palestine”, let’s fill our homes with the melody of zikr. And, inshaAllah, through our good actions, Allah’s Mercy will descend upon our suffering Muslim brothers and sisters. 

وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَـٰحِهَا وَٱدْعُوهُ خَوْفًۭا وَطَمَعًا ۚ إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ ٥٦: ٧

Do not spread corruption in the land after it has been set in order. And call upon Him with hope and fear. Indeed, Allah’s mercy is always close to the good-doers. (7:56)

6. Educate yourself

We cannot fight ignorance with ignorance. 
Unfortunately, as generations live and die, our glorious Islamic history, starting wayyy back, from the very first man on Earth, Adam AS, becomes lost in the shadows of Hollywood, social media, Instagram and tiktok videos.
If there ever was a wake-up call to learn about your roots, it is now. What is Masjidul Aqsa? Why is it so important? Is the tyranny that we see now, something new or something that has been going on for decades?
What about Muslims around the globe? Their bloodied bodies may not be on social media, but are they okay? 
I’ll be the first one to say, I am ashamed of my ignorance but I have made the intention to change that, inshaAllah.
Be it history, Arabic, tafseer of the Quran, seerah of the Prophet SAW, stories of the Sahaba RAD, learn. 

7. Spread awareness

All it takes is a swipe of our finger. Share the news, the updates, the death tolls. 
There are people walking who do not know and do not want to know what is going on in Palestine right now. They say, it’s complex (when it really isn’t) and turn away. 
So keep spreading awareness —it matters, even if you stir the empathy in the heart of just one person, it matters.
If after seeing the resilience and the faith of the Palestinians, it guides someone to opening and reading the pages of the Holy Quran, if it stirs the question of how are they so strong? Who do they believe in? Then, those few minutes you took to share and post are worth it.  
Alhamdulilah. 

May Allah SWT forgive us, guide us, keep us steadfast, and help the oppressed.