This blog was originally uploaded on the previous version of the www.sajidumar.com website on March 3, 2019.
A summary of a more detailed lecture delivered at the Kensington Prayer Facility in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Introduction
As human beings, the unknown and the things beyond our control often distress us. This is because Allāh subḥānahu wa-taʿālā has created us with an inherently anxious nature.
As the Qurʾān states:
“Indeed, mankind was created anxious.” [70:19]
Everyone experiences stress for different reasons, the loss of a loved one, prolonged illness, or financial hardship. Some people, however, are created with a naturally anxious temperament, making them more prone to stress than others. This is a physical reality, a part of their creation.
We know that the Prophet ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam endured deep stress when his people rejected his message. Allāh subḥānahu wa-taʿālā, knowing the emotional weight this carried and its impact on the Prophet, revealed:
“And perhaps you will kill yourself (with grief) if they do not believe in this message, out of sorrow.” [18:6]
Even though stress is a creation of Allāh subḥānahu wa-taʿālā, He has not created a sickness without also providing its cure. Thus, while physical stress may require medical intervention, here we will focus on ten Islamic ways to manage circumstantial stress.
1. Mental Coaching
Allāh subḥānahu wa-taʿālā says:
“Allāh does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear.” [2:286]
He will never give us responsibilities we cannot handle. Just as the Prophet ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam and his companions endured hardship as a minority, yet persisted with trust in Allāh until He granted them victory, we too must train ourselves with this conviction.
Remind yourself: If Allāh brought me to it, He will surely take me through it.
2. No Such Thing as Complete Evil
As Muslims, we believe both good and bad fate come from Allāh. Yet, what appears “evil” is only relative.
For example: a hailstorm may damage your car, but for a struggling windscreen repairer making duʿāʾ for Ḥajj, it could be a blessing.
The Prophet ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam said:
“If something bad happens, then bear it with patience and that is good for you; and if something good happens, then be thankful and that is good for you.” [Muslim]
Every trial is an opportunity to worship Allāh, a win-win situation. Whatever you lose, you still have Jannah.
3. Underlying Wisdom
We see only a pixel of the greater picture, which lies with Allāh subḥānahu wa-taʿālā.
Take the story of Yūsuf ʿalayhi al-salām: thrown into a well, enslaved, imprisoned, yet each step led to him becoming a minister who saved millions during famine. Subḥān Allāh, had he not been in the well, he would not have been in power fifty years later.
Trust that Allāh will reveal the wisdom of your trials in due time.
4. Morning and Evening Adhkār
The daily adhkār are a shield against stress, yet often neglected. Easily accessible today through apps like Hisnul Muslim, they should be recited:
- From Fajr until midday
- From ʿAṣr until Maghrib
Examples include:
“In the name of Allāh, with whose name nothing can harm on earth or in heaven, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.”
And:
“O Allāh, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief, incapacity and laziness, stinginess and cowardice, the burden of debt, and from being overpowered by men.”
Duʿāʾ is the weapon of the believer and should be our first line of defence.
5. Istighfār (Seeking Forgiveness)
The Prophet ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam said:
“Whoever continually seeks forgiveness, Allāh will appoint for him a way out of every distress, a relief from every anxiety, and provide for him from where he never expected.” [Abū Dāwūd]
Sins block mercy. Active, sincere istighfār unblocks it, opening the doors of relief and blessings.
6. Ṣalāh (Prayer)
Whenever worry overcame him, the Prophet ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam would turn to prayer.
Allāh subḥānahu wa-taʿālā says:
“We know that what they say grieves you. So glorify your Lord with praise, be among those who prostrate, and worship until certainty comes.” [15:97–98]
He described prayer as “the coolness of my eyes.” What, then, is the state of our own prayers?
7. Reflecting on the Qurʾān
Ibn al-Qayyim raḥimahu Allāh narrated that his teacher, Ibn Taymiyyah raḥimahu Allāh, would recite verses of Jannah whenever worried.
As Ḥasan al-Baṣrī raḥimahu Allāh said:
“Seek happiness in three things: prayer, remembrance of Allāh, and recitation of the Qurʾān. If you do not find it there, you will not find it anywhere.”
8. Take the Means
True tawakkul is to tie your camel and then trust in Allāh.
Change your environment if it causes stress. Do what you can physically, then leave the outcome to Allāh.
9. Avoid “If Only” Thinking
The Prophet ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam said:
“Do your best in what benefits you, seek Allāh’s help, and do not feel incapable. If something afflicts you, do not say, ‘If only I had done this.’ Instead say, ‘Allāh decreed it, and what He decreed has come to pass.’”
Dwelling on “if only” feeds shayṭān and deepens stress.
10. Be Proactive, Not Reactive
Even Allāh has been spoken about unjustly by people. No one is safe from tongues. Do not let others “walk through your head with their dirty feet.”
Guard your time: never let important tasks become urgent. Urgency breeds stress, stress reduces quality, and poor quality reduces reward.
Pray ʿAṣr at its start and you will pray with calm; delay it and you rush with stress.
Conclusion
May Allāh subḥānahu wa-taʿālā forgive our past sins, inspire our future, and shower us with mercy. May He remove our difficulties and stressors, and guide us to live by the Qurʾān and Sunnah in all circumstances. Āmīn.
Your brother
Sajid Umar
Location: 'somewhere en route to the hereafter'
26/06/1440 (AH) - 03/03/2019
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