By
Lena Felton
Lena Felton is a multiplatform editor at The Lily.
Previously, she was a politics editorial fellow at the Atlantic.
Much like the Hunger Games, life is an arena filled with challenges, hurdles and people trying to take you out, and while we wish the odds to always be in our favour, sometimes it feels like they rarely are.
To navigate the world as a young Muslim, failures have an extra layer of disappointment that we so often put on ourselves and the source of this behaviour is important to discuss, but here, we would like only to share a simple and easily accessible remedy to help you get through your difficult day.
Before delving into these beautiful Ayat, it is important to underline that they are in no way or form a substitute for professional help. There is a difference between having a bad day and a mental issue. If you are truly struggling, know that Allah is there for you, and so is therapy in all its forms.
1- “God tasks no soul beyond its capacity.” (2:286) al-Bagarah
The last verse of the longest surah in the Quran is an empowering statement from Allah to his servants. When your deadlines are due, things at home are not good, your friends are not there for you and everything is falling apart and you are drenched and overwhelmed, recite this verse out loud.
Know you are strong, powerful and incredible, because with everything going south, you sense God’s belief in you, in your capability to overcome whatever you are put through.
Allah is literally telling you, you got this.
2- Whosoever does evil or wrongs himself, and then seeks forgiveness of God, he will find God Forgiving, Merciful. (4:110) al-Nisa
Mistakes are inevitable. You will make them.
No matter how mild or severe in nature they are, the aftermath of our mishaps has such a heavy negative load on our psychological well-being. This verse from surah number 4 of the Quran should be on a mental post-it in your mind whenever the light at the end
of the tunnel of life seems dimmed. The cathartic power of this verse is that it
recognizes that any evil we commit towards others is a wound we inflict on ourselves. The medicine is forgiveness, and what is more of a sign of pure love than to know that Allah’s doors are always open.
That light is never turned off.
3- And We will indeed test you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth, souls, and fruits; and give glad tidings to the patient— those who, when
affliction befalls them, say, “Truly we are God’s, and unto Him we return.” (2:156) Al-Bagarah
This verse is a reminder to never forget, no matter what is going on in your life, your final destination is Allah, and patience is the path towards arriving safely to that terminus. While most of us heard this verse during incredibly tumultuous times,
remember it when you get caught up in all the mundane little problems of your life and see how they become insignificant and unworthy of your attention and energy.
4- For truly with hardship comes ease! Truly with hardship comes ease! (94:5/6) Al-Sharh
When we are having a bad day, we tend to forget that it will be over at some point. This verse from Surah al-Sharh is a beautiful reminder of how intertwined the experience of distress with the relief of tranquillity. We can never really appreciate our good days without the countless bad ones. They inform each other and allow us to know deep down and in the thick of it that easing through is possible.
5- And your Lord has said, “Call upon Me, and I shall respond to you. (40:60) Ghafir
There aren’t many things that can lift your spirit after a dreadful day like a conversation with someone who loves you. Yet, even the ones who care most about us are often busy and tangled up in their own chaos. This verse is an extended invitation that is never revoked, retracted nor withheld. Allah is forever there, listening attentively to what you have to say, without any interruption.
Make the call, Allah will answer.
The Quran puts things into perspective and reminds us of the strength we possess, the blessings we have and the forgiveness we can attain and should practice. These verses are only the tip of the iceberg that is our miraculous healing book.
