The storm comes in many phases in life: anxiety, stress, pain, disaster, relational problems, abuse, and much more. The storm is the chaos that is found in our lives, almost breaking us apart. We try to hold onto the closest thing we have but the hurricane almost sweeps us off of our feet.
Yes, we all need something to hold onto in times of struggle. What makes people differ is how they hold onto it and what they hold onto. With so much darkness ahead of you, it’s almost natural to hold onto the closest thing even if it might not be healthy for you. You might hold onto grudges…you might hold onto abuse…you might hold onto neglect…but did you ever think about eye of the storm?
That is, have you ever thought about finding your center? In the midst of chaos, where will you run? Will the wind fling objects at you dangerously, or can you find a peace within?
When we are suffering the most pain and struggling the most many people latch onto what is right in front of them. In such pain, what else should we do? There is an answer for that. And that is patience.
“O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.” (Qu’ran 2:153)
Calamities tend to come to our lives much. "If Allah wants to do good to somebody, He afflicts him with trials." –Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
This is almost counterintuitive. As humans, we desire the immediate pleasure and sometimes can hardly stand major problems in our lives. We complain about the smallest things; but did we ever once stop to think that maybe…just maybe…this is all good for me?
The storm may threaten to break you apart, but the key to finding peace is seeking help through patience and prayer. Those who can find peace in the most chaotic of storms are those “who, when calamity befalls them, say, "Verily, unto God do we belong and, verily, unto Him we shall return." (Qu’ran 2:156)
When life gets the best of you, you might brought down to your knees. But don’t use that moment as an opportunity to despair. Use that moment to further bow down, prostrating towards Allah in help.
Even when people try to destroy, beat you, and abuse you, you don’t let yourself fall face-down except only to praise the Almighty and complain to him alone. Ibn Mas`ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I can see the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) look like one of the Prophets of Allah whose people beat and made him bleed while he was wiping the blood from his face and supplicating: "O Allah, forgive my people because they know not.''
You may shed tears, be drenched with sweat, and have blood on your face from the abuse of others but in order to reach the serenity inside the storm everywhere around you, follow the example of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). In such extreme cases where he was beat he still didn’t let it get to him; no! Instead he turned to Allah and asked forgiveness on his abusers’ behalf!!
How can someone find peace in the midst of such chaos? Someone who is not shaken by calamity except that he turns to Allah can do that. You mustn’t let the external problems of life destroy the internal peace of life. Use that opportunity to beg for help from Allah and complain to Him alone.
When Zakariyya was suffering the affliction of not being able to bear children, he didn’t despair; he desperately called on Allah alone. He said: “O My Lord! Do not leave me alone (without progeny), and you are the best of inheritors.” (Qu’ran Surah al-Anbiya:89)
When Ayyub experienced trials by his family and wealth being taken away to the point he suffered a disease, he said: “O My Lord! Verily, some harm has afflicted me, and You are the Most Merciful of all those who are merciful.” (Qu’ran Surah al-Anbiya:83)
When Yaqub (Jacob) was tried by his sons Yusuf (Joseph) and Ben Yamin (Benjamin) being taken away, he literally complained to Allah alone, saying: “Verily, I only complain of my grief and sorrow to Allah!” (Qu’ran Surah Yusuf:86)
When you are moved to such an extent you turn whole-heartedly to Allah, that’s when you have succeeded. If you, on the other hand, turn to hypocrisy, grabbing whatever is in front of you even if it’s bad, you have failed. Don’t let the dismay get to you, but complain to Allah alone.
‘The greater reward is with the greater trial or the greater the trial or difficulty of test or hardship is then the greater the reward. And when Allah loves a person He will tests them. So he who will be pleased and then He will be pleased. He who is displeased, then He will be displeased.’(Sahaba’s name not clear) ‘The people as long as they are in good health, good shape, good condition they are covered. You don’t know their true character because they are in good situation, they are in good circumstance. As long as they are in a good circumstances they are covered. But if a trial or difficulty or a hardship comes upon them, then you will see their reality. They will go to their reality. The Mu’min will run to his Imaan, the Mu’min will run to his belief, the believer will run to his belief, his Imaan and the hypocrite will run to his hypocrisy, and the hypocrite will run to his hypocrisy. “Without being shaken, you don’t not know what comes to the top and what goes to the bottom. Without being shaken you don’t know a man from those who are faking; you won’t know women from those who are faking. You won’t know those who truly believe from those who don’t. Those who make a claim on their tongue and is not really in their hearts and from their limbs from those who are willing to die for this matter. This can only be shown by trials, the tribulations and tests and difficulties.” –Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
When you are at your lowest, where will you turn? Once you begin running to Allah when you are at your lowest, you will have reached the eye of the storm. You will see chaos all around you, but there will be a miracle within you. And that is that you will find complete peace on the inside despite the turmoil on the inside. The wind of the tornado will slice and destroy all around you, but you are in the funnel within, in the pupil of the twister, in the eye of the storm. Then all you have to do is be patient and wait for the pupil to dilate, until the storm magically vanishes. That’s when you have succeeded.
Turn to Allah always, in prosperity and hardship. In your most painful times, it might seem difficult at that moment to look at the glass half-full, but if you turn to your Lord, you will find complete serenity. And that’s what distinguishes a believer from a hypocrite.
“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you - when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided.” (Qu’ran 3:103)