When life becomes, in terms of the human being, like a ship in a dark stormy night at sea, battered by violent waves, and fierce storms, sailing further and further away, without seeing any signs of life, or a way of being saved… The human being will be, during this phase, in the most intense state of feeling helpless, weak, and in need of a rescuing power that compensates his incapacity and weakness.

أَمَّنْ يُجِيبُ الْمُضْطَرَّ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَيَكْشِفُ السُّوءَ وَيَجْعَلُكُمْ خُلَفَاءَ الْأَرْضِ ۗ أَإِلَٰهٌ مَعَ اللَّهِ ۚ قَلِيلًا مَا تَذَكَّرُونَ

“He Who responds to the oppressed when they call on Him and removes their distress, and has appointed you as khulufaa (successors) on the earth. Is there another god besides Allah? How little you pay heed!”

(An-Naml, 27:62)

Under such harsh circumstances, dark roads, and substantial challenges, you find the Muslim the owner of the enlightened thought about existence, his origin, his purpose, and his fate. He is not confused about his affair, and despair does not seep into him, nor is he swept by torrents, or racked by winds … Allahu Akbar!

You see him when determined upon an issue, remembering the saying of the All-High:

وَمَنْ يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ

“Whoever puts his trust in Allah – He will be enough for him.”

(At-Talaq, 65:3)

And when the Storms intensify, and the volcanoes erupt, and the waves rise, and the wounds increase, he says,

إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ

“We belong to Allah and to Him we will return”

(Al-Baqara, 2:156)

and he becomes among,

أُولَٰئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ

“Those are the people who will have blessings and mercy from their Lord”

(Al-Baqara, 2:157)

And when the fierce storms change, suddenly, into beautiful and pleasant breezes, then the Muslim will feel Allah’s accompaniment, care for him, and His grace upon him, and he says:

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ

“Praise be to Allah”

So Allah’s saying about him will be realized:

لَئِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ

“If you are grateful, I will certainly give you increase”

(Ibrahim, 14:7)

Indeed, solely the Islamic creed answers mankind in a correct and definite way, about his existential questions. It gives him convincing answers in accordance with reality, and is based on evidence. Articulating about existence and the natural disposition is the most truthful of articulations.

This is what, makes mankind assert its authenticity, and believe in its truthfulness with deep-rooted emotions that he is a creation of a creator, emanating from the natural disposition. So the truthful thinking and the emotions emanating from the natural disposition merge together in the most fascinating and beautiful harmony, around the greatest of truths related to the existence of mankind, his origin, his fate, and the purpose of his presence in this life. Thus, mankind starts life with its good and bad with a confident soul, a firm footing, and a strong will. (This is so), even if he were in a strange environment and atmosphere that was hostile and harsh, like the situation currently is. You find him change the negative into something positive and a challenge to undertake. Hence, recalling the role of the noble Prophets, blessings be upon them who were always faced with these kind of circumstances and challenges. So he (the Muslim) rises to fix the universe, after the darkness of disbelief were established on it, and the moral values within were corrupted, and the systems have transgressed across it.

He proceeds while repeating the saying of Allah:

وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ قَوْلًا مِمَّنْ دَعَا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا وَقَالَ إِنَّنِي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ

“Who could say anything better than someone who summons to Allah and acts rightly and says, ‘I am one of the Muslims’?”

(Fussilat, 41:33)

And the saying of Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم:

بَدَأَ الإِسْلاَمُ غَرِيبًا وَسَيَعُودُ كَمَا بَدَأَ غَرِيبًا فَطُوبَى لِلْغُرَبَاءِ

“Islam began strange and will return as it began – strange – so toobaa (a type of tree in Paradise) for the strangers”

(Muslim)

You find him rejoicing with the victory when the people have despaired. His eyes always looking forward towards a promised Khilafah, or an outspread heaven. He proceeds and does not fear the blame of the blamer in the cause of Allah, while repeating: “If they placed the sun in my right hand, and the moon in my left hand, that I should leave this matter until Allah makes it apparent (and victorious), or I perish with it, I will not abandon it.”

Oh Allah, make us among those, and even more so!