January 16
Haseeba Hussain
Have you ever read a book that presented a new message to you each time you opened it? No matter how often you revisit the pages, there is a new lesson learned, a fresh takeaway to reflect on. The Quran is like that. You can read it over and over again, and each time, a new verse hits you—or an old verse affects you in a new way.
There have been moments in the past where I was uncertain of the future, very frightened at what was to come. Am I prepared? How will I handle it? Am I good enough? The thoughts swirled around in my head over and over, and they kept me awake at night. There was technically no way to know the answer to these questions until I was in the thick of the future situation, and obviously by then it would be too late. These are the types of lows for which the Quran can be a perfect remedy. It was at these moments that I found immense solace in the verses God revealed.
Below are just six instances from the second chapter of the Quran alone in which God provides much comfort to those individuals who may be facing a hardship.
“O you who believe, seek help through patience and prayer. Surely, Allah is with those who are patient.” (Q. 2:153)
In the above verse, patience is the character trait that is highly emphasized. In many places in the Quran, Allah tells mankind to practice patience, for life is full of ups and downs. The underlying theme here is that the difficulty will pass over, and patience while turning to God will help an individual to get through it.
“And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient, who, when disaster strikes them, say, ‘Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.’ Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.” (Q. 2:155-157).
Here again, we see the theme of patience come up. This set of verses highlights this life is only a temporary realm, and it is supposed to contain difficulty. The true, everlasting peace is with God in the afterlife for those who spent their lives following His commands. This verse becomes especially relevant at the time of a person’s death. When hearing of someone’s passing, a Muslim responds with quoting the above verse by saying, “Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.”
“Allah intends (to provide) ease for you and does not intend (to create) hardship for you.” (Q. 2:185)
This verse above is one of the most beautiful to come across in the thick of difficulty. It always makes me feel like God is consoling me, telling me that whatever this trial is, it is coming from Him only to make me a better person and strengthen my trust in His divine will.
“When My servants ask you about Me, then (tell them that) I am near…” (Q. 2:186)
When reading the above verse, I am always reminded that Allah is close to me. If I ever feel distant from Him during a trial, it is due to my own running away and negligence. He is close, His help is close. All we need to do to unpack it is supplicate to Him with all our heart. It is a beautiful and intimate relationship that ever person has the potential to tap into.
“It could be that you dislike something, when it is good for you; and it could be that you like something when it is bad for you. Allah knows, and you do not know.” (Q 2:216)
This verse makes me think of something my parents would tell me—they know what is best. At the time, I simply will not see eye to eye with them, but in retrospect, they are always right. Things happen in life that you just cannot understand—some things do not work out even though on paper they make so much sense. A marriage, an admission to a school, or a job offer can all fall through the cracks. It is at this point that a Muslim is expected to understand this occurrence is from Allah, and even though we do not understand it or we do not like it, He knows best.
“Allah does not charge a soul except (with that within) its capacity.” (Q. 2:286)
This verse comes in the last part of chapter two of the Quran. It is a part of a set of verses that many Muslims commit to their memories because it is full of important reminders, like the one above. Whenever I read this, it reminds me that God knows me better than myself. I may not know if I can get over this hump in front of me, but the sheer fact that I am facing it means I can get through it because it was sent from God, and He promises in the verse above that He only tests a soul to its capacity. I have always seen this verse as basically a guarantee that I will make it through. It is a very comforting realization to come to, and it is coming straight from God.