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“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” - Viktor E. Frankl, psychologist.
If we look in the Quran at the stories of some of the messengers, such as Job, Noah, Abraham, Jonah, and Lot, we can see examples of how these people responded to the trials and the joys in their lives. Sura 21, the Prophets, recounts many of those stories. 21:25 says We did not send any messenger before you except with the inspiration: “There is no god except Me; you shall worship Me alone.”
They knew, just as we know, that God is in full control of everything (4:126, 55:29). Moses and Aaron faced dangerous challenges when they went to Pharaoh (26:10-29), but they went. Abraham had to confront not only his father but his whole community. He broke their statues and faced their wrath (21:51-70). But even when they threatened to throw him in the fire, his response was “I am going to my Lord; He will guide me.” (37:99).
Lot faced wicked depraved people and stood up to them (21:74-5). Noah in the face of evil exhorted his people to turn to God (71:1-9). Job was beset with hardship (38:41), yet he never wavered in his devotion to God. Jonah was so afraid of his mission that he abandoned it. But in the end, he knew that he could not escape from God and he repented and was saved (21:87-88; 37:139-148).
David and Solomon represent those who were given vast resources and special talents (21:78-82). Their response to these gifts was to worship God alone and to be appreciative of His blessings to them (38:30-40).
All of these messengers knew the most important thing : [21:92] Your congregation is but one congregation, and I alone am your Lord;
you shall worship Me alone.
God is the One who provides for us and protects us, no matter what situation we may be in. We need to turn to God, use that moment between “stimulus” and (our) “response” to recognize that God is in control.
[20:98] Your only god is GOD; the One beside whom there is no other god. His knowledge encompasses all things.
“There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception.” ― Aldous Huxley
“Reject your sense of injury and the injury itself disappears.” ― Marcus Aurelius
“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” ― Oprah Winfrey
“What we see depends mainly on what we look for.” ― John Lubbock
Our perspective on a given situation will greatly color our response to it. The good news is, with God’s help we can learn to change how we think about a situation. This, in turn can improve our response. Psychologists call this exercising cognitive change with the goal of helping regulate your emotions (Gross 2001). For example, suppose you’re walking down a grocery store aisle, and someone makes a face at you. You can let yourself get upset. Or you can wave it off by thinking, “perhaps they’re not feeling well.” Or, to adapt an example from Gross’ paper, if someone cuts you off in traffic—you can yell or retaliate. Or you can think, “Maybe they’re rushing to an interview or an emergency,” let them pass, and thank God for keeping you safe. If you let them pass you probably will feel a lot better about your response a few weeks from now (if you even remember this situation).
Let’s work through an exercise. You are shown a photo of a woman crying outside a masjid.
What would you think just happened—why is the woman crying? Some people feel sad because they think there has been a funeral and the woman is missing a family member. Now let’s “reframe” this scenario by considering instead that there has been a wedding and those are tears of joy. The point is we can often view the same situation in many meaningful ways. What appears to be a problem, can be a “blessing in disguise” (7:94-96). And it’s usually up to us and how we respond to the situation.
That means we can look at any situation, even a worldwide pandemic, in a number of ways. We can wallow in misery and negativity, seeing only the death and destruction. Or we can recognize God’s hand in it, knowing that if we steadfastly persevere, God will bring us through. We can “reframe” the situation in the light of God and the Quran and choose a better, more positive response to it.
God gives us many positives in the Quran to look at.
[10:55] Absolutely, to GOD belongs everything in the heavens and the earth. Absolutely, GOD’s promise is truth, but most of them do not know. [10:56] He controls life and death, and to Him you will be returned. [10:57] O people, enlightenment has come to you herein from your Lord, and healing for anything that troubles your hearts, and guidance, and mercy for the believers. [10:58] Say, “With GOD’s grace and with His mercy they shall rejoice.” This is far better than any wealth they can accumulate.
[10:60] Does it ever occur to those who fabricate lies about GOD that they will have to face Him on the Day of Resurrection? Certainly, GOD showers the people with His grace, but most of them are unappreciative. [10:61] You do not get into any situation, nor do you recite any Quran, nor do you do anything, without us being witnesses thereof as you do it. Not even an atom’s weight is out of your Lord’s control, be it in the heavens or the earth. Nor is there anything smaller than an atom, or larger, that is not recorded in a profound record.
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