The psychotherapeutic definition of resilience is the mental, emotional, and behavioural ability to adapt to adversity, stress, or trauma, allowing individuals to “bounce back” from difficult experiences.
It involves maintaining, or quickly returning to, a state of healthy functioning by using positive coping strategies, social support, and optimism to manage life’s challenges.
It is the Islamic perspective of resilience, rooted in Tawakkul, Sabr, Shukr, and Dhikr, which will keep strengthening you back to the Holy Quran and the Sunnah and spiritually elevate you to a place of ibaadah and emaan where you are not just simply praying the prayer, you are living the prayer.
It will elevate your practice of emaan to a level where you will begin to navigate life’s challenges not from a place of panic, but from a place of trust in Allah’s divine will and plan.
When you feel down and out, bounce back with resilience the Muslim way by leaning towards:
Tawakkul – by surrendering your fears to Allah and knowing that at no given time are you ever alone. Allah is always with you. Place your trust in Allah with faith. Trusting people before trusting Allah is not how we strengthen our Tawakkul. Trust Allah above anything and anyone.
Sabr – When you want to experience sabr in action, you’ll need to accept that Allah will first put you in a situation that is totally beyond your control and it’s going to feel frustrating but get this right! That’s exactly where sabr is practiced in action.
It is the act of acceptance that your frustration needs to be observed rather than expressed. When you observe your frustration with acceptance, you are choosing peace even when you know you have the capacity to be angry and irritated about the situation.
You are choosing to observe your frustration rather than act out your frustration. Observation empowers you and makes you experience resilience where you easily overcome slight hiccups of unplanned delays and detours that come your way.
Shukr (Gratitude) – people have an attitude of gratitude, what we normally lack is the practice of gratitude. There is literally kheir in every single thing in life. Even when there have been traumatic experiences in the past, be grateful that you are in this present moment safe and well.
And in times of disappointment , be grateful, give shukr for your self-awareness. Being aware of things or people who disappoint you is Allah’s way of showing you where you need to place boundaries in relationships.
And finally, the Dhikr of Allah – every situation in your life gives you an opportunity to take one of Allah’s 99 names. Some examples:
If you’re struggling with money – Ya Ar Razaak
If you’re struggling with depressive dark thoughts – Ya An-Nur
If you’re struggling with anxiety – Ya As Salaam
If you’re feeling stuck – Ya Fattah
A resilient Muslim is one prays their salah and also reflects on the quality of their tawakkul, sabr, shukr, and dhikr. Surrender your storm to Allah. This too shall pass, in shaa Allah.
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