How Do I Regain My Faith After Going Through Crises?
Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch
Question
I lost my parents during COVID, and now my mother-in-law has cancer. I’ve lost my zeal for prayer and feel overwhelmed by these crises. Why is this happening, and how can I regain my faith?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate
May Allah Most High make it easier for you to bear these difficulties and reward you immensely for your patience.
These tribulations are part of the nature of this life. Only in the Hereafter will one experience absolute bliss, and only in the Hereafter will we never have to part with our loved ones.
The Prophetic Example
It is in these moments that one should look to the life of the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) and reflect on the tribulations that he dealt with and how he did so.
In a very short gap of time, the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) lost
- his beloved wife of 24 years, Sayyida Khadija,
- his uncle who sacrificed so much to help him, Abu Talib,
- his uncle Hamza who was assassinated his body was mutilated
- his grandchild from his daughter Zaynab who died in his arms
- his son Ibrahim who died young
and many more.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) buried all of his children aside from his daughter Fatima (Allah be pleased with them all). [Amiri, Bahjat al-Mahafil]
Submission to Divine Decree
In all these scenarios, the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) cried and was sad; however, he maintained contentment with the Divine decree and taught us to do the same. [Ibid.]
When his grandchild passed away, he advised his daughter, Zaynab, saying, “To Allah belongs all that He takes, and to Him belongs all that He gives. Everything has its appointed time. Be patient and seek your reward with Allah.” [Ibid.]
During the death of his son, Ibrahim, the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) was asked why he was crying, and he said, “This is but mercy. The eye sheds tears and the heart is saddened, but we do not say except that which is pleasing to Allah.” [Ibid.]
Advice
Don’t be afraid to seek help from fellow Muslims in your community or even therapy from a professional. Going through the death of one family member is very heavy and difficult – you are dealing with that multiple times more.
Remember that since you are going through this, it is a sign that you are strong enough to bear it. This is because Allah (Most High) does not burden a soul except to the extent that it can bear. Turn to Allah (Most High) to give you strength and patience.
Lastly, this experience may give you the tools to help other Muslims who are going through similar difficulties. Perhaps, your experiences will help many other Muslims make it through these dark times.
Hope this helps
Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Shaykh Yusuf Weltch teaches Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he completed four years at the Darul Uloom Seminary in New York, where he studied Arabic and the traditional sciences.
He then traveled to Tarim, Yemen, where he studied for three years in Dar al-Mustafa under some of the most outstanding scholars of our time, including Habib Umar Bin Hafiz, Habib Kadhim al-Saqqaf, and Shaykh Umar al-Khatib.
In Tarim, Shaykh Yusuf completed the memorization of the Quran and studied beliefs, legal methodology, hadith methodology, Quranic exegesis, Islamic history, and several texts on spirituality. He joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.
