Voice of British Muslim Women

Arfa Yassir, Swindon 

If we look around, and perhaps introspect, modern lives are built around comfort and convenience. The retail industry thrives on it, from beauty products to household essentials to devices; the consumer wants everything in their life hassle-free, and they are ready to pay for it. Why touch a button? Just say it, and Alexa or Siri should be on it straightaway! At workplaces, we see more and more people dressed casually, as it’s convenient and comfortable. As time progresses, the forces that push us beyond our comfort zones are steadily diminishing and the ease provided by modern life has created a whole mindset around it. 

Resilience, the strength to endure, adapt, and grow through life’s challenges, never thrives in ‘comfort zones’. 

The comfort zone, unless dealt with consciously, can be a force that hampers spiritual progress. For a Muslim, spiritual progress is not just important, it’s everything. 

In the Islamic way of life, the way out of the comfort zone and towards resilience is defined; when we prioritise fulfilling obligations towards God and His creation, there is a sense of purpose, a comfort of faith in God, and no ‘comfort zone’. Islamic principles are built around subduing the ego, conquering the selfish self, and practicing self-restraint, as these qualities help us gain the capability to forge a relationship with God Almighty. From offering five daily prayers on time to fasting, these pave the ground to reach higher levels of resilience, i.e. progressing through the challenges of life. Often, our non-Muslim friends or colleagues are extremely intrigued by the idea of fasting that we practice during the holy month of Ramadan. What they don’t know is that it is not just the fasting or staying hungry for a specific duration; it is a lifestyle Muslims grow up into or should grow up into. When we say Islam wants us to fulfil obligations towards God and His creation, it demands sacrifice—sacrifice of time, desires, comfort, and whatnot. It demands selflessness for the sake of God, which is not an easy one-day task; it is something that develops gradually over time. For a Muslim, stepping out of the comfort zone is not an option; it is necessary. Fasting, for instance, not only nurtures self-control and discipline but also makes the body resilient. 

Patience, fuelled by faith in God and His will, leads us to the path of resilience. If we look at the Arabic word صبر in broader terms and the way it is used in the Holy Qur’an, it does not mean being helpless and hopeless before the will of God; it means having a firm faith that whatever God has willed might be tough but has a reason, which we may not be able to comprehend now. This kind of patience cultivates resilience in our souls. 

The lives of the Prophets of God are manifestations of patience and resilience. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was the ultimate embodiment of resilience and perseverance. Anyone without unwavering faith in God would have given up the cause of Islam in the very first few years; but look at our beloved Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). He endured thirteen difficult years in Mecca and, furthermore, a life filled with struggles, personal losses, difficult and uncertain war fronts, life under constant threat from the enemies of Islam, and more, with unmatched patience and resilience which ultimately bore the fruit of the blessings of God and triumphs for Islam that we reap to this day. 

Such is the role model we must aspire to follow. Resilience that our faith helps us develop is not just for spiritual purposes; it is rather a broad-spectrum life skill which tremendously helps in various spheres of worldly life.