The Muslim Mindset: How To Turn Your Emotions To Positive Energy In Islam

It is very much easy for us to think about some situations that arose in our lives, that we never solicited for, that decided to vigorously send waves of disturbance to our stable lives and stubbornly stand to erase excitement from our lives, as indeed bad for us.

How can I control my negative emotions?

What if I say– they are in fact, tough tests that stood to differentiate the weak from the strong.

No matter how careful we are, there are some tests that are destined to come our way.

But!

The tough times that try to weaken our emotions and push us to vulnerability are not Lord over. They are just tests for us to reassess our strength and reaffirm who we are; come rain, come shine.

Hope we do not forget that, even in our pursuit of career growth, the higher the stage we aspire to reach, the tougher the exams we encounter.

So, why do we forget to embrace the hard knocks of life and rather use the knocks to create a new tune whose sound to our hearings is made sweeter than the ugly knocks at the beginning?

Nothing Good Comes Easy

The sumptuous meal you ate at THAT wedding party you attended, actually endured the blazing fire of a cooker, you know?

The meal cannot have that tantalizing taste you relished and the perfect mix could not have been achieved, if not for the needed steaming it got from the cooker.

So next time life brings fear to your heart, embrace it, understand where it is coming from, be truthful with yourself and deal with it in the right way for it to turn into confidence for you.

We All Learn As We Grow

If you ever feel inadequate, confirm your assertion. Then, improve in that area in your life that needs to be upgraded.

Remember, no one was born perfect. We all learn as we grow. Our exposures also differ. So, it is nothing to be ashamed of.

For me, I’ll rather keep learning good things till Allah calls me to the beyond, bi idhnillah.

Good things to aid the cause of Islam and to also help mankind!

How To Think Positive In Islam

We know that as humans, we slip sometimes out of forgetfulness, or maybe out of ignorance. Yet, it is certain that Allah is the all-Seer and all-Knower of what is in the heart of man.

1 – Turn Guilt Feelings Into Sincere Repentance

Allah also forgives sincere repentance. So, we should rather replace guilt with carefulness and steadfastness in our duties to Allah.

Sometimes, we become overwhelmed with responsibilities and feel like we can’t achieve success.

2 – Ask Allah For Help

Obviously, we weren’t created by ourselves.

Why then do we forget to call onto Allah to help us?

3 – Choose Good Friends Who Get You Closer To Islam

Also, we shouldn’t choose loneliness, if there are good company of friends with whom we can share our burdens and walk through life journey together with the light and guidance of Islam.

The life of our dear Prophet Muhammad {Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam} was decorated in togetherness with his companions who understood his journey and bought into his cause, sincerely.

Shockingly, in this life that we are now, there is a big rise in hypocrisy and desperation for quick wealth.

A number of people have been duped by supposed friends and some “supposed” upright individuals have become corrupt, due to offers of pleasure, wealth and affluence. It is understandable that being exposed to such kind of happenings for long can water down the strong zeal of a struggling Muslim.

Those kinds of happenings can bring about thoughts like:

“Life does not favor sincerity again, so why should I keep starving myself of ‘haram’ but easy pleasure or wealth when many other people ain’t abiding by the dictates of Allah?”

“I don’t want to be seen as an extremist when many other people are compromising in their duties to Allah while giving the excuse of tough situations, we are all in this tough situation, of course.”

And the list goes on and on.

Be The Game Changer

We, as Muslims are the positive change makers on earth. We are not meant to be trend followers but good game changers.

.We should always remember that Islam has been perfected for us by Allah.Allah says in Surah Al- Maidah, aayah 3:

حُرِّمَتۡ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلۡمَيۡتَةُ وَٱلدَّمُ وَلَحۡمُ ٱلۡخِنزِيرِ وَمَآ أُهِلَّ لِغَيۡرِ ٱللَّهِ بِهِۦ وَٱلۡمُنۡخَنِقَةُ وَٱلۡمَوۡقُوذَةُ وَٱلۡمُتَرَدِّيَةُ وَٱلنَّطِيحَةُ وَمَآ أَكَلَ ٱلسَّبُعُ إِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيۡتُمۡ وَمَا ذُبِحَ عَلَى ٱلنُّصُبِ وَأَن تَسۡتَقۡسِمُواْ بِٱلۡأَزۡلَـٰمِ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكُمۡ فِسۡقٌ‌ۗ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ يَٮِٕسَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن دِينِكُمۡ فَلَا تَخۡشَوۡهُمۡ وَٱخۡشَوۡنِ‌ۚ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ أَكۡمَلۡتُ لَكُمۡ دِينَكُمۡ وَأَتۡمَمۡتُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ نِعۡمَتِى وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمَ دِينً۬ا‌ۚ فَمَنِ ٱضۡطُرَّ فِى مَخۡمَصَةٍ غَيۡرَ مُتَجَانِفٍ۬ لِّإٍِ۬ثۡمٍ۬‌ۙ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ۬

“Forbidden to you (for food) are: Al-Maytah (the dead animals), blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been slaughtered as a sacrifice for other than Allah, and that which has been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by the goring of horns ـand that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild animal ـunless you are able to slaughter it (before its death) – and that which is sacrificed (slaughtered) on An-Nusub (stone altars). (Forbidden) also is to make decisions with Al-Azlam (arrows) (all) that is Fisq (disobedience and sin). This day, those who disbelieved have given up all hope of your religion; so fear them not, but fear Me. This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. But as for him who is forced by severe hunger, with no inclination to sin (such can eat these above mentioned animals), then surely, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

Source: Tafseer ibn Katheer

Prophet Muhammad {Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam} has exemplified that as Muslims, we are not to engage in wrongdoings because it is the norm of the land. Rather, we are to correct the wrongs by starting with ourselves, first.

Thereafter, be humble but confident in calling others to goodness just like he did.Allah says in Surah Al- Imran, aayah 110:

كُنتُمۡ خَيۡرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخۡرِجَتۡ لِلنَّاسِ تَأۡمُرُونَ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَتَنۡهَوۡنَ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنڪَرِ وَتُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ‌ۗ وَلَوۡ ءَامَنَ أَهۡلُ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبِ لَكَانَ خَيۡرً۬ا لَّهُم‌ۚ مِّنۡهُمُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ وَأَڪۡثَرُهُمُ ٱلۡفَـٰسِقُونَ

“You are the best of people ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin Al-Ma`ruf (all that Islam has ordained) and forbid Al-Munkar (all that Islam has forbidden), and you believe in Allah. And had the People of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) believed, it would have been better for them; among them are some who have faith, but most of them are Fasiqun (rebellious).”

Source: Tafsir ibn KatheerMay the peace and blessings of Allah be upon the messenger of Allah.

I pray that this reminder of mine benefits me, the writer and also you, the reader.

Assalam alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh.I remain that female slave of Allah

Editor’s Note: Sister Haleemah has another article on How to hold on to your Islamic Identity.

Sister Dalya Ayoub has also written about How to change your thinking to change your life.