#comingoffaith

[gormintchaachi]

There's a reason you have no idea what's happening in Kashmir

For Kashmiris, censorship in our brutalized homeland has made simply telling our narratives an act of resistance.

I wrote an article about Kashmir. Would love yalls feedback and comments!!!

[title & images are not mine]

[sanamohammed]

One Minute

By Sana Mohammed

One minute, I’m sprinting down the sidewalk feeling strong and steady and the next, I'm on the ground grasping my ankle trying to stop myself from screaming from the searing pain.   I started reciting every surah that came to my mind in an effort to calm myself down and prayed to Allah (swt), Please give me strength and patience.

Feeling a sense of peace take over, I slowly shifted my body, laid my feet out in front of me and sat still, careful not to aggravate my injury further.   As the pain started to subside, a rush of thoughts came flooding into my mind, Should I go to work?  Should I go to the doctor?  How bad is it? Will I be able to walk home? When can I run again?

The anxiety was overwhelming, but I knew I couldn’t sit on the sidewalk all morning, so I did the first thing that came to my mind.  I called home.

 ~*~

"It looks like there are no broken bones," the doctor said with a smile as she put the x-ray back into my file, "but it's not a mild sprain.  You'll have to be on crutches for probably two weeks until your next appointment, and then I'll decide what to do next." 

She wore a long maroon dress with black dress pants underneath and a matching black hijab.  It was my first time visiting her and I already liked her.   She didn't seem like the doctors that rush from one patient to the next, barely giving you the time of day even though you’re paying for their attention.  She had sincerity about her that I appreciated.

"So . . . I probably won't be running again anytime soon?"

She stopped fumbling with the box for the brace that she was trying to open and gave me a look of utter disbelief. "No.  Definitely not.  It'll be at least a month or six weeks. Are you training for something?"

"Well, not really.  I have a half marathon early next year, but I guess I have plenty of time for that."

"Oh.  Well then, you're fine.  Stay off your feet for a while and even when you start walking, don't try running for at least four weeks," she replied casually and began showing me how to put the brace on.

But I couldn't seem to pay attention.  The weather was just starting to get cold, and all I could of was not being able to run - not being able to feel the cool wind, not being able to experience the simultaneous feeling of soreness and strength in your body after a run, and not having an outlet to turn to as a productive means of channeling my emotions.  What was I going to do?

I pushed the thoughts out of my mind and decided to focus on the present instead.  "I'm sorry.”  I said, “Can you show me that again?"

 ~*~

Later that day, as I sat on my staircase struggling to make my way upstairs, I couldn't help but question the purpose of my injury.  I knew I should focus on gratitude, but a tiny voice in my head kept saying, Why me, Allah? Why couldn’t this have been just like any other morning?  Why did I have to get injured?

It sounds dramatic for an injury many people dismiss as minor, but anything that limits your mobility is not something to be taken lightly.  Every time this thought came into my mind, I mentally took a step back and reminded myself that sometimes the lessons we learn in life are not immediate. 

As humans, we always try to rationalize the events in our life and use logic to understand why and how things happen to us.  Sometimes we need to learn to let go and have faith.  We need to put our trust in a greater power and accept that Allah (swt) knows best.  Only then will we begin realize that “whosoever puts his trust in Allah, He will suffice him.” [Sūrah al-Talāq: 3]  

Alhumdulillah, as my ankle has been slowly recovering these past few weeks, I was reminded of this important lesson as well as a few others:

1. Attitude is everything.

From the moment I was injured, I knew there were two ways to look at this situation.  I could mope and whine all day, expressing my anger and frustration at every challenge I faced, but where would that get me? Instead, I could accept the past and focus on the positive.  I could save my energy to look for solutions to the problems I was going to face and think positively about my situation.

Prolonged anger, frustration, and sadness are wasted emotions.  They imprison you in a state of misery and negativity.  Healing my sprained ankle was not going to be just a physical challenge, but a mental one as well, forcing me to practice an important skill – learning which thoughts to dismiss and which ones to embrace wholeheartedly.  Every time I felt the pain in my arms from the crutches or the pure exhaustion of trying to get around my office building, I forced myself to smile and reminded myself that “Alhumdulliah, it could be worse.”  This simple action of repeatedly focusing on gratitude provides more long-lasting relief than any medicine or painkiller you can find, truly proving that “you can often change your circumstances by changing your attitude” (Eleanor Roosevelt).

2.  Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. 

It's been years since I actually needed someone, as in I was genuinely dependent upon someone else to get through my day.  Unfortunately, while on crutches, I was often at the mercy of those around me, and this was a difficult pill for me to swallow.  I always wanted to do things for myself, and soon I realized that even if I came up with creative solutions to do things for myself, it often added up to be physically exhausting at a time when I was supposed to be resting my ankle as much as possible.  The increased movement exacerbated my injury and caused more swelling and inflammation than if I had just taken it easy and asked someone to help me. 

It takes courage to admit that you need help, and it’s a wonderful feeling to realize how many people are willing to go out of their way to help you – if you just let them.

3.  Cherish your family.

If you live at home, you know all too well that parents can be demanding, overprotective, difficult to reason with, and so on, but they love you.  When push comes to shove and it's time for people to make sacrifices, they will be there for you.  They will be the ones bringing you water from downstairs because you can't carry it yourself, making lunch for you, and going to the pharmacy to get your medicine. They will have your back.  

Of course, they also have their own commitments and responsibilities.  Their life doesn't revolve around you.  They won't be there at your every beck and call, but they will be there when you need them most.   Family is a blessing – appreciate them for all they can give and learn to be happy with that. 

4.  Always be grateful.

Growing up, I never broke a bone in my body.  I never had to rely on crutches to get around.  Mostly, I never realized how much I took for granted having two fully functioning legs.  Basic everyday tasks such as carrying a simple glass of water or taking out my lunch and heating it up became a struggle. Going grocery shopping and cleaning my room was a challenge.  I had to find solutions for these routine tasks that I had never before given a second thought.

Losing the functionality of one leg made me realize how easy I've had it and how lucky I am to not have any permanent damage.  Not everyone is blessed with the gift of a healthy body, a loving family, and a comfortable home to rest in – all gifts that can be taken from us at any moment.  Moreover, not everyone is blessed with an experience that teaches this lesson to them.

We should strive to remember our blessings from Him every day – even the ones we don’t recognize as blessings immediately – and work to sustain a level of gratitude and humility within ourselves that’s not fleeting, but permanent and resilient.

“But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not.” (2:217)

This piece was originally published on ComingofFaith.com, a compilation of coming of age and faith stories by Muslim women in college and young professionals