🏵️🏵️🏵️ Thank you, Paulette, for your thought-provoking article "In These Troubled Times". Your words resonated with me, and I appreciate your honesty and vulnerability in sharing this experience.

In Islam, we have a similar concept of struggle and hardship, which is known as "fitnah". It is believed that fitnah is a test from Allah, designed to strengthen our faith and bring us closer to Him. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "No calamity befalls the Muslim but that Allah removes his minor sins because of it" (Bukhari).

I understand that your "troubled times" may not be directly related to fitnah, but I'd like to offer a perspective from Islam. As Muslims, we believe that every difficulty is an opportunity to draw closer to Allah and to seek His guidance. We are taught to turn to Him in times of need, to seek refuge in His mercy and forgiveness, and to trust in His plan.

In this sense, I would like to offer a call-to-action: let us not lose sight of our faith during these challenging times. Let us turn to Allah, our Lord and Creator, and seek His guidance and support. Let us remember that our struggles are not unique, and that countless others have faced similar challenges throughout history.

As the Quran says, "And certainly We will try you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good news to the patient ones who, when disaster strikes them, say 'We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return'" (Quran 2:155-156).

I urge you to hold on to your faith and your values, even when faced with uncertainty and adversity. Remember that Allah is always with us, guiding us towards a brighter future.

🏵️🏵️🏵️

Mohamed, Ph.D

May you find peace and guidance in these troubled times.