“…And We have made from water every living thing…” – Qur’an 21:30
The intricate water cycles of life-giving rains, rivers and oceans are ‘signs’ referenced continually in the Book written by the One who created all things.
As blood flows through our veins, so water flows through the earth. And Allah created life from water.
Countless species, they say, emerged from oceans onto the land. You, yourself, emerged from a sac of water in the womb. But although we left the water, our thirst remains. Ahead of love, connection, even warmth – our most constant and primal longing is to rid ourselves of thirst.
So, what is water except a love note from the Author of creation? And what is thirst except an ever-present reminder of our utter reliance on the mercy of our Lord?
From the tears that witness our pain, to the cooling sweat that witnesses our hard work. From the waste water that signifies our continuous cycle of need, to the oasis of a cleansing bath; our days, and our wellbeing, are measured by the presence of water.
Without water there is no life. Without Allah’s mercy there is no water.
Why do you feel like you’re drowning?
If you’re struggling with your mental health, it’s ok to feel the way you are feeling.
Even with a heart full of faith, and a willingness to see your cup as half-full, rather than half-empty, it’s all too easy to still feel like you’re drowning. So don’t be disheartened if your mental health struggles make you feel guilty, numb, out of control, or overwhelmed.
No matter what traumas you have faced – betrayal, abandonment, abuse, separation, rejection – there is a universal thread to our suffering which comes from feeling uniquely alone with our pain; misunderstood, and unseen.
Feeling alone in your suffering burns you from the inside, because it is the bitter fruit of a lie.
The feeling that we live life alone, disconnected, or unloved, is one of the hardest deceptions to break free from when our mental health is low.
You are not alone
“And We have created man and We know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than his jugular vein.” – Qur’an 50:16
In the history of your existence, from before your birth, to now, in every second Allah’s mercy swaddles you like a blanket. Each beat of your heart is an act of mercy. Each breath in, and each breath out.
And if people ever let you down, hurt you, or treated you without due mercy, Allah has taken a detailed note of it, and will address it sooner or later, because you matter. Remember, Allah is Al Adl – The Just, Al Adl – The Redresser.
It is so easy to seek connection, or validation, in the wrong places.
In our desperation to feel better, we might cling harder to people or things, as though they hold the keys to our happiness. But they don’t cause the rain to fall, or the rivers to flow; Allah’s mercy does. They will perish; Allah’s mercy will not.
“Have they not seen the birds above them, spreading and folding their wings? None holds them up except the Most Compassionate. Indeed, He is All-Seeing of everything.” – Qur’an 67:19
What helps?
If you feel like the only person on earth who knows, or understands, remember this whenever water touches your body: Allah, The Mighty, The Merciful, rescued Prophet Yunus (pbuh) from the whale, parted the sea for Prophet Musa (pbuh), and placed Prophet Nuh (pbuh) safely on the ark during the flood.
They suffered, they struggled, and with Allah’s help they made it. And inshallah, you will too.
Always let the tears fall, if you feel them, and let them bring you closer to Allah’s mercy. Have faith that you can heal, and inshallah you will.
Despair is not an option for you. Just as rain revives the dead earth, you can start again with each wudu’.
As your body seeks water, let your soul seek Allah. And you will find what you were looking for. In this life, and the next.
“Say: Have you considered if your water should disappear (into the earth), who is it then that will bring you flowing water?” – Qur’an 67:30
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