# Finding the Positives During Hard Times | Daily Reminders

**Author:** Ustadha Lobna Mulla
**Series:** Reminders
**Published:** 2020-03-28
**YouTube:** https://youtu.be/Z_h_67SC5Ig
**URL:** https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/reminders/finding-the-positives-during-hard-times-daily-reminders
**Topics:** Acts of Worship, Sharia

## Description
What is the first thing you are going to do after all this is over? Tune is as Ust. Lobna talks about the good that we can find out of this situation. Try to take a moment and look at your current situation, what is one positive thing? Maybe it is having more family dinner, making a new friend,...

## Transcript
**[0:00]** Bismillah wa salatu wasalam ala rasulullah. Assalamualaikum dear brothers and sisters. Today I wanted to reflect upon the time that we're in and a post that I saw regarding this time. I saw somewhere somebody reflecting and saying, what's the first thing you're going to do when all of this is over?

**[0:17]** When the risk of COVID inshallah is over and we're able to go back to our daily lives. I thought about it for a day and I thought of a few things, but it hit me after a while that yes, this is a challenging time,

**[0:32]** but it's also important that we realize this is a time like no other when many of us have changed our schedules dramatically due to the situation and there is something good that we can find in it. Even though we're worrying about loved ones,

**[0:47]** even though we may have had a loss of finances, even though maybe we're really uncomfortable with the new schedule, maybe with either being confined to home or having to teach children or whatever it is that we find uncomfortable,

**[1:06]** but there is something good that we can find. How many times have we passed through a difficult time, a really difficult period in our life or a hardship and we're able to look back and there was something we enjoyed from it.

**[1:22]** Those are the things that if we document it now, we're going to be able to look back in the future inshallah and say, you know what, there were some special times we had here. So what are some of those things? Maybe it's eating dinner together more often

**[1:38]** or maybe it's finding a new friend, learning more about a loved one that you hadn't expected, learning more about yourself. Even in the darkest moments, there can be something good that we can take away from this time to be able to look back later and say, wow, I did all of that,

**[1:57]** even though at the moment it may have seemed very difficult. The amazing things about some of these challenging times is that you discover things that you haven't discovered before. Your abilities, the abilities of others in your household,

**[2:12]** the creativity that comes up from a lack of resources, really the list goes on and on. And I think it would be fun to also ask others in your family what they see special, what you see as a gem of positivity during this difficult time.

**[2:28]** They may see something different and that would surprise you and that would be fun to learn. One of my favorite ayahs in the Quran is لَإِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ This is in Surah Ibrahim, verse 7, where Allah SWT tells us that if we are grateful to Him,

**[2:43]** then He will increase us more in favors. What's amazing about this ayah is that Allah SWT has given us the opportunity to just acknowledge and recognize the countless blessings He has already given us. And just by doing so and being grateful for those blessings,

**[2:58]** Allah SWT will increase us more. So this is a great opportunity that we have now that perhaps we have a little bit more time to think of all the things to be grateful for, not only in general, but specifically during this time. And make a list of those.

**[3:14]** That way you can look back and maybe add on continuously. That is something, subhanAllah, that's not only spiritually good for you, but actually physically good. Thinking about positive things and being grateful truly, it actually boosts your immune system.

**[3:29]** When you have a positive outlook, that rubs off on other people and that can actually make your current situation even better. So making a list of the things that you're grateful for and sharing it with others. And I think another thing that would be great to do is to document this time.

**[3:45]** Take pictures of the interesting situations that have come up. Perhaps the long lines, maybe the mess that's been made at home, maybe the special gatherings that are happening via, you know, via Zoom or some of these other mechanisms

**[4:00]** by which we're meeting socially. Take a picture of that. Document this time because it is a special time, subhanAllah. Being able to look back later and reflect fondly upon some of these gems of positivity will be a great gift that you give to yourself for the future and that you give to your family.

**[4:17]** Another thing that's great to do is to write about how you feel during this time. Write about maybe your worries, your concerns, some of the unexpected pleasures that you've noticed or experienced during this time. And I think this would be a great conversation

**[4:32]** to have with your friends and family. What are they feeling and experiencing now? And subhanAllah, I believe that we will come out of this situation by the grace of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala with stronger relationships, hopefully stronger Iman and some interesting experiences

**[4:50]** that we can share with our loved ones in the future. So I ask all of us to really cherish the moment now even with its difficulty because this is a time like no other. This situation where we're confined to home may never come back in our life again.

**[5:06]** So let's find the opportunities to grow from this situation and to enjoy some gems of positivity. Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu.

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