Quranic Guidance for Overcoming Crises: Academic Failure as a Case Study
The Quran
repeatedly calls people to move forward, overcome hardship, and break free from
the constraints of difficult circumstances and painful moments. Allah says: {Say, ‘Travel throughout the earth and see’} [Al-`Ankabut 29:20].
Reflection and
learning from the past can be powerful when used to inspire hope rather than
trap us in what has already happened. The purpose is to draw lessons from the
past, then rise and begin shaping the future.
Dwelling on a
moment of hardship or disappointment, repeatedly revisiting painful memories
and blaming oneself can damage emotional well being, extinguish hope, and cloud
the future.
As school
examination results are announced, particularly high school results, students
and their families can become overwhelmed with disappointment when the outcome
falls short of expectations. It can feel as though everything has come to an
end, as though life has stopped and there is no future or present beyond the
painful reality before them.
Al Mujtama
spoke with Majed Abu Ghazaleh, an academic adviser at the Jordan Society for
Scientific Miracles in the Quran and Sunnah, who offered a Quranic approach to
help people look toward the future rather than remain trapped in a narrow cycle
of dwelling on a difficult present and a painful past that can damage their
emotional well being and undermine their ability to move forward.
· Perhaps no one has experienced a hardship or crisis
quite like that endured by Mary. Yet the Quranic message was: {So eat, drink, be glad} [Maryam 19:26]. What
positive messages does this carry for us?
Yes, this
divine wisdom is beautifully illustrated in the story of Mary. It stands as
clear evidence that Allah’s decree for His servant is rooted entirely in mercy
and wisdom, even when, in the eyes of others, it may appear to be a severe
trial.
One lesson we
can draw from this is the certainty that relief follows hardship, and that the
causes of relief, new alternatives, and new opportunities can emerge at the
very moment hardship appears.
· Allah says: {So you
need not grieve for what you miss or gloat over what you gain} [Al-Hadid 57:23]. How can we maintain a healthy
balance between looking at the past and looking toward the future in our lives,
particularly when dealing with academic results?
We must accept
Allah’s decree, because this frees the heart from constant self reproach,
destructive regret, arrogance, and despair. Success protects a person from
becoming conceited, while failure teaches the person how to rise again.
The blameworthy
form of happiness is excessive pride, which leads to arrogance, complacency,
and forgetting Allah’s blessings. The commendable form of happiness is
gratitude for the blessing while continuing to strive. We should focus on what
lies within our efforts, because the outcome is in Allah’s hands, while
striving and planning are within ours.
· Allah says: {So truly
where there is hardship there is also ease}
[Ash-Sharh 94:5]. What message of optimism and resilience does this
verse offer when facing hardship?
The repetition
of this verse in the Quran emphasizes that hardship is limited and temporary,
while ease is lasting and abundant. Parents therefore have a responsibility to
pass this optimism and certainty of relief on to their children, so that they
understand the importance of contentment and calm when facing fear, anxiety,
and failure.
We must
therefore dismantle the illusion that hardship will last forever. No matter how
overwhelming a student may find a difficulty, whether it is a challenging
subject or limited study time, the hardship itself is temporary and confined,
while Allah’s relief and mercy are vast and enduring.
I would also
offer this message to all students: when you feel that a subject is difficult
and you are preparing to sit for its examination, remember that Allah can open
the doors of understanding and comprehension for you as you continue trying and
working through the difficulty.
Studying is
part of taking the necessary means, while success and understanding come from
Allah. This is what I call managing stress rather than being consumed by
anxiety over the question, “What if the exam is difficult?” Replace that
thought with: “If there is difficulty in it, Allah’s ease and His presence with
me will surround me.”
· Allah says: {Seek help
with steadfastness and prayer} [Al-Baqarah
2:45]. How can we put this into practice as a source of positive strength,
allowing us to be patient without frustration or anxiety?
This verse
helps build psychological resilience in the believer. An examination is merely
a small station on a long journey through life. It is not the end of the road.
An examination
score measures a person’s level of memorization or understanding of a
particular subject at a particular moment. It does not, however, determine that
person’s worth, intelligence, or future.
The verse also
provides practical guidance for managing life’s priorities, including managing
time on a daily basis and dividing required tasks into manageable parts.
Students must understand that education is not everything. Life is far broader
than a university degree or a conventional field of study.
· Allah says: {My Lord is
most subtle in achieving what He will} [Yusuf
:100]. How can we truly recognize this when evaluating the outcomes of our
efforts, particularly our academic efforts?
When an
unsatisfactory result appears, whether through failure or a setback, we should
accept reality without blaming ourselves. We must accept that the result has
happened and is now part of the past. Crying over it or regretting it cannot
change what has already occurred.
Instead, we
should analyze what happened logically. Was there insufficient studying? Was
time not managed effectively? Was the study method itself unsuitable? The goal
is to transform our emotions into a practical plan for improvement.
We are living
in an age of skills, artificial intelligence, self directed learning, and
psychological resilience. These can help a student develop into an innovative
person, leader, or entrepreneur, even if they do not enter the field they
dreamed of as a child. They may ultimately excel and build a remarkable future
along an entirely different path.
· Allah says: {God has
plenty of gains for you} [An-Nisa
4:94]. What reassurance does this verse offer, and how does it teach us not to
reduce all goodness to a single moment?
In psychology
and behavioral science, including the famous Stanford Marshmallow Experiment,
researchers have examined the ability to exercise self control and delay
immediate gratification in pursuit of a greater future reward as an important
factor associated with long term success, emotional regulation, and
psychological well being.
The verse
trains the human mind to rise above immediate desires and avoid restricting its
vision to narrow, short term gains. Instead, it encourages a broader
perspective that recognizes greater psychological, spiritual, and eternal
rewards. This reflects a balanced approach to psychological and behavioral well
being.
· Allah says: {God makes
His messages clear to you} [An-Nur
24:18]. This phrase appears repeatedly in the Quran, yet when a crisis occurs,
its wisdom may not be immediately apparent. How can we understand this and look
for Allah’s wisdom while connecting the beginning of an experience with its
eventual outcome?
When faced with
a difficult question during an examination, a student should understand that
the fear dominating that particular moment does not define the entire
situation. The student should remind themselves of the Quranic understanding
that Allah’s wisdom may be present even when its details are not immediately
apparent. This can bring reassurance to both the heart and the mind.
Then leave the
difficult question temporarily and move on to an easier one. Answering easier
questions can activate the student’s memory and create an initial sense of
ease. The student can then return to the difficult question with greater
concentration and a clearer mind, potentially making the solution easier to
reach. There is wisdom in this approach for those seeking knowledge.
· Allah says: {Everything
has its measure with Him} [Ar-Rad 13:8]. What reassurance does this
offer, and how can it help us view our future more broadly rather than through
the narrow lens of our present circumstances?
The universe is
not chaotic. It operates according to precise laws and measures established by
a wise will. Every student should therefore reflect on two ways of thinking:
1. A Scarcity Mindset
This mindset
assumes that opportunities and resources are extremely limited. It can drive
people toward competition, excessive concern over what others have, superficial
thinking, and constant anxiety about missing out.
2. An Abundance
Mindset
This mindset
recognizes that opportunities and possibilities in the world are broad and
continually emerging. It can foster reassurance, deeper engagement with one’s
work, and inner peace.
Here we reach
the heart of the connection between the verse and the way we approach academic
results and examinations through the scientific concept of interconnected cause
and effect. Results do not simply appear by chance. They emerge from a complex
network of interacting factors in our daily lives, including the amount of
effort we invest, the level of our concentration, the nature and difficulty of
the examination questions, and our physical condition at the time of the exam.
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