What to do in a crisis?
In panic, non-believers behave differently than believers. They have no one to return to, to ask for mercy and forgiveness, their life is this life, which they cannot control, thus get more depressed and their state of wrong doing increases. We see that if they are used to casual drinking, they will start drinking more and become alcoholic, take drugs or resort to suicide.
On the other hand a believer should do the following:
Increase dhikr (Remembrance of God)
“They who have believed and whose hearts have rest in the remembrance of God. Verily in the remembrance of God, hearts find rest.” (Sura Ar-Ra’d, ayah 28).
Increase prayer
“O you who believe, seek help with steadfastness and prayer. For God is with those who are steadfast.” (Sura Al-Baqarah, ayah 153).
Ask for forgiveness
“Seek your Lord’s forgiveness, (for) He is truly Most Forgiving.” (Sura Nuh, ayah 10).
In addition to the above we are also asked to continue to struggle to improve ourselves: “Surely God does not change the condition in which a people are in until they change that which is in themselves.” (Sura ArRa’d, ayah 11).
In summary, stress results from a lack of inner peace due to conflicts within us and leads to external disturbances in our behavior and health. Inner peace can only be achieved by believing in Almighty God, remembering Him frequently and asking for His help and forgiveness in times of difficulty.
