Now, due to the lockdown, we are facing a big financial strain, and it could turn to a real crisis if this situation continues.
It’s really stressful. My husband is very depressed.
He fears that one day, we wouldn’t be able to pay the bills or find money to feed our kids.
I keep calming him down saying we must have trust in Allah but I myself started to develop great anxiety because of this hard situation.
How can we get over this?
Answer
In this counseling answer:
Look for other support programs.
Keep your trust in Allah.
Look at the positives.
Spend quality time with family, and in worshiping Allah.
Assalamu alikum,
This is the unfortunate situation that many families are experiencing during this difficult time that we are all facing.
This will inevitably cause much anxiety and distress to the entire family. Especially when time is so uncertain and we have no idea of when this crisis will come to an end. And people will be able to return to work again.
Other support programs
On a practical side, do make sure to look into any support that may be available to you.
Many governments have launched initiatives to help people in your situation to get the financial support that they need at this time.
Perhaps since it is a situation that has never been faced before you haven’t thought to check or are simply not aware of what is available.
Ask around or look online for organisations that might be able to advise on this. In the meantime try to be cautious in the way you budget so that the impact is felt less.
Place your trust in Allah
You are trying to calm your husband by telling him to trust in Allah, but as time goes on with no respite you are starting to feel the effects of the anxiety also.
Certainly we can always find comfort in placing our trust in Allah. But as times get more and more challenging this can become quite difficult as one loses the hope that things will ever be ok again.
Check out this counseling video:
Get closer to Allah
To overcome this, make the most of your extended time at home to engage in more spiritual activities and encourage your husband to join you in the same.
This serves many purposes, the more you try to get closer to Allah the closer He will get to you.
It will also boost your level of spirituality and therefore trust in Allah, and comfort that things will indeed work out fine in the end.
Encouraging your husband to join you in the same will support him in attaining that same comforting feeling also.
Positivity
It can be very easy in times like this to only focus on the negative things. Which will only exacerbate feelings of anxiety and lack of trust in Allah.
However, if you look to the positives in a seemingly otherwise hopeless situation. This change of mindset can help relieve anxiety, boost well being and enhance feelings of gratitude and trust in Allah.
Certainly, there have been many seemingly negative things that have happened to many people.
Your husband’s lack of wages in your case which has placed great burden on many. But at the same time, it is a scenario that has forced people to remain at home and spend more time with their families.
More quality time
It is a chance to strengthen bonds. It is a chance to spend more time in worship. People who work full time might otherwise have a hard time accomplishing this. Perhaps only just having time to make their 5 daily prayers, if that.
Now with being at home they can make their 5 daily prayers. As well as having the time to offer additional prayers, make dua and even read the Quran more.
Never would such an opportunity be available if this situation had not been forced upon us. On a normal day we overlook many blessings that we otherwise take for granted.
When these things are taken away from us, it gives us the chance to reflect and appreciate the same.
This will serve us well when the crisis passes, in sha Allah. As we will have a new sense of gratitude and appreciation for the many things in our life that we typically overlook.
May Allah bring ease to you and your husband during this difficult time. May He ease your anxieties and bring you relief. May He grant you peace and happiness in this life and the next.
salam,
***
Disclaimer: The conceptualization and recommendations stated in this response are very general and purely based on the limited information provided in the question. In no event shall AboutIslam, its counselors or employees are liable for any damages that may arise from your decision in the use of our services.
Read more:
https://aboutislam.net/reading-islam/living-islam/ramadan-2020-how-to-turn-lockdown-into-a-blessing/
https://aboutislam.net/family-life/moms-dads/8-ways-one-family-is-making-the-most-of-the-lockdown/
https://aboutislam.net/family-life/culture/covid-19-ramadan-muslims-still-find-their-way-to-joy/