Finding Peace: A Psychological and Islamic Approach.Written by Bakali Masumbuko,Edited by Ishmael Mailos

By Ishmael Mailos -

 

Finding Peace: A Psychological and Islamic Approach

Introduction

Let me take you to a moment I know too well.
There was a night I lay awake, staring at the ceiling, unable to quiet the storm inside my mind. A work deadline. An unexpected bill. A relative who needed me. Thoughts were sprinting in every direction, and the world felt unbearably heavy :as though every outcome in my life depended entirely on me.

We live in a world that constantly tells us:
“You are the architect of your own destiny.”
It sounds empowering at first… until it isn’t.

Because when things fall apart, that same belief whispers:
“Your failure? That’s on you too.”

And that belief crushes the heart.

The Turn Toward Tawakkul: A Shift That Changes Everything

My peace didn’t return through more control.
It returned through Tawakkul : trusting Allah after doing my part.

Tawakkul isn’t passive. It isn’t giving up.
It is the most powerful psychological–spiritual alignment a person can have.

The Prophet ﷺ captured this balance perfectly:

وَتَوَكَّلْ  اعْقِلْهَا           


Transliteration: i‘qilhā wa tawakkal
Translation:Tie your camel and then trust in Allah.”

(Hadith)

Here’s the beauty:

  • i‘qilhā : take action
  • tawakkal : release the outcome

This isn’t laziness , it’s liberation.

You work, strive, plan, prepare…
and then you stop carrying what Allah Himself has promised to carry.

Faith Meets Psychology: The Ultimate Reframe

When disappointment hits, a secular mindset often responds with self-blame:

“I should’ve done better.”

“I’m not good enough.”

“This is my fault.”

Psychologists call this a cognitive distortion - a mental trap that fuels anxiety.

Tawakkul is the Islamic form of cognitive restructuring.

Instead of telling yourself:
❌ “Everything depends on me.”
You shift the story to:
✔ “I do my part , Allah controls the result.”

This is where narrative psychology beautifully aligns with Islam.
We are all storytellers inside our minds.
Tawakkul rewrites the story from:

“I failed.”
to
“Allah is redirecting me.”

Allah says:

﴿وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ﴾
Transliteration:Wa man yatawakkal ‘ala Allāhi fa huwa ḥasbuh
Translation:“Whoever places their trust in Allah - He is enough for them.”(Qur’an 65:3)

And He reminds us:

…﴿وَعَسَىٰ أَن تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ…

وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ﴾
Transliteration:‘Asā an takrahū shay’an wa huwa khayrun lakum… wallāhu ya‘lamu wa antum lā ta‘lamūn
Translation:“Perhaps you dislike something while it is good for you… and Allah knows while you know not.”
(Qur’an 2:216)

Psychology calls this reframing your narrative.
Islam calls it Tawakkul.

A Short Story: When I Thought I Needed That Job



Once, I applied for a job I believed was perfect for me.
I prepared intensely. I felt confident. And then -rejection.

The old me would have collapsed into self-blame.

But this time, I practiced Tawakkul.

Two months later, I was offered a different opportunity that was far better for my family, my mental health, and my growth.

Sometimes Allah protects you from what you think is good for you.
Sometimes He delays what you want to give you something greater.
Sometimes He closes a door because what’s behind it is not written for you.

Tawakkul turns anxiety into anticipation.
“What is Allah planning for me next?”
It becomes a journey — not a burden.

The Tie -Trust-Tranquility Method

A simple 3-step system you can use every day.

1. Tie : Do Your Part

Prepare. Plan. Show up. Work.
This is i‘qilhā - tying the camel.

2. Trust : Hand Over the Outcome

Say:
تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَىاللَّهِ

Transliteration:tawakkaltu ‘ala Allāh
Translation: I place my trust in Allah.

3. Tranquility : Step Into Peace

Feel the weight lift as you accept that the outcome was never yours to carry.

This method is psychologically sound, spiritually aligned, and emotionally freeing.

Your Practical Path to Peace

Try this 4-step emotional shift whenever you feel overwhelmed:

1. Acknowledge What You Feel

Pause and name the emotion :fear, sadness, anger, confusion.
This is emotional intelligence.

2. Journal the Story in Your Head

Ask yourself:
“What story am I telling myself right now?”

This is muhāsabah : reflective self-accounting in Islam.

3. Reframe With Tawakkul

Replace:
❌ “It’s all on me.”
With:
✔ “I do my part - Allah carries the rest.”

4. Release Through Duʿā’

Whisper this with presence:

حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ


Transliteration:Hasbunallāhu wa ni‘mal-wakīl
Translation:Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs.

 A 7-Day Tawakkul Challenge

For the next week:

Each night, write down three things:

What worried me today?

What action did I take? (How I tied my camel)

What do I now release to Allah? (Where I trust Him)

End each entry with:

وَأُفَوِّضُ أَمْرِي إِلَى اللَّهِ


Transliteration:Wa ufawwiḍu amrī ilā Allāh
Translation:I entrust my affair to Allah.

This practice shifts perspectives and Allah changes hearts.

 Final Word

Finding peace isn’t about controlling everything ,it’s about understanding that we were never meant to.

Tawakkul invites you to act with excellence and then rest with faith. To strive with effort and surrender with trust. To walk your path knowing that the One who manages the universe also manages your affairs with perfect wisdom.

Tonight, choose one burden you’ve carried for too long.
Ask yourself honestly:
“Have I tied my camel?”

If the answer is yes, let your heart whisper:

حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ

Hasbiyallāh :Allah is enough(sufficient) for me.

Feel the peace that follows.
That peace is Tawakkul.
That peace is protection.
That peace is closeness to Allah.

May your heart always find rest in His care. 

References

Qur’an

Badri, M. (2013). Abu Zayd Al-Balkhi’s Sustenance of the Soul. IIIT.

Utz, A. (2011). Psychology From the Islamic Perspective. IIPH.

Ibn al-Qayyim. (2013). Trials and Tribulations. Daar us-Sunnah Publishers.

Trained teacher with experience in both secondary and tertiary level technical and vocational subjects,sciences and has experience in teacher education.Holds Bsc Psychology with specialisation in Islamic Psychology.Currently works with Malawi Children Village(MCV) Foundation

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