The Quran is not only a book of complete guidance but it also one of the most important texts you will ever read that will help you out of your most gravest problems . And the best part is that the offer of help is mentioned in the Quran by Allah himself so many times, if only we would read carefully. When Allah sent us in this world as humans He knew that we would have good days and bad days.

For the good days Allah has said in the Quran to thank him “And be grateful to me and do not deny me” (2:152) and for the bad days Allah has asked us to ask Him for help by saying “Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near” (2:214). What do these 2 verses mean? It means that when you are having the time of your life, it is because Allah in His wisdom has decided to GIVE you that best time of your life. So what shall you do in return? Move away from Him or thank Him? You should THANK him!

Sadly many Muslims get so absorbed in that great pleasure of material gains that instead of thanking Allah they move away from Him. And THAT is what Allah has warned us about in the Quran; refusing to acknowledge the help of Allah. Sure, we see our life prospering but we do not thank Allah for it. We do wrong. If Allah helps us, He needs for us to acknowledge that it is because of Him, the Supreme Being, that we are in a happy state.  When we do this, this state is called “Shukr”

On the other hand, when our life troubles us with tremendous problems we must turn to Allah for help as He Himself has asked us to, in the Quran. Allah has promised to help us if only we ask him for help. Allah does not need our prayers, not does he need us to submit to Him. Submitting to Him is for our own good, as Allah has said himself in the Quran “Remember me, I will remember you” (2:152). So when our grievances and problems overtake us, we must ask Allah for help. That is not to say that only turn to Allah when we are troubled, rather we turn to Him when we are content too, as mentioned above. Turning to Allah and waiting for Him to overturn our problems is the state that is called “Sabr”

So there it goes, the essence of what is mentioned in the Quran to lead self sufficient lives, “Shukr” and “Sabr”. If we have a balance of both like Allah has asked us to, then we will surely be atleast on the right path of Allah. May He make us capable of following it gracefully.