A Paradigm of Positivity: Thinking Well of Your Creator

أَنَا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِي بِي

‘I am as My servant thinks I am’ [1]

Finding the silver lining in every situation is the key to living a positive and content life. In the hadith, Qudsi, Allah Almighty calls upon us to see Him SWT as we wish to be seen, for our perception of Allah SWT determines His response towards us. When we fill our minds with positive thoughts about Allah SWT, He will grant us tawfiq to receive His grace and blessings in abundance. Indeed, Allah Almighty’s mercy will surpass our imagination. This prophetic tradition speaks volumes about the power of the mind to shape our reality simply through the way we imagine it. If we choose to see the world in a positive light, we are more likely to experience positive outcomes. It is easy to succumb to hopelessness in the face of difficulty, but we will surely find that harnessing a positive mindset can instantly change the world around us. Our minds construct our realities and impact our relationship with others, and in particular with Allah SWT. Adopting this positive mindset begins with correcting our paradigm of life.

Constructing a Paradigm

Firstly, what is a paradigm? It originates from the Greek words para and diegma - translated as a model or an example to follow.[2] A paradigm can be understood as a set of rules, beliefs and thought patterns that guide how we perceive information and social interaction, and view our general outlook on life.[3] Stephen Covey likens a paradigm to the function of a map. He states that just as a map functions as a guide for humans to navigate a particular country or land, a paradigm is a guide and “an explanation, or model of something else.”[4]

Covey provides an example of someone attempting to locate a specific place in Chicago but is accidentally given a map of the city of Detroit instead, and explains just how frustrating that situation can be for someone. Regardless of how hard they try to alter their behaviour to be more diligent or change their attitude and try to think more positively, they will never be able to reach their desired destination. Instead, there is a basic and underlying flaw that is neither attributed to their behaviour nor attitude; they are simply using the wrong map. Such is the case with our outlook on life, the way we view our relationships, the way we react to problematic situations, and most importantly, the way we perceive our relationship with our Creator.

Correcting an idle habit and a cynic attitude may be a source of betterment overall, but it does not solve our underlying problems. If our ‘maps’ - our paradigms - are grounded in pessimism, doubt and suspicion, then we will only succeed in destroying every meaningful relationship we have with others, and conclude the worst of every good or bad situation that we find ourselves in.

Paradigm Shift

In the same way that our paradigms provide a map for us, they also play a regulatory function in our lives. This means that for any new information or situation that occurs, our existing paradigm(s) may simply reject it at face value. This is the danger of a rigid and unmalleable paradigm of life. Our paradigms can convince us that however we see and interpret the world is the only truth. As a result, one may outrightly reject any alternative explanation about any given situation in front of them. Therefore, the only way to learn and absorb new experiences and information is to remove or change our existing paradigm(s) - initiating a paradigm shift.[5] This concept was coined by a 20th-century physicist and philosopher, Thomas Kuhn, to explain the evolution of science over time. He argues that scientific revolutions occurred as a result of paradigm shifts.[6] However, not all major paradigm shifts usher positive change as some ideas have regressed the moral fabric of our societies. Still, our paradigms certainly construct our realities, our interpersonal relationships, our vision of the future, and ultimately the perception we have about our meeting with our Creator.

Embodying the Islamic Paradigm

Allah SWT, in His infinite wisdom, created humanity with a divine purpose - to worship Him, to attain true servanthood - ‘abdiyya, and to strive towards the pinnacle of spiritual excellence - al-Ihsan. Shaykh al-Akbar Ibn 'Arabi spoke of the concept of al-Insan al-Kamil - the Perfect Human - one who attains a state of spiritual perfection and reflects the divine light of Allah SWT’s attributes and characteristics.[7] This is what the hadith qudsi, 'I am as My servant thinks I am,' refers to - a reminder that as we draw closer to Allah SWT through worship and remembrance, Allah SWT draws even closer towards us. As a result, the Almighty enables us to perceive the world with the depth that Allah SWT does - to hear, see, and understand with His wisdom and guidance. Thus, living by the Islamic paradigm means being able to discover the divine wisdom behind the path that Allah SWT has set for us.

Embodying the Islamic Paradigm begins with having a relationship with Allah SWT that is based on husn-al-Dhann - thinking well of Him SWT. This paradigm allows us to respond to every blessing and trial with patience, proactivity and steadfastness. We find an exemplary model for practising husn al-Dhann in the life and character of the Holy Prophet ﷺ - the archetype of the perfect human. The Holy Prophet SAW’s life paradigm - his approach to life and his blessed mindset is a source of guidance for all Muslims. In particular, the Holy Prophet SAW’s practice of husn al-Dhann provides a key insight: Think positively and practice proactivity.

Meeting Hardship With Proactivity

The patience of the holy Prophet (SAW) during the three-year social boycott of the Muslims was remarkable. The boycott effectively secluded the Muslims in Shi’b Abi Talib, and its articles forbade marrying the women of the outcasted tribes and selling food and goods to them.[8] During this time, the Prophet (SAW) faced the foul language of the Quraysh, and on occasions when some of the people of the Quraysh threw the entrails (intestines) of a goat on his back while he was praying, the Prophet (SAW) would simply take the filth thrown at him and stand at their doors, saying, “O Banu Abd-Manāf, what is this (unbecoming) neighbourhood?”[^8] Then he would cast it away. Shortly after, the Prophet's (SAW) faithful wife and companion, Sy. Khadija al-Kubra (R.A), and his uncle Sy. Abu Talib passed away.

Most ordinary men who have been ostracised from their society, forced into exile, and regularly abused by their tormentors would have responded with anger. In addition to losing one’s support system and loved ones, it is easy to lose hope and feel as though the situation could not possibly get worse. Yet, the Holy Prophet (SAW) not only maintained remarkable hope and optimism, but his experiences sparked proactivity - positive action. Realizing that the Muslims were still under dire circumstances, the Prophet SAW decided to travel to Thaqīf, to seek support from the people of Tai’f. The chiefs rejected the message of the Prophet SAW and forced him to take refuge in an orchard nearby. With injured hands and feet, the Angel Jibrael (A.S) appeared to him and offered to crush the city's inhabitants. Instead, the Prophet SAW showed mercy and prayed that their descendants would be believers. An ordinary man in this situation would be clouded with vengeance and would not only wish to crush their enemy but would ensure that their descendants are cursed as well. In this case, the Prophet SAW refused to crush the inhabitants of Ta’if only because he prayed for the betterment of the descendants of his tormentors. The Prophet SAW’s blessed actions were premised on husn al-Dhann - thinking well of Allah SWT, that His limitless Mercy and Grace would grant this disbelieving tribe faithful men and women in the future.

A similar spark of the Holy Prophet SAW’s optimism and proactivity was evident at the signing of Sulh al-Hudaybiya - the Treaty of Hudaibiyya. Six years after the Hijra, the Holy Prophet SAW and his companions travelled to Mecca to perform Umrah. However, they were denied entry by the Meccans despite being in the state of Ihram and having 70 sacrificial animals with them. After peaceful negotiations, the Prophet SAW signed a 10-year truce with the Meccans, which appeared as weak and unjust conditions to the Muslims. They were instructed to break the state of Ihram, sacrifice their animals and return the following year. The companions, upon their return, did not bear the triumphant aura of martyrs - heroes. Rather, they carried the heavy weight of sacrifice and were disheartened at the loss of ground to the Meccans.

The treaty originally appeared as a setback, but the divine wisdom and proactivity of the Prophet SAW would later prove otherwise. The conditions of the treaty created a peaceful environment for the Muslims to easily engage in Da'wah and spread Islam rapidly. It provided an opportunity for those who were previously hesitant to enter the fold of Islam without fear of the Quraysh. This was the reason the Prophet SAW returned eight years later with 10,000 more Muslims and a clear victory at Mecca. The Prophet SAW’s positive insight at Sulh al-Hudaibiyya and his actions thereafter serve as a great reminder that hardship must be met with hope and positivity and supplemented with proactive action.

Meeting Our Creator

Paradigms are a bridge between ourselves and the world around us. They shape the outcomes of our relationships and dictate our responses to challenging circumstances. Yet, their most profound impact lies in shaping our connection with Allah SWT. The exemplary life and blessed character of the Holy Prophet SAW teaches us that our relationship with Allah SWT hinges on our practice of husn al-Dhann - maintaining positive thoughts about Him SWT. Our perception of Allah SWT determines His response to us; when we align our paradigms to perceive Him as All-Merciful, All-Forgiving, and Benevolent, His boundless Mercy and Grace inevitably flow towards us. This shift in perspective sets off a chain reaction in our lives. The more firmly we hold to the practice of thinking positively, the more clear Allah SWT’s divine wisdom will become. Thereon, our vision of the world around us, and our pure opinions about the individuals we encounter will appear to us in reality as if we are holding a mirror to our paradigm of life.

References

ʻAbd Al-Malik Ibn Hishām, Abd Al-Salam Muhammad Harun, and Inas Amin Farid. 2000. Sirat Ibn Hisham : Biography of the Prophet. Cairo: Al-Falah Foundation.

Covey, Stephen R.. 2013. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People : Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. Newburyport: RosettaBooks. Accessed March 20, 2024. ProQuest Ebook Central.

Katz, Arnold M., and Laura A. Katz. “What Is a Paradigm and When Does It Shift?” Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology 23, no. 4 (1991): 403–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-2828(91)90164-H.

Little, John T. 1987. “AL-INSĀN AL-KĀMIL: THE PERFECT MAN ACCORDING TO IBN AL-’ARAB?” The Muslim World (Hartford) 77 (1): 43–54. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1478-1913.1987.tb02785.x.

Porta, Miquel. "Paradigm." In A Dictionary of Epidemiology. : Oxford University Press, 2014. https://www-oxfordreference-com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/view/10.1093/acref/9780199976720.001.0001/acref-9780199976720-e-1375.

Prince, Frank. “Your Questions Answered: What Is a Paradigm and How Does It Work?” Creativity and Innovation Management 2, no. 4 (1993): 270–270. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8691.1993.tb00107.x.

Richards, Robert J., and Daston, Lorraine, eds. 2016. Kuhn's 'Structure of Scientific Revolutions' at Fifty : Reflections on a Science Classic. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Accessed March 19, 2024. ProQuest Ebook Central.