As an intercultural therapist, my daily work involves sitting with people who feel completely overwhelmed by the "waves" of life. In my counselling spaces at Qissati Counselling and Nafsiyat Intercultural therapy , I frequently witness a specific type of emotional exhaustion among Muslim women. It is the heavy, draining weight of navigating systemic pressures, enduring public suspicion , and carrying a deep, quiet sense of spiritual and cultural isolation.
When we look ahead and see a dead end, and look behind and feel targeted or pursued, it is completely natural for our nervous system to go into survival mode. You panic. You feel trapped.
As we approach the 10th of Muharram (Ashura), our global community remembers the day Allah split the Red Sea for Prophet Musa (Peace be upon him). But if we look closer at this story through a therapeutic lens, we find that it isn't just a historical miracle. It is a profound psychological and spiritual roadmap for surviving absolute uncertainty, powered by the core Islamic psychological concepts of Muraqabah (mindful awareness), Tafakkur (deep reflection), and Tadabbur (contemplation of divine signs).
The Humanity of Musa (Peace be upon him): Fear is Not a Flaw
The Quran beautifully honours Musa’s deep humanity. Musa (Peace be upon him) carried immense trauma. He was born into state-sponsored terror, torn from his mother’s arms as a baby, and later forced to flee into the desert as a lonely fugitive, losing his safety in a single day.
The Quran explicitly mentions his fear.
When his staff turned into a snake, he ran away (Surah Al-Qasas, 28:31).
When he faced Pharaoh’s magicians, he felt a private anxiety within himself (Surah Taha, 20:67).
As a therapist, I want to remind you: Fear is not a sin. It is a natural human emotion. Feeling anxious or overwhelmed by the hostile spaces around you does not mean your faith is weak; it just means you are human. Musa’s strength did not come from an absence of fear; it came from practicing an intense state of Muraqabah—a complete, mindful awareness that Allah was fully present with him, watching and hearing his distress, as promised in Surah Taha (20:46): “Fear not. Indeed, I am with you both; I hear and I see.”
Caught Between the Sea and the Sword
Imagine the ultimate moment of crisis. Musa (Peace be upon him) is leading his people away under the cover of night. Suddenly, they hit a physical dead end: a massive, roaring Red Sea in front of them, and Pharaoh’s brutal army closing in fast from behind. Traumatized by years of oppression, the people completely panic, crying out, "Indeed, we are to be overtaken!" (Surah Ash-Shu'ara, 26:61).
This is the exact blueprint of the anxiety we feel today when the world closes in on our identity. Yet, standing at the edge of the water, Musa (Peace be upon him) models absolute psychological grounding. He blocks out the external panic, looks at the roaring waves, and says:
“No! Indeed, with me is my Lord; He will guide me.” (Surah Ash-Shu'ara, 26:62)
Musa (AS) engaged in deep Tafakkur (intellectual reflection) and Tadabbur (deep contemplation of Allah's speech and past promises). He didn't see the water split yet. The danger was still fully present. But by reflecting on how Allah had saved him from the Nile as a baby, his mind and heart found the ultimate therapeutic grounding. He knew the Lord who held his past would safely hold his present.
The3-Step Roadmap for Moving Forward
How do we cultivate that level of resilience when our own modern waves close in? Musa (AS) leaves us a beautiful, practical 3-step formula:
1
Seek Support First (Regulate internal emotions): Before facing any tyrant, Musa (Peace be upon him) dropped to his knees and made a deeply vulnerable, personal Du'a: "My Lord, expand for me my breast [with assurance], and ease for me my task..." (Surah Taha, 20:25-26). He sought internal, emotional regulation from Allah before he ever asked for external victory. When a crisis hits, stop trying to carry it alone. Seek support first.
2
Use Your "Staff" (Take Small, Purposeful Action): At the sea, Allah commanded him to "Strike the sea with your staff" (Surah Ash-Shu'ara, 26:63). Logically, a wooden stick cannot split an ocean. The same way we cannot control global bias or systemic oppression, but we can control our small "staff" by continuing to show up for our healing, protecting our mental health, and holding onto our Deen with pride.
3
Surrender the Remainder (The Therapeutic Release): True Tawakkul means doing your human part and then completely relinquishing control over the outcome. It is perfectly captured by the secret believer in Pharaoh’s court who spoke his truth in the face of death and declared: “...And I entrust my affair to Allah. Indeed, Allah is Seeing of His servants.” (Surah Ghafir, 40:44).
Your Spiritual and Mental Reset
If you are standing at the edge of your own Red Sea today, breathing through a crisis you didn't ask for, let go of the pressure to figure out how the water will split. Hand the outcome back to the One who created the water.
Breathe out, and let your heart repeat:
ۚ وَأُفَوِّضُ أَمْرِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بَصِيرٌۢ بِٱلْعِبَاد
Wa ufawwidu amree ilallah innallaha baseerun bil ibaad—I entrust my affairs entirely to Allah. Surely Allah is All-Seeing of all ˹His˺ servants.
If you're feeling inspired to take on the waves of your own life, reach out today. Click the button below.