When to Heed the Call
Escaping the Belly of the Whale
The last month for me has been exciting if I am being generous. Still, I have also learned through this process and all my experiences over the past several years that we cannot judge an experience just because it feels difficult at the moment. Reflecting today, I realized something I had written a few years ago about how transformation can be painful because old parts of ourselves are dying. That death, much like our physical death, means a birth, the birthing of something more beautiful. To resist is slowing down the natural process that a caterpillar undergoes to emerge as a butterfly. Similarly, our existence in this world is a cocooning process as we transform spiritually through all the experiences we must endure. This recent experience is an opportunity, as I have worked so hard to build a foundation for a new chapter in my life that I have not leaned in and taken the steps necessary for the path to emerge. And as they say, “God will do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.” As I receive the beckoning, I must remind myself to heed.
This year presented many challenges; amongst them was my father’s health issues. I found meaning in his experience and tried to guide him to do the same. My father’s name is Younus, so I have been drawn to the story of Prophet Yunus (as). The more I have learned about his story, the more I can relate. Essentially, Prophet Yunus (as), like all the prophets, is chosen to guide his people, but despite his many efforts, he does not feel capable of it. So, he decides to leave his people behind, but during his journey on the sea, he gets swallowed up by the whale. After being trapped and finding himself in complete darkness in both the literal and figurative sense, he calls out to Allah and surrenders to Him through prayer. Allah answers his prayers, and Yunus (as) is released from the belly of the whale onto share, where he ails for some time by the grace of Allah. Once healed and recovered, he returns to his people and, to his surprise, finds that his people have also turned to Allah.
How many of us are called to step into our purpose in life, but many reasons refuse to heed the call? Many of us like to play it safe or have fears in believing in ourselves, but by avoiding our true calling, we tend to find ourselves surrounded by darkness. We do not need all the answers, nor does the path need to be laid out. As Rumi so eloquently said: “As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.” For all of us, the way is Sirat al Mustaqeem (The Straight Path). This path to God we all pray for in every Salat during Surah Fatiha is answered in the most subtle or grandest ways. Yet, we often find ourselves resisting when our prayers are answered. I am guilty of it all the time. When a relationship does not work out, when we are running late because of traffic, when we do not get our “dream job,” when we cannot buy the house we want, when we lose a loved one, and any experience when we question Allah, we must shift our perspective and say Alhamdulillah (expressing gratitude and thanking Allah). Because what we see today as a calamity or “bad luck” is a blessing in disguise. Sometimes, we see that months or years later; other times, we do not even understand how Allah removed something from our way that was not meant for us.
I share all this as I navigate the beginning of another chapter of my life. I have my share of doubts, fears, and resentment, but ultimately, I have decided to turn it over to Allah. We can do our best, but the rest is out of our hands. However, as I have continued to resist and not heed the call, I did find myself in darkness, and like Yunus (as), I have turned to Allah for guidance through my prayers. In Surah Yunus (10:94-100), Allah reminds us of our existence and where we all return:
“If you ˹O Prophet˺ are in doubt about ˹these stories˺ that We have revealed to you, then ask those who read the Scripture before you. The truth has certainly come to you from your Lord, so do not be one of those who doubt,
and do not be one of those who deny Allah’s signs or you will be one of the losers.
Indeed, those against whom your Lord’s decree ˹of torment˺ is justified will not believe—
even if every sign were to come to them—until they see the painful punishment.
If only there had been a society which believed ˹before seeing the torment˺ and, therefore, benefited from its belief, like the people of Jonah.1 When they believed, We lifted from them the torment of disgrace in this world and allowed them enjoyment for a while.2
Had your Lord so willed ˹O Prophet˺, all ˹people˺ on earth would have certainly believed, every single one of them! Would you then force people to become believers?
It is not for any soul to believe except by Allah’s leave, and He will bring His wrath upon those who are unmindful.
The signs are all around us, but we often ignore them and seek the rewards this world has to offer. But how many of us truly feel content in pursuing worldly affairs? Yet, we still refuse to heed the call. Perhaps we all need to find ourselves in the darkness that is the belly of the whale - metaphorically speaking, or perhaps in a metaphysical sense, for us to finally surrender ourselves to the will of Allah. When we heed the call, we can finally step towards the way and see that Allah has a plan for all of us.