🌪️ Caught in Life's Tornado? Here Are Your Spiritual Anchors

21st Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1446H

Assalamu'alaikum,

Have you noticed how a tornado pulls everything into its destructive vortex, spinning faster and faster until all sense of direction is lost? Our modern lifestyle has become exactly that – a tornado of to-dos, tasks, notifications, and things to keep up with.

We feel we’re constantly in fast paced motion, but not necessarily moving toward an intentional direction. The faster the tornado spins, the more disconnected we become from our spiritual center.

This tornado effect is part of what Prophet Muhammad ﷺ foretold when he said: “The Hour will not be established until time passes rapidly, such that a year is like a month, a month is like a week, a week is like a day, a day is like an hour, and an hour is like the flicker of a flame.” (Tirmidhi)

We're experiencing this prophetic truth in real time. But the question is: what can we do about it?

Two Responses to the Tornado of Life

Response 1: Spin Faster!

Many of us try to match the tornado's speed. We adopt every AI tool and productivity system to be more efficient and more productive. Unfortunately, this is a mirage.

There was a time when we thought emails and instant communication would make us more efficient and give us more leisure time. Instead, we ended up with overflowing inboxes and more emails than we can handle in a lifetime!

I feel the same will happen with AI. With AI handling more routine tasks, we'll end up with more projects leading to cognitive burnout.

This approach reminds me of "the efficiency trap" in Oliver Burkeman's "Four Thousand Weeks." The more efficiently we work, the more we're expected to do. Spinning faster only pulls us deeper into the tornado.

Response 2: Find Your Spiritual Anchors

The alternative is to anchor yourself firmly so the tornado can't pull you in. We become intentional about what we want to achieve in life. We follow the Barakah Culture way: God-centered, akhira focused, and purpose-driven.

When a ship faces a storm, it drops a heavy anchor to maintain position. Similarly, our spiritual anchors – salah, Quran, dhikr, family connections – keep us grounded when life's tornado threatens to carry us away.

Anchoring Yourself in the Storm

I've noticed a counterintuitive pattern in my life. The days I'm most committed to my spiritual anchors – praying slowly, dedicating time to Quran and Athkar – are paradoxically the days when time feels abundant. The days feel fuller with Barakah, and the day feels... slower.

Remembering Allah lets us step outside the tornado and enter a different realm. We create islands of tranquility where time flows differently.

Dropping Your Spiritual Anchors

As Muslims, we have an unfair advantage when dealing with life's tornado. We're given powerful anchors to drop when everything around us spins out of control:

1. The Salah Anchor: Not rushing through prayers to get to "more important" tasks, but making prayer the focus of your day.

When you drop this anchor, something remarkable happens. The 15-20 minutes you "sacrifice" for prayer doesn't make you fall behind – it creates Barakah in your remaining time.

2. The Quran Anchor: Not just skimming verses while waiting for appointments, but dedicating your best time to the Quran daily, free from distractions.

I've found that even when I'm being pulled by the tornado of deadlines and projects, this anchor grounds me. Allah's words steady my mind and remind me of what matters.

3. The Dhikr Anchor: Setting aside time to say subhanAllah, alhamdulillah, and salawat without checking your phone. These phrases, said with presence, create weight in your day – the good kind that keeps you from being swept away.

Living Anchored, Not Stagnant

Dropping these anchors isn't about doing less work or being less productive. Ships drop anchors not to stop moving forward but to prevent being carried off course during storms.

Similarly, our spiritual anchors don't stop our progress – they ensure we're moving in the right direction, not spinning aimlessly in life's tornado.

When we anchor our day with worship instead of fitting it into the cracks of our day, something transformative happens. Our perspective shifts from "I have so much to do" to "I have enough time for what Allah has written for me."

This is the true meaning of Barakah in time. It is not miraculously getting more hours, but experiencing the divine expansion of the hours you have through your spiritual connection.

Weathering Your Storm

If you're caught in a tornado and want to drop your spiritual anchors, here are practical steps:

1. Identify the strongest winds: What parts of your day feel most like a tornado? These areas need anchoring first.

2. Prepare your anchors: Block out prayer, Quran, and dhikr times on your calendar. Organize your day around these activities.

3. Start with one anchor: Don't try to drop all anchors at once. Begin with one prayer performed with full presence, or five minutes of distraction-free Quran. Add more as you gain stability.

Don't get swept away in life's tornado. Drop your spiritual anchors and experience the peace of being rooted while the winds of dunya howl around you.

How are you anchoring yourself against life's tornado?

Sincerely,