A recent study found that 16.6% global population suffered from some form of anxiety or another. At first sight, the statistic seems enormous. Still, I'm here to argue that it's definitely much bigger. Indeed, there is a great fallacy in ascribing a certain portion of the population with a label that is, in its essence, human; verses from the Quran highlight how truly intimate man’s relationship is with anxiety (e.g. 70:19). Thus, this article serves as a discussion of anxiety and its counterpart, guilt, as fundamentally human features, in stark opposition to the common belief that they’re simply pathologies to be overcome. However, as theoretical reflections often appear overly intellectualizing, my reflections will be accompanied by a deeply personal testament of existential anxiety and guilt, as there is rarely a clearer method to appreciate an idea than to relate to oneself.
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In John Gardner's Grendel, Grendel journeys to an old priest seeking a few words of life's wisdoms. The priest summarizes his thoughts in four words which, although few in number, succinctly reveals the bedrock of human despair.
Things fade; alternatives exclude. The first proposition formulates the most basic reality of existence – everything eventually comes to an end. Let's however focus on the more subtle wisdom contained within the second part of this aphorism: 'alternatives exclude.' The priest here is stating that man's very capacity to choose carries with it an existential reality; every decision we make is shadowed by the countless of alternatives we're forfeiting in its stead. This dilemma is often salient in major life decisions, such as our career path, or the choice of spouse. However, the wisdom contained in 'alternatives exclude' is much more profound, and indeed it applies to even the simplest of decisions we make every day. Thus, it's important to note that we'll find anxious individuals on a broad continuum of indecisiveness – from marriage to what to eat for dinner. This week's post discusses the significance of emotions in Islam - an oft-neglected component of our psychological configuration. It can be found on:
http://www.suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/character/the-significance-of-emotions-in-islam/ |
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