10in x 13in
Oil on streched oval canvas
 
The roaring sea represents life’s trials—relentless and consuming—while the edge of the cliff symbolizes the precariousness of fragile faith, a place where belief can waver, much like standing on a thin, crumbling brink. The figure, standing in prayer, represents a soul caught between trust and despair, torn between holding firm or succumbing to disbelief. 
 
As Surah Al-Hajj (22:11) states:
“And among the people is he who worships Allah on an edge. If good befalls him, he is content with it; but if a trial befalls him, he turns back on his face. He loses this world and the Hereafter. That is the clear loss”
 
Like the waves that crash against the stone cliffs, hardships and worldly temptations test the individual’s resolve. If comfort arrives, faith feels easy—like calm waters. But when trials strike, the storm tempts the person to turn back, abandoning belief. The scene becomes an allegory for the fragility of faith when it is conditional, reminding us that steadfastness is the anchor that keeps one from being swept away into loss.