It is really amazing when one discovers his own strength. When one comes upon powers he never thought he had.
It is as if when the time comes to be strong, will and patience are intensely launched...
All this was released when I have been exposed to fear.
My brother has cancer.
It is intense just uttering the words...I never thought I would ever be able to say such a phrase...
It is very strange. What I am going through. I feel that I am drinking something warm so slowly it is making me numb...I feel I am not me. I feel at peace. What is this? I cannot describe it exactly, and I cannot give it a name either. What is this that I am feeling? Is it strength? Is it weakness? Is it surrender? Or is this what they call submission? Is that it? I wouldn't know...
Most people think calamity is something bad. They cannot be more wrong. As I see it, and so clearly so, suffering is what makes us who we are. It allows us to grow, to become more compassionate, more patient, more human!
Even if it means we leave earlier than we thought we'd be staying, even if we are to say goodbye to those who are dear to us sooner than we thought we would, even if we get left behind when...we wanted so badly to go along.
The hardest thing to do would be overcoming the fear.
Fear can unleash emotions and powers we would never discover in us had it not for it. It acts as a pain killer, I suppose, as it directs your attention to something else other than what is actually scaring you.
Like the concept of shiatsu adding pressure on pain points to avert the body's attention to the new pain instead, in a similar way, fear turns the attention of the mind to focus on being scared rather than on the threat itself. That will stimulate your system to fight the new intruder.
knowing that fear can be conquered much easier than pain, one would actually defeat whatever is trying to break him. It doesn't matter if you would survive it or not, rather it is how you got through it, and how much you profited from having it.
We still need to defeat it, though, to get the true value of having been exposed to it...
May Allah be with us.
Thursday
Tuesday
Sunday
Piety
As I try to be a devoted Muslim, I always carry around a certain amount of fear of Allah. Fear not in terms of horror, but rather in reference to veneration and reverence. Fear as in avoiding anything that will displease our Lord. In other words, fear as in piety and evading whatever harms me and others. I always ask myself, though: Why doesn’t it always work to keep me from sinning, to remind me of what I am supposed to do or not do?
The answer is: There isn’t enough fear. There is never enough!
You see, fear of Allah is a comfortable fear; warm and sheltered. It gives you a sense of accompanying something greater than yourself. You are never alone, and human nature dictates that we behave our best when others are around. Our behavior is always at its finest when surrounded by entities besides ourselves. So one can only imagine how our conduct would be if we always had Allah at heart, if we were always aware that He is watching and beholding every word we say and every step we take.
I strongly believe that enough fear will lead us to ample faith.
And pure faith will directly connect us to Allah?
So…
What stands between us and connecting to Allah?
I have to stop here and ask:
Does my heart skip a beat whenever Allah (SWT) is remembered?
Is my heart humble enough to submit to Allah (SWT) without question?
Does my heart revere Allah (SWT) to the extent of being aware of His Almighty presence whenever I perform any of my Islamic duties?
Is my heart adequately composed to restrain from getting angry for anything but Him?
We cannot keep on excerpting some elements of Islam over others. We cannot extract the ones that suit our needs and disregard the ones that don’t. It is very understandable that it is quite difficult to choose a new lifestyle, as it is also not optional to go on living as we were previously used to after learning what we have learned.
In order to overcome this ordeal, we need to build a bridge; a bridge that would yield to our needs and fit our lifestyle.
Some things in Islam are prohibited, and one would feel that they are just not avoidable sometimes. But, and although it might seem this way, it is not an abstract thing, it is not intangible. And it is totally achievable. In fact, we see people living according to Islam every single day.
Islamic teachings are performed by normal people every day, and not by supernatural beings. The Prophet (PBUH) taught us things that are not beyond our ability. He gave us keys and clues to various questions as well as a manual to guide and protect us. So no one can claim it is not attainable by the average person. Anyone with sanity and control can actualize the belief and abide by its codes successfully.
Of course, what makes humans so special and beautiful is the diversity found in each and every person. Allah (SWT), knowing all this, gave us the assurance that everyone will be held accountable according to his or her potential and capacity. That is exactly why one should compare himself to no one but himself, especially in areas of skill and proficiency. A person who cannot memorize a poetic verse, for instance, cannot be expected to recite the whole of Quran. In the same way, a person who has photographic memory should hone this natural flair and invest it in this act of worship.
{God does not burden any human being with more than he is well able to bear: in his favor shall be whatever good he does, and against him whatever evil he does. O our Sustainer! Take us not to task if we forget or unwittingly do wrong! "O our Sustainer! Lay not upon us a burden such as Thou didst lay upon those who lived before us! O our Sustainer! Make us not bear burdens which we have no strength to bear! "And efface Thou our sins, and grant us forgiveness, and bestow Thy mercy upon us! Thou art our Lord Supreme: succor us, then, against people who deny the truth!}
The Noble Quran2:286
Once we have tried our best to accomplish what Allah (SWT) entrusted us to do, we must always keep our faith in Allah Almighty’s plan, and be certain that whether success or failure was attained, the gains and losses that result from our attempts are only willed for us by Allah (SWT). Having embraced this notion, we will endure whatever befalls us, because we know that it is Allah’s purpose to subject us to tests in life.
The answer is: There isn’t enough fear. There is never enough!
You see, fear of Allah is a comfortable fear; warm and sheltered. It gives you a sense of accompanying something greater than yourself. You are never alone, and human nature dictates that we behave our best when others are around. Our behavior is always at its finest when surrounded by entities besides ourselves. So one can only imagine how our conduct would be if we always had Allah at heart, if we were always aware that He is watching and beholding every word we say and every step we take.
I strongly believe that enough fear will lead us to ample faith.
And pure faith will directly connect us to Allah?
So…
What stands between us and connecting to Allah?
I have to stop here and ask:
Does my heart skip a beat whenever Allah (SWT) is remembered?
Is my heart humble enough to submit to Allah (SWT) without question?
Does my heart revere Allah (SWT) to the extent of being aware of His Almighty presence whenever I perform any of my Islamic duties?
Is my heart adequately composed to restrain from getting angry for anything but Him?
We cannot keep on excerpting some elements of Islam over others. We cannot extract the ones that suit our needs and disregard the ones that don’t. It is very understandable that it is quite difficult to choose a new lifestyle, as it is also not optional to go on living as we were previously used to after learning what we have learned.
In order to overcome this ordeal, we need to build a bridge; a bridge that would yield to our needs and fit our lifestyle.
Some things in Islam are prohibited, and one would feel that they are just not avoidable sometimes. But, and although it might seem this way, it is not an abstract thing, it is not intangible. And it is totally achievable. In fact, we see people living according to Islam every single day.
Islamic teachings are performed by normal people every day, and not by supernatural beings. The Prophet (PBUH) taught us things that are not beyond our ability. He gave us keys and clues to various questions as well as a manual to guide and protect us. So no one can claim it is not attainable by the average person. Anyone with sanity and control can actualize the belief and abide by its codes successfully.
Of course, what makes humans so special and beautiful is the diversity found in each and every person. Allah (SWT), knowing all this, gave us the assurance that everyone will be held accountable according to his or her potential and capacity. That is exactly why one should compare himself to no one but himself, especially in areas of skill and proficiency. A person who cannot memorize a poetic verse, for instance, cannot be expected to recite the whole of Quran. In the same way, a person who has photographic memory should hone this natural flair and invest it in this act of worship.
{God does not burden any human being with more than he is well able to bear: in his favor shall be whatever good he does, and against him whatever evil he does. O our Sustainer! Take us not to task if we forget or unwittingly do wrong! "O our Sustainer! Lay not upon us a burden such as Thou didst lay upon those who lived before us! O our Sustainer! Make us not bear burdens which we have no strength to bear! "And efface Thou our sins, and grant us forgiveness, and bestow Thy mercy upon us! Thou art our Lord Supreme: succor us, then, against people who deny the truth!}
The Noble Quran2:286
Once we have tried our best to accomplish what Allah (SWT) entrusted us to do, we must always keep our faith in Allah Almighty’s plan, and be certain that whether success or failure was attained, the gains and losses that result from our attempts are only willed for us by Allah (SWT). Having embraced this notion, we will endure whatever befalls us, because we know that it is Allah’s purpose to subject us to tests in life.
Tuesday
Selfish?
So many people lead a senseless life.
They are not aware of it, though. They go on believing that they are serving a worthy purpose. They follow it thinking their journey is worthwhile and are completely oblivious of the fact that it is taking them nowhere. This pettiness is tormenting them in such a way that they do not feel it directly, but affect them gravely.
It will eventually dry their soul; they will continue living without being able to fill it again because of the irreparable damage. When they carry on, they would only be giving their bodies’ full, leaving the soul to wither and die. What they have previously believed to be indispensible turns out to be leading them to a dead end.
To add value to their lives, they need to add substance to it. How can they do that? By pointing the senses to another direction; committing to supporting others rather than being selfish; reserving some time to relieve other people rather than being engrossed in their own well-being only.
Let us open our hearts to others, open our hearts to see the miseries of others, and understand the choices of others. It is only when we do that we can create a balance between benevolence and self-indulgence.
When we reach the asceticism that is required in Islam, we can create the harmony within ourselves. Why? Simply, because we would not be so consumed with what we want, and instead we would be willing to give from what we cherish the most.
“You will never receive piety until you spend what you love best”. Prophet Mohammed(PBUH).
We would not be refraining from lending a helping hand, and would be yearning to contribute to someone else’s deliverance...
The harmony I am talking about here is that between selfishness and selflessness. Yes, selfishness will not dissolve completely; it will only be redirected to suit the values of the faithful. Allow me to suggest how. You see, in the end, you would be seeking Allah’s acceptance, as you would be aspiring for your final abode to be exceptional, and that would be something you would never renounce.
Hence, this would be the closest you would get to selfishness.
They are not aware of it, though. They go on believing that they are serving a worthy purpose. They follow it thinking their journey is worthwhile and are completely oblivious of the fact that it is taking them nowhere. This pettiness is tormenting them in such a way that they do not feel it directly, but affect them gravely.
It will eventually dry their soul; they will continue living without being able to fill it again because of the irreparable damage. When they carry on, they would only be giving their bodies’ full, leaving the soul to wither and die. What they have previously believed to be indispensible turns out to be leading them to a dead end.
To add value to their lives, they need to add substance to it. How can they do that? By pointing the senses to another direction; committing to supporting others rather than being selfish; reserving some time to relieve other people rather than being engrossed in their own well-being only.
Let us open our hearts to others, open our hearts to see the miseries of others, and understand the choices of others. It is only when we do that we can create a balance between benevolence and self-indulgence.
When we reach the asceticism that is required in Islam, we can create the harmony within ourselves. Why? Simply, because we would not be so consumed with what we want, and instead we would be willing to give from what we cherish the most.
“You will never receive piety until you spend what you love best”. Prophet Mohammed(PBUH).
We would not be refraining from lending a helping hand, and would be yearning to contribute to someone else’s deliverance...
The harmony I am talking about here is that between selfishness and selflessness. Yes, selfishness will not dissolve completely; it will only be redirected to suit the values of the faithful. Allow me to suggest how. You see, in the end, you would be seeking Allah’s acceptance, as you would be aspiring for your final abode to be exceptional, and that would be something you would never renounce.
Hence, this would be the closest you would get to selfishness.
Monday
What's Next?
It is up to you to seize the future. Just work on your intention.
Nothing you do is neutral. Every single thing counts; every word and every thought, they all count. That is what makes our lives worthwhile. Every day has a different meaning and it is a chance to add something to our book of records. Every little thing I do whether be it little or big, it counts as something significant...Just like every heartbeat. This is so because everything is received by Allah (SWT). The things no one notices that you do, the things no one feels that you endure, the things no one ever considers, even though it is greatly affecting your inner self, are recognized by Allah (SWT).
“AND IN whatever condition thou mayest find thyself, [O Prophet,] and whatever discourse of this [divine writ]thou mayest be reciting, and whatever work you [all, O men,] may do -[remember that] We are your witness [83] [from the moment] when you enter upon it: for, not even an atom's weight [of whatever there is] on earth or in heaven escapes thy Sustainer's knowledge; and neither is there anything smaller than that, or larger, but is recorded in [His] clear decree.” The Noble Quran 10:61
Imagine if this world is all there is. All the people and all their stories just end with the last breath they take. And that is it. Nothing more is there after life? I would not be exaggerating if I said that it would be a grave catastrophe! What someone leaves behind needs to outlive everyone and everything. Otherwise, there would be no consolation for a perished life. People endure many things, even the most fortunate have to go through trials and ordeals at some point of their lives.
Every single one of those billions of human souls deserves immaculate fairness. How is this possible? How can this be attained if there were no afterlife? How can an honest man lie side by side, with criminals and murderers, waiting for nothing? How can that be just, if there were nothing following, nothing to do him justice? How can someone believe in no creator ? How can someone believe there is no judgment, and accept it? How can someone believe there is no superior creator who will finally bring forth justice that was not fully achieved in life? Is it logical to accommodate a concept that can never materialize? Why torture ourselves? If I were to believe that I would not have a chance to redeem what I have missed for so long, I would be allowing myself to crumble and wither hopelessly, and very, very sadly…
What firmly persuades me is that there is no infinite happiness on this earth; there is always something missing, and if it seems to be complete, it is definitely not permanent.
Nothing you do is neutral. Every single thing counts; every word and every thought, they all count. That is what makes our lives worthwhile. Every day has a different meaning and it is a chance to add something to our book of records. Every little thing I do whether be it little or big, it counts as something significant...Just like every heartbeat. This is so because everything is received by Allah (SWT). The things no one notices that you do, the things no one feels that you endure, the things no one ever considers, even though it is greatly affecting your inner self, are recognized by Allah (SWT).
“AND IN whatever condition thou mayest find thyself, [O Prophet,] and whatever discourse of this [divine writ]thou mayest be reciting, and whatever work you [all, O men,] may do -[remember that] We are your witness [83] [from the moment] when you enter upon it: for, not even an atom's weight [of whatever there is] on earth or in heaven escapes thy Sustainer's knowledge; and neither is there anything smaller than that, or larger, but is recorded in [His] clear decree.” The Noble Quran 10:61
Imagine if this world is all there is. All the people and all their stories just end with the last breath they take. And that is it. Nothing more is there after life? I would not be exaggerating if I said that it would be a grave catastrophe! What someone leaves behind needs to outlive everyone and everything. Otherwise, there would be no consolation for a perished life. People endure many things, even the most fortunate have to go through trials and ordeals at some point of their lives.
Every single one of those billions of human souls deserves immaculate fairness. How is this possible? How can this be attained if there were no afterlife? How can an honest man lie side by side, with criminals and murderers, waiting for nothing? How can that be just, if there were nothing following, nothing to do him justice? How can someone believe in no creator ? How can someone believe there is no judgment, and accept it? How can someone believe there is no superior creator who will finally bring forth justice that was not fully achieved in life? Is it logical to accommodate a concept that can never materialize? Why torture ourselves? If I were to believe that I would not have a chance to redeem what I have missed for so long, I would be allowing myself to crumble and wither hopelessly, and very, very sadly…
What firmly persuades me is that there is no infinite happiness on this earth; there is always something missing, and if it seems to be complete, it is definitely not permanent.
Friday
Musing
What if I died right now? What would go on someone’s mind if he had been told he had little time left? I, for one, might ask myself: Am I ready to be judged? Do I think my record is clean? Did I do enough good deeds that will elevate me in the hereafter? It all comes down to being honest with one’ self. Are the norms which I have set for myself sufficient in human standards? Was I fair to myself and others? Did I help those I had the power to help? Was I efficient as a person, as a woman, a daughter, a mother, a wife, a teacher? Well, all of these are questions I ask myself...
Thursday
Submission
If we fully submit…
Accept everything, even misfortune and misery. If you are able to, then you will subdue it easily.
Let us say you plan a trip to the desert. To endure its extreme conditions, you would have to gear-up; you would have to take water, food, a tent, a compass, and what have you, right? This preparation would not only prepare you to sustain the difficulties involved, it would even allow you to enjoy it to a good extent.
Now if you were to own a tool that will enable you to accept the sorrow or indigence, and subjugate them, wouldn’t you agree that you would be able to brace yourself for the hardships of life? If you “gear-up”, you would learn to accept whatever befalls you and even learn to see that it has been a good thing for you after all.
We see it all the time, great thinkers emerge from very unfortunate backgrounds, great achievers surface through a chain of abuse and harm.
{Say: 'Nothing will happen to us except what God has decreed for us: He is our protector': and on God let the Believers put their trust.} The Noble Quran 9:51
Well, Allah (SWT) revealed to us that bad things happen, but they are good for you on the long run. Nobody can make you believe this, except yourself, and your very own experiences.
“Leave them alone; let them eat and enjoy themselves the while the hope [of vain delights] be guiles them: for in time they will come to know [the truth], those who are patient in adversity, and true to their word, and truly devout, and who spend [in God's way], and pray for forgiveness from their innermost hearts,”3:16-17
Accept Everything
Rejoice when something good happens to you, sustain whatever hardship befalls you.
Anticipate that it will not last forever.
Believe that something good will come out of it.
Ask yourself this:
What have I previously done in my life?
What have I done with my life?
What do I plan to do with my life?
{Any disaster that strikes you is through what your own hands have earned'} 53: 30
Intention
Be honest when you perform your self-evaluation. Be transparent and objective. You will see that you deserve every minute thing that happened and still is happening to you, whether be it good or unfortunate.
Keep in mind that bad things are not a punishment as much as it a processing means to cleanse the impurities of our defective lives.
Embrace your experiences and remember that what does not break you makes you stronger.
Aren’t catastrophe, calamity, and distress the best tutors in confidence and prudence.
Lessons are not cheap. Life’s lessons are most certainly not. Let us learn.
Let us learn, because we have paid a big price for these lessons, let us not waste what we have endured…A Draft Book
Tuesday
Forsaken (II)
Cont. Forsaken (I)
Feeling lonely and unfulfilled eventually will lead you to anger and sadness. If you do not defeat this impulse, if you do not dismiss the devil’s whispers and stop his hacking, you will never feel contented with what you have; you will always lose appreciation of life’s valuables and Allah’s endowments.
When we are thankful, we are unmistakably being able to perceive clearly and without delusions. Hence, we are capable of professing our true self; ergo we release this awareness and communicate it to others.
Sunday
Forsaken (I)
5/5 Cont. The Awakening
I often hear people say that in spite of being pleased with their achievements, they still feel lacking. They feel that their households do not give them the refuge one usually longs for at home, and they feel the coldness amidst whatever company was gathered in there.
They harbor emptiness, whether they were alone or among others. Not being serene in your own haven, not being ready to immerse yourself in the comfort of your own shelter, nor being able to enjoy the tranquility before setting out again to face new challenges, must be a horrid sense of being.
I can only imagine…
Friday
The Awakening
4/5 cont. Living The Tenets
When I was growing up, I have encountered all sorts of people, and I have always had this habit of scanning and analyzing them within myself. The way they behaved, the way they reacted to different condition s have always intrigued me. What was a big deal for someone was so trivial to another. What was nerve wrecking to somebody was a walk in the park to another. Why?
Tuesday
Living The Tenets
3/5 cont.Not That Hard
When I wake up at dawn to perform my daily routine of ablution and Fajr prayer, I sometimes do it sleepily and at other times I am wide awake. At those times when I am conscious of every movement I do, and I complete the whole Fardh in addition to the invocations I am blessed with on that day, I feel that my whole day has started out amazingly that absolutely nothing can ruin it. It usually lasts a few hours and then comes Dhuhr, now if I perform my noon prayer to its very essence; I get another dose of the same taste of peace I have felt earlier that day.
Why is it so? I often ask myself that. I think the answer would be that Allah (swt) has created us in such a way that we need certain rituals and habits to complete us. Without them, we would be losing a vital part with which we are whole. Allah the merciful has not left us without instructions; He has taught us how to reach this wholeness. He has given us the how as well as endless resources to help us apply, starting with water and food and ending with meditation and prayers.
What Allah (SWT) has given us is a manual to guide us through our journey to our final abode.
{Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah. For without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.}
The Noble Quran 43:28
Alhamdullilah for having Him as our Lord, and alhamdullilah for giving us the Quran and sending us our prophet (pbuh) with the Sunna.
Continue...The Awakening
Continue...The Awakening
Sunday
Not That Hard
2 Cont. Thoughts
The beauty of it all is that what we need is not so much. We don’t need mountains of gold or expensive foods to make us whole. Nor do we need luxurious homes and priceless furniture to fill the gap. All we need are certain rites any person can perform.
Tuesday
Thoughts
1
As we go about living our daily life, we seldom stop to ponder upon our purpose, our true reason for being on this planet.
As we go about living our daily life, we seldom stop to ponder upon our purpose, our true reason for being on this planet.
Yes, the true believers come to know why; they find their target and strive to reach it, but many questions come to mind: How can we determine exactly what should be the target? Which priority should we place first? How can we worship Allah (SWT) to the best of our God given ability?
The truth is there are different aspects which should be addressed faithfully in order to be able to feel nearly as whole as Allah Almighty allowed us to be on this Earth.
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