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February 20 2024

It was a weekday’s afternoon. I flopped on my bed out of sheer exhaustion. I could feel a strange burn emitting from my chest with every inhalation. I wondered if I would ever be able to weather through this pain.

Today, I went to see the doctor with the same complaints I had the last time. His previous prescription had failed to do me any good. I saw several days of missed work this past week, and it was becoming clear that the few days ahead would see a similar fate. Completing the chapters I had promised my readers was undeniably out of the question.

I wondered why this had come to be. I had won the past 5 years over, with only a couple of days of missed work. My colleagues had regarded me as the most hardworking employee in our crowd. I gained praise for the timely completion of any and every work assigned to me.

Boy, had I been proud of myself for it!

I used to think to myself that this success had only got to do with my talents and capabilities. The successes that flowed in one after another had me believing that this was everything I truly deserved in life. It had me sunk deep into the delusion that the triumph would be never ending.

But on this day, as I lay on my bed, all those successes seemed to helplessly fade away into a void. I had now become someone who had no certainty of showing up to work for two consecutive days. Just months ago, I had been a front row volunteer to take on any new upcoming events. But now, I could barely meet my minimum responsibilities on the job.

My shortcomings had cost me the faith of my readers.

Why though? I thought to myself as the burn on my chest grew unbearable.

And right then, I was reminded of the second story in Surah al-Kahf; the story of the owner of two gardens. The one who had extreme pride towards his two gardens, so much so that he shoved words of belittlement at his poor neighbor. In the following Ayat, Allah states what the arrogant man said as he entered his gardens.

وَدَخَلَ جَنَّتَهُ وَهُوَ ظَالِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِ قَالَ مَا أَظُنُّ أَن تَبِيدَ هَٰذِهِ أَبَدًا ‎﴿٣٥﴾‏ وَمَا أَظُنُّ السَّاعَةَ قَائِمَةً وَلَئِن رُّدِدتُّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّي لَأَجِدَنَّ خَيْرًا مِّنْهَا مُنقَلَبًا ‎﴿٣٦﴾

And he entered his property, while wronging his soul, saying, “I do not think this will ever perish (35) nor do I think the Hour will ˹ever˺ come. And if in fact I am returned to my Lord, I will definitely get a far better outcome than ˹all˺ this.” (36)

As soon as I recalled these Ayat, I thought to myself, سُبْحَانَ اللّه (all praise is due to Allah), is there an inch of difference between me and the owner of the two gardens?

Like he did, I had thought that my success would run eternally. I had seldom pondered about the Day of Judgment due to that very mindset.

The owner of the two gardens had to witness the demise of his fortune, just days after he had spoken his words of arrogance.

I was going through a similar phase. My success had come to a standstill; or perhaps left me altogether, never to return to my doorstep.

I realized that this was my moment of repentance. This was the day I realized I should destroy the pride that had plagued my heart. I realized that all my actions should only be undertaken for the pleasure of Allah. This has been a goal I have strived to achieve to this day but haven’t yet succeeded. I sincerely seek strength from my Lord to reach that goal.

My dear brothers and sisters:

Every bit of success we achieve in our lives is nothing more than a blessing from our Lord. Had He willed, we would have been talentless shells dwelling on this planet. Our talents are inhibited so it becomes a trial for us during this temporary time.

The test is whether we dedicate our lives to achieve the pleasure of our Lord with the qualities that have been bestowed upon us. And to remember Him even when those talents enrich our lives with victory.

We should always prioritize the success of the Hereafter, ahead of the successes of this life. That’s our only path towards success in both lives.

God Willing!

July 22 2022

Is Quran really a miracle?

I saw a tweet a few days ago, where someone had asked this question. While I try not to focus much of my attention on hate speech towards Islam, because of how it boils my blood, I could not help but stare at this tweet for a while.

Why? Because that question is personally very close to my heart. And it was that very question, that had lead me to learn more about the Quran and Islam in general.

We do learn that the Quran is a miracle in the Islamic studies curriculum that we have. Almost in every grade. But the real question is, how many of us give it a thought? I know I didn’t, until I reached high school. I didn’t think about why the Quran was a miracle FOR MYSELF, though I was memorizing those bullet points for every single Islamic studies exam. And I doubted the Quran in my head for so long in my life.

But then at one point in life, I decided to take a step back from the distractions in life, and consider the possibility that this Book, might be a miracle. So I opened up the Quran for myself for the first time, and began to learn about it. I tried to find out whether those bullet points on my Islamic studies book were accurate. I looked up the translation of the Quran and let me tell you, there were a lot of things that didn’t make sense to me just with the translation. But I didn’t dismiss it just yet, because I knew I had to find out more. I knew that if I really want to get to the truth, I must learn every single thing that they are saying will bring clarity to my understanding of the Quran.

So I looked up tafseer (in-depth explanations of the Quran), I started to learn Arabic, which is the language of the Quran. And Wallaahi let me tell you, it led me to the most beautiful conclusions that I ever reached in my entire life. Every time I learned about the Quran, it convinced me more and more that it could only be from Allah. It inspired me to share its beauty with everyone I knew and more!

So to those who have doubts about the Quran and Islam in general, I do validate your doubts. But ask yourselves this question. Have you really done EVERYTHING you can to learn about Islam and the Quran? Are you really approaching these subjects with open minds? Because Islam actually asks us to enter this religion with eyes open. With insight.

The very fact that you are posting your doubts on social media shows that you are just looking to argue. (knowingly or unknowingly). Logically speaking, you can’t reach the truth through an argument. Because the nature of an argument is that you want your side to win. You already have a bias to your own opinions when you argue.

So if you genuinely and sincerely want to reach the truth, look up the Quran for yourself. Study Islam for yourself. With no bias whatsoever. And see for yourself how Allah shows you the truth In Sha Allah!

سَنُرِيهِمْ آيَاتِنَا فِي الْآفَاقِ وَفِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ

“We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth….” Surat Al-Fussilath, 53

July 14 2022

Can your relationship with Allah heal your loneliness?

This is a question I have thought about for a long time. As someone who deals with frequent periods of loneliness, and therefore ends up finding lists of ways to deal with it, it was a question I seriously needed to consider.

For many years, I was literally doing everything to deal with my loneliness, based on the articles I read. From doing things I love, learning new skills, buying myself gifts, going the extra mile in taking care of myself, you name it. But there was this one thing in all of the articles that I wasn’t able to fulfil. And that was, ‘Focus on the connections that you do have’.

In all honesty, I always frowned at this point whenever I read it. Because during the moments that you feel lonely, that is the hardest thing to do. The very reason you feel loneliness is because you feel like there is no one you can connect with. That there is no one who can truly understand you if you opened up. In fact, you could reach out and its possible that your friends or family do not have the time to listen to you. Or that they do not give the kind of energy and effort that you need for consolation. Or even they are not in the mental state to be able to be there for you. And being a burden for them is the last thing you want to do. This scenario can happen even if you know deep down in your heart that you have loving family and friends.

That was the complaint I carried in my heart for a long time. How am I supposed to seek out the ‘connections I already have’ during those fragile moments of loneliness? Where I am stingy with my own emotions and I want the affection of other people who are possibly in an equally fragile state as I am? Should I skip that point about ‘connections’ in dealing with loneliness altogether? I always answered ‘yes’ to that question in my head. But I knew a connection was absolutely necessary if I was to overcome loneliness.

Then one day, I was listening to a lecture about doing small good deeds for Allah. And how small good deeds add up to improve our relationship with Allah. As I was listening to it, I thought to myself. Does it really take that little for me to connect with Allah? At that moment, I was reminded of a hadhith that I already knew, but struck me for the first time.

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Allah says: ‘I am just as My slave thinks I am, (i.e. I am able to do for him what he thinks I can do for him) and I am with him if He remembers Me. If he remembers Me in himself, I too, remember him in Myself; and if he remembers Me in a group of people, I remember him in a group that is better than they; and if he comes one span nearer to Me, I go one cubit nearer to him; and if he comes one cubit nearer to Me, I go a distance of two outstretched arms nearer to him; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.’ “

Sahih al-Bukhari 7405, Book 97, Hadith 34

Speak about the kind of effort and affection a lonely person needs! Speak about the connection and love loneliness asks for!

As I remembered the hadhith, it became all so clear to me. The ‘connection’ I should be seeking is nothing but the connection I have with Allah. Because its none other than Allah Who can truly console my heart during the moments when I feel so weak. Because this is the only relationship where I can be stingy with my own emotions and my energy, but if I make even the tiniest of effort like saying a short zikr, or making a dua, or just calling out to Allah or perhaps just remembering Him in my heart, and I will get the same effort or bigger in return! This is the relationship where I don’t even have to gather up the energy or muster up the courage to open up, because He already Knows all that I have been through and whatever I have in my heart better than I do! This is the relationship where I don’t have to worry if the Listener has the time to listen to me or is in the mental state to be able to console me. Because He owns time itself and He is High above any flaws! Subhaanallah!

And I tell you brothers and sisters. Nothing that I did to cope with my loneliness can come close to the consolation I get when I make efforts towards Allah. The prayers, azkaar, Quran, listening to good and making dua fills my heart with love and comfort every single time. And the beauty of this is, when He fills your heart with His Love, you become generous with the love and affection to give to those around you. You become more forgiving, because you are inspired by the One Who Loves you despite all that you do to disappoint Him. You become more empathetic and compassionate, because of how you’ve felt Him taking care of your heart.

So the next time you feel lonely, ask yourself, how is my relationship with Allah? How can I start taking some extra steps towards Him? Work on that connection and In Sha Allah you will feel that you have all the love that you need and more!

January 21 2022

Imagine a person getting hit with a gunshot on his shoulder. Instead of going to the doctor, he decides to bandage the area at home because he thought taking it out the bullet would cause even more pain. Since the gunshot didn’t hit one of his vital organs, he is able to survive.

But it doesn’t take long for him to realize that it wasn’t the best decision. He starts to experience pain and discomfort. Because the bullets have cut through is muscles and tissues. And the bullet is made up of a poisonous metal which eventually seeps into his internal organs. He faces the consequences of this perhaps years down the line.

While listening to this story, you might think that he is insane to have done that. You might think that he should have taken out the bullet the day he got it. Because surely you would have done that, right?

Well, what if I told you many of us do this with our own selves? We may not have a bullet inside of our bodies. But we have experienced pain inside our chests. Sometimes we don’t even realize when and where we got that pain from and sometimes, we do.

Even when we do, the first thing we attempt to do is numb the pain. Try very hard not to feel it and get rid of it. Its just like the person who is putting the bandage on the gunshot wound. Just like him, we assume that facing our pain and trying to heal it is too hurtful than numbing it. So we do. We numb it better than any anesthetist can.

Of course, numbing the pain does not solve the issue. It doesn’t mean the pain doesn’t exist anymore. Before we know it, the pain catches up with us with all its consequences. The pain will then be perhaps even more magnified than we first experienced it. Then we are left to wonder how we can escape it.

The reason why I felt that this was important to address is that many of us go through it and at times, it impacts our iman too. We may have been numbing the pain even those days that we were turning towards deen and when we come across that pain again, we suddenly feel too weak to do as much worship as we used to do. At this point, many of us feel hopeless, assuming that we are losing our iman and our connection with Allah. Perhaps feeling that Allah does not love us anymore adds to our hopelessness.

But the fact of the matter maybe the complete opposite. Perhaps Allah reminded you of the pain again out of His Love for you. He reminded you of it, so that you can face it and address it properly this time. Perhaps Allah is giving you a chance to see the reality of that pain. He is giving you are chance to take out the ‘bullet’ and fully heal the gunshot wound. And who can possibly heal us except Him?

So if you are in pain, dear brothers and sisters, and you feel so low to the point that you are struggling through the prayers and doing other acts of worship, stay firm in that struggle. Because if anything, it is that struggle that will allow you to keep going and finally seek the help you need. It is the faintest calls of your heart in those moments that are responded ever so swiftly. Feel honoured, because its none other than Him Who will be holding your heart together in these days of pain, that are bound to pass. (In Sha Allah)

December 26 2021

Ever since I was little, I had a fear of being alone. Not as in being alone in a room. But being left alone in life, even by those who are closest to me. I used to have ruminating thoughts about being left alone and not being able to survive because of it. (There is an entire story behind this fear which I will perhaps tell you in another post In Sha Allah).

After years of struggling through this fear, there came a day where I felt extremely alone. More alone than I had ever felt in my entire life. That was the day I realized that I had to let go off some things that I assumed would help me get over that fear. Because I got to know that they were no good for me.

When I decided to let go, it was as though my heart became empty. It was as though there was this huge hole in my heart that I didn’t know how to fill. Especially then because I became so sure that my fears of being alone were true, since even the things that were supposed to help me, failed in doing so.

Those days, I had a habit of reciting 2-4 pages of Quran after prayer. But this habit had broken due to the intense emotions I was going through. However, on this particular day, I decided to go back to the Quran. Recalling how the remembrance of Allah gives rest to the hearts.

It happened so that I had paused reciting Quran towards the end of Suratul Anbiya, few weeks before that day. When I resumed reciting with my shaky voice, trying my best to hold back my tears, it was the ayah describing a scene from the story of Yunus (AS). The scene where he called out to Allah from beneath multiple darknesses, while being inside the belly of the whale. Allah then describes how He swt had saved Yunus (AS) from that sadness and distress. And Allah says that that is how He saves the believers.

This story by itself had touched me. Because I felt myself being in a kind of darkness too. Darkness of the feelings that I didn’t know how to explain. Darkness of emotions that were eating away at me on the inside. Darkness of not even knowing how to ask for help.

But then I found myself reciting the next ayah.

وَزَكَرِيَّا إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ رَبِّ لَا تَذَرْنِي فَرْدًا

“And [mention] Zechariah, when he called to his Lord, “My Lord, do not leave me alone…” Suratul Anbiya, 89

I clearly remember that I could not finish the ayah. I was only able to recite up to that point. My sight got blurry with tears as I felt my shattering heart being held together.

Why did I feel like I was being pulled together? Because it was my Lord Who decided that I will be reciting that ayah right in that moment. It was my Lord Who made my tongue recite that dua just on that day, even when I didn’t know what to ask for. And the fact that He Himself, made me make that dua, is proof that He in fact will bring an end to the loneliness I was feeling.

All of a sudden, I felt less lonely. All of a sudden, I felt heard even without saying a word. All of a sudden I knew that I was in fact never alone. That my Lord has always been, and will always be by my side through His Knowledge.

To put this in context, the ayah is the dua of Zakariyya (AS), who was asking Allah for a son, though he had reached old age and his wife was barren. Perhaps the end of my feelings of loneliness felt as impossible to me, as an old man having a child.

But even that wasn’t impossible for Allah. Allah in fact gave Zakariyya (AS) an heir who will carry out his mission even after he was gone. Just like that, Allah did in fact help me with my fear of being alone.

Ever since that day, I came across sources from places I didn’t even expect, that helped me so much in healing from that fear. I still wonder about how far I’ve come and it is no less than a miracle to me. I can’t be more grateful for the fact that I no longer go through episodes of crying due to ruminating thoughts of being alone.

So if you have ever felt alone, remember this. Your Lord will never leave you alone. He Knows the deepest of your fears and reasons behind them. He Knows exactly what you need. He listens the most silent of your cries that no one else can possible hear. So hold on to Him. Ask from Him. Because He is your ultimate refuge. And once you find that refuge in Him, He Will send you people who will only add to the joy that you found in remembering Him. (In Sha Allah)

October 24 2021

“Alhamdhulillah….for the good I’m not able to see in this situation.”

I said these words in a conversation on a day where my eyes were overflowing with tears and had a throbbing pain in my chest. A pain that I thought would last even to this day and beyond, because it hadn’t left me in a long time and the turn of events had made it worse. And no, I did not say those words because I was pious or because I thought I would find a way out of that sadness. My iman was the weakest it had been in a long time and I wasn’t doing much worship either except for the bear minimum. I had assumed I was in a dark tunnel that had a dead end, with no light whatsoever.

Why did I say those words? Somehow, the little bit of knowledge that I had about Allah had come together to my rescue in that moment. I remembered how Allah had taken care of me all my life to that point. I remembered how He is the Most Loving, how He is the Best of Planners, how He makes a way out for His slaves, how He is competent over all things. I remembered all of His beautiful names. Also this one thing I repeatedly learn from the studies of Suratul Fathiha was embedded deep in my head.

The first ayah of Suratul Fathiha, which is الحَمْدُ لِلّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِيْن is a Jumlah ismiyyah (a noun sentence). Generally in Arabic, when something is said in the noun form as opposed to the verb form, it makes the idea permanent. This means that the حَمْد of Allah is permanent. The praise and thanks that belongs to Allah is present all the time. No matter what Allah decrees for us in our lives, He deserves to be praised and thanked for it. I will repeat that.

NO MATTER WHAT Allah decrees for us in our lives He deserves to be PRAISED AND THANKED for it!

So whatever happens, we need to be able to say Ya Rabb! This is the best thing that could be happening to me right now. I may not be able to see it but I thank You for it!

And guess what? Not too long after I said those words, I did realize that indeed what I went through was the best thing that could have happened to me at that time of my life. I was able to see right through the pain. As my scars healed and the pain subsided by the Will of Allah, I realized that I had become stronger that even before I had those scars. I realized so much about myself and I was able to help so many with my experience. Subhaanallah!

So when we learn that the Prophet (SAW) used to say الحَمْدُ لِلّهِ عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ (All praise and thanks belong to Allah in all circumstances), know that the Prophet (SAW) was stating nothing but the fact! And when you say those words even when things aren’t going your way, know that you are saying nothing but the truth too!

So say Alhamdhulillah, always and every day. Say Alhamdhulillah for the situations that won’t get solved. The pain that just won’t go away. The feelings that keep getting tangled and just don’t make sense. Know that whatever is going out of your control is Allah’s beautiful plan for you. Always remember, the sooner you say Alhamdhulillah and convince your heart of those words, the sooner it will make sense In Sha Allah!

#Reflections #Selfreminder

October 21 2021

The word ‘Taqwa’ has the meaning of protecting oneself. A question that arises is, protecting oneself from what?

Generally, the scholars say that taqwa is protecting ourselves from the punishment of Allah by staying away from things that displeases Him.

But as we go through the journey of taqwa, we will actually realize that by practicing taqwa, we aren’t just saving ourselves from the punishment in the next life. Rather, we are also saving ourselves from the torture and pain that sins cause us in this life.

You may have held yourself back from consuming haraam food and you later realize that it wouldn’t have been good for your health anyway. You may have held yourself back from taking haraam money or interest-based loans and later you realize that your life is much better off without the debt or the stress of having something illegal. You may have left a relationship that was displeasing to Allah and perhaps years down the line, you realize your life may have gone down in ruins if you stayed in it. Or your life may not have played out the best way if you were focused on that relationship at that time of your life. You may have left all those bad habits for the sake of Allah but that’s what taught you resilience and boosted the quality of everything you do.

Subhaanallah this reminds be of the dua Allah Himself taught us.

رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَ فِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَ قِنَا عَذَابَ النَّار

“Our Master, grant us the best in this world, and in the next and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.” Suratul Baqarah, 201

The fact that He Himself taught this dua, is proof that He swt Wills to give us the best both in this world and in the next. And the fact that He taught us a way to achieve that success is a sign of His Love and Care towards us.

May Allah make us people of taqwa, thereby grant us the best in this world and in the next and protect us from the punishment of the Fire. Ameen!

September 16 2021

“Appreciation, acceptance and gratitude from other people are not that necessary in our lives.”

I told my sister as we were having a conversation about social anxiety, which is a disorder where a person excessively worries about how other people perceive him or her in a social situation.

“No! Sometimes it maybe more important than even food. Remember the dua of Ibrahim (AS)?”

My sister responded, compelling me to think. As I remembered the ayah she was referring to, I ended up agreeing with her.

In Surah Ibrahim, Allah describes the scene where Ibrahim (AS) is leaving his family in the desert of Makkah, and he makes this beautiful dua to Allah for his family. One part of that dua is in the ayah below.

رَّبَّنَا إِنِّي أَسْكَنتُ مِن ذُرِّيَّتِي بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِي زَرْعٍ عِندَ بَيْتِكَ الْمُحَرَّمِ رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ فَاجْعَلْ أَفْئِدَةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ تَهْوِي إِلَيْهِمْ وَارْزُقْهُم مِّنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْكُرُونَ

“Our Lord, I have settled some of my descendants in an uncultivated valley near Your sacred House, our Lord, that they may establish prayer. So make hearts among the people incline toward them and provide for them from the fruits that they might be grateful.” Surah Ibrahim, 14

Notice the order of the things Ibrahim (AS) asked Allah in this dua. He first asks Allah to make the hearts of the people inclined towards them (meaning his family, Haajar and baby Ismaeel (AS) and by extension the descendants who will come through Ismaeel (AS)) and then he asked Allah to provide them from the fruits. He asked Allah for the love of people towards his family before he asked for provision for them.

Scholars say that its because of this dua that we have a love towards the Ka’ba in Makkah and for the worship we do around it to this day. The language of the ayah does not just refer to the Ka’ba. Notice the word هِم in the words تَهْوِي إِلَيْهِمْ (incline towards them). هِم is the pronoun in Arabic used for people. So we can say that Ibrahim (AS) was asking Allah for the love of people towards his family.

The reason why I highlighted this is, sometimes, a lot of us are very hard on ourselves. Hard on ourselves as in, we feel like we do not need people in our lives. Because throughout our lives, we never really had people who appreciated us for who we are, especially since most of us grew up in a culture where it’s taboo for family to praise us for the little things. Or perhaps we never had people with sincere intentions for us. Or maybe its because of people that we had to go through the toughest times of our lives.

When we have been through a life like that, we tend to numb the need for connection with people. We try to suppress the need to reach out to other people, to share feelings, to vent and to show our sadness and tears. But we don’t realize that no matter how hard we try to suppress or numb these emotions, they will eventually come out some way or the other.

One of the ways that it will come out is that we will seek that connection we missed through a romantic relationship (thanks to the movies and series that do a number on our thinking). While this is a good thing to expect from a future marriage, expecting your future partner to fulfil ALL your emotional needs just isn’t healthy. If we carry that mindset, we will be willing to get into relationships that are not right in the first place. The moment you get a compliment from the opposite gender, you may feel that this is the person who is going to make you happy. You see how irrational and dangerous this mindset is? Subhaanallah!

This is one of the MANY reasons why we must seek connection from other people. And I don’t mean in a romantic sense. We can seek this connection within our family. If not, within our friends. Whoever it is, there must be at least one person who we can open up to and share our feelings with. Someone who will listen to us without judgement. It maybe a difficult thing to do if we haven’t done so for long in our life. But I tell you its completely worth it!

And those of you who do not think you have someone you can trust in your life, share your feelings with Allah AND ask Him for the love of righteous people in your life. It’s from the sunnah of the Prophet (SAW) too. (check the comment below) Ask from Allah with a sincere heart, and He Will answer your dua, just as He swt answered Ibrahim (AS)’s dua so beautifully, that its power exists to this day. To this day, we have a love for Haajar (SA), Ismaeel (AS), and Prophet Muhammad (SAW) who came from the descendants of Ismaeel (AS). Subhaanallah!

August 17 2021

Those of us who know a little bit about business might be aware that the businesses run on investments. Basically, an investment is what a business spends its money and time on. The owner and the employees involved in the business always consider the ‘return on investment’ whenever they decide to take on a project.

Now imagine a business investing on a certain product. This product seemed to be profitable from the surface. However, a month down the line, the business suffers a loss. The business owner however, does not give up on the product and keeps on spending money on producing more of the product and its marketing. Even with all of it, the business keeps suffering from loss. If the owner keeps investing in that same product without any changes, what is going to happen to his business? Well, it doesn’t take much for us to comprehend that he will run out of business and may even go bankrupt. Because the owner is not getting any return on his investment.

This is something many of us do. Not necessarily with our time and money. But with our emotions. We may end up liking a person. Or we may excessively love a close family member or a friend too. And we inevitably invest a lot of our emotions into them. We excessively worry about them, feel extremely sad whenever they are hurt, feel like taking revenge from whoever hurt them and invest all our love into them. We do this even though we get absolutely nothing in return from them. And we think this is harmless. But it isn’t.

Emotional investments also come with a cost. The cost is us losing the ability to love truly. It is us losing the ability to find happiness in anything except that thing we invested in. It is us losing the ability to see even our own selves for who we are, as we become preoccupied with judging ourselves based on the perception of the one we love. Thus we end up losing the respect we have for ourselves and don’t even have the sense to take care of ourselves. This could happen consciously or subconsciously.

This is why, its so important for us to be careful of where we place our hearts in. The things that we invest in can either make us or break us. And if you have already invested in someone whom you know will not give your emotions in return, taking a step back from them and also the emotions that you invested in them. This can be done by distancing yourself from them and finding the root of your excessive emotions towards the person. True love isn’t excessive and it doesn’t come from a place of desperation and weakness, rather it comes from a place of stability and strength.

And Wallaahi the best place to find the stability and strength for your heart, that is required for true love is with Allah. Rather than investing your time into that toxic place that your heart is yearning for, turn it towards Allah, even if forcibly. Turn your heart to remember Allah. Turn your heart towards the Quran. Turn your heart to learning more about Allah and loving Him. Ask Allah to help you make sense of these unresolved emotions. The love of Allah is the only kind of love where you will get an immediate return directly into your heart. This is the love that will fix the love that you have with everyone else around you. This is the love that will console your heart like nothing else. And this is the love that will help you find your own self and even the sense to love your own self. Subhaanallah!

#Reflections

July 29 2021

Ever seen a beautiful scenery that took your breath away? Be it the white sandy beaches of the Maldives with the sound of the waves soothing your ears. Or the magnificent mountains in Switzerland with their tips covered in snow, overlooking the extensive green carpets of grass. Or the breathtaking rivers, streams, and waterfalls in different shades of blue all around the world. Or the stunning view of the sky at the time of sunset and sunrise every single day.

What comes to your mind when you see them? Well, thinking of the times we are living in, many of us might want to take a picture to share on social media. But isn’t it just pitiful to end such an amazing experience with just that? Don’t you think what’s around you is trying to tell you something more than you can see with just your eyes?

With this question in mind, read this ayah.

إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لَآيَاتٍ لِّأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ

“Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding.” Surah Ale-Imran, 190

Allah is telling us that whatever we see around us are signs for us. And the people who will see these signs are only those who have understanding. The words أُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ means people who have sound minds. Those people who can think clearly about reality because their minds are free of useless things.

Now the question that arises is, they are signs of what? That’s what the next ayah describes.

الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَٰذَا بَاطِلًا سُبْحَانَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

“Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], “Our Master, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.” Surah Ale-Imran, 191

Allah is telling us that people of sound minds, who remember Allah almost at all times, they think about the creation around them and their immediate words are, رَبَّنَا (Our Master). Why would they say that?

Because while looking at the creation, they realize something. They realize that the creation around them was not made from their hands. Neither from the hands of those around them. And neither does anyone around them have the power over those majestic creations. They realize that their must be One Who has complete control over that creation. With that realization, it also hits them that they don’t even own themselves. Because they did not create themselves. They did not decide the face they will have, the body shape they will have and neither do they have the control over how their bodies are functioning.

Hence they realize that they have a Master, who created everything and who is precisely controlling all creation around them.

So the next time you see a beautiful scenery, remember that it’s a sign from your Master, for you. It’s a sign for you to remember Him, be grateful to Him and worship Him like He deserves to be worshipped. How amazing will be a Master, Who shows you beautiful signs for you to return to Him? Subhaanallah!

*Taken from a lecture by Ustadh Nouman

Note: This is the explanation of just one part of the second ayah mentioned in the post.