Musings of a Servant of Allah
Verily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest. (13:28)Archive for May, 2007
Interesting
Had a listen to Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki again today on the way back from hospital….he mentioned that lots of Muslims these days (myself included) always feel like we don’t have time to learn about Islam. There’s work, studies, family commitments. The list goes on.
He made the important point that the Sahabah were even busier than us. At least we have work or uni from 9-5 pm (ok so this is before the crazy internship year :p). Weeknights and weekends off. The Sahabah were shepherds, farmers, businessmen. Imam Anwar made the hilarious yet poignant points: (roughly paraphrased) “Do you think the Sahabah could say ‘O my cows! I’ll be back next week.’ Or they could tell their plants they’re taking a summer vacation? If they’re not there to water their plants, the plants will die.”
He continued to remind us all that our non-Muslim colleagues work hard for the dunya. To them, that’s the end point. The be all and end all of existence. For us, however, the dunya is but a bridge to the Akhirah – where it really matters.
Imam Anwar gave the example of Umar (ra). He lived in the outskirts of Medinah, and had a working partner (someone from the Ansar) whom he tagged-team with. On one day, Umar would work, and his partner would go to Medinah and learn from the Prophet (SAW). They would alternate days, so basically each man did the work of two men. They worked twice as hard. Imam Anwar says we should all do the same. We’re juggling two items – working for the dunya and working for the Akhirah, so if we don’t pay attention and work twice as hard, we will fail in both.
Linking the above information with how our time of death has already been destined leads to one conclusion – we don’t have a second to lose. Muslims can’t afford to waste time! Working hard for dunya (we gotta work hard for this life…no shorcuts. Rizq/sustenance doesn’t differentiate between Muslim or non-Muslim) and working hard for the Akhirah will involve sacrifices…..sleep, entertainment. But always remember that doing this for the sake of Allah will not go unnoticed. Allah knows! The angels are recording this inshallah in your book of good deeds.
Now that really puts things into perspective.
Food for thought 
Alhamdulilah for…
…everything, Ya Allah. Everything.
Daily reminders are necessary. Look around you. In comparison to what Rasullulah (SAW) had, we all live in varying degrees of luxury. He slept on a “mattress made of leather stuffed with the fiber of the date-palm tree”…to the point where it left marks on him. And he was the best of mankind.
In our day of plenty, there’s really not much to complain about. It’s an effective whine when we complain at times. Like Sheikh Hamza Yusuf says…nobody likes a whiner! Not even other whiners. But of course, being human, we forget, make mistakes, get blinded by our own self-preoccupation……then we turn to Allah and realise our shortcomings. Hardship is part of life. This life is temporary, and one big fat test.
So alhamdulilah.There is so much to be thankful for.
Thank you list:
#1: Allah – Alhamdulilah for Islam! So many individuals have battled through decades of misery, soul-searching, physical and emotional pain before discovering the faith I was born into. Alhamdulilah, Alhamdulilah. It’s been effectively given to me on a silver platter, and inshallah I strive, every day, to earn that blessing, and to earn Allah’s pleasure, inshallah.
#2: Parents – They’re the best parents ever. Alhamdulilah, I’m blessed to be one of their children. My mother is such a selfless, patient, understanding woman. My father works so incredibly hard so we don’t have to worry about finances, helping us focus on being the best Muslims we can be through acts of worship and our chosen profession (“Remember, it’s your good deeds that’ll help you on the Day when nothing else can!”) May Allah grant him respite in the gardens of Paradise. There’s my mother, who’s raised six kids, without complaint, through incredible amounts of hardship, being away from her family. May Allah grant her peace in the gardens of Paradise too.
#3: Siblings – They’re incredible. I’m so proud of my siblings. They’re a crazy, hardworking, bright, funny and witty bunch with their own idiosyncrasies. Three of them are studying hard in university, and alhamdulilah, make the time to contribute to the dawah cause here. My brother made a good point about how every day, at university, is a struggle. He teaches at a high level part-time, and has to remind himself not to become arrogant because of that…..and how it’s much easier to “stay in a room all day and worship Allah” – it’s safer. Out there, you’re tested, and we’ll get rewarded for it inshallah. My youngest two siblings are still in highschool and inshallah will remain on the straight path.
#4: Friends – in their different shapes and forms, may Allah bless those sisters who have stood by me through my many trials. May Allah guide my non-Muslim friends to Islam. And may Allah bring you closer to Him, and reunite us all in Jannah
#5: Wealth – Sure, we ain’t loaded, and we live very humbly, but it’s more than enough, alhamdulilah. Plenty. So many brother and sisters live in abject poverty, when I can wake up to a steaming mug of hot chocolate. May Allah aid us in rectifying this gross imbalance.
#6: Health – Five senses are intact, alhamdulilah.
“Take benefit of five before five: your youth before your old age, your health before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free time before you are preoccupied, and your life before your death.” – a saying of the Last Prophet, Muhummad (SAW), narrated by ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas.
Our inboxes will always be overflowing with things to do. Our lives will always have some sort of hardship. Our human inadequacies – and Shaytan’s whispering – will make us doubt ourselves – our abilities, our resilience…. This is why we turn to Allah, who has power and control over all things, and relegate our worries to Him, trusting Him with the final outcome. All we can do is be proactive and do our part, and leave the rest to Allah. Alhamdulilah for Islam. The ultimate coping mechanism
One of those days…
It’s only dunya. Only dunya.
Does anyone else every feel this way? Absolutely exhausted upon coming home, seeking solace in solat, only to realise that there’s still more work to be done.
I’m so tired.
Running around the wards can be exhausting. Mind you, I’m still in my junior years, so it only gets tougher. Subhanallah. A step at a time. I must remember that Allah doesn’t burden me more than I can bear.
Our clinical tutor is incredible, alhamdulilah, and has high expectations.
“It will take you years before hitting that critical mass….before you really start feeling like a doctor. Before you’re confident enough to take ownership of the patient. In terms of patient consent…there’s a lot of paperwork. But it boils down to you facing a patient who’s bleeding to death at three in the morning, scared out of their mind, unable to speak English, and looking to YOU for help.”
May Allah give me strength. Ya Rabb, there is so much responsibility ahead of me.
Add the academic stress to the social aspect of dealing with my colleagues/peers, and it’s quite a combination. Their smalltalk mind-boggles me. They speak of attending the latest rock concert, their boyfriend/girlfriend, make jokes about the most inappropriate things….and I feel increasingly isolated, by virtue of simply not living their lifestyle.
They must find me so strange. I don’t drink, don’t do drugs, don’t have a boyfriend, don’t put up with sexual innuendo/inappropriate jokes, keep running off to pray (“How many times do you pray again??”), am proud enough of my faith to wear a headscarf, don’t feel the need to play the popularity game…the list goes on.
It’s difficult sometimes, being so different. Some days I don’t care what others think, other days I do. Life is a test.
Rasulullah (SAW) said “Islam began as something strange and it will revert to how it began as something strange. So glad tidings of Paradise to the strangers.”
This saying our Beloved Prophet alleviates some of that pain. I’ll never be accepted by my non-Muslim friends, in that all-encompassing buddy-buddy sense. I’ll always feel different. Strange. Odd. People may think I’m backward for wearing the hijab. Others may find me boring for not joining them for Friday night drinks at the pub. Some may feel sorry for me, thinking that my parents have a loveless arranged marriage up their sleeves.
Does all that matter? Really? In the larger scheme of things, where we will all die, be ressurrected, and then brought before Allah?
Not really.
All I need is Allah and His Mercy. O Allah, bring tranquility into my heart. Keep me on the path of Islam.
This excerpt from this website sums it up beautifully:
When many people around you are following false paths and putting pressure on you to do likewise, remember that you are responsible only for your own soul and those that stray will not be able to harm you if you stick to the straight path. Allaah says in the Quran,
O you who believe, take care of your own selves. No hurt can come to you from those who are in error if you follow the right guidance. (Quran 5:105)
Remember, also, that those who stray also will not be able to help you in the Hereafter if you decide to stray with them.
Remember also the reward for being patient during such times. I mentioned a portion of a hadith of the Prophet (May Allaah raise his rank and grant him Peace) earlier. Here it is in its entirety:
“After you there are going to be days of patience. The patience during that time is like the one clutching on to a hot coal. The one who works and does good deeds during that time will receive the reward of fifty men who do deeds similar to him”.
They asked, “O Messenger of Allaah, fifty people of them [at that time]?” He answered,
“The reward of fifty from among you [the Companions]“
Allaah willing, by sticking and adhering to the Quran and Sunnah in these days – when Islaam has become strange, when people are following their own opinions or the opinions of others in preference to the Quran and Sunnah, when people are chasing after this world and forgetting about the Hereafter – those people who try to oppose you will not be able to harm you in any way. You will be from among those Muslims whom the Prophet (May Allaah raise his rank and grant him Peace) described in the following hadith:
“A group of my nation will always remain truimphant on the right path and continue to be truimphant (against their opponents). He who deserts them shall not be able to do them any harm. They will remain in this position until Allaah’s Command (the day of Judgement) is executed”. (Muslim)
Your loneliness and being a stranger in this life will be replaced by being with the best companions in the Hereafter. In the Hereafter, Allaah willing, you will be united with the Prophets, the martyrs, the sincere and the righteous – those upon whom Allaah has bestowed His grace. You suffered as a stranger in this world for the sake of Allaah and Allaah will replace your suffering with the best of companions in the Hereafter.
Do not despair! Do not be sad! Do not worry about those people who are the strangers to the truth. As long as you are certain that you are truly following the footsteps of the Prophet (May Allaah raise his rank and grant him Peace) and his Companions, know that you are on the Straight Path. Those around you who have strayed are strangers to the truth and have no glad tidings to look forward to. You, on the other hand, have the glad tidings of the Prophet (May Allaah raise his rank and grant him Peace):
“Tuba [the tree in Paradise] is for the Strangers”
So take heart, my brothers and sisters in Islam, and may we be reunited in Jannah, inshallah.
We do not belong here…
Inni lillahi wa inna ilahi rajeoon.
A close family friend’s father passed away last night. My brothers and I shall attend the funeral prayer today, inshallah. Taking a day off from uni is nothing in comparison to attending this communal obligation and to pray for mercy for this brother.
Inshallah when it’s my turn, people I know won’t hesitate to attend.
Subhanallah. On Sunday night, we spoke about him, and wanted to pay him a visit. “He’s been in hospital for 2 months now…the doctors say he’s doing okay…” Goes to show that nothing can alter the decree of Allah.
I weep, not only for his soul, but for my own, and for those whom I love. Alhamdulilah he has left behind pious children who will pray for him, increasing his only companion in the grave – his good deeds. Inshallah he has left behind continuous charity and knowledge. His time on Earth to do good is over now.
When will my turn come? When will my mother’s? My father’s? My siblings? My friends?
When will yours?
Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki sums it up perfectly.
“We the human race, are under the perception that we belong here, and this is our residence and home. We don’t know, or we don’t want to know the fact that we are on a train. The train is going through stations to another final destination. This world is only one of these stops, and one of these stations. But we do not belong here. We have a ticket that has 3 slips. We live in the womb for 9 months and when we come out, one slip is torn off the ticket. We live in dunya for a while then when we’re dying, the second slip is torn out. We then have one slip left, and that willl be torn out either in hellfire or jannah. And that will be our final destination. we do not belong here. We are travelling. That’s why Rasullah (saw) said “Be in this world as though you are a traveller.” He says the analogy of him in this dunya is of a traveller in the desert, saw a tree, took shade under it, and then continued with his journey. That is dunya. A few moments under this tree. Can you stop time? Time is evolving and it’s eroding of our existence. Time. The movement of time is an erosion of our existence in this dunya. It is ripping away and tearing apart from our own existence…for every second that passes by, it is taking part of us. We do not belong here, and we need to believe in the fact that we do not belong here. And we need to prepare for death.” (Topic of the series Al-Akhirah: The journey towards the akhirah)
Imam Anwar continues by saying that A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), in a few sentences, gave a formula for powerful social and spiritual change:
If the first thing revealed in Quran was do not drink the people would have said we are never going to stop drinking. If the first thing to be revealed in Quran was telling the people do not commit fornication and adultery, the people would have said we are never going to stop committing fornication and adultery. But the first things that were revealed was surat Al-Muffassil….which talked about and mentioned hellfire and paradise until the hearts were attached to Allah SWT. Then the orders of halal and haram came down.
This comes from my heart to yours, and is as much a reminder for me as it is for you – don’t procrastinate. Death comes unnannounced. Start doing those things you’ve been putting off, whether it be memorising more ayats of the Quran, praying on time, paying back your fasts, mending broken ties of kinship, giving to charity, repent for all your sins, major and minor. A believer can do whatever it is that’s necessary to change, for the sake of pleasing Allah. Bad habit? Break it. Your akhirah is at stake.
Living in our secular societies fools us into believing that our ticket has worldly slips like graduating from high school, 18th and 21st birthday parties, graduating from university, getting married, having a child, reaching the pinnacle of our career, retiring, having our first grandchild…..how far we have drifted! There’s only one slip for dunya. Only one. And death can come at anytime, to anyone of us.
Subhanallah. Myself include…for so long we’ve had things the wrong way round. Everyone knows haram and halal. Yet putting it into practice can be so difficult. Children know the 5 pillars of Islam! It’s not just ignorance….it’s insufficient iman. Islam isn’t just an empty set of do’s and don’t. It’s a merciful guide for humanity…it’s a guide for us to reach our eternal home of bliss. Filling our heart with iman is the only way for permanent change. Let’s absorb the meaning of Akhirah. Let’s strive to be in dunya as though we can see Hellfire and Jannah before you, and use what is left of our short, short lives to please Allah.
May Allah save us from the torment of the grave and Hellfire. May we all be reunited in Jannah, inshallah.
“Everyone is going to taste death, and We shall make a trial of you with evil and good, and to Us you will be returned.” (21:35)
“But We [i.e. Our Angels that take the soul] are nearer to him than you, but you see not.” (56:85)
“It is Allaah who takes away the souls at the time of their death, and [the souls] of those that do not die during their sleep. He retains those souls for which He has ordained death, whereas He releases the rest for an appointed term. Verily, in this are signs for a people who think deeply.” (39:42)
“And of no effect is the repentance of those who continue to do evil deeds until death faces one of them and he says: ‘Now I repent’ Nor of those who die while they are disbeliever’s. For them we have prepared a painful torment.” (4:18)
Silence
…so it’s 1:30 am on a Saturday morning. My Friday night consisted of me happily writing up summaries from a fat medical textbook! Ha. Good thing I actually love learning. I don’t like the frantic, time-pressured study I do throughout the week….taking my time on the weekends leads to a much more satisfying learning experience. I barely notice feeling sleepy 
(Until my head positively caves in and I stumble into bed)
Having the house so silent is peaceful. And strange! Ordinarily, my home is abuzz, in every sense of the word. Siblings, mother, cats…the latest shenanigan exchanged over steaming plates of delicious food (Mum is an AWESOME cook), the sound of Imam Anwar Awlaki’s lectures from our speakerphones, the purring of our cats…
Everyone is asleep now. All I hear is the hum of my PC. My youngest sister is on the bed nearby, a tangle of pre-pubescent limbs, tousled hair and blankets. My brothers, growing more into men by the day, asleep in their messy, messy room. My mother, and other sister in another room. Both reticent, but brimming with their own special wisdom.
And my father, working halfway across the world. We all miss him, in different ways. The rhythm of our home changes when he comes by. Our collective pulse quickens in anticipation, our collective breath is held when he arrives, and slowly exhaled when he leaves. We’ve spent too many years apart, and he’s getting older. I see it now, clearer than ever….not only the greying of his hair, but the shrinking of his build. Inshallah, Allah will reunite us all soon.
I’m blessed, to come home every day to the warmth of my family. Not much needs to spoken out loud. It’s the comfort within the easy laughter, the playful poke. The occasional lapses into Serious Talk, buffered by a heartfelt sincerity. The delightful surprise of having a cake craving satisfied by my mother telephatically having a sumptuous one in the fridge!
My youngest sister makes it a point to say a cheery ‘Assalamualaikum!’ before she leaves the house, or when any of us leave. I asked her today, if she does that because she thinks that she might not come home. She paused, then nodded, smiling. Such wisdom for a 12 year old.
‘Either she doesn’t come home, or we don’t come home!’ my mother added. I can’t imagine losing any of my family members, but I know that we all will return to Allah during our appointed times, and only Allah knows when that shall be. In the meantime, I am grateful for all the ups and downs I’ve shared with my family, and feel so fortunate that Allah has blessed me to be part of such a dynamic, intelligent, playful and God-fearing family.
Alhamdulilah, once more. May Allah keep our families safe, and let us all die in a state of Islam.
“Remember Me, and I shall remember you; be grateful to Me, and deny Me not” (Quran 2:152).
Truly…
Truly in the heart there is a void that can not be removed except with the company of Allah.
And in it there is a sadness that can not be removed except with the happiness of knowing Allah and being true to Him.
And in it there is an emptiness that can not be filled except with love for Him and by turning to Him and always remembering Him.
And if a person were given all of the world and what is in it, it would not fill this emptiness.
Ibn Qayyim al Jawziyya.
