By Sina Iqbal We see many people around us, of all walks of life and at various points within our lives. It is easy for us to be engulfed in the daily activities of our lives, or see others do the same. Whilst many of us may see the bigger picture, there are others who struggle and it can become easy to judge, but let us remember to leave that to Allah (SWT), as he knows best. Then it will be for Us to call them to account [Quran 88:26] I came across this beautiful analogy the other day: Consider a long stretching river - "The River of Truth. People are swimming at various points along this river. Lets assume that absolute truth lay at the very end of the river- point 100. Based on this, we would assume that the person swimming alongside point 95 is closer to the Truth - and therefore better than the person swimming alongside point 5. However, what if the closer person had started out at 100, and had actually drifted away from the truth by 5, whereas the further person had actually started at 0 and was now 5 closer to the Truth? While it would be impossible for us to know this, it is not impossible for God, for He would certainly know this about both persons, He would know that the person on 5 was striving hard for Truth's sake. We all have slips, just as others do - just make sure you dont place yourself in the position of watching someone as they slip and base your opinion of them on that, rather try and catch them if you can. Inshallah we all continue to strive hard to please Allah (SWT) and carry on doing so at all points of our lives. 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Pearls of Islam Reminder Series You Are Never Alone
By Aamir Shamsi
Times will come in the life of a believer where we will be tested in this world whether it is through a "loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toils)" [2:155] but we must always remember that we are never alone and that we should and need to turn to Allah in these times.
Trials and tribulations can not only change the course of your life but also make you feel very down and lost. Nothing remains the same and although an oxymoron, those who have been in such a situation like I have will understand when I say life can be consumed by emptiness. Although it is important to understand the many reasons why calamities befall us and how to cope with them, we must never forget that we will always have the one that loves us more than a mother loves her child (Muslim) close by to bring some solace to our hearts. In order to bring about this comfort we must make du'a, build a connection with Allah and believe that everything that happens is for the best.
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Du'a is the weapon of the believer for it can change the fate of our lives. And it is for this reason, as well as the fact that it shows our need for Allah, that it is highly encouraged in Islam. So we should ask our Lord to alleviate our pain, to make things easier and to grant us peace and happiness with His decree, even though in some situations it is extremely difficult to accept what has happened and to want to move on from it, for it is only He that has the power to make things better.
Connect with Allah
As the creation of Allah, we are all connected with our Lord through our souls. He is our provider, our sustainer and our support. But it is our responsibility to nourish this connection for "Verily in the remembrance of Allah, do hearts find rest" [13:29]. We can do so by reciting Quran, reading our salat with concentration and regular dhikr. The stronger our connection with Allah the greater the comfort our hearts will receive for it is then when we truly feel Allah's protection over us and this will make the difficult times that much easier for us.
Everything that happens is for the best
Allah loves us so much that everything that happens that is not a direct result of our own actions is for the best for us - "but it may be that you hate a thing which is good for you, and it may be that you love a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows and you know not" [2:216]. Having this belief at all times and being thankful for all that comes your way is a real test of our faith but also an undeniable fact. If adopted in our mindset it will ease our pain for we will understand it is for our best and so the true believer would not want it any other way than what Allah sees best.
All the above can be summarised with my favourite du'a that one should regularly recite: "Hasbunallahu Wa'Nimal Wakeel" Allah is enough for me and there is no better to look after me.
"When you feel all alone in this world And there's nobody to count your tears Just remember, no matter where you are Allah knows, Allah knows" - Nasheed by Zain Bhikha ! ! Monday 31st October 2011 4 Dhul - Hijjah 1432 Volume 4 Issue 1