What harm has befallen you?
What harm has befallen you if everyone walked in your footsteps without mentioning your name? What harm has befallen you if you were the inspiration that revitalizes the earth, restoring balance without anyone knowing your state? What harm has befallen you if we placed blessings in your footsteps, so while you walk, we revive hearts and lands, lift up nations, and bring down others without anyone knowing your affair? What harm has befallen you if we chose you without your knowledge, sheltered you despite your resistance, protected you without your consent, and granted you without your request? What harm has befallen you? What harm has befallen you if we kept the ignorant away from your circle, saved you from the corrupt, and elevated the righteous by you without revealing your identity? What harm has befallen you? What harm has befallen you if the light of the world faded away while you were in radiance and certainty? What harm has befallen you if sorrow or grief befell you while you are in our eyes, to shift you as we wish? What harm has befallen you? Even if we took away your sight, your hearing, and your hand... don't you see truths through us, distinguish events by our hearing, and give creation through us? Aren't we your hearing, your sight, and your hand? What harm has befallen you if a pandemic spread across every corner of the world, don't we have an appointment that you won't be late for even a minute or less? What harm has befallen you? Tell me by your Lord, why do you complain, for the greatest gifts of trials are vision, an expanded vision of truths... and there is no vision for those who are not compassionate. Walk with the strength of your Lord, blessed be your journey wherever you go, many are your gifts with the power of your Creator wherever you tread, pleasant is your path on the course of your journey, and pleasant is your journey to us, so stay steadfast as you were commanded... and do not forget the covenant. The lesson is not in those who preceded and had their names imprinted in the Earth's records, but the lesson is in those who were truthful. We do not appoint our workers on Earth to make glory for themselves! But let the glory be for God alone, for He is not to be disputed in His glory, nor in His sovereignty, nor in His authority. Glorify your Lord with praise, glorify Him with His might and glory, glorify your highest Lord, to Him belongs the kingdom, the greatness, and the might... He is the Creator and you are the creation. What harm has befallen you if people follow your example without being mentioned to thank you! Indeed, our servants are not worthy to be thanked by tongues of deficiency, for because of them we prepared Paradise, and they were thanked by care, and they were honored by the thankful... so beware! Hearts have been divided, and Satan took his share, and we took ours, so what harm has befallen you if we were your share... what harm has befallen you?
#Positive_Thinking #Motivation_and_Self_Motivation #Self_Development #Happiness_and_Self_Satisfaction
#Positivity_and_Optimism #Determination_and_Perseverance #Personal_Skill_Development #Success_and_Excellence #Inner_Strength_and_Self_Confidence #Positive_Thinking_and_Self_Motivation
Break free from expectations
Break free from expectations... and protect yourself, my son, from human molds and their evils. If you're accustomed to giving and following the policy of open doors, then you must learn to break free from expectations from time to time, so as not to be exploited or have your boundaries violated. After a while, people will demand from you what the Quraysh demanded of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). They will ask you to make rivers flow for them... or move mountains... and they may even go so far as to ask you to show them angels around them!
Everyone will deal with you based on the assumption: 'He should understand and do this and that.' You will be blamed for every ugly thing their feet fall into, as soon as they forget your favors, your kindness to them, and your care for their well-being. Therefore, beware of constant closeness that lacks privacy and going beyond everyone's expectations. When they demand angelic behavior from you, leave immediately.
Be independent of everyone, and more importantly, do not turn back, because focusing on creation will divert you from the Creator. Learn not to be excessive in giving; extravagance in love is a crime, so be moderate. Always give advice, but advise once and then remain silent... What concern is it of yours whether someone is saved or lost?
You're only responsible for delivering the message and moving forward... For every person, there is a complete life filled with tests, so why would you answer questions meant for someone else? Do not look away from your path... Keep going... The door hasn't closed yet; you still have time to reach it, but beware of turning back, lest you waste time and the door closes, causing you to miss out!
The people of salvation in this time are those who do good without looking at who they're doing good to, with the swiftness to leave before people offer rewards, or even thanks, or sometimes exhibit bad manners.
Save yourself... Act without waiting... Follow the path of the few... the grateful few mentioned by Allah in His Book: 'But few of My servants are grateful.' As for the majority, do not associate with them except for service, then depart... For most of them are described in the Book of your Lord as: 'Sinners, hypocrites, extravagant, and transgressors.'
Say 'peace'... and depart quietly."
#Positive_Thinking
#Self_Motivation
#Giving_and_Forgiveness
#Positive_Leadership
#Achieving_Personal_Balance
#Avoiding_Negativity
#Personal_Skills_Development
#Self_Confidence_and_Self_Motivation
#Personal_Success_and_Self_Development
#Motivation_for_Excellence_and_Exceeding_Expectations
#Self_Elevation_and_Working_Towards_Goals
#Continual_Growth_and_Self_Development
#Maintaining_Objectives_and_Overcoming_Challenges
#Facing_Negative_Expectations_and_Achieving_Accomplishments
#Responding_to_Challenges_with_Positivity_and_Self_Motivation
Correcting Beliefs
Someone says: "My friend died of cancer, so cancer triumphed over her!"
No, that's not true. She was the one who triumphed over cancer through death, not cancer triumphing over her!
Death is the paradise of the righteous, sought by the heroes of God because they long to meet God, and there is no way to meet God except through this blessed journey, the journey of death. It is a journey from the world of the earth to the world of light, from the confinement of the body to the vast expanse of the kingdom.
If you are one of those who dislike this meeting, isn't it time to ask yourself: Why don't you love this meeting? Perhaps you need to evaluate the performance of your wandering soul without guidance above the surface of this world!
All of these, and others who strive in the world, all carry the same message... the message of reform. Among them are those who build the earth and reshape scenes, and among them are those who face illness and triumph over it by meeting God. For the patient, their message was a lesson, so when people witnessed their pain, they said: "Praise be to God." Thus, some people wrest praise from them through these heroes who fight in the arenas of illness.
Reform and education are the seeds of the monotheism with which the pillars of "There is no god but Allah" are established in your heart. When it is established in your heart, you can plant it in the earth with righteous deeds and good morals. Without that, flee from the meeting with your Lord if you can...
So, the reformer and the patient convey the same message but in different forms.
Why praise?
Because through it, the balances of blessings are adjusted. Those who do not praise God have wishes that have been answered, but they will not receive them because they did not thank God for what He gave them. Thus, what stands between them and their desires is praise. So, their praise is incomplete, and when their praise increases, the balances of blessings are balanced. "If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]."
Why praise?
Because through it, a person moves from the guidance of indication to assistance... and this explanation may be lengthy.
All of these whom God used on earth are heroes... heroes who triumphed and won through this meeting...
So, illness was the messenger of heaven, which snatched praise from you and presented the heroes to God...
Why does God reserve for them the joy of the endings... the great ranks?
Because they are the examples upon whom tests of divine care were placed, "models of difficult tests," and nothing was seen from them except beauty and patience.
Tests and tribulations do not only reveal you to people, but they also expose your essence to God and to yourself... so you recognize yourself: are you truly sincere and believing in God, or are you sweet-tongued but lacking in action?
It has been said: "Whoever knows himself knows his Lord."
So, death is undoubtedly coming, but how will we die?
May God have mercy on this heroine... and we ask God for all of us the joy of the endings.
And to those who have lost their loved ones: only bodies fall at death, but the soul remains... it is the secret... it does not perish, then it seeps into us, the qualities of those we love. Our characteristics and nature change, and suddenly we resemble those we lost yesterday. We find their qualities mingled with ours, and their influence resides in our features. Then we realize well that they did not depart... they only moved from their bodies to ours... For the soul has secrets... only God knows them.
People are dead... and the people of love are alive...
And the people of love are the people of God... So where is the separation?
#Belief_Correction
#Reflections_of_Those_Walking
#Death_and_Life
#Gratitude_and_Thanks
#Philosophy_of_Death
#Spirituality
#Reconciling_with_Death
#Meaning_of_Life
#Preparation_for_Meeting_God
The problem is that you resemble no one
You're not the best, but you're the strangest, the version that truly owns uniqueness. You have several resemblances; for example, in the world of birds, you're the lone bird chirping on the edge of a tree in a mysterious, desolate desert. You're the whale striving in desperate attempts to escape its world by throwing itself onto the shore.
You're the flute that only plays about alienation and detachment, and you're the night seeking daylight. You're the stillness in the music of the desert. You resemble no one; no matter how hard you try to speak, everyone listens, but no one understands. You're the philosopher whose philosophy fell in the wars of the Mongols, and you're the scientist whose theories vanished before the invention of writing. You're the discourse that hasn't been narrated yet like disconnected text from its context... and the dancing word between throat and tongue. You're the one whose confession lurks in circles of secrecy, always suspected because it hasn't been comprehended yet, subject to broad accusations!
You're lost between the corners of truth, in a place between death and life, fallen beyond all human data, silent in the face of days. And one of the striking ironies to behold is that sometimes you might not even resemble yourself... the speed of your transformation is faster than the mutation of terrestrial epidemics!
The crime is not in the strangeness of your appearance, language, or speech, but in how everyone interprets your condition. The least others will describe you as is being eccentric.
May Allah ease your journey, young man... May Allah ease it for you!
#Uniqueness #Strangeness #Distinctiveness #Alienation #Diversity #Distinction #Philosophy #Unlikeness #Unique_Personality #Challenge #Contemplation #Spirituality #Creativity #Silence #Thought #Beauty #Death_and_Life #Reflections_of_Those_Walking
The Absent Root of Faith
Know, my son—may Allah guide you—that Allah does not love to have anyone else in your heart with Him! This is not a hidden matter; rather, Allah declared it, and His Messenger affirmed it. Allah does not accept associating anyone with Him in worship, neither an angel nor a sent prophet. The evidence for this is His saying: "And [He revealed] that the mosques are for Allah, so do not invoke with Allah anyone" (Quran 72:18). And in the Hadith Qudsi, Allah says: "I am the most independent of partners. Whoever performs a deed associating others with Me in it, I leave him and his polytheism" (Sahih Muslim).
Here, the matter is general, encompassing everything. Meaning, you do not embark on your work thinking it's for Allah, but you're actually seeking benefit from it in the eyes of your boss, or perhaps to deserve compensation from people. If you do this, you step out of the circle of love, because the essence of work should be solely for Allah, whether it's the work you make a living from or the one you serve the public with.
The essence of this is worshipping Allah. Therefore, just by allowing wishes to sneak into your heart, whether it's for good (like seeking promotion) or even for evil (like indulging in unlawful earnings), you forfeit the pleasure of love.
You might ask: What harm is there in not forgetting my share of this world?
I say to you: Your share of this world is the result of your care for Allah's share of your work. If Allah were your sole objective, the world would come to you in its finest form, kneeling before you.
I'm always astonished by the people of Allah when some of them fall into an error that might divert them from His care, even though they are among those already favored by Allah's mercy!
They say: "We do this for Allah, so if it brings calamities, we won't do it... We don't need those virtues!" If you truly do it for Allah, then adhere to silence, because Allah is the one who facilitated goodness for you and took you by the hand towards it. So it's incumbent upon you to endure the harm resulting from this deed, because the deeds of goodness are not perfected except through the trials of evil.
Because goodness is a direct battle with Satan... and one of you must prevail. The people of Allah always prevail if they are sincere. But between entering the battle and achieving victory, there are days, months, or even years of harm and suffering. Otherwise, how would victory have meaning?
If you want to be among the people of goodness, know that they endure the harm of its completion. So the lowest levels of goodness are when you engage in a battle with yourself to compel it to charity and help the needy; this is financial jihad. And the highest levels of goodness are those in which you repair the earth and cultivate it.
Just as falsehood has strength to protect it, so does the truth have strength to protect it. You must learn when to use the power of truth and when it uses you!
Do not fear the blame of a blamer in Allah's eyes... so when you're summoned to the Angel of Death and stand before him as a believer, expecting reward, calmly accepting your fate, having never consumed anything forbidden, nor fallen into doubt for a moment in your life, and having never left a needy person without aiding them in the trials of life, your limbs will testify for you, and the earth will testify for you with its gravel and soil, and every place you have inhabited in it will bear witness.
So do not associate anyone with Allah, and do not turn to anyone besides Him, for He is the Protector and Supporter, Exalted above all, with no equal in His sovereignty, and His sustenance flows abundantly throughout eternity!
#Faith #Monotheism #Piety #Worship #Integrity #Repentance #Sacrifice #Patience #Jihad #Seeking_Forgiveness #Sincerity #Internal_Struggle #Justice #Responsibility #Love_for_Goodness #Charity #Initiating_Good #Forgiveness #Trust_in_Allah #Optimism #Contentment #Certainty #Tolerance #Honesty_in_Work #Contemplation_of_the_Hereafter #Gratitude #Reflections_of_Those_Walking
To persist in resistance until Allah makes a way for you is a path fraught with sacrifices.
Some may not comprehend the magnitude of these sacrifices until they themselves endure them. Perhaps the best way to make them understand is to leave them behind and move forward, although it's not an act of cowardice.
No one will hold you accountable if you withdraw your hand from those who sit idly, offering unsolicited advice without an inkling of knowledge. They have not learned the art of leadership. If you were to put them in a boat on a river – not a sea – they would drown themselves!
What about navigating a large ship in a stormy sea, with days that cast down the mightiest? The workers of Allah on earth do not inherit wealth, but they receive it from the hands of fate with dignity and grace.
They do not inherit status; rather, it's a garment bestowed upon them by Allah, the dignified. Do not underestimate them as ignorant of what is going on around them. They simply caress patience, sipping silence, with the motto: when someone comes to us with a request, we accept it graciously, seeking no reward or gratitude from them. We walk towards Allah with them, expecting neither reward nor thanks.
You haven't boarded the boat, climbed the ladder of rescue, carried the wounded, yelled at the tyrants, pushed the ship, raised the sturdy foundations, or spent sleepless nights in despondency. Your neck is burdened with the sick, hungry, and needy, and your heart manages their affairs before your hands.
Finally, I don't have many success stories from battles I won, but I have what might astonish you: the sheer number of battles I fought broken yet undefeated.
To remain steadfast, standing on your feet after heavy days, is the essence of success. It's not about achieving the goal; it's about remaining steadfast. Some know how to start but not how to finish. The true hero is the one who knows how to start, how to persevere, and how to finish.
#Resilience #Challenge #Steadfastness #MentalStrength #Persistence #Continuity #Sacrifice #Endurance #Patience #Perseverance #Initiative #Leadership #Determination #Dedication #Compassion #Responsibility #Forgiveness #Mercy #Sincerity #Humility #Appreciation #Motivation #Success #Cooperation #Learning_from_Experiences #Personal_Success #Personal_Development #Self_Belief #Self_Improvement #Reflections_of_Those_Walking
Do not carry the burdens of others
lest your own back breaks under the weight, leaving you unable to bear the loads assigned to you by Allah.
- Refrain from arguing, reproaching, or debating. If you must speak, let it be sparingly and avoid engaging with the negativity around you. Maintain silence, even if you're saddened, for silence is often the wisest response.
- Everyone views others through their own lens, often tainted by bias and lack of courtesy. Do not concern yourself with responding to every criticism or waiting for your turn to speak. Embrace silence and find happiness within.
- You are not a deity tasked with upholding the world's foundations or meeting every need of creation. Trust in Allah and carry only what you can bear.
- The stars in the sky are admired from afar, but if they were to descend to earth, they'd be subjected to criticism and disdain. Be like a guiding star but avoid entanglement in worldly affairs that may tarnish your light.
- Do not oppress, steal, or covet what belongs to others. Be among the doers of good, even if others misinterpret your actions. Move forward with integrity, knowing that Allah sees and hears all.
- Do not exhaust yourself trying to please everyone, for they may never be satisfied. Let your deeds be solely for the sake of Allah, and do not fear the judgment of others.
- If you have offspring, guide them on the path to Allah and prepare them for the challenges of life. Be prepared for disappointment if they fail to respect you despite your efforts.
- People often confuse love with lack of manners, using affection as an excuse for rudeness. Be cautious and educate others, but have an exit strategy after imparting your lesson. You deserve only kindness and affection.
- Do not regret the good you've done. Instead, thank Allah for His blessings, for you may wake up with security in your family one day and without a home the next. Even if your dwellings multiply, do not despair, for paradise awaits the righteous.
Self-Development # Silence # Values # Justice # Patience # Faith # Forgiveness # Good Intentions # Humility # Honesty # Teamwork # Education # Guidance # Upbringing # Communication # Family # Happiness # Divine Decree # Uprightness # Self-Learning # Personal Growth # Family Guidance # Positive Thinking # Critical Thinking # Inner Peace # Optimism # Wisdom # Positivity # Guidance # Awareness # Focus # Behavior # Reflection # Married Life # Forgiveness # Appreciation # Humility # Forgiveness # Giving # Constructive Thinking # Expressing Feelings # Humanity # Satisfaction # Understanding # Loyalty # Love # Mercy # Justice # Tolerance # Perseverance # Respect # Listening # Expression # Responsibility # Loyalty # Reflections of Those Walking
Sacrifice Your Desires
Let go of your desires, and know - may Allah guide you - that sacrifices are not just the animals slaughtered on the first days of Eid. They are also the sins you haven't yet rid yourself of, and you've decided to make them your sacrifice this year. Perhaps your sacrifice is your patience in a job that exhausts you seeking the pleasure of your Lord in it.
Maybe your efforts are on a path whose end is known only to Allah, or a deed tainted by hypocrisy and deceit, or a prestigious position you desire but haven't renewed your intention for, seeking it for greatness and fame. Love for status among people has crept into your heart.
Not all sacrifices involve slaughtering livestock upon which the name of Allah is mentioned. Sacrifice your desires instead. Let go of your desires and don't attach yourself to anything or anyone, for everything perishes except the countenance of your Lord.
Have you not seen how Ibrahim clung to his son? Even when fate led them to the altar, he intended to sacrifice only his desires and his attachment to his son.
Sacrifice your desires and you will find redemption. That's the equation: You are only tested in your love for Allah when something other than Him creeps into your heart. So, let your heart have spaces for everyone, but there is a sacred space with a sign on its door that reads, "Know that there is no god but Allah," meaning, only Allah dwells there.
Beware of losing yourself among others and straying from the path. Be with them, from them, in them, to them, and away from them. The connection to your family is a connection to Him. When you fall short, your family will intercede for you, the family of Allah. Perhaps the lost youth will receive the care of Allah by sending people to guide them to His care. These are the ones who light the way, whose hearts see and hear.
You may feel like a stranger among everyone, but among them, you find your homeland and refuge.
So, know that there is no god but Allah... There is no god but Allah.
Sacrifice # Patience # Contentment # Trust # Faith # Deep Thinking # Wisdom # Pride # Learning from Experiences # Awareness # Steadfastness # Resilience # Inner Life # Inner Strength # Truth # Pure Intentions # Humility # Steadfastness # Truth # Understanding # Communication # Wisdom # Respect # Forgiveness # Happiness # Inner Peace # Inner Strength # Stability # Contentment # Love # Determination # Inspiration # Contemplation # Personal Development # Self-Confidence # Behavior # Leadership # Happiness # Trust # Giving # Courage # Honesty # Willpower # Ideal Life # Priorities # Guidance # Success # Reflections_of_the_Travelers
Train Derailment
I wanted to congratulate you on the derailment of your train.
The real heroes are those who can write the endings with skillfulness. Everyone can start, but the true hero is the one who can wrest willpower from their own saddened and lost self in some corner of the universe. It's that soul that has been broken by disappointment from every angle, the one that has strived hard and found no appreciation.
They are the ones walking on the edge of the knife until their feet are cut and their bones bent. They have exhausted patience to the extent that it is said patience thanked them for their noble effort and their great influence.
These are the ones whom Allah has drawn from themselves, taught them the meaning of "There is no god but Allah" and made them realize it. He did not only teach them, but He took their hearts to the arena of His love and compassion.
Who are you, O heroes, for whom all the beginnings of goodness are at your fingertips! When Allah sent Noah as a prophet, it wasn't just because Noah could start, but because of his knowledge that Noah would master the endings. He would build the ark, gather the saved ones, and lead them during the flood, fighting their weakness with the strength of his faith in "There is no god but Allah", knowing that Allah is surely his supporter!
And so are you. Allah has chosen you to know Him through you and because you do not turn to the devil, his whispers, and his spreading of sadness within you.
These painful words passing through your ears are tests from Allah for you. If your actions are for people, then these are the people, most of whom are transgressors. And if it is for Allah, then why turn away? These painful words are great tests that transfer their owners to the peaks of knowledge of Allah, for the degree of truthfulness is known by the abundance of its enemies and adversaries.
And if your pains are due to the lack of appreciation from those you have tried so hard to please, then this is also a test to change course to increase your realization of: There is no god but Allah, as if Allah is telling you, "If it was for Me, then why the sadness? And if it was for others, and you associated others with Me, then you deserve to be sad."
All of this is nothing but a train derailing. Suddenly, you feel as if you are a train that has suffered a tragic accident and derailed.
You say, "I have lost my way." I say, "No, it hasn't happened. Rather, Allah has loved you to a great degree and wanted to draw your heart's attention to Him several times, but you are still preoccupied with the world and pleasing creation. So, He pulled you away from the control of your own soul to Him, then He showed you kindness and said to you, 'My servant, do not do the deed for Me and then associate others with Me, whether for Me alone or for others. My servant, I loved you since you were young, so I kept away the father who was keeping you away from seeing me alone, and I made you for myself in my sight. And now, you are on the way back to Me.'"
Suddenly, your heart understands the meaning of the phrase "There is no god but Allah," which you have memorized all your life without understanding it until now.
All religion is realized from it now. Do not say, "You have come late," but say, "Praise be to Allah that you have come," because many have not come.
O my son, it is not appropriate for you to be sad, for this heart has spoken in secret, and it has seen the truths. Why should it be sad?
O my son, speak to Allah in all your stories and situations, and speak to Him about your fears, for He is the only motivator for all slaves. Did you ever imagine that the King who owns the whole universe would love you?!
Rise, complete what you started for Allah. Let the devil's anger towards you intensify. Rise with a wound in your heart and pain in your body. Rise and announce it, making it a migration for the sake of Allah.
You and I are on the way back to the abode of Paradise, God willing.
#Reflections_of_the_Travelers #Train_Derailment #Heroism_and_Willpower #Patience_and_Diligence #There_is_No_God_but_Allah #Tests_from_Allah #Soaring_to_the_Pinnacles_of_Knowledge #Truth_and_Faithfulness #Heart_Speaks_in_Secret #Speak_with_Allah #Praise_be_to_Allah_for_Guidance
The sincere one is not harmed by the corruption and deceit of others, do you know why?
The sincere one is not harmed by the corruption and deceit of others, do you know why? Because Allah looked at his heart and found it sound, so the Creator exempted him from all that He created. And how did He exempt him? Did He not say: "Except for those who come to Allah with a sound heart" (Quran 26:89)? He exempted him in the Hereafter only because He chose him in this world. Surely, the chosen one is exempt, and the one enveloped by the care of Allah is never abandoned by Him. But do people wrong one another? People only wrong themselves. The upright one has a path with Allah that the unjust do not know. The one who fears his Lord has an exit known to the knowledgeable ones. Allah does not waste the reward of those who do good, my son. We are with Allah, in Allah, and to Allah, so what do you think of other than Him, while He is apparent in every aspect? When does Allah absent Himself from you until you call upon Him? Does He absent Himself from me if I commit a sin or make a mistake? No, He does not absent Himself. He has called you before you sought forgiveness, saying: "Say, 'O My servants who have transgressed against themselves...'" (Quran 39:53). He preceded you in forgiveness. He is the Generous, the Forgiving, and the Merciful. And know, my son, that Allah does not fight against His servant nor does He have an adversary. What need does the King have to fight His people? Rather, He is with them and for them. He tests them so that they may endure and love Him, and He may love them. Thus begins the covenant of love in which sins are forgiven, and hardships become easy. Our mother Zainab stood - O my son - when Hussain and the stars of the Prophet's household, the best of the youth of the Prophet's family, were martyred, and she said: "O Allah, if this pleases You, then take until You are pleased." All the beloved departed to Allah, but she knew that the Beloved is Allah, and that they are mirrors of each other's love on earth. If the mirror is broken, then the essence of it is the one who bestowed the mirror. Do not turn to anyone other than Him, for creation will never harm you. Be among the people of Allah, so your back will be straight with Allah, His Messenger, and His angels.
#Reflections_of_the_Travelers #The_Sincere_Ones #Sound_Heart #The_Sincere_are_Unharmed #Enveloped_by_Allah's_Care #Trust_in_Allah #Forgiveness_and_Mercy #The_Story_of_Love_with_Allah #Do_Not_Turn_to_Anyone_But_Allah #Speak_with_Allah #People_of_Allah
Secrets with Allah
Embark on a secret journey to Allah, then fate crafts your path, placing you at the crossroads where you transition from one world to another, a world where you neither see nor hear with your own senses. There, your faculties and limbs declare submission and surrender to another force that governs you.
Finally, the body falls away, no longer bound by dreams or aspirations, and the soul emerges victorious!
And so you journey, sometimes swaying between strength and weakness, in a place between softness and hardness, between severity and leniency.
You must praise Allah abundantly for the blessings of pain, for the blessing of estrangement, and other similar blessings. Why?
Because without those gifts, cloaked in the garb of trials, you wouldn't be who you are today.
Pain has succeeded in detaching you, detaching you from the world of dreams. Nothing catches your attention anymore; there's nothing to steal your gaze. Why? Because the senses have become prisoners after a bloody battle on a white night where fate declared the victory of the soul.
Yet, you may still grieve; your pain may intensify; you may be afflicted by the trials of time!
Yes, because there are insidious attempts from within yourself trying to drag the soul into defeat, to regain control over you and lead you back to its aspirations. But pain stands here, like the noble knight defending the fortress of the soul.
So pain continues to circulate within the luminous structure of your soul, guarding and preserving it.
And do they fear?
Yes, they fear greatly.
From whom?
From Allah. For when they leave this world, they pledge to Allah for excellence and good deeds, and when they feel doubts creeping into their path, fear seeps into their hearts, making them seem intoxicated, though they are not, but their resurrection has commenced!
These are people whose graves lie within their ribs, and the questioning of their angels is ongoing, accompanying their journey towards Allah.
And where is the share of the heart from this world?
Know, my friend, that some have taken their full share, and their world is complete, and their light is reduced.
Some have taken a portion, and their world and their light are balanced.
And some have heard of this world but taken nothing from it. Their world has disappeared, but their light has intensified.
The light is not complete without pain, and pain is the noble knight defending only the few, those who journey to Allah with the manners of manifestation.
Embark on a secret journey to Allah.
And what is the secret?
The secret lies in "La ilaha illallah" (There is no god but Allah).
Know that "La ilaha illallah" suffices.
But is "La ilaha illallah" enough?
If Allah teaches you its meanings, and grants you its realities, it is the essence of faith, the culmination of monotheism, and the cornerstone of attainment. It suffices you from the books of knowledge entirely, it suffices you from asking the creation about anything.
It enriches you, it suffices you, it preserves you.
So know that "La ilaha illallah."
#Reflections_of_the_Travelers #Secret_Journey_to_Allah #Pain_and_Estrangement_Are_Blessings_from_Allah #Strength_and_Weakness #Surrender_of_the_Senses #Contentment_with_the_Decree_of_Allah #Pain_and_Challenges #Monotheism_is_the_Essence_of_Faith #There_is_No_God_but_Allah #Trust_in_Allah
Dear Angel of Death, greetings, and after that,
I wanted not to ask you about the time of my departure from my home to your abode, for I have become indifferent to my life more than my death.
For both are predestined, and life has always begun without my knowledge and will end without my consent, which means I am a servant with no say in my affairs.
Thus, I have someone who oversees my affairs in my prosperity and adversity, in my obedience and disobedience. He is sufficient to lift the pen from my last word that will emanate from my tongue and from my last deed that I will strive for with my feet and determination.
Dear Angel of Separation, I know well that you will come to me when I begin to love things and life, and I know well that you wish I had descendants whom I fear for their fate after me.
And I know well that you wish I had beloved ones whom I fear separation from. But what after Allah lifts the pen from my last breaths and deeds? I do not think that everything I fear will remain hanging in my suitcase when I arrive.
The living alone will suffer the pain of separation, while I, if I am among the fortunate, will be in safety, and if I am among the unfortunate, my tragedy will not end.
I am departing to you, O Master, perhaps today, or tomorrow, or after a year, or years. Whatever good I have done, Allah knows it, and whatever evil, it is my weakness, and Allah, behind it, is Forgiving, Merciful.
I just wanted to inform you of something important about me. I do not fear death now or tomorrow, nor do I fear the grave, and I am not among those who have closed the doors on sins and lived righteously forever. But I am among those whom fear has struck, so death was once upon them when they feared, and life is for them when death approaches.
I am not among the righteous, but I have accepted life and accepted destiny, and I have consented to denial before giving, and I have accepted hardship before ease, and I have forgiven all who have wronged me.
And this is my story, I wanted you to know it because I feel your presence around me, harvesting souls as if it were harvest season for you, and the reasons for my departure have multiplied, so you are not at fault if I am the one waiting for you!
I hear your cry when you cry in the valleys at the time of death, saying: "Come out to an angry Lord." And how you have startled me with the noise of your caravan as you harvest souls and depart in your procession.
You have startled me many times, and you have taken my loved ones many times, and you have struck my neck with the sword of separation.
O Beautiful Angel of Separation, I beseech you by Allah to take me easily and take me gently, for the separation of life is painful enough, so do not increase it, O Master.
Perhaps you will come to me while I am in my prayers, and perhaps you will startle me in my disobedience and distance, or perhaps you will come to me in my work and striving. So be gentle with me.
As for my hour, it is the affair of Allah alone. If He wills, He will perfect my end.
Dear one, O one whom humans have wronged and they thought your name is sorrowful, you have obeyed Allah obediently, you have lived obediently in the name of the Living God.
You have lived while dead, on a day when there is no sovereignty except Allah's, the One, the Prevailing.
#Reflections_of_the_Travelers #Angel_of_Death #Life_and_Death #Destiny_and_Decree #Submission_to_the_Will_of_Allah #Wisdom_in_Separation #Submission_to_the_Decree_of_Allah #Contentment_with_Destiny #Life_and_Death_in_Islam #Acceptance_of_Trials #Trust_in_Allah
The Secret of Our Master Yunus (peace be upon him)
Success does not lie in the result of the effort, but rather in patience during the effort.
Was our Master Yunus (peace be upon him) sinful or disobedient to the command of his Lord when he left his people and boarded the sea?
There is a saying by one of the knowledgeable ones that summarizes this matter: "The good deeds of the righteous are counted as sins for those brought near."
This means that for anyone else who is not a prophet, in the place of our Master Yunus (peace be upon him), and he called his people and conveyed to them what he was commanded to convey, but they rejected him, and then he left them and departed, he has fulfilled his duty, and Allah rewarded him for that.
The prophet is burdened with a divine obligation, so it is not permissible for him to leave the people of the village except after Allah permits him to do so. This is an example of the previous statement (So the good deeds of the righteous in this case are counted as sins for those brought near).
So our Master Yunus (peace be upon him) as a prophet must be patient, and his lack of patience with them and his departure to the sea is considered a sin for him because he is among those brought near.
When our Master Yunus (peace be upon him) left the village in anger at them, the people of the village feared that Allah's punishment would descend upon them, so they cried and supplicated to Allah. So Allah cast repentance and fear into their hearts, and they believed in him. If the prophet of Allah Yunus (peace be upon him) had been patient, he would have seen them in this state of faith.
Here is a lesson that everyone who takes on the call to goodness must learn: He must know that the outcome of the matter is entirely with Allah, and that people will not believe merely because of the call. Rather, the caller must detach himself from his surroundings and his strength to the surroundings and strength of Allah. He must know that the hearts of the servants are in the hand of Allah, not in his own hand.
When our Master Yunus (peace be upon him) headed towards the sea, he found a ship and boarded it. The wind blew strongly, and the sea became rough. So they had to throw one of them into the sea to lighten the load of the ship, and the only way to do that was to cast lots among themselves. So the lot fell upon our Master Yunus (peace be upon him), and they repeated the casting of lots again and again, and each time the lot fell upon our Master Yunus (peace be upon him) until they surrendered to it and cast him into the sea, and the whale swallowed him.
Here our Master Yunus (peace be upon him) confessed, saying: "There is no god but You, Glory be to You, I was indeed among the wrongdoers."
So he disowned himself and turned from his surroundings and strength to the surroundings and strength of Allah. And he realized that the guidance of the people comes through the surroundings and strength of Allah, not just through the call of the prophet. And that his entire call is within the knowledge and strength of Allah.
What do we learn from this story?
- Patience.
- Remembrance saves its owner as truth saves its people.
- Confession of sin is the gateway to coming out into the light.
- The good deeds of the righteous are counted as sins for those brought near.
- Get out of your surroundings and your strength to the surroundings and strength of Allah.
#Reflections_of_the_Travelers #Prophets_Biographies #Patience #Repentance_and_Forgiveness #Admitting_Sins #Reliance_on_Allah #Calling_to_Allah #Remembrance_of_Allah #Turning_From_Own_Strength_to_Allah's_Strength #Lesson_from_Prophets_Biographies
Don't look back
If you look down, you'll be struck by disappointment and sadness from an impending reality - the snapping of the rope and the inevitability of the fall. And if you look up, you'll lose your balance... So what's the solution?
The solution is to look ahead... and walk your path with full faith in Allah, knowing that Ibrahim entered the fire alone and fearful, but divine care turned the fire's nature and made it cool for him.
Yunus found himself alone in the belly of the whale, yet divine care ensured his safety and security!
Isma'il went with his father to be sacrificed, the knife placed on his neck! But divine care intervened, and he was not sacrificed!
Musa stood with the sea behind him and Pharaoh in front! Despite lacking the skill of swimming and no swimming schools, divine care split the sea!
Zakariya, when he longed for offspring and logical means for conception failed due to his old age and his wife's barrenness, was granted Yahya by Allah!
Isa, when they conspired to kill him, was raised by divine care.
Maryam, when she brought forth a child without a father, was defended by divine care... the child who spoke from the cradle, cured the blind and the lepers, and revived the dead by Allah's permission!
And Yusuf, thrown into the bottom of the well and sold for a paltry sum, was carried to the throne of Egypt by divine care!
And the Prophet Muhammad, whom the earth fought with all its might, yet ultimately submitted to him... and believed in him.
If complaint and reproach had any meaning, why did Yusuf keep them to himself?
If expressing sorrow had meaning, why did Ya'qub turn away from them?
And if addressing people had any good, why did Maryam remain silent, as did Zakariya?
In the banquet of pain, suffer silently, for you are in Allah's company... you need no one else. Everyone who wrongs you knows what they do, but you remain gentle in the eyes of all, and with Allah, you will not falter.
For He is the Knower, the Subtle: "Does He who created not know, while He is the Subtle, the Acquainted?" (Quran 67:14)
The rope does not break with fire or knife... the rope only breaks when you are convinced that fire and knife are stronger than Allah! But it remains unbroken when you know that they are manifestations of Allah's power, which, if He wills, He can make for you, not against you.
Walk steadfastly... and don't look back, young one, for your Lord is Mighty in strength.
#Thoughts_of_the_Journeyers #Trust_in_God #Optimism #Reliance_on_God #Faith_in_God #Patience #Positive_Thinking #Optimism_in_God #Relying_on_God #Lessons_from_the_Prophets' _Biographies
The reflection of the hero's image in the mirror of destiny
The greatest thing hidden behind trials is the reflection of the hero's image in the mirror of destiny.
Trials make you a true hero, and once your courage is revealed, there's no longer meaning to defeat or victory. Because the heroes who emerge from the womb of trials are never defeated by their armies; because they come out of the womb of misery... from the darkness of despair.
Some trials intend for you to see your heroism in the arenas of trials.
Some trials intend to honor you rather than test you!
Honoring your effort means that the plot thickens, hardships reach their peak, then you triumph by the power of God, and your heroism at that moment becomes an honor for you. Just by standing there, while you turn your gaze to the sky asking God how you prevailed! As expressions of amazement appear on your face, and signs of miracles rise above your capabilities... you find the answer: You prevailed because I wanted to show everyone the hero I concealed within you.
That moment when you step out of the realm of reason into the realm of miracles... it's a recognition of your worth, not a trial. Your value in the eyes of God was written since your birth; you never surrendered, never wasted, never humiliated yourself.
So, let there be ups and downs in the fields of pain; because you're undoubtedly victorious... your flag is raised without dispute... why do you see?
Because you've overcome trials with your patient and assured efforts, thus you've become a hero whose city will never be conquered, no matter how besieged!
The walls of your city are "There is no god but Allah", its gate is "Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah", its key is "There is no power or strength except with Allah", and its army is "Allah is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs", and its hero is you... You are made by His hands... victorious by His care...
So let them scream with their worldly idols as the mouths of the pagans before them screamed: "Raise Hubal", while you stand calmly declaring your Lord saying: “Allah is the Greatest and the Most Supreme... My arrow has been fired... From Him comes the support... I care not for anyone... By the virtue of Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim. With its virtue, O Lord, do not entrust us to anyone... O the One we lean upon... The One we rely upon... High above all, the Independent One... He has no partner in His sovereignty, and His provision is facilitated, flowing endlessly.”
#Thoughts_of_the_Journeyers #Faith #Heroism #Patience #Trials #Trust_in_Allah #Challenges #Inspiration #Contemplation #Advice #Optimism #Motivation #Determination #Resilience #Positive_Thinking #Personal_Development #Guidance #Inner_Peace #Reflections #Forgiveness
Why Allah?
Because He will take care of you from the very first moments of your morning until you close your eyes and sleep, and even in your sleep He will not leave you, for He is always with you. Because He hears your disjointed speech, and your unrelated topics, for He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Because He makes you content; you do not justify, you do not rationalize, you do not pretend. Because He knows everything, so when you hide afraid from everything, you are a guest in the courtyards of His love and mercy. And people, my son, they tire of their guests after the third day, but Allah never tires, His generosity never runs out, His sovereignty is eternal. So enter the cave of the youths who believed, so He may guide you, then increase you in guidance, and make you among the people of His guardianship and miracles. So enter the belly of the whale, glorifying Him, so He may remove fear from you and ward off harm from you with a thousand "There is no power nor strength except with Allah." Indeed, humans tire, and their love will not last long except in proportion to their need. Have you seen anyone generous in their love except the poor who possess nothing? The most giving in love are the poor, the most giving are those for whom the means have been cut off, for only those who do not possess know the value of a blessing. So the one lacking something, my son, is the most giving of them all, and it is not as they falsely claim that he does not give! Indeed, Allah has written truth on the hearts of His people, so be among the truthful. Oh my son, falsehood does not harm you. The people - they are Allah's creation - and yet they deny His existence, deny His generosity, deny His grace, they do not give Allah His due rights, so do not be saddened. They were not able to give Allah His due rights, so will they be able to give you yours? Indeed, they said of the Prophet things that were not true - from his own people - liar, poet, madman, and sorcerer! And he was the Messenger of Allah! Indeed, they said of Ibrahim: "We have heard a youth mention them, called Ibrahim" (Quran ), yet Allah said about him: "Indeed, Ibrahim was a nation, obedient to Allah, inclining toward truth, and he was not of those who associate others with Allah." (Quran ) They said "youth" belittlingly, while to Allah he was a nation! Indeed, Yusuf had no value in the hearts of his brothers, so they sold him for the cheapest of prices, they were indeed among the ascetics... And Allah made him mighty in Egypt. So the harm caused by tongues does not harm you, rather it harms them, for your Lord has written everything with Him, and you will meet Him soon, and you will be asked about all this. Oh my son, prepare yourself, establish the proof, and announce to the people, and lower your wing to the believers, for Allah is knowledgeable of His creation, He employs and replaces in an instant, so do not be among the unjust, lest your Lord replaces you. Oh my son, where is your small bag with which you will meet the Angel of Death? If you were invited to their table, would you be afraid? Would you panic? Or will it be said about you: "Indeed, those who have said, 'Our Lord is Allah' and then remained steadfast - the angels will descend upon them, [saying], 'Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised.'" (Quran ) There is no panic in meeting Allah ever. Be a patient, expectant hero, and when you are called to their table, go yourself. And say: "All praise is due to Allah who has cut off everything from us so He may give us everything, He withholds only to give, and if death is near, then that is the gift if only you knew! So rejoice, then rejoice, and listen on the day it is said: "Peace, a word from a Merciful Lord" (Quran ). And know that beginnings are for everyone, but endings are for the heroes only.
#Allah
#Faith
#Trust_in_Allah
#Contemplation
#Patience
#Wisdom
#Forgiveness
#Inspiration
#Guidance
#Love
#Positivity
#Challenges
#Personal_Development
#Divine_Wisdom
#Inner_Strength
#Optimism
#Tolerance
#Closeness_to_Allah
#Truthfulness
#Steadfastness
Have You Come to Complain about Allah's Love for You?
It is said that one of them went to a knower of Allah and said to him, "O my master, what if I am not a patient servant and I complained about my fate and my fear?" But the knower of Allah did not answer. So the questioner said, "Why do I only expect betrayal and treachery from those whom I have treated well?" But the knower of Allah did not answer. Then the questioner said, "Why does everyone I love leave me and I am loyal to them with loyalty?" But the knower of Allah did not answer. Then the questioner said, "Why did my loved ones die?" But the knower of Allah did not answer. Then the questioner said, "Why am I lonely?" and he began to cry. But the knower of Allah did not answer. Then the questioner said, "Why do people not think well of me?" But the knower of Allah remained silent. Then the questioner said, "Why does the one I trust lie, and the one I am kind to become harsh, and the one I embrace leave?" "Why is my hand extended with goodness while people's hands are extended with evil? Why do they meet my love with sin, not righteousness?" And he began to cry. Then the knower stood up and placed his hand on the man's heart and said to him, "O brother, I do not know why Allah loves you so much! Perhaps you are one of those I have heard about, those who are the benefactors, the people of high ranks in excellence and virtue... They are the ones who are patient in times of humiliation. Have you come to complain about Allah's love for you?" And the questioner fell silent... and said, “You have hit the mark... you have struck the heart.”
#Love_of_Allah #Humility #Submission #Patience #Optimism #Forgiveness #Truthfulness #Contemplation #Wisdom #Divine_Love #Acceptance #Clarity #Contentment #Loyalty #Tolerance #Spiritual_Reflection #Spiritual_Tolerance #Faith #Patience_and_Gratitude #Tolerance_and_Submission
The Knowledge of Vision
Allah bestowed upon Moses the knowledge of vision, the understanding of ascending above the mountain of hardship and adversity to see everything from atop a lofty peak. The divine providence called him to ascend a great mountain for the purpose of meeting and conversing.
Because Allah knew that his mission was arduous, and his people were prone to ingratitude. Even Khidr himself, when he met Moses and raised the wall for the people of the town who did not extend hospitality, affirmed this meaning.
Reformation and building the earth are not merely services rendered to those who deserve them. No, they are provided to everyone, even if they do not deserve it. Planting goodness and beauty is the essence, regardless of the true nature of the hearts of those to whom the service is rendered.
All the messages directed to Moses by divine providence, whether through speech or through Khidr, were for the purpose of instilling hope in him, as his people were prone to ingratitude. If he were not a sent prophet, despair would have settled in his heart.
Perhaps the wisdom from this arduous journey, from the surface of the earth to the summit of the mountain, was for Moses to stand quietly, observing the condition of the kingdom, learning to see things from atop the mountain and thus belittle their importance. He turned his face towards the sky, drawing closer to Allah. Allah spoke to him gently, saying: "What is that in your right hand, O Moses?" He said, "It is my staff; I lean upon it, and I bring down leaves for my sheep and I have therein other uses." (Quran 20:17-18).
Moses' strength and support were his staff, and Allah wanted to show him that his strength and support were not from himself. He commanded him: "Throw it down, O Moses." So he threw it down, and thereupon it was a snake, moving swiftly. He said, "Seize it and fear not; We will return it to its former condition." (Quran 20:19).
It was just a staff, then it turned into a miracle. When Moses ascended the mountain of difficult life and saw everything with clarity, he realized that miracles are not limited, as humans themselves are miraculous creations!
In this moment, there is great wisdom, as if Allah is consoling him because He knows that his people are prone to disbelief, no matter how many dazzling miracles he presents to them. Allah wanted to teach him the essence of vision; that no matter how closely he scrutinizes them from atop the highest mountain, he will never truly comprehend their forms and sizes, for they are insignificant in every aspect.
Their value without faith in Allah does not exceed zero. What deserves attention is that beauty which pervades them, hidden within the creativity with which Allah has fashioned the earth, the heavens, and the mountains. And the most beautiful aspect is the divine care that informed and comforted him.
And so, in our lives today, we must fight to see things as they truly are, and not abandon ourselves to this lower world, steeped in vanity, deception, and meddling. Instead, we must soar into the orbit of the upper world, overflowing with Allah's support, nearness, and kindness.
The ascent above the mountains of our sorrows and worries has become a duty that cannot be neglected under any circumstance.
You are alone in this world, no matter how many bodies surround you, as you will enter your grave alone, be resurrected alone, be assembled alone, be judged alone! So, you are the stranger, no matter how colorful the faces around you may be.
Begin your journey of ascent, and let your heart lean only on Allah. Every reliance on other than Him is a deviation, every action not seeking His countenance is crooked, every fall into the palm of His care is elevation, and every pain on the path to Him is relief.
May Allah suffice you.
O Allah, lead us from the confines of the reasonable to the fields of eternal miracles.
#Science_of_Perception
#Optimism
#Contemplation
#Faith_in_God
#Wisdom
#Patience_and_Steadfastness
#Humility
#Spiritual_Reflection
#Reflection_and_Contemplation
#Learning_from_Life
#Spiritual_Evolution
#Spiritual_Life
#Reflecting_on_the_Signs_of_God
#Inner_Strength
#Optimism_in_Life
#Inner_Happiness
#Faith_in_Destiny
#Wisdom_Behind_Trials
#Patience_and_Surrender
#Reflecting_on_the_Effects_of_Creation
Is it not time for this knight to dismount?
These two sentences were spoken by Lady Asmaa V, and history stood silent before their beauty. Is it not time for this knight to dismount? My son... it does not harm the sheep to skin it after slaughtering it. The Story: It is narrated that Al-Hajjaj besieged Ibn Al-Zubair in the sanctuary for nearly seven months, hurling catapults at him... People dispersed from around him, and Abdullah went to his mother saying: "O mother, people have abandoned me, even my relatives and family. Nothing remains with me except a little and those who have no more than an hour of patience, and people are offering me whatever I desire of this world, so what do you think?" (He meant that the Umayyads were negotiating with him to relinquish power to them and they would provide him with whatever he wanted from worldly affairs). His mother said: "My son, you know yourself better. If you know that you are upon the truth and calling to it, then proceed, for your companions have been killed defending it. And do not allow yourself to be manipulated by the Umayyad slaves, for they will toy with your head, O son of Al-Zubair." And if you only sought the world, then you are indeed a wretched slave; you have destroyed yourself and those killed with you. And if you say: 'I was upon the truth, but when my companions weakened, I faltered, then this is not the behavior of free men or people of faith. How eternal will your stay in this world be? Death is better! Asmaa had no other choice or advice for her son except to console him and weigh his decision, and at that time she was a hundred years old, her mind was still sharp, and her intellect was not doubted. Abdullah said to her: "O mother, I fear that if the people of Sham kill me, they will crucify me and make an example of me." To which Asmaa said her famous words: "My son, it does not harm the sheep to skin it after slaughtering it, so proceed with your insight, and seek help from Allah." He said to her: "This is my opinion, which I have followed, calling to it until this day. I did not incline to the world, nor did I love life in it. And what urged me to confront the people was only anger for the sake of Allah that His sanctities might be violated. But I wanted to know your opinion, and you have increased me in insight. So look, O mother, for I am killed on this day; so do not grieve excessively." Indeed, Al-Hajjaj killed Abdullah bin Al-Zubair, hurling him with a catapult and crucifying his body for days until his mother came and said her famous words: "O Hajjaj, is it not time for this knight to dismount?" So she brought down her son and buried him, and the caravans moved on with her famous words. I cannot find words in the Arabic language to describe the bravery of the women of the Prophet's household and their patience. Among them was one who stood over her son's body waiting for him to be freed from the cross like Asmaa... Standing with a heart that had surpassed pain with intense patience, saying: "Is it not time for this knight to dismount?" And the most beautiful... Zainab V, when she lost most of her household's flowers in Karbala and lost with them the master of masters, our master Al-Hussein, she sat down, her pain intensified, holding him between her hands, where eternal separation while saying: "O Allah, if this pleases You, then take until You are pleased." These are the women whom time could not be generous to like them... The women of the Prophet's household... The noble family. We have a stance in Abdullah bin Al-Zubair... How was your heart, O Abdullah, when you stood before the Kaaba; it was from behind you and in front of you the Hajjaj's catapults. How did you feel when the people abandoned you, and everyone left you? How was Allah's reception of you? From the last look you cast upon the world around you, you found nothing, and you did not see anyone but Allah. Those are the moments when everything perishable goes away and only the eternal remains. All the good you did yesterday is your salvation in this difficult moment... Everyone sees you abandoned and weak, but you are weak yet reassured, calm... People look at the weapons aimed towards you and the moments of your separation, but you do not see all of that... You only see the beautiful reception of Allah for you... You see all the good you did and how it argued for you and stood to protect you... You see hearts you honored, souls you revived, and knowledge you spread... You see steadfastness on the truth that falsehood never mixed with, and hypocrisy never crept into for a moment... You see feet that faltered, but with their faltering, they testified that they only walked for Allah, and today they walk towards Allah... They are nothing but times whose appointments have approached... So the return is better. And after the return... Say, by your Lord. Is it not time for this knight to dismount? Does it harm the sheep to skin it after slaughtering it?
#Perseverance_and_Steeliness #Resistance_Against_Injustice #Right_to_Resistance #Continuity_in_Struggle #Patience_and_Faith #Feminine_Strength #Resisting_Injustice #Determination_and_Steeliness #Steadfastness_in_Confrontation #Struggle_for_Justice #Stories_of_Resilience #Brave_Resistance #Inspirational_Stories #Women_of_Resistance #Challenge_and_Determination
Of What We Endure
They ask you about those who return from death, so say: "If you wish to understand the meaning of gratitude, take it from those who shook hands with the Angel of Death hand in hand, then were told: 'Return, for we have granted you a new deadline.'"
These are the ones for whom Allah has decreed a new lease of life. These are the ones whose breaths halted for moments, with the tapes of memories passing before their eyes, amidst the wreckage of accidents, the blood of injuries, the cries of distress, and the calls of warning to ambulance vehicles. They stood motionless, for perhaps these were their last moments of life, so they turned to Allah. Perhaps these were the first moments of a new opportunity.
The first encounter with the Angel of Death has never been easy. Ask them about the scent of death, for they know it well. Beware of their company, for they are the ones who have known the truth with certainty. But between knowledge and weakness, their tents have been pitched. They are intoxicated, yet not truly so. They are the ones who return from the end to the beginning.
When you meet one of them, choose your words carefully, for they are the most humbled after honor. It is easier for you to shake hands with a weakling by nature than to shake hands with a weakling after strength.
Be gentle with your words, for they might fall upon them like the edge of a sword on a wound, cutting through. Know that returning to life after an accident is like a child who doesn't know words or things, who doesn't know movements or actions, who knows nothing but silence and the facade of strength left by the hand of Death before being released.
Death is very easy suddenly, as Allah may reserve for you reserves of forgiveness and mercy, for He did not delay you. But return and extension are very difficult, for the first word will strike your heart when you return to your eternal position in your new intermediate life, saying: "I have granted you respite before, and you were nothing."
I wanted to write all this just as a message to all those whose bodies fell victim to fate's accidents and who were not sought in the revelation of death, so their release was granted, and they returned with their bodies, but their souls roam in the heavens, suspended, refusing the imprisonment of the body and refusing to return to Allah because they know they did not tread the path of the righteous for even a day.
So, I found this image very expressive of the situation in which these people now find the world: to see the world from the seat of a grave and find nothing but the face of the sky and a rope that perhaps Allah will use to pull you to a connection after being cut off.
There are always different, intense, heart-burning, soul-aching matters happening. Tears shed for them are witnessed by the angels of the earth.
These incidents could be a car flipping, a sudden illness, death, separation, betrayal, deception, exploitation, and more.
But when the soul's pain settles, the heart insists on silence and refuses to speak.
Take gratitude from these people.
They may not be its people, but "gratitude is an experience" that cannot be asked about by those who haven't experienced it. There are many admonitions, and everyone can ascend to the pulpit and talk about gratitude, patience, and pain, but their stories remain hearsay until you meet someone who has faced the Angel of Death face to face, and when they disappear, they say, "Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, for He did not hold onto us but released us. Praise be to Allah, for when we said: 'Our Lord, send us back so we may do righteousness in what we have left behind,' He granted us respite with which He has mercy on us."
From these, stop and learn the meaning of gratitude, for accidents are not only in their initial moments, but what comes after is even more severe.
And ask those who return about their return: in their states, there is an answer. Look into the corners of their eyes when they look away, for in everything they look at, there is a mirage, for everything their eyes settle upon becomes an arrow, and the arrow is inevitably known after its journey, as hearts bleed where it strikes.
Then reconsider the purpose and wisdom behind all this!
You'll find that the purpose is for you to return to the world so that Allah diverts from you everything else until you see nothing but Him and hear nothing but Him. Allah did not bring you back to the earth for luxury but for a message. Ask those who return about their return, for in their conditions, there is an answer. And look into the corners of their eyes when they look away, for in everything they look at, there is a mirage, and every mirage becomes an arrow when they settle upon it. Hearts bleed where it strikes.
So, take lessons from these people, and do not ask time for the answer.
Indeed, these people saw the Angel of Death present, and fleeing did not avail them, but everything fled from their tongues except the hope of staying, and listen to the words of one of them, for there is benefit and a clear lesson in his speech: "Praise be to Allah, who did not hold us back when the answer was so severe."
#Alhamdulillah #Sabr wa Iman #Malak al-Mawt #Al-A'idun min al-Mawt #Al-Hayat wa al-Mawt #Al-Firaq wa al-'Awda #Al-Sabr fi al-Mihnat #Al-Hawadith wa al-Tahadiyat #Al-Tasamuh wa al-'Afwa #Al-Hayat ba'd al-Mawt #Al-Samt wa al-Ta'amul #Al-Mawt wa al-Firaq #Al-Hayat wa al-Mu'anasa #Tajribat al-Hayat #Alhamdulillah 'ala_kulli_hal
Love in God
It has been said in the etiquette of living with oneself: Indeed, love in God is not conditioned by practical relationships or human interests.
Love in God is the highest degree of love; this is because hearts have pledged love without condition. They stood before God and said: "O Allah, I have loved this in You, and You bear witness. If I find in it what I love, I increase my love for You. And if I find in it what I dislike, it does not decrease my love for You, because I loved it in You. So, I do not expect from it anything but love and closeness to You."
As for what we see of hearts that were once singing the melodies of love, then turned today to the most severe songs of sin, they are hearts that have never loved, nor have they known the love of God. Love in God drives you towards the love of people, makes you constant in giving, constant in service, even if your need from them ceases, there is no way for you to cut off their need from you.
It happens that God reorders His ranks, so you see Him replacing this, and delaying that, and advancing this. This is the affair of God alone, for He is the One God who possesses the means of provision alone, without any partner. But no matter how His ranks change with increase or decrease, the ranks of love never change.
And I wonder, perhaps there is someone who possesses the answer... Perhaps there is someone who is skilled in reading wisdom: What makes hearts that were once loving turn today on their heels?
Is it a test and trial from God for them and for their loved ones?
Or is it a mercy for their loved ones, as indeed God has heard what others have not heard, and seen what others do not see, and decreed substitution, though He did not decree compulsion and aggression...
Indeed, the sincere lover, invited to the pulpits of light on the Day of Resurrection, is the one who responds to the call of his Lord when it is said: "Where are those who loved one another for My Majesty?" He says, "Here I am, my Lord, here I am."
He does not expect anything, nor does he hope for any favor other than love. These are the ones whose eyes betray them wherever they go... They do not depart from the hearts of their beloveds even if they leave, they do not blame their beloveds after spending a long time with them...
Say to those who did not love for the sake of God: Where is your faith? For faith stands on two pillars: First: Monotheism. Second: Love.
So if one of them is absent, how can our companion walk to God? How can our companion follow the Messenger of Allah?
The Prophet prayed for a man who lived his whole life as a hypocrite, doing nothing but inflicting harm upon him!
This is the leader of the lovers... So where are the enthusiasts and the religious people from the Messenger of Allah?
The Prophet prayed for those who were persistently deceitful towards him... So how about you, when you have transgressed and acted arrogantly towards those who were deeply in love with you, and turned a blind eye to them until Allah decreed an inevitable fate?
To those who want to associate themselves with the honorable Prophet, stay straight, may Allah have mercy on you... You have indeed fallen into the condition described by Allah: "So his fate is overturned, and he is left empty-handed, saying, 'I wish I had not associated anyone with my Lord.'"
When love was made conditional, and trials were kindled, and he walked among the people with gossip and lies, he exchanged his garden with his own hands after spending years from the stock of his life.
#Love_in_God #Religious_Thoughts #Deep_Thinking #Spiritual_Contemplation #Pure_Love #Monotheism_and_Love #Love_and_Sacrifice #Religious_Values #Philosophical_Thinking #Dedication_to_Service #Forgiveness_and_Love #Faith_in_God #Peaceful_Coexistence #Spiritual_Development #Contemplation_and_Thinking
The Conclusion
One of them asked: When will we reach our goal and succeed in what we do and be rewarded for it?
The other replied: We will inevitably reach it, do not fear.
He asked again: When will I regain my rights and see the fruits of the effort I have exerted?
The reply came: We will surely reach it, do not fear.
He asked once more: You did not answer, when will we reach it?
The response was: If this endeavor is for God alone, then your goal is to please God. For the sake of this goal, you will endure the harm of creation and their scheming against you, and you will endure the tightness of your circumstances and your limited resources, and you will bear the burdens of your mission. So, your aim is God and not the recovery of your rights or the harvest of your efforts or everything else I have mentioned. If God is your aim, then rejoice, for the day of your passing will be the day of your harvest for the fruits of your journey, and it is the meeting and the unveiling of the unseen for you.
And if your aim is the outcome of your effort and your victory and other than that, then this is the affair of God with you; He may grant you, and He may prevent you. In both cases, you will remain striving towards Him. So, be among those who strive towards God with sincerity, seeking no return for what they have given until they have nothing left with them.
These are the best of those who worship God to give and to help.
So, do not ask when will I achieve such and such, but rather say when will I see God. Thus, your faith is completed. And that is a degree that only a few attain, so strive to be among them.
Know that when God allows something to be taken from you or harm to befall you, He has hidden within it a quality of His, as a gift for you. So, if a blessing is taken away from you in the world, and you endure, you become one of those upon whom the gifts of God's names and attributes have descended, and you take the light of the name of God (the Patient), and likewise in everything. So, when the names and attributes descend upon you, your preparation for meeting their possessor begins, and this is your aim and your goal, and you should not look for anything else.
If you hope to be among the few who have been selected with care, then be patient and expect reward, and do not seek compensation but hope to attain the love of the One who rewards.
Why do you seek a rose from a garden when you can possess the entire garden? And why do you covet owning a house in a place when it is very possible for you to be a guest in the King's own house, where you would be looked upon and hear his speech?
We have come from nothingness, and all of us are destined for disappearance, and it is not hidden from any of us that death is inevitable. So, let us prioritize accordingly to walk with tranquility. Whether it's the rose or the garden, whether it's a house you own in a place or the King's house.
Do not ask God for help in times of tribulation but say: Perhaps He will be pleased... Perhaps He will be pleased.
If you lost everything, say: Perhaps He will be pleased.
Do you not see the entire dominion hastening towards Him, bowing their heads humbly and laying their necks on the guillotine of monotheism?
Where is your insight... Do you not see everyone striving towards Him in silence!
Do you not see how the processions of the slaves move towards Him every minute with death and submission, like a worker who hands over the uniform of his work to his employer!
Do you not see how we surrender our bodies to Him with death like the workers.
What reward do you await?
What victory do you seek?
What sustenance are you striving for?
O friend, release your neck... escape with it to succeed... take it and place it on the guillotine of monotheism in submission, and say: I come to You with it, perhaps You will be pleased.
We do not have an Abraham to ransom us with his sorrowful stance, to intercede for us on the guillotines of monotheism as he interceded when he stood for Ishmael and his Lord ransomed him. Who will ransom us, you and me?
Do we recognize anyone on this earth other than Him?
Are not all faces transient, and all of them strangers?
Step out of the circles of human struggle and escape with your neck.
Place it before God and say: There is no god but You, glory be to You, indeed I have been among the wrongdoers, and You are the Forgiving, the Merciful.
#Spiritual_Thinking
#Reflection_and_Contemplation
#Repentance_and_Forgiveness
#Faith_and_Certainty
#Acceptance_of_Allah's_Decree
#Striving_Towards_Allah
#Monotheism_and_Repentance
#Love_and_Sacrifice
#Patience_and_Reward
#Drawing_Near_to_Allah
#Forgiveness_and_Pardon
#Contentment_with_Destiny
#Trust_in_Allah
#Meditating_on_the_Verses_of_Allah
#Forgiveness_and_Humility