Originally Posted on August 26th, 2011

By Shaykh Muhammad Jebril | Translated by Shazia Ahmad

Many of us spend a good portion of our Ramadan nights with our hands raised in du`a’ (supplication), listening to the heart-felt words of our imam or shaykh calling on Allah in the witr prayer.  For those of us who don’t speak Arabic, it is a time when we often long to understand the meaning of the words being said with such evident intensity and feeling.  It is for this reason that we would like to present a beautiful du`a’ of Shaykh Muhammad Jebril of Cairo, Egypt – said at the completion of his recitation of the Qur’an in Ramadan ((This du`a’ was performed at Masjid Amr ibn al-‘Aas in Cairo, Egypt in Ramadan 1410/1990. Original audio can be found on the shaykh’s official website:  http://www.jebril.com.)) – accompanied by an English translation.

Please remember us in your du`a’s as Ramadan draws to a close.  May Allah help us make the most of these last few precious days and nights of this blessed month.  Ameen.

Audio: Download (Duration: 34:55 — 4.3 MB)

Translation | PDF Version | Doc Version

Indeed, Allah speaks the truth. Indeed Allah speaks the truth, the One who is unique in His majesty by the perfection of His beauty, glorified and exalted.

He who sent down the clear Criterion (the Qur’an) to His servant ﷺ (peace be upon him) in order to make him a warner to the worlds; He who sent His noble messenger to the two mighty races of jinn and mankind to give glad tidings and to warn; and we are to this (truth) from among those who bear witness.

O Allah, guide us along with those whom You have guided aright; and grant us well-being along with those whom You have granted well-being; and protect us with those whom You have protected. Bless for us all that You have given us; and save us and keep away from us any evil that You have decreed. O Allah, save us and keep away from us any evil that You have decreed. O Allah, save us and keep away from us any evil that You have decreed, for verily You decree in truth, and none can decree over You. And none is abased whom You befriend, and none is honored whom You oppose. Blessed are You, our Lord, Exalted. To You, O Allah, all praise is due for what You have decreed, and to You, O Allah, is due all thanks for Your blessings and bounty. We seek forgiveness from (You) Allah, and we repent to You. We seek forgiveness from Allah, and we repent to You.

We seek forgiveness from You, O Allah, for every sin and every misstep (we have taken), and we turn to You in repentance. We believe in You and rely on You. You are the Rich, the Self-Sufficient and Free of Needs (al-Ghaniyy), and we are poor and bereft before You. You are the Strong (al-Qawiyy), and we are weak and vulnerable before You.

You are the Rich (al-Ghaniyy), and we are poor and bereft before You.  You are the Strong (al-Qawiyy), and we are weak and vulnerable before You.

You are the Rich (al-Ghaniyy), and we are poor and bereft before You.  You are the Strong (al-Qawiyy), and we are weak and vulnerable before You.

O Allah – You who connects with those who are cut off (from hope) – connect us to You.

O Allah, gift us with righteous action from You that will bring us closer to You.

O Allah, conceal (our faults) and protect us while we are on Earth, and when we are beneath the Earth, and on the Day when our deeds are presented to You.  [Repeated three times]

O Allah, beautify our standing before You.

O Allah, do not disappoint us on the Day we are presented before You to be judged. [Repeated three times]

O Allah, accept our prayers, our fasting, our standing in worship, our bowing and our prostration.

O Allah, accept our prayers.  O Allah, accept our fasting.  O Allah, accept our standing in worship.  O Allah, accept our bowing.  O Allah, accept our prostration. [Repeated three times]

O Allah, make us among those who are freed from the Fire this Ramadan. [Repeated three times]

O Allah, save us from the Fire. O Allah, save us from the Fire. O Allah, save us from the Fire. O Allah, protect us from the shame and disgrace of the Fire. O Allah, protect us from any deed that draws us closer to the Fire. O Allah, enter us into Paradise with the righteous, by Your mercy, O You Who is Most Noble (al-`Azeez), Oft-Forgiving (al-Ghaffar).

O Allah, make us, our Lord, in this month of ours, on this day of ours, on this very night, from those who are freed from the Fire, and make us from those who are accepted by You, the successful.

… By Your mercy, O Most Merciful of those who show mercy…

By Your mercy, O Most Merciful of those who show mercy…

By Your mercy, O Allah…

O Master and King (al-Malik), O Allah… O You Who is Sanctified and Pure (al-Quddus), O Allah… O Source and Giver of Peace (as-Salaam), O Allah… O Inspirer of Faith (al-Mu’min), O Allah… O Guardian of All Things (al-Muhaymin), O Allah… O Honorable and Mighty (al-`Azeez), O Allah…O You Who Compels His Servants and Mends the Broken (al-Jabbar), O Allah… O Grand and Majestic (al-Mutakabbir), O Allah… O Creator of All (al-Khaliq), O Allah… O Creator of All, O Allah…

O Maker of Order (al-Baari’), O Allah… O Shaper of Forms (al-Musawwir), O Allah… O Oft-Forgiving (al-Ghaffar), O Allah… O You Who Subdues His Servants (al-Qahhar), O Allah… O Giver of All (al-Wahhab), O Allah… O Sustainer (ar-Razzaq), O Allah… O Opener (al-Fattah), O Allah…

O All-Knowing One (al-`Aleem), O Allah… O You Who Restricts (al-Qaabidh), O Allah… O You Who Expands and Relieves (al-Baasit), O Allah… O You Who Abases (al-Khaafidh), O Allah… O You Who Exalts (ar-Raafi`), O Allah… O Bestower of Honor (al-Mu`izz), O Allah… O You Who Lowers (al-Mudhill), O Allah… O You Who Hears All (as-Sami`), O Allah… O You Who Sees All (al-Baseer), O Allah…

O You Who is the Absolute Judge (al-Hakam), O Allah… O You Who is Absolutely Just (al-‘Adl), O Allah… O Gentle and Subtly Kind (al-Lateef), O Allah… O All-Aware (al-Khabeer), O Allah… O Most Forbearing (al-Haleem), O Allah… O Magnificent (al-`Adheem), O Allah…

O You Who Forgives and Conceals (al-Ghafur), O Allah…  O You Who Appreciates and Rewards Thankfulness (al-Shakur), O Allah… O Knower of All Things (al-‘Aleem), O Allah… O Great One (al-Kabeer), O Allah… O Preserver (al-Hafeedh), O Allah… O Nourisher of All Things (al-Muqeet), O Allah… O You Who Calls to Account (al-Haseeb) O Allah…

O Mighty and Majestic (al-Jaleel), O Allah… O Most Generous (al-Kareem), O Allah… O Most Generous, O Allah… O Ever-Watchful (al-Raqeeb), O Allah… O You Who Responds and Answers (al- Mujeeb), O Allah…

O Vast and Omnipotent One (al-Wasi`), O Allah… O Glorious One (al-Majeed), O Allah… O You Who Perceives and Finds (al-Waajid), O Allah… O Unique One (al-Waahid), O Allah… O You Who is Self-Sufficient and Free of Want (as-Samad), O Allah… O You Who is Capable and Strong (al-Qadir), O Allah…

O Creator of All Power (al-Muqtadir), O Allah…  O You Who Brings Forward (al-Muqaddim), O Allah… O You Who Delays (al-Mu’akhir), O Allah… O You Who is the First (al-Awwal), O Allah… O You Who is the First, O Allah… O You Who is the Last (al-Aakhir), O Allah… O You Who is Manifest (adh-Dhahir), O Allah… O You Who is Hidden (al-Batin), O Allah… O Close Protecting Guardian (al-Waaliy), O Allah… O Most High (al-Muta`aliy), O Allah… O Living, Eternal One (al-Hayy), O Allah… O Self-Subsisting One (al-Qayyum), O Allah… O Self-Subsisting One, O Allah… O Nourisher (al-Muqeet), O Allah… O You Who Gives Death (al-Mumeet), O Allah…

O Most Gentle and Gracious Bestower (al-Barr), O Allah… O Ever-Relenting One (at-Tawwab), O Allah… O Avenger (al-Muntaqim), O Allah… O Avenger, O Allah… O You Who Pardons (al-`Affuw), O Allah… O Most Kind (ar-Ra’uf), O Allah… O Most Kind, O Allah…

O Owner of All Sovereignty (Maliku’l Mulk), Lord of Majesty and Honor (Dhu’l Jalali wa’likram), O Allah… O Just and Equitable One (al-Muqsit), O Allah… O Gatherer (al-Jaami`), O Allah… O You Who is Rich and Free of Needs (al-Ghaniy), O Allah… O Enricher (al-Mughni), O Allah… O Witholder (al-Mani`), O Allah… O Distressor (ad-Daar), O Allah… O Guide (al-Haadi), O Allah… O Light (of the heavens and the Earth) (al-Nur), O Allah…

O Originator of All Things (al-Badi`), O Allah… O Infinite and Everlasting (al-Baaqi), O Allah… O Inheritor of All (al-Waarith), O Allah… O Guide to the Right Path (ar-Rasheed), O Allah… O Most Patient (as-Sabur), O Allah…

O Allah… O Allah… O Allah…

O You Whom there is nothing like – the Hearing (al-Sami`), the Seeing (al-Baseer), O Allah.

O You who are the best of protectors and the best of those who give help. Glory be to You. We cannot account for the praises that are due to You; You are as You praise Yourself. Sublime is Your Countenance; Exalted is Your position. You do as You will by Your Power and Ability, and You decree as You want by Your Honor. O Living, Self-Subsisting One (al-Hayy al-Qayum); Originator of the heavens and the Earth; Possessor of Majesty and Honor (Dhu’l-Jalali wa’l-Ikram).

O Allah, beautify us with the beauty of the Qur’an. O Allah, enter us into Paradise by the intercession of the Qur’an. O Allah, ennoble us by the nobility of the Qur’an. O Allah, dress us with the honorable mantle (khil`ah) of the Qur’an. O Allah, dress us with the honorable mantle of the Qur’an. O Allah, honor us with the honor of the Qur’an.

O Allah, have mercy on the entire community of Muhammad ﷺ, by the sanctity of the Qur’an, O Most Merciful (al-Raheem), Loving One (al-Rahman).

O Allah, guide us and lead us to the truth and to the straight path, by the blessings of the magnificent Qur’an; and by the sanctity of the one You have sent as a mercy to all the worlds ﷺ. And forgive us, O Most Generous (al-Kareem), and grant us well being, O Most Merciful (al-Raheem).

O Allah, make the Qu’ran the blossoming spring of our hearts, and the light of our chests, and the dispeller of our sadness and grief. O Allah, make the Qur’an a proof for us, and not a proof against us.

O Allah, make us those who read the Qur’an and become elevated… and do not make us those who read it and become wretched and humiliated.

O Allah, bestow on us, by every letter of the Qur’an (that we have read) a sweetness, and by every word (from its pages) magnanimity and generosity, and by every verse happiness and joy, and by every chapter peace and security, and by every section reward.

O Allah, bless us with contentment, and make beloved to us prayer in congregation, and help us to remember death, Our Lord, in every moment (of our lives).

O Allah… Resurrect us, Our Lord, with the Prophet ﷺ, the Chosen (al-Mustafa), the one to whom you have granted the right of intercession.

O Allah, we seek refuge in You from knowledge that does not benefit; and from a heart that is not humbled in devotion to You; and from an eye that does not weep (out of love and awe of You); from an eye that does not weep; from an eye that does not weep; and from an ego that is never satisfied; and from a supplication that is not heard.

O Allah, we seek refuge in You from knowledge that does not benefit; and from a heart that is not humbled in devotion to You; and from an eye that does not weep (out of love and awe of You); and from an ego that is never satisfied; and from a supplication that is not heard.

O Allah, we seek refuge in You from knowledge that does not benefit; and from action that is not elevated (to the heavens and accepted); and from an eye that does not weep (out of love and awe of You); and from an ego that is never satisfied; and from a supplication that is not heard.

O Allah, we ask you for knowledge that benefits; and for a heart that is humbled in devotion to You; and for a tongue busy with remembering You and expressing gratitude to You; and for actions that are righteous and accepted by You; and for a certainty (in You) that is genuine and true.

O Allah, we seek refuge in You from death and its agonies; and the grave and its distress; and the Sirat and its perils; and the Day of Rising and its terrors. [Repeated three times]

O Allah, make us fearful and conscious of You as if we see You; and grant us happiness through reverence of You (taqwa); and grant us the pleasure of seeing You (in Paradise); and gather us in the company of Your Prophet and Chosen One ﷺ (al-Mustafa). [Repeated three times]

O Allah, grant victory to Islam and honor the Muslims. O Allah raise high, with Your Grace, the two words of truth and religion.  O Allah, destroy the disbelievers who show hostile enmity to You and Your religion.

O Allah, bring the Muslims back to Your religion in a beautiful return (in repentance). [Repeated three times]

O Allah, grant success and victory to those striving in Your cause, wherever they may be. [Repeated three times]

O Allah, grant us success and victory over (the weaknesses of) of our own selves. [Repeated three times]

O Allah, respond to our du`a’, and heal our sick, and have mercy on our dead, and defeat our enemies. Do not disappoint us in our hope (in You); and let the last of our deeds be the best of them.

O Allah, fulfill from our hopes whichever please You; grant authority over our affairs to those who are the best of us, and not to those who are the worst of us.

O Allah, lift Your displeasure and anger from us. O Allah, lift Your displeasure and anger from us. O Allah, lift Your displeasure and anger from us, and do not call us to account for what we have done; and do not hold us accountable for what the foolish among us do; and do not place upon us, due to our sins, an authority who does not fear or revere You and who will not have mercy on us.

O Allah, purify our hearts; divest us of our faults; relieve our worries and troubles; protect us in the best way; and gather for us the best of the hereafter and the best of this life.

O Allah, rectify our condition. O Allah, join together and unite our hearts.

O Allah, allow our end to be concluded with righteous deeds.

O Allah, encompass us in the vastness of Your mercy.

O Allah, avert the harms and evils that concern and trouble us.

O Allah, allow us to pass away with sound faith, (faithful to) the Book and the Sunnah, and in a state in which You are pleased with us, O You Who is the Most Generous (al-Kareem).

O Allah, allow the Qur’an to be our close companion in this life; and in our graves a comforting friend; and a light on the Sirat; and an intercession at the time of resurrection; and our companion in Paradise; and make it a protection and barricade between us and the Hellfire; and a guide and leader to all good works, by Your Grace, O Most Generous of those who show generosity.

O Allah, distance us from our mistakes as You have distanced the East from the West. O Allah, purge our sins from us the way a white cloth is purified from filth; O Allah cleanse us from our sins with the (purity of) water, snow, and hail.

O Allah, You are the Forgiving (al-`Affuw), and You love to forgive, so please forgive us.  O Allah, You are the Forgiving (al-`Affuw), and You love to forgive, so please forgive us. O Allah, You are the Forgiving (al-`Affuw), the Generous (al-Kareem), the Forbearing (al-Haleem), the Great (al-`Adheem), and You love to forgive, so please forgive us.

O Allah, grant us well being and safety; pardon us; accept our deeds; accept us; accept our repentance, and excuse us, by Your loving Grace, O Most Merciful of those who show mercy.

Our Lord, accept from us (our deeds), You are the All-Hearing (as-Sami`), the All-Knowing (al-`Aleem).  Accept our repentance, Our Lord, You are the Oft-relenting (at-Tawwab), The Merciful (ar-Raheem). Forgive us and have mercy upon us, Our Lord, You are the Forgiving (al-Ghafur), the Merciful (ar-Raheem). Save us from sorrow and worry and the greatest distress (of punishment in the Hereafter). Save us from sorrow and worry and the greatest distress (of punishment in the Hereafter).

O Allah, bestow on us the gift of seeing Your Noble Countenance. [Repeated three times]

O Allah, make us from among those who have running beneath them the rivers of Paradise… “Their prayer therein will be, “Glory be to You, O Allah”; and their greeting (to one another) therein is, “Peace.”  And the conclusion of their prayer will be, “Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds.” (Qur’an, 10:10)

“Our Lord, condemn us not if we forget or fall into error.  Our Lord, lay not on us a burden like that which you laid on those before us.  Our Lord, lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear.  Pardon us, and grant us forgiveness, and have mercy on us.  You are our Protector.  Help us against those who stand against faith.” (Qur’an, 2:286)

“Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from You; for You art the Grantor of bounties without measure. Our Lord, surely it is You Who will gather mankind together on the Day about which there is no doubt, for verily, Allah never fails in His promise.” (Qur’an, 3:8-9)

“Our Lord, forgive us our sins and anything we may have done that transgressed our duty.  Establish our feet firmly, and help us against those that resist Faith.” (Qur’an, 3:147)

“Our Lord, indeed whoever You admit to the Fire – You have disgraced him, and for the unjust wrongdoers there are no helpers.  Our Lord, indeed we have heard a caller calling to faith, [saying], ‘Believe in your Lord,’ and we have believed. Our Lord, so forgive us our sins and remove from us our misdeeds and cause us to die with the righteous.  Our Lord, and grant us what You promised us through Your messengers and do not disgrace us on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed, You do not fail in [Your] promise.” (Qur’an, 3:192-194)

“In Allah do we put out trust. Our Lord, make us not a trial for those who practice oppression; and save us, by Your mercy, from those who reject You.”  (Qur’an, 10:8-9)

“Our Lord, In You (Alone) we put our trust, and to You (Alone) we turn in repentance, and to You (Alone) is (our) final return.  Our Lord, make us not a test and a trial for the disbelievers, but forgive us, our Lord, for You are the Exalted in might, the Wise.” (Qur’an, 60:4-5)

“Our Lord, forgive us and our brethren who came before us into the faith, and leave not, in our hearts, ill feeling against those who have believed.  Our Lord, You are indeed full of kindness, most merciful.” (Qur’an, 59:10)

O Allah, to You we lovingly submit; and in You we believe; and upon You do we rely. To You we turn (in repentance), and by You we argue (and advocate). Forgive us for what we have sent forth (in deeds) and for what we have held back; for what we have made known, and for what we have hidden; and for (our deeds) which You have more knowledge of than we ourselves.

O Allah, be compassionate with us, for You are the One who shows us mercy. Do not punish us for our sins, for You are the Powerful over us. Be gracious and kind to us, Our Lord, for what has come to pass in our time and place; and (we ask You, O Allah) to conclude our lives for us with a beautiful and joyful ending. 

“Exalted is Your Lord, the Lord of Might and Honor, above what they describe; and peace be on the messengers (of God); and all praise is due to Allah, the Lord and Cherisher of the worlds.” (Qur’an, 37:180-182)

Send peace and blessings, O Allah, on our master Muhammad, and upon his blessed family and noble companions.  Ameen.

Why Do People Have to Leave Each Other? Part I | Part II

When I was 17 years old, I had a dream. I dreamt that I was sitting inside a masjid and a little girl walked up to ask me a question. She asked me: “Why do people have to leave each other?” The question was a personal one, but it seemed clear to me why the question was chosen for me.

I was one to get attached.

Ever since I was a child, this temperament was clear. While other children in preschool could easily recover once their parents left, I could not. My tears, once set in motion, did not stop easily. As I grew up, I learned to become attached to everything around me. From the time I was in first grade, I needed a best friend. As I got older, any fall-out with a friend shattered me. I couldn’t let go of anything. People, places, events, photographs, moments—even outcomes became objects of strong attachment. If things didn’t work out the way I wanted or imagined they should, I was devastated. And disappointment for me wasn’t an ordinary emotion. It was catastrophic. Once let down, I never fully recovered. I could never forget, and the break never mended. Like a glass vase that you place on the edge of a table, once broken, the pieces never quite fit again.

But the problem wasn’t with the vase. Or even that the vases kept breaking. The problem was that I kept putting them on the edge of tables. Through my attachments, I was dependent on my relationships to fulfill my needs. I allowed those relationships to define my happiness or my sadness, my fulfillment or my emptiness, my security, and even my self-worth. And so, like the vase placed where it will inevitably fall, through those dependencies I set myself up for disappointment. I set myself up to be broken. And that’s exactly what I found: one disappointment, one break after another.

But the people who broke me were not to blame any more than gravity can be blamed for breaking the vase. We can’t blame the laws of physics when a twig snaps because we leaned on it for support. The twig was never created to carry us.

Our weight was only meant to be carried by God. We are told in the Quran: “…whoever rejects evil and believes in God hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And God hears and knows all things.” (Qur’an 2: 256)

There is a crucial lesson in this verse: that there is only one handhold that never breaks. There is only one place where we can lay our dependencies. There is only one relationship that should define our self-worth and only one source from which to seek our ultimate happiness, fulfillment, and security. That place is God.

But this world is all about seeking those things everywhere else. Some of us seek it in our careers, some seek it in wealth, some in status. Some, like me, seek it in our relationships. In her book, Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert describes her own quest for happiness. She describes moving in and out of relationships, and even traveling the globe in search of this fulfillment. She seeks that fulfillment—unsuccessfully—in her relationships, in meditation, even in food.

And that’s exactly where I spent much of my own life: seeking a way to fill my inner void. So it was no wonder that the little girl in my dream asked me this question. It was a question about loss, about disappointment. It was a question about being let down. A question about seeking something and coming back empty handed. It was about what happens when you try to dig in concrete with your bare hands: not only do you come back with nothing—you break your fingers in the process. And I learned this not by reading it, not by hearing it from a wise sage. I learned it by trying it again, and again, and again.

And so, the little girl’s question was essentially my own question…being asked to myself.

Ultimately, the question was about the nature of the dunya as a place of fleeting moments and temporary attachments. As a place where people are with you today, and leave or die tomorrow. But this reality hurts our very being because it goes against our nature. We, as humans, are made to seek, love, and strive for what is perfect and what is permanent. We are made to seek what’s eternal. We seek this because we were not made for this life. Our first and true home was Paradise: a land that is both perfect and eternal. So the yearning for that type of life is a part of our being. The problem is that we try to find that here. And so we create ageless creams and cosmetic surgery in a desperate attempt to hold on—in an attempt to mold this world into what it is not, and will never be.

And that’s why if we live in dunya with our hearts, it breaks us. That’s why this dunya hurts. It is because the definition of dunya, as something temporary and imperfect, goes against everything we are made to yearn for. Allah put a yearning in us that can only be fulfilled by what is eternal and perfect. By trying to find fulfillment in what is fleeting, we are running after a hologram…a mirage. We are digging into concrete with our bare hands. Seeking to turn what is by its very nature temporary into something eternal is like trying to extract from fire, water.  You just get burned. Only when we stop putting our hopes in dunya, only when we stop trying to make the dunya into what it is not—and was never meant to be (jannah)—will this life finally stop breaking our hearts.

We must also realize that nothing happens without a purpose. Nothing. Not even broken hearts. Not even pain. That broken heart and that pain are lessons and signs for us. They are warnings that something is wrong. They are warnings that we need to make a change. Just like the pain of being burned is what warns us to remove our hand from the fire, emotional pain warns us that we need to make an internal change. That we need to detach. Pain is a form of forced detachment. Like the loved one who hurts you again and again and again, the more dunya hurts us, the more we inevitably detach from it. The more we inevitably stop loving it.

And pain is a pointer to our attachments. That which makes us cry, that which causes us most pain is where our false attachments lie. And it is those things which we are attached to as we should only be attached to Allah which become barriers on our path to God. But the pain itself is what makes the false attachment evident. The pain creates a condition in our life that we seek to change, and if there is anything about our condition that we don’t like, there is a divine formula to change it. God says: “Verily never will God change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves.” (Qur’an, 13:11)

After years of falling into the same pattern of disappointments and heartbreak, I finally began to realize something profound. I had always thought that love of dunya meant being attached to material things. And I was not attached to material things. I was attached to people. I was attached to moments. I was attached to emotions. So I thought that the love of dunya just did not apply to me. What I didn’t realize was that people, moments, emotions are all a part of dunya. What I didn’t realize is that all the pain I had experienced in life was due to one thing, and one thing only: love of dunya.

As soon as I began to have that realization, a veil was lifted from my eyes. I started to see what my problem was. I was expecting this life to be what it is not, and was never meant to be: perfect. And being the idealist that I am, I was struggling with every cell in my body to make it so. It had to be perfect. And I would not stop until it was. I gave my blood, sweat, and tears to this endeavor: making the dunya into jannah. This meant expecting people around me to be perfect. Expecting my relationships to be perfect. Expecting so much from those around me and from this life. Expectations. Expectations. Expectations. And if there is one recipe for unhappiness it is that: expectations. But herein lay my fatal mistake. My mistake was not in having expectations; as humans, we should never lose hope. The problem was in *where* I was placing those expectations and that hope. At the end of the day, my hope and expectations were not being placed in God. My hope and expectations were in people, relationships, means. Ultimately, my hope was in this dunya rather than Allah.

And so I came to realize a very deep Truth. An ayah began to cross my mind. It was an ayah I had heard before, but for the first time I realized that it was actually describing me:  “Those who rest not their hope on their meeting with Us, but are pleased and satisfied with the life of the present, and those who heed not Our Signs.” (Qur’an, 10:7)

By thinking that I can have everything here, my hope was not in my meeting with God. My hope was in dunya. But what does it mean to place your hope in dunya? How can this be avoided? It means when you have friends, don’t expect your friends to fill your emptiness. When you get married, don’t expect your spouse to fulfill your every need. When you’re an activist, don’t put your hope in the results. When you’re in trouble don’t depend on yourself. Don’t depend on people. Depend on God.

Seek the help of people—but realize that it is not the people (or even your own self) that can save you. Only Allah can do these things. The people are only tools, a means used by God. But they are not the source of help, aid, or salvation of any kind. Only God is. The people cannot even create the wing of a fly (22:73).  And so, even while you interact with people externally, turn your heart towards God. Face Him alone, as Prophet Ibrahim (as) said so beautifully: “For me, I have set my face, firmly and truly, towards Him Who created the heavens and the earth, and never shall I give partners to Allah.” (Qur’an, 6:79)

But how does Prophet Ibrahim (as) describe his journey to that point? He studies the moon, the sun and the stars and realizes that they are not perfect. They set.

They let us down.

So Prophet Ibrahim (as) was thereby led to face Allah alone. Like him, we need to put our full hope, trust, and dependency on God. And God alone. And if we do that, we will learn what it means to finally find peace and stability of heart. Only then will the roller coaster that once defined our lives finally come to an end. That is because if our inner state is dependent on something that is by definition inconstant, that inner state will also be inconstant. If our inner state is dependent on something changing and temporary, that inner state will be in a constant state of instability, agitation, and unrest. This means that one moment we’re happy, but as soon as that which our happiness depended upon changes, our happiness also changes. And we become sad. We remain always swinging from one extreme to another and not realizing why.

We experience this emotional roller coaster because we can never find stability and lasting peace until our attachment and dependency is on what is stable and lasting. How can we hope to find constancy if what we hold on to is inconstant and perishing? In the statement of Abu Bakr is a deep illustration of this truth. After the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ died, the people went into shock and could not handle the news. But although no one loved the Prophet ﷺ like Abu Bakr, Abu Bakr understood well the only place where one’s dependency should lie. He said: “If you worshipped Muhammad, know that Muhammad is dead. But if you worshipped Allah, know that Allah never dies.”

To attain that state, don’t let your source of fulfillment be anything other than your relationship with God. Don’t let your definition of success, failure, or self-worth be anything other than your position with Him (Qur’an, 49:13). And if you do this, you become unbreakable, because your handhold is unbreakable. You become unconquerable, because your supporter can never be conquered. And you will never become empty, because your source of fulfillment is unending and never diminishes.

Looking back at the dream I had when I was 17, I wonder if that little girl was me. I wonder this because the answer I gave her was a lesson I would need to spend the next painful years of my life learning. My answer to her question of why people have to leave each other was: “because this life isn’t perfect; for if it was, what would the next be called?”

It creeps up on you, sometimes—knowing that you’ve changed. You didn’t realize, you still don’t know, how it happened. And the scary thing is that this change was a fundamental part of you. It was all of who you thought you were. It was your destination and your journey. But you lost it. Now, you feel distant from God, Who was at one point your only purpose.

The loss of a connection to God is the scariest thing that can happen to a person. You can remember what it felt like to go to sleep remembering God and to wake up thinking of Him. He was your Best Friend. You remember how you molded your character to be something that He loves. You remember when every cell of your body was energized, ready to work hard for His sake. And most of all, you remember the tranquility. You didn’t worry. You knew al-Wakeel (the Trustee) would take care of you.

But right now, you’re in such a different place. You don’t even recognize yourself anymore. You want to be in that place you were before so much, and you want to know how you didn’t even notice the gradual fall. Can you even go back?

Ask the one who was trapped in the belly of a whale. Ask him how he felt about that fall from grace. The guilt, the humility, the longing that can all be summed up in the phrase he repeated over and over:

“[…] There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.” (Qur’an 21:87)

And what was the result? God tells us, “And had he not been of those who exalt Allah, he would have remained inside its belly until the Day they are resurrected.” (Qur’an 37:143-144)

So Prophet Yunus (Jonah) `alayhi as-salaam (peace be upon him), the companion of the whale, was saved. He was saved because he turned to Allah and never gave up. We can remain in darkness, if we choose to. It is those, and only those, who believe that there is no way back who never return.

To those that say, “I used to be religious,” or even, “I was never religious”, there is always a way back. When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) tells us, “Allah is happier about the repentance of one His slaves, than one of you would be about finding your camel which had strayed away from you in the middle of the desert,” (agreed upon). He ﷺ is also talking to those of us who have strayed. Tawba is to return. It is not simply to repent after committing a hideous sin, although that is a big part of it. He is also talking to those of us who wonder if we can ever recover or achieve that zeal and energy and purpose. We need to return.

So don’t give up. Don’t give in to that feeling that tells you to do the bare minimum. Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) would not create you to be a useless addition to this world. You can be something special—something special to Him—if you don’t give up. If you take that step. Why are we reminded by the Prophet ﷺ in so many sayings that Allah (swt) accepts the servant who returns? Why are we told when we come one step closer to Allah (swt), He comes to us at speed? It is to remind us that Allah (swt) wants us to reach our potential, to take that first step despite the fact that the first step might be the hardest.

If you haven’t woken up for fajr (the pre-dawn prayer) for years, set five alarms today. Make a sincere du`a’ (supplication) to Allah (swt) before you sleep. Do it over and over again. Seek forgiveness and plead with Him to let you pray. You will not be disappointed. If you once had a big dream for your community but were dejected by people telling you to “be real,” pick up where you left off. Even if they are right and you never make it, because your intention was for Him, you already made it. Any achievement in this dunya (worldly life) is temporary, but “[…] indeed, the home of the Hereafter – that is the [eternal] life, if only they knew.” (Qur’an 29:64)

Don’t give in. “[…] Despair not of relief from Allah. Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allah except the disbelieving people.” (Qur’an 12:87)

How to Achieve Tranquility of the Heart Series: Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part XIV | Part XV | Part XVI | Part XVII | Part XVIII | Part XIX | Part XX

In our journey to gain tranquility of the heart, we explored what we need to know when faced with difficult situations. We need to understand that Allah has told us we will be tested, that these tests are for a reason, and that there will be relief insha’Allah (God willing). When we are worried thinking about the future, we need to work hard but have full trust in Allah that He will not leave us, and we must always think well of Allah because that is what we will find.

Yet in certain circumstances we just feel… broken. Perhaps it is the death of someone close, perhaps a hurtful word, or perhaps a reason we can not pinpoint. Yet this feeling of brokenness can be an invitation to be better acquainted with al-Jabbar.

But isn’t al-Jabbar one of the Names that indicates Majesty and Strength, not Mercy and Beauty?

The root of al-Jabbar is ja-ba-ra and has a wide variety of meanings indicating Allah’s strength and majesty, which Sr. Amatullah explained to us in this excellent article. One of the basic meanings of this name is the One who compels and restores, and demonstrates Allah’s Majesty and Strength over His servants. This is a Name for the tyrants and oppressors to be aware of, because their misdeeds will not go unpunished.

Yet this Name has another dimension: al-Jabbar is the One who is able to restore and mend what is broken. Some of the great scholars would supplicate “Ya Jaabir kul kaseer” when they were faced with overwhelming difficulty, meaning “Oh You who mends everything that is broken.” The Arabic word for a splint that is used to help an arm heal when it is broken is “jibeera” from the same root ja-ba-ra. Thus, when we feel broken, we need to go to the only One who can mend our state–al-Jabbar. Sometimes when we get this broken feeling, shaytan (satan) tells us not to go to Allah because we are being hypocritical by only going to Allah when we are down. Yet this is untrue– Allah has named Himself al-Jabbar and given Himself this attribute; you cannot go to the One whose attribute is mending what is broken, and not be healed by Him.

The example of the Prophet ﷺ is a beautiful one. Imagine being 50 years old, having just lost both your wife of twenty-five years and your uncle who took care of you as a child. Imagine walking into a town in order to ask people for their protection, and instead have them throw stones at you until your feet bleed. How would you have felt? How exhausted, both spiritually and physically, would you have been? And yet, the Prophet ﷺ calls out to Allah in one of the most beautiful and heartfelt du`a’ (supplication):

“O Allah! To you alone I complain my weakness, my scarcity of resources, and the humiliation I have been subjected to by people. O Most Merciful of those who have mercy! You are the Lord of the weak, and You are My Lord too.

To whom have you entrusted me? To a distant person who receives me with hostility? Or to an enemy to whom you have granted authority over my affair?

But as long as You are not angry with me, I do no care, except that Your favor is a more expansive relief to me. I seek refuge in the light of Your Face by which all darkness is dispelled and every affair of this world and the next is set right, lest Your anger or Your displeasure descend upon me.

Yours is the right to reproach until You are pleased. There is no power and no might except by You.”

Read those words carefully. The du`a’ of  the Prophet ﷺ was not “O Allah, please give me x and y.” It was literally the call of someone broken– complaining to Allah of his situation and expressing to Allah how he felt. What did Allah give him? A young boy by the name of Addaas saw the Prophet ﷺ, came to him with some grapes and kissed his bleeding feet. That is al-Jabbar. Imagine how the Prophet ﷺ must have felt after that, the relief he must have felt after the cruelty he was subjected to. And al-Jabbar healed the broken heart of the Prophet ﷺ  in another way – He bestowed upon him the miraculous journey of al-Israa wal Mi’raaj (when the Prophet ﷺ traveled from Makkah to Jerusalem, and from Jerusalem to the Heavens in one night).

If we think about the journey, it did not accomplish a great victory nor did it help to convince the Quraysh that he was a Prophet. Rather, Allah honored him after all the hardship he had gone through. Think of the resolve the Prophet ﷺ must have had in his heart and the tranquility he must have felt after such an experience.

Therefore, we have to always remind ourselves of this blessed name al-Jabbar; Allah will mend your broken heart. It may be through a kind word from someone that brightens your day or it may be a talk that you attend. It may even be something greater. But call on Allah like the Prophet ﷺ did, recognizing this attribute, and know that He will manifest this Name in your life.

Names of Allah Series:  Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part XIV | Part XV | Part XVI | Part XVII | Part XVIII | Part XIX | Part XX | Part XXI | Part XXII | Part XXIII | Part XXIV | Part XXV | Part XXVI | Part XXVII | Part XXVIII | Part XXIX | Part XXX | Part XXXI | Part XXXII | Part XXXIII | Part XXXIV | Part XXXV | Part XXXVI | Part XXXVII | Part XXXVIII | Part XXXIX | Part XL | Part XLI | Part XLII | Part XLIII | Part XLIV | Part XLV | Part XLVI | Part XLVII | Part XLVIII | Part XLIX | Part L | Part LI | Part LII | Part LIII | Part LIV | Part LV | Part LVI | Part LVII| Part LVIII | Part LIX | Part LX | Part LXI | Part LXII | Part LXIII | Part LXIV | Part LXV | Part LXVI | Part LXVII

Previously in this series, we discussed how Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) is the First and the Last. This article will be a continuation of that as these four Names are mentioned together in the Qur’an:

“He is the First and the Last, the Ascendant (al-Ẓāhir) and the Intimate (al-Bāṭin), and He is, of all things, Knowing.” (Qur’an, 57:3)

This verse is so powerful because it comes in the context of telling you who Allah (swt) is. Imagine that you do not know who God is, or what His attributes are. This chapter starts by telling you that “Whatever is in the heavens and earth exalts Allah, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise. His is the dominion of the heavens and earth. He gives life and causes death, and He is over all things competent,” (Qur’an, 57:1-2).

Reciting this may make one feel that Allah (swt) is far. He is so Grand and Great, does He even understand us? Do we have a relationship with Him? Does He understand what goes on in our hearts and our world?

Then, in the following verse, Allah (swt) addresses these very thoughts: we are told that He is the First and the Last, the Ascendant and the Intimate. Seemingly divergent qualities come together in a beautiful way, as though Allah (swt) is telling you that there is nothing, not big nor small, that escapes His knowledge. He is the First and the Last, and thus He encompasses time, and He is the Ascendant and the Intimate, encompassing all forms of space.

These are the pillars of knowledge and knowing. These Names cover everything. He is First before everything, and the Last, after everything, the Manifest who is above everything and the Intimate who is close. They combine His attributes of greatness and closeness, cutting across time and space. In a du`a ‘ (supplication), the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) says:

“He is the First, nothing is before Him, the Last, nothing is after Him, the Ascendant, nothing is above Him, and the Intimate, nothing is nearer than Him.” (Muslim)

When you worship Allah (swt) through His Names al-Ẓāhir al-Bāṭin, you become more conscious of both your internal and external. We fluctuate between two extremes: one that focuses solely on the external, where we forget the spirit of the law. On the other hand, there is the trend of “only Allah knows what is in my heart” and forfeiting all forms of the external. But Allah sees our external and our internal. They are both important, and both part of our submission to Him.

That is why, in one incident, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ pointed to a man three nights in a row saying that that person was of the people of Paradise. The companion Abdullah bin Amr, radi Allahu `anhu (may God be pleased with him), was adamant to find out what was so special about that man, so he stayed over at that man’s house for a few nights. Now, when we think of a pious person, we usually think only of extra prayers, fasts and charity, which are commendable. This is what Abdullah thought, and he did not see anything special about that man, so he decided finally to ask him. The man himself said that all he did was what Abdullah saw, then added that he never allowed himself to carry any grudge in his heart against anyone, and would empty it of envy every night. Abdullah bin ‘Amr said, “This is what you have achieved and it is something we have not accomplished.” (Ahmad)

Yet that does not mean that actions are not important. Allah (swt) praises those who do over those who do not do. The Prophet ﷺ would pray long devotional prayers in the night. Indeed, the Prophet ﷺ reminds us that the prayer is the foundation of every other deed. Moreover, we are told that actions are judged according to their intention, but an intention alone does not suffice. Sincerity is doing one’s utmost to fulfill that intention.

Ibn al-Qayyim stated that when one worships Allah by His Name al-Ẓāhir (the Ascendant), the person knows where to direct his prayers, because there is no one above Allah. Worshipping Allah while knowing that He is al-Bāṭin (the Intimate) is something that you have to taste, because it is something that words cannot describe. That is why Ibn Abbas (ra) advised someone who was inflicted with paranoia with regards to the prayer to recite the verse cited, because it reminds you that Allah (swt) is the Intimate. He knows what is in your heart, so let go of the anxiety that you feel.

Connecting to the Names of Allah

1—See how Allah manifests His attributes in everything

Sheikh Abdulrazzaq al-Badr said that in order to connect to Allah’s Name al-Ẓāhir, you have to see Allah’s attributes as they reflect in this world. Al-ẓāhir also means something that is manifest, so take the time to go out to nature to see how Allah (swt) is the Creator, while contemplating His beauty and the beauty of what He created. Remind yourself of the times Allah (swt) responded to you, because He is al-Mujeeb. Reflect on the times that something was denied to you, and then you actually saw the wisdom later on. Only once you realize that Allah (swt) is with you—He is the First and the Last, the Ascendant and the Intimate—can you actually gain closeness to Him (see point 3).

2—Direct everything to Him

Ibn al-Qayyim stated that knowing that Allah (swt) is above everything means that you know where to direct yourself—your prayers, your hopes, your goals and your fears. There is nothing above Him, so why turn to what is below Him?

3—Crave intimacy with Allah

Ibn al-Qayyim said that this attribute of Allah—al-Bāṭin—cannot be described, only felt. The interesting thing is that when you start to see Allah’s attributes as they manifest in the everyday and the mundane, as well as in the extraordinary, your heart naturally moves closer to Him. You realize how close He is, and the fruit of this realization is that you work to purify your heart, as well as praying more because you know that those are your moments with Allah (swt). That is why the Prophet ﷺ would pray in the night even though it was not obligatory: he loved doing so, because he loved being with Allah (swt).

Islam and the Internet Series: Intro | Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IV

Food is a necessity in life. But keep over-eating (irrespective of nutritional value), and you can become overweight and obese. Eat unhealthy, fatty foods, and you get high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and other nasty illnesses and diseases. The Internet can be compared to our relationship with food. It is a great tool that provides us innumerable benefits. But if we over-indulge or keep ingesting unwholesome pieces and quantities, it can ruin our physical, spiritual and mental health.

With the plethora of content in cyberspace, it’s difficult to maneuver without feeling overwhelmed and virtually claustrophobic. It’s a challenge to be selective in what to read, who to talk to, and what activities to engage in. It’s a struggle to even turn off our electronic gadgets that constantly beep, flash and vibrate with new e-mails, updates, and instant messages. Someone or some group always wants to show and tell us something—always wanting immediate attention. If we comply—all the time—we’ll be hooked for good, and always waiting for more.

The Internet will gladly consume our thoughts and time, if we let it. Our unhealthy online habits can detract from nourishing our real-life interactions, from excelling at work or in school, from reading beneficial books and publications, and from spending quality time with friends and family. We can develop a horizontal approach, broadening our exposure to numerous people and information while developing little to no depth in any of our relationships or knowledge of certain subjects.  Our incessant perusal through other people’s pictures, videos, and blogs can make us aimless consumers, and distract us from leaving our own meaningful footprint in cyberspace. Worse, our online sins can develop into addictions that violate our moral code, eat away at our soul, translate into real-life sins, and sever our relationships with spouses and loved ones. If we find ourselves developing any of these problems, we might consider doing the following:

1.      Unplug. Log-off. Disconnect. Give your eyes (and ears) a break. Go to a park, or watch a sunset. Enjoy the solitude. Listen to the chirping birds, rustling leaves, and the streaming rivers and creeks. Praise God for the beauty in His creation. Bond with your spouse, children or siblings. Talk about your hopes, dreams, fears and needs. Have a cup of coffee with real friends, and connect in person. Catch up on all the unread messages in the Qur’an. Reflect on their meanings, and on your purpose in life. Try making these daily or weekly habits. Be present with your heart, mind, body and soul.

2.      Minimize. When you’re back online, think small. Take bite-size portions you can chew. Be selective. Choose quality over quantity. Read only some posts, watch only some videos. Maybe read an e-book instead. Remember to leave room for breathing space, and digestion. Try not to multi-task online. Don’t toggle between so many tabs and conversations, or jump from wall to wall, and post to post. Focus, process, reflect. Ponder on how you can apply new lessons in your life. Then take time away to implement.

3.      Refine. Think of your activities online. Evaluate your surfing, speaking, and spamming. Is it useful, appropriate, and modest? Is it impulsive or superfluous? Choose your words wisely, cautiously, courteously. If they’re with the opposite gender, make them kind but modest. Say what you mean, and mean what you say. Try expressing thoughts and feelings in words, rather than using emoticons. Use proper grammar. Take the time to infuse your communication with excellence. Don’t abbreviate, abridge, and shorten where length is valued. Don’t expose, reveal and elongate where concealment is needed.  Before you share, post and forward, check if you’ve benefited and reflected.

Remember, from all the online struggles, addiction to viewing pornography can become a clinical problem. It is complicated by changes in brain chemistry, which are difficult to reverse. Don’t let it happen to you. If it already has, seek professional help to prevent further harm to you and your loved ones.

Finally, I’d like to share a passage from Elias Aboujaoude’s Virtually You: the Dangerous Powers of the E-Personality [p. 289 – 290]. It sums up the dangers and hopes for the new virtual phenomena quite eloquently:

Virtualism, as enabled especially by the Internet, is a major signpost in our journey through history. There can be no doubting that it has opened windows and brought opportunity—for social connection and outreach, for liberation from anxiety and doubt, for financial and personal success, and for self-realization and fulfillment. Similarly, there can be no doubt any longer the big experiment we are conducting with our psyches. To offer a psychological read of the virtual age is to offer a candid assessment of an encounter between humankind and a new type of machine—one that is not entirely inanimate; that can be alluring, deceptive, and addictive at the same time; and that can efficiently prey on our basic instincts and impulses, our need for amusement and information, and our never-ending search for longing, and self-betterment. Yet for all the problems and “for the worse” changes this machine might have introduced into our lives, we are not lesser for it; only much more complicated…I hope that we will someday be able to measure the World Wide Web’s legacy beyond gross domestic product indexes, efficiency gains, and the number of smiling emoticons flying through the ether. Only then can we honestly rejoice in the Internet’s many real bounties.

“I’ve disappointed myself one too many times in my lifetime. Going for the gold, reaching half way, then giving up as if it was nothing…as if it wasn’t worth it. Each time I do this, I’m left staring at my pitiful reflection in the mirror saying, “What the heck is my problem? What is it that I do not understand? Why do I not see Hell-fire in front of me? Why is it that I am so certain while doing these things that I’m going to Jannah (heaven), all the while justifying my idiosyncrasies with excuses galore?”

If we don’t take the time to realize why we commit sins, we may never be able to prevent them. There are many different kinds of mistakes, and pinpointing them makes a world of difference.

The first kind of mistake is that of ignorance. In these mistakes, we do not realize the dangers of disobeying the Creator. In times like these, we should take the advice from those who came before us when they said, “Don’t ever look at the smallness of the sin you are committing, rather realize the magnitude of the One you are sinning against.”

The next kind of sin is that which is done to simply follow one’s desire. We know that the action we are doing is wrong, and we know that we are sinning against the Almighty; yet we still do it out of weakness in controlling our own desires. It is in these matters that we need to gain self-control and self-restraint lest we be deemed of those whom Allah speaks about in the Qur’an when He says:

Have you seen he who has taken as his god his [own] desire, and Allah has sent him astray due to knowledge and has set a seal upon his hearing and his heart and put over his vision a veil? So who will guide him after Allah? Then will you not be reminded? (45:23)

Another type of mistake is that which is known as the “Time Zone” Mistake. This is a sin that is directly influenced by a time or place that one is in. This could range from I only do this mistake if I stay up late at night or I only make this mistake when I go visit my friend at her house. These mistakes are the easiest to prevent if we are able to eliminate our entering the specific “Time Zone.” For example, if hanging out with a certain friend always results in you committing a sin, the best way to prevent that sin is to stop hanging out with that friend. At times, however, we are not able to eliminate the “Time Zone” element from our lives, and in cases like these we should resort to putting forth extra effort during the times that we know we are at risk for a specific sin. And of these “Time Zone” mistakes, there is another which is called the “Companion Mistake.” Our friends influence us greatly and when we are around those who sin, we increase our chance of sinning as well.

The worst of all these sins, however, is that sin which is done openly.  The Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) said: “All of my ummah may be forgiven except those who commit sin openly. It is a kind of committing sin openly if a man does something at night, then morning comes and Allah has concealed his sin, but he says, ‘O So and so, I did such and such last night,’ when his Lord has concealed him (his action) all night but in the morning he reveals that which Allah had concealed for him.”

Once these sins have been recognized, there are some steps that need to be taken. I have heard people say many different things about what to do after a sin is committed, but I find that the six-step remedy is the most comprehensive. These six steps include:

1. Admitting your mistake;
2. Repenting to Allah;
3. NOT MAKING EXCUSES;
4. Being serious about seeking change;
5. Always realizing the result of the sin;
6. And not being a candle – giving light to others and burning yourself.

In the end, we should realize that a doctor is not a doctor because she claimed to be. A surgeon is not a surgeon because she said she’s good with her hands. A teacher is not a teacher because she said, ‘I can teach.’ They first have to take a series of exams, and not everyone passes.

Do the people think that they will be left to say, “We believe” and they will not be tried? (29:2)

May Allah cause us to be of those who see our mistakes and fix them, and of those who see other people’s mistakes and help them through it.

I recently moved to a country in which cat-calls and invasive comments (in certain areas) have become a part of the norm. While walking down the street, it is expected that a girl will be commented at and called out for anything she is wearing. But that’s not the part that was strange to me. What really stood out to me was the fact that these men would make these comments as if they were entitled to say these things. As if the mere existence of a woman gives them the pure right to say (but not do) whatever pleases them. It was almost as if the message behind their words was actually “If we don’t look at them, and comment at them, what’s the use of having them around?”

At first, when analyzing the situation, I thought it was a young male problem. I thought that perhaps these youth just hadn’t matured yet or hadn’t realized the manners in which a woman should be dealt with. But then I realized that wasn’t the case. It was more than that. I began to notice that some of the women would actually take pride in getting commented at (and I don’t mean corny-at times funny-pick up lines, I mean full out disgusting comments). I also witnessed grown women laughing and nodding approvingly at men whistling at “nice looking” women. As a woman, it is natural to want to look attractive. It’s in a woman’s nature to want to look nice and feel nice. But is that the same thing as wanting to be looked at by strange men? Is it the same thing as wanting to be ogled at and commented at by men who have no relation or duties toward us?

I was perplexed at first, but then I realized that this was a much bigger problem than what I first thought. It was a problem of self-worth and self-definition. And I began to realize that this problem is not just one that lies within the culture that I was witnessing first hand, but also in our entire lives as women. So many of us women have begun to define who we are by the comments from others, the pleasure of others, the opinion of others; so many of us have forgotten where our true worth lies. It’s like there’s an emptiness inside that we scramble around trying to fill in any way possible even if that way is normally degrading and humiliating. And the sad part is we don’t even realize that that is what we are doing. And we don’t realize that the approval of God or focusing on the approval of God would fill up that aching emptiness better and faster than any of those comments that are received on the streets or in restaurants or even just that look in someone’s eyes. Our validation should come from one source, and one source alone. Charles Upton beautifully sums up this concept in his book Virtues of the Prophet by reminding us that “If we know for certain that God sees all we do and all we are, we will not be tempted to ask others to validate us by displaying our virtues, nor will we tempt others to judge us by displaying our sins. Only God can validate us; only God can judge.”

When we go out seeking the approval of others we are not only harming ourselves but we are making relationships and normal interactions difficult. We are allowing our own intimate space to be invaded and by doing that, we are actually invading the personal space of others. But if we are self-sufficient and we know that no matter what is said or done, when we walk out the door, our self-worth comes only for God, we allow ourselves and others to actually experience life. Charles Upton says that “this is the root of Courtesy. If we are not just intellectually but also emotionally certain that we are always in the presence of God, if we understand that He has first claim on our intimacy, then we will not demand absolute intimacy from others, which is something that no-one can really give. We will no longer try to command other people’s attention; we will stop prying into their affairs.” When we grant ourselves the courtesy of intimacy only with God, we naturally grant this courtesy to others.

But I also realized that the issue of women’s self-definition/self worth is not the only problem. The problem is also in some men, (note: I said some men. This does not pertain to all men just as my comments about women do not pertain to all women), in the sense that they feel like they have the right to look, the right to comment and the right to be pleased by anyone in their presence. They act as if they are the center of the universe and women are placed in this world simply as an enjoyment to them. I was once riding in a taxi with some family members and the (older) driver began to explain the concept to one of my male relatives. He explained, in what in his mind was a fact, that “when you look at a car and make comments about a beautiful car, what do you take from it? Nothing. What hurt comes out of it? Nothing. You are simply admiring it and making it known that you admire it. It’s the same thing with women: as long as we don’t touch, it’s not a problem.” And the truth is that this absurdity is not the problem that must be fixed, it is a symptom of an ever bigger problem: distance from God. Charles Upton addresses this issue highlighting the root of this evil, and similar evils: “To ogle and peep at other people, whether or not this is sexually motivated, is to treat them as objects. It is to say, in effect, ‘I am the one who is real, the one who is conscious; this other one only exists through my consciousness of him; he is not a person in his own right; he is nothing but a part of my experience.’ When a given society loses its belief in God, or at least its concrete sense that God is actually watching, people turn each other into objects in just this way. We forget that we are dependent for our very existence upon God’s attention to us; we treat our separate individuality, our ego, as if it were God. And when we no longer experience ourselves as dependent upon God, we become dependent upon each other for our very feeling of existence. We include the other within the circle of our ego as if he or she were a personal possession, and then demand that the other do the same with us. All this is a violation of Modesty. In the Prophet’s words, ‘Allah has mercy on the slave who feels true modesty in the face of his Lord, who protects his mind and what it perceives.”

In the end, this is what this well-rounded group of issues comes down to: we have forgotten our dependency upon God. We have forgotten that regardless of the opinion of man, if we don’t have the approval of God, our time has been wasted. We have forgotten that our self-worth is to be based purely on our relationship with the creator. And because we have forgotten this big part of our lives, we have begun to scramble around like a lost puppy searching for his mother, taking any kind of validation we can get from anyone who wants to give it. We try to get our humanity from the words, gazes, and comments of others. We try to feel alive by the opinion of others. And this, in and of itself, is a recipe for disaster because we will never please everyone. When we place our lives in the hands of the creation, we will live in a constant roller coaster—moving left and right with the whims of others. But when we place our lives in the hands of our Creator, our lives will then begin to even out. Our emotional state will not be based on the unstable opinion of humankind, but will be based on the stable opinion of the Ever-Lasting Creator. And really and truly, He’s the only one that matters anyway.

By the Imam Hujjat al-Islam (The Proof of Islam) Muhammad bin Muhammad Abu Hamid al-Ghazali ((May Allah have mercy on him – d. 505 After Hijra, 1111 C.E. )) | Translated by Shazia Ahmad

Introduction by the Translator

I came across Risalat Sharh as-Sadr at the Dar as-Salaam Bookstore in Cairo a few months ago. It was a tiny booklet hidden away on a corner shelf, tucked in-between much larger volumes, as if it was patiently waiting to be discovered. It drew my attention because it was a small work written by the esteemed Imam Al-Ghazali, rahimahullah (may Allah have mercy on him), author of the magisterial Ihya Ulum ad-Din (Revival of the Religious Sciences), spiritual master and scholar, and the individual who has been historically credited with merging the outward and inner sciences of Islamic law.

Due to its brevity I assumed that the booklet was an excerpt taken from one of Imam Al-Ghazali’s more substantial works. With further study, however, I came to see that it was in fact an independent text, and was actually a short letter of advice and wisdom on preparing for death. The letter was written in a concise and almost simplistic style, though the message imparted was one of great spiritual depths. I found it very appealing, and thought almost immediately that it would be a beautiful work to translate.

I have attempted to do so in the following pages, and I hope that the author’s wisdom and eloquence has penetrated through the transformation from Arabic to English. I ask Allah Most High to accept this effort from me, and I seek His forgiveness for any mistakes I may have made in writing it.

The phrase sharh as-sadr is a common Arabic expression used to refer to a spiritual expansion of the heart or chest that gives rise to inner enlightenment, tranquility, and relief from anxiety and worry. It is a phrase that is used in a number of places in the Quran. When going to face the Pharoah and convey to him the message of Islam, the noble prophet Musa (`alayhi as-salaam, peace be upon him) prayed to Allah, “My Lord, expand for me my chest, ease my task for me, and remove the impediment from my speech so that they may understand what I say” (Qur’an, 20:25-28).In reminding the Prophet ﷺ of the great blessings He had bestowed upon him, Allah says, “Have we not expanded for you your chest?” (Qur’an, 94:1) Imam As-Sabouni says in explanation of this verse:

“His ﷺ chest was expanded with true guidance, faith, and the light of the Quran. Ibn Kathir states that [the phrase sharh as-sadr means] ‘We have filled your chest with light and made it expansive and unconfined.’ And just as Allah has made the Prophet’s ﷺ chest expansive, He has made His Shar’ (Law) generous, tolerant, easy, and without difficulty or narrowness.” (Safwat at-Tafaseer, pp. 553-554).

Imam Al-Ghazali entitled his letter Sharh as-Sadr because properly preparing for death is a means of attaining that spiritual expansion, illumination, and comfort. May Allah make us among those who experience that state, and who ready and beautify themselves properly for the journey to His Divine Presence, Ameen.

Translator

Cairo, Egypt

[I begin] with the name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Loving. We rely on Him, and seek help from Him alone. All praise is due to Allah, and may blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah Muhammad, his family, and his companions one and all.

Allah the Exalted said,

“Is one whose chest Allah has opened to Islam [sharaha Allahu sadrahu] so that he has received light from his Lord (no better than one hard-hearted)?” (Qur’an, 39:22)

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked about sharh as-sadr and he said, “It is a light cast into the heart by which the chest is opened and expanded.”
He ﷺ was asked, “Is there a way of recognizing one who possesses that light?”
He ﷺ responded, “Yes. [Such people can be recognized by their] indifference towards the abode of delusions [i.e., the life of this world], their constant turning towards the abode of eternity [the hereafter], and their preparation for death before it arrives.”
He was asked, “How does one prepare for death?”

He ﷺ said, “Those of you who remember it the most are the best prepared for it.”

—

You have asked – may Allah grant you success – about readiness for death, and the conditions and means [of attaining that spiritual state]. When is a servant (of God) ready for death? What should one strive to achieve so that he or she is fully prepared for this path?

Know that death is an expression used for the journey from this world to the Divine Presence, for to Allah is the ultimate return. Anyone traveling to a royal court is in need of three things for his journey: a severing of the ties that keep him from advancing; a preparation of provisions for the road; and an acceptable gift for the king, to present to him and by which to attain his pleasure. Similarly, the traveler journeying to the Divine Presence is in need of three things: preparation of his provisions, a cutting of ties, and the offering of a gift.

The traveler’s provision refers to a deep consciousness of God (taqwa). Allah says, “…And take a provision with you for the journey, but the best of provisions is taqwa.” (Qur’an, 2:197)

The cutting of ties means a severing of the heart from the pleasures of this world. This is what was meant by the Prophet’s ﷺ words, “an indifference towards the abode of delusions”.

The gift to be presented to the King is love, the origin of which is in true gnosis (ma’rifah) and faith (iman).

We will explain these three essential matters in further detail.

1. Provisions for the Road:

There is no provision for the journey to the hereafter except taqwa. Taqwa means obeying the commandments of Allah Most High and avoiding that which He has prohibited to such an extent that one fulfills all of Allah’s commandments and remains far removed from all of His prohibitions.

If one has always done so, then this is a type of excellence and inner strength that is without equal. If, however, a person has some deficiencies in this matter, then he or she will not be ready [for the hereafter] except by rectifying them. This can be done by analyzing and reflecting on one’s state from when one first reached the age of legal responsibility (bulugh). The servant must then busy himself with making up for what has passed, and seek to correct those matters in which one had erred.

In regards to the commandments of Allah, the servant should begin with the fundamental pillars of Islam, such as the ritual prayer, the poor-due and the pilgrimage. If one finds a shortcoming in his or her performance of one of these acts, one should seek to remove the burden of responsibility from oneself by making up for them. One should continue doing so until he or she is certain that no obligation remains undone.

As for the prohibitions, [they are of two types]. The first type is entirely related to the rights of Allah [and not the rights of other people], such as fornication, drinking alcohol, listening to musical instruments, and engaging in [other] forbidden acts. [Disobeying a prohibition of this type] can be remedied by sincerely repenting, feeling intense regret for the sin, seeking Allah’s forgiveness and pardon, and resolving strongly and with determination to never return to it again. [Know that] sincere repentance is a remedy for every sin, and a penitent person is like one who has not sinned at all.

The second type of prohibition is related to the rights of other servants, such as wronging someone in terms of wealth or reputation. [Violating a prohibition of this type] can be rectified by giving the oppressed person back his or her due right. The servant should seek to do this in all of one’s dealings with others, and should scrutinize personal relationships carefully [to make sure that one has not been unjust to others].

One should seek to liberate himself from others’ rights upon him by returning what is in one’s possession of their wealth, compensating for what one may have consumed from it, and making amends for backbiting or speaking ill of others. This type of harmful speech is a great wrong, and a person cannot be freed from it except by [seeking the pardon of] the oppressed. The servant must ask forgiveness from every person he has harmed in his life through backbiting or other hurtful words. If a person who has been wronged refuses, then one should be kind to him so that his heart will eventually lean towards forgiveness.

If the oppressed person passes away or becomes otherwise unreachable, the servant should increase in good deeds until he has performed an amount that he believes would be sufficient for the oppressed if it went to him on the Day of Judgment.

Know that sufficient provision for this journey is in obeying Allah’s commands, abstaining from His prohibitions, and striving to perform numerous extra good deeds. Good works are a means of elevating one’s spiritual rank. The more good deeds one performs, the more one increases in safety and faith.

In conclusion, provision for this journey consists of commission or omission of acts in accordance to Allah’s commands and prohibitions.

2. Severing the Ties that Prevent One from Advancing

A traveler may be tied down by his or her debtors, as if they were holding on to the very tails of his clothing and preventing him from moving towards his destination. In order to advance on his journey, the traveler must [free himself from them] and break all ties with them.

Similarly, the attachments that prevent one from journeying towards the hereafter are numerous. Yet all of them are connected to the love of this world, longing for it, and the inclination of the lower self towards it.

One who has no beloved in this world is completely ready for death. One who loves someone in this world, but finds that the love for Allah is stronger and more intense in his heart is also ready, though his level is not like that of the former.

A sign that a servant has true love for Allah is that he or she does not have any feeling of dislike towards death, no matter when it may come. An aversion to death is a sign that this world and one’s status in it is more beloved to a person [than meeting Allah in the hereafter]. One who dislikes death because he has not yet rectified the wrongs he has committed against others or overcome weaknesses within himself may be excused for his dislike, however, this servant cannot be considered ready [for the journey ahead]. One who is ready would have already exerted himself in these matters, and would not have left any task undone that would distract and busy his heart.

Disconnecting one’s heart from the life of this world is not fully achieved unless one also possesses a balanced character and a sound and upright heart. This occurs by purifying the heart from ostentation, envy, hatred, arrogance, and all of the negative qualities that we have mentioned in our work al-Muhlikaat (in the third section of Ihya Ulum ad-Din). These are the ailments of the heart [that must be cured], for an ill person is not one prepared for travel.

It is not a requirement that the servant be entirely free of these negative qualities, but that they remain weak inside a person and are not intensified by actions or words that are contrary to the path of God-consciousness. The Prophet ﷺ said: “The child of Adam will never be safe from three things: envy, fearing evil omens, and having bad opinions of others. I will inform you of a means of escaping from them. If you feel envious towards someone, do not seek to attain what he or she has. If you observe an omen said to be evil, continue without any change in your behavior. And if you think ill of someone, do not try to confirm your thoughts [by discussing them with others.]”

Thus removing these elements entirely from one’s inner self is not a necessary condition for being saved. It suffices that one does not manifest them by acting in accordance to them. A balanced character is what is really essential, and is what is meant by the expression khuluq al-hasan. One does not attain such character except through struggle, hard work, and recognition of the areas in which one has been self-deluded.

All of the [negative] qualities we have mentioned here are produced by love of this world. If a servant realizes that the hereafter is better and everlasting he or she would certainly prefer it over the life of this world. Such a realization is a fruit of this knowledge, and such knowledge is what comprises the branches of faith.

3. Presenting a Gift to Allah Most High

The gift [that a traveler to the hereafter should prepare to present to the Divine] is faith (iman) that engenders love for Allah Most High. We mean here by faith a gnosis (ma’rifa) that overwhelms the servant completely and overtakes his heart entirely, until it is as if the servant actually sees Him. Faith then becomes something vital to the heart, persistent and constant in it, to such an extent that nothing comes to the servant’s mind except Allah, neither in deeply-rooted thoughts nor in fleeting ones. [A constant awareness and focus on Allah, to the extent that not even a fleeting thought enters one’s mind] is the highest state [of faith].

The first [and lowest] level of faith is like believing that someone named Zaid is inside a house because one has been told so by a person one trusts. The second level is like believing Zaid is inside because one hears the sound of his voice. The third [and highest level] is like actually seeing him. Each level produces an increased amount of happiness and delight [for the servant, as compared to the one lower than it]. These feelings cannot be precisely described [but can only be experienced with the heart]. Such are the varying degrees of faith.

As for the branches of faith, they are numerous, while its roots are three: to have belief in Allah, belief in the Last Day, and belief in the truthfulness of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

Complete faith in Allah includes belief in His attributes as they are elucidated in the Quran without being combined with innovations, uncertainty, wavering or doubt.  One should believe that He has perfect knowledge and absolute ability, that His will is always realized and effectual [with no exceptions], and one should affirm with certainty whatever one can of His noble attributes.

One should believe in regards to the Last Day that one will be recompensed in accordance to one’s actions, rewarded for obedience [to Allah] and punished for disobedience. [If one understands and believes this,] then this suffices for the servant, and it is not obligatory upon him or her to know more details [of the Day of Judgment than this].

One should believe that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was truthful in everything that he taught. If one believes in this, even if one does not know his ﷺ teachings in detail other than what is obligatory, it suffices for the servant.

––

This is what it means to prepare for death; and Allah grants success to those who seek to ready themselves [for the journey ahead].

To Allah belongs success and protection. All praise is due to Allah in the beginning and the end, and may peace and blessings be upon the Noble Messenger Muhammad, his family and companions.

–-–

This letter was completed by Allah’s help and good favor, and may blessings be upon Muhammad and his family.

Any time the creation deviates from the natural state God designed for it, it is bound for corruption. Any time we take on qualities reserved for other creations, we degenerate and descend in spiritual status. Like cattle, or iron even.

Even though they glorify God, the cattle’s aims in life are to eat, drink, sleep and procreate. They do nothing more, and nothing more is expected of them. As Dr. Mokhtar Maghraoui explains, “Any human whose average life is centered around those things—to eat, drink, sleep, copulate—and works to make more money to eat, drink, sleep, copulate, and to have vacation to get more special types of eating, drinking, sleeping, and copulating, lives the life of cattle.”

That is why God says, “Have you seen the one who takes his own whim as a god: are you to be his guardian? Do you think that most of them hear or reason? They are just like cattle—no, they are even farther astray from the Path,” (Qur’an 25:43-44). The Arabic word for whims or personal drives in this ayah (verse) is “hawa,” which literally means to fall freely. So, the one who follows her desires is in a free-fall that leads ultimately to spiritual death and repercussions in the Hereafter.

Why are these people even more astray than cattle? Because humans have way more potential in this life than cattle do. Humans were created for a loftier purpose of knowing God, filling their hearts with Divine Light, and elevating His word in every sphere of life. They were created to establish, for themselves and for humanity, a God-centered life that promotes spiritual devotion in worship and uprightness and morality in dealings. It is a trust from God that even the heavens, the earth, and the mountains turned down because of its gravity and weighty responsibility (Qur’an 33:72). Yet, if our hearts do not feel and embrace this duty, how will they guide our minds and limbs to fulfilling God’s trust? If our hearts are too busy entertaining our desires and indulging our physical pleasures, how can they beat with passion for this greater mission? They can’t of course, if they’ve become too tough and harsh—like iron.

God says, “[…] We also sent down iron, with its mighty strength and many uses for mankind, so that God could mark out those who would support Him and His messengers, (though) unseen. Truly, God is Powerful, Almighty,” (Qur’an 57:25). Iron’s utilization in making tools, machines, or weaponry is made possible because of its inherent strength and solidity. God designed it this way, and that’s how it provides benefit. At the heart of the same chapter (The Iron), though, God shows us that if the human heart possesses similar qualities to iron, it degenerates into malfunction. He says, “Isn’t it time for the believers to humble their hearts to the remembrance of God and the Truth that has been revealed? And let them not be like those who received the Scripture before them, whose time was extended but whose hearts hardened and many of them were defiantly disobedient,”(Qur’an 57:16).

This is a gentle reproach and warning from our Most-Loving Rabb (Lord). He wants us to regain sensitivity in our hearts so we can feel and live again. He shows us what would happen to our hearts if they continue to be heedless of Him. And right after, He gives us hope: “Know that God revives the earth after it dies; We have made Our revelation clear to you so that you may use your reason (i.e. restrain yourselves),” (Qur’an 57:17). If He can bring life back to the earth, He can certainly infuse our hearts with life again.  What was lost can be regained, and the feelings toward God that withered in the heart can be revived. But it doesn’t come easy; it takes incredible struggle and very patient perseverance!

From one of the Prophet’s ﷺ descriptions of the believer’s heart, we can understand where we want our hearts to be. He said that a believer’s heart is “ajrad,” and it contains a glowing source of light.  This heart is completely free and liberated. It is absolutely empty of anything of the created world in it. It is free of arrogance, envy, delusion, hate, doubt, restlessness, agitation, and attachments to all that is low and base. This heart is filled with love, awe and reverence for the Divine. It sees Divine Beauty and Majesty, and thus it radiates with Divine Light. It is illuminated by the light of knowledge and imaan (faith) that pierces through perceptions and falsehoods. This is a heart that sees things as they truly are!

God says, “Is a dead person brought back to life by Us, and given light with which to walk among people, comparable to someone trapped in deep darkness who cannot escape? In this way, the evil deeds are made to seem alluring to them,” (Qur’an 6:122). For the believer, when Satan adorns a sin, he sees through the deception and illusions. He knows that the act is inherently ugly because the imaan in the heart allows him to feel it. When the dunya (worldly life) tempts a believer with wealth, possessions, and fame, her heart sees that all of it is fleeting, and she longs instead for eternal bliss near the Divine.

The more imaan and knowledge of God there is in the heart, the more illuminated the heart is; and with more light comes deeper vision and more certitude in the realities it sees.  Can you imagine how a person’s actions, manners, and speech would look like if his heart radiated with such light? So angelic, subhanAllah (Glorified is God)! Toward the end of Surat al-Hadeed (Chapter of the Iron), God says, “Believers, be mindful of God and have faith in His messenger: He will give you a double share of His mercy; He will provide a light for you to walk with; and He will forgive you—God is Most-Forgiving, Most Merciful,” (Qur’an 57:28). The Prophet ﷺ would ask for this radiant light as he walked to the masjid: “O Allah, place within my heart light, and upon my tongue light, and within my ears light, and within my eyes light, and place behind me light and in front of me light and above me light and beneath me light. O Allah, bestow upon me light.”

Interestingly, the spiritual reality in the heart also becomes a physical reality in the Hereafter; the light that glows in your heart will be manifested on your face, limbs, surroundings and the path you walk to Paradise! God says, “On the Day when you see the believers, both men and women, with their light streaming out ahead of them and to their right, [they will be told], ‘The good news for you today is that there are Gardens graced with flowing streams where you will stay: that is truly the supreme triumph!’” (Qur’an 57:12). Can you see the glowing beauty emanating from these believers?! O God, please make us one of them!

And it’s not over yet. Incredible events follow! The hypocrites see all the light the believers have, and they want to take some! “On the same Day, the hypocrites, both men and women, will say to the believers, ‘Wait for us! Let us have some of your light!’ They will be told, ‘Go back and look for a light.’ A wall with a door will be erected between them: inside it lies mercy, outside lies torment,” (Qur’an 57:13). The hypocrites can still talk to the believers, so they call out and ask, “‘Were we not with you?’ They will reply, ‘Yes. But you allowed yourselves to be tempted, you were hesitant, doubtful, deceived by false hopes until God’s command came—the deluded one (Satan) deluded you about God,’” (Qur’an 57:14).

It is so scary because these are some of the traits that can taint our own faith and make it incomplete. These are characteristics that can strip our hearts of its Divine Light. We are not immune to having hypocritical traits, and any time the Qur’an or the Sunnah (narrations of the Prophet ﷺ) describe them, we have to assess if our hearts contain similar elements. The same goes for descriptions of disbelief. In this state, for example, the heart is so enveloped with sin that Divine Light cannot even penetrate. The sins suffocate the heart so much that they extinguish that inner light. These are not just sins of the senses, but also of the heart, like arrogance, pride, envy, greed, stinginess, and selfishness. Our hearts as believers may not be completely encrusted, praise be to God, but there might be a layer forming around our hearts that prevents all the rays from entering. We want a clear and uninterrupted flow of light from the Divine sources—and that takes constant polishing and cleansing of our hearts.

That is why frequent istighfar (seeking God’s forgiveness) is so crucial to the spiritual health of our hearts. While sins coat our hearts in darkness, asking God for forgiveness masks the negative effect of our sins on our relationship with God, and on our mental and psychological state. Sins cause pain, suffering, restlessness and agitation—even though we might be so intoxicated with sin that we can’t feel it. Seeking forgiveness quells these feelings; it lifts the weight of the sins off the heart, and uplifts your mind, mood and spirit. Remember that when we sin, we are turning our backs on God and running farther away from Him. Making tawba (repentance) reorients our hearts back to God so that we draw nearer to Him. Both istighfar and tawba purify the heart to make it worthy of an intimate relationship with the Most-Majestic One.

Du`a’ (supplicating) to God is also necessary in healing and cleansing the heart. Not making du`a’ is a sign of arrogance, and the more we do not ask of our Lord, the more arrogant we become. We ask God to protect our hearts from such a state! The Qur’an says, “And Your Lord says, ‘Call on Me and I will answer you:’ those who are too proud to serve Me will enter Hell humiliated.” (Qur’an 40:60). So, let us ask of God in times of hardship and stress, and in ease. Ask Him, the Most-Generous and Most-Merciful, even when you think you got it covered. If you humble yourself in prayer, He will increase you, and bless you and shower you with unexpected gifts.

May God help us taste the sweetness of imaan, and illuminate our hearts and entire being with His Light!

Note: Some points in this article were adopted from Tazkiyah Sessions with Dr. Mokhtar Maghraoui in June 2012.