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.

To my dearest daughter,

As a mother, there is so much that I wish I could teach you from my experiences. And I constantly worry that I will not be able to do so; that I will fail to teach you the most important of life lessons, getting caught up in the grind of everyday happenings. I also fear I will not be able to protect you from all the harms and hurts that will come your way. At times I wish I could build a shield, hug you tightly in my arms and never let you go. And yet I know that one day, this bundle of joy in my arms will grow up. She will leave the nest and go face the world. And I also know, deep in my heart, that every good, bad, ease, hardship, pain and joy that comes your way is not in my control and never will be.  All I can do is help prepare you for this journey we call life. So if there is one lesson I wish I could teach you about life, it is this:

Don’t let your source of happiness be the externals in your life. Rather, let your sense of happiness derive from the internal, that is, within yourself.

It is true; there are many external things that will give you happiness. Toys, new clothes and shoes, yummy food, mouthwatering desserts, vacations, hanging out with friends, love from your parents, a new room, a fabulous job, admission to a prestigious university, your life partner and your children. All these things will undoubtedly bring much joy to your life, insha’Allah (God willing). However, what one needs to realize is that all these things are temporary, and hence the pleasure they cause is also temporary. Those very same friends who brought so much laughter into your life may one day move away from you and get busy with their own lives. That cake on which you were happily munching will finish. That new room/house you were excitedly decorating will get old. That spouse whose words made your heart melt with joy will say words that will make your heart ache with pain. Those same people who were admiring and praising you yesterday will be criticizing you tomorrow. Those parents who showered you with love and care will also scold you, discipline you and one day, they will die, leaving you feeling broken and empty.

Such is the nature of this world. It is a roller coaster ride. The more your happiness depends upon places, things and people, the more disappointed you will be. Why? Because the very things upon which you are depending are temporary and imperfect by nature. So what should one do? Lose all hope and thrive on hopelessness? No, the answer is for us to have hopes in the being that is perfect, free from flaw, the ever-living, the best of helpers. And that, my dear daughter, is Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He). He alone will help you when all else fails. He alone knows your fears and will remove those fears from your heart. He alone knows the number of teardrops you have shed and why.  He alone will respond to your calls whenever you call upon Him. He alone will love you unconditionally even when you have messed up. He alone will forgive you, even when you do not deserve to be forgiven. He alone will continue to care for you even when you have forgotten Him. He alone will heal your heart, when the world has broken it.

Whoever holds on tightly to Allah (swt) has held on to the best of handholds. Such a person will never feel lost, alone or scared.

Your strongest weapon in this world, my beloved daughter, is the light of iman (faith) in your heart. It is this light which should be your source of happiness. Trust me. You will be able to face all kinds of situations and circumstances, even the most difficult of them, with happiness and ease, if you make Allah (swt) your source of happiness. This is the path to ultimate peace and joy.

This narrative took place about six years ago. This is a repost from 2008 with some general modifications.

Within five minutes of class I began to feel angry at myself. I had an exam to move on to the next level in Arabic within the hour, and I had not spent enough time studying. I had moved all the way to Cairo, to live my dream of studying Arabic, to finally understand the language of the Qur’an, and yet, here I was, unprepared for my exam.

My teacher caught on. “Are you feeling ok? Do you feel some pain?”

“Yeah…” I answered, hesitant to keep going, trying to get myself together, but needing someone to tell me: be patient, the road to knowledge is long and hard but worth it. I kept trying to tell myself that, but it was not working.

So I told her: I knew it was going to be hard, I was expecting difficulty, but man it’s hard, and man it’s difficult. I just need someone to tell me, I explained to her, that this is the way, and that knowledge is like this, that I can do it with God’s help.

And so she told me, and man, it was worth feeling all the anger and frustration to hear what she said to give me hope.

“Do you know who wrote THE book on Arabic grammar?” She asked me. No, I shook my head, I had no clue.

“Sibaway,” she said. And then she began to tell me about the great master of the Arabic language, Sibaway, may God have mercy on him.

He was a non-Arab. Persian, to be exact. When Sibaway would speak in Arabic, the people around him would make fun of him. Finally, he swore he would write THE book on Arabic grammar, and he even named it AL Kitab—THE Book. He was that confident. And Allah, subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He), gave him sincere success in what he wrote. Until now, all these centuries later, she told me, no one, no Arab or non-Arab, has written like Sibaway, the master of this field.

But when he approached death, and may God have mercy on him, he began to feel great sadness. He lamented at the closeness of his death, and he thought about his companions. All of these people around him had memorized Qur’an, all of these people had memorized hadeeth (sayings of the Prophet ﷺ, peace be upon him). “Where is my Qur’an? Where is my hadeeth?” He cried. Instead, he lamented, that he was stuck between Zaid and Amr, the two famous characters in the Arabic grammar books.

He went to sleep distraught.

That night he had a dream, and he was visited by the GREATEST of the GREATEST men, The Beloved ﷺ, and was given glad tidings about his efforts!

Sibaway woke realizing that his work was indeed important, as it was a means to helping people know and understand the Qur’an. So much so that until now, his book continues to help people in their Qur’anic understanding.

“This is a non-Arab,” she told me. “This is the way of knowing the Qur’an. Do you think that if you stopped and asked a person on the street something in the Qur’anic Arabic, in classical Arabic, they could answer you? No, not just anyone can do this,” she continued, “because it takes work. It’s hard, but it’s worth it, being on the path of wanting to know the Qur’an.”

If Sibaway, a non-Arab, could write THE BOOK on Arabic grammar, what about all of you with all the skills and talents Allah (swt) has created you with? Look at what you were given, and see how you can maximize that for your ummah (community) and your society fisabilliah (in the way of God).

Let us do what the Prophet ﷺ did to help build the best generation which ever walked this earth: find the skills and talents within individuals—within OURSELVES—and take them and use them for God’s sake to make great leaps of progress. We need YOU in this ummah!

It doesn’t have to be Arabic, or Qur’an or Hadeeth—it can be anything beneficial, used to help others in a beneficial way.

And yes, it is going to be a struggle. But, as a dear teacher, may Allah (swt) protect him, once reminded me:

Isbiri, fa inna sabran nooron min Allah

Be patient! For indeed patience is light from God.

By AbdelRahman Mussa

This small series of articles aims to explore the following questions:

• Does Islam promote ease or difficulty?
• Does Islam state that the path to Allah is that of difficulty?

Previously we discussed:

• With Hardship There is Ease
• Wondrous Are The Believers’ Affairs
• Seek Help Through Patience
• He Always Chose The Easiest of Two Matters
• Allah Wants Ease For You
• Allah Wants To Alleviate The Burden
• We Shall Test You With Something of Fear
• Hell is Surrounded By Worldly Desire
• When Is The Help Of Allah Due?
• Allah Tests What Is In Your Breasts
• So That They Might Return To Allah
• The Misunderstood Hadith
• Difficulty or Ease or Something Else?
• A Word on Sacrifice

A Practical Example of Pro-Difficulty Thinking

I’m giving this example to allow you to begin analyzing what you see and hear so that you can distinguish.

One of my disciplines is hypnotherapy. One of the most prevalent things I see is people hypnotizing each other with words and sentences without them being aware that this is what they’re doing. The problem isn’t that they’re hypnotizing one another; The problem is what they’re hypnotizing one another to do, think, and believe!

So with that said, I want to show you how I analyze one of Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rumi’s statements that I don’t agree with. But first, I’ll share what I think of Rumi’s work. He’s very poetic. Many of his sayings are extremely ambiguous. Out of context, many of his sayings can be misunderstood. Sometimes you’re not actually sure who he’s talking to, never mind what he means. So I analyze his words, not by what he meant because only Allah and him would know that and I can’t ask him because he’s been dead for more than 7 centuries. Just because I disagree with this particular saying doesn’t mean that he’s a bad person at all, or that he doesn’t have other sayings that are good. Maybe he meant by it something completely different and just wasn’t able to convey that meaning.

He says what I’m about to share with you. As you read it, imagine it was someone else who was saying it, a normal person you just met and didn’t know much about:

“Don’t turn your head.

Keep looking at the bandaged wound.

That’s where the light enters you.

And don’t believe for a moment that you’re healing yourself.”

What would you think if someone whom you had just met told you that? How would you feel?

Hearing that saying and assuming that the word light is used to refer to guidance or something good leads me to ask the following questions. Some of these questions might sound silly, but bear with me; they all come from what is implied within the above statement:

• Why are you assuming that the light enters through a wound? Does the light only enter through the wound?
• Can’t the light enter through my eyes, mouth, pores, nostrils, or any other opening for that matter?
• Will the light only enter the wound if I’m looking at the wound?
• What if the wound gets infected?
• What is the relevance of telling me that I don’t heal myself after telling me not to look away from the wound?
• If I don’t have any wounds, will the light not enter me?
• If I don’t have a wound, should I create a wound so that the light can enter me?
• How is the light entering if there’s a bandage covering the wound?
• Is the bandage transparent?
• If I have a wound, shall I make more wounds so that more light can enter?
• If I have a wound, shall I stop it from healing to ensure that the light doesn’t stop entering me?
• Is it wrong to seek-out healing?

Again, I’m not critiquing Rumi. I’m critiquing these words. In essence, my disagreement with this saying of Rumi’s is that it implies that growth can only happen through pain and difficulty. This isn’t true.

It also assumes that pain should be celebrated, which is not right. Pain should be met with patience, not jubilation. This is what the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) taught us:

“…When something pleasing happens to him, he is grateful, and that is good for him;and when something displeasing happens to him, he is patient, and that is good for him.”  (Muslim; 7138)

If we celebrate difficulty, then we are not abiding to the teachings of he Prophet ﷺ.

Practical Examples of Pro-Ease Thinking

These examples are also sayings of Rumi. As I said before, I agree with some of his work and you’ll notice a stark contrast between this saying and the one previously mentioned. I’ll leave you with the following two sayings that are truly upbeat:

“You were born with wings, why prefer to crawl through life?”

“Don’t grieve. Anything you lose comes round in another form.”

AbdelRahman Mussa, a graduate of sharia and a therapist, is the founder of ipersonalenrichment.com, a site specializing in practical tazkiyah (purification of the heart). To receive his free newsletter about tazkiyah, please visit the ipersonalenrichment.com website.

No really, take a look around. Everything is in complete chaos, nothing seems to make sense. It seems that with every coming day things just keep getting worse and worse. Humanity is lost. People do not care about each other like they used to. It is clearly apparent that the world as we know it is going down the drain and there is nothing we can do to stop it.

Or is it? Think back to the “good ol’ days.”  The days when things actually made sense, and there was still humanity to be seen around every corner. Perhaps it was a time when you were young when the world seemed to be perfectly aligned, or at least for the most part. Or perhaps you can’t remember a time where things made sense, but you have heard about those times and secretly crave to be teleported back as soon as possible.

One of those times that is oft brought up is the time when the Prophet ﷺ  (peace be upon him) was present on the earth. We hear stories about when the Prophet ﷺ  was amongst the people, and we get swept away by the beauty of it all. A time when human life was still regarded as precious. It was a time when trustworthiness was praised and encouraged. It was a time when mercy, compassion and love were shown to all. Hearing these stories can make us want to get lost in this picture-perfect memory and leave reality for at least a few peaceful moments.

While the truth is, it was such a beautiful time and no one can deny the blessings and the beauty that radiated throughout the lands, we are overlooking some of the details of this time as well. We are forgetting that there were people living at that time who were burying their daughters alive simply because they were girls. We are forgetting that there were people who were plotting and planning to kill the beloved Messenger ﷺ for speaking the truth. We forget that people were murdering each other, stealing from each other and betraying each other. We forget that there was plenty of evil during that time as well, evil that our Prophet ﷺ was trying to erase.

The fact of the matter is that it is easy to look back on times and see the highlights of the good, the beautiful and the beneficial; although when in the situation, all we can see are the crazies and the evils. It is easy to think that the world is going down the drain when stuck in the middle of the whirlpool of life, but perhaps in 20 years you will look back and see the beauty that was surrounding you through it all.

The key to it all is trying to enjoy it while it lasts. To take the example of our beloved Prophet ﷺ who lived through times that are now seen as “the good ol’ days.” It is said that he was never to be seen without a smile on his face. That he would greet anyone he came across and ask about their well being. He even checked up on a person who had been throwing trash at his door when the trash stopped appearing, in fear that the person might have been sick. He was a light that was spreading love, and through his love he touched the lives of the people around him, granting them the light to carry through. It is this example that we should take and implement in our lives during the present moment.

Be a light and spread your love to every person you meet: be it through a smile, a kind word or even a small gesture. Know that, yes, there are crazy things going down in the world that are horrifically unexplainable, but that never stopped the beauty of love from penetrating the lives and hearts of others in the past—so it will not prevent us today. And realize that the days you are living right now, may in fact be “the good ol’ days” not too far down the line.

So, no, the world has not gone crazy. The world has been crazy from the start. But in that craziness we find the perfect opportunity to bring light to where it is needed most.

A lighthouse stands tall during the day and during the night. Just like a lighthouse we should stand tall and firm in our times of darkness and our times of light. We should stand strong and follow our principles whether the times around us are great and happy or dark and difficult. It is easy to say we believe in God, subhanahu wa ta’ala (exalted is He), and trust Him when the going is easy, but when things begin to fall apart that is one of the true tests of faith. Those are the moments where our faith is tested, and we show our true beliefs. Cathy Briant really brings this point home when she says:

“I can say that I trust this pulpit to hold me up, but that’s not really trust. Trust is active. Only when I lean my weight against the pulpit is my trust proved. It’s the same with God. Only when we lean against Him—and not our own understanding—is our faith proved.”

Dwight L. Moody has a beautiful quote about lighthouses that brings light to another praiseworthy aspect of lighthouses. He says:

“We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won’t need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don’t fire cannons to call attention to their shining—they just shine.”

When you do something great or begin to help other people out, there is no need to bring people’s attention to your good deeds. You just do them. Be amazing. Be great. God (swt) takes notice, and it will not be left unrewarded. It should not matter whether the people notice or not, as the people’s opinions are not what matters, His (swt) opinion is what matters. Do not erase your good deeds by doing it for the pleasure of others or by bragging and showing off. Allow His (swt) light to enter you, and you will inevitably shine.

An interesting thing about lighthouses is that that no two lighthouses are built exactly the same. They differ in position, size, height and even color. Yet regardless of how they look, they are a tremendous benefit to anyone at sea. Just like a lighthouse, be who you are. Be yourself. God (swt) did not place us on this earth so that we could be cookie cutter images of one another (i.e drones). He created us each as individuals so that we could fill the world with diversity, each bringing a different benefit to humanity, each fulfilling our own destiny.

Lastly, lighthouses shine their light to help and calm captains out there who may have lost their way. They fill those people away from the shore with peace and ease. They are always there, whenever they are needed and can be depended on by anyone and everyone. Lighthouses do not ask for anything in return. They do not charge you a fee if they have been of help. They do not only offer their services when you fulfill some specific duty—they are there, unconditionally. Be the lighthouse for those around you. Be there whenever they need you. Be the shoulder they need to cry on. Be the person who will warn them of eminent danger. Be the person who will remind them that the ocean of their fears will come to an end and a warm sandy beach is nearer than they think.

God (swt) says that He has filled this world with signs for us, if only we take the time to think. So it is time we think about the things around us, such as a simple structure, like a lighthouse. It is time we begin to take steps forward to become the beacons of lights in others’ lives. And do not ever think you could never be of benefit of others because you are “unworthy”—it is not your light you are shining anyway, it is His (swt). Allow His (swt) Love and His Light to enter you, and shine forth asking nothing from the people and everything from Him. Be the lighthouse you were meant to be, and shine on.

This simple example of the perspective of second graders on the sprouting of a seed and growing of a plant retells itself time and time again throughout our lives, but on a different level. As adults, we may smile at the innocence of these children, knowing that one day they will realize that there are certain processes that may seem hard and useless but are actually essential, just like in this plant. But often times we fail to take that same example and place it in our lives. There are times in life we need to grow, need to become better and stronger people. It is during those times that we find ourselves smothered in darkness, feeling hurt and disconnected. We may feel like we are covered in layers upon layers of dirt, not knowing how to take a breath, and we just want to reach the surface and break through to the light. But we know that in order to do that, we are going to work really hard, and at times it may hurt beyond belief. It is at these times that we often get frustrated and confused with what God is putting us through. We may begin to question why God would even allow this to happen or why He isn’t helping us in the way that we are asking. And no matter how hard we think, we just cannot see the wisdom in being locked in layers of darkness, struggling to reach the top. It is at this moment that we need to stop, take a step back and learn from nature. Stop and imagine what would happen to the seed if it simply stopped trying because it was too tired to push through and struggle to the top. Imagine what would happen to a butterfly if, after being wrapped in its cocoon for so long, it decided to stop pushing its way out and spread its wings. Imagine what would happen to a baby chick if it stopped pecking its way through the egg to make it to the world where chicks become chickens.

Things may seem to be tougher than necessary, for longer than necessary, in places where we don’t want them to be. But know, nothing is without reason and nothing is without cause. God sent us examples in His creation to constantly give us motivational boosts to get us throughout our days. Open your eyes to the signs of God and embrace your inspiration to move forward. As Richard Carlson says, “If you watch how nature deals with adversity, continually renewing itself, you can’t help but learn.”

“Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light is like a niche within which is a lamp, the lamp is within glass, the glass as if it were a pearly [white] star lit from [the oil of] a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow even if untouched by fire. Light upon light. Allah guides to His light whom He wills. And Allah presents examples for the people, and Allah is Knowing of all things.” [Qur’an, 24:35]

Light is one of those words that we use to describe a multitude of things, from rays of the sun to a person having ‘light’. It is abstract, it is intangible, but instinctively we know what it means. Light is good—it illuminates.

So I wanted to know Allah’s Name, Al-Nur (Light). I could only imagine it to be beautiful and deep. And it is. Al-Ghazali said about Allah’s Name: “Al-Nur is the visible One by whom everything is made visible, for what is visible in itself and makes others visible is called ‘light’.” It is related to Al-Dhaahir—the Manifest.

In the dictionary it is described as illumination, or rays or anything that gives off a light. Ibn al-Atheer said about Allah’s Name al-Nur: He is the One whom the blind see by His light, and the astray are guided by His guidance.

Abu al-Mansoor said in his tafseer (exegesis) of the abovementioned verse that the example of His Light of guidance in the heart of a believer is like a niche within which is a lamp. The light of Allah subahanhu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) is the lamp that illuminates the heart of the believer.

We all know what light is, and we recognize it when we see it. But the meaning of Allah’s Name al-Nur becomes more apparent when we understand that light, as al-Ghazali said, is making the invisible, visible.

Read that again—what is invisible, is made visible.

This is why light is related to guidance. When a person is astray, he is within darkness—meaning he is lost, he does not know where to go, he is uncertain about everything. But with light, and specifically the Light of Allah, everything becomes clear. It is all visible now. There is understanding. There is clarity. And with that comes certainty. Ibn ‘Abbas radi Allahu `anhu  (may God be pleased with him)said: “Light is Allah, the Guide, Who guides with His Divine Guidance whomsoever He wills by showing him the truth and inspiring him to follow it.”

In the Qur’an Allah says:

“There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book.” [Qur’an, 5:15]

The light in this verse is the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and he is sent from Allah (swt). This is why reading the seerah (story) and understanding the sunnah (traditions) of the Prophet ﷺ is so important—because everything is made clear by it. We have the best example in him, and through him, Allah (swt) makes many things clear for us.

Sheikh Ratib an-Nabulsi, in describing this Name, said, “Allah, All Mighty, is Light, so if you get connected with Him, you derive from His Divine Spiritual Light spiritual comfort and peacefulness, your vision of things and matters is rightly guided.”

This can help us understand the hadith (sayings of the Prophet ﷺ) when Allah (swt) describes what happens when He loves a servant:

“When I love him, I shall be his hearing with which he shall hear, his sight with which he shall see, his hands with which he shall hold, and his feet with which he shall walk. And if he asks (something) of Me, I shall surely give it to him, and if he takes refuge in Me, I shall certainly grant him it.” (Bukhari)

Another aspect to the meaning of this Name is described by an-Nabulsi: “A person may sometimes face a problem that seems to be unsolvable. In this case, the person is, as it were, in darkness in regards to such problem. But then all of a sudden, an idea flashes in his mind and enables him to solve the problem.” This is a spiritual light.

There are two beautiful du`a’s (supplications) in this regard, one from the Qur’an and one from the sunnah:

يقولون ربنا أتمم لنا نورنا واغفر لنا إنك على كل شيء قدير

“They will say: ‘Our Lord, perfect for us our light and forgive us. Indeed, You are over all things competent.’” [Qur’an, 66:8]

And:

 اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ فِي قَلْبِي نُورًا وَفِي بَصَرِي نُورًا وَفِي سَمْعِي نُورًا وَفِي لِسَانِي نُورًا وَعَنْ يَمِينِي نُورًا وَعَنْ يَسَارِي نُورًا, اللَّهُمَّ وَاجْعَلْ مِنْ فَوْقِي نُورًا وَمِنْ تَحْتِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ أَمَامِي نُورًا وَمِنْ  خَلْفِي نُورً

اللَّهُمَّ وَأَعْظِمْ لِي نُورًا

“O Allah! Make for me Light in my heart, Light in my vision, Light in my hearing, Light on my right, Light on my left, Light above me, Light under me, Light in front of me, Light behind me, Light in my hair, Light in my skin, Light in my flesh, Light in my blood, and Light in my bones. O Allah Grant me Light!” [Tirmidhi]

May we truly seek the Light of Allah and may our path be illuminated by none other than His Light. Ameen.

The world is desperately in need of mercy, and it starts with us.

The month of Ramadan is a month where Allah (swt) multiplies the rewards of our deeds and expiates all of our sins.

Abu Hurayrah quoted the Prophet ﷺ as saying, “Whoever fasts during the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping for a reward from Allah will have all of his previous sins forgiven.” (Bukhari)

He is not only Generous with us in forgiveness during this month, but also in multiplying the rewards of good deeds.

The Prophet ﷺ also said: “Whoever draws near to Allah during it (Ramadan) with a single characteristic from the characteristics of (voluntary) goodness, he is like whoever performs an obligatory act in other times. And whoever performs an obligatory act during it, he is like whoever performed seventy obligatory acts in other times.” (Ibn Khuzaymah)

This is why we say, “Ramadan Kareem”—we are praying that we get to experience the Generosity of Allah’s blessings upon us in Ramadan. The Scholars talk about “al-takhalluq bi akhlaqillah” which means to embody the Beautiful Attributes of Allah (swt) as much as we can, as a means of coming closer to Him.
The Prophet ﷺ also encouraged this when he said, “The one who does not show mercy, is not shown Mercy.”

So I look at the downpour of Allah’s blessings in Ramadan, His Mercy, Forgiveness, and Generosity, and then I look at the tragic events around us in America and abroad in the same month, and I can’t help but think—it’s time to share the wealth. It’s time to embody mercy, forgiveness and generosity and fight the shades of darkness we see.

Allah (swt) describes darkness in the Qur’an in the plural form, and light in the singular. “Allah is the protector of those who believe. He brings them out from darknesses into the light.” (2:257)

In the words of Ust. Abdelrahman Mussa,”It takes a huge effort to make sure that only darkness prevails. If even a crack is made, then light spills in. Layers of darkness are weaker than one ray of light.” (ipersonalenrichment.com)

Let us resolve to show mercy to those around us, forgive all those who have wronged us, and practice generosity with every relationship we have. Forgiveness, mercy, and generosity are all charities of the heart, and just as charity does not lessen one’s wealth, forgiveness, mercy, and generosity do not lessen or weaken one’s heart. Rather, they increase, strengthen and bless our hearts. They dignify us, and beautify our character even more. It’s not just the world that is in need of mercy, but we ourselves are in need of showing mercy.

We were taught by the Prophet ﷺ, “Charity does not decrease wealth, and the servant who forgives, Allah adds to his respect; and the one who shows humility, Allah elevates him in esteem.” (Muslim)

Let us try and embody His Attributes to a world that is desperately in need of them. This Ramadan, let us fight the darkness not just by lighting a candle, but by *being the light.*

Be the Light:

In the words of our beloved example of Mercy ﷺ we pray, “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.”

Please make a personal phone call tomorrow to the center closest to you offering moral support to the Sikh community during their time of need. It takes 5 minutes to give from the charity of your heart. Please click here to search for the center closest to you.

Spread positive messages on Facebook and Twitter with #bethelight and may Allah (swt) allow each and every one of our rays to come together, reflecting His Beauty and Light into a glowing world.

Whether through death, loss, or disagreement, when we lose someone or something dear to us, we become overwhelmed by the pangs of grief; the pain of loss feels overbearing as though it would never end. Having to face the consequences of detachment can be a traumatic experience. All we can think of is the pain enshrouding our hearts and consuming our minds. With tears streaming down our faces, our faces contorted with emotion and our hearts too feeling as though a heavy burden has landed—the misery takes a hold of us and, blinded by our tears, we fail to see the light.

But there is a light; a light to behold even in the darkest corner of the earth, even in the murkiest depths of the ocean. We don’t have to drown in the quicksand of trauma. Nothing and nobody by Allah’s Will subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) has the ability to overpower the underlying depth of:

Inna lilLahi wa inna ilayhi raji`oon.

Verily, unto God do we belong and, verily, unto Him we shall return.

When we actually give some time and thought to reflect upon the words which constitute this statement, we come to realise that there is an extremely powerful and truthful message behind it—an answer to all our questions, grief and emotions.

This profound phrase captures the essence of our entire existence; it encapsulates where we came from and also where we are headed:

Allah

Understanding the statement has the ability to eradicate regrets and past events. It holds the key to finding contentment during those times when we think, ‘Why did that have to happen?’ We can become immersed in questioning, and drown in the misery of relentless searching for the answer…Or we can discover patience by asserting that regardless of whatever has occurred, we will indeed return to Allah (swt).

When we truly understand the meaning of inna lilLahi wa inna ilayhi raji`oon, we find that no sadness will last forever, and that we shouldn’t destroy ourselves by holding even the slightest bitterness or anger within us. By understanding that Allah (swt) is the One, the only One to Whom we belong, we should be able to move on from painful moments in our life (which we should assert as not being able to occur except that Allah (swt) Willed for it to be) and strive for our goal of meeting Him.

There should be no space for bitterness or anger when one truly comprehends the deep truthfulness of this phrase, and we should be able to forgive those who have intentionally or unintentionally wronged us because we know that Allah (swt) alone holds all sovereignty and that even our emotions belong to Him. By forgiving ourselves and others, by showing sabr (patience) in the face of death or loss, and by aspiring for Allah’s Mercy and Judgement, we open ourselves to a whole new level of understanding ourselves in the context of space and time. We can understand by His Will that Allah (swt) is all that matters, and everything else in this dunya (current life, world) is a means for us to reach Him because we want to be able to See Him at the end, for without a doubt we will have to return to Him.

‘Inna’ meaning ‘verily’ tells us that with certainty we belong to Allah (swt), that is, He Created us and bestowed on us our beginning without a doubt. ‘Inna’ occurs twice in this phrase, providing an emphasis on the certainty of Allah’s Ever-Lasting existence, emphasising the certainty of our beginning AND our end. So Allah (swt) is Al-Awwal (the Beginning, the First) and Al-Akhir (the End, the Last). Al-Awwal ul Akhir (The Ever-Lasting) is the source of light in every single moment of despair, hardship, and difficulty where our tears and grief blind us. Instead of allowing or hearts and souls to become blinded by the darkness of sadness, we can train ourselves in times of positive feelings and negative feelings to find contentment in Allah’s Decree, for nothing happens without His Decreeing it.

Allah (swt) tells us in Surah Baqarah, verses 155-156:

And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Sabirun (the patient). Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: “Verily! To Allah we belong and verily, to Him we shall return.” (Qur’an 2:155-156)

This is our Lord, the One Who Created us when we were nothing, telling us in His Divine Book—tanzil (sent down) to humans and jinn as a dhikr (reminder)—that He will definitely test us with trials, but that He has Promised reward for those who are patient.

And how do we be ‘patient’ in the face of turmoil?

Just as Allah (swt) has created tests involving struggle, risk and loss, Allah (swt) has also told us how to approach these tests; He has revealed to us that the patient are those who, when afflicted with calamity, say, “Inna lilLahi wa inna ilayhi raji`oon.” In His infinite Mercy, Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala has allowed for relief to accompany difficulty. This also shows us that the losses and difficulties won’t last forever, and that everything which we regard as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ in the dunya is of temporal nature.

No pain or grief or disagreement can last forever, but with certainty, Allah (swt) lasts forever and from Him we came to be and it is to Him we will with certainty return.

This means that the events which take place in this dunya are mere moments. We become so consumed by our grief that we fail to see that al-Qahhar (the Conqueror, the Ever-Dominating) has provided us with light and that even in the most difficult times, Allah (swt) provides ease with hardship.

Upon coming to terms with the truth and power imbued in inna lilLahi wa inna ilayhi raji`oon and proceeding to integrate this magnificent statement into each moment of your daily life, when you are faced with any minor or major losses, you will see a whole new world of contentment and serenity opened up to you, insha Allah (God willing).

The trials faced by Umm Salamah radi allahu `anha, may God be pleased with her, teach us important lessons about how to handle tests, loss and situations in which we do not get something we had hoped for. Her approach towards calamity shows us what it means to be patient in the face of adversity and to recognise that Allah (swt) will always restore what He takes away from a patient believer with something better.

All is NOT lost.

The beautiful way in which she approached her afflictions reminds us to rely on Allah (swt) and to never despair for He is Able to do anything at any moment; Allah (swt) is our Provider, and when we are struck by loss, and things don’t go the way we want them to, Allah (swt) is Ever-Watching and He is the Best of planners. Umm Salamah’s first husband was Abu Salamah radi allahu `anhu, may God be pleased with him, who returned to Allah (swt) during Jumada Al-Akhir in the fourth year after Hijra, after receiving wounds in the Battle of Uhud. His passing from this dunya resulted in grief for she had loved him sincerely; nonetheless, Umm Salamah (ra) did not fail to turn to Allah (swt). Heartbroken by his departure, she remained steadfast in her relationship with Allah (swt) and supplicated to Him for our Rabb (Lord) is Al Mughni—the Enricher, the One Who satisfies the necessities of His Creation. In her grief-stricken state as she wondered who could possibly be better than Abu Salamah, she supplicated:

inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji`oon; Allahumma ajirni fi musibati wa akhlif li khayran minha

‘Verily, we belong to Allah and verily, unto Him shall we return. O Allah! Reward me for the calamity that has befallen me and grant me better than it.’

Allah (swt) then answered her du`aa (supplication) by giving her the Messenger ﷺ (peace be upon him) himself! In Shawwal of the same year in which Abu Salamah (ra) returned to Allah (swt), the Messenger of Allah ﷺ married her. Thus, because of her patience and acknowledgement that we belong to Allah (swt) and unto him we return, Allah (swt) compensated her with reward and recompensed her loss. Allah (swt) alleviated her and answered her question, “Who is better than Abu Salamah?” by blessing her with our beloved Messenger ﷺ.

This legacy speaks volumes of the reward and relief Allah (swt) grants to those who are patient, and those who have tawwakul (reliance) on Allah (swt) to replace what is taken away from the believer who lives with patience. What we are provided with is His to give and take, and it is in acknowledging that He is the Owner of all that we are able to see through loss and hardship, and witness blessings.

If you are facing any trial in the present, know that Allah (swt) provides ease and that the cure is with you by Allah’s Will. Reflect on, and realise that none other than Allah (swt) Knows best about what adversity or struggle you are going through for Allah (swt) is the One Who tested you with such, and on no soul does He place more than that which it can bear—Allah (swt) is closer to you than your jugular vein, than your own self, and so He Knows what you are feeling. The next time you are faced with a grief or loss, or even happiness and blessing from Allah (swt), by uttering, comprehending and believing that our final destination is Allah (swt)—the end is essential for our eternal bliss—through making Allah the means to Him, glimpses of light make their way through your feeling of loss.

For each time that you submit to Allah (swt) alone by not only uttering inna lilLahi wa inna ilayhi raji`oon but by understanding it and feeling its essence in your heart and limbs through acknowledging Allah’s Power, you will not only be rewarded insha Allah but Allah (swt) will return His favours and blessings upon you for submitting to His Will with sabr (patience). Like Umm Salamah (ra), place your trust in Him to get you through any manifestation of loss, however slight or major you may consider it to be, and trust Allah (swt) to answer your supplications, for no du`aa is lost.

No distress or loss is too difficult to deal with when we know Allah (swt), and place our trust in Him to get us through everything, whether we consider the moments as good or bad. No distress or loss is too difficult to deal with when we acknowledge and apply that we certainly belong to Allah, and we certainly return to Him.