I wanted to share a reflection from some recent happenings
around me - it’s a reminder to myself and to all my sisters in deen (and
brothers too maybe). If you are practicing your deen, working for it, seeking
its knowledge, raising you kids according to it, just trying even … then know
that you have been chosen by Allah SWT for this guidance. We say in al fatiha
every single salah ihdina sirat al mustaqeem – (oh Allah) guide us on the straight
path, then if you are struggling for your deen - that is Him guiding you. Do
not belittle it, do not take it for granted, do not ever stop trying and
asking. If we become complacent of His blessings, He can take them away. Here
is the thing about guidance, in whatever shape we have it – no matter how
commonplace it seems; it is not. Just because so many people pray salah
regularly as you do, does not take away from its significance. Just because so
many women around you cover up the way they should, does not make it ordinary. Just
because we have been practicing deen for many years doesn’t make it our
property to treat however we like. We do these things day in and day out so it’s
easy to forget the intention behind it, but we should spend a small part of
everyday thanking Allah for it and also renewing our intentions.
A beautiful dua comes in the Qur’an رَبَّنَا
لا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ
رَحْمَةً إِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ (Aal Imran :8) Our Lord! Let not our
hearts deviate after you have guided us and grant us from yourself mercy.
Indeed, you are the Bestower. It teaches us that guidance is a gift and that it
can be taken away. Allah wants us to ask this for ourselves. He is our creator
and knows how our hearts will deviate. This dua humbles us, because we
acknowledge that we do not control/decide anything rather our affairs are in
the hands of the Almighty. Allah did not create us to be ordinary and neither
should we think our actions to be. Allah commands us to hold on to the “urwatul
wuthqa” (most trusted handhold) or to hold tightly to His rope. This entails
that when we practice the deen, we do so with passion and vigor – not with
nonchalance because if you are hanging off a tall building, you will not be
causal about how you hold that rope!
There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the
religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong. So whoever
disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy
handhold with no break in it. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing. (2:256)
