bLiNk – that’s life for ya

These past two to three weeks I’ve found myself really really busy walhamdulillah. I found it hard to do things that I indulged in while I tried refocusing my efforts to what was necessary and what needed to get done. Unfortunately, this blog was hit as a result of that. Khair in shaa Allah.

I am definately more keen, however, on having this blog reflect my thoughts almost every other day as I try to come closer to Allah. Therefore the fact that I wasn’t writing might have meant that I wasn’t reflecting upon what had happened during my day and thus had nothing to write about. Fortunately, by the Mercy and Graciousness of Allah, that wasn’t the case. Walhamdulillah, I had TONS to write about! So many topics and so many instances where my reflections impacted me in getting closer to Allah subhanaHu wata3ala and that I wanted to document went unwritten.

There was a recent death in my family (my dad’s uncle in Egypt), which we found out about the day after my younger sisters nikah (which was held on May 5th). SubhanAllah, my sisters nikah alone brought many tests of patience, blessings, and reflections. To have found out about the death a day after the nikah when we could have found out 2 days prior – indeed that was a blessing from Allah.

We held the 3azza at our house and we had women visit and another lead the halaqah. SubhanAllah, one day people are visiting you rejoicing in your happiness, and the next day they are condoling you in your loss. How odd the state of this world is! It certainly makes you realize that the life of this world means nothing – one day you are gaining something, and the other day you are losing it. Indeed to Allah we belong and to Him we return.

We were reminded of an ayah -

No calamity befalls on the earth or in yourselves but is inscribed in the Book of Decrees, before We bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for Allah.

In order that you may not be sad over matters that you fail to get, nor rejoice because of that which has been given to you. And Allah likes not prideful boasters.

[Surat Al-Hadeed (57):22-23]

SubhanAllah! Indeed it is Allah who is leading us to understand and come to know the worth this life has. Don’t be sad over that which you don’t get – and don’t be happy over that which you do get… why?? Because this world in the reality of things, is worthless.

If I had been given a toy car in this world, while knowing the bounties of the real thing (ie a real car, oh lets say, a Lexus) and what lies ahead – getting upset if its broken or taken away from me, or rejoicing in having this “awesometastic” toy becomes extremely trivial – almost pathetic really (sheesh – get over the toy already!!). Allah subhanaHu wata3ala is redirecting our focus. A beautiful Paradigm shift indeed : ) walhamdulillah

The Messenger of Allaah said:

“If the world meant as much as a wing of a mosquito to Allaah, he would have not let the disbeliever take a drink of water from it” (Reported by at-Tirmidhi)

and

“What is the world compared to the Afterlife except like one of you was to put his finger in a sea and see how much water it retains” (Reported by Sahih Muslim and at-Tirmidhi)

The halaqah that was held at my place during the 3azza produced so many beautiful fruits and gems subhanAllah – I also wanted to share them, and so I plan to bi idhnillah, hopefully in another post, relatively soonish.

And then of course my day of birth had passed walhamdulillah, and I noticed a large difference in the way I was coping with getting older from last year to this year (alhamdulillah, I wasn’t hyperventilating this time ). The day after, I had the blessed opportunity of going to the IlmFest in Toronto with part of my family and a few friends. Although it was only a day, you could sincerely feel the barakah in that conference. There was so much benefit to be had from that one day that three days at another convention would definately not have provided. May Allah continue to bless the IlmFest, wherever it ends up… Ameen! I also wanted to write about my reflections on the lectures during that time, so yet another post bi idhnillah.

This past weekend I was able to go to a Muslim camp around 2 and a half hours away from where I lived. I’d gone around 6 years ago as an attendee, and had the opportunity of going this year as a counselor. The reason I was really excited to go to this camp (besides hopefully being a good influence on some girls bi idhnillah) was because of our surroundings. The camp overlooks one of the Great Lakes and to witness the sun rising and setting across the water is literally breathtaking subhanAllah. Such beautiful serenity – ma shaa Allah.

After Fajr when my girls would decide to go back to sleep in their cabins, I’d prepare myself a mug of hot cocoa from the mess hall (you could make it any time of the day you wanted! – it was so cool ma shaa Allah : ), sit on the steps behind that building and read Qur’an and adhkar while watching the sun rise. SubhanAllah, this happens every morning – and I get a chance to witness it today! What a blessing from Allah.

I would occassionaly take pictures of the sun on the lake – I had only my camera phone to use, so the quality could have been better, walhamdulillah that I was even able to *take* pictures

Right after fajr

A few more minutes after fajr:

Towards the end of my adhkar making:

and then there’s the maghrib time shot when we had first arrived, we went down to the beach to get a better view… subhanAllah:

The adhkaar which really had a large effect on me were from the book “Prayers for Forgiveness: Seeking Spiritual Enlightenment through Sincere Supplication” narrated by Hasan Al-Basri.

One that particulary had an effect on me …

“O Allah, I seek Your forgiveness for every sin with which my enemies intended to disgrace me, but You turned their plotting away from me and did not assist them in disgracing me, as though I were Your obedient servant; and You sustained me until it seemed as though I were Your friend. Until when, O my Lord, will I disobey You and You continue giving me respite? Long indeed have I disobeyed You and You have not punished me; and long indeed have I, with all my evil deeds, beseeched You and You have granted me my requests. What meager thanks of mine can measure up, in Your sight, to even one of Your many blessings upon me?

So send blessings and peace, O my Lord, upon our Master Muhammad, and upon the family of our Master Muhammad, and forgive my sin, O Best of those who forgive!

If any sister wants this book, please contact me so that I may make it easily available to you bi idhnillah.