The Sweetest Realisation

A dear companion of mine, sent me one of the most beautiful messages I've recieved in a very long time, mashaAllah. A week after returning to Saudi, I received this in my text message inbox:

"One of the Salaf said:

"The people of this world are deprived. They left this world without tatsing the sweetest thing in it!" It was asked of him: "And what is that?"

He said "love of Allah, knowing Him and remembering Him."

So love knowledge and constant remembrance of Allah; lean to Him (Swt); feel tranquil with Him; single Him out for love, fear, hope, dependence and attention; such that He (Swt) Alone, is the main preoccupation of your heart and goals; such that He (Swt) is your paradise and delight of this world - which none other can compare to - and such that He (Swt) remains the coolness of your eyes, love of your heart and life of your soul... for true life is for those, who know Him."

Now that's what I call a beautiful reminder, mashaAllah ;)

A Glowing Flame

Salaam and Peace to you all

Recently, I've been thinking about the epitamy of 'life' and the meaning of true happiness. Unlike many other aspects of life these are entities which do not have 'universal' definitions. So, with this in mind, I decided to look up the word 'happiness' in the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary (2nd ed).

It states: "Happiness - the feeling of being happy"

... hmm, not exactly what I had in mind...

If you were given a list of words from which to choose and describe happiness, which three would you choose?

For me, happiness is not a state of living, for it is neither material nor is it tangible, rather, I hold it as a state of being. For happiness lives in the heart, mind and soul; uncaptured by words or expressions; born of an untainted inner realisation, with an existence truly only known, not to the seeker of happiness, no, rather to the receiver of happiness.

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab (rahimahullah) states, there are three signs of happiness: "Grateful when you are given, Patient when you are tested, Repentful when you are disobedient". [Taken from, 'The Four Principles of Shirk']

Undeniably, happiness is a thought that fills the mind, occassionally roaming the fields in search of - no, rather in need of - the sweet tasting seeds that once pollunated a weak heart. Enabling it to forever remain, as it once was...

a glowing flame shielded from the harsh winds of life.

Love and hate... in moderation

I take great comfort in the words of my Beloved (Swt). Whose Words never fail to touch the core of my heart, nor the depths of my soul:

"And it may be that you hate a thing though it is good for you,

And love a thing though it is bad for you.

Allah (Swt) Knows and you know not." [2:216]

Thus, do not love a thing too much,

for the thing which you so love,

you may one day grow to hate.

And do not hate a thing too much,

for the thing which you so hate,

you may one day grow to love.

Rather have moderation in all that you do,

and remember that Allah (Swt) is Ever-Watchful over you.

. . . It was never about them anyway.

Before the breaking of dawn, my mind gathers thoughts of what is to come, what is to be and what is to be seen.

When the overwhelming feeling of 'knowing Allah (Swt)' - wiith our limited knowledge - overtakes our disposition, we feel the need to embark upon all that renders our heart true remembrance and love of our Lord (Swt). But how ironic and quite obscure that the observance of such a state, learning to know and love one's Lord, could grant a servant of Allah (Swt) the disapproval of other servants - though they too are merely in search of the same.

If the focus was never about their pleausre, never about their acceptance and never about their appreciation. . . Then why should it ever come to that? For the authentic hadith of the beloved Rasool (saw) has forewarned us:

He who seeks the pleasure of the people, through gaining the displeasure of Allah (Swt), then Allah (Swt) will be displeased with him and will make the people displeased with him.

But he who seeks ths pleasure of Allah (Swt), through gaining the displeasure of the people, Allah (Swt) will be pleased with him and will make the people pleased with him.

So let us remind ourselves that our prayers, our sacrifices our lives and our death are only for Allah (Swt). Strive for His (Swt) pleasure in all that you do and perform your actions in such a way that you do not merely claim love of Allah (Swt), but rather, that you fall deeply in-love with Him (Swt).

For despite what others may think or say . . . it was never about them anyway.

Having tasted sorrow

With tears in my eyes and thoughts in my mind, I seize my urge to stain the pages of my blog.

This Ramadhan has been a real reflective ground, a means for me to really get to know . . . me. Waiting anxiously for the last ten days, as I first strive through the remaining eight, thoughtfully I write. Reason for this entry? Unknown. . . but needed:

'Such benevolence had my Lord bestowed upon me

Giving me the true feeling of floating ashore.

So, how could I possibly have understood the essence of joy

Without ever having tasted sorrow long before.'

© 2007 Umm Thameenah