Validation and Empathy

Hope. Reassurance. Validation. Empathy. Purpose. These are ingredients that people are desperately searching for in their relationships with people and in their lives at large. And these same ingredients are so easily extracted from an outpour of verses in the Quran, specifically in God’s dialogue with prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him (PBUH). “We KNOW you are sad.” “It’s not you, it’s them.” “You have a bigger purpose.” “Look at history.” “Nothing will be enough for them.” “Focus on your mission.”

These are concepts gathered from just 3 consecutive verses in Chapter 6 of the Quran, verses 33-35. So many more concepts of healing and growth can be gathered from verses addressing the Prophet PBUH in the Quran.

We have so much we can learn from. And we have a lot of work to do. We don’t have to far away from our faith to find these key ingredients that shape us into the empathetic growing society we aspire to be.

#ProphetMuhammad #Peacebeuponhim #Mercytomankind

Allah will introduce Jannah to YOU!

Imagine, just imagine Allah Himself introducing you to your place in Jannah ❤️

Surah Muhammad verse 6:
https://youtu.be/jO1mdCJ23xg

Do you want the now?

https://youtu.be/xgsJM-kILnc

A brief analysis on verses 18 through 21 in chapter 17. Are you wanting dunya? What is the measure of the riches in life?

Alwali- Our Protector

https://youtu.be/Id_81Fnu6H0

Bridging the gap between Alwali, your Protector, and the book He sent you (Quran, 7:196) 

God doesn’t account us for the end result; He simply asks us to do our part

https://youtu.be/EGGhIp6xSeQ

God doesn’t ask us to get to the destination; He asks us to put in the effort. May Allah bless this amazing old man in history whose story I just learned so much from ❤️ #Quran #Reflections
Verse from Surah Alnisaa

Aisha and her lost necklace that lead to Tayammum!

Aisha, what a boss! May God be pleased with her. A story I just heard for that first time about the influencing woman she was ❤️ And the reason why 4:43 from the Quran same down.

https://youtu.be/yNXSPS2L_bc

No Injustice to the Weight of an Atom!

If the weight of an atom won’t be given injustice, how about you and I? Wow. Just wow about this verse 💓 A reflection on Quran 4:40.

https://youtu.be/CfxTnxlqREI

We don’t have to search hard to find Him

A 3 min reflection on a beautiful verse in the Quran that shows us we don’t have to search long and hard for God in order to find Him ❤️ 4:110

https://youtu.be/SnPT-WICNJs

Sabr and Asking for Help

Why is it that “sabr” (patience) is mentioned in all 3 places where the command to ask for help arises in the Quran? (استعينوا)

Find out my personal reflection in this short 2 minute video. I would love to hear your thoughts and reflections! Let’s dive together ❤️

https://youtu.be/Odl-e9mX6Xc

The Inevitable Setting

Wake up before the sunrise and step outside, witnessing the birth of the sun that day. Make it a point to watch its every move as it slowly makes its way from east to west throughout the day. Study the intricate changes. Then be sure to watch as the sun descends into the horizon, setting to where you can no longer physically see it.

Would this experience make you more aware of your own rise and your inevitable setting one day? Wouldn’t following the sun’s path on a daily basis automatically make us more conscious of God in our lives?

Thankfully, God gave us a way to do that, and it doesn’t involve watching the sun all day. It simply involves praying the five prayers which are already conveniently linked with the phases of the sun we physically see. Every prayer is a reminder that the sun is slowly setting, just as our day is setting, and just as our lives will one day set.

Now the question is, are we utilizing those prayers to echo that inescapable reality?

Blood and intestines = Purity?

Would the thought of blood and intestines ever allude to something so pure that quenches your thirst? Naturally, no. But when we study the Quran and study how things are formed, we can and will surely be blown away. 

In this groundbreaking verse in surah Alnahl, God describes the milk that is produced from cattle. He says:

وَإِنَّ لَكُمْ فِي الْأَنْعَامِ لَعِبْرَةً نُّسْقِيكُم مِّمَّا فِي بُطُونِهِ مِن بَيْنِ فَرْثٍ وَدَمٍ لَّبَنًا خَالِصًا سَائِغًا لِّلشَّارِبِينَ

“And surely in the cattle there is indeed a lesson for you: We give you to drink of that which is in their bellies, between the contents of intestines and blood, as pure milk, appetizing to those who drink it.”

While reading and reflecting on this verse, you are given this image of something a bit gruesome, but within that gory image arises a tasty liquid free of impurities. This concept strikes the reader even more as a listener, while hearing the words being recited slowly, clearly, and beautifully all at once. The fact that a God-given barrier was formed between the different fluids so that neither the color, taste, or smell of blood enters the milk, keeping it “pure” as the verse confirms, is a miracle within itself. 

And when we study the science behind the production of milk, we discover that it is created when nutrients from the intestinal tract are carried by the blood to the mammary glands. And suddenly, you are left speechless, amazed, and bewildered all at once. 

Oh how the pearls of the Quran are infinite. 

#Quran #God #Purity #Truth

*Translation and meanings of this verse were taken from Yahiya Emerick’s “The meaning of the Holy Quran in today’s English” and Syed Nasr’s “The study Quran”. 

*Video is an audio clip of Qari Alminshawi reciting this verse so beautifully and eloquently. 

The Power of Prayer

As I sit on my comfortable leather couch watching my daughter read her books so attentively, my mind wanders into thoughts of worries clouding over me in this specific moment. I feel a constriction, as if I was looking at my fears head-on, refusing to see an outlet for them. It’s in this precise moment that my phone buzzes. It’s a message from a good friend I had not heard from recently. Her message is short, concise, and to the point: “Send me prayers so I can pray for you.” This sentiment takes me by surprise, such a surprise that I almost forget what I was just thinking about. Without much thought, I quickly jot down: “That God ease my worries.” But that wasn’t enough for her. She replies, “Send me more.”

Instantaneously, like a pile of waves crashing over each other, my fingers begin pouring out continuous prayers. With each prayer I type, I feel weights of worry escaping, slowly releasing the constriction within. Minutes into this process, I am now done, inadvertently at peace.

I think to myself, “What just happened?” There I was, moments ago, alone and trapped in my perplexed mind, trying to escape the internal walls I’ve built. But my friend’s message was more than a message. It was a key to unlock these isolating thoughts and redirect them to the appropriate door: prayer.

I don’t think my friend knows what her random but purposeful message meant to me. I think I owe her a gracious gift: I’ll pray for her. 

Change comes from within

I distinctly remember placing myself onto my therapist’s cozy sofa thinking that with every word I utter I was slowly transferring my problems and worries onto her plate. Sometimes, we make the mistake of presuming our therapists are God-like, begging them for solutions to our problems and waiting for them to fix us. But session after session, to our surprise, we come to realize that the solution was trapped within ourselves from the get-go. We just had to unravel what was preventing us from unleashing that potential within us.

If I could concisely sum up therapy in a nutshell, I would say it’s character building. Therapists don’t fix people’s lives, they enable them. They help them understand triggers, channel unhealthy habits into healthier avenues, discover defense mechanisms, analyze the root of personal worries, realize their potential, and open their eyes to see the world in a broader perspective, thus giving YOU the strength to fix your own life.

As a worshipper of God, I have found therapy to be one of the most powerful things that brings me closer to Him. When I understand my self, my thought processes and my psychology, it inevitably leads me back to Him, my Fashioner, the One who molded and designed me in this form.

A famous psychologist once noted: “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

This quote aligns with the famous verse in the Quran that affirms that change comes from within. The power to rise above the corruption around us lies within our very own selves. We simply have to seek it, be conscious of it, and use that God-given window of space for growth to the betterment of ourselves and humanity around us.

If you or a loved one are hesitant about therapy, I urge you not to imprison yourself in the false ideology that therapy isn’t necessary. Each and every one of us can and will benefit from analyzing who we are at our core and releasing the chains that hold us down from growth. Get to know yourself, know the God who created you, and you will begin to appreciate the intricacies that form you, and recognize your vast potential. Therapy will not only help you become more confident in your own creation, but a better servant to the Creator of creations. 

Spreading of mercy

Here I am waiting for the sun to finally rise, waiting for the rain to finally pour and remove the drought within. I’m coming to you God with full brokenness. This is me, this is who I am. I’m in need and I’m at your door begging for your help. I’m down so pick me up. I’m poor so enrich me. I’m unfulfilled so fulfill me. I’m alone so give me company. I’m exposed so cover me. I’m hopeless so give me hope.

It’s at this point in my thoughts that I hear the Quran reciter on TV recite a verse I’m familiar with, but today it struck a major chord with me.

وَهُوَ الَّذِي يُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا قَنَطُوا وَيَنشُرُ رَحْمَتَهُ وَهُوَ الْوَلِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ
“And He is the one who sends down the rain after they lost all hope for it, and He spreads His mercy far and wide, and He is the One to rely on, the One worthy of praise.”

This verse this morning was like a sudden breeze in a time of extreme heat. I’m reminded that in my brokenness is hope. In my loss of that hope is a spreading of His immense mercy, for He alone is the best One to rely on. At the end of the day, who but He can send down the rain? 

Letting go

How many of us need to let go of something? Let go of past hurt and pain, of chains holding us down, or grudges that have been weighing on us for so long, too long?

I imagine a person up 12,000 feet in the sky grounded on a plane about to do their first skydive. The hardest part could be letting go of the stable ground on that plane. But the minute they let go, they are set off to an amazing journey; diving with clouds, flying with birds, and enabling their body to partake in one of the most breathtaking out-of-this-world experiences.

It is important to ask what helped that person let go? It came with immense preparation. It wasn’t a blind fall, but rather a carefully and strategically planned undertaking. The wind was studied and the necessary equipment was given. It is these vital tools that helped the one diving finally let go.

It comes without question that the fear of letting go can be one of the most debilitating. But that debilitation is only preventing you from the most beautiful embarking of your life. Thus, without that preparation, the fear of letting go can easily turn into an endless constraint.

So when you are fearful and stuck, seek those fundamental preparations. Study the wind, build your parachute, and prepare for your flight.

To sum it up, stop worrying about letting go. Prepare for landing. 

Walduha

If every dark night was carefully gift wrapped and the unwrapping of the paper granted us the shining sun every morning, how much more grateful would we be for that light? If you’re in the phase of darkness right now, {breathe} and be certain that the gift is in the process of being wrapped. God has not abandoned you. You will unwrap that darkness and enter into the shining world of light.
(Late night inspirations from Surah Alduha, chapter 93 in the Quran)

The Intruder

Within seconds, a conference hall of over 1,000 people quickly turned into a quiet meditation room for a whole therapeutic fifteen minutes. At the flip of a switch, the hall went from a place of chatter and lectures to pure pin-drop silence. This large room that had served as a conference hall for the past 24 hours had now become a place of deep reflection, like a sanctuary. Strangers who sat next to each other on chairs were now side by side on the ground, forming circles around the stage. The speakers themselves went down on their knees, doing the same. All in unison, we closed our eyes and drew our heads toward our chests. The speaker calmly asked us to imagine looking into our hearts. What is currently occupying our hearts? How can we filter out any worldly distractions in our hearts? Where does God fall in place? How can we make God the center of our thoughts and actions?

Here was each and every one of us in the room, people who had flown for hours to get here, people who left their families for a spiritual retreat, all on different journeys but in this moment, united by our thoughts of God’s remembrance, joined by a process of spiritual healing.

Overtaken by the power of mindfulness, I forgot where I was, but not for a moment did I forget where I belonged: with Him, Our Creator and Sustainer who fashioned the very heart I was contemplating. For years, I had worried about the intrusion of death, which strips you away from all people meaningful in your life. But for once, I was comforted by the thought of being stripped away from everything but what truly mattered: my presence with God. I imagined myself in my grave, hearing the voices of loved ones around me but not wanting to engage; leave me be, I am rejoicing with my Creator.

Before the fifteen minutes were over, which felt like a lifetime of removing the dirt within, I couldn’t help but reflect on the Day of Judgment. Would it be this quiet and peaceful? My wonder took me places until the speaker stood up, and the silence was overtaken by chatter and the true intruder: life.

Breaking through

When a grieving man broke down while describing the death of his son to his therapist in a book I’m reading, she assured him that he wasn’t breaking down, but rather breaking open. It dawned on me that when we break down to God in our loneliness, we often presume that we are simply being vulnerable and showing Him our pure reliance on Him, but more than that is how that vulnerability becomes the key for change and acceptance. In that breaking down of our worries and hardships is a breaking open and unleashing of those very same worries and hardships. Never mistake your brokenness for weakness. On the contrary, it’s a tool for healing and progression.

This concept reminded me of something my uncle once told me:
‏الإلحاح على البشر من أسباب الإهانة والإلحاح على رب البشر من أسباب الإجابة
“Being insistent on people is a reason for humiliation while being insistent on the Lord of the people is a reason for acceptance.”

When we break down to God, we’re essentially breaking through. 

Consistency is Key

Like pieces puzzling together, I often catch myself trying to find studies in science and psychology and extract similar concepts from religious scripture. Though we are believers in God first and foremost, our tendency is to legitimize scripture through those studies, and not the opposite. We like to confirm God’s words only after science proves it, when God doesn’t need that proof to begin with. At the end of the day, I believe it’s a struggle we can all have including myself more often than not.

Today I caught myself in a similar dilemma. I scrolled through a book written by a neuroscientist where she proved through research that performing a certain activity to overcome anxiety for a few minutes every day is better than doing it for a much longer period of time at once. I immediately remembered our beloved prophet’s words which I often only attribute to religious practices. But today for the first time I saw its ability to play out in broader forms, including overcoming my own anxieties and fears. 

Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon Him said, “The most beloved deeds to God are the ones that are most consistent, even if small.” (أحَبّ الأعمال إلى الله أدومها وإن قلّ)

Discovering this saying in a scientific book about overcoming our deepest fears was exceptionally humbling to say the least. Consistency is key. I knew that, but suddenly today I am more prone to apply it. Why? Because science proved it. 

I pray that we as a community can take the gems of advice that God and our prophet have laid out for us and use them as tools to help us build our character, ease our hardships, and remove our fears, with full conviction that their advice is both scientifically and morally evident. Consistency is key.

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 30

Watch video here
https://youtu.be/ZeWs_DfzUVo

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 30 (49:13)

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ
“Oh people, We have created you from male and female, and have made you nations and tribes so that you know one another. Verily the most noble of you in the sight of God is the one with the most God consciousness. Verily God is all knowing and all aware.”

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 29

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 29 (19:49)

Sometimes we want to get to a place of peace in our lives so desperately and get there as quickly as possible, but for some reason there’s a hold up. And many times, the hold up can be our own selves without realizing it.

It struck me while reading the beautiful story of Prophet Ibrahim(Abraham) as he advised his father to worship only one God, the most Merciful. He speaks to his father with the utmost respect and yet doesn’t get a healthy response, rather a threat. It is at this point in the story where Ibrahim decides that he had done everything possible and moves on.

God then says:
فَلَمَّا اعْتَزَلَهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَكُلًّا جَعَلْنَا نَبِيًّا
“So when he had turned away from them and from those whom they worshipped besides Allah, We gave him Ishaque (Isaac) and Ya'qub (Jacob), and each one of them We made a Prophet.”

It is only AFTER Ibrahim leaves the place of idol worship that God grants him these two righteous sons who would later become prophets. Sometimes, it takes us to leave a certain environment to get what we truly want. This verse serves as a reminder to check myself and ask if I’m the hold up in my prayers not being answered. Maybe we need to remove ourselves from places that aren’t helping us thrive, but only the opposite. It’s crucial to surround ourselves with those who help us know God and love Him through thick and thin, fostering an environment of faith and piety.

I pray God guides us to be with the best companies and the purest environments that enable our growth and help our prayers be answered in the best fashion. Ameen.

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 28

Quran Ramadan Reflection Day 28 (59:21) & (2:97)

How blessed are we to have the Quran to hold, its pages to turn, its words to grasp, and its meaning to ponder. Our hearts were made for the Quran.

Take a look at these two verses from different chapters in the Quran:

Verse 1:
لَوْ أَنزَلْنَا هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ عَلَىٰ جَبَلٍ لَّرَأَيْتَهُ خَاشِعًا مُّتَصَدِّعًا مِّنْ خَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ وَتِلْكَ الْأَمْثَالُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
"Had We sent down this Quran on a mountain, you would certainly have seen it falling down, splitting into pieces because of the awe of God, and We set forth these parables to men that they may reflect." (59:21)

Verse 2:
...فَإِنَّهُ نَزَّلَهُ عَلَىٰ قَلْبِكَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَهُدًى وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
"...for surely He revealed it(the Quran) to your heart by God’s command, verifying that which is before it and a guidance and good news for the believers." (2:97)

In the first verse, the Quran is being sent down to a mountain, the mountain that symbolizes strength, might, and durability. This mountain that we perceive as unshakable is crumbling upon receiving the words of God. It's an unimaginable sight.

In the second verse, on the other hand, the Quran is being sent to our beloved Prophet, but not just to him but directly to his heart. The heart we perceive as fragile and small is grasping the meaning of the Quran entirely, and through that providing guidance for the rest of mankind.

Today, you and I can read the Quran. We can grasp it. It can touch our hearts and move us to our core. It can strengthen us amidst our weakness and give us ease during hardship.

Compare your heart to a mountain. The mountain would crumble upon receiving the Quran, but your tiny fragile heart absorbs it and is able to grasp its beautiful meanings. The Quran was meant for your heart. Humans are honored to be created with hearts that can understand God's words without crumbling, unlike vast mountains. Your heart is a home for the Quran.

As you and I have felt a greater connection with the Quran throughout this beautiful month of Ramadan, I challenge you and I to not lose touch with it in the weeks and months after. Your heart was made for it. ❤️

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 27

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 27 (30:50)

فَانظُرْ إِلَىٰ آثَارِ رَحْمَتِ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ يُحْيِي الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمُحْيِي الْمَوْتَىٰ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
“So look at the remnants of God’s mercy, how He brings life back to the earth after its death. Verily the same will bring life to the dead. And He is capable of all things.”

Watch video here: https://youtu.be/v_juEUjZB7U

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 26

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 26 (12:18)

...فَصَبرٌ جَميلٌ....
“...So a beautiful patience...”

Watch video here:https://youtu.be/LZNteEn1r1M

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 25

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 25 (5:25)

قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي لَا أَمْلِكُ إِلَّا نَفْسِي وَأَخِي
“He said, “My Sustainer! I do not have anyone but myself and my brother...””

Watch video here: https://youtu.be/CznRU34TsJQ

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 24

Watch video here: https://youtu.be/HaT5EMfzo3g

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 24 (56: 75-77)

فَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِمَوَاقِعِ النُّجُومِ
“And so I swear by the placement of the stars”

وَإِنَّهُ لَقَسَمٌ لَّوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عَظِيمٌ
“And that’s a mighty path if you only knew”

إِنَّهُ لَقُرْآنٌ كَرِيمٌ
“That this Quran is an honorable one”

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 23

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 23 (25:63-64)

وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا
“And the servants of the Most Gracious are those who walk with humility on earth, and whenever the ignorant address them, reply with [words of] peace.”

وَالَّذِينَ يَبِيتُونَ لِرَبِّهِمْ سُجَّدًا وَقِيَامًا
“and who spend their nights prostrating and standing before God.”

Watch video here: https://youtu.be/GtW8PbUwybs

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 22

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 22 (37:87)

فَمَا ظَنُّكُم بِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
“What, then, do you think of the Lord of all the worlds?”

Watch video here: https://youtu.be/5dFArnRtrI4

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 21

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 21 (6:1)

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَجَعَلَ الظُّلُمَاتِ وَالنُّورَ 

"All praises and thanks be to God Who created the heavens and the earth, and originated the darkness and the light..." 

Whenever I read this chapter, this first verse gets me every time. We thank Allah for darkness as much as we thank Him for light. We need both to exist, and both are essential to our fundamental growth as worshippers of God. Without the dark gloomy sky, we wouldn't appreciate the bright lively light. 

As hard as we have it in times of darkness, we thank Him for that opportunity to get closer to Him, and to grow and realize our potential. No one would strive harder if they hadn't hit rock bottom at some point. And without experiencing such a tough point in our lives, we would not appreciate being in a place of peace and stability. Both shape us and give us the energy we need to realize everything we have is an opportunity to get closer to our Creator, the One who blessed us with both darkness and light. 

If you’re in a dark place in your life, let these last 10 nights of Ramadan be a witness to your call to the One can turn that darkness into light. Alhamdulillah, all praise and thanks to God. 

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 20

Watch video here:
https://youtu.be/ntqpEAhJDz0

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 20 (21: 37)

خُلِقَ الْإِنسَانُ مِنْ عَجَلٍ
“Human beings are made to be hasty from their very creation....”

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 19

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 19 (27: 18-19)

The circumstance that prompted Prophet Sulaiman (Solomon) to make such a beautiful supplication in the Quran always intrigued me. An ant warned her fellow ants to take shelter in order to be safe from Sulaiman and his people. In return, he smiled, as noted in the verse, and prayed, “My Lord, grant me the capacity to be grateful for all your favors which you’ve bestowed upon me and my parents, so I can do what’s right and pleasing to You. Admit me through Your mercy into the company of Your righteous servants.”

Was Sulaiman so aware of his surroundings that he realized that this tiny ant was not just a mere ant, but an actual manifestation of God, a piece of His creation, no matter how small, and a worshipper of our same Creator?

An ant warned its community to seek safety, reminding Sulaiman of God’s blessings upon him and his family. What then should we do when we see a bird carefully picking food for its hatchling or a bee collecting pollen from a flower?

If an ant fleeing for safety inspired Prophet Sulaiman to invoke such a beautiful heartfelt supplication, how many opportunities for spiritual connection are we missing out on in our daily ventures?

حَتَّىٰ إِذَا أَتَوْا عَلَىٰ وَادِ النَّمْلِ قَالَتْ نَمْلَةٌ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّمْلُ ادْخُلُوا مَسَاكِنَكُمْ لَا يَحْطِمَنَّكُمْ سُلَيْمَانُ وَجُنُودُهُ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ
“Until they came to a valley full of ants, one ant said, “All you ants, get in your homes so Solomon and his people don’t crush you without even knowing it.”” (27:18)

فَتَبَسَّمَ ضَاحِكًا مِّن قَوْلِهَا وَقَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَدْخِلْنِي بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِي عِبَادِكَ الصَّالِحِينَ
“He smiled, amused at what she said and exclaimed, “My Lord, grant me the capacity to be grateful for all your favors which you’ve bestowed upon me and my parents, so I can do what’s right and pleasing to You. Admit me through Your mercy into the company of Your righteous servants.”” (27:19)

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 18

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 18 (4:86)

I walked into my daughter’s school today and up on the neon green wall was a phrase that caught my attention. It read: “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” This concept stuck with me, and while I was in the middle of listening to a presentation, my mind wandered off to how true this statement is. It reminded me of this verse in chapter 4 of the Quran:

‎وَإِذَا حُيِّيتُم بِتَحِيَّةٍ فَحَيُّوا بِأَحْسَنَ مِنْهَا أَوْ رُدُّوهَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَسِيبًا
“And if you are greeted with a greeting then return it with what is better than it or return it equally. Verily God is accounting all things.”

We often overlook one of the most simple yet honorable types of worship, perhaps because of its difficulty, which is speaking with kindness and acting upon it, even when aren’t given that same treatment. It’s easy to be harsh to those who are harsh to us. But what’s harder is to remain kind, knowing that God is compensating you for that kindness, more than any human ever could.

How amazing is our God that asks us to return a simple greeting with a better one? We are challenged to excel every day in our character and in our interactions with people. I pray we can truly take a step back and analyze our most basic interactions with those around us. How much are we really applying this verse?

Starting now, with less than 12 days before Ramadan 2019 escapes us, challenge yourself to live true to this verse and remember, even when no one realizes the courage it takes to reply kinder, God is very much aware, and that’s all that matters.

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 17

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 17 (6:17)

وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلَّا هُوَ وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

“And if Allah afflicts you with harm, no one but Him can remove it, and if He afflicts you with goodness, then He is capable of all things.”

Watch video here:
https://youtu.be/oq3_-PFnVr0

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 16

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 16 (4:29)

How many troubled individuals have thought about suicide at some point in their life? How many have been drowning in pain, hurt, and isolation to where they would rather not be alive? Too many to name quite frankly.

“Do not kill yourselves,” is what the Quran states, urging us not to take our own lives. Why is God asking us not to do such a thing? If you’re deeply hurt, you would rather not live, right? Yet what God says after this statement is key: “Verily, God is Merciful towards you.”

When you feel like your life will never get better, know that God is more merciful than letting you suffer forever. When you’re beating yourself up for a mistake you’d rather not live with, know that God is more merciful on you than your own self.

Your feelings, your pain, your hurt - they’re all real. But what’s also real is God’s unquestionable mercy. People say that after the darkness comes light, but what’s even more striking is that, more times than not, THROUGH that darkness comes light. That low that you’re in can help you get back up higher than you’ve ever been.

Out of all the ways God could have ended this verse, He affirms that He is indeed the bedrock of mercy. I imagine this verse enveloping the one suffering with a warm embrace, an everlasting touch of mercy.

If you’ve hit rock bottom, let His mercy be what pulls you up and allows that sunshine to break through your cloud.

‎وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا
“And do not kill yourselves, verily God is merciful towards you.”

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 15

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 15 (3:139)

وَلَا تَهِنُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَنتُمُ الْأَعْلَوْنَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
“So do not weaken and do not despair, and you will be superior if you are truly believers.”

Watch video here:
https://youtu.be/Y5wZw5vQtGI

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 14

Watch video here:
https://youtu.be/gt1KunaRXlE

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 14 (3:135)

وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُوا اللَّهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَن يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّوا عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلُوا وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ

“And those who when they commit a sin or wrong themselves, remember God, then seek forgiveness for their sins. And who forgives sins but God? And they do not knowingly persist in what they have done.”

Quran Ramadan Reflection Day 13

Watch video here:
https://youtu.be/vQJUjFcu2uk

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 13 (5:94)

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَيَبْلُوَنَّكُمُ اللَّهُ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الصَّيْدِ تَنَالُهُ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَرِمَاحُكُمْ لِيَعْلَمَ اللَّهُ مَن يَخَافُهُ بِالْغَيْبِ
“Oh you who believe, Allah will test you with some of the hunting prey that will come within reach of your hands and your spears, to distinguish who fears Him in the unseen....”

Quran Ramadan Reflection Day 12

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 12 (63: 9-10)

I was reading this verse and something struck me.

وَأَنفِقُوا مِن مَّا رَزَقْنَاكُم
“And spend from what We have provided for you....”

Allah is telling us to spend from what He has provided us, not from what we have earned. Eager to understand more of what that meant, I went back one verse and was even more blown away:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُلْهِكُمْ أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ
“Oh you who believe, do not let your wealth and children distract you from the remembrance of God.....”

So many times, we feel like our wealth and children are from our own doings, when in reality, they are provisions from God Himself. So what’s the take away? Make money, raise children, but don’t let them become the destination. Our destination never changed. It is and always will be God. Our wealth and children are merely gifts and another means to get closer to Him.

What’s also interesting is that God mentions to not let these worldly possessions distract us from His remembrance. Sometimes as parents and as breadwinners, it’s hard to do a lot of physical acts of worship, but one of the simplest acts of worship we often overlook is remembrance, thikr. No matter how busy you get with parenting and in work, keep your tongue moistened with His remembrance. After all, He is the provider of both those children and the wealth you’re accumulating.

I pray Allah helps us embody the reality that everything we own is merely a provision and gift from Him. 

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 11

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 11 (9:40)

“Have no fear, verily God is with us”
لا تَحْزَن إِنَّ اللهَ مَعَنَا...

This word of reassurance was said by the Prophet to his closest companion, AbuBakr. They had been hiding in the cave of thawr far away from home while a ransom was put for their capture. People who were looking for them had made it to the entrance of the same cave they were in when fear overcame AbuBakr. In this moment is when the Prophet told him these words of wisdom that helped ease his heart, and eventually they were safe and sound, able to travel to Medina and complete the Hijra (migration).

How many times have you needed this very reassuring statement? I think we all need it at varying moments in our life. When you’re overwhelmed with thoughts, when you’re feeling alone, when you’re not finding a way out, when you’re scared, remember what the Prophet told his friend. God is with you. He always is. In this statement is a cloak of security and safety. Let us memorize it, embody it, and live it.

“Have no fear, verily God is with us”
لا تَحْزَن إِنَّ اللهَ مَعَنَا...

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 10

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 10 (2:286)

I had been in Makkah for three days. My departure was scheduled for the next morning, but I had still not been able to perform umrah, the lesser pilgrimage for Muslims, because of my young baby at the time among other reasons. I was adamant about not leaving this holy city without performing it, but the logistics weren’t working out.

Finally, hours before our departure, I found a ride to take me to the mosque of Aisheh, the place where I could make the intention to perform umrah. I was ecstatic that Allah blessed me with the opportunity to make this pilgrimage against all odds.

I arrived back at my hotel after the visit to the mosque of Aisheh to kiss my baby goodnight and head to the Ka’ba (the Holy Mosque) which was across the street. My forgetful, over-excited self forgot that I was in the state of ihraam, a sacred state where certain actions are to be avoided, and put scented deodorant spray on. I was immediately overcome with fear. What if I just lost my state of ihraam? Maybe I wouldn’t perform umrah after all.

I still went to the Ka’ba, and it was now a short couple hours before Fajr prayer. I went to the office of religious scholars, a place where people can come to ask questions, and found an Imam walking out and closing his office door. I quickly approached him and explained my dilemma. He looked at me as if I didn’t know who our God was. I still remember his face until now when he told me, “You forgot. It was an honest mistake, and God is forgiving.”

When I repeated my question again to make sure I didn’t hear wrong, he recited a part of a verse to me, a verse that holds within it a beautiful supplication, one that I read two times a day, every morning and evening. This statement penetrated the very inner part of my heart, as if I was hearing it for the first time:

رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا
“Our Lord, do not account us if we forget or make mistakes.”

I carried this verse with me my entire tawaf, crying mountains of tears. I was so thankful that God gave us this dua (supplication). He knew we needed it so bad, and that I myself one day would be in dire need to hear those words.

How amazing is it that Allah has given us duas such as this one to comfort us when we slip up? We don’t worship a God who expects perfection from us. We worship a God who KNOWS we will forget and make mistakes. These supplications so strategically placed in the Quran are God’s gifts to us reassuring us that we can fall but then we can rise back up again. Why? Because that’s how we were made to be. And because above all, He forgives. 

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 9

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day #9 (28:16)

قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَغَفَرَ لَهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
He said, “My Lord, I have wronged myself so forgive me, so He forgave him, verily He is the Most Forgiving and Most Merciful.”

Watch video here:

https://youtu.be/jZE6NheKB2E

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 8

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day #8 (3:83)

Our heart beats without us asking it to. Our blood constantly flows in our veins beyond our control. Billons of cells are working in harmony, without our awareness, to make us who we are. Our scabs and wounds know how to heal on their own without our permission. But if we are not in control, then Who is?

God asks this rhetorical question in the Quran:

أَفَغَيْرَ دِينِ اللَّهِ يَبْغُونَ وَلَهُ أَسْلَمَ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ طَوْعًا وَكَرْهًا وَإِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ
“Do they seek a faith other than the way of God, while everything in the heavens and on earth submit to Him, willingly or unwillingly, and all will return to Him?”

Everything in creation submits to God’s will and design - every planet in orbit, every star giving off its light, every spider building its web, every rain drop falling from the sky, every human heart beat. If our own bodies submit to God every single millisecond, in more ways than we will ever know, then how can we so arrogantly deny that we belong to His will too?

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 7

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day #7 (2:238)

*SPECIAL tribute to my MOTHER*

حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَى
“Preserve your prayers and your middle prayer....”

https://www.facebook.com/1110720014/posts/10218662525930235?s=1110720014&sfns=mo

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 6

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day #6 (19:58-59)

...إِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُ الرَّحْمَن خَرُّوا سُجَّدًا وَبُكِيًّا ﴿58﴾ فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ أَضَاعُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَاتَّبَعُوا الشَّهَوَاتِ....﴿59﴾
“...when the Most Merciful’s verses are recited they bow down in prostration and in tears (58) Then a generation came after them that neglected their prayers and followed their desires....(59)”

Watch video here: https://youtu.be/JkrGexAA1bU

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 5

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day #5 (2:112)

بَلَىٰ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُ لِلَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ فَلَهُ أَجْرُهُ عِندَ رَبِّهِ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
“Verily indeed, the one who submits his/her whole self to God and is a doer of good will get their reward with their Lord, and there will be no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.”

This verse is so simple yet so grand. The road to success is to submit our affairs to our Creator wholeheartedly, turn to Him for our needs, and follow His ways rather than our own desires. But there’s one more condition. What is it? To be a doer of good. Look at where that emphasis is after coming to God. To be good to the people is a sign of how good you are with your Lord. The more you submit your affairs to God, the better in return you should be with the people around you. That’s the measure. Faith comes with goodness, simply put.

When you’re struggling to be better to those who have wronged you, read this verse and know that your reward is with God, and not in vain. Everything is accounted for.

And the promise at the end of the verse: Security, no fear, and lack of grief; two things we chase in this life so bad but so easily promised by God. Just spread goodness. 

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day #4

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day #4 (39:53)

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ
الرَّحِيمُ

“Say: "Oh my Servants who have transgressed against their own souls, do not despair of God’s mercy! Verily, God forgives all sins. Indeed He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.””

Watch video here:
https://youtu.be/VO8e5Lmy2B4

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 3

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day #3 (3:159)

Ever wake up to a kid emptying their entire piggy bank on the pillow right next to your ear? Well, that happened to me this morning, and let me tell you: it’s not so fun. Now, my reaction to that occurrence, well let’s just say there was room for improvement. I’ll give myself a B-.

It reminded me though of the story I heard last night at our local mosque. Prophet Muhammad was in the mosque with many of his companions when a Bedouin walked in and began urinating in the corner. The mosque being a place of worship and purity angered the companions where they wanted to immediately lash out at the man for such an atrocity. The prophet, however, being the wise considerate man he was, stopped them in their tracks. He would handle the situation for them. After the man was finished and about to leave, the prophet kindly advised him that urinating shouldn’t happen in this place of purity and prayer. The man understood and never repeated that mistake.

When we react with anger, not only do we cause emotional backlash and disconnect, but it will also hardly ever cause changed behavior. If you want changed behavior, you respond according to our prophetic model, with kindness and empathy. One of the hardest things to do is control ourself in that moment, but when you take a step back and try to empathize with that person, and when you know that anger won’t help them change their behavior, then you’ll realize that the best way to foster healthy communication and growth is to respond with kindness.

The prophet was extremely talented in this. Empathy and kindness are what he was known for. And the Quran affirms that in this verse:

وَلَوْ كُنْتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لانْفَضُّوا مِنْ حَوْلِكَ
“Had you been harsh and hard-hearted, they would have turned away from you.”

If you want to help the person you’re about to react to, then know that the only way to do so without hurting them and causing friction or resentment is to RESPOND with kindness and empathy, as our beloved prophet taught us through his words and action.

So, for you coins in the piggy bank, I’m ready for you tomorrow. Watch me.

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day 2

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day #2 (65:2-3)

Divorce. A word not many in our time like to hear. It comes with so many negative repercussions in our society. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

One of my favorite statements in the Quran happens to be in the middle of two verses in the chapter of divorce.

‏‏وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجًا وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ
“And whoever is mindful of God will be shown a way out. And He will provide for him in ways beyond imagination. Whoever puts his trust in God then He will be enough for him.”

This chapter is filled with hopeful statements of ease, compassion, hope and acceptance. Allah is repeatedly saying that He will help facilitate a way to heal and get back up again. He is simply asking to be mindful of Him. Stay true to what He asks of you, and He will suffice you. Situations like divorce can get so messy and it’s easy for people to forget that there is a God who will judge. It’s easy to forgo what’s right and go with what is easy. And this is why this chapter is so important. Don’t neglect your duties to God. Fulfill your religious obligation, and you will see how He will get you out of this hardship.

Reading these statements today made me realize how perfectly placed they are in this chapter. Divorce shouldn’t be hard and impossible. It should be a means to find hope in Allah again, so long as we stay true to our deen and its commandments. 

Ramadan Reflection Day 1

Ramadan Quran Reflection Day #1: (42:25)

Who is God? What are His main characteristics pertaining to His servants? When we know who He is, we are comforted to begin this journey of Ramadan vulnerably and wholeheartedly trusting that He will accept us for who we are. God describes Himself in this short verse in Chapter Al-Shura:

وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَعْفُو عَنِ السَّيِّئَاتِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ
“And He is the One who accepts repentance from His servants, and forgives sins, and knows what you do.”

This is who God is. He is the One who will take you in after you have slipped, who will accept you with your flaws, and will not judge you because of your past. Unlike most relationships of our time, our relationship with God is very unconditional. In this verse, as He attributes us to Him saying we are His servants, He then affirms that He will accept our repentance. What does that allude to? That we WILL sin. We WILL make mistakes. But the key is that He will still love us and accept us regardless.

Imagine yourself running in a race but then find yourself veering off the path, then suddenly someone takes the torch from you and tells you “I got it from here.” That is God in our life. All we have to do is seek Him, connect with Him, beg Him, and run to Him in repentance.

Next, Allah says He will completely erase our sins as if they never existed; a spiritual cleansing. A scholar was once asked what particular sins were included in this verse, and as the questioner kept listing sin after sin, the scholar kept repeating this part of the verse, “And He forgives all sins.” When we come to Him with sincerity, God meets us with unmatched acceptance.

The final words in this verse are what strike me the most. Allah is saying “And He knows what you do.” Wow. Allah knows how messed up we are and He is STILL wanting to forgive us. He knows every single time we’ve slipped up and is still time after time, meeting us with the same care and mercy. His knowledge of our actions isn’t changing His immense characteristic of love and forgiveness for us. It is always unequivocally there.

Our Prophet

I imagine weights of immense responsibility being put on Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) with this one verse:

يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ وَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُ
“Oh Messenger, deliver all that has been revealed to you from your Lord, and if you do not do so then you would have failed to deliver His message...” - Quran (5: 67)

What does a person do with such weights? A person of honor like our prophet would carry them, lift them with all his might, and carefully put them in their place. He fulfilled his duty. He did however have another option though. The verse clearly says that the other option was to not fulfill God’s message. But the existence of that option didn’t debilitate the Prophet from his mission. It made him work harder to get it done right. Talk about working under pressure.

Can you imagine him hearing this verse being recited out loud by his fellow companions? Or by his wife even? Or his children? Imagine that pressure. But that pressure kept him going to spread the message of God.

His wife Aisha is reported to have said that if there was one verse that the prophet would have wanted to hide from the Quran it would have been this one statement. Can you imagine how overwhelming this verse was on him?!

While failure was a possible outcome, Prophet Muhammad knew the only thing he could do to prevent failure was continue to work. And I believe that’s a lesson for us all: Do not allow the possibility of failure to stop you from persisting on what you’re working toward. As you keep pushing, the possibility of failure surely diminishes, and success becomes unquestionable.

Look at the legacy of Prophet Muhammad today and the mercy he has embedded into this world. Certainly, he has fulfilled the message, and we are witnesses to that fact. 

Speaking up to wrong

In the name of freedom and modernity, it’s easy to forgo core principles and moral values of our faith. We see wrong and instead of doing something about it we use excuses like “let people be themselves” or “they’re free to do as they want.” While those statements may hold some truth in a way, that is not a reason we don’t help them pave the way out of wrong, or at minimum try.

In Surah al-mai’dah, chapter 5 of the Quran, verse 79, God speaks of a nation and their main characteristic that steered them astray from His way. The verse states:
كَانُوا لَا يَتَنَاهَوْنَ عَن مُّنكَرٍ فَعَلُوهُ لَبِئْسَ مَا كَانُوا يَفْعَلُونَ
“They would not discourage each other from the immorality in which they used to indulge...”

The main wrong these people did was simply not speak out against the wrong they saw. Injustice didn’t bother them. Toxicity and abuse were ignored. Corruption, lying, stealing, and immorality became the norm. When we forgo one of these principles, just one, we risk losing them all, like this nation did.

What’s even more interesting is that this is the only verse in the Quran that uses the word نهي (to forbid) in this form. It is used in the reciprocal verb form, meaning it takes at least two people to do. So it wasn’t just one person ignoring the wrong they saw and letting it slip by. It was a group of friends or communities maybe. If a friend engages in injustice or immorality, it shouldn’t mean we should be okay with it too, or else we could be engaging in this same verb that led a whole nation astray.

I pray we can hold steadfast to our core values and principles, lest we lose ourselves. 

3:179

مَّا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيَذَرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَىٰ مَا أَنتُمْ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّىٰ يَمِيزَ الْخَبِيثَ مِنَ الطَّيِّبِ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُطْلِعَكُمْ عَلَى الْغَيْبِ
“God won’t leave the believers in the weak position they are now in until He separates what is filthy from what is wholesome, nor will God give you insight into what is beyond human perception...”

These verses came down at the time when the early believers at the time of Prophet Muhammad were let down after a defeat by the polytheists of Makkah. They lost many courageous men and in turn, many who survived began questioning the faith. Here, God is telling them that sometimes we undergo these situations to purify our own selves, in order to filter the bad from the good within us.

And what’s interesting is that in fact this did occur at their time. A lot of evil was exposed because of this defeat. People were revealed for who they were. The hypocrites became known. The true believers became known. A lot of good came from defeat.

God also tells them that they were not given insight beyond human perception. At the end of the day, happenings boil down to God and His infinite wisdom. If we could see the whole picture, we may not be as strong and courageous as we are today.

Wherever you are in life, wherever I am, as far from perfect as it is to us, it’s there because we lack that insight. It exists because we lack the tools needed to filter what’s wholesome and what’s not. Perhaps if we could indeed see that big picture, our faith wouldn’t be questioned. But that’s the whole point. Will we trust? 

Why His verses don’t get to us sometimes

Reading the Quran often evokes many different emotions: fear, happiness, joy, anticipation, hope, etc. It's not often that a verse evokes a sense of sadness. However, every time I read the following verse in Surah Maryam, I feel an overwhelming sense of sadness.

Surah Maryam, verses 58:

‎أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ مِن ذُرِّيَّةِ آدَمَ وَمِمَّنْ حَمَلْنَا مَعَ نُوحٍ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّةِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْرَائِيلَ وَمِمَّنْ هَدَيْنَا وَاجْتَبَيْنَا إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُ الرَّحْمَٰنِ خَرُّوا سُجَّدًا وَبُكِيًّا

"Those were whom Allah bestowed His Grace from among the Prophets, of the offspring of Adam, and of those whom We carried with Noah, and of the offspring of Abraham and Israel and from among those whom We guided and chose. When the Verses of the Most Merciful were recited unto them, they fell down prostrating and weeping."

The verse talks about how the righteous and guided, upon hearing the verses of God, fell in prostration and would begin weeping. Hearing the words of God would move them to their core. They couldn't help but be in awe when verses would be recited. 

This saddens me because when I hear this verse, I cannot help but think, "what happened to us"? Why am I often not emotionally moved by the words of God? Perhaps our hearts have hardened to the point where verses of God do not affect us as they affected those before us. 

As I read this verse and kept questioning myself, searching for an answer to why we are not emotionally moved by His words, I came across the very next verse in the chapter. And there lies the answer to my very own question. 

‎فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ أَضَاعُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَاتَّبَعُوا الشَّهَوَات

"Then, there a generation came after them who had given up Salah (the prayers) and followed desires..."

God says in the next verse that another generation will come that will neglect their prayers and follow their desires. This verse accurately described problems in our day today. 

I began thinking about my daily routine, my regimen, my prayers, my priorities. Do I pray on time? Do I focus in prayer? What is the status of my relationship with God? Am I in control of my desires? What are my intentions in every action I take? The answer to these questions also answers why we are not moved by the verses of God. We have disconnected from our prayers, our connection to God. We live for life, while our faith is placed on the back burner. Our prayers have become merely an exercise of movements and words we place no thought to. Our prayers are the foundation that puts our life in check. And we have neglected them. 

Reading these verses, comparing the older generation to ours, and contemplating on the state of our affairs, shook me to the core. May God help you and I be in control of our worldly desires, and may He help us build a righteous life with prayers being our priority and center of our daily lives. Perhaps after we do exactly that, we will be able to taste the sweetness of His words as those before us did.

I prayed in a church today

I prayed in a church today. It was 30 minutes before sunset when I realized I still hadn’t prayed Asr prayer, one of the five daily prayers for Muslims that’s prayed in the late afternoon before the sun sets. I was at a church this particular afternoon planning an event with mothers of various faiths and backgrounds for our children who were born with rare medical conditions. We dedicated a good chunk of this day to work together and come up with ideas for our special event on World Rare Disease Day.

What was beautiful though, as we were wrapping up and as I realized I was about to miss my Asr prayer, is these amazing women’s response to my dilemma of how to not miss my prayer. They watched my two daughters as I hurried to the bathroom to make wudu (ablution before the prayer) and as I came back in the room to perform the prayer, one of them looked out the window observing the sun and its definitiveness to set and proclaimed, “You better hurry.” I agreed and quickly began my prayer.

Here I was, an American Muslim, in a church of God, a Presbyterian Christian Church to be specific, praying one of the five daily prayers in Islam. Unity and diversity doesn’t get much better than this.

In the moments I prayed in the church, I couldn’t help but thank God for placing me in a peaceful place with such women of love and sincerity who God Himself chose to be mothers of rare children. What an honor to be amongst such advocates and warriors. And I couldn’t help but think of Prophets Jesus and Muhammad who came with a message of mercy and inclusion. I was reminded of the verses I recently read in chapter three of the Quran where Prophet Muhammad was addressing a group of Christians to come to peaceful terms together, worshipping One God and not associating any partners with Him.

In my prayer today, I regained my faith in humanity, in loving, empowering and supporting each other, and in the incredible strength of diversity. Alhamdulillah, all thanks to God.

#theycantdivideus #interfaith #abrahamicfaiths #lovewillprevail #thepowerofprayer #freedomofreligion #God #Jesus #Muhammad 

The dua Of Maryam’s mother

Do you know what’s amazing about the mother of Maryam (Mary)? This woman had a vision that she would have a pious son with a legacy. When she was pregnant, Maryam’s mother believed her child was a boy and she took an oath saying she would dedicate this boy’s life for God. She envisioned him studying under the knowledge of Rabbis and righteous people to learn and eventually teach about God. Now what happens next in the story is amazing.

God gives her a girl. In this moment, any of us could be upset at God for not answering our prayers the way we imagined. We could possibly take away all our wants of that child being raised for God. We could ask God why He would shatter a dream that was for His sake at the end?!

But that’s not what this woman did. Her child’s gender didn’t stop her from chasing after her vision. She still sent Maryam to study and learn about God. Because it wasn’t about the gender, and it wasn’t about God answering her prayers in the exact way she wanted. It was much bigger than that.

It’s at this time in the story where Prophet Zachariah is given responsibility of taking care of Maryam. Perhaps if Maryam were a boy, she would not have had that one on one with a righteous Prophet of God. Perhaps God heard the dua (supplication) of Maryam’s mother and answered it in the way He knew was best. And she trusted that.

Fast forward a few years and now Maryam is a pious woman and she herself is teaching Prophet Zachariah an important lesson: God grants who He wills in ways beyond imagination. This in turn motivates Zachariah to ask God for a son, despite his old age and his wife being barren. God answers his prayer and grants him a son, to which he replied with bewilderment as how God could possibly do that. But Maryam taught him that nothing is impossible for God. And she was living proof of that.

Maryam then underwent the impossible herself and carried the huge honor of bringing Prophet Jesus to life without a father. And through him God revealed the Gospel, helping him change society for the better, instilling faith and mercy in people’s hearts.

Now think back to the beginning of this story. This amazing legacy started from one woman who had a vision. And although her vision wasn’t implemented in the way she imagined, she let God facilitate. She was loyal and determined to what she dreamed of and at the same time, trusted that her faith wouldn’t let her down. Her dream of having a righteous son then turned into giving birth to the most honorable woman in history who would give birth to a righteous son without a father, who would then be a prophet and make a lasting impact on the world till the end of time. Wow.

Moral of the story. Don’t give up on your duas. They may not be answered in the way you want them to. They may look different in the way they’re being facilitated. But trust the Planner. He knows what He’s doing and He wants what’s best for you. 

Powerful lessons from Surah Alwaqi’ah

Check out this latest talk as we find some amazing treasures in chapter 56 of the Quran!

Navigating life through the Quran and the Stars: Powerful lessons from Surah Alwaqi’ah

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=SJ_AhTLdfpM

To Him we belong and to Him we return

Written on 6/6/18

I remember this day distinctly. I had moved out of home several years ago and lived 9 hours away from my parents by car. It was hard leaving them and my hometown initially and I never fully got over it. I was visiting them at home for Ramadan and was making a list of duas (supplications) to make during prayer. I was super excited about this one specific Dua. I very excitedly went to my mom to tell her this new Dua I was making. It was, “Oh God, return me to my family in a beautiful way.” My hopes out of this prayer was that maybe my parents would soon move to where I was or that we would move closer to them. Little did I know my mom’s reply would impact me in such a powerful way. She replied so instantaneously advising me to change the wording of the supplication. She said to ask God to return me back to Him, not my family, because it’s in Him where my Home is. I didn’t truly belong to her she added, for I came from God and one day we will all return to Him. This is one of the most profound statements my mom has ever told me and every time I remember it, it hits me. I was reminded of this Dua yesterday during prayer at the mosque when the Imam leading the prayer asked God to return us back to Him in a beautiful way. I pray we never lose sight of our true Home, our Creator, the Most Merciful, the One who gifted us with our families and loved ones. 

We know you are sad

Written on 6/9/18

You know what’s so interesting about the Quran is that not only is it a religious scripture where we can gather information about faith and doing good, but it’s also a school for learning about psychology and ourselves. There are countless stories of prophets and their dealings with surroundings that teach us that a huge part of our faith is in our interactions with humanity. And what I find most interesting is the way God speaks to Prophet Muhammad in the Quran. Prophet Muhammad was a walking mercy for his people. He was chosen by God to be the final messenger. He was guaranteed eternal bliss in the highest of heavens. But still amidst all this, Allah tells him in the Quran as he faced hardship, “We know you are saddened at what they say.” When the prophet was going through a hard time and disheartened at the people’s rejection of him and faith, it could have been easy for people to tell him something like, “Hey, you don’t have anything to be sad about, you’re literally guaranteed paradise.”  But instead, God validates his feelings and reaches out to his emotions. God acknowledges his pain. He tells him, “We KNOW you are sad.” And sometimes, that’s all you need: someone to tell you that you have a right to feel the way you are feeling. Just because we don’t understand why someone is sad doesn’t mean they don’t have the right to be sad. I think this is why so many people can feel so alone in their feelings. But the way God consoles the Prophet in verses like these teaches us that invalidation does no good. We see that in people of all ages who struggle with their emotions and feel invalidation from their peers. And here, in our scripture, in this glorious Quran, we see God Himself taking Prophet Muhammad’s emotions in and validating Him in the simplest yet most profound of ways. If you have a loved one struggling, acknowledge their pain, validate their emotions, and let them know they’re not alone in their feelings. They have every right to feel the way they feel, so start from there.

A supplication so powerful

Written on 11/1/18

As I was driving to the hospital for a short procedure for my daughter, I looked in the mirror and saw the look of exhaustion and loneliness. Alone in my thoughts, in my tiredness, in the bags under my eyes, in the tears I keenly carry in those eyes. Suddenly, as the morning prayers (athkar alsabah) were peacefully playing in the background, I heard the supplication: “يا حي يا قيوم برحمة أستغيث أصلح لي شأني كله ولا تكلني إلى نفسي طرفة عين." "Oh Ever-Living, Sustainer and supporter of all, I seek assistance through Your Mercy, rectify all of my affairs for me and do not let me depend on myself alone even for a blink of an eye.”

Wow, how incredibly powerful. If no one but Allah can see my eyes in their form, in their tiredness, and HE is the only one to depend on, the only ever-living and sustaining, then my worries suddenly dissipate to the background. How eloquently and poetically worded is this prayer? My mom often advised me to read this supplication when in distress, and today I finally know why. While driving, I slowly dissected each word of this supplication and was amazed that the prophet asked us to first call upon God in that specific name, the only one who will never cease. And next we ask His help through nothing but His mercy. And we ask Him to fix our affairs, without even naming them because He knows them all, and finally ask him to not leave us alone even for a blink. How healing of a supplication for someone who is feeling so alone and hopeless.

I am no where near this mindset 24/7, but I pray this prayer and prayers like these can be something we as submitters to God hold on to.  

Not wanting to live

Written on 11/18/18

Thoughts of not wanting to live are real. They exist in our loved ones, our family, friends, colleagues, in our community, in our societies at large, and sometimes even in ourselves. But what if I told you those thoughts also exist in the Quran? In the book God sent for guidance. And by one of the most honorable woman in the world. In Maryam, Mary, the mother of Jesus. The one God named a whole chapter after in the Quran. The one God calls the chosen one in the Quran. In Chapter Maryam, verse 23, Maryam cries out:

يَا لَيْتَنِي مِتُّ قَبْلَ هَٰذَا وَكُنتُ نَسْيًا مَّنسِيًّا
“I wish I had died before this and became long forgotten and non existent.” How did God reply? Imagine if He replied like so many people around us would reply to someone in a state of depression that has gotten so bad to the point where they didn’t want to live? What if God said, “Be grateful, look at the positives, it’s all in your head, you’re literally the chosen one.” Instead, He immediately sends help. And the verse specifically mentions someone under her. As if someone is getting down to her level.

فَنَادَاهَا مِن تَحْتِهَا أَلَّا تَحْزَنِي قَدْ جَعَلَ رَبُّكِ تَحْتَكِ سَرِيًّا
“Then he called to her from below her, saying: Don’t be distressed. Your Lord has made a stream under you.”

Someone is coming to understand her. He sends her an angel to comfort her. And here comes lesson one. When you see someone in this situation, give them COMPANY. Comfort them. What does that company tell her in the verse? “Don’t be distressed.” He acknowledges that she’s sad and in a state of misery. Validate that feeling. Next, he reassures her and tells her God has created a stream under her. He gave her hope. Water is always a good sign. Something to quench your thirst, both physically and metaphorically speaking. And the next thing he tells her is amazing.

وَهُزِّي إِلَيْكِ بِجِذْعِ النَّخْلَةِ تُسَاقِطْ عَلَيْكِ رُطَبًا جَنِيًّا
“And shake the trunk of the palm-tree toward you, ripe dates will fall upon you.”

He gives her an action item. A to-do list. Shake the palm tree and ripened dates will fall out for you. Do this in order to get the fruit. Motivate. Help them get up on their feet. Then, as the verses continue:

فَكُلِي وَاشْرَبِي وَقَرِّي عَيْنًا فَإِمَّا تَرَيِنَّ مِنَ الْبَشَرِ أَحَدًا فَقُولِي إِنِّي نَذَرْتُ لِلرَّحْمَٰنِ صَوْمًا فَلَنْ أُكَلِّمَ الْيَوْمَ إِنسِيًّا
“So eat and drink and comfort your eye. And if you see someone, say “I have vowed to fast for the most Merciful (a name mentioned in this Chapter repeatedly but that’s for another post), and I will speak today to no one.””

What we can derive from this is that she didn’t have to explain her situation to anyone. Who cares if people want to talk? If you’re on the right path, and more than that, God’s path, then you don’t have to explain anything to anybody. People will always talk, so save yourself the time and don’t talk back. Stay focused on your mission. And that’s to get back up on your feet and know God is on your side.

Now how are these for ingredients for someone in a mental crisis?! I have been reflecting on these few verses for a while but would love any other observations and feedback or reflections.

*There are some narrations that suggest it may have been Jesus himself who spoke to her instead of the angel, but the majority of tafseers I read agreed it was an angel. And God knows best.

A comforting ending with Alrahman

Written on 11/28/18

Months ago, I lost my grandmother and began struggling with my faith. Images of facing God were haunting me as I thought of being alone in my own grave. As I was listening to verses from the Quran one day, one particular verse frightened me and shook me to my core. It talked about how every individual will be accountable for their own deeds and will one day meet God alone.

‎وَكُلُّهُمْ آتِيهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَرْدًا
“Every one of them will come before Him alone on the Day of Assembly.” [19:95]

For some reason, that thought made me uncomfortable. I felt an overwhelming sensation of guilt. I could see all my sins weighing on me and couldn’t fathom meeting God while carrying them. The concept of being alone scared me most.

I phoned a friend and explained my discomfort to her, and immediately without hesitation she asked me to read the two verses that precede the verse I was fearful of. “Who does God say will account you individually?” she asked. I read the verses.

‎إِن كُلُّ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ إِلَّا آتِي الرَّحْمَٰنِ
‎عَبْدًا
‎لَّقَدْ أَحْصَاهُمْ وَعَدَّهُمْ عَدًّا
‎وَكُلُّهُمْ آتِيهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَرْدًا
“There is not a single being in the heavens nor on the earth except that it must come as a servant to the Compassionate. He counted them and numbered them all precisely. Every one of them will come before Him alone on the Day of Assembly.” [19:93-95]

Who will we return to alone? Al-Rahman, the most Gracious and the most Compassionate. The one full of Mercy. From all the names God could have used to describe Himself in these verses, He uses the one embedded with mercy, grace, and forgiveness. I was speechless, absolutely blown away. Suddenly, the images of loneliness and the heaviness of my sins began to wash away as I thought of the most Compassionate. That one verse that scared me so much has now become one of my biggest hopes and sources of comfort. What a blessing to know the souls of our loved ones and our own individual souls will be with none other than Al-Rahman, the most Compassionate.

#Alhumdulilah #ThankyouGod #Al-Rahman #ChooseMercy

The Mercy in Surah Maryam

How does God address Maryam’s thoughts of not wanting to live in the Quran? How do we cope with being alone when we die? Which name of God is mentioned in Surah Maryam more than in any other chapter in the Quran? How does Prophet Zachariah embody the concept of vulnerability in his heartfelt supplication to God? 

Dive into Surah Maryam with us in this video to see how it beautifully answers all these questions and more :)

https://youtu.be/wp0WMJskPdA

Bringing life after death

Written on December 18, 2018

What do you think of when you see a lifeless tree come back to life again? Or when you witness a withering flower blossom soon after? Or when you notice a branch stripped of every sign of life grow green leaves once again? We are witnessing God. We are witnessing His ability, His wisdom, His precision, His mercy.

God says in the Quran, Chapter 30, verse 50:
فَانظُرْ إِلَىٰ آثَارِ رَحْمَتِ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ يُحْيِي الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمُحْيِي الْمَوْتَىٰ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
“So look at the results of God’s mercy, how He brings life back to the earth after its death. Verily the same will bring life to the dead. And He is capable of all things.”

When we examine nature around us coming back to life, we are filled with hope and beauty. Think of a sunny beautiful day in spring just weeks after a rainy gloomy day in winter. The change in life around us is awe inspiring.

Now think of your life. Your death. Your return to God. Suddenly, life after death doesn’t sound as magical. But what if, what if, IT IS that magical?! In this verse, after Allah tells us to examine His mercy in the resurrection happening to the nature in front of us, He compares that to our own resurrection. What if just like the new life in spring we love to see, our lives after death will be just as becoming and just as blossoming?

Perhaps the unseen part is what scares us most. But what gives us hope is His promise in this verse. And in so many verses in the Quran. And in the creation around us. And in the fact that every new leaf growing is a witness to His infinite mercy.

What’s also beautiful about this verse is that God says to look at the remnants or results of His mercy. Results come after something. Maybe after a life full of meaning for you and me. A life full of faith, and hope. A life full of ups and downs, rises and falls, battling the storms of life. But never forgetting that this isn’t our spring season yet. We are seeds being watered. And we will sprout when we return to Him.

May we blossom so effortlessly when we meet Him. Ameen.