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.
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.
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