Istiqama -keeping straight

A man named Sufyan bin Abdullah Athaqafi once asked the Prophet (PBUH) to tell him something so comprehensive about Islam that he would never have to ask anyone else for religious advice again. The Prophet replied 

قل آمنت بالله ثم استقم

"Say 'I believe in God', and then keep straight." 

When you think of the word استقامة (istiqama), you immediately think of مستقيم or straight. We ask God to keep us on the straight path everyday in the Opening Chapter of the Quran, (اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ Guide us the straight way) and in this narration, we hear that same root-word uttered by the Prophet when asked advice on following Islam comprehensively.

Why is this word so important? What does keeping straight mean to our faith and our Islam? Think of a road taking you to a destination. Follow that road straight, all the way, completely, without veering off the road, and you WILL get there. The road doesn't have to be straight literally, but when you are straight with it, meaning you follow it to the dot, without veering off, then you're safe. 

Now think of your life as a Muslim. How can you stay straight? Surely things will come your way that you never expected, making your path crooked and full of obstacles, but once you remind yourself of your destination, something will tell you to استقم (istaqim), stay straight, meaning deal with what you have keeping in mind that you need to stand firm and not veer off. Your focus is on God. He will get you where you need to be as long as you're straight with Him. Pray, supplicate, beg, ask, remember and be God-conscious in all your surroundings. 

One thing that is very interesting is that the prophet's saying to be straight and steadfast goes hand in hand with a verse in Surah Fussilat. This verse says. إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا,

"Those who said our lord is God, and then stood firm/straight"

The beginning of this verse is almost identical to the Prophet's saying. But there is a continuation. What is the reward of those who believe in God and stay firm?

 

تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي كُنتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ

"Angels descend down to them reassuring them not to be scared". Don't be scared for your future and what lies ahead down the road. Live in the present and rest assured. 

"And don't be sad". Don't be sad for what has passed. Rather:

"Receive the gladtiding of the Paradise that you were once promised."

What a beautiful verse full of hope and reassurance. And the next verse leaves you speechless. God then says:

نَحْنُ أَوْلِيَاؤُكُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ وَلَكُمْ فِيهَا مَا تَشْتَهِي أَنفُسُكُمْ وَلَكُمْ فِيهَا مَا تَدَّعُونَ

"We are your protectors in this life and in the Hereafter. In it, you will have all what your souls desire and all that you ask for!"

It is then no wonder that the Prophet himself was ordered to استقم in such a direct way in the Quran by God Himself:

فَاسْتَقِمْ كَمَا أُمِرْتَ وَمَن تَابَ مَعَكَ

Allah commands him in Surah Hud, along with those with him, to stand firm. استقامة, or staying straight and steadfast isn't something you struggle with alone. We all need to work on it together, just as the Prophet and his companions were ordered to by God. 

This word (استقامة) and other forms of its root are not found in the Quran numerous times for no reason. It is for us to be constantly reminded of our obligation to stay straight and steadfast. So the next time you are faced with a trial, a hurtful word, an argument, an accusation, or the like, remember to stand your ground and keep straight to what He wants of you. Think of the road that will take you to your destination. Don't veer off, but simply استقم and remember Him and what He has promised once you do exactly that. 

Humans are never satisfied

As an aunt of 5 energetic nephews and a recent mother, I have come to a realization that kids cannot be 100% satisfied. Ever. You take them to an amusement park and let them ride tons of rides, but then when it's time to leave, they throw a fit and declare this was there worst day ever. You throw them a birthday party yet they still nag about not getting all the gifts they wanted. You give two brothers identical toys of different colors, but the younger one screams and throws himself on the floor because he wants the red one. Contentment is not something common in children these days. And not only is this a problem with children, but even with adults as well. 

Thinking about this reminded me of the Hadith (saying of the Prophet) about the last person to enter Heaven on the day of judgment. The story is a dialogue between this person and God. This person sees a nice tree with a shade and he's tempted to sit under it. He asks God for permission and God first tells him to promise not to ask for anything else. The man agrees and promises not to ask for anything more. Soon a bigger tree is seen from far away and again this man is tempted to go to it. He asks God for permission to go and when God reminds him of the promise, the man says this time I promise it will be the last thing I ask for. God agrees on condition that he doesn't ask for anything else. This same scenario keeps repeating itself as the man sees bigger and better trees. By the end of the story, this man is so close to Paradise that he can hear the people of Heaven speaking to each other. He is tempted to go in, so he asks God to take him into Paradise. What does God tell him? He says "what would you do if I told you to enter Paradise and on top of that I'll give you the world and more". The man then replies and asks if God, Master of the Worlds, was mocking him. God says "I am not mocking you, yet I can do as I please". And then the man enters Paradise. 

This story is filled with lessons for us to learn from. Here is this man who, like children and us adults at times, was not satisfied. He kept asking for more and more, and was not pleased until the very end. Yet the way God reacts to his wants is so clever and merciful. God deals with him in a way that no mother would be able to deal with her demanding child. He doesn't put him down for asking for more, although he kept promising and breaking his promises. God treated him with utmost kindness and openness, for He is The Kind and Generous One. 

Besides the way we deal with children, this story also serves as a reminder to us all that God did not put us on earth in order to be satisfied. Our goal in life is not to simply be content. That's why Heaven was made. THAT is where ultimate satisfaction takes place. One thing that we need to start practicing is to constantly remind ourself of this fact. Kids will not be satisfied fully. Not now and not when they are our age taking our place as parents. We need to start teaching our children that contentment is not our goal in life. Rather, it is to be content with what we have and please our Lord, so we can be given true eternal satisfaction in the afterlife, just like the last person to enter Paradise. He kept wanting more even minutes before entering Paradise. 

May we be content with what we have and may God give us the wisdom to deal with demanding children in a kind, clever way. 

Mind blowing facts

Surah al baqara (the Cow) - Verse 74

ثُمَّ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُكُم مِّن بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ فَهِيَ كَالْحِجَارَةِ أَوْ أَشَدُّ قَسْوَةً وَإِنَّ مِنَ الْحِجَارَةِ لَمَا يَتَفَجَّرُ مِنْهُ الْأَنْهَارُ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَشَّقَّقُ فَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ الْمَاءُ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَهْبِطُ مِنْ خَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ

Then your hearts hardened like stone or even harder. Though indeed among stones are some from which rivers may flow, others which crack under pressure and let water flow, as well as others that fall down for fear of God, and God is not unaware of you're doing. 

Yahiya Emerick explains this verse beautifully when he says:

"The three types of stone mentioned here match perfectly with the three types of stones identified in geological terms, which are sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous. Sedimentary rock, of which sandstone or limestone are prime examples, is the most efficient type of materiel for deposits of water to collect in and move through like rivers. Metamorphic rocks, such as slate, were formed under intense pressure from the weight of the earth and thus took on the characteristic of being easily cracked under pressure. Thus, they are the main type of rock from which springs emerge from underground pressures. Igneous rock, such as granite or marble, which makes up the largest part of the rocks beneath the surface of the earth, is heaviest in nature. It can form underground in cooking pockets of magma or it can erupt in a shower of lava  before it falls or cascades down back to earth, eventually sinking back under the lighter materials around it due to its weight (as if it was afraid of God and wanted to hide). "

What a truly mind blowing fact! The Quran is filled with evidence of earth and our very existence. Only if we could delve into its rich meaning more often. 

Another good point Yahiya Emerick makes is that at the very beginning of this verse, God compares hearts to stone. Then He explains how water may at times gush out through stone. Thus, this implies that no matter how hard a heart may be, there is still chance for faith to pour out of it! What a beautiful analogy. 

May we be of those who dive into the deep meaningful ocean of the Quran, and obtain from its enumerous treasures. Ameen. 

Verses 4-6 in al Qasas (The Stories)

إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهْلَهَا شِيَعًا يَسْتَضْعِفُ طَائِفَةً مِّنْهُمْ يُذَبِّحُ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيِي نِسَاءَهُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ

Pharaoh exalted himself in the earth and divided its people into sects. A tribe among them he oppressed, killing their sons and sparing their women. He was of those who work corruption.

وَنُرِيدُ أَن نَّمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمُ الْوَارِثِينَ

And We desired to show favor unto those who were oppressed in the earth, and to make them examples and to make them the inheritors,

وَنُمَكِّنَ لَهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنُرِيَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا مِنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا يَحْذَرُونَ

And to establish them in the earth, and to show Pharaoh and Haman and their hosts that which they feared from them.

Wow. These verses are almost speaking of our situation today to the dot! God has promised a way out for the oppressed over the Pharoahs of today. Here we are in the 21st century with the very same problem Prophet Moses had with the tyrannic ruler thousands of years ago. Do not despair of God's promise. Read these verses and have hope. May we see these current tyrannic rulers become an example for mankind to learn from just as the drowning of the Pharoah became an example for the people around him. 

Free Syria. Free Egypt. And free every oppressed nation living in fear.