Be a Sponge and Do the Right Thing

“O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.” – Surah Al-Baqarah (2:153)

In despair and feeling dejected, your tears starts to fall and when your heart begin to channel your sadness in a trembling voice, your lips cried , “Oh Allaah!”. Quickly, the Adzan calls for prayer and indeed, Allaah call for us FIVE times a day and we don’t even realize it most of the time, and at that very moment of needing a shoulder to cry upon, we feel so much that Allaah is comforting us, “I’m here, confide in Me in your prayers”. We ignore His call mostly because either we’re busy with the Dunya, or we just ignore His calls for no reason.

CONFIDE IN ME IN YOUR PRAYERS (SALAT/ NAMAZ)

How many of us really understand that, through prayers, is when we are actually communicating with Allaah? How many of us would understand, acknowledge it or even know what we are actually asking for in our prayers? How many of us do actually cry incessantly in our prostration, the time when we are the most near to our Creator? And how many of us often rush in performing our prayers because our break time is almost over at work, or fear missing the final minutes of a game on the sports channel?

Seems like we have been taking prayers for granted; just as a ritual. Prayers are not only for the oppressed, the poor or the distressed. Prayers are meant for everyone including those who are blessed with everything. Alhamdulillah. It is sad to know and realize that we only remember Allaah when we’re afflicted by trials. And most of the time when we are fine and dandy, we are far away from Allaah.

رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ

“My Lord, indeed I am, for whatever good You would send down to me, in need.” (Surah Al-Qasas:28:24)

Remember that feeling when we received our first job salary? Probably, we have a list of things we wish to get with that ‘big’ amount of money. Out of joy and excitement, we spend it hastily and end up asking ourselves with all the shopping bags and gifts unwrapped, with things arranged at its place, “That’s it? What actually did I bought and use the money for?”



WITH HARDSHIP COME EASE

With prayers, we need to accompany it with being patient. According to Imam Ahmad Rehmatullah Alaih, “Allaah has mentioned patience in the Qur’an in ninety places.”

Don’t ever give up as Allaah has assured us in the Qur’an from Surah Ash-Sharĥ (94) TWICE, in ayat 5-8, that with hardship come ease. After we have tried our best and done what is needed, then the next thing to do is to leave it to Allah alone, in prayers. It’s easy to choose to dwell in vulnerability but, let’s look at the next ayat from Surah Ar-Rad (13:11), “…Indeed, Allaah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves….” . Just like any other verses of the Qur’an, often we mistakenly, and take it for granted by digesting the tafseer and terjemah in a worldly context, often quoting it in its literal meaning, in its obvious letters. We can truly accept that, changing the condition of oneself simply means the change solely comes from your heart, alone i.e., our intention. Be kind to those who are unkind towards us. Allaah does not need our prayers, He don’t look at how comfortable our life is after struggling to accumulate wealth, our worldly achievements. By our sincere and pure intention, He wishes to see how we benefit others with our gain. As indeed, Allaah’s favourite are those who are among the poor. Have a lot of patience by being around them. And with patience, we persevere.


BE A SPONGE!

The thing about us, the slaves of Allaah Ta’ala is that we wish to see instant results- the favorable outcomes and often in the process, we turn to others and complain to others, instead of Allaah. We express ungratefulness of Allaah’s Mercy by often overlooking the blessings in each and everything in life. We complain on how we do not own or get certain things we wished for. That’s when perseverance sets in. Let’s follow the examples of Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam or Nabi Ayyub alaihi salam.

With Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam, “Despite being exiled from his home, losing his loved ones, being abused and suffering near starvation, he never wavered in his character. He was patient in doing good, patient in refraining from evil even when he was tempted with wealth and women, and he was patient when afflicted with calamity. All of his children died in his lifetime except Fatima (ra). He lost his wife and two of his uncles whom he loved dearly. Those who followed him were tortured. Yet he persisted in praying in the night, was described as always smiling and never hesitated to help people. His patience was in perseverance and never questioning the will of Allah.

As of Nabi Ayyub alaihi salam, who was not only patient with his affliction but he was content! He lost all 14 of his children, his wealth and the companionship of the people because of his disease. Yet when he was asked to supplicate for Allah to heal him, he said “Allah gave me 50 years of blessings, should I not be patient with the same number of years of hardship?” Subhan’Allah! He never complained of his illness. Of course, we should always ask Allaah to help us but what we should take from this, is he wasn’t angry with Allaah and never questioned His will.”

TELL IT TO ALLAAH,… only!

Say, "O My servants who have believed, fear your Lord. For those who do good in this world is good, and the earth of Allah is spacious. Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account."- Surah Az-Zumar (39:10) 

Some people that we meet will remind us of Allaah in various perspectives. There are those who reminded us of Allaah in terms of their deeds, amal and ibadah, and some others would remind us by being a test for us themselves. It is actually up to us and how we perceive it that determines the outcome of our own good deeds In Shaa Allaah. May Allaah Ta’ala guide us on this temporary Dunya journey with patience, perseverance and in prayers always, In Shaa Allaah.

Allaah knows best and I know nothing, Alhamdulillah.

REFERENCE

1. Huda, Patience, Perseverance and Prayer,http://islam.about.com/od/prayer/a/patience.htm. Accessed on 17th February 2014.
2. Ibn al Qayyim rahimahullah,Allaah Has Mentioned It 90 Times!,http://istighfar.wordpress.com/Allaah-has-mentioned-it-90-times/. Accessed on 17th February 2014.
3. Jinan Bastaki, Allah is with the Patience,http://www.suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/character/allah-is-with-the-patient/ . Accessed on 23rd February 2014.
4. John (Yahya) Ederer, Patience, Perseverence, and Fortitude,http://www.suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/character/patience-perseverance-and-fortitude/, Accessed on 19th February 2014.
5. The Virtues of Patience and Prayer, http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=281&Itemid=36. Accessed on 20th February 2014.
6. Yusra Owais (Amatullah), Six Benefits of Patience from the Qur’an,http://www.suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/character/six-benefits-of-patience-from-the-quran/comment-page-1/. Accessed on 19th February 2014.