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Post by Ummati on Mar 10, 2013 18:42:00 GMT 5
Layers of Darkness | Reehab Ramadan
A second grade class sat in front of their little cups of dirt, thinking about what was going on underneath the soil. Only a few days prior they had placed a seed deep underneath, hoping that it would one day sprout. They were only in the second grade so they couldn’t really understand the concept that they had to put it underneath the soil. They didn’t see the point of why the seed had to work so hard to push its sprout all the way to the top of the soil. Why couldn’t we just make things easier for the poor seed and keep it on top of the surface in the sunlight? Why couldn’t we just help it by opening it up and pulling the sprout out of the seed ourselves? Why did the seed have to take time and effort to become what it needed to be? But the seed knew. The seed knew that in order to grow, it needed to be buried under the dirt, smothered in darkness and it had to work hard to reach the light. And so it did. This simple example of the perspective of second graders on the sprouting of a seed and growing of a plant retells itself time and time again throughout our lives, but on a different level. As adults, we may smile at the innocence of these children, knowing that one day they will realize that there are certain processes that may seem hard and useless but are actually essential, just like in this plant. But often times we fail to take that same example and place it in our lives. There are times in life we need to grow, need to become better and stronger people. It is during those times that we find ourselves smothered in darkness, feeling hurt and disconnected. We may feel like we are covered in layers upon layers of dirt, not knowing how to take a breath, and we just want to reach the surface and break through to the light. But we know that in order to do that, we are going to work really hard, and at times it may hurt beyond belief. It is at these times that we often get frustrated and confused with what God is putting us through. We may begin to question why God would even allow this to happen or why He isn’t helping us in the way that we are asking. And no matter how hard we think, we just cannot see the wisdom in being locked in layers of darkness, struggling to reach the top. It is at this moment that we need to stop, take a step back and learn from nature. Stop and imagine what would happen to the seed if it simply stopped trying because it was too tired to push through and struggle to the top. Imagine what would happen to a butterfly if, after being wrapped in its cocoon for so long, it decided to stop pushing its way out and spread its wings. Imagine what would happen to a baby chick if it stopped pecking its way through the egg to make it to the world where chicks become chickens. Things may seem to be tougher than necessary, for longer than necessary, in places where we don’t want them to be. But know, nothing is without reason and nothing is without cause. God sent us examples in His creation to constantly give us motivational boosts to get us throughout our days. Open your eyes to the signs of God and embrace your inspiration to move forward. As Richard Carlson says, “If you watch how nature deals with adversity, continually renewing itself, you can’t help but learn.” [/font]
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Post by Ummati on Mar 25, 2013 15:57:14 GMT 5
Thank you Allah for everything that you have given us. Thank you Allah for a bed, a roof over my head, for food in the refrigerator, for the opportunity to receive an education, for the opportunities to do good that you created for us today, for answering the calls of your slaves, for friends and family, and the biggest thank you…for the blessing of Islam. Ya Allah, help us to always and forever be grateful to you and help us to always count our blessings no matter what our situation may be. Ya Allah make us amongst those that are grateful and make us amongst those that you are pleased with. Ameen.
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Post by Ummati on May 10, 2013 14:37:45 GMT 5
Overcoming Hardship - “If you are irritated by every rub, how will your mirror be polished?” - Rûmî The nature of a lover’s heart provides the biggest insight into what he truly holds dear. In Persian poetry (and especially in Rumi’s work), this spiritual heart is symbolised by the mirror. When an individual places Allah (SWT) foremost in his life - when pleasing Him and serving Him become the sole purpose of his existence - there exist no barriers and no veils that can distort the image of the Beloved in the heart of the lover. As humans, we have the tendency to become easily distracted by the temptations of the dunya. We often chase after what the world has to offer, allured by the promise of wealth, worldly success and immediate gratification. The more we crave for this life and the more we focus on beautifying our outer selves instead of feeding our inner spirituality, the more corrupted, dirty and rusted our hearts become. Immediately, this separates us from Allah (SWT). Living in such a state goes against our very nature as human beings. It leaves us perpetually disillusioned, empty and in a constant state of yearning for something that our hearts cannot find. When we lose our way, Allah (SWT) uses the same dunya that we so desperately seek to make us understand our true purpose. Each time we are hurt and disappointed by other people and what happens in this life, we crave to call out to our Lord once again. Suffering and loss remind us of the uncertainty and temporary nature of the world around us. Little by little, we realise how unfulfilling a life of the dunya is and how infinite a life led for the sake of Allah (SWT) can be. Instead of being a source of pain and resentment, the hardships we experience should be seen as an opportunity to cleanse and purify ourselves from everything that distances us from Him. In times of abundance, we discover His Kindness and Graciousness, and that teaches us to be grateful and humble servants. But it is in terms of hardship that we are taught how to love only Him. We learn to trust Him alone, ask from Him alone and depend solely on Him. Eventually, our temporary, unfulfilling attachments to the dunya are once again replaced by the eternal love for Allah (SWT) in our hearts. He tests us not to punish us, but to bring us back to Him. Such is the Mercy of our Lord. And so, “if you are irritated by every rub” - if you become frustrated and discouraged at the first sign of adversity - “how will your mirror be polished?” How will your heart be purified and cleansed? How will you rid yourself of the barriers that separate you from your Creator? How will your heart once again reflect the true image of your Lord?
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Post by Ummati on May 17, 2013 20:29:21 GMT 5
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