Ups & Downs

This temporary world is an important reminder that this place is not paradise and nor is it problem free, for was it, there would have been no need to create paradise and its existence would not be unique and catching.

However, this world, being just in theory as a waiting room, brings along with it many difficulties. I realised this myself for the past for days or so. Sometimes life is so perfect and serene that one could not wish nor desire for anything more. And at other times, life can be so hard and demanding that death is not only an option, but in actual fact feels like a gift.

Although, I would not like to extend into details, nor do I want discuss my feelings at this very point... The matter which is important at the moment is that life has not been a comfortable ride recently. I do not complain, for this has not been the first time and I am certain that it shall not be the last.

Now, Alhumdulillah, I am feeling much better and then it occurred to me, during those few days thousands of thought went through my head and were washed down by hundred of tears, that I had not once left living, nor had I given up; I may have desired it, but nevertheless, I am sitting here, which denotes that I did not follow my desires.

POINT

The point is simple, where we have the materialistic side of this world; we also have the spiritual side that works in parallel. Just as the body has "ups and downs" in this world, so does the soul of a person feel the same "ups and downs" regarding its spiritual side. This feeling of "ups and downs" is known as "Qabz" (spiritually depleted state) and "Bust" (state of spiritual zenith).

In the state of Bust a person is willing and eager to worship Allah Ta'ala; it is in this state that he enjoys worshiping and being obedient to his Lord. No act or deed is too far fetched to carry out and he is able to carry out that which he has been ordered. In opposition is the state of Qabz in which man is a depleted and depressed state. He has no drive in him to carry out the acts which he has been ordered by his Lord nor is their any enjoyment for his soul in carrying these acts. But, in reality, it is within this state that the true test lies for the servant of Allah; for if he is successful and persuades his soul to worship Allah, despite detesting it and not gaining any pleasure, then surely he has reached fought his desires to a great level and therefore receives an equally high reward.

In conclusion, just as we fight our daily problems without letting the desires to give up succeed, so must we worship Allah Ta'ala without the urge to give up or forsake him, "for indeed with every difficulty comes easiness".

May Allah give us the ability to worship in every state, be it Qabz or Bust and may he make each state easy for us as the other. Aameen

4.7 Seconds

Life has been really hectic and busy for the last few weeks and it has been difficult to post on this blog, or any other blog for that matter.

While I was out for a drive one day I came across a billboard with the words "most people fall in love within 4.7 seconds"

That's the only thing that I managed to catch hold of and the fact that it was an advertisement for a Jaguar car. Nevertheless, the message behind that board was far more than meets the normal eye... it is a message for us to ponder.

Isn't it true how we can totally fall in love with something that has just been sighted by our eyes...

I know for sure that I've walked into a car showroom and fell in love with a car within a minute; I'm sure that this works for many people, falling in love with a dress in the shop window, some jewellery, a house, a computer, or whatever a person is into. It's not even strange to see people falling in love with animals.

Seeing that advert made me ponder about the meaning and the word "love". It made me thing that this is such a strong word and its usage is mostly with meaningless things.

Then it occurred to me that a meaningless thing becomes some precious as soon as you apply the "love" in the equation.

So where does that leave us with 'Love'?

POINT

If a man can fall in love with a care within 4.7 seconds and a girl with probably a dress (or a Barbie doll - I have no idea), then surely we should think about how we are not applying this love correctly in each part of our life.

Love is a great thing if done in moderation and applied in the right places, but it can be a very harmful and bad thing when it is used in the wrong places and more than need be.

We need to have love for money and material, but this should be very minimal. It should be enough to see us through our days and not leave us begging; yet it should not be so much that it makes us blind from everything else.

We need to have love for our partners and children so that we can fulfil their rights and have a peaceful life; yet it such not exceed the love we have for Allah, His Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam and His religion.

We should have love for Allah so that we can be successful in both this life and the hereafter; yet we fail to realise that this love should have no limits but it is the love that sometimes has no beginning.

We are so busy in loving all these futile, things that will perish one day that we have forgotten to love that which is beneficial and eternal.

The harm is still not done... do we change or do we continue to be drowned in what Shaytaan has shown us to be "love"... the decision is ours, will we recognise true love.

Surely we have had more than 4.7 seconds and over a thousand reasons to love Allah... Should we not ponder as to what or who is stopping us from loving Allah and is encouraging us to love futile objects?