Unwavering Intentions

The New Year has now begun, both in the Hijri calendar as well as the Gregorian calendar. This time of the year holds many different customs, norms, traditions as well as celebrations. Many will be aware of the ‘sales’ that take place, whilst others will have suffered the load bangs of people setting fire to their money through the purchasing of fireworks.

It is also during this time that many people make a New Year’s resolution; a statement containing a list of items that one determines to complete and be steadfast upon during the New Year.

I usually tend to grab any opportunity, any excuse to make a resolution; so whether it is a big achievement in life; a new opportunity; my birthday or New Years, I don’t miss a chance to update my resolutions... In fact, we should make a resolution every day reminding us to avoid the mistakes of yesterday.

So now that the New Year is here, should we not use this as an opportunity to make a pact with Allah; to use this opportunity to bow in front of Him and ask Him for another chance?

Point

Well the point is crystal clear... it is as I said above... Don’t waste a moment’s time to make a gesture of good will towards Allah or towards a fellow being. Bring in a change for the better by reflecting upon the past.

So what can be included in a resolution? Anything from the smallest of ‘promises’ to the greatest of Du’as... Start simple and build on it after you have achieved one... Make a list and cross off one by one...

O Allah give me firm and unwavering intentions which I can use to gain Your pleasure and the pleasure of those whom You love. O Allah, grant me the wisdom to make the correct intentions in life and the courage to carry out my intentions. Allah, if You have placed benefit in any act then put it in my fate to do that action and O Allah if there is any action that is not in my favour then You are the Most Merciful, turn me away from that action and distance that action from me.

O Allah clean my heart in the same manner that water cleanses dirty clothes. O Allah quench my thirst with knowledge in the manner that water quenches thirst. O Allah grow the love for You and Your beloved in my heart like the manner in which water grows crops.

O Allah, You are the one who gives and who takes; I ask from You not that which I desire but instead that which You desire for me and I ask You to desire for me not that which is in accordance to my deeds but that which is in accordance to Your mercy and kindness.

O Allah another year has gone within which I was unable to become any closer to You yet Your mercy has given me another chance, another year, O Allah make every remaining moment of my life one that is not wasted in futile goals and materialism; O Allah make every moment one within which Your favours smile upon me not through my worship but through my efforts.

O Allah in this life many people have come and gone; many have given hope of love and many hopes of happiness yet my heart knows that there is no true love except that which is for You and that which is from You; there is no happiness except in those things that make You happy. I beg of You O Allah to remove the false love that drowns my heart and elevate me to a rank where I can understand what it means to love You and be loved by You.

O Allah, my heart is dying through the poison of my sins; O Allah, in this desperate hour of need do not close Your doors of forgiveness on me. O Allah give me the ability to make a sincere repentance to You.

Ya Allah, I am deprived of tears; of remorse; of words and even of the manner of asking from You. O Allah even a beggar is more sincere when he begs. But Allah I am more certain that Your mercy is far greater than the ocean of my errors; I belief in you is firmer than my habits and sins. I ask You through your mercy to grant me my supplication.

O Allah, You alone are aware of my intentions of my Du’as and of my efforts in Your path. I beseech you to accept the little I do and grant it uncounted rewards from Your treasures. My effort has an end, my time is limited and my devotion may waver but O Allah You are free from defects; You are perfect in every sense and there is no limit in Your treasures neither does it decrease; grant me from this endless treasure of Yours an amount similar to Your rule over mankind, an amount which does justice to all of Your beautiful names.

O Allah, on the day of resurrection do not shame us in front of the entire nation; O Allah on that day overlook our errors and sins. Ya Allah, if even a moment of our life is displayed then we will drown in shame and remorse. O Allah, You are Sattaar, the one who hides and conceals, O Allah, You are the Lord which bestows air, food, drink and sleep after we sin and even whilst we’re sinning. O Allah, on that day, we will be dreading every moment of our lives, every action we did. Ya Allah, hide us in Your cloak of concealment. Ya Allah give us shade under Your thrown and make us amongst those whom the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم recognises and asks intercession for; for indeed his intercession will be accepted.

O Allah, send countless blessings upon our beloved Nabi صلى الله عليه و سلم and make us living examples of his life in this world. O Allah, give us the courage and wisdom to act according to his teachings and not let our emotions and foolishness taint his image and the image of Islam. Ya Allah, give us the honour of seeing the beloved Nabi صلى الله عليه و سلم in this world and in a state where he is pleased with us. O Allah, give us a place in Jannah with him even if it be as his servants.

O Allah, our tongues will tire from asking, our arms from begging and our eyes from shedding tears but O Allah You never become tired. We may stop asking but You never stop listening. We may forget to ask but You know that which is within the hearts. O Allah, we ask You for all good and ask Your refuge from all evil. Grant us that which our Nabi صلى الله عليه و سلم has sought from You and save us from that which our Nabi صلى الله عليه و سلم has sought refuge from. Aameen.