Rise For Tahajjud

In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
Assalamualaikum

 "If there is something you want in life, but aren't praying Tahajjud for it, then you don't really want it." - Sheikh Yasir Qadhi.

Rise for Tahajjud, Suhaidah.
Get out of bed, and perform Tahajjud. 
If not now, then when?

Ustaz LH (pseudonym) led us in Qiyam last night, and his tazkirah about the importance of Qiyam, was thought provoking. An instant eeman booster, here is a short excerpt of the tazkirah in which I have translated from Malay into English.

'If things did not go the way you had wanted it to be, know that He has a better plan for you. But if it happens all too frequently, then you should begin to question the state of your spiritual being. Your ruh. You may have all the money and knowledge in the world, but without a strong ruh, there is only very little that you can achieve.

This is why we have been blessed with day and night. So that we can maintain hablum minallah & hablum minnannas. During the day time, we focus on hablum minallah. We focus on building good relationship with people. We interact with Muslims and non-muslims alike, with good akhlak. And at night where it is most peaceful, we can work on hablum minallah. This is where we spend some time alone with Allah, to reflect on ourselves. We do our muhasabah, we ask for His Mercy, we ask Him for forgiveness.

The beautiful thing about waking up in the third of the night to speak to Allah, is that it teaches the heart to be humble. Our internal spirtual being, must be strong. Let His kalamullah enter your soul, and with His Mercy you will get His blessings insyaallah.

When he blesses your soul, wouldn't things then all fall into the right place?
Let Tahajjud be your own special private time with Allah.

So rise, for tahajjud. 

Baseera

In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful

Assalamualaikum

One day, 

the distance between us will fall apart. 

And in time to come, 

we will soon learn to know,

the hikmah behind what was once unseen.

I seek a closure.

I seek an answer.

And if you will...

I could have waited,

I could have patiently waited,

for 10 more years, if I had wanted to,
if you needed me to.

But...

What I have hope,

became a torn rope.

Why did I even bother,

to agree to the wait?

Because who could guarantee,

that you would be, my soulmate?

I fear that I may thread the wrong path,

for a wrong decision made, will cost me a lifetime of regret.

This is a gamble,

a risk both you and I, have agreed to take.

So to Him I turned, 

to Him I prayed.

I had asked for Him;

to keep you steadfast in the Deen,

to protect you from harm,

to give you only the best in all that you do.

One fine day,

I had asked for Him,

to give me a sign;

that if you were not meant to be mine, 

I needed to know the reason why.

And I waited.

As the years passed by,

The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful,

finally revealed me the answer.

Nothing too divine,

but it was all logical, real, and clear.

I saw it with my eyes.

I heard it with my ears.

And I cried,

one whole night.

How dare you.

But how silly, it was of me too.

No man is perfect,

but this flaw is too huge,

one that I cannot accept.

To err is human,

But to err without guilt,

what will that turn you into?

Afala ta'qilun

will you not ponder and think?

Perhaps one day, I will write a book.

To reflect on how much I have grown,

from a whiny little kid,

to one who is able to stand strong on her own.

And until then...

Dear you,

I leave you with 5 words.

Hold on to your iman.

~ The soul still seeking for peace, 

Suhaidah Amran

He Lost His Faith

In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
Assalamualaikum

Title: He Lost His Faith (Eeman)


Difficulties will come.
Tragedies will befall you.
Adversities will knock your your door.

But every single time you fall, stand back up and say Allahuakbar.

Still Alive

In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
Assalamualaikum

Hello.

I am still well, and alive. I've stopped writing, to make way for life. I have set some new life goals that I want to achieve. I thought of sharing it here, for keepsake.

1. Obtaining a driving license. Class 3A (Auto).

I enrolled into BBDC in July, and I passed both my theory tests in just one attempt. At the moment, I am still attending driving classes as I have not cleared my practical classes yet. Yesterday we did parallel parking, and boy it was so difficult. But I am glad my instructor was patient with me. We laughed so much, to the point I had tears in my eyes because I did a silly mistake. He was thirsty, so he reached for his water bottle. He took one big sip, and just before he could swallow it, I mounted a kerb. I was about to do a left turn, but forgot to check for my turning point and tadaaa. He almost choked on his drink! The 'feel' of the effect was quite strong because I accelerated too much, lol. I was apologetic of course. He was like: "Masyaallah! Boleh sakit jantung ni" // I applied for the fixed group instructors scheme, and all of my instructors are malay (guys). It was awkward at first, but alhamdulillah they are all really really nice, funny, firm, patient (all-in-one). I always look forward to attending practical classes. And I hope to at least attain my driving's license before Hari Raya in 2015. (':

2. Started work at My Islamic Journey. (Masjid Sultan)

I was directed to this job opportunity by a family friend. MIJ is an Islamic Madrasah Enrichment Centre that provides Islamic Religious Education (IRK) to children/youths with special needs. I was given a form class to teach IRK on every Saturdays. Most of the children in my class is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and Global Developmental Delay (GDD). It makes teaching a whole lot more challenging, but I learnt something new about myself along the way.

3. Fitness Journey

Recently, I've made it a habit to exercise regularly, and maintain a healthy diet. Signed up for gym, and aerobics and I run on alternate days of the week. Favourite gym has got to be the one at Orchid Country Club. #muslimswithmuscles

4. Internship

I will be starting on my internship this March 2015, specializing in Special Needs Education (Early Intervention). A path I have always wanted to embark on. I am fully aware of the risk that I am about to take. That it is not going to be easy, and I have to face each day positively. Cliche, but whatever. Upon graduation, in 2016, I have to serve a three year teaching contract with the Ministry of Education. Prolly I'd be teaching in a school for typically developed children. After the 3 years, I will make a career switch and return to practice intervention on a full-time basis.

5. Pergas

Will be completing SLPI this year. Can't believe I completed SPI in 2011, and now I am about to finish SLPI (a 3 years course). This will be my third year, my final year. Prolly gonna miss my Sunday routine when this ends.

6. I'm turning 21!

That's really old eh? I think I have matured a lot, over the past few years. At 17/18/19, I was quite emotional and gullible. Now in my early twenties, I am starting to view things differently. In a better way. I have grown stronger, and that's for sure because to all the boohoo guys and girls who have wrecked my heart into two, I;ve learnt to forgive and sincerely wish Jannah for them. 

Sheik Yusuf Estes

In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
Assalamualaikum


"The reason we cry is because we feel this rahmah from Allah s.w.t coming over us; washing away our sins." - Sheikh Yusuf Estes

A beautiful video. Have a watch.

Hijab

In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
Assalamualaikum

Disclaimer: I don't think that a muslim sister, or any other women for that matter, should be reduced to what she wears, or what she doesn't wear. As cliche as it may sound, we should learn to see people beyond how they appear.

A 'non hijab wearing' sister should not be viewed as 'less muslim', than compared to another sister who wears the hijab. A 'hippie and fashionable-hijab wearing' sister should also not be viewed as 'less muslim', than compared to another sister who wears the 'long hijab/jilbab/niqab etc'.

Having said that though, I do still believe that ultimately, a muslim woman is obligated to cover herself properly, just as it is also an obligation for the muslim men, to cover himself properly. I do not accept the act of not wearing the hijab, but I do accept the person as my sister in Islam, and regard her as a part of the Muslim Ummah. Insyaallah.

Our understanding of Hijab comes from two verses of the Qur'an.

"And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears, thereof and to wrap [a portion of]
their headcovers over their chests, and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husband's sons, their brothers, their brother's sons, their sister's sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed." [Surah An-Nur ayat 31]

"O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close around them. That will be better so that they may be recognised and not annoyed. Allah is Most Forgiving, and Merciful. [Surah Al-Ahzab, ayat 59]

These, are the evidences for hijab. As to what form it takes, keep it mind that it varies from one local culture, to another (yet at the same time, it fulfills the basic requirements of wearing the hijab). It is heart warming to note that more muslim sisters are embracing the hijab. Subhanallah at that, really. 

The hijab has transformed into more than just a piece of cloth. It has become universal, and now, hijab even has it's place in the fashion industry. Masyaallah. 

With the rise of hijab fashion, it has attracted some of our Muslim sisters, to dress themselves up in a way that is chic, and trendy. Now, there is honestly nothing wrong with that. Personal grooming is necessary, but it must done in a way that is syari'e appropriate. To achieve that, careful considerations must be made, before one decides to follow a fashion trend. 

The act of putting on the hijab could go wrong, with excessive styling (for the purpose of 'showing-off her beauty to others). This is known as, tabarruj. However, one should not be too quick to judge and accuse a sister for 'showing-off', the moment he/she sees a sister with a chic hijab style. But unfortunately,  this is the reality of what that is happening today. Sisters, have become quick to criticize another sister (openly, and give harsh comments), for not wearing the hijab syari'e appropriately. And the internet allows for instant critiques and condemnations like these, to occur easily.

A sister who posted an image/video of herself (with a chic hijab style) on Instagram or Youtube, is most likely to get comments like: 

"Sister, this is haraam. you should not display your beauty free for all to see."

"Sister, this is haraam. The hijab you are wearing is not long enough !@#$%."

"Sister, there is too much make-up on your face. This is haraam, for Islam prohibits tabarruj." 

"Sister, astaghfirullah! Tabarruj! You're a filth and a disgrace to our Ummah!"

And this, should stop. 

Has it ever occurred to you that perhaps, the sister in the video/picture may still be new to Islam and have not fully understand/grasp the right concept of hijab? Giving harsh comments to this sister openly will only hurt her, embarrass her, and this may even cause her to stray further away from Islam. A proper way to direct this sister would be through the form of giving naseehah (sincere advice).

Giving naseehah to our brothers and sisters in Islam is a duty on all Muslims. But how can we ensure that the results of our naseehah will give a positive impact?

The Prophet Muhammd s.a.w said: "The religion is naseehah."

The people asked: "to whom?"

The Prophet Muhammad s.a.w replied: "To Allah, and to His Book, and to His Messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims, and the common folk." [Collected by Bukhari and Muslim]

From here, we know that naseehah is an effective weapon. But like most weapons, if not used properly, it can cause more harm than good. And what Islam does, to ensure the effectiveness of this weapon is that it teaches us the etiquettes on giving naseehah, and they are: 

Etiquettes of giving Naseehah:

1. Purify your intentions

2. Give naseeha in secret. 

3. Naseehah to be given with kindness, gentleness, and softness. 

4. Do not compel others to follow one's naseehah.

5. Choose a proper time to give naseehah.

For a more detailed explanation, visit: http://www.akronmasjid.com/how-to-give-naseehah/

So yep, do just that. Especially, point number 2, and 4. Be mindful when giving naseehah. A sister who has already gained a deep/firm understanding of the Deen needs to know that the process of change takes time. Remember, we were once jahil too, and it was with Allah's mercy that we are, who we are today; a better Muslim than yesterday.

Moving on...

What then, constitutes a 'good hijab' style?
Ustazah Zaynab Ansari, SunniPath Academy Teacher answered:

"The clothing used to cover the body should be opaque, and loose-fitting. In other words, the color of the skin and the contours of the body should not show through the clothing. The head should be covered with some form of a khimar (head veil). The khimar should cover the hair, neck, ears, and bosom. Furthermore, women should not make themselves up or use perfume when they go out. Using makeup and perfume would defeat the whole purpose of hijab,"

"As to what fabrics, colors, or styles of clothing to use, that is entirely up to you. For as long as you have satisfied the above mentioned basic requirements. As far as color is concerned, a lot of that is cultural. While wearing black in the Arab world is customary, in Africa and Southeast Asia, it is customary to be colorful and this will not be considered inappropriate. Diversity, is one of the strengths of the Ummah. It is not right, for people to tell you that if you wear a black hijab, your hijab is good. But if you wear a hijab with flowers on it, your hijab is bad. As long as you are modest, and have not dressed in a way that will attract attention to yourself, you are fine. You can tell, and you know it best if you are wearing something that is showy or flashy. Use discretion, insyaallah."

And that sums up, everything that needs to be said. The hijab can take many forms, all of which when done right, insyaallah are beautiful in their own right.

The soul still seeking for peace, 
Suhaidah Amran

The Forgotten Sweetness

In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
Assalamualaikum

يَاأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَتْكُمْ مَوْعِظَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَشِفَاءٌ لِمَا فِي الصُّدُورِ وَشِفَاءٌ لِمَا فِي الصُّدُورِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

"Oh mankind! There has come to you a good advice from your Lord (the Qur'an), and a healing for the dieseases in your heart; a guidance and mercy for the believers." [Surah Yunus, verse 57]

Ain't nothing but a mistake. Or perhaps, not. Oh I don't know. It is extremely difficult, to give up on learning something that I have grown very attached to, over the past decade. But if I were to decide between crotchets and alif, lam, meem; I would choose the latter. It is impossible for Music and Quran, to coexist in the same heart. Especially in a heart, as fragile as mine. Keeping it minimal, lest is strays me further.

I tried to strike a balance between the two, but this Qalb is a vulnerable fool. For it has been deluded with an illusion, that the beautiful melodies produced by this instrument has the power to keep me sane from all pain. To which masyaallah, it did help (to a certain extent). But the magic works only for a while. It gives a temporary heal, but the pain never really did seem to go away. And, I finally understood why. Music was never created to heal.

Allow me to narrate, a personal recount.

The Ulum Quran module I am currently studying about, requires me to memorise 3 surah(s) from the Quran, and I started with Surah Al Mulk. I memorized it diligently, and miraculously...the process of memorization somehow had a positive influence to my life. I haven't been memorizing for quite a while, but it certainly felt good to be back on this track. It was this feeling of sweetness, that I have not felt in a very long time. Could this be the forgotten sweetness that I have been yearning for?

As the days went by, I found myself beginning to flip open to the other chapters of the Quran, and I recited them off with tartil. This, evolved into a routine. I started this habit by just reading one page after every fardhu prayer, and I am amazed at how that one page, could keep me happy and calm the whole day. I began to yearn for more and became very fixated with this routine that I brought my little Quran with me to wherever I go. I continued with this act for the next few months to follow.

One day, when I was in the car with my dad, a 'weird' thing happened. The local radio station was playing a 'dangdut song', and I felt instantly disgusted by the music. Weird, I thought to myself. Why am I reacting negatively to the music? The next few songs that played, mostly revolved around the theme of love. Love, prohibited before nikah. Sure, there were no explicit content in its lyrics, but they're promoting 'love' in a wrong way. I felt at unease, and requested for my dad to put the zikrullah CD on play instead. That felt much sweeter.

It was then that I realized, there was no way for Music and Quran, to coexist in the same heart. And it is from here that I conclude, the difference between Music and Quran, is as clear as night and day. The difference between the two, is not something that could be easily translated into words, but it could be greatly felt, and understood through the heart.

So what does Islam say about music? Let's take a look at the following hadith:

1. The Prophet said: "There will be at some future time, people from my ummah who will seek to make lawful: fornication, the wearing of silk, wine-drinking, and the use of musical instruments.."
[Narrated by al-Bukhari]

2.  The Messenger of Allah said: "A people from my ummah will drink wine, calling it by other than its real name. Merriment will be made for them through the playing of musical instruments and the singing of lady singers. Allah will cleave the Earth under them..." [Narrated by Ibn Majah]

*Ibn Qayyim had authenticated the hadith, and so did Sheikh al-Albani in his Silsatul Ahadith as-Sahihah.*


The 2 hadiths above, clearly prohibits the use of music in Islam. But let us now, look at it from another point of view. What does Mazhab Syafie say about music?

In the book Adaabul Qadaa, Imam Syafie was reported to have said: "Verily, song is loathsome [makruh], it resembles the false and vain thing. The one who partakes of it frequently is an incompetent fool whose testimony should be rejected."

These are just some evidences that I found on the net, but I will continue to take a neutral stand on this matter, until I have seek full clarification about the rulings, from an 'alim in real life. See, it is rather hard for me to accept the fact that music is haram, considering that I grew up with music.

I participated in an orchestra as a junior violinist.
I participated as a pianist in solo piano recitals.
I participated in singing competitions.
I grew up with music, in my heart.
 
I still do listen to music, but I practice active listening. If the contents of the music contains rhymes or verses that are against the syariah, I will stop listening to the song. But if it's contents are clean, I'd give it a listen but, at a minimal frequency. Example of these are: nasyeed & qasidah etc

But Suhaidah, piano music, is instrumental music. How harmful can that get?

That is true. However, the problem with me is that when I play the piano, I get so consumed with its melodies that I would spend hours playing on it. And I fear, that this may interfere with the quality of my ibaadah. As of now, I have settled for something that is less threatening than that. I only listen to instrumental piano music on Youtube, at a minimal frequency. Although I admit, each time I listen to a piece, I have the strong urge to play and replicate that same song on the piano. But I managed to hold back, alhamdulillah.

You see, Quran...if recited daily with sincerity, alters our heart and it awakes our consciousness to move towards goodness. Quran will light the dark hearts. This light (Nuur) is from Allah swt, and it does wonders to our lives. It will transform our akhlak and adab. It will change the way we think, the way we speak, the way we treat our parents. It will change the way we live our lives, insyaallah.

Return to the Quran. And make du'a, may Allah make us among those who recites this Book, follow it, understand it, memorize it, and then teach it to others, to gain His Mercy.

The soul seeking for peace,
Suhaidah Amran

Qalb

In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
Assalamualaikum

حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ
Allah alone, is sufficient for us. (Surah Al Imran: 173)

I want to work, on my spiritual well-being. I want to clean this heart for it has been filled with so much filth, that I can't even begin to describe. My heart is fragile.Ya Rabb, this heart You gave me is only so small and I can't seem to fill it with enough ihsaan, and ikhlaas, to last me a lifetime.

Dear self.
You read so many books, to know it all,
yet fail to ever read your heart at all. 
You rush to holy shrines to play a part,
but would you dare enter, the shrine of your own heart?
You are quick to attack, the 'evil one',
yet pride is a battle you have not won.
You grab for a star you can control,
yet fail to grasp the light in your own soul.

'Don't think that your heart is strong. The heart, is a vulnerable fool. It turns easily. And that is why it's called the qalb (that which turns).' - Yasmid Mogahed -

Last month, I recalled being really upset. So upset, that I knew the only place that could offer me immediate solace and comfort, would be doing i'tikaf at a masjid. So I headed straight for Al-Iman Mosque, and it was during the i'tikaf, that I truly felt connected to my spiritual well-being. It was a feeling, that I have not experienced in a very long, long time. The feeling granted me a strong will, to return back to al-fitra. It suddenly occurred to me that hey, isn't the act of returning back to our fitra, a beautiful concept to live with? Returning back to al-fitra, I thought, must first begin with the purification of the heart.

Prophet Muhammad s.a.w once mentioned: 'Surely there is in the body, a small piece of flesh. If it is good, the whole body will be good. And if it is corrupted, the whole body will be corrupted. And know that this piece of flesh, is surely, the heart. - Related sahih by Imam Bukhari -

With that in mind, I came to a point of realization that realizes the reality of it all. Beginning to see it for the first time, the importance of things. Noticing every single inch of detail that surrounds me, and finally look at life the right way. The search for a better self, isn't at all easy. To change for the better is one thing, but to maintain the istiqamah is another. How do you maintain the istiqamah?

From a sermon I attended recently, I found my answer when the Ustaz ended the class with this particular hadith.

Prophet Muhammad s.a.w said: 'I leave with you two things. As long as you hold on to them tightly, you will never go astray. They are, the Book of Allah (Quran) and my Sunnah.

And there you have it, oh dear self.  We read the Quran, but yet it's contents we never quite understand. From this hadith, it has now become clear to me that, one should never abandon the Quran. For if we ever do, there will be a strange form of emptiness that will fill our heart, and then we'd begin to look for happiness, in all the wrong places. Recite the Quran, and live upon it. I want to be able to reach a point where, my heart will terribly feel at unease, if I fail to recite at least one page in a day. It takes a lot to reach there, but insyaallah.

My Qalb needs fixing, and let the spiritual service begin. 

The soul still seeking for peace,
Suhaidah Amran

Eat

In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
Assalamualaikum

The kuliah after isya' class ended, and we gathered at the pantry to have some light refreshments before leaving the masjid. An unknown makcik pulled me by the arm, and settled me down in her 'clique', to eat together. A du'a was recited, and everyone started to dig in. But I've been keeping to a rather strict diet routine. It has become a habit that I have been trying to keep (strictly no eating, after 7pm) and the time on the clock reads, 10.30pm.

I wasn't the slightest bit hungry and so I decided not to eat. Also, the portion of briyani rice was waaaaay too much. With large bits of chicken and mutton meat, all smacked into one dulang. Then said Makcik A: "Jangan malu-malu la dik. Makan aje."

I smiled, and took a small bite, out of adab's sake. I stopped eating after about 3 mouthful of feeds and sipped my tea. I took pleasure in sipping the tea, taking my own sweet time to finish it, hoping that the other 3 makcik will forget about my existence in their clique, and help to finish up the briyani for me. But I was wrong.

Realising that I had stopped eating, the three makcik(s) reminded that it was highly encouraged to finish up every single grain of rice. One added, "nanti nasi nangis.", and even provided a hadith to support her statement. I wasn't too sure about the validity of the hadith though. The hadith could either be sahih, weak, or even invalid. But who was I too judge, for I am not an 'alim in this field and my knowledge of hadith is still very limited. So I took a neutral view, and continued to eat...still, with the small bites.

At that point of time, I felt a little frustrated as I thought about all the extra calories I'd be sleeping with for the night. Then as though they could sense my frustration, Makcik B mentioned: "Kita ni, sampai ke tua dapat makan dengan kenyang. Nabi kita dulu tu, makan tak pernah kenyang." Then there was a short silence between us.

In the silence, I recalled about how Rasulullah and his companions once used to tie stones around their stomach in an effort to overcome hunger.

Abu Talhah r.a says: "We complained to Rasulullah s.a.w about the severe pangs of hunger, and showed him the stones fastened on our stomachs. A stone was fastened on the stomach of every one of us due to severe hunger. Rasulullah s.a.w then showed us two stones fasted onto his stomach. From that, we know that Rasulullah s.a.w experienced more hunger than we did, and he had spent a longer period than us since he had last eaten." [Riwayat Imam Tirmizi]

A short commentary on the hadith:
It was a custom among the people of Madinah at that time, that they would fasten stones onto their stomachs when they experienced severe pangs of hunger. This was done so that they do not feel weak while walking, and to avoid wind from building up in the stomach. Some of the 'ulama are of the opinion that this stone, is a special type of stone in Madinah known as, mishba'ah. Allah swt has put this peculiarity in this stone that if it is worn, it will cool the pangs of hunger. Wallahu'alam bi sawaab. [Source: www.hadithcollection.com]

Subhanallah, and here, I have a dulang of free briyani rice laid right before my very eyes and instead of showing gratitude, I worried about calories instead. Oh dear me.

Then, Makcik C gently pat me on my shoulders and with a smile, she calmly said: "Makan pelan-pelan ye dik. Kita habiskan sama-sama. Rezeki ni dik. Niatkan agar nasi ini jadi sumber kekuatan untuk kita beribadah nanti."

Masyaallah. Such beautiful akhlak they've got. They were so polite when they 'tegur' me, and I am still amazed at how dakwah can reach us, in a circumstance when we least expect it. Allah's way of bringing us, His servant out from the light of darkness, is indeed worthy of our ponder and praise. Alhamdulillah. Allahuakbar

p/s: Picture courtesy from google, as I was too shy to snap a picture of the real briyani at the event. Kuliah was conducted at Masjid Kassim, Kembangan.

The soul still seeking for peace,
Suhaidah Amran

Sabar

In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
Assalamualaikum

الصَّبْرُ مِنَ الإِيْمَانِ.
Patience, is part of faith.

Define sabr.

Here's Mufti Menk's definition of sabr:
"Patience, is only a part of sabr. It is amazing and surprising how many people do not realise the extent of this word. Sabr includes forbearance, endurance, steadfastness, perseverance and restraint. All these terms together make the one word; 'sabr.' in the Arabic language"

That being said, it was only recently that I eventually began to realize about the importance of having 'sabr' in ourselves. Sabr has perhaps evolved into a mere 'common word of advice' that many would use upon themselves or on others (during a calamity), without truly understanding it's value by heart. 

Should we view sabr simply just as it is, or should it be viewed from another angle that requires greater critical thinking skills? If patience is part of faith, shouldn't we then regard sabr as a trait that is crucial towards the development of our faith? Where did the sabr go to?

'But I've been patient for too long!'

Then that, would put the question of sincerity into place. Here's what we all need to know (myself in particular); that in sabr, we need ikhlaas. Because without the ikhlaas, our claim for sabr', isn't truly a sabr at all. So again, where did the sabr go to?

Allah has mentioned in the Quran, to seek assistance using the following means:

"Seek assistance through sabr, through bearing patience, through restraining yourselves, and through prayer." [ Al Baqarah, verse 45]

Subhanallah. Key word (for me): prayer.

If we had maintained the istiqamah and sincerity in performing the prayer with much khusyoo', then our faith would be strengthened. With the faith strengthened, we would be able to accept any problems that we encouter through viewing it as qada' and qadr. And being able to accept our problems as qada' and qadr would definitely allow us to practice sabr with much ease. Wouldn't it? 

Sabr is a trait that needs to be instilled into every single human being alive. And for us Muslims in particular, we need to ensure that this trait, develops along together with faith. Without faith, it would be difficult for one to practice sabr. And if we don't practice sabr, what then...would be left of our declaration for true faith? 

'I tried. But to remain steadfast and patient in times of hardship, can sometimes be rather difficult.'

Yes my dear, I agree. Allah mentions in the Quran:

"Indeed, it is very difficult to do this, except for those who are pious, those who are humble, those who will adopt the laws of Allah s.w.t wholeheartedly, for them it will be simple for them to engage in sabr." [ Al Baqarah, verse 45 ]

But before one is able to practice sabr with full of ikhlaas, one must first know what hinders it from being developed in the first place. So as I pondered further, I asked myself. What makes it so difficult? What makes it so difficult for sabr, to be instilled into our spiritual self? I recalled back to the days where sabr was never a part of me, and with Allah's will, I found the answer.

Ego.

Ego makes it difficult, for sabr to shine through. Do we truly understand, about the true nature of ego? Ego, is the part of us that loves power. Ego, is kept alive solely through the stories we tell ourselves about life, and through the stories we tell ourselves, about others.

Ego, if not handled properly, may become a means of how we make sense, of our own identity. Would you fancy the idea of building your self-concept, through ego? Will that build good akhlak?

Here's an example of an ego-monologue:

I'm better at this job, than he is.

He was at fault, I don't see why I should apologise.

& when no efforts are being made to reduce the ego-monologue, it becomes a continuous process. We'll derive to the thinking that our identity must be continuously reinforced (through the ego monologue that we make of others), or we'll lose sense of ourselves. Naudzubillah man!

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah mentioned:

''From the signs of bliss and success is that a person, as he grows in learning, he grows in humbleness and compassion. As he grows in works of faith, he grows in fear and vigilance. As he grows in age, he diminishes in greed. As he grows in wealth, he grows in generosity and giving. And as he grows in strength and status, he grows in drawing closer to others so as to serve them and help fulfill their needs."

"From the signs of misery is that a person, as he grows in learning, he grows in pride and conceit. As he grows in works of faith, he grows in boasting; belittling others; and having an inflated opinion about himself. As he grows in age, he grows in greed. As he grows in wealth, he grows in stinginess and miserliness. And as he grows in status and standing, he grows in vanity and arrogance. All these matters are trials and tribulation from Allah by which He tries His servants. Through it, He makes some happy and blissful, while others are made wretched and miserable.''


With ego, we constantly want to put ourselves at a higher status than others. And when a conflict arise, we'd lose our sabr easily. When being ridiculed at, when we become the topic of a gossip etc, we'd lose sabr. Why? Because ego, gets in the way. We always want things to go our way. So with ego in the way, will there still be room for sabr to bloom?

Quoted by Yasmin Mogahed:
"Allah knows we have ego, nafs. Allah knows that these traits drive us. But Allah tells us that He is closer to us than even these. So when we reach for other than Him, we are not only reaching for what is weaker, we are also reaching past what is closer, for what is further and more distant."

Ego is a form of nafs, that Allah has given to each mankind. But here's the beautiful thing, along with ego, comes a variety of ways that we can adopt, to handle the ego within. ie: through the Quran, and zikrullah. Start small, kill the ego with zikrullah. Renew the shahadah, believe in qada' and qadr. And insyaallah, 'sabr with ikhlaas' will then slowly enter our inner soul. Let's practice sabr, in all that we do. Insyaallah.

So there you have it.
To obtain sabr, we must first learn, to kill the ego within.

The soul still seeking for peace,
Suhaidah Amran