.:Bullet Proof Read:.

Random MSA pic.

During class break yesterday, I went to the masjid to pray. As soon as I got up from the first raka’ah, I felt a tap upon my shoulder. Nope, not some spooky jinni story. It’s just been a long time since someone’s randomly made me lead prayer so it felt good, alhamdulillah. Soon another sister joined in and then another. Four sisters joining in is a bit overwhelming when you’re more used to praying alongside them as the congregation rather than leading them (or at least lead from the start after that little push around! - see The Humble Imam). But anyway, it’s a good feeling of responsibility, masha Allah. You know, since you can’t run away from it anyway. May the force(d leading of salah) be with you.

It’s also a good reminder to us folks who sometimes shy away from joining another sister who’s already in prayer, innit.

The other day though, I was reminded of/by an even more severe matter. I’d delayed a prayer without good reason and as soon as I prayed, after I’d first recited surah al-Fatihah, without deliberating, I immediately went into Surah al-Ma’un… almost by instinct. Subhan Allah.

Allah gives us reminders in so many ways. So, so many ways.

An extra large pic because it’s just absolutely beautiful, subhan Allah.

Remember when you were a kid, you thought the full moon followed you the whole way on that trip, the long drive somewhere? You’d stare at that bright heavenly body, oblivious to what your parents went on about in the front seats. With each signpost, each tree, each building that blocked your view, you’re quickly greeted again by that illuminous round perfection.

See knowledge? Knowledge follows you around wherever you go. It constantly provides you with that reflection of light and especially so in the darkest of moments. But you decide its course of orbit. You choose how much of its light shines upon you. At this point of life (and possibly til the end of it), most of us probably have very little - almost negligible - of what the Source of knowledge has to offer… Our knowledge is possibly like the earliest sign of the moon at the beginning of a new lunar, Islamic month. That might be excusable if we are patiently persevering in the process of learning. But sometimes we let external barriers block that light from our lives. The signpost, the tree… All these distractions leave us in the dark momentarily. And unfortunately for some, for eternity. Na’udhubillahi min dhalik.

How does one keep knowledge as one’s faithful companion? Knowledge is something that Allah blesses upon His slaves, granting good comprehension of that knowledge to those whom He favours. Believing, understanding and implementing the knowledge granted is essential to keep that light of knowledge alive within oneself.

What’s really beautiful is that you see how the only du’a in the Qur’an in which one asks his Lord for an increase in anything is the du’a for knowledge…

رَّبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْماً
“My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.”

Surah Taha: 114

And what is Allah’s promise to us with regards to increasing us [in blessings]?

…وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ
And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed: “If you give thanks (by accepting Faith and worshipping none but Allah), I will give you more (of My Blessings)…

Surah Ibrahim: 7

Subhan Allah.

So how does one make himself worthy of receiving knowledge? By being thankful to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. Every day, at the end of it, you look out the window and you see the moon… And even when you sleep, it still shines on you through the window. Every day, for even the smallest amount of knowledge that you receive, praise and thank Allah. Increase and perfect your worship to Him. Surely, that knowledge will be the best benefit for you, a delightful light upon your heart and soul.

At the end of this simplified advice, I ask myself before I ask you:

Are you worthy of knowledge?

As one stands before a Muslim cemetery, one sees graves stretch right up to the horizon. The calm, the quiet, the peace and serenity that hovers above the tombstones almost deceive us of the reality that lies beneath. While we give our salam to and pray for the inhabitants of those graves, we barely think of our own death. The cool, sudden breeze across the graveyard may bring a shiver down our spines but that feeling of fear is often short-lived.

How does one move from temporal reflections on death to a more permanent state of constant awareness of its reality and sure coming?

The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said in a Hadeeth: “Abundantly remember the destroyer of pleasures (meaning death)”

The way to realise this hadith in our lives is to first understand what the pleasures are. In our lives, we sometimes find that the most constant pleasures are the little things… that go almost unnoticeable because they’re a part of our daily routine. So go ahead, list them out… What are your pleasures in this world? Then do your best to convert those such that what pleases you shall only be what pleases Allah.

I’ve learnt that one can lessen one’s desires for any worldly thing by seeing its value (or use) in the future. You know very well what you may like now, you may dislike, even hate or simply have no need of five years down the road or even in the very next month. Life has taught us this valuable lesson as we grew up so let us learn from our experiences.

All right I’m done talking.

Here’s a beneficial piece on the Constant Awareness of Being ‘Prepared’:

It is a duty upon every sane person to be prepared for his departure (from this world), for one does not know when he will be served by his Lord’s commands (to take away his soul) nor does he know how long it is going to be before he will be summoned (for the Day of Judgment).

I have seen so many people enchanted by their youth. They have forgotten that their peers no longer exist, yet they are preoccupied with prolonged hopes (to stay alive).

A person in the process of acquiring knowledge may tell himself; ‘I will acquire knowledge today and will adopt it the following day.’ Such (postponement) may leave him in his deviation whilst giving himself a break (for the day)! Delaying his readiness to achieve repentance, whilst exposing himself to be indulged in (sins, such as) backbiting or listening to such (backbiting) or getting involved in a Shubhah (suspected, Halaal or Haraam) matters. He hopes to cancel it out (i.e. the bad deed/s) through his would be observance, the following day, forgetting that death may be sudden.

The wise one is he who values each and every moment of his life, observing one’s due duties. Then, if death was to come suddenly, one would be ready (to face The Judge, Allaah subhanahu wata’aala). However, if one is granted his wish (in his life being prolonged) that would mean the increasing of (one’s scale of) good deeds.

Imam Ibn al-Jawzee
SOURCE: islaam.com