.:Bullet Proof Read:.

“Man is not what he thinks he is, he is what he hides.” - Andre Malraux

Everybody’s got their own secrets. Secrets they guard with their lives. So… why do secrets destroy us internally?

As Muslims, a lot of our secrets exist in the form of our vulnerabilities, weaknesses, evil desires and acts of sin. But let’s face it, we SUCK at keeping our secrets. I agree that most times people are well able to hide what they’re ashamed of. But what I mean is how they handle these secrets privately. Such a concealment can sometimes affect their whole lives! Eating them up inside. Killing them softly, if you will. You’d find some lives revolve around a single wrongdoing.

Yes, one should resist, regret and repent. And it’s hard to simply get over it. We should never treat any sin lightly. Consider the Greatness of the One whom we’ve disobeyed. Give thanks that He still guides you to overcome your mistakes. And once you’re out, remember to leave it in the past.

Seriously, stop beating yourself silly over it. Be practical. Do good deeds to cancel out the bad one. Increase in good deeds to prevent a recurrence. Beware of deluding yourself that your tears are directed towards your Lord and that your tears alone should suffice. We read stories of exemplary Muslims from amongst the sahabah and imams weeping bucketfuls. And how we’re encouraged by the Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam to make ourselves cry even if we can’t. But the sort of crying we eventually do is shameful. I can’t describe it - but I’m sure you know just what I mean. It’s just… wrong.

We’re practical about direct ‘ibadah. But we don’t realise the many gems of Islam that tell us how we should treat the secrets we lock up inside. That there is always an explanation - cause and effect - but at the same time, there is always a solution.

Please protect yourself from letting your secrets overwhelm you and shape who you are. Life is much more bigger than that.