In my last post, I talked about how life sometimes throws its curve balls. I shared my example of being in college and how I coped with its toughest moments. That was over 5 years ago.

Few months back, I had the opportunity to talk to a friend of mine who is studying Islam overseas. This brother is a champ. Him, his wife and family have seen a lot of hard times ever since he started studying. Even one of the sheikhs told me that if he was in my friend’s situation, he himself wouldn’t know if he could handle the test this brother is going through.

This is an excerpt from of our conversation that day.

4:37 PM Brother: i’m really enjoying my classes, alhamdulillah

we got finals coming up

week after next

4:38 PM me: inshallah you do well in them…

just remember, when ever you are losing motivation or hope, you are a in a blessed position….

and Allah is only testing you to increase your ranks

a lot of brothers pray to be there

but never make it

4:39 PM Brother: dude what you just said means a lot

seriously

me: i love you bro…a lot…let me know if I can do anything for you

4:40 PM Brother: jazakallah khair :).

I knew he was going through some painful times but he was being strong and not complaining about it. Nevertheless, I wanted to give him words of encouragement.

Few days later, he wrote me an email that touched me.

“…By the way, remember what you told me online…whenever I am losing motivation or hope, I am in a blessed position…and Allah is only testing me to increase my ranks and you said how a lot of brothers pray to be here and never make it. well, i copied your statement word for word and put it up as my desktop background. those words meant a lot bro...”

I was so glad my few honest words went such a long way. He used them as a reminder for himself. This shows one should never hesitate or take lightly the opportunity to share kind words with others. You don’t know how you can touch their life.

Beyond the words was that he made this idea, this concept something that hung front of his face all the time. Reframing his tests as opportunities to increase his ranks with Allah. Reframing his tight and challenging place of studying Islam as a blessing that so many are longing for.

This is the essence of believing, whatever Allah decrees for you is a special gift from Him. It is an opportunity to be closer to Him and in turn be more happier.

Reflect on the things that you find to be continuous annoyances, things you keep going after but not getting. What will you make of the opportunity ?

ShareThis

Related Post

• No Related Post

I had to clear my hard drive space because it was close to full. In going through the meticulous process of looking at old files and seeing if I needed them or not, I stumbled upon a little gem.

Back in college, there were some real hard academic days. It made me question my intelligence, my natural ability. Those were real big downer days. One of the days, I sat down front of the computer, opened up a new Microsoft Word document and started talking to myself.

Well, this is what I wrote to keep things in perspective. Here is the unedited version of it:

Things to remember

Remember that you have been given a rare and blessed chance. You are the University of Michigan. This is the institute where opportunities are given for those who attend. Others look up to those who are students of University of Michigan – Ann Arbor. Not everyone gets in. Since I have got in I should take full advantage and pursue the highest goals. Reach for the sky and never stop trying. Being at this university, I can become anything I want to become, inshallah. Its only if I want it bad enough and I am willing to work hard for it. Do you want that? Do you really want that?

Then your actions should be a reflection of your goals and dreams. Work hard everyday. There is no time for wasting. Don’t be lazy. That is the key to failure while the key to success is being persistent and hard working. Don’t get nervous when faced with new challenges. Don’t let it get you down. Stay positive and tell yourself you can do it. Because the key of accomplishing what you want is knowing that you can do it. Have the self confidence.
Now that I look back, I think, I only referred to this once or twice through the remaining part of my college degree.

I think the larger, more longer lasting impact came because I sat down and wrote it. It helped me shape my attitude through rest of college.

Ahmed

ShareThis

Related Post

• No Related Post

Within 2 months?!

Yes. Within 2 months. This is his account and he says:

“I declared a state of Jihad upon my soul and put death before my eyes. I made an intention to memorise the Noble Qur’aan. So I abandoned telephone calls and unnecessary visits, and I changed all the negative thoughts associated with hifdh (memorisation) to positive and practical ones e.g. When a thought came to me saying ‘I can’t do it!’ I’d say, ‘I can do it.’ If it said, ‘My memory is weak!’ I’d say ‘I take pleasure in having a great memory.’

I chose the masjid as the place of my hifdh as it preserves three:

1. The eyes

2. The ears

3. The tongue

I followed a specific dietary program consisting of eating dates, fruits and honey - and fasting helped me a great deal in that. I used to wake up before salaat al-Fajr by 2 and a half hours and I slept 2 hours after ‘Isha. I used to wake up for Tahajjud (the night prayer), prolonging my sujood wherein I would call upon Allaah ta’alaa to ease for me my affair. I would also seek forgiveness 100 times.

I began to memorise 5 pages and would recite them in the Sunnah prayers of Fajr. After salaat al-Fajr, I would begin the memorisation of 5 new pages and at the end, I would recite them in the 2 raka’ahs of salaat al-Duhaa, all the time thanking Allaah for easing the memorisation.

I would perfect the recitation of what I had memorised by listening to tapes of one of the recitors. I would read about the qiraa’ah in books or via the Muqaddimah al-Jazariyyah (poem on the ahkam of tajweed).

After salaat al-Dhuhr, I would repeat everything that I had memorised previously beginning from the 1st Juz, until salaat al-’Asr. After the ‘Asr prayer, I would repeat the new portion of hifdh and the juz before. After the Maghrib prayer, I would prepare the recitation of 10 new pages and it was only after salaat al-’Isha that I’d review the Qur’aan with my teacher, may Allaah reward him well.

Before retiring to bed, I would listen to all that I memorised in the day from cassettes and I would be sitting for 6 continuous hours, without any boredom or feeling tired. In the 1st week, I would sit for 6 hours, memorising and revising. In the 2nd week, I would sit for 8 hours. In the 3rd week, it was 10 hours and in the 4th week, it was 12 hours. In the last 10 days, I was sitting for 14 hours memorising and revising.

The hardest times for me were when it came to sleeping and eating. I ardently wished that the period of sleep would end quickly so that I could start my hifdh of the Noble of Qur’aan. Everytime I began to read the Qur’aan and memorise, I felt such delight and enjoyment that I had never felt before. Du’a was an important factor for me before and after hifdh. I would memorise a page whilst sitting down and then repeat it whilst walking. My teacher played an important role in encouraging me, in revision, in correcting me and benefiting me in terms of Tajweed.

In the last week, on the night of 20th Ramadan, only 4 and a half juz remained until completion of hifdh. So I turned to Allaah to open up my way and ease it for me. I went on to memorise it in 6 days with the Help of Allaah.

Laylatul-Qadr came, the night of delight and happiness - it was like a wedding night to me. My completion of hifdh took place between Maghrib and ‘Isha in the masjid with the Imam and those in I’tikaaf. We began the khatma (reciting from beginning till end of the Book). In the end, during the du’aa, my heart opened up greatly and I began to weep like never before. It was the most beautiful hour of my life. Allaah had honoured me with the memorisation of His Book.

During the du’aa, I remembered a dream I had more than 10 years ago… I was a Mu’adhin of a mosque and after Fajr salaah, I sat remembering Allaah in the mosque. I felt sleepy so I took a nap in the middle of the mosque, and behold! I found myself amidst a gathering. A powerful ray of light descended from the sky down to the middle of the masjid. From that light came many angels and between them were 2 big Angels. One of them turned towards me and took me to the light. I entered along with the 2 angels. I then found myself on top of a large green tree - I began to climb it in the companionship of the 2 angels. We found angels standing by the door of the 1st heaven. They said to me ‘Where are you going?’ They opened up a book and said, ‘We don’t have your name with us, so climb onwards to the top.’ And likewise, all the time (through each heaven), they said the same thing to me.

Upon arriving at the 7th heaven, we reached the end of the tree. I found angels standing at the door and they said, ‘Are you Muhammad?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ They said, ‘Enter, for the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) wants you.’ I said to the 2 angels that were with me ‘Come in with me.’ They said, ‘We can’t enter. But we will wait for you.’ So I entered Jannah and behold, I saw therein what no eye has seen, no ear has heard and had never entered in the heart of Man. Angels were surrounding me and there was a door, on top of it was written (There is no God but Allaah and Muhammad is His Messenger. Al-Firdaws Paradise).

The Angels opened the door and I entered. Before me was the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) sitting at the top end and beside him were men, some that I recognised and some that I didn’t. In front of him were a very large group of men, women and children. They wore white clothes, and they were so many that they had a beginning but no end. All of them were reciting Qur’aan.

The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) called me and I went up to him. He got up and made some space for me. I kissed him and he sat me down besides him. I asked him ‘Who are these people O Messenger of Allah?’ He said, ‘These are the people who have memorised the Book of Allaah `azza wa jall.’

Inshaa’Allaah ta’ala, the dream ended in truth. I never spoke to anyone about it until the night that I completed the memorisation of the Qur’aan.”

Allahu Akbar, if this is not tawfeeq from Allaah and determination… I don’t know what is!

ShareThis

Related Post

• No Related Post

When Allah’s knowledge is in your heart the fog clears and your priorities are realized…what was my life before ? Only a few minutes ago, before the ‘ilm…what worldly things was I consumed in with superficial justifications.

The feeling is sweet, but will only stay if the ilm is radiated through actions otherwise you return to a state of before…running…alone

ShareThis

Related Post

• No Related Post