Noble Lessons

Prayer is a sign of kindness and sincerity. There are so many people in need of our daily prayers. Asking Allah to open up the doors of Tawfiq for us, to have sincerity of intention in our Dua's. Let's take some time out from our busy lives and raise our hands for them. It doesn't matter if they are known or unknown to us, this is the best gift we can send to them.

Trust in Allah. You may be in a lot of pain right now and going through many hardships, but hold on to Him, be patient, and remain grateful to Allah. Be optimistic and remember His promises. -Al Mar-atus Saliha Allah promises ease after hardship: "For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease." (Qur'an 94:6) He assures us that He will not burden a soul beyond its capacity: "Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear..." (Qur'an 2:286) He also promises that those who are patient will receive a great reward: "Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account." (Qur'an 39:10)

Tawakul: Trusting in Allah’s SWT Plan In Islam, Tawakul is the beautiful concept of placing complete trust and reliance on Allah SWT in all aspects of life. It’s about having faith that, after putting in our best efforts, the outcome is always in Allah’s SWT hands and is for our ultimate good, even if we don’t see it immediately. Tawakul doesn’t mean sitting back and doing nothing; rather, it’s about balancing effort and trust. We work hard, make decisions, and strive toward our goals, but we also acknowledge that Allah SWT is the best planner. When faced with challenges, Tawakul reminds us to stay patient and hopeful, knowing that whatever happens is part of Allah’s divine wisdom. Here are some relevant ahadith: 1. Hadith about tying the camel: This hadith, narrated by Imam Tirmidhi (may Allah be pleased with him), tells the story of a Bedouin man who was about to leave his camel without securing it. The Holy Prophet ﷺ asked him, “Why don’t you tie down your camel?” The Bedouin responded, “I put my trust in Allah.” The Holy Prophet ﷺ then advised him, “Tie your camel first, and then put your trust in Allah.” 2.Hadith Qudsi on Allah's relationship with His servant: Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: “Allah the Almighty said: I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assembly better than it…” (Hadith Qudsi). May we all cultivate true Tawakul in our hearts and find peace in the knowledge that Allah SWT is always looking after us through the waseela of His Beloved Holy Prophet ﷺ. Aameen.

Many are going through difficult times. Many also don’t put their trauma on display, preferring to deal with it quietly in their own way. So don’t be mean and hurt people with your words and actions. Be kind to all you meet.

Your difficulty is packaged with ease inside of it. "After hardship comes ease, but the verse also suggests that with, and alongside hardship, comes ease. It’s not just that the hardship will end and that ease will follow, its that your difficulty is packaged with ease inside of it. There are moments in your day when the difficulty that’s been crippling you subsides from the forefront of your heart, and that is a mercy from God. The hope that you feel alongside your problems. The love that exists in your life despite of it. Sometimes those difficulties are what prompt you to look for it. Whatever has been troubling you, it will come to an end. But don’t overlook that ease that comes day to day. And I really felt it and needed it today." Unknown

Every dua will be answered? “Every one of you will have his supplications answered, as long as he is not impatient and he says: I have supplicated but I was not answered.” - Prophet Muhammad ﷺ [Sahih Bukhari] Convince your heart that Allah is always responding to your prayers in the best way for your unique circumstances, even when we may not see or comprehend His methods. Trust in His wisdom and timing. As Imam al Ghazali (ra) said, “As I look back on my life, I realize that every time I thought I was being rejected from something good; I was actually being re-directed to something better. You must convince your heart that whatever God has decreed is most appropriate and most beneficial for you.” What's the reward of patience? “...Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without measure.” (Surah Az Zumar 39: Verse 10) There is noway to measure the reward SubhanAllah!!

Because in the absence of this work, we will continue to pass on our broken bones and we will continue to walk within the piercing light of Quran, with eyes. broken. shut. - Yasmin Mogahed

I'm going to share something that is not easy for me to talk about. It is deeply personal and something I struggled with for so many years. Spiritual bypassing. I heard this term a long time ago and I wasn't sure if I even believed in it. You see, I was suffering deeply for many years and I was desperately searching for a way out. Anyone who has read my first book, Reclaim Your Heart, understands that at the core of my suffering was an unhealthy anxious attachment style, which I open up about in chapter one. As I grew, I started to see my unhealthy patterns and I worked very hard to heal them. But, there was something crucial missing. And for a very long time. I dove deeply into spirituality and the power of religion and our relationship with Allah to heal us from our unhealthy attachments. I found peace and Truth in the fundamental awareness of God's rightful place in our hearts and lives--above anything else. I was being tested in my own relationships and so whatever I learned, I very much learned experientially. Whatever I shared was learned *in the trenches*. But there was still something deeply missing. I had turned to spirituality to save me. And it did. But, in many ways, I was still empty. And I couldn't understand why. I began to carry deep amounts of shame because I still suffered from depression, despite my faith. This was 10 years ago, so slogans like "a believer should never be sad" and "sadness is from the shaytan" were still very commonly shared. I was so sad. But then I was also drowing in shame that I was sad because I thought it meant my faith was flawed. Here is what I now know: I had deep attachment wounds that did not just stem from attachment to dunya. I had deep attachment wounds that stemmed from childhood. From lack of a secure attachment figure. As a result, I carried that wound into every part of my adult life. I was like a person with a broken bone, only focused on eating and breathing healthy. By focusing on spirituality, I was nourishing my heart and soul with the most essential food, water and oxygen. But my bone was still broken. That bone was an "emotional break". And no amount of spiritual bypassing was fixing it. Something was missing. Something was broken deep in the bone. And I never had the tools or the understanding or the safety or the *validation* to allow it to heal. And until I found that understanding, that safe place to allow the break to be seen and acknowledged, I remained stuck. Many of us stay suffering, despite devoted efforts of piety and worship. We don't realize how much our childhoods can break and reprogram us in ways we never realize. We end up perpetuating the same vicious cycles in our own marriages and families and wonder why we suffer from depression and anxiety. And wonder why the trauma gets passed on to the next generation. And at it's worst extreme, if we don't recognize these childhood wounds and toxic patterns, we can deeply hurt others. When we don't heal from our traumas, we can end up inflicting those same traumas on others. We can grow up and become scholars, Quran teachers, imams. But if we do not address our deep broken bones, we can profoundly break another. This is why I was devastated every time a new scandal came up. A new case of "spiritual abuse". I was devastated. But not even slighly surprised. It didn't shake my faith. Because I understand this reality. Quran is light. But even the brightest light, cannot be seen if the eye is broken. We. need. to. heal. We need to stop enabling and covering up abuse in our homes and masjids. Period. We need to STOP telling people to have "sabr" and do nothing. This needs to be our new collective language as a community. As an ummah. As a world. Alongside the language of fiqh and hadith and hijab and institutions and activism. This needs to become part of the fundamental foundation of understanding righteousness and health. Yasmin Mogahed

You couldn’t see it, but there was wave that was about to hit you. And it wasn’t just any old wave. It was the one that was going to drown you. It was going to sweep you out into the ocean, and no matter how hard you flailed your arms, how much air you desperately gulped into your lungs, and how many times you cried for help…it was all going to be over. This was going to be your end. But that wave, the one that was inches away from you, never came. Something smaller came. A cut, a bruise, a heartbreak that made you angry, resentful, disappointed. That cut, that bruise, that heartbreak. It seemed big. It seemed awful. It seemed unfair. But what if it was a protection from something bigger? What if it was the hand that pulled you back so you’d be out of that wave’s reach? Allah is Al-Wali—the root of the word “wali” means to be very close, without any barrier. A protecting friend. That is Who you have in your corner. That is Who is closer than your own jugular vein. A protector protects. So in everything perceived as “bad,” there is protection from something much worse that could have happened. In every delay, an opening to something better. In every hardship, an opportunity to learn and grow closer to Al-Wali. What you’re going through right now…it’s not the wave that’s going to destroy you. It’s just not. It’s an opening. It’s an invitation to nearness. The Prophet (saw) said, “There is no Muslim who calls upon Allah, without sin or cutting family ties, but that Allah will give him one of three answers: He will quickly fulfill his supplication, He will store it for him in the Hereafter, or He will divert an evil from him similar to it.” They said, “In that case we will ask for more.” The Prophet said, “Allah has even more.” (Ahmad)

Trust in Allah. You may be in a lot of pain right now and going through many hardships, but hold on to Him, be patient, and remain grateful to Allah. Be optimistic and remember His promises. -Al Mar-atus Saliha Allah promises ease after hardship: "For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease." (Qur'an 94:6) He assures us that He will not burden a soul beyond its capacity: "Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear..." (Qur'an 2:286) He also promises that those who are patient will receive a great reward: "Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account." (Qur'an 39:10)

Obeying Allah is not always easy; it often requires us to make significant sacrifices. Yet, it is through patience and steadfastness in these moments of trial that we find true ease in both this life and the hereafter. Consider the example of Ibrahim (عليه السلام). He was willing to sacrifice his beloved son for the sake of Allah. In response, Allah not only spared his son but also elevated Ibrahim’s status in both this world and the next, preserving his legacy and Sunnah for all time. Trust in Allah and try your best not to waiver when obeying Him and He'll make your trials easier for you In Sha Allah.

Be patient, your time will come, Allah swt will make a way for you to get your happy ending. Trust in Allah and His plan for you, it's okay to feel sad and overwhelmed, but remind yourself that Allah will always do what is best for you. If you look back, you'll see that every situation that Allah has brought you into, has either changed you, helped you grow, made you stronger, taught you a lesson, or made you a better person. Everything He does, has a purpose.

Allah has perfect timing; never early, never late. It takes a little patience and it takes a lot of faith but it’s worth the wait. I don’t know what tomorrow holds! but I know who holds tomorrow! Everything has already been determined for you. So don’t worry, and don’t be sad. Your rizq is with Allah. All He asks is that you worship Him with a sincere heart and a strong intention. "Put your Trust in Allah if you are believers indeed." (5:23)

You are in the thick of it, aren’t you? Fighting a battle that no one sees but you. I wish I could tell you that it’ll be easy, or that it’ll pass quickly. And it might—but it also might not. It may very well be the defining battle of your life. What I can tell you is that you are not alone, nor have you been left stranded. You are armed with all that Allah has taught you up until now. Don’t minimize who you are—don’t look past the patience He built in you when you lost the people and things you loved. Don’t forget the empathy that has flowered in your heart because of the times someone near you was about to cry, and you made them laugh instead. Don’t discount the wisdom He blessed you with for all the times you left your ego in the dust and turned to Him in need. He has been with you all these years hasn’t He? What makes you think He’s left you alone now? He would never leave you without the tools or knowledge to do what needs to be done. (Or the phone number of someone who would know what to do.) Trust that this is enough, my friend. There is no one above your Lord. No enemy more powerful. No hurtful words stronger than His healing words. You are in the thick of it, but you’re not unarmed. And you’ve never, never been alone.

If there is one thing I have learned about this life, it is that you never know what is around the corner. Every day of our lives, Allah ta’ala gives us opportunities, opens doors, presents us with choices, and we fulfill our qadr with the decisions we make. This time last year, I thought I had it all figured out. I had moved back home to Zimbabwe, with my family around me and my youngest children in local schools - and I thought that was it: my life mapped out until the children got married and started having children of their own. I had no idea that a ‘chance’ encounter with a sister would lead to a solid friendship, which would in turn lead to a surrogate Muslim family, which would result in me meeting my future husband and becoming a wife, stepmother, sister-in-law and being welcomed into a massive Muslim family spread out between Malawi and Zimbabwe. Allahu akbar! Maybe one day I will tell you the story of how I met my husband but, for now, all I will say is that Allah’s plan is amazing indeed. Why am I telling you this? Well, I guess I want to share my joy with you and ask that you make du’a for me and my family. I also want to share the miracle of Allah’s mercy with you, to remind you that Allah ta’ala is capable of giving you more than you even dare to ask for, more than you could ever dream of. Never forget that Allah knows you, He knows me, He knows every single one of us. He knows what we need, what we are going through, what is best for us and the right time to give it to us. If you are lonely, don’t lose hope. If you are tired, don’t lose hope. If you are frustrated, don’t lose hope. Hold on tight to the rope of Allah, and to hope in His Mercy, trust in His Wisdom. He will never let you down. “Verily, with difficulty, there is ease.” I pray that Allah blesses us all with the ease we seek. JazakAllahu khairan for accompanying me on the journey thus far, and may the rest of the journey be even more fruitful, even more enriching, even more elevating for us all. - Naima B. Roberts

You are going to meet someone someday who will make you realize that you are not hard to love. You will no longer have to beg for love because he will give you the love that you always deserve without asking for anything in return. He will be there to remind you that you deserve to be loved genuinely and to be treated right. You are going to meet someone someday who will make you realize that there is nothing wrong about you. He will make you feel enough, and he will always value your feelings. I hope one day you'll also learn to see your worth. I hope you realize that you do not need to settle for less. You are going to meet someone someday who will make you feel worthy of everything that the world has to offer. He will do his best to give you everything that you deserve, and he will protect you from anything that could hurt you. He will do everything just to make you happy, and he will always be there whenever you feel unhappy. He will never make you feel alone. You are going to meet someone someday who is faithful to his words and promises. He will do everything to protect your heart, and he will be afraid to hurt you. I hope you know that you deserve someone who can love you with all his heart. You deserve someone who will make you feel like you are one of a kind. Someday, you are going to meet someone who can match the love that you are willing to offer. I hope you know that you do not deserve to waste your love on someone who will never see your worth.

The station you thought you missed wasn't yours. The hours you waited because you missed the past train were meant to make you late. You may watch people getting their train but you're still standing still. It's not because you're a bad person or you won't ever get to your destination. It's because your timing hasn't arrived yet. Everyone will arrive at a time. Don't worry, it's better to be late than to arrive early at a wrong station.

My hope and trust are in Allah alone. As He allows my skin to naturally heal itself with clotting blood, He will also allow my heart to heal. It is no matter that there will always be a faint scar there. The scar teaches me to never forget how He has healed me. As He brings the night and day into being, as He causes the sun and moon to continuously exchange places each day, He will also cause my life to run its course exactly as it was meant to. I will never lose anything I was meant to hold. I will never hold anything I was meant to lose. As He causes the earth to die, to be starved, to be deprived of any meaningful life, and then brings it back to lushness and beauty simply by saying “Be”—so, too, will He cause my body to die and disintegrate in the soil then raise me up and cause me never to die again. When I placed my hope in people, they betrayed that hope. They took from me something that wasn’t theirs to take. They injured that which was once healthy in me. When I place my hope in Allah, I know that He will never betray His promise. He will return to me what I have lost, or better. He will heal my heart that has been struck open by the people. So I say: I am satisfied with Allah as my Lord, Islam as my faith, and Muhammad (saw) as the final prophet. Only when this verbal statement of satisfaction truly enters the heart will it be able to heal. It is only absolute hope and trust in Allah, the Eternal Refuge, which causes the pain to subside. - Ruqyah Bookshelf

The delay of Rizq is a form of Rizq. When Allah doesn't give you something you want, you pray more, you develop more gratitude, you recite more Quran, you make more dhikr, you stand more in tahajjud, you shed tears infront of Allah, your eeman and tawakkul increase, your sabr increases. All this is a better rizq (getting closer to and depending more on Allah through acts of worship) than the rizq you are asking Allah for which is usually money.

In this video, we discuss the natural highs and lows of iman and how, as the Prophet ﷺ taught, faith has its fluctuations. The key is to stay "spiritually alive" even during the lows. It's normal to feel like you’re struggling, but don’t let go of the very things that keep you afloat. Watch here: https://youtu.be/43u3XhuT1_s