Nafsiya Reflections: Sorrow as a Companion

Ramadan has come to an end and we had a sense of hope that change would have come. The change that will have liberated the Muslim lands from oppression, bloodshed, poverty, and humiliation. We have a sense of sorrow due to the continuous images of bloodshed we see in the Muslim lands. We see the corrupt rulers bowing to their Western master adding to the oppressive state of the Ummah.

Since the beginning of time people endured sadness. Prophet Adam (as) endured the biggest sorrow when he (as) was thrown from Jannah into this world. He (as) lost the comforts and blessing of Jannah and had to endure the hardships of this life. Prophet Nuh (as) kept giving Dawah to his people and son in which they rejected his call. Nuh (as) had to leave his son who rejected his call and knew he was going to endure Allah swt’s wrath. Our dearly beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw) tasted great sorrows from an early age till later on even witnessing his beloved uncle reject Islam.

How we interpret sadness and sorrow are an individualized perspective. Sorrow will be experienced in one’s life. The question is how will we deal with it? What can we do? If one truly knew that when sadness is experienced, it washes away sins and cleanses the heart when endured with patience and steadfastness. This is when one truly turns to Allah (swt).

قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ «عجبا لأمر المؤمن إن أمره كله له خير، وليس ذلك لأحد إلا للمؤمن ‏:‏ إن أصابته سراء شكر فكان خيراً له، وإن أصابته ضراء صبر فكان خيراً له‏»

“How wonderful the affair of the believer is! Indeed, all of his affairs are good for him. This is for no one but the believer. If something good happens to him, he is grateful to Allah, which is good for him. And if something bad happens to him, he has patience, which is good for him.” [Sahih Muslim]

Prophet Muhammad (saw) used to tell Bilal (ra) to have patience when he was tortured. The Prophet (saw) taught us to seek patience through prayer not only the five daily prayers. Prayers is the direct line to Allah (swt) to seek guidance and comfort. Prayer is the safe haven where one seeks help and can make any Duaa that he/she wants. Let us remember the words of Allah (swt):

[ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَطۡمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِۗ أَلَا بِذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطۡمَئِنُّ ٱلۡقُلُوبُ]

“...those who believe and whose hearts find comfort in the remembrance of Allah. Surely in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find comfort.” [Quran 13:28]

Allah (swt) is telling us that remembrance of Allah, we find comfort. Allah (swt) will grant us victory. The victory that will give the Muslims their dignity, knowledge, their wealth, and unity. We will be one Ummah. We need to believe that only HE (swt) can unify us where we will have our victory against the oppressors.

[وَيَوْمَئِذٍ يَفْرَحُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ * بِنَصْرِ اللَّهِ يَنْصُرُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الرَّحِيمُ]

“And on that day the believers will rejoice, in the victory of Allah. He gives victory to whom He wills, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Merciful” [Ar-Rum (30): 4-5].

We must never give up! We must continue to rise. We must continue our Dawah work calling for the implementation of Islam as a system, which only that system will restore our dignity. We must continue making Duaa to the All-Mighty. We need to pray and have faith that change is near; the change which will unify the Ummah. We need to read, understand, and implement the Quran in our daily lives. How can we forget that Allah is closer to you than your jugular vein! Our struggle is temporary, but reward will be forever.

Sadness can be crippling if you make it. We all have felt sorrow, but we have to rise against this sorrow. We must trust Allah (swt) with tomorrow, focus on today, and know that the past is gone. The past was there for a reward and to make one stronger, brighter, and to turn only to Allah (swt) since HE (swt) will change the situation.

Spring comes after winter, the season of life. The season of a new beginning. Seasons are temporary, and this life is a temporary season. Trust that victory is near and keep working for the victory with the trust of Allah (swt) because spring is here. We are the beloved servants of Allah (swt).

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