By Shuaib S Khan
We begin with the best praise with which He praised Himself and the best prayer which He sent upon His beloved Muhammad.
Being in this world, everyone eventually arrives at the same place. That the journey we call life is full of challenges. No one knows what is going to happen tomorrow and the past is riddled with events that cannot be explained. This is the source of great anxiety for many people. It creates within man the constant search for answers, the nagging need to know and the hearts become ever restless. Why is this happening to me? Is what I’m doing what I should be doing? How is all this going to end? What if this happens? What if that happens? These are all questions that emerge from a constant state of fear and grief, worry and sadness that seem to rule over our minds.
In all this confusion, there is however a moment of light and clarity. It is this moment, the present, in which you can become aware of Allah, the One who knows all the mysteries of the heavens and the earth. The certainty of knowing Him overrules all the other uncertainties and the anxiety of not knowing everything else is put to rest in the knowledge of Him. From this vantage point, the past becomes the realm of Divine Decree (قدر) and the future becomes the realm of Divine Trust (توكل). And you are freed from a heavy burden.
بِيَدِكَ الۡخَيۡرُ
All good is in Your hands. (3:25)
That is why Allah commanded you to know (فعلم) that there is no god besides Him. Your life is not ruled by the events of the past and future, but rather the Creator of time itself. So don’t let your heart wander blindly, but rather engage in self purification and work on removing the obstacles that is holding you back from truly and experientially knowing Him.
فَاعۡلَمۡ اَنَّهٗ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَاسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لِذَنۡۢبِكَ وَلِلۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ وَ الۡمُؤۡمِنٰتِ ؕ وَاللّٰهُ يَعۡلَمُ مُتَقَلَّبَكُمۡ وَمَثۡوٰٮكُمۡ
You better know, that there is no god except Allah. So seek forgiveness for your sins and those that believe. Verily, Allah knows your places of turmoil and place of rest (47:19)
As that knowledge sinks deeper into your heart, you find that there is no power except Allah. Nothing appears in front of you except by His will. Everything all around you is His creation. Everything inside you is His creation. You are a manifestation of His will and He is the only governing force behind all that exists. Looking at your own life from here, you can see that His wisdom and compassion shaped every event in your life.
شَهِدَ اللّٰهُ اَنَّهٗ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَۙ وَالۡمَلٰٓـئِكَةُ وَاُولُوا الۡعِلۡمِ قَآئِمًا ۢ بِالۡقِسۡطِؕ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ الۡعَزِيۡزُ الۡحَكِيۡمُؕ
Allah Himself bears witness that there is no God but He; and likewise do the angels and the men possessed of knowledge bear witness in truth and justice that there is no God but He, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. (3:18)
How could He have abandoned you when your very existence is manifestation His will? You find that He has been your Friend and Protector all along! He reassures you and comforts you that it will be all okay. In regards to what has passed, don’t grieve. It was all mercy. In regards to what is to come, don’t be afraid. He is all mercy. Just witness and be among those who are firmly planted in that knowledge.
اَلَاۤ اِنَّ اَوۡلِيَآءَ اللّٰهِ لَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُوۡنَ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَكَانُوۡا يَتَّقُوۡنَؕ لَهُمُ الۡبُشۡرٰى فِى الۡحَيٰوةِ الدُّنۡيَا وَفِى الۡاٰخِرَةِؕ لَا تَبۡدِيۡلَ لِـكَلِمٰتِ اللّٰهِؕ ذٰلِكَ هُوَ الۡفَوۡزُ الۡعَظِيۡمُؕ
Oh, surely the friends of Allah have nothing to fear, nor shall they grieve -the ones who believe and are God-conscious. For them are glad tidings in this world and in the Hereafter. The words of Allah shall not change. That is the supreme triumph.