How much is enough?

"No one has ever become poor by giving.” - Anne Frank

I believe that God is the best Planner. He plans our schedules and meetings according to what is best for us. We may not understand it or even liked it at that time but He has a good reason for everything.

“And it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know.” 
(AI-Baqarah, 2:216)

Yesterday, I met up with two very young but very aspiring couple. I admire their dedication and hardwork towards Islam even at a young age. When I was their age, (which was eons ago and I'm beginning to feel like a dinosaur fossil with my bones rattling everywhere), Islam was farthest on my mind. I was too busy chasing the world.

Anyway, this young brother said something that has been plaguing me for months. He said that he feels he hasn't done enough charity. Without him knowing, he echoed my own distress.

The question is, how much is enough and when do you know it's enough? If only we have a visible quota ruler complete with neon lights and warning buzzer that can indicate our acts of charities and warn us if we fall short.

So, what do we do? Well......I find that if you set a target for yourself to try to do a charitable act, at least once a day, perhaps the guilt feeling won't hunt you. For me, I admit that I got distracted and have been slacking for the last few months. This young couple was sent to me as a reminder...

Many think that you need to have money in order to give in charity. Wrong!! An act of kindness is also an act of charity. The easist one is to smile to others and be nice. Leave your grumpy moods and bad-hair day drama in the toilet. If possible, flush it down.

The Prophet also said: "Every act of goodness is charity." - Sahih Muslim, Hadith 496

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Charity is prescribed for each descendant of Adam every day the sun rises." He was then asked: "From what do we give charity every day?" The Prophet answered: "The doors of goodness are many...enjoining good, forbidding evil, removing harm from the road, listening to the deaf, leading the blind, guiding one to the object of his need, hurrying with the strength of one's legs to one in sorrow who is asking for help, and supporting the feeble with the strength of one's arms--all of these are charity prescribed for you." He also said: "Your smile for your brother is charity." - Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Volume 3, Number 98 

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Every Muslim has to give in charity." The people then asked: "(But what) if someone has nothing to give, what should he do?" The Prophet replied: "He should work with his hands and benefit himself and also give in charity (from what he earns)." The people further asked: "If he cannot find even that?" He replied: "He should help the needy who appeal for help." Then the people asked: "If he cannot do (even) that?" The Prophet said finally: "Then he should perform good deeds and keep away from evil deeds, and that will be regarded as charitable deeds." - Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 2, Hadith 524 

Committing an act of charity is actually food for the soul. When you feel the twitches in your heart or the guilt, that means your soul is starving. If you don't believe me, try it for yourself. Feed a person. See how your heart reacts to it. How it's rejuvenated. You'll feel as if a flower had bloomed in your chest.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “Protect yourself from hell-fire even by giving a piece of date as charity.”
(Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

How do we know when it's enough? Hhmm....that's quite subjective actually. I suppose we need to listen carefully to the whispering of our hearts and also, I believe that if you find contentment and peace in your heart even in this chaotic world, then perhaps you've fulfilled your 'quota'. Wallahualam....

“Who is it that would loan Allah a goodly loan so He may multiply it for him many times over? And it is Allah who withholds and grants abundance, and to Him you will be returned.”
(Surah Al Baqara 2:245)

Learning to Let Go

“The beautiful journey of today can only begin when we learn to let go of yesterday.” ― Steve Maraboli

Once, a sister asked me, how should she deal with people who repeatedly hurt her feelings. Have you ever been in that situation? Whilst it's easy to walk away and stay away from acquiantances or even strangers, how do one react if the person is a family member or work-mate or someone you see on a daily basis? Tricky isn't? You can't simply tell the person off as it might jepordise the relationship but at the same time, you can't take the pain anymore. How do you cope with the anger, pain and heartache without confronting the culprit? What do you do when you know that talking to this person will not make a difference but could possibily make things worse?

Well....I'm no expert but I did find myself in such situation a few years back. One thing for sure, it's not a nice situation for anyone to be in. At that time, I felt torn between trying to maintain the peace and to fight for justice and my own sanity. Keeping everything bottled up is also not solution as one can only take in so much before exploding. The negativity will only pull you down and make you feel depress.

"Allah desireth for you ease; He desireth not hardship for you;"
Surah Al Baqara 2:185

My advice is....let it go. Let all the negative emotions go. Sometimes we need to experience hate in order to learn to forgive. Forgive the person and move on. Don't let this person occupy a space in your heart. Trust me, this person is just not worth your attention or losing sleep over. Once you let go, you will not be affected with anything that this person does to you.

"but forgive them, and overlook (their misdeeds): for Allah loveth those who are kind."
Surah Al Maida 5:13

Abdullah ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said,"Be merciful to others and you will receive mercy. Forgive others and Allah will forgive you."Narrated by Imam Ahmad

We must accept the fact that we can never please everyone and that there are bound to be someone who simply hates us. Sometimes, the problem lies not with us but within the heart of that person. Envy, hatred, dislike and grudges are all diseases of the heart that has the potential to blacken one's heart if one is not careful.

If a person does not like you, don't be sad or angry or depress. Just shrug it off, accept the fact and move on. Believe me, you can't make everyone like you. Even our beloved Prophet Muhammad pbuh had 'haters' during his time and yet, he is the best amongst all of us. Aim to please your Creator and not His creations.

Also, always think well of God. If a person has nothing but negativity towards you, then perhaps God is showing you that this person is not someone you should have in your life. As much as you can, keep away from them but if you can't, don't let them get to you.

Worst case scenario, if it still bothers you, just pretend that the person is mentally impaired. That way, hopefully you will be able to deal with it better.

Most important of all, always remember that God Almighty is always near....

"He said: "Fear not: for I am with you: I hear and see (everything)."
Surah Ta ha 20:46

Life starts at 40?

“Just remember, when you’re over the hill, you begin to pick up speed.”
― Charles M. Schulz

A couple years ago, I discovered that we reach the pinnacle of our lives at the age of 40. 40 is such a special age that it is specifically mentioned in the Quran.

"And We have enjoined on man to be dutiful & kind to his parents. His mother bears him with hardship. And she brings him forth with hardship, and the bearing of him and the weaning of him is thirty months, till when he attains full strength and reaches forty years, he says: My Lord! Grant me the power and ability that I may be grateful for Your Favour which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds, such as please You, and make my off-spring good. Truly, I have turned to You in repentance, and truly, I am one of the Muslims.”

Surah Ahqaf 15:46

When I first read the verse, I really didn't understand the meaning of the verse. The Wise Old then told me that it means in Islam, we reach our 'spiritual' maturity at age of 40. Hmmmm....really? I'm not sure if that's true for me though.

Well, I've gone past the significant age threshold and I slowly began to noticed something. You know the saying 'everything that goes up, must come down'. Once you've climbed to the top of the mountain, the only other way for you to go is....down. Similarly with our bodies, once we've reached our prime, it will slowly descend down the graf and wither.

For the last few months, I began to feel the impact of being above 40. Now, I get aches and pain on my body that I never did experienced before. My movement have somewhat slowed down.

Our body is given to us on loan by God until such appointed time. For some people, the body is taken back at a moment notice and for others, gradually.

I do believe that for me, little bits and pieces of me such as my strength, agility, part of my eyesight and health are slowly finding its way back to its Maker, God Almighty.

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un
We surely belong to Allah and to Him we shall return.

"Who say, when afflicted with calamity: "To Allah We belong, and to Him is our return"
Surah Al Baqara 2:156

Some of the privileges given to me are now being taken back slowly. Ultimately, my soul will return to Him. So whilst I'm still alive though no longer kicking, I must make full use of the balance of my life in the best possible way. 

The Prophet said: ”Take advantage of five matters before five other matters: your youth before you become old; your health, before you fall sick; your wealth, before you become poor; your free time before you become preoccupied, and your life, before your death.” (Narrated by Ibn Abbas in the Mustadrak of Hakim & Musnad Imam Ahmad. Sahih)

Simple yet Powerful..

Recently, I had a visit from a very good old friend. We've been friends for more 10 years and though we didn't managed to see or talk to each other often, each time we met it was as if, we were never apart at all. It's always nice to have friends to come and visit, isn't it?

To tell you honestly, the last few months have been somewhat very trying for me. I had a lot of things going on at the same time that I felt kinda lost. I felt that I've strayed far away from my original purpose and slowly changing into someone I wasn't comfortable with. Have you ever experienced the feeling that without you realising it you've become someone you're not happy with but yet was unable to stop the change? You know like you've kinda got swept away with the tide and when you finally stopped and looked up, you found yourself in dark and unfamiliar area.

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't turning evil or anything like that.God forbid! If that happens, the Wise Owl would probably grab hold me and perform an exorcism before he even let that happens.  I am truly fortunate to have people who cares about me and my spiritual being. Alhamdulillah.

Anyway...I know I'm digressing but what I'm trying to say is that I wasn't comfortable with the personal changes that was happening to me. Somewhere along the way I got lost and sidetracked. I also became lazy. There were things that I wanted to do but there were too many obstacles that I simply gave up and in the end, I ended up feeling frustrated. I know...I know...entirely my fault. I was kinda drifting aimlessly for months end.

The visit from my friend made me realised that I should NEVER underestimate the power of dua, however simple it may be. Day in and day out I pray to God asking Him to guide me to the straight path and that day, he sent someone to remind me of my purpose.

"1. In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.  

2. All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).  

3. The Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.  

4. The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection)  

5. You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything).  

6. Guide us to the Straight Way 

7. The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger, nor of those who went astray."

Surah Al Fatihah 1-7.

When my friend (may God bless her) came, not only did she lifted my spirits but she took me down memory lane and reminded me of what I first set out to do. Sometimes, you just need a friend to help you up and help you find your way back. Some encouraging words can also do wonders. No doubt the reminder came from Allah SWT but it sent through her.

So my friends, never underestimate the power of a simple dua like Al-Fatihah. We take for granted this powerful dua because we repeat it every single time we pray. We ritually repeat it without really putting any emphasis on it. 

If you ever feel lost, just ask Him to guide you back. You ask and He will give. It may not be immediate and normally there is a very good reason for the delay but trust me, He will give.

And your Lord says: "Call on Me; I will answer your (Prayer):
Surah Ghafir 40:60
 

A Pair of Rubber Shoes

“Life is a long lesson in humility.”- J.M. Barrie.

A couple years ago, I suffered a very painful knee problem. To prevent further injury to my knee and to facilitate speedy recovery, the doctor told me that I had to make sure that my feet were flat on the ground when I walked and wearing stilettos were a big no-no. I was fine about the stiletto part because I don't wear them. I simply can't seem to balance myself on it. Still, most of my shoes had heels and I can't very well wear flip flops to work. So, my quest for a comfortable flat shoes started.

Upon recommendations by some friends, I bought a few shoes which were supposedly to be of high quality. Mind you, those shoes were not cheap but you know what people say....good things don't come cheap.

Unfortunately, those shoes did not last very long. The cushion at the heels wore off quickly. I found myself buying new shoes every few months. It was a costly affair and I was getting frustrated.

One day, I was doing my usual grocery shopping when I saw this plain black rubber shoes. It was the most unattractive shoes I've ever set my eyes on. It wasn't ugly, it was just unattractive. I picked it up and found it to be flexible. Out of curiosity, I decided to try it on. Lo and behold! It was the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn! The price? Well...it was less RM20. My...my ...my..Would you believe it?

That goes to show that not everything that is expansive is good and not everything that is cheap is lousy. I do believe that the lesson that I was supposed to learn was also that when it comes to people, never judge from their appearance. The best person in the Eyes of God could be the scruffiest looking person in the eyes on men and vice-versa.

Ever since that day, I've been wearing that black rubber shoes everywhere and have no intention of changing. That one pair of rubber shoes lasted me a few years rather than a few months. I've also started looking at people in a different light. My rubber shoes have taught me that sometimes in life, simplicity is the best.....

"Verily, your Lord knows better, who (among men) has gone astray from His Path, and He knows better those who are guided."

 (Surah Qalam:7)

As I touch my forehead to the ground....

“Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one's weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

I used to wonder why do we human prostrate i.e. 'sujud'? Is it as a form of respect or is it an act of worship? Why do we, as Muslims, prostrate in our solat? Is it because it's one of the rituals in solat or is there another reason for it?

I decided to look it up in the dictionary and what I found was....

To prostrate means

verb

lay oneself flat on the ground face downward, especially in reverence or submission.

Worship on the other hand means

verb

Show reverence and adoration for (a deity).

Hhmm....I was no where close to finding my answer.

A couple years ago, I suffered a bad knee injury that prevented me from standing for a long period of time or kneeling. My injury also prevented me from performing my solat in the normal way. When it came to prostration or 'sujud', I had to sit on a chair and bend down from the waist as opposed to kneeling on the floor. That, was also about the time when I was due to leave for my umra.

Imagine my apprehension! I felt that I wouldn't be able to perform my prayers perfectly when I'm at the holiest place on earth! That didn't sit too well with me. Then, the Wise Owl told me that when we prostrate, that is when we are closest to God Almighty. Oh...no....that made me feel even worse!

Prophet saw said, “The closest that a servant is to his Lord is when he is in prostration.” (Muslim)

It was then that I understood that prostration or 'sujud' is actually a blessing granted by the Creator to His creations. It's a special kind of privilege that is accorded to us to enable us to be closest to Him. To have that blessing taken away from us is a catastrophe indeed.

Questions swirled in mind...has the blessing been taken away from me ? Did I do something wrong? Will my injury be permanent? Is God angry with me?

When God prescribed the five times daily prayers to us, He wanted us to be closest to Him, at least 34 times in a day. Now, if the King wants to see us 34 times in a day, every day, wouldn't we feel honoured ? Of course we would. In fact, we'd probably be over the moon. Then, shouldn't we be ecstatic and over the entire universe that God, the One who created us, wants us close to Him every single day ? 

Honestly, when I couldn't perform the 'sujud' properly, I felt as though the special privilege was yanked away from me. The realization that God is not letting me be closest to Him at that time was like a slap on the face. It was as if I was given a second class seat instead of the usual first class.

It's true when people say that, 'we don't appreciate what we have until it's gone'. Well...I really felt the loss. The emotion that I feel whenever my forehead touches the ground in humble prostration, is like calmness and peace blanketing my entire body and soul. Even my heart beats to a different rhythm. I am in a safe cocoon. In that precious moment, everything else fades in the background and the only thing that exist is Allah and me....

Thankfully, my injury healed right before I left for umra and I could perform my prayers properly and with ease. My injury was actually a lesson for me to learn.

So, the moral of the story, do as much 'sujud' as you possibly can, while you can. The privilege can be taken away from you in a blink of an eye and never be returned. Don't take it for granted.

Our beloved Prophet saw said,
“Prostrate much because there is no Muslim that prostrates to God except that God raises him one degree in Paradise by it and forgives for him a sin.” (Ahmad)

Life as it is.....

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” ― Albert Einstein

Lately, I find myself feeling melancholy. Maybe it's an age thing. You know, the older you get, the more you reflect on your life.

I have to admit that I do have many regrets. There are things that I wish that I hadn't done and words that shouldn't have been spoken. There are also things which I wish I had done and words that I should have spoken. But alas, we only get one chance at life and there's no turning back.

Although we are the authors of our own books of deeds, unlike other manuscripts, this book is one that is set in stone. It can't be un- written, amend or delete.

The scary part is, even though we are the authors of our books,  we have no control over the number of pages and the duration of writing. All we know that it will be published in the Hereafter for everyone to read.

Ideally, we should only pen down good stories about ourselves but as humans, we have our weaknesses. There are some days that I feel my eaman is so thin that it's literally hanging by a thread. These are the days when I feel that I've gone off path or just plain lazy.

Of course there are days when I feel that I'm on track and ready to take on the world. The ups and downs of my eaman level can be quite maddening sometimes but the Wise Owl always reminds me that the real struggle is to remain steadfast on the straight path. There will be days when I win and days when I lose.

"Or do ye think that ye shall enter the Garden (of bliss) without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? they encountered suffering and adversity, and were so shaken in spirit that even the Messenger and those of faith who were with him cried: "When (will come) the help of Allah?" Ah! Verily, the help of Allah is (always) near!"

Surah Al Baqara 2:214.

The above verse always keeps me grounded. No one said life will be easy but then again, no one said life will be impossible either. It's actually finding balance. Like Einstein said, life is like a bicycle. You will have ups and downs but you need to keep moving to keep your balance. The times when I feel like giving up, I'd always ask myself "what will you tell God later when He ask why?" Gulp!...I don't think I can answer that.

"And surely We shall try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives and crops; but give glad tidings to the patient, Who says, when afflicted with calamity: “To Allah We belong, and to Him is our return”: They are those on whom (descend) Blessings from Allah, and Mercy, and they are the ones that receive guidance."

(Al-Baqara 2:155-157)

So, every day we must try to write fantastic stories for our books. I know you've heard this many times and I know it's easier said than done but please try. That is exactly what I need to do also.

If you need help, regardless of how often, just ask. Remember, God is always near.....

"When My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calleth on Me: Let them also, with a will, Listen to My call, and believe in Me: That they may walk in the right way."

Surah Al Baqara 2: 186

"And your Lord says: "Call on Me; I will answer your (Prayer)"

Surah Ghafir 40:60