Asma Maryam Ali

This  week has undoubtedly been one of the most stressful of my life alhamdulillah. Praise be to Him, for none of it was bad or ugly in itself. It was just challenging. I often find that the most wonderful and blessed things may come at the most challenging times in life. I believe that this is Allah SWT squeezing all the goodness out of us, like a hand to an orange. (Of course this depends on what we have in us to give). A small example is all of the physical and emotional stress that went into moving out of our old home, in which, alhamdulillah, I have spent many fantastic years with my family. At the same time, I felt as though I was making a clean break with the heartrendering and regretable moments spent there. Is this a new phase, I wonder. Similarly, major changes are happening at work, I have reconnected with my family in Trinidad after two long years,  and I have made life-changing realizations which I was waiting on for months. All of this amidst the worries, allergies, tears and tiredness of one week. Praise be to the One who wanted me to grow stronger, put life in perspective, and move forward.

“And among His Signs in this: thou seest the earth barren and desolate; but when We send down rain to it, it is stirred to life and yields increase. Truly, He Who gives life to the (dead) earth can surely give life to (men) who are dead. For He has power over all things.”
(Al-Qur’an, 41:39)

Share This

This week the little girls at school threw a wonderful party for me in our schoolyard under a tree.  They decorated the tree with rings of paper, spread some sweets on the table, and made gifts of their old toys for me. Then they made me wait outside with my eyes closed (until recess was almost over :) and walked me over to the tree where they all shouted, ’surprise!’ Seeing them sitting there around the table, with sweet smiles spread from ear to ear in pride, was one of the most precious sights I’ve ever beheld. I think they threw the party because they like to see me, and they like for me to hug them and show them love, and they wanted to return that somehow. They were so excited to give this gift to me.

To show them how much I appreciated what they had done, I gave them little gifts and handmade cards. They were very excited to receive what I gave them, but a day after giving them these gifts they didn’t seem as excited to see me smile at them or treat them affectionately. I was very surprised at this. I think, and Allah SWT knows best, that this might be because I translated all that they felt and had done for me into little trinkets of appreciation. I had turned something immaterial into a thing of material worth, which was worth much less.

 Sometimes I do the same thing with my deepest feelings. I struggle to put my sentiments, thoughts and dreams into words, only for the sake of expressing them, because perhaps it is better to share them. But I feel that when I do, they lose their wings.

 Its that struggle we sometimes experience when we have this great sense of appreciation and love for another human being, but when we tell them, we feel as though we’ve lost a part of it all. Is it because we’re insecure? Isn’t it better to tell people how grateful we are, before its too late? Is it better to share our dreams and sentiments, or to keep them in?

Share This

 There are hardly any words to describe the feeling I get when I meet my brothers and sisters in Islam. Allah SWT has blessed me with one of the most precious and fantastic gifts a human being could have, and that is people who love me selflessly for His sake. Whereas many human relationships are tried and tainted by selfish desire for one thing or another, this love, this sense of safety I feel when I see my brothers and sisters is unlike any other relationship. I am reminded of this each time see them, like I did last weekend. As I looked into my sisters’ eyes, I saw nothing that was selfish, envious, mean or wanting, and I saw everything that was giving, caring and sincere. I saw people who really wanted to please their Lord for no selfish reason. I knew that I could work with them, advise them, agree and disagree with them, remind them, and they’d do the same for me. In this network, this family, on this path, I feel that I am more of a whole than a part of anything, and I am ever grateful to Allah SWT and His Messenger who established this for us. 

I want to share a bit of the recipe for this brotherhood, so that as many of us may partake in it as possible in shaa Allah:

Ta’aruf ~ we get to know one another very well, so that we love one another and we rely on one another

Tafahum ~ we share the same understanding of our purpose in life, the way life must be lived, and our end goal

Takaful ~ we strive to have full trust and respect for one another

 Tawakkul ~ we strive to have complete faith and hope in Allah SWT

I must highlight the fact that sincerity underlies all of these virtues. It is the glue that holds us together. It is their passion for Islam, their love and commitment to Allah SWT, and their constant vigil over their inner selves, which makes my brothers and sisters so committed to one another. And this has been presribed by Allah SWT and His Messenger (SAS) for all those who believe.

May He SWT keep us together at heart always, and may He for whom you love me, love you more, ameen.

Share This