As-salamu `alaykum wa rahmatullah

Day 16/Juz 16:-

“So when he had turned away from them and from those whom they worshipped besides Allah, We gave him Ishaq and Ya’qub, and each one of them We made a Prophet.” [Maryam: 49]

This verse is in relevance to the struggle of Ibrahim (as) when he pleaded with his father in regards to belief. This went to the extent that he said, ‘I will turn away from you all and whatever you worship besides God!’ but things didn’t really change. However, his personal situation began to change the moment he actually turned away from their falsehood. He turned away from a disbelieving family, so Allah gave him a new (and pious) family to include a line of Prophets. He turned away from a transgressing nation, and Allah made him a nation himself.

Sometimes our situations in life don’t really change to how we want them to. We sit and expect the Help of Allah to arrive, or we expect that blessing to come through, or we expect that test to be lifted, but none of that seems to happen because we are *still engrossed in the situation itself.* A lot of the time unfortunately, we are engrossed in a sinful circumstance with disobedience and a transgression of Divine Law. The moment you turn away from all that, is the moment you will begin to see the materialization of your hopes, dreams, and desires. That supplication you’ve long been making starts to happen in front of your eyes because you see, you have to let go in order to be given.

Our sins hold us back, brothers and sisters, and Allah has already told us that He will not change our situation until we change what is within ourselves. Until we get up and make some changes. Until we turn away from wrong, and turn towards right – that’s when things will start going right insha’Allah. May Allah make all your paths easy, ameen.

Day 17/Juz 17:-

Surah al-Anbiya’, the Chapter of Prophets. In this profound Surah we go through passages where the lives of some of the Prophets are recapped. But it’s not their entire life that is detailed here; instead, Allah `azza wa jall alerts us to their moments of hardship, their trials, and their tests.

About Ibrahim: ‘They said, “Burn him and support your gods – if you are to act.” Allah said, “O fire, be cool and safe for Abraham.” –
“And remember Nuh, when he cried (to Us) aforetime…”
“And remember Dawud and Sulaiman, when they gave judgement…”
“And remember Ayub, when he cried to his Lord: “Verily, distress has seized me, and You are the Most Merciful of all those who show mercy.”
“And remember Isma’il and Idrees and Dhul-Kifl; all were of the patient.”
“And remember Dhan-Nun (Yunus), when he went off in anger…”
“And remember Zakariya, when he cried to his Lord: “O My Lord! Leave me not single (childless), though You are the Best of the inheritors.””
“And remember she who guarded her chastity (Maryam)…”

And so the passages unfold, each one giving us an insight into the lives of the Prophets and legends before us. They were tested, and so they called out to Allah for help. The Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) was once asked ‘Who from the people are the most tested’, and he said: “The Prophets, then the next best and the next best. A man will be tested in accordance with his level of religious commitment. If his religious commitment is strong, he will be tested more severely, and if his religious commitment is weak, he will be tested in accordance with his religious commitment. Calamities will keep befalling a person until he walks on the earth with no sin upon him.” [al-Tirmidhi, sahih]

Hence it’s no surprise that in the Chapter of the Prophets, these tests are mentioned. But immediately after each mention, Allah `azza wa jall says, “So We answered his call…’ ‘So we saved him…’ etc. And in the end, He says, “Truly! This Ummah of yours is one Ummah, and I am your Lord, therefore worship Me.” [al-Anbiya’: 92].

We are slaves of Allah following trails set by Prophets before us. They encountered hard times, and so we will encounter hard times. They were tested, and so we will be tested. They bore patience, and so we must bear patience, because we are one Ummah, with one religion. It’s truly uplifting when we take these legends and towering figures as our role-models and guides, because despite the struggles, they remain the best men to walk the face of this planet and this is something to truly look up to and be proud of.

May Allah keep us firm on His Path and keep us strong within the Sunnah of His Messenger (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam), ameen.

Day 18/Juz 18:-

“Allah alternates the night and the day. Indeed in that is a lesson for those who have vision.” [al-Nur: 44]

In this chapter, the ‘Chapter of Light’, one of my favourite verses comes up, and how timely it is today. After describing how Allah drives clouds and causes rain to fall, how there are mountain-like structures in the sky, and from them hail is pelted down, He says that ‘He strikes with it whom He wills and averts it from whom He wills. The flash of its lightening almost takes away the sight.’

And then comes our ayah… That Allah changes affairs in the turn of a moment. Just as He turns night into day, and day into night, our affairs too change just like that. Nothing in life is permanent, everything is constantly changing. The turning of tables is something that we’ve all perhaps experienced, or saw in other’s lives, or at least read about. How the poor pauper became the town’s richest, how the victim at school became the bully’s CEO, how the situation you mocked at yesterday became your reality. Allah turns tables, and this is very easy for the One Who turns night into day.

Today, which is just after the day the battle of Badr was won centuries ago, we received news of our innocent prisoners being released one by one, and on the other side of the turning table, Mr Gove is found to be heading out of office, alhamdulillah, a good riddance.

It’s interesting that the verse says Allah changes ‘night into day’ because that very transition means that relief is coming soon. When the dark night extends, it makes its way towards dawn, but before it reaches dawn, it has to go through its most darkest period – and this is the extreme difficulty that a person sometimes experiences before victory and alleviation (i.e. their breakthrough to dawn). Then He says that this contains a lesson for those who *see* or have *vision* or *insight*. There are so many signs for us in nature, and why Allah chooses these natural scenes to teach us lessons, subhan’Allah. But we must open our eyes and become people of sight. Let us read His verses with open eyes and open minds, because the lessons we can derive are endless.

Day 19/Juz 19:-

“Indeed, they are enemies to me, except the Lord of the worlds, Who created me, and He Who guides me. And it is He who feeds me and gives me drink. And when I am ill, it is He who cures me. And who will cause me to die and then bring me to life. And Who I hope will forgive me my sins on the Day of Recompense.” [al-Shu’ara: 82]

This is the start of a long and beautiful passage in Surah al-Shu’ara where Ibrahim speaks about his Lord, and then supplicates to Him. His speech is not only deep but it also sets out a print of people’s lives here on earth. He declared everything that people worshipped as being his ‘enemies’ because they only serve to harm a person’s Hereafter and ruin him forever, except the worship of Allah. Ibrahim lays out a number of things and this these follow the course of our lives: 1) Allah is the One who created us all, and 2) our guidance is set from before birth. When the soul is breathed into each of us, our fates are written. 3) As we grow, we grow with the rizq (provision) of Allah; He grants us our daily food and drink as well as all other rizq. 4) As we age, we become more prone to illnesses and He is the One who cures us and grants us ‘aafiyah (health). 5) Then we ultimately die and leave this world behind only to 6) be resurrected to face a reckoning which 7) we all hope to be forgiven in. In a few ayaat, Ibrahim (as) pretty much sums up the life we all go through.

The words he uses is very interesting, because in Arabic, all the above are listed as actions of Allah ‘azza wa jall – i.e. Allah created, guided, fed, gave to drink, cures, causes death, brings back to life, forgives – they are all af’aal (verbs), except for the term used for illness. For this, Ibrahim simply said ‘When I fall ill…’ – despite knowing that it is by the Will of Allah that he falls ill. This was the gentleness and etiquette that the Prophets observed with their Lord when it came to making du’a and speaking of their distress – they would associate the illness and any evil that touched them to either their own selves, to Shaytan, or to the problem itself – out of love, high regard, and respect for Allah `azza wa jall.

This is a fascinating topic which I previously wrote about here (pls read): https://www.fajr-literary.com/?p=437 Thus did the Messengers teach…

Day 20/Juz 20:-

“And say, ‘Praise is due to Allah. He will show you His signs, and you will recognize them. And your Lord is not unaware of what you do.'” [al-Naml: 93]

Every day, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala sends us some of His Signs. He shows us different things; in His Verses, in the universe, in ourselves, in incidents that occur in our lives etc. Sometimes the signs are general, sometimes they’re very personal. He alerts us to these things so that we may turn to Him, hearken to His Existence, and worship Him. These signs come to us again and again, like the verse which you keep getting reminded about, but sometimes we’re so busy looking for other things that we miss the little things in our lives that keep coming back. Have you ever wondered at your continuous hardship? The test will keep coming again and again until your learn the lesson you’re supposed to learn. There is no such thing as coincidences in this world; but they are all signs, and signs lead the way to greater meanings and purpose.

When we realise that Allah `azza wa jall is guiding us to Himself, the steps we take at that stage become all the more important. Some of us will listen, and some of us will unfortunately turn away. We know the example of the one who will be raised blind on the Day of Resurrection, and he will cry out, “My Lord, why have you raised me blind while I had sight?” And Allah will simply say, “Thus did Our signs come to you, but you forgot them; and thus will you this Day be forgotten.” [TaHa: 124-126]

When His Signs come to you, take great care not to turn away or to disregard. He knows that you’ve recognised the sign and whatever you do at that point is ever so crucial, because as He says in the end, ‘…Your Lord is not unaware of what you do.’

May Allah grant us insight and understanding, ameen.