This one’s for the ones who actually BELIEVE in something.
I’m no expert but I know a thing or two about doubt. A cloud hanging over you, just waiting for an opportune moment to pass you the rope where your dreams will hang. Bombarding you constantly with questions of ‘is this even worth it?’ ‘Will I ever be enough?’ ‘Will my work amount to something?’ ‘Will I amount to anything?’
I also know a thing or two about hope. Driving with one headlight in a dark stormy night, on a long unwinding road to probably nowhere. But somehow ‘hoping’ that you’ll see the light of day and this eventually will all make sense. Despite how enticing and in-your-best-interest she looks, hope is a beggar that should be spared none of your attention. Hope is a game of chance hovered by a dark cloud of doubt, an endless wait that may or may not be.
There’s a law operating the universe that we all know by now. A law that determines who succeeds and who doesn’t. A law coined by different names time and time again. The law has been put to words by many, most appealing of which, Paulo Coelho’s: “And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” The law is also the title to Napoleon Hill’s best seller of all time: Think and grow rich.
Now, that law is sound, but only when matched ardently with an element we now go to extremes to prove inexistent; Faith; in a power mightier than us all. That’s the order of miracles.
You could always tell someone to believe in themselves all you want, and they wouldn’t know what to do. Like which part of them even has it in their past trajectory something worthy of believing in.
But what if instead we told people to BELIEVE in He who [[His is the dominion of the heavens and earth]] (Q57:2). Now that makes a whole lot of sense. To have faith in He who [[His command is only when He intends a thing that He says to it, “Be,” and it is.]] (Q36:82)
Then would you have faith.
Allah poses a question in the holy Qur’an;
[[Then what is your thought about the Lord of the worlds?]] (Q37:87)
And then proceeds to say in a hadith qudsy; [I am as my slave expects me to be…]
That is the basis of all self-improvement. Positivity. The basis of realizing a burning desire is knotting it to only He Who’s hands is the power to tell it BE and it becomes. And if there’s one thing He’s promised, it’s [[Call upon Me; I will respond to you.]] (Q40:60). So, call upon Him without a shred of doubt and He’s confined Himself to hearing you out.
If you think nothing of Him but good, He gives you what is good and the opposite is true, you attract what/ how you think of Him. So, when things go sour you have no one to blame but yourself.
So,
[[Then what is your thought about the Lord of the worlds?]] (Q37:87)
We all believe that there is nothing impossible for Allah. He Says that time and time again in the Qur’an.
[[…But Allah is not to be caused failure by anything in the heavens or on the earth. Indeed, He is ever Knowing and Competent.]] (Q35:44)
[[His command is only when He intends a thing that He says to it, “Be,” and it is]] (Q36:82)
[[…And Allah is ever, over all things, Perfect in Ability]]. (Q18:45)
And many more ayahs.
So my dear reader, if you believe in you Lord, how do you let your mind be festered by doubt about His ability. Throw over your affairs to Him as you work tirelessly towards your aspirations, for He is not an unjust Lord.
In today’s time, we hear of many who say that they’ve lost faith especially in matters of sustenance. And even those whom Allah has opened the doors of the dunya for, still live in a state of worry about it. They can’t help it with the doubts about tomorrow. Poverty has been placed before their eyes in a world so abundant.
Dear reader, Oh servant of Allah, know that He says;
[[And there is no creature on earth but that upon Allah is its provision, and He knows its place of dwelling and place of storage. All is in a clear register]] (Q11:6)
And He proceeds to give an example in surah ‘Ankabuut (The Spider);
[[And how many a creature carries not its [own] provision. Allah provides for it and for you. And He is the Hearing, the Knowing]]. (Q29:60)
How many creatures do we see today that cannot carry their own provision, from the insects but Allah provides for them, what makes you doubt that your case is among the impossible. What makes you believe that you’re this half sentence of a footnote in the grand scheme of The Best of Planners.
[[Then what is your thought about the Lord of the worlds]] (Q37:87)
Allah has taken it upon Himself to provide for you and it’s not upon you to worry how that comes to pass. The only thing that should worry you is your relationship with him.
He says;
And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. I do not want from them any provision, nor do I want them to feed Me. Indeed, it is Allah who is the Provider, the firm possessor of strength. (Q51:56-58)
So, you’ve struggled with what your purpose is in this life? Realize that Allah tells us that our purpose here is ‘Worship’. In Islam, ‘ibaadah’-worship- is a collective term for all that Allah loves and is pleased with from our sayings and actions, from the ones we do publicly and the ones we do in secret (in our hearts). All that is good is worship; from good character, to pure intentions, to smiling at your brother, to even removing what a passer-by might dislike from the path.
Allah has taken it upon himself to provide for you and give to you what you truly seek if only you set out on the purpose that he brought you for without a worry about your sustenance.
Allah says;
[[Satan threatens you with poverty and orders you to immorality, while Allah promises you forgiveness from Him and bounty. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing]]. (Q2:268)
Satan takes it upon himself to put poverty at the top of your mind. That’s why even when Allah opens doors to the dunya for you, you never seem contented; you’re always worried. It’s not upon you to worry, Allah will provide. Remember when He says;
I do not want from them any provision, nor do I want them to feed Me. Indeed, it is Allah who is the [continual] Provider, the firm possessor of strength. (Q51:56-58)
Things would be rough if provision was in the hands of someone else but subhaanallah provision is with He who is more Merciful towards you that your own mothers (a hadith says that) so don’t you despair. Why not live with the definiteness of purpose, free from all doubt.
In the thick of it though, all our troubles in this world come from the work of our own hands
[[Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He may let them taste part of [the consequence of] what they have done that perhaps they will return [to righteousness]]. (Q30:41)
Sometimes hardships hit us to remind us of our wrongs so that we may return to Him.
[[And whatever strikes you of disaster – it is for what your hands have earned; but He pardons much.]] (Q42:30)
So, work on yourselves; on purifying your intentions and having total faith and reliance on Allah.
He says;
[[…And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him…]] (Q65:3)
And the prophet says in a hadith;
[If you all depend on Allah with due reliance, He would certainly give you provision as He gives it to birds who go forth hungry in the morning and return with full a belly at dusk] (At-Tirmidhi).
The Qur’an has answer to all our questions, if only we paid attention.
Now Allah gives us a hack for a life well lived.
[[Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer – We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do.]] (Q16:97)
So, dream up what you consider a good life at the same time weighing it in you:
[[Then what is your thought about the Lord of the worlds?]] (Q37:87)
Inspired by Sheikh Abdallah Humeid’s khutba: “Unamdhaniya nini Mola wako Mlezi.”