The Key to Victory is Already in Your Hands

Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) says in Soorat al-Qasas:

وَأَصْبَحَ فُؤَادُ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰ فَارِغًا ۖ إِنْ كَادَتْ لَتُبْدِي بِهِ لَوْلَا أَنْ رَبَطْنَا عَلَىٰ قَلْبِهَا لِتَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

And the heart of the mother of Mûsa (Moses) became empty [from every thought, except the thought of Mûsa (Moses)]. She was very near to disclose his (case, i.e. the child is her son), had We not strengthened her heart (with Faith), so that she might remain as one of the believers.

وَقَالَتْ لِأُخْتِهِ قُصِّيهِ ۖ فَبَصُرَتْ بِهِ عَنْ جُنُبٍ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ

And she said to his [Musa’s (Moses)] sister: “Follow him.” So she (his sister) watched him from a far place secretly, while they perceived not.

۞ وَحَرَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِ الْمَرَاضِعَ مِنْ قَبْلُ فَقَالَتْ هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ يَكْفُلُونَهُ لَكُمْ وَهُمْ لَهُ نَاصِحُونَ

And We had already forbidden (other) foster suckling mothers for him, until she (his sister came up and) said: “Shall I direct you to a household who will rear him for you, and look after him in a good manner?”

فَرَدَدْنَاهُ إِلَىٰ أُمِّهِ كَيْ تَقَرَّ عَيْنُهَا وَلَا تَحْزَنَ وَلِتَعْلَمَ أَنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

So did We restore him to his mother, that her eye might be comforted, and that she might not grieve, and that she might know that the Promise of Allâh is true. But most of them know not. [Soorat al-Qasas 10-13]

Remember the story of Musa (‘alayhis salaam) as a baby and his mother (radiyallaahu ‘anha)? Remember how Allaah (jalla wa ‘ala) fulfilled His promise to Musa’s mother who was sincere in obeying her Creator and trusting in Him alone?

Imagine a mother placing her new born in a basket in the Nile River. Mother’s easily feel distress when they leave their new born alone in a room and here was Musa’s mother placing her new born in a river – whose current could have led her child to disappear or die. Despite the situation, Musa’s mother continued to remain obedient to the orders of Allaah because she knew that the Promise of her Creator was true. She did not think twice about fulfilling the orders from her Creator, subhanaahu wa ta’aala. She (radiyallaahu ‘anha) was aware that Allaah was much more Merciful to Musa than she was to her own child. Allaah was his Lord and the Lord of the Nile. In addition, Musa (‘alayhis salaam) reached the very man that his mother and sister were trying to protect Musa from (i.e. Fir’awn) – Musa arrived at the palace of Fir’awn and Aasiyah (radiyallaahu ‘anha). But just after a while … did not the promise of Allaah to Musa’s mother come? Allaah says in al-Qur’an al-‘Adheem:

فَرَدَدْنَاهُ إِلَىٰ أُمِّهِ كَيْ تَقَرَّ عَيْنُهَا وَلَا تَحْزَنَ وَلِتَعْلَمَ أَنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

So did We restore him to his mother, that her eye might be comforted, and that she might not grieve, and that she might know that the Promise of Allâh is true. But most of them know not. [Soorat al Qasas: 13]

Another amazing fact is how Musa had one of the righteous slaves of Allaah beside him all along in the house of his enemy, Fir’awn. This righteous slave was the wife of Fir’awn, ‘Aasiya (radiyallaahu ‘anha). Who would have thought that someone who could have been seen to be so close to the enemy of Musa through relation, was actually an enemy of Fir’awn himself and an ally for Musa. Subhan’Allaah!

وَمَا يَعْلَمُ جُنُودَ رَبِّكَ إِلَّا هُوَ
And none can know the soldiers of your Lord but He… [ al-Muddathir: 31]

So my friend, I ask you to not give up so easily in the Promise of Allaah. You truly don’t know the treasures awaiting you when you remain obedient to Allaah – even in the hardest of times. The key to victory is already in your hands, but you must take the right steps to find and choose the right door to enter victory. This key you hold is the belief of al-Islaam and you’ll only be able to find and open the door of victory when you truly practice the belief in your heart with your limbs and senses. Like Musa’s mother – do not think twice in obeying the orders of Your Creator – remember His promise and fulfill your duties to Him as His slave. In every circumstance, remember to remain firm and refuse to drop the key, i.e. your belief and you will definetly taste the true victory awaiting you and every believer.

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… والسماء والطارق …

…Taken from a conversation between me and my friend:

“When I was praying maghrib yesterday after i finished, i was making du`aa so i looked up and from my window i saw a star it was so bright and i could see nothing else except for that star, and subhan’Allaah i thought about its insignificance compared to the entire universe yet it shines so brightly, that even though its one tiny speck in the vastness of the sky, i could still see it with my bare eyes it made me think of Allaah and how small we are compared to Him imagine that sis? We’re so insignificant yet to Allaah we shine, we matter to Him even if we’re so tiny. He sees us the way we see that star lonesome, but bright. We admire it, we love it and Allaah’s love for His slave goes far beyond that so how can we ever then think that He would wrong us or would let anything bad happen to us?”

The above conversation I had with my friend reminded me of one of my most favourite soorahs, at-Tariq. Such an excellent reminder. Indeed in the remembrance of Allaah do hearts find rest.

By the sky and the night comer

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الطَّارِقُ

And what can make you know what is the night comer

النَّجْمُ الثَّاقِبُ

It is the piercing star

إِن كُلُّ نَفْسٍ لَّمَّا عَلَيْهَا حَافِظٌ

There is no soul but that it has over it a protector

فَلْيَنظُرِ الْإِنسَانُ مِمَّ خُلِقَ

So let man observe from what he was created

خُلِقَ مِن مَّاءٍ دَافِقٍ

He was created from a fluid, ejected

يَخْرُجُ مِن بَيْنِ الصُّلْبِ وَالتَّرَائِبِ

Emerging from between the backbone and the ribs

إِنَّهُ عَلَىٰ رَجْعِهِ لَقَادِرٌ

Indeed, Allah , to return him [to life], is Able

يَوْمَ تُبْلَى السَّرَائِرُ

The Day when secrets will be put on trial

فَمَا لَهُ مِن قُوَّةٍ وَلَا نَاصِرٍ

Then man will have no power or any helper

وَالسَّمَاءِ ذَاتِ الرَّجْعِ

By the sky which returns [rain]

وَالْأَرْضِ ذَاتِ الصَّدْعِ

And [by] the earth which cracks open

إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلٌ فَصْلٌ

Indeed, the Qur’an is a decisive statement

وَمَا هُوَ بِالْهَزْلِ

And it is not amusement

إِنَّهُمْ يَكِيدُونَ كَيْدًا

Indeed, they are planning a plan

وَأَكِيدُ كَيْدًا

But I am planning a plan

فَمَهِّلِ الْكَافِرِينَ أَمْهِلْهُمْ رُوَيْدًا

So allow time for the disbelievers. Leave them awhile

Beautiful quote shared by a beautiful friend

“Life is a book with many chapters. Some tell of tragedy, others tell of triumph. Some are dull and ordinary, others intense and exciting. The key to success in life is to never stop on a difficult page, to never quit on a tough chapter. Champions have the courage to keep turning the pages because they know that a better chapter always lies ahead, because with Allah all things are possible.”

The sun and the moon..

وسخر لكم الليل والنهار والشمس والقمر والنجوم مسخرات بأمره إن في ذلك لآيات لقوم يعقلون

“And He has subjected for you the night and day and the sun and moon, and the stars are subjected by His command. Indeed in that are signs for a people who reason.”

I love this aayah from soorat an-Nahl, there’s so many lessons one can derive from it! Allaah’s words always leave you in amazement if you truly ponder and reflect over them. Umm Dharr radiyAllaahu `anha was once asked about the nature of Abu Dharr al-Ghifari’s radiyAllaahu `anh nature of `ibaadah. So she said: “He spent his entire days mostly silent, pondering and meditating on Allaah’s work.”

Everything, every single creation in this universe has a purpose and a time set for it. Look at the creation of day and night for instance, you see a perfect pattern. No matter how long and dark the night might be, its always followed by a bright morning. You’ll always, in some corner of the earth see the sun rising in all its glory, pushing away all darkness. And just like the sun and moon, our lives take on different phases.. we drift between agony and joy, love and hate, safety and calamity.. and with each phase, we either learn and grow if we take heed, or we’re left behind amidst the caravan of the misguided, those who are hopeless, who have no faith.

Its almost as if its Allaah’s way of reminding us to patiently wait for the arrival of day because the night is surely to pass no matter how lengthy. How can then our hearts not be filled with awe and love for Allaah subhanahu wa ta`ala?

And likewise, no matter how much we wish for the night to pass, it will only do so by the permission of Allaah. Some nights are lengthy, whereas some are short. Similarly, some trials are harder to bear than others. If you think about the length – be it in terms of nature [night/day] or trials, whether its ease or calamity – each has its own benefit. A long night means more `ibaadah and rest. We have more time to prepare for our final destination, to seek forgiveness and earn Allaah’s Pleasure. The tougher the trial, the stronger we become.

“Their hearts have believed ..”

In this beautiful verse from soorat al-A’raaf, Allaah (‘azza wa jall) reminds us the importance of belief and action in performing good deeds and of the destination of the righteous believers. He says:

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَا نُكَلِّفُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ

But those who believed (in the Oneness of Allâh – Islâmic Monotheism), and worked righteousness – We tax not any person beyond his scope,— such are the dwellers of Paradise. They will abide therein. [verse: 42]

Ibn Kathir mentions that after Allaah discusses the condition of the disbelievers, the miserable ones, in the afterlife. He then mentions the condition of the believers, the happy ones. Allaah begins the verse by saying:

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ
But those who believed, and worked righteousness

Hence, Ibn Kathir explains: Their hearts have believed and they performed good deeds with their limbs and senses, as compared to those who disbelieved in the Ayat of Allaah and were arrogant with them. [Tafsir Ibn Kathir; Surah 7. Al-A’raaf (43-44) (Part 8)]

This is where the real deal is. When Allaah says that not only do the believers just believe in their hearts in the words of Almighty God, but when they perform good deeds with their limbs and senses to adhere to His injunctions. The believers truly follow their belief by showing how they hear and obey to the message of al-Islaam. With their limbs and senses, they prove the belief they have in their hearts.

As human beings, when we learn how to trust someone, how does this come about? The person you’d like to learn to trust can easily tell you that you should just trust them, correct? But does this mean that they have gained your trust already? It is only when you consistently see the actions of a person and learn from their behavior with yourself and others that you can decide on who they truly are. If the individual continues to prove to you their trust by being a practicing Muslim who stays away from every kind of ill speech and by taking the right steps to stop others from carrying out the evil practices – then know that this person not only followed the belief of the impermissibility of the issues of ill speech and actions in their heart, but through their actions. So it is through their actions [which they perform with their limbs and senses] that you learn to trust them.

Allaah has made it clear that this religion is a religion where a person with a sincere heart and belief that acts upon good deeds has worked for righteousness. By His Blessed words, Allaah continues to remind us firstly that it is not merely belief that will gain the believer reward, but also action! Allaah continued the verse of the reward of paradise that awaits those that not only believe, but those who work for righteousness by saying:

وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ
and worked righteousness

So we work for righteous by performing good deeds with our limbs and senses.

In regards to the issue of denouncing evil actions in this religion, we learn how action plays an important role. Our beloved Prophet [sallaallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam] said: “Whoever among you sees an evil action, let him change it with his hand (by taking action); and if he cannot do that, then with his tongue (by speaking out); and if he cannot do that, then with his heart (by believing that it is wrong and hating it) – and that is the weakest of faith.” (Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh from the hadeeth of Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him).

This advice from the Final Messenger, a Mercy sent to all of Mankind, begins with stopping evil by taking action firstly and if that is not possible, by speech and if that is not possible, then by belief in disliking the evil deed and this is seen to be the weakest form of faith. Thus, from his advice, we can learn many things and one of these things is the importance of the action from limbs and senses when denouncing evil.