بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Today, or anytime, when you catch yourself wanting to condescendingly drop some knowledge that you have, grab it and ask: Would I be better saying words or letting my actions and choices illustrate that knowledge for me?
- Ryan Holiday
Our entire lives are made of choices; big choices, small choices. In a class about Abu Bakr As-Siddīq RA, the teacher said that great people were great based on the choices they made. At every point in your life, you have a choice to make between two or more options, one of which is the most beloved option to Allah. The Auliyā’ of Allah chose options that would earn His pleasure, constantly, with His permission, and that, by His will, led them to a status craved by everyone with a pinch of knowledge.
It is always assumed that the resolve to choose to please Allah during tough times would come, even if Allah’s pleasure was never the option during times of ease.
Once upon a time, “homework” used to be spelling and comprehension. The task, as easy as it was, seemed like the end goal. Fast forward to 10+ years later: spelling and comprehension are just simple tools that help you accomplish a much much more complex mission, say writing a thesis, or solving case studies.
The analogies are always lame, point is: making the right choices during times of ease enable you, with the permission of Allah, to make the right choices during trialing times.
Choosing to strive to maintain concentration and humility in salah, instead of using salah as an opportunity to ponder upon your dunya-related issues and to try (and fail of course) to bring up solutions to them, could help you maintain a focused heart when the earth is quaking.
Choosing to make dhikr after salah, instead of replying never ending messages could be the self-restraint exercise needed, with the permission of Allah, to help you choose Allah over your desires at times when you need restraint the most.
Simple things, help with big things.
And choices are a manifestation of the knowledge that lies within.
أَمَّنْ هُوَ قَٰنِتٌ ءَانَآءَ ٱلَّيْلِ سَاجِدًا وَقَآئِمًا يَحْذَرُ ٱلْءَاخِرَةَ وَيَرْجُوا۟ رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِۦۗ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَۗ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَٰبِ
Is one who is obedient to Allah, prostrating himself or standing (in prayer) during the hours of the night, fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the Mercy of his Lord (like one who disbelieves)? Say: "Are those who know equal to those who know not?" It is only men of understanding who will remember (i.e. get a lesson from Allah's Signs and Verses).
(Quran, 39:9)
Allah SWT mentions obedience to Him, and forsaking sleep for His sake, then He SWT tells us that those who have knowledge are not equal to those who do not have knowledge. Those who have knowledge understand that the best option is ALWAYS one that entails obedience to Allah. Those who have knowledge know that giving up sleep to stand full of hope and fear, before Allah, when all doors are close, and all eyes are shut, is the best choice to make.
Imām al-Qurtubi rh said in his tafseer regarding the mentioned verse:
“Those who know”, are those whose knowledge is beneficial to them and they apply it; as for those who know, but their knowledge neither benefits them nor do they act upon it, then they have the same status as those who do not know.
To finish off by making this poorly written newsletter make even a tiny bit of sense, we have two points to take home:
Your choices define you.
Your knowledge should define your choices.
When you are constantly learning but your choices do not evolve into better ones, re-evaluate your intentions and pray to Allah for taufīq.
اللهم علمنا ما ينفعنا وانفعنا بما علمنا
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
شكراً وجزاك الله خيرا
Barakarakallahu feeki.