ALLAH the Merciful

“ALLAH THE MERCIFUL”, we see that the mechanism of creation is in motion and perfect order, and no chaos or disorder is present in it anywhere. Keeping this order and arrangement in view, we can very well realize that there is only one Omnipotent and Omniscient being who controls this entire mechanism, the only one Allah.

At times a state of an unease surrounds us. Many, if not all of us have experienced this moment; the feeling that our sins are just too much, being physically and mentally exhausted, tired and depressed under the burden of uncertainty of fighting against the inner of things ever committed and we start to believe that not even a drop of Allah’s mercy is going to reach us. We fall into a pit of sorrow and our Iman begins to plummet, losing belief in getting in Jannah, we feel ashamed of the fact who we were. But then, a beautiful Hadith Qudsi, in which Allah says, “Even if your sins were to reach the clouds in the sky, I would forgive you’’. These words are heart-warming and hopeful reminders of 99 names of Allah: Ar-Rahman, The most Merciful. No matter what you do, how big the sin is, how deep you have fallen, if you call out to him, Allah will respond and forgive you.

Although many of us know Allah’s merciful attributes, we still lose hope from time to time. When I feel hopeless due to the wrongs I’ve committed, I feel comfort in reminding myself of a man who to me is a true symbol of hope. A man who walked a path of sin, who then went on to become one of the people who were guaranteed Paradise. That man is Umar Ibn al-Khattab the mighty companion of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He was a strong and powerful leader titled “Al-Farooq” (distinguisher between truth and falsehood). Once Umar Ibn al-Khattab was asked, “What is the cure of a person who has been gripped with illness? A person who is in the clasp of destruction? What does a person do if he has been overcome by laziness? What is the solution of a person who has been defeated by confusion, for whenever he tries turning to Allah his desire prevents him and whenever he seeks to be productive, failure haunts him?” he replied,

“His cure is to turn to Allah and continue pleading with him in dua by learning the dua of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)and to carefully choose the times when dua is answered, like the last part of the night, and between the call for prayer and Iqaama, and during prostration, and after prayer..”

“He should add to this Istighfar(asking Allah for forgiveness), for a person who does this and is subsequently forgiven, Allah will give him a life of enjoyment until an appointed time.”

“Let him also adopt a portion of remembrance in morning and evening and before falling asleep, and let him patiently resist the matters that prevent and distract him from doing this, for it will only be a matter of time before Allah will start sending him assistance from Him and will write faith within his heart.” “Let him also ensure that all of his obligations are complete, including five prayers”

“Let him never tire of making Dua and request from Allah, for one's Duaa will be answered so long as he does not hurry his lord by saying ‘I made dua, but it was not answered.” “Let him know that victory is with patience and relief is with grief and with difficulty is ease” “And there is not any human being who can attain any form of goodness, whether he is a prophet or someone less than that, except via patience.”

The lesson from this story is that our Past should not define who you are today, nor should they define your future – unless you let them. The sins you used to commit or are committing right now, should not make you lose any hope of being able to change and become better. Umar who went from being an idol worshipper to becoming one of the few who were guaranteed Jannah.

It’s okay to keep falling as long as you keep getting back up. Never give up not until your last heartbeat.

May God ease our hearts.

-Allah, Ar-Rahman.

Author: Ayesha Batool