Don’t judge the way other people connect to God!

I have seen people telling others that the way they are using to connect to god is not right and there are better ways etc. Anyhow, I came across a story in the book, The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak,which I absolutely loved. Here it is:

“Allow me to tell you a story.” And here is what he told us: One day Moses was walking in the mountains on his own when he saw a shepherd in the distance. The man was on his knees with his hands spread out to the sky, praying. Moses was delighted. But when he got closer, he was equally stunned to hear the shepherd’s prayer. “Oh, my beloved God, I love Thee more than Thou can know. I will do anything for Thee, just say the word. Even if Thou asked me to slaughter the fattest sheep in my flock in Thy name, I would do so without hesitation. Thou would roast it and put its tail fat in Thy rice to make it more tasty.” Moses inched toward the shepherd, listening attentively. “Afterward I would wash Thy feet and clean Thine ears and pick Thy lice for Thee. That is how much I love Thee.”

Having heard enough, Moses interrupted the shepherd, yelling, “Stop, you ignorant man! What do you think you are doing? Do you think God eats rice? Do you think God has feet for you to wash? This is not prayer. It is sheer blasphemy.” Dazed and ashamed, the shepherd apologized repeatedly and promised to pray as decent people did. Moses taught him several prayers that afternoon. Then he went on his way, utterly pleased with himself. But that night Moses heard a voice. It was God’s. “Oh, Moses, what have you done? You scolded that poor shepherd and failed to realize how dear he was to Me. He might not be saying the right things in the right way, but he was sincere. His heart was pure and his intentions good. I was pleased with him. His words might have been blasphemy to your ears, but to Me they were sweet blasphemy.”

Moses immediately understood his mistake. The next day, early in the morning, he went back to the mountains to see the shepherd. He found him praying again, except this time he was praying in the way he had been instructed. In his determination to get the prayer right, he was stammering, bereft of the excitement and passion of his earlier prayer. Regretting what he had done to him, Moses patted the shepherd’s back and said: “My friend, I was wrong. Please forgive me. Keep praying in your own way. That is more precious in God’s eyes.” The shepherd was astonished to hear this, but even deeper was his relief. Nevertheless, he did not want to go back to his old prayers. Neither did he abide by the formal prayers that Moses had taught him. He had now found a new way of communicating with God. Though satisfied and blessed in his naïve devotion, he was now past that stage—beyond his sweet blasphemy.

“So you see, don’t judge the way other people connect to God,” concluded Shams. “To each his own way and his own prayer. God does not take us at our word. He looks deep into our hearts. It is not the ceremonies or rituals that make a difference, but whether our hearts are sufficiently pure or not.”

وَلْيَتَلَطَّفْ - Be polite and cautious

Arabic language always fascinates me for being so rich in its meaning. I love the fact that we have to use a lot of terms to explain one Arabic word.

Anyway, I was reading surah Al-Kahf today and I came across the word وَلْيَتَلَطَّفْ . It reminded me of the time when we studied its explanation in class and I just felt the need to share it with everyone.

وَلْيَتَلَطَّفْ is right in the middle of Quran with an amazing advice for all of us, umm okay, may be two. The root word is  ل ط ف , which means:

1- To be thin, delicate, refined, to do something with proper planning, to know the complication of all affairs

2- To be polite, gentle, courteous, kind

and the meaning of the word وَلْيَتَلَطَّفْ used in surah Al-Kahaf is, let him be polite, let him behave with great care, let him behave with caution, let him be courteous.

So you know, 2 rules:

1- Be cautious

IN ALL MATTERS. During exams, while driving, at workplace, while fulfilling any assigned responsibility, when dealing with people

2- Be gentle

WITH EVERYONE. Whether your parents, children, siblings, teachers, students, service providers, guards, drivers, maids, strangers, colleagues, boss, sub-ordinate, ANYONE

Simple as that.

Purpose of Life - Race towards all that is good

In my previous blog: Hum Kyon Hain where I shared verses of Quran on purpose of creation, I thought I should make a list of good deeds as a reminder to myself and to others. This will help us do small acts of kindness and make us feel good about the things that we already do and never think of those as something worth doing.

I will keep updating the list whenever someone shares simple examples of good deeds with me and whenever I want :D

Smile

Help someone cross the road by stoping your car

Play with kids

Help at home by doing chores

Give food to homeless

Donate money for a worthwhile cause

Donate your old books to some local library

Donate your old clothes to those who need

Volunteer WHEREVER you can

Plant trees

Collect garbage on your way and throw in bin

Mentor someone

Be generous to waiters

Donate blood

Help someone with preparation of exams

Say thanks to maids, drivers, guards

Get at least one person enrolled in school. Government schools don't charge fee.

‘...and never have I been in my supplication to You, my Lord, unhappy’

I have been thinking to write on the subject of Dua from long but laziness took over.

I think I was in grade 2 when I read in an Urdu book, ‘jooti ka tasma b toot jae to Allah se mango’ (Ask from your lord, even If your shoelace is broken). And somehow, I have been a firm believer of this statement since then. I remember when I used to ask for literally everything from Allah (SWT) from a red car to achar (pickle) in lunch.

Dua is usually perceived as asking for something from God. Recently, in Quran in Surah Maryam, I read about mother of Maryam A.S, having conversation with Allah (SWT) when she was expecting. The expressions which are used in Quran made me feel so good. She wasn’t really asking for anything but she would just go on about telling Him stuff that she’s been thinking about and what she would do once she gives birth to her child. This reminded me of the literal meaning of Dua, which is, to call upon. So what I believe is you don’t particularly need to sit down on a prayer mat or go to the mosque to ask for what you want. It is all about having conversation with the One whether you are lying on the bed having stupid thoughts or you are in class, daydreaming.

This blog may sound so lame to someone who doesn’t believe in praying, and also to someone who does have faith in it, for being so obvious. But I had to write it anyway.

In Quran, Allah says:  

أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ

 ‘I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me.’ [2: 186]

This verse is so satisfying. The word أُجِيبُ has the meaning of responding and providing with what someone is asking for in it. How can one not believe in praying or lose hope that his prayers might not be answered, when it is stated this clearly in Quran.

Quran tells us about Duas of different prophets. This one from Musa A.S is my favorite. 

رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنْزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ

"My Lord, indeed I am, for whatever good You would send down to me, in need." [28:24]

The word فَقِيرٌ used here is translated in English as ‘in need’. This word is used for beggar when used as noun. The beauty of this word used in this particular Dua gives me so much pleasure. Think of it. How does a beggar beg? He would praise you, would tell you his problems, would tell you how beautiful everything is that you own, would tell you to give him what he is asking for because you have beautiful kids and wife, AND won’t leave until you give him what he is asking for. This encourages me to make Dua from Allah (SWT) like a beggar, praising Him, telling Him all the problems, talking about things He has created beautifully, and not leaving until I get what I am asking for.

I don’t get to whom else we can go if not Allah (SWT). We just need to have faith that we will get what we want, and ask for it knowing He is the owner of the whole universe and He owns what we want. Also, there are times when we pray with ifs and buts. What’s the point of making Dua if we have to say, O lord! Give it to me "if this is good for me". Why don’t we ask for what we need and the good in it as well? The One who has the power to provide us with what we want, also has the power to make it good for us in every aspect.

Have faith, Ask for it. May all your prayers be answered : )

Hum Kyon Hain?

May 30, 2015

There are times when I ask random people 'Hum kyon hain?' No one takes the question seriously and I don't really expect an answer. 

But somehow, this question puzzles me so much that there are nights thinking about the same question and there are times when I say things to my friends like 'yaaar mar jana hai' and 'mar he jana hai to kuch kyon karna hai' based on same thought. I have failed to accept that the purpose of our existence is just to go to school, then college, university, sit in front of a computer 9am-5pm, get married, have kids and live rest of our lives worrying about raising kids on the same pattern. 

Anyhow, I have enrolled for Tafseer course (Translation and explanation of Quran) and one of the reasons I am doing this is to know why do we exist. This blog is about different verses from Quran, which I believe will be helpful for me to understand the purpose of our creation. I will keep updating this as I study more. Inshallah.

O mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, that you may become righteous - [He] who made for you the earth a bed [spread out] and the sky a ceiling and sent down from the sky, rain and brought forth thereby fruits as provision for you...[2:23-24]

And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority." They said, "Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we declare Your praise and sanctify You?" Allah said, "Indeed, I know that which you do not know. [2:30]

...And We said, "Go down, [all of you], as enemies to one another, and you will have upon the earth a place of settlement and provision for a time." [2:36]

For each is a direction toward which it faces. So race to [all that is] good.Wherever you may be, Allah will bring you forth [for judgement] all together. [2:148]

And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient. [2:155]

........

June 3, 2015

When I read above mentioned verse [2:148] about racing to all that is good, I kept thinking that 'good' is one vague word, and only if there was some verse which clearly stated what is 'good', and so today I read following verse.

...righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah , the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakah; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle...[2:177]

........

Sep 11, 2015

Indeed, your Lord is Allah , who created the heavens and the earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne, arranging the matter [of His creation]. There is no intercessor except after His permission. That is Allah , your Lord, so worship Him. Then will you not remember? [10:3]

It is He who made the sun a shining light and the moon a derived light and determined for it phases - that you may know the number of years and account [of time]. Allah has not created this except in truth. He details the signs for a people who know. [10:5]

Indeed, in the alternation of the night and the day and [in] what Allah has created in the heavens and the earth are signs for a people who fear Allah. [10:6]

Then We made you successors in the land after them so that We may observe how you will do. [10:14]

........

Sep 22, 2015

And it is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days - and His Throne had been upon water - that He might test you as to which of you is best in deed.. [11:7]

And if your Lord had willed, He could have made mankind one community; but they will not cease to differ.Except whom your Lord has given mercy, and for that He created them... [11:118-119]

........

Oct 31, 2015

Indeed, We have made that which is on the earth adornment for it that We may test them [as to] which of them is best in deed. [18:7]

........

Feb 14, 2016

Surah Baqarah, verse 30 stated that Allah made men successor on earth. I recently read in Surah Sad, verse 26 that Allah made Dawood A.S. successor upon earth and being a successor he was asked to judge between people based on truth instead of following his own desires while doing so. This tells us about one of the duties as successors we have to perform in this world.

"O David, indeed We have made you a successor upon the earth, so judge between the people in truth and do not follow [your own] desire, as it will lead you astray from the way of Allah ." [38:26]

........

March 7, 2016

"And Allah created the heavens and earth in truth and so that every soul may be recompensed for what it has earned, and they will not be wronged. ." [45:22]

........

March 28, 2016

And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. [51:56]

And to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth - that He may recompense those who do evil with [the penalty of] what they have done and recompense those who do good with the best [reward] - [53:31]

Believe in Allah and His Messenger and spend out of that in which He has made you successors. For those who have believed among you and spent, there will be a great reward. [57:7]

........

April 6, 2016

[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed - and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving -  [67:2]

........

April 19, 2016

Indeed, We created man from a sperm-drop mixture that We may try him; and We made him hearing and seeing.Indeed, We guided him to the way, be he grateful or be he ungrateful.  [76:2-3]

Chasing Snow Leopard - High-on-the-mountain Review

1. March 1, 2013 - Abdul Samad Khan all set to give participants Ragra.

2. Those are leopard footprints behind. Yus.

3. When you walk for 7 hours in snow.

4. That is one annoying girl crossing all limits of laziness.

5. He had blue skin. I love the poem :')

6. He felt weird as he hadn't done anything weird as of that moment. So he thought he should just go fall in there.

7. When guys cook

8. Do I need to say more?

9. When Omer Buttar after singing all the way to hotel, finally sang at bonfire.

10. Moaz went all Zainab

11. Idrees. Suhana. Suhana. Idrees

12. The scary eyes guy

13.HE WAS LEADER OF THE DAY

13. Omar starring Aladdin

14. Aviation guy. Too sensitive.

15. We got the best Chai one could possibly get with those limited resources.

16. Best way to save your tower - Don't make one.

17. Destroy them. At their Home.

18. Hamza carried annoying girl's bag all the way

19. Usman Barki doing what he does best.

“Remember this pain. Never come back.”

“Remember this pain. Never come back”. I saved this as a draft in my cellphone when we were heading to Mukshpuri Hotel, Nathiagali on March 1, 2013. 5 hours had passed since we were walking in snow. It was dark and there was no one around to be seen except for 25 of us who had started trekking towards Dunga Gali from Kalabagh. We were supposed to reach the hotel directly by van but because of too much snow the path was not clear and we had to walk. It was pitch dark around us and annoyingly white beneath our feet. All one could hear was sound of ‘me’ slipping in the snow, sound of shoppers that we were using as gaiters, and oh Yes – Idrees’s voice from time to time ‘Hafsa baji, Hajra baji – Are you guys okay?’. He was assigned the leader of that day and we could only reply with a dull voice saying, “Yeah”. I could kill anyone who would talk to me at that time. I guess everyone felt same because no one had really talked to anyone this whole time. Um, except for Zainab. She was talking A LOT.

Around 20 participants including me were part of Chasing Snow Leopard – snow based youth leadership program by Youth Impact. As soon as I heard about this program, the only thing I knew was ‘I AM GOING’.

Hajra and Zainab setting up tent, 

while I am honoring the snow by just standing on it.

The best part I liked about the program was how it integrated the theoretical knowledge with practical lessons. I remember how Abdul Samad Khan explained NOLS Leadership roles and how we were able to identify active follower, designated leader, peer leader and self-leader among us. I find it funny now that I am mentioning the best part of program. When I was asked on 2^nd day during the review session about what was the best part of program as of that moment, I took so long to think about it, and then I went about it like ‘walking from that window to where I am sitting right now was the best part as I could see where I am walking’. Blekh. How lame was that.

Review Session - March 2, 2013
Mukshpuri Hotel, Dunga Gali

After the program ended, all of us were asked to give feedback (good and bad) to each other keeping in view the 3 days of experience we had together. Good things I was told about me included I am Funny rather hilarious (Yeah I know. I don’t get it either), quick learner, caring, nice person, good cook (MY SISTERS NEED TO SEE THIS), courageous, calm, makes good soup (I got to make that packed soup with recipe written on it. Tee haa. And to be honest, it was all water), showed good leadership qualities throughout, brave, friendly, good communication, keen observer.

And then there were guns including lazy (I’m not even sorry), doesn’t take herself seriously, have to make effort to know her, doesn’t talk much, underestimates herself, shy, didn’t engage with group as a whole, lack of coordination, difficult to know, talks very fast, need to get out of her shell.

One gun that I don’t know how I and Hajra avoided was of Wajahat Malik. We were being as girly as one could get. Did I mention that we didn’t really pack right for the program and how we ignored the list sent by Youth Impact? No water proof jackets, no warm layers, no proper socks, shoes and what not? And did I mention that on first night after walking for 7 hours carrying those heavy backpacks, we talked to facilitators that we want to go back? Ekh. We still don’t know how he didn’t push us off that mountain.

There were a lot of lifelong lessons that I learnt at CSL that I would like to share:

1. Every drop of water is a blessing. Save it.
2. When an opportunity arrives. GRAB it with both your hands.
3. Before making tea, make sure the pot was NOT used to cook chicken before. Thank you Moaz for Masala Chai :’)
4. It is okay to be an active follower.
5. When you are afraid of something, but you see people enjoying it. DO IT. You might enjoy it as well.
6. Leave No Trace principles.

I don’t remember when did I remove that draft from my phone, but I have been back there many times, not in snowy season though.

The thing that I feared the most during CSL has happened. I don’t remember the pain.

I sucked, you won’t :)