People who are rightly guided are realizing the meaning of their life in this world and it is making them abandon their past lifestyle. They are reverts who're turning to the religion of Allah (swt), the rich and the famous who're giving up a life of Riyaah and becoming modest Muslims, adulterers (Zaani) who're shedding tears to seek repentance and rinsing their life off their misdeeds, women who've exposed their modesty are turning to the Hijab, and so on, subhaanAllah. The road towards Allah (swt) and His Deen (religion) is not easy. When a person makes an intention to strive in the way of Allah (swt), to correct his/her morals, ethics, and faith, the strongest challenge comes from the world around them in form of bitter reminders of their past, and this they must combat to keep their struggle headstrong.
Mockery is a social art mastered by those who're greatly influenced by the ways of Shaytan (Devil). They sink low beyond all leaps and bounds to criticize the new path you've chosen for your life. And their greatest talent is to revise before you your past misdeeds. A person who has freshly turned to the right way is weak because his pool of Imaan (faith) is not deep enough to drown the bigger beasts that attack it. The repetition of one's misdeeds before him is the biggest blow one could make to his way of struggle. This is the "make or break point" for the newly guided Believer. Why? Because the first question that a person puts up when he is publicly humiliated or hears a comments about himself/herself through gossip and rumors is, "Why am I facing such disgrace when I have turned towards Allah (swt)? Is He not going to protect me?"
At this "make or break point" a naive Believer faces a test of his/her Imaan (faith) as to whether he/she will understand the Hikmah (Wisdom) and Qadr (Doing) of Allah (swt) or he/she would conclude that his/her struggle is useless. So, there are 2 decisions that can me made. The first is the "Think Forward" decision where you dedicate yourself to struggle in the way to attain closeness and reward of your Lord. You accept wholeheartedly that He only tests you to check your Sabr (Patience) and that's why He allows Shaytan to challenge your Nafs (psyche). The second decision is the "Relapse" which is usually true of a weak Believer who fails to trust his Lord, assumes that striving towards the right and facing the trials brings only shame and depression, and relapses into his/her former misguided life. Several common examples from everyday life reflect what the "Relapse" is all about. A sister chucking off her Hijab to remain popular and avoiding the mockery, a brother shaving off his beard because his friends like to call him a "Mullah" or "Sheikh" and keep reminding him of his past "fashionable" days, a man readopting a wasted lifestyle of drugs, music, and women after having changed for the better, and etc.
The best way to avoid a relapse or a bout of depression resulting from social mockery is to turn deaf to the bitter echoes that emit behind your back or hit you face to face. Sabr (patience) is hard earned but it is the only remedy to the wounds inflicted to the one who strives towards being a better Muslim. It is important for a Believer to remember that Allah (swt) doesn't let even the slightest bit of struggle go unrewarded. Try reciting some heartfelt verses, dua'as, or offering a few Rakaahs of prayer. Turning more intensely towards Allah (swt) is bound to get you lots of strength and Sabr, inshAllah.
"When the foolish one speaks, do not reply to him, for better than a response (to him) is silence..." (Imam Ash-Shaafi'ee)
Think Forward and when you face a head on collision by social mockery, respond with the words from a beautiful nasheed:
At this "make or break point" a naive Believer faces a test of his/her Imaan (faith) as to whether he/she will understand the Hikmah (Wisdom) and Qadr (Doing) of Allah (swt) or he/she would conclude that his/her struggle is useless. So, there are 2 decisions that can me made. The first is the "Think Forward" decision where you dedicate yourself to struggle in the way to attain closeness and reward of your Lord. You accept wholeheartedly that He only tests you to check your Sabr (Patience) and that's why He allows Shaytan to challenge your Nafs (psyche). The second decision is the "Relapse" which is usually true of a weak Believer who fails to trust his Lord, assumes that striving towards the right and facing the trials brings only shame and depression, and relapses into his/her former misguided life. Several common examples from everyday life reflect what the "Relapse" is all about. A sister chucking off her Hijab to remain popular and avoiding the mockery, a brother shaving off his beard because his friends like to call him a "Mullah" or "Sheikh" and keep reminding him of his past "fashionable" days, a man readopting a wasted lifestyle of drugs, music, and women after having changed for the better, and etc.
The best way to avoid a relapse or a bout of depression resulting from social mockery is to turn deaf to the bitter echoes that emit behind your back or hit you face to face. Sabr (patience) is hard earned but it is the only remedy to the wounds inflicted to the one who strives towards being a better Muslim. It is important for a Believer to remember that Allah (swt) doesn't let even the slightest bit of struggle go unrewarded. Try reciting some heartfelt verses, dua'as, or offering a few Rakaahs of prayer. Turning more intensely towards Allah (swt) is bound to get you lots of strength and Sabr, inshAllah.
"When the foolish one speaks, do not reply to him, for better than a response (to him) is silence..." (Imam Ash-Shaafi'ee)
Think Forward and when you face a head on collision by social mockery, respond with the words from a beautiful nasheed:
This is who I am...
This is me...
Like it or not but God loves me.
No comments:
Post a Comment