Dear brothers and sisters, one of my most enjoyable moments of the wedding ⛲ceremonies were meeting people, the kids and adults, the friends and well wishers ✔️.

In Jannah, people will meet each other, and they will question one another. Families will be united and brought together, and people separated will be once again together. There will be no more hatred, spite and being hurt ❤️‍🩹.

وَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَسَاءَلُونَ

And they will approach one another, inquiring of each other.

What will they say?

قَالُوا إِنَّا كُنَّا قَبْلُ فِي أَهْلِنَا مُشْفِقِينَ

They will say, “Indeed, we were previously among our people fearful.”

Fearful of what? It doesn’t say. The Quran left it to our imaginations. There are a gazillion reasons to be afraid. Scared of displeasing Allah. Scared for your family’s wellbeing in the midst of a corrupt world. Fearful of Allah, blessed and exalted and His punishment.

But this day, there will be no more fear. And there will be no more grief.

فَمَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا وَوَقَانَا عَذَابَ السَّمُومِ

So Allah conferred favor upon us and protected us from the punishment of the Scorching Fire. [Surah Tur]

The fear of Allah is a noble and righteous quality ✨. It is linked to entering paradise 🏞️, and to be quick in doing good deeds ✈️. Allah says:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ هُم مِّنْ خَشْيَةِ رَبِّهِم مُّشْفِقُونَ… وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْتُونَ مَا آتَوا وَّقُلُوبُهُمْ وَجِلَةٌ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ رَاجِعُونَ * أُولَٰئِكَ يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَهُمْ لَهَا سَابِقُونَ

Indeed, they who are apprehensive from fear of their Lord…
And they who give what they give while their hearts are tremulous [fearful] because they will be returning to their Lord -
It is those who hasten to good deeds, and they outstrip [others] therein. (Surah Mu’minoon)

So let us fear our Lord, so He be pleased with us, and we be pleased with Him 💖.

رَّضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِيَ رَبَّهُ

Allah being pleased with them and they with Him. That is for whoever has feared his Lord. (Surah Bayyinah).

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

I tried to get some sleep after Fajr but woke up at my wife’s frightened cries😱 .

She pointed to a place in the bed where there was what appeared a caterpillar We were newly married and our bed was literally a bed of roses and decorated with a myriad of flowers 💐. A caterpillar may have sneaked into it somehow!

I got rid of it and my wife told me later it reminded her of the grave🪦! Subhanallah, I was impressed by her line of thinking 😮.

The Prophet ﷺ once prayed over someone buried who had died. After finishing he said:

إِنَّ هَذِهِ الْقُبُورَ مَمْلُوءَةٌ ظُلْمَةً عَلَى أَهْلِهَا وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يُنَوِّرُهَا لَهُمْ بِصَلاَتِي عَلَيْهِمْ

Verily, these graves are full of darkness ⚫ for their dwellers. Verily, the Mighty and Glorious Allah illuminates them 🔦 for their occupants by reason of my prayer over them. (Muslim 956)

When ‘Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, would stop at a grave he would cry 😢until his beard was soaked (in tears). It was said to him: 'The Paradise and the Fire were mentioned and you did not cry, yet you cry because of this?’ So he said: 'Indeed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

إِنَّ الْقَبْرَ أَوَّلُ مَنَازِلِ الآخِرَةِ فَإِنْ نَجَا مِنْهُ فَمَا بَعْدَهُ أَيْسَرُ مِنْهُ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَنْجُ مِنْهُ فَمَا بَعْدَهُ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ

“Indeed the grave is the first of the stages 🛫 of the afterlife. So if one is saved from it, then what comes after it is easier ⛲ than it. And if one is not saved from it, then what comes after it is severer 🔥 than it.”

And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

مَا رَأَيْتُ مَنْظَرًا قَطُّ إِلاَّ وَالْقَبْرُ أَفْظَعُ مِنْهُ

“I have not seen any sight except that the grave is more horrible ⚫than it.” (Tirmizi, 2308, Hasan - Darussalam)

Umar Ibn Abdul-Aziz, may God rest his soul, told some of his companions: “I have spent the night sleeplessly thinking of the grave and its habitant, if you saw the dead person 🪦three days after being buried you would hate being near it after your long lived intimacy. You would see a home of vermin, puss, worms instead of good shape, perfumed breath and clean garments”. [http://iswy.co/e4d7k]

Dear brothers and sisters, prepare for the grave. One day you and I will be in it. So will you not reason?

And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

These lessons can transform ✨ your lives. Read to know more.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Alhamdulillah who alternates the day and night. He brings the dead from the living and the living🌳 from the dead.

تُولِجُ اللَّيْلَ فِي النَّهَارِ وَتُولِجُ النَّهَارَ فِي اللَّيْلِ ۖ وَتُخْرِجُ الْحَيَّ مِنَ الْمَيِّتِ وَتُخْرِجُ الْمَيِّتَ مِنَ الْحَيِّ ۖ وَتَرْزُقُ مَن تَشَاءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ

You cause the night to enter the day, and You cause the day to enter the night; and You bring the living out of the dead, and You bring the dead out of the living. And You give provision to whom You will without account.“ (3:27)

Time is a powerful concept. Through it, mountains 🏔️ are blown away, forests🏞️ turn to deserts, generations replace other generations, and everything change and perish 🌐.

كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍ * وَيَبْقَىٰ وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ

Everyone upon the earth will perish. And there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor. (Surah Ar Rahman, 55:26-27)

The Prophet ﷺ said,

قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يُؤْذِينِي ابْنُ آدَمَ، يَسُبُّ الدَّهْرَ وَأَنَا الدَّهْرُ، بِيَدِي الأَمْرُ، أُقَلِّبُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ

Allah said, ‘The son of Adam hurts me. He abuses Time while I am Time: in My Hands is the command, and I cause the revolution of day and night. (Bukhari 4826)

Scholars explain the hadith to say that Allah is the creator of time ⌛.

My dear brothers and sisters, I will share with you three lessons I learnt in relation to time.

1. Do Things in their proper time 📆.

Part of wisdom is to understand what to do when. If you leave off something for later that should be done now, it will hurt you badly later. Also it will interfere with what needs to be done later.

It is reported on the authority of 'Abdullah that the Messenger of Allah said:

أَفْضَلُ الأَعْمَالِ - أَوِ الْعَمَلِ - الصَّلاَةُ لِوَقْتِهَا وَبِرُّ الْوَالِدَيْنِ

The best of’ the deeds or deed is the (observance of) prayer at its time and kindness to the parents. (Muslim 85e)

The Satan 🔥 if he cannot cause you to do sins, will try to make you waste time or be preoccupied with less beneficial things.

So take caution, o you of vision.

2. Target to be early ⛺.

I was always getting late to prayer 🕌. Upon contemplation I realized I was targeting the due time for iqamah (start of prayer), and when I targeted 10 mins before it, I was arriving in time for prayer or earlier.

Always target to be early ⏰. If you have your goals higher than the target 🎯, and you fail you may hit the target. But if your goals are just the target, the due date, the deadline, if you fall short, you’ll miss it.

Allah says:

إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَيَدْعُونَنَا رَغَبًا وَرَهَبًا ۖ وَكَانُوا لَنَا خَاشِعِينَ

Indeed, they used to hasten to good deeds and supplicate Us in hope and fear, and they were to Us humbly submissive. (21:90)

3. Use the blessed morning 🌅

The early hours of the morning are very productive. All of us I think have experienced this. Waking up and starting early brings in a lot of good.

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said,

اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لِأُمَّتِي فِي بُكُورِهَا

O Allah, bless my nation in their early morning. (Tirmizi 1212, who said it is Hasan)

Therefore start early. Utilize the early hours.

And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

How did you know 💡?“ she asked me. Because of the letter ✉️ of ‘Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, I thought. Read the article to know more.

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Gracious.

"O Prophet, why do you prohibit [yourself from] what Allah has made lawful for you, seeking the approval of your wives? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” (Surah At Tahrim, 66:1)

We are newly married 🌸, and my wife was for some reason temporarily upset with me 🌑.

I told her I knew she would be upset 🌑 with me.

“How did you know 💡?” she asked me.

Because of the letter ✉️ of 'Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, I thought.

The mother of the believers Aisha wrote a letter to Muwawiyah, in which she said, Indeed I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying:

مَنِ الْتَمَسَ رِضَاءَ اللَّهِ بِسَخَطِ النَّاسِ كَفَاهُ اللَّهُ مُؤْنَةَ النَّاسِ وَمَنِ الْتَمَسَ رِضَاءَ النَّاسِ بِسَخَطِ اللَّهِ وَكَلَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَى النَّاسِ

Whoever seeks the pleasure of Allah by the displeasure of people, Allah will suffice him against the people.
Whoever seeks the pleasure of people by the displeasure of Allah, Allah will leave him to the patronage of people. (Tirmizi, 2414, Sahih - Al Albani)

Being newly married, I was eager to make my wife happy with me. In this process I may have done something not right. It wasn’t related to my wife, but rather my behavior with someone else.

I was thus expecting she would become upset 🌑 with me.

Dear brothers and sisters, always seek Allah’s pleasure ☀️, even if it may mean displeasing people. Allah will be sufficient for you against the people.

But if you make your Lord displeased to make someone happy, Allah will leave you to the other person.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught this prayer:

فَلاَ تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ

Do not leave me to myself for the blink of an eye.
(Abi Dawud 5090, Hasan in chain - Al Albani)

O Allah do not leave us to ourselves for even the blink of an eye. Make us chose your pleasure over the pleasure of others.

​And peace be upon the one who follows right guidance.

“And remember the name of your Lord and devote yourself to Him with (complete) devotion.”
​
In the name of the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful Allah.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was awesome. What a Prophet he was, and what a great man. Peace and blessings be upon him.

Speaking about the Prophet ﷺ is an emotional matter. His love is deeply entrenched into the hearts of Muslims.

His beauty is not restricted to his physical appearance, his kind words, his beautiful gentle character, his generosity, his helping the needy and orphan, his love and fear of Allah the Exalted, etc.

His worship was also his beauty.

قُمْ يَا بِلَالُ فَأَرِحْنَا بِالصَّلَاةِ

“Stand, O Bilal, and comfort us with the prayer.” he said.
(Abī Dāwūd 4986, sahih (authentic) - Al-Arna’ut)

After the first revelation in the cave, the Prophet ﷺ was going to go through a rigorous mission. A difficult lifestyle. His food would be scarce. His message would be mocked. His close ones would pass away. His tooth would be broken in battle. His life would involve toil.

إِنَّ لَكَ فِي النَّهَارِ سَبْحًا طَوِيلًا

Indeed, for you by day is prolonged occupation. (73:7)

But Allah gave him a beautiful gift. The gift of the prayer by night.

يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ قُمِ اللَّيْلَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا … وَاذْكُرِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ وَتَبَتَّلْ إِلَيْهِ تَبْتِيلًا

O you enwrapped, rise up (to pray during) the night, except a little…And remember the name of your Lord and devote yourself to Him with (complete) devotion. (Surah Al Muzzammil)

Through this gift, it will be a way of dealing with his difficulties, calling out to His Lord, receiving nearness to him, contemplating on the Quran and being healed.

This gift is available for every soul who wishes to.

فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ

So is there anyone to receive admonition? (54:15)

The patient, the true, the obedient, those who spend, and those who seek forgiveness before dawn. (3:17)

In the name of the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful Allah.

Did you ever feel happy, genuinely happy 🌸 and light, after doing something good? Maybe you walked 🛣️ towards Allah and He ran towards you. Maybe you did a Tawbah (repentance) and Allah accepted it from you. Maybe you sought forgiveness 🤲🏼 and He forgave you.


فَغَفَرْنَا لَهُ ذَٰلِكَ ۖ وَإِنَّ لَهُ عِندَنَا لَزُلْفَىٰ وَحُسْنَ مَآبٍ

So We forgave him that; and indeed, for him is nearness to Us and a good place of return. (38:25)

Yet life gets to us. We become neglectful of Allah and our hearts become hard 🪨, our eyes become dry, and we suffer from the accumulation of sins ⚫.


ثُمَّ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُكُم مِّن بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ فَهِيَ كَالْحِجَارَةِ أَوْ أَشَدُّ قَسْوَةً

Then your hearts became hardened after that, being like stones or even harder. (2:74)


We should as such genuinely return back to Allah constantly and seek pardon. Allah says:


الصَّابِرِينَ وَالصَّادِقِينَ وَالْقَانِتِينَ وَالْمُنفِقِينَ وَالْمُسْتَغْفِرِينَ بِالْأَسْحَارِ

The patient, the true, the obedient, those who spend, and those who seek forgiveness before dawn. (3:17)

Seeking forgiveness in the latter portion of the night 🌕 is a special and virtuous act. The Prophet ﷺ said:


يَتَنَزَّلُ رَبُّنَا تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا حِينَ يَبْقَى ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ الآخِرُ يَقُولُ مَنْ يَدْعُونِي فَأَسْتَجِيبَ لَهُ، مَنْ يَسْأَلُنِي فَأُعْطِيَهُ، وَمَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُنِي فَأَغْفِرَ لَهُ?


When remains a third of the night (last third of night), our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, descends every night to the heaven of the world and says,
‘Is there anyone who invokes Me (make dua to Me), that I may respond to him;
Is there anyone who asks Me that I may give (it to) him;
Is there anyone who asks My forgiveness that I may forgive him? (Bukhari 6321)

Such is the last portion of the night. When mankind are sound asleep, spouses are together, the bed 🛏️ is comfortable and lying down is most pleasing to the soul, some people lift up their blankets and proceed to seek forgiveness for their sins.


تَتَجَافَىٰ جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ

Their sides forsake their beds, to invoke their Lord in fear and longing, and they spend out of what We have provided them. (32:16)

When their eyes open, they remember Allah the Exalted. They stand when mankind rest, but their hearts are at rest 💝.


التَّائِبُونَ الْعَابِدُونَ الْحَامِدُونَ السَّائِحُونَ الرَّاكِعُونَ السَّاجِدُونَ الْآمِرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَالنَّاهُونَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَالْحَافِظُونَ لِحُدُودِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

The repentant, the worshippers, the praisers [of Allah ], the travelers [for His cause], those who bow and prostrate [in prayer], those who enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, and those who observe the limits [set by] Allah . And give good tidings to the believers. (9:112)

Or is there for man whatever he wishes? (Quran, 53:24)

In the name of the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful Allah

One of the beautiful comforts of life is to know He knows. Allah knows what is good for you. Allah knows your pain. Allah knows your good intentions. Allah knows your wishes and wants. Allah knows everything.

But you don’t.

قَالَ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

Allah said, “Indeed, I know that which you do not know.” (2:30)

وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

And Allah Knows, while you know not. (2:216)

Man complains of not getting what he wants. Yet so many times, if he was granted what he wished, he will be ruined and destroyed.

وَلَوْ بَسَطَ اللَّهُ الرِّزْقَ لِعِبَادِهِ لَبَغَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَٰكِن يُنَزِّلُ بِقَدَرٍ مَّا يَشَاءُ ۚ إِنَّهُ بِعِبَادِهِ خَبِيرٌ بَصِيرٌ

And if Allah had extended [excessively] provision for His slaves, they would have committed tyranny throughout the earth. But He sends [it] down in an amount which He wills. Indeed He is, of His servants, Acquainted and Seeing. (42:47)

Man complains of calamities and sadness. But perhaps through the ordeal Allah wishes to purify him and strengthen him, and Allah wishes for him to come close and display his patience.

وَأَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ * فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ فَكَشَفْنَا مَا بِهِ مِن ضُرٍّ ۖ وَآتَيْنَاهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُم مَّعَهُمْ رَحْمَةً مِّنْ عِندِنَا وَذِكْرَىٰ لِلْعَابِدِينَ

And [mention] Ayyub, when he called to his Lord, “Indeed, adversity has touched me, and you are the Most Merciful of the merciful.” Then We responded to him; so We lifted off the adversity that was upon him, And We gave him [back] his family and the like thereof with them as mercy from Us and a reminder for the worshippers. (21:84)

So many times man is depressed, anxious and worried. He is sad for his past and worried for his future. But man should take comfort in Allah’s overwhelming power, His infinite wisdom, His care and compassion, His doing what is best and His knowing all things. He should take solace in Allah’s predestination.

وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰ أَنْ أَرْضِعِيهِ ۖ فَإِذَا خِفْتِ عَلَيْهِ فَأَلْقِيهِ فِي الْيَمِّ وَلَا تَخَافِي وَلَا تَحْزَنِي ۖ إِنَّا رَادُّوهُ إِلَيْكِ وَجَاعِلُوهُ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ

And We inspired to the mother of Moses, “Suckle him; but when you fear for him, cast him into the river and do not fear and do not grieve. Indeed, We will return him to you and will make him [one] of the messengers.” (28:7)

Ibn Qayyim said: “Had Allah lifted the veil for his servant and shown him how He handles his affairs for him, and how Allah is more keen for the benefit of the servant than his own self, his heart would have melted out of the love for Allah and would have been torn to pieces out of thankfulness to Allah.

Therefore, if the pains of this world tire you do not grieve.

For it may be that Allah wishes to hear your voice by way of duaa (supplication).

So pour out your desires in prostration and forget about it and know; that verily Allah does not forget it.”

Do they not see that they are put to test every year once or twice but then they do not repent nor do they remember? (Quran, 9:126)

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the name of the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful Allah.

Such is life. Sometimes there are occasions of joy ☀️, and sometimes occasions of grief 🌑.
​
يُقَلِّبُ اللَّهُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِّأُولِي الْأَبْصَارِ

Allah alternates the night and the day. Indeed in that is a lesson for those who have vision. (24:44)

Sometimes man is in euphoria and intense joy 🌅. His child is born. He is newly wed. He meets some dear to him after a prolonged absence 🛤️, etc.

But sometimes man is depressed and feeling greatly low . He receives bad news. Someone passes away 🪦. A gift He treasures dearly is lost. etc.

Sadness can become so intense a man loses interest in his spouse and life 🏠. Hilal bin Umayya, who was one of the “three” referenced in surah tawbah, was so saddened he lost his vigor in going to his wife. He spend days crying (Muslim 2769a, b). Later on Allah forgave him.

وَعَلَى الثَّلَاثَةِ الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا حَتَّىٰ إِذَا ضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنفُسُهُمْ وَظَنُّوا أَن لَّا مَلْجَأَ مِنَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ لِيَتُوبُوا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ

And the three who were left behind to the point that the earth closed in on them in spite of its vastness and their souls confined them and they were certain that there is no refuge from Allah except in Him. Then He turned to them so they could repent. Indeed, Allah is the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful. (9:118)

Sadness can cause health to decline, and one losing vision 🏞️. We see in the case of Ya'qub, peace be upon him:

وَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَا أَسَفَىٰ عَلَىٰ يُوسُفَ وَابْيَضَّتْ عَيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْحُزْنِ فَهُوَ كَظِيمٌ

And he turned away from them and said, “Oh, my sorrow over Yusuf,” and his eyes became white from grief, for he was [of that] a suppressor. (12:84)

When there comes times of sadness and loss, man needs to utter some words. Words that will bring him blessings and mercy ❤️. Words that are said by the patient, and cherished by the ones at loss. Words of comfort, solace, peace, and truth.

الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ * أُولَٰئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ

Who, when disaster strikes them, say, “Indeed we belong to Allah , and indeed to Him we will return.” Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided. (2:156-157)

Say “Innaa lillaahi wa inna ilaihi rawjioon” - “Indeed we belong to Allah , and indeed to Him we will return.”

Surely everything will pass. The loss will pass. Days will change 🌄. But Allah the exalted will remain.

وَيَبْقَىٰ وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ

And there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor. (55:27)

​Lord, build for me near You a house in Paradise. (66:11)

In the name of the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful Allah.

My favorite dua in the Quran is:

رَبِّ ابْنِ لِي عِندَكَ بَيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّةِ

Lord, build for me near You a house in Paradise. (66:11)

Every action, every deed, every sacrifice, that we did seeking sincerity and closeness to Allah calls us to love this dua. For what can be more pleasing to the soul than being close to his Lord, whose closeness and nearness the slave sought for his entire life?

وَإِنَّ لَهُ عِندَنَا لَزُلْفَىٰ وَحُسْنَ مَآبٍ

And indeed, for him is nearness to Us and a good place of return. (38:25)

This dua “Lord, build for me near You a house in Paradise.” was made by Asiyah, the wife of the tyrannical Pharaoh.


وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا امْرَأَتَ فِرْعَوْنَ إِذْ قَالَتْ رَبِّ ابْنِ لِي عِندَكَ بَيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَنَجِّنِي مِن فِرْعَوْنَ وَعَمَلِهِ وَنَجِّنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ

And Allah presents an example of those who believed: the wife of Pharaoh, when she said, “Lord, build for me near You a house in Paradise and save me from Pharaoh and his deeds and save me from the wrongdoing people.” (66:11)

Ibn Jarir recorded that Sulayman said, “The wife of Fir`awn was tortured under the sun and when Fir`awn would finish the torture session, the angels would shade her with their wings. She was shown her house in Paradise.”
Ibn Jarir said that Al-Qasim bin Abi Bazzah said, “Fir`awn’s wife used to ask, `Who prevailed’ When she was told, `Musa and Harun prevailed’, she said, `I believe in the Lord of Musa and Harun.’
Fir`awn sent his aides to her and said to them, `Find the biggest stone. If she insists on keeping her faith, throw the stone on her, otherwise she is my wife. When they came to her, she looked up to the sky and was able to see her house in Paradise. She persisted on the faith and her soul was then captured. The stone was thrown on her lifeless body.” This is the meaning of her statement,

رَبِّ ٱبۡنِ لِى عِندَكَ بَيۡتً۬ا فِى ٱلۡجَنَّةِ وَنَجِّنِى مِن فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَعَمَلِهِۦ 

Lord! Build for me a home with You in Paradise, and save me from Fir`awn and his work

[Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 66:11)

So as our hearts incline to be close to the Generous Lord, let us work to be the foremost in good.

وَالسَّابِقُونَ السَّابِقُونَ * أُولَٰئِكَ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ * فِي جَنَّاتِ النَّعِيمِ

And the forerunners, the forerunners - Those are the ones brought near [to Allah], in the Gardens of Pleasure. (Surah Al Waqiah, 56:10-12)

As our hearts incline to be close to our Lord, let us strive for that station in paradise.

فِي مَقْعَدِ صِدْقٍ عِندَ مَلِيكٍ مُّقْتَدِرٍ

In a seat of truth near a Powerful King (54:55)

Praise be to Allah and Glorified be the King, the Holy. Lord of the angels and the Spirit. Holy is your name. Blessed is Your Name, and Exalted is Your Majesty. There is no god but You.

I was looking at the sea from my hotel room in Cox’s Bazar, and I noticed a boat sailing through it. And the verses of Allah came to my mind.

Before I share them, lets start by praising Allah, blessed and exalted.

In regards to the ship, beloved ones, Allah says:

وَالْفُلْكِ الَّتِي تَجْرِي فِي الْبَحْرِ بِمَا يَنفَعُ النَّاسَ … لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ
And the ships which sail through the sea with that which benefits people…are signs for a people who use reason. (2:164)

Think of the ships… sailing in the vast ocean. Just like that the human being finds himself in the journey of life across this vast world.

يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّ أَرْضِي وَاسِعَةٌ فَإِيَّايَ فَاعْبُدُونِ
O My slaves who have believed, indeed My earth is vast, so worship only Me. (29:56)

The ship is a vessel of life, carrying man inside. Just like that, our bodies are vessels carrying the soul,

وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ ۖ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُم مِّنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
And they ask you, [O Muhammad], about the soul. Say, “The soul is of the affair of my Lord. And mankind have not been given of knowledge except a little.” (17:85)

Through centuries, man would traverse the oceans using the stars to guide him in direction.

وَبِالنَّجْمِ هُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ
And by the stars they are guided. (16:16)

Just like that Allah taAla has sent Messengers and books to guide people in their journey of life.

إِنَّ هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ يَهْدِي لِلَّتِي هِيَ أَقْوَمُ
Surely this Qur'an guides to that which is more upright. (17:85)

So whoever takes the guidance and is guided by the guidance is saved, and he will reach his destination, which is paradise.

As the ships sail, Allah has made the water to support it to stay afloat. Similarly Allah has provided man support to lead his life, emotional support, financial support, social support and many other supports. Allah says:

وَلَا تُؤْتُوا السُّفَهَاءَ أَمْوَالَكُمُ الَّتِي جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ قِيَامًا وَارْزُقُوهُمْ فِيهَا وَاكْسُوهُمْ وَقُولُوا لَهُمْ قَوْلًا مَّعْرُوفًا
And do not give the weak-minded your property, which Allah has made for keeping you up ( as a means of support) , but provide for them with it and clothe them and speak to them words of kindness. (4:5)

As ships sail they sometimes meet storms and turbulent waves.

وَإِذَا غَشِيَهُم مَّوْجٌ كَالظُّلَلِ دَعَوُا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ
And when waves envelop them like shades (shadows), they supplicate Allah , sincere to Him in religion. (31:32)

Similarly life will not always be a bed of roses. Allah ta'Ala will test His slaves.

وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ
And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, and give good tidings to the patient. (2:155)

These are some reflections on the ships Peace be upon you. And peace be upon the Messengers. And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.