In the Qur’an there is a beautiful Ayah about the rope of Allah (God).

“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided.” (3: 103)

It is in this ayah that I find comfort in a time of such dis “ease” and separation between all of mankind. And, I must remember to thank God every single day for choosing Islam for me.

Alhamdulillah.

You see, as a Muslim, I put my full trust in God. This trust is called Tawakkul. The perfect trust in God and reliance on Him alone.

This is what all Muslims must firmly believe. We know that the times ahead of us may be very uncertain, unsafe, and extremely difficult.

Our beautiful way of life has been littered with smear campaigns and intentional untruth….falsehood. Utter lies and deception by way of the media and other hateful sources have made this beautiful way of life appear to be something so vastly different from the truth. And people choose to believe what they hear from those who fear the truth versus doing a bit of research on their own.  If they only took a few minutes, they would begin to see that the truth is right there.

And, it is the right guidance.

People of this world have normalized and desensitized racism and bigotry and this is now running rampant throughout the world. It has always been there, hidden to some. But, now those hateful people have been given a green light to unleash their hate and unleash their ignorant tirade upon us and others who do not fit into their mold. And, there are people in power throughout the world, oppressors and dictators who are causing much conflict and violent war.

Our way of life has been hijacked by people who are killing in the name of Islam. Very misguided people who do not, in any way, follow the Qur’an and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

In reality, God says in the Qur’an: “We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land – it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one – it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.” (5:32)

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We are living in very difficult times, and I expect that it will become more difficult. I also know that God tests us. He tests us with poverty, with wealth, with family, with loneliness, with sickness, with health, with youth and with age. He tests some of us more than others, and those who are put through the greatest of tests, and endure those tests with patience while relying on God to provide (putting all trust in Him alone), will receive the greatest of rewards.

God tests us with difficulty and He provides for us at the same time. We know that He will test us with difficulty and we should never lose hope in His love and His forgiveness.

And, we have God as our Protector.

God says in the Qur’an:

“Verily, We shall put you to test with some fear, and hunger, and with some loss of wealth, lives, and offspring. And (O Muhammad) convey good tidings to those who are patient, who say, when inflicted by hardship, “Verily we are of God and verily to Him shall we return;” upon them is the blessings of Allah and His mercy. (2:155)

We as humans must admit that we are limited in our knowledge. Our knowledge is finite, limited, and can be removed in an instant. But, Allah’s knowledge is comprehensive, infinite, and encompasses everything that is in the heavens and earth.

Verily, He, only He, is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.”(26:220)

We know that God’s ultimate wisdom far exceeds any of our intellect. We know that He is in control and that He has a plan.

In the Qur’an, God tells Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): “And [remember, O Muhammad], when those who disbelieved plotted against you to restrain you or kill you or evict you [from Makkah]. But they plan, and Allah plans. And Allah is the best of planners.” (8:30)

“Allah is the best of planners.” (8:30).

This is what we must remember.

Even though it appears that the world is in turmoil, God is in control and has a plan.

God has given us the ability to act upon our own will. Humans, in fact, are the only creation of God that He has given this ability. And, with this ability comes great responsibility. It is up to us to choose how we want to act. Do we choose to follow His command and act accordingly, or do we ignore it and act out of arrogance and ignorance?

On one hand, the world in which we live includes people who act according to what they want, and will do terrible things to have their way. They ignore and/ or completely dismiss and disregard God. On the other hand, the world is filled with people who act according to what God has commanded. People who love God and wish to please Him, and if God wills, will be forgiven of sins and provided with the best Hereafter.

All of us, Muslims and non-Muslims will have to answer for our choices. No one is off the hook. That day will come, there is no questioning it.

May Allah protect us, forgive us, and continue to guide us and grant us entrance into Jannah.

Most importantly, especially with all of the turmoil and hatred within this world, we must remember that God will not change our conditions if we do nothing to change what is wrong within ourselves. 

In the Qur’an, we learn that we must make things right within ourselves first and foremost.

“Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” (13:11)

We know that through our firm faith, worship, and love for God, and through our obedience to His commands, God will grant us a most beautiful life in the Hereafter. But, we must never stop our worship and never stop seeking forgiveness. We must never stop asking for assistance and guidance.

We have to change what is wrong within us. No one is perfect, no one is without sin.

Now…..this is where it gets real. Calling all Muslims, young and old.

We should not be out protesting our disappointment, our distrust, and our fear among those who do not believe, or with those who do not share our values. We should not be directing anger and disappointment in this way. Sure, we are frightened, disappointed and frustrated with this dunya (this world), but we can only expect change if we take a good hard look at ourselves and make the changes necessary so that God will change our conditions.

We also have a responsibility to demonstrate our faith in God through our actions. We have the best of role models. Act accordingly!

If we want to see change happen…..real change….we have the answer.

As Muslims, we have been given a very special gift. And, if we have not yet opened it, now is the time to open that gift and use it.

That gift is Tahajjud (the night prayer).

It is our opportunity to wake up in the last hours of the night to pray for forgiveness, for peace, for continued blessings, for guidance, for continued firm faith, for healing, for justice,and for assistance.

When all is quiet, and our neighbors are fast asleep, we need to wake up and take advantage of this beautiful gift. We must do this if we expect to see change in this world. We must ask God to help us, we must seek His assistance and His guidance. We must ask Him to change our hearts and protect us from the twisted ways of the Shaytaan.

In the last sermon of Prophet Muhammad, he said: “Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.”

Seek God’s protection from Satan.

Wake up and come closer to God, remember Him in private…during the quietness before the dawn.

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of God be upon him) said, “Our Lord descends every night, during the last third of it to the skies of this world, and asks: “Who is making du’a to Me, so that I can respond to him? Who is asking Me, so that I can give him? Who is asking for My Forgiveness, so that I can forgive him?

 

Wake up, rise from the comfort of your bed, quiet your mind….and pray. This is what needs to be done now. God is waiting for us. Pray to Him for forgiveness and guidance. Pray for God to cleanse your heart, to keep you far from sins, and keep you on the correct path.

Wake up and come closer to God, remember Him in private…during the quietness before the dawn.

It was reported by ‘Amr ibn ‘Absah, that the Prophet Muhammad said: “The closest any worshipper can be to his Lord is during the last part of the night, so if you can be amongst those who remember Allah at that time, then do so.” (Al Tirmidhi).

We can see by the above hadith, that our beloved Prophet (PBUH) has told us to pray Tahajjud. So, why do we choose sleep over prayer?

So, all who believe….wake up and come closer to God, remember Him in private…during the quietness before the dawn.

Allah says in the Qur’an: “And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me – indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.” (2:186)

Now, more than ever, we need to act. God has given us the gift of Tahajjud so that we can act! Rise up from sleep, wake up your wives, your husbands, and your children. Pray Tahajjud.

Do not be fooled into thinking that waking up for Tahajjud will make you tired during the day. The opposite is true. You will not be tired. Your heart will become purer and your day will be easier.

Ask God to give you the strength to wake up and speak with Him.

Wake up and pray! Make Tahajjud a priority!

This is better for you than any protest or peaceful demonstration. We must change ourselves so that God can change our conditions. And, this change comes from seeking God’s assistance. This can be accomplished through waking for Tahajjud.

We must take a good look at our lives, our actions. We can strive to be better Muslims. We are all sinners, but we can seek forgiveness and for God to put distance between us and sins.

“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided.” (3: 103)

Pray to the only One who can help. Do not despair.

He is waiting….

“By time, Indeed mankind is in loss, Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.” (Qur’an:103)