Thursday, March 28, 2024
Assalam Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatahu

IS THERE A SHORTCUT TO ALLAH'S LOVE?

In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate

"May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon You"

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah

As-Salaam Alaykum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakaatuh

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Is There a Shortcut to ALLAH’s Love?

 Trust that God has our best interests at heart, and wanting to spend time with Him will become natural. Remember, relationships are like plants ...

Many of us on a spiritual path have encountered moments of very low energy.

This happens especially when we feel overwhelmed with the intensity of the process of transformation, whether it be reassessing our outlook on Islam or reverting to it.

To deal with this intense process, and to make it work for us in a way that restores our trust and confidence in a functioning life, there is only one solution. We have to go through it, acknowledge the fear and doubts and go past it.

We also have to address the painful and frightening issues that arise within us, and then go beyond them.

               God's Love & Mercy

 - My Mercy Prevails Over My Wrath

 - Is Allah All-Loving? (Interview)

 - God: the Beneficent, the Merciful

 - Allah Is Merciful: Why Punishment?

 - Does God Love Sinners & Non-Muslims?

Although we all know that spiritual lows are inevitable, it doesn't make them any easier to deal with. It's important though to remember we are not alone. God gave us life and freewill and we are here and have made the choice to love and accept God, His will and His Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) for our life.

God says:

{Say, (O Muhammad): “If you should love Allah then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.} (Al-Imran 3: 31)

Developing a Relationship with God

Just as developing a relationship with a friend takes times, so does our relationship with God of course, and it is difficult at first. Part of building a relationship with God is discipline and the other part is us surrendering to His will in our everyday life, and this is simply acquired through trust.

Trust that God has our best interests at heart, and wanting to spend time with Him will become natural. Remember, relationships are like plants; they must be cared for and nourished. If we do not water a plant, it dies. Likewise, if we do not nurture our relationship with God, its fire begins to dull.

Reigniting our relationship with God therefore takes work. It also takes time, effort and diligence. Once we reach out, however, God is always willing to reach back. Therefore, the work is always worth the effort.

In this sacred hadith God says:

“Whoever returns to Me, I accept him no matter how far he is; and whoever turns away from Me, I approach him and call on him. Whoever leaves a sin for my sake, I reward him with many gifts and whoever seeks to please Me, I seek to please him.” (Al-Bukhari)

We should endeavor to incorporate our beliefs into our daily life and practice our faith with our job, family and friendships. Take time in prayer and daily contemplation to form a habit that supports spiritual health. However view it as something you will be rewarded with it not a chore.

Keeping Good Company

spiritual health is rarely found in isolation; as they say in numbers there is strength.

A good idea is to have a partner to remind you daily. While I do not suggest cutting all ties with friends, either Muslim or non-Muslim, I suggest we try to prune those from our life who are not focused on God and gain new ones by showing and learning from them how to live in faith. Keep in mind that spiritual health is rarely found in isolation; as they say in numbers there is strength.

Strive to develop friendships with other Muslims who can support and encourage you as you seek to develop this relationship with God. Tell others who do not know God about how He is making a difference in your life regarding the direction of your life and how He has helped you handle both past and current dilemmas.

The Prophet says:“The similitude of the one who remembers and glorifies the praises of his Lord in comparison to the one who does not remember his Lord is like that of the living and the dead.” (Al-Bukhari)

Focusing on developing a relationship with God and Islam is not as tedious, monotonous or serious as it sounds. We can simply begin our day by thanking Him for all that He has done for us, recognizing these blessings in itself is a form of worship. We can ask for the things that are on our mind or that are worrying us and we must repent and ask Him to forgive us for any wrong that we have done, and to protect us from things that may tempt us.

The Quran reads: {For Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly in repentance.} (Al-Baqarah 2: 222)

We should try to find peace with our decision to turn to God and learn to love and do good to one another simply because that is what good practicing Muslims must do. While we may supplicate, pray and read Quran all day we must focus also on being at peace and submission with others.

A person who is living in peace is one who has given up the fight to be right and has given up finding fault with others and instead looks for the best in them while concentrating on improving himself. We must make a decision today that we are going to submit to God and begin walking in love. When we do, our relationships will improve, and we will enjoy and appreciate all the people God has placed in our life in due course helping us to travel the road leading to heaven.

Prophet Muhammad has narrated that God says:

“The most beloved things with which My servant draws nearer to Me is what I have enjoined upon him; and My servant keeps drawing closer to Me through performing voluntary acts until I love him. And when I love him, I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, his sense of sight with which he sees, his hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks. If he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks My protection I will protect him.” (Al-Bukhari)

Small Steps

the challenge is having faith when the world seems to be collapsing

Therefore taking sure but small steps towards God helps reinforce our beliefs. Bear in mind each of us works at our own pace. It is without doubt that having faith when you are prospering is not difficult, however the challenge is having faith when the world seems to be collapsing; now that is a whole different story.

Having faith in tough times is being aware of your moods. When times are good, we are happy, when times are bad, we are sad. Look at stories and instances in the Quran and find verses and characters that deal with struggles of faith. Many examples are illustrated with all of God's Prophets who were tested including Muhammad, Jesus, Moses, Noah, Yusuf, Ibrahim and more. Reading these struggles and others will let us ask ourselves if God is trying to teach us something. Maybe He wants us to change in our life ultimately becoming the better Muslims we were created to be.

The great scholar Ibn Al-Qayim narrates: "When Allah loves someone He puts them under trials, the more righteous they are the harder the trials in order to purify them".

God will help guide us through life to many joyous things and with the blessed month of Ramadan approaching where rewards are abundant we must increase our efforts in all forms of worship and practice being good Muslims even if it's just doing a bit more of the  good deeds that God loves.

To reap the rewards though it is imperative we must have faith in Him and believe that He loves us and is always watching over us. Understandably this can be tough to do when there is no tangible sight of God to hold onto. It's here that the above mentioned faith in God comes in and we must believe with all our might that He truly exists and is helping us through all the good and bad times in our life. Remember God is All Merciful; He says:

“Whoever thanks Me, I grant him more blessings; whoever obeys Me; I raise him and endear him more. Whoever disobeys Me, I keep the doors of My Mercy open for him; if he returns to Me, I bestow him with My Love since I love those who repent and purify themselves for My Sake. If he does not repent, I still treat him by putting them in hardship to purify him.

Whoever favors Me over others, I favor them over others. I reward every single good deed ten times over or seven hundred times over to countless times over. I count every single bad deed as one unless the person repents and ask for My Forgiveness in which case I forgive even that one.”

To reinforce our belief through times where our spiritual energy is low, remember to count your blessings and to realize the rewards promised in the hereafter similar to a student who studies all year and reaps the bounties of success so we Muslims will also reap the rewards of our success.

Regardless of our belief, remember that time flies and we must be the navigators before it is too late. Instead of feeling low during times of spiritual challenges and asking why me, channel these feelings and say why don’t I work harder and do better becoming a better me.

Remember to pray, pray, pray to God to give you faith to give you life and to give you character for a better life after all, it's not where you start but where you finish that counts.

 Compiled, edited and adapted by Khalid Latif, www.thekhalids.org

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