SHE REQUESTED FOR AN ADVICE

Bismil Laahir Rahmaanir Raheem

Assalaamu alaikum wa rahmatul Laahi wa barkaatuh brothers and sisters.

Alhamdu lil Laah for everything. May we be among the grateful ones of Allah’s slaves. Aameen.

Ok, so after an Islamic programme at the University of Ghana, I met a Muslimah who is so friendly with me. It was as if she’s known me all her life (well, that is what I believe Islam should do to us). She was all hugging and holding and chatting (don’t mind English rules, I threw them away long time).

I was touched and happy that such people still existed. Well, I did have lots of sisters be like that with me after the programme. But of course, Lateefa (that is her name) surprised me after Magrib and Isha prayers.

I was walking with my pals, going out of the Mensah Sarbah Hall when she came to me again then she stopped me along the way and said;

‘Please advise me on anything that you think would be good for me.’

That was a boom! Ok, it wasn’t that nobody ever asked me for an advice, no. But the look on her face and how she said it. I could not believe it. We just had a series of talks at the lecture (Three Muslimah speakers including me, don’t laugh) and here she was asking for advice again.

I tried to let her know that I am in need of advice myself and I kept blabbering. You know what? I never gave her any advice that night. We only decided to keep in touch by exchanging numbers.

The interesting thing is that; exactly the next day, a Muslimah sister of mine, an Ethiopian called Chaltu asks me almost the same thing; she wanted my advice. So I decided to share with her the advice that I keep giving myself.

Love Allah and His Messenger Most

Funny enough, I used to believe that I loved Allah, Al-Wadud, more than anything else and His Messenger as well. I could even prove that fact then. Soon, I came to the realization that; I was only lying to myself. Don’t be surprised. So, I have a popular question that I keep asking;

‘Do you really love Allah and His Messenger more than anything else?’

And then I quickly add that;

‘This is not a question you must be quick to answer.’

That is because even though majority of us think we love Allah and His Messenger more than anything else, truly speaking, it is not so. We don’t really love Him and His Messenger most. Allah, Robbil Arshil Azeem, tells us that;

‘Say, "If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, wealth which you have obtained, commerce wherein you fear decline, and dwellings with which you are pleased are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and jihad in His cause, then wait until Allah executes His command. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people."

Surah At-Taubah, the Repentance, Chapter 9 ayah 24

Now, read this ayah again and again and again. And ponder on it again and again and again. Put mothers, daughters, husbands, there as well and ask yourself sincerely, whether you are not a victim to these people and things being dearer to you than Allah and His Rasul. You are not answering to anyone but to yourself.

So I came to the true realization that; loving Allah and His Messenger most is a whole lifetime job. You don’t just do it. Ask yourself why you disobey Allah in some things when you actually think you love Him most. That is definitely not loving Him most.

Learn the History of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad suallal Laahu alayhi wa sallam, radiyal Laahu anhum, and see how they truly did love Allah and His Rasul most. 

They would often say to the Prophet;

‘May my mother and father be sacrificed for you.’

They do so to assure him of the fact that not even their mothers and fathers are important to them as him. What do you even know about the Prophet and these people who truly did love him and his Message and our God, Allah? So then, what makes you think you really love them most?

My brother or sister, start this personal training on loving Allah and His Messenger most. Start by knowing them and appreciating the beauty and magnanimity of Allah’s creation. May we love them most. Aameen.

Minding Your Now Before Your Later

So the Prophet Muhammad suallal Laahu alayhi wa sallam advises us;

“Take benefit of five before five: Your youth before your old age, your health before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free time before you are preoccupied, and your life before your death”

Narrated by Ibn Abbas and reported by Al Hakim

All of us are so much in need of this advice. Starting with me. I am full of youthful exuberance now but if Allah makes me live a lot more years, then I know what’s going to happen. I am definitely going to lose that exuberance. I see old people around all the time. The difficulty with which they go about their activities is so bare for me to see and advise myself with. You too I guess.

I have been sick before. Alhamdu lil Laah for my life today. Talk about ill-health, talk about Rubaba until my parents and others thought I wasn’t going to live this life but Allah, the One Who is Able, kept me until now and made me contrary to their thought, very healthy. And Ooooo! I am AA, what’s yours? Alhamdu lil Laah. So, I know how it feels like to be sick and that should only teach me one great lesson; to use my good health as positively as I can. You might have a similar story to say. Learn from it or from that of others.

We have seen rich people who have suddenly gone poor and they yearn to spend money on doing good but where is their wealth? To the wise, a caution. And don’t we while away time on useless things when there are a lot more important things we could have done? Answer to yourself because soon, time becomes a foe. Most definitely, we are all going to leave this world. We are like travellers passing through the Dunya to the Akhira. Imagine the people you know who are gone. Did they write a letter to Allah to come take them? Obviously no. So Allah will not be waiting for yours either.

Ponder! Ponder! Ponder! Leave everything else; the whatsapp, the facebook, the internet, the people around you and all kinds of activities and just be with yourself; you and you and have a very serious meeting; a chat with your conscience and choose the right course because sooner than you think; you will lie in the grave and you will stand before Allah azza wa jal to give account of;

‘Your youth and old age, your health and illness, your wealth and your poverty, your free time and your busy time and your life before your death’

This is more of an advice to myself first for indeed it will be a great lose not to take caution whiles I can.

Remember always that Rubaba loves you so much solely for the sake of Allah and if you love her for the same reason, then may Allah love you both even more. Aameen.

May we be among those whom Allah favours. Aameen.

Jazaakumul Laahu khair!!!

Islam forever in shaa Allah!!!

Assalaamu alaikum wa rahmatul Laah!!!

Rubaba Mmahajia Rahma Sabtiu

www.mmahajia.blogspot.com