It has been some time before my previous entry and even blogging at this time seems to be something which has required me to ensure I have set aside a few moments from my revision.

It is for many people a 'stressful' and challeging period of time: EXAMINATIONS.

My definition of examinations would be, although it'd be nice to really check what it meant in the dictionary:

The time in your life where you are tested on your effort and work for the past year to see if what you accomplished and acquired was of any use and benefit to you or not.

I think that's a fair enough definition for what many people will be experiencing in these current months.

I actually have an examination in the morning, which might be evident from my rambling; but during my 'well deserved' break I felt so exhausted and was wondering if all this effort would be paid off, whilst hoping that I did achieve good grades.

My chain of thoughts took me to the obvious lesson everyone should be constantly aware of, but funnily forget during these 'stressful' and 'demanding times'

Point

Our attitudes and forward thinking is usually restricted to the foreseeable benefits returns of this world whilst overlooking the fact that this world is, many a times, a reminder for the matters that will take place in the Hereafter.

It is vital to strive and make an effort in this world and excel in it as much as possible but whilst remembering that the true reward and returns are those which will be received in the Hereafter and that all our efforts here should have some connection with our intention to succeed in the Hereafter.

We spend so much effort and time in the preparation of worldly examinations which are marked by simply human beings who are prone to errors themselves.

Whilst some spend sleepless nights in preparation for an examination to ensure good results others spend sleepless nights due to examination nerves and stress. Such is the scenario of an exam which can also be re-taken.

What if we were to glance towards our preparation for the Hereafter? How many nights have we spent without sleeping whilst hoping for success?

Which night have we stayed awake to seek Allah's forgiveness for the day's sins?

Is it due to the fact that we don't have an examination date set? Or are we confident our actions and character will ensure us of an easy pass on the day when there will be option to re-take; when the stakes will be much higher than the loss of a first class honours degree or a six digit salary.

Our academic studies set for us an examination date and we are prepared to work and study endlessly but when Allah tells us to prepare for our examination in our every action we become heedless and carefree.

When we are informed that our examination could come at any moment of the day, so much so that we could be asleep and Allah calls us unto Him for this examination, we become complacent and fall into deep slumber.

This does not in any way, shape or form mean that we stop revising and making an effort for the examinations of this world... More so it means that we should made every effort to be successful in this world and make a greater effort to ensure that we're preparing for the 'real' examination and that we do 'suffer' from sleepless nights in preparation for this...

It may be that the tears that flow during our sleepless nights for the preparation for the Hereafter prove to be the the water the extinguishes that anger of Allah which comes in the form of the fire of Hell.

I still recall the one line Arabic saying our Ustad (respected teachers) used to write on our examination papers:



May Allah save us from disgrace from both this world and the Hereafter and give us the inclination to remember the true examinations even in times of stress and revision. Aameen.

I'm pretty sure many people have experienced this 'misplaced belief' at some point or another. I'm not sure what the real terminology of this experience is and I'm not concerned about the 'nitty gritty' of the science related to this feeling. But I will try and explain what I mean by this term 'misplaced belief' and my recent incident.

Have you ever miscalculated a step when coming down or going up a staircase? Having 'believed' that there is a still a step remaining and when you put your foot down 'wham' it goes down quite fast and astonishes you...

or

Ever been handed over a bag or item which you 'believed' to be lighter than it actually is... when you take over that item you become overwhelmed by its weight, only because you miscalculated its reality.

Well, the same sort of incident occurred with me the other day when I was heading towards my car. I thought there was still some pavement left and found myself unbalanced by the step which placed me on the road. It isn't a major deal, right? Well it happens every now and then to many people and it's just due to miscalculation.

Exactly what I thought when the above incident took place... and then I thought a little more at how interesting these small matters actually are... our beliefs can be so strong that when they turn out to be wrong we are caught off guard and overcome by the truth.

Like I mentioned above, in normal circumstances, we are able to carry heavy items; but when we miscalculate an item to be lighter than it is we can become easily overwhelmed by a relatively light object.

This is a trivial matter, but the lessons that stem from it are very important

Point

Whilst pondering over the above incident, a famous saying of our Nabi صلى الله عليه و سلم crossed my mind:

الكيس من دان نفسه، وعمل لما بعد الموت، والعاجز من أتبع نفسه هواها، وتمنى على الله
الترمذي

For a person has misplaced belief in the mercy of Allah will, in the same manner of this world, be overwhelmed when reality will occur.

A person is required to make an effort in attaining the mercy of Allah and we have been clearly informed that our entering Jannah will be through the mercy of Allah alone and not through our actions and deeds.

The overwhelming in this world is an incident which lasts for a moment or so; but our misplaced belief in the mercy of Allah can overwhelm us in such a manner that it can drive us towards the fire of Hell.

May Allah save us all and give us the understanding of His mercy. May He save us from ignorance and give us strong belief in matters which are correct and not 'misplaced'. Aameen

I'm not sure how true this is for other readers, but I sometimes get this 'lonely' feeling or period where I feel that all the people that matter or that I care for or those who care for me are really 'busy', 'pre-occupied' or just 'disappeared'.

It's a funny feeling really, as I don't know if my 'loneliness' is sparked by those people not being around when I need them or whether my need for them is sparked when I feel lonely.

In all fairness, we tend to remember all the times a person was not there for us or things they didn't do for us as opposed to the contrary; the times when they stuck by us and where supportive, specially when we were in dire need of it.

Nevertheless, a spark of loneliness leaves me pondering where is everyone? Is the world just become 'faster' and 'busier' leaving the people within short of time and energy? Is the world becoming selfish and self-centred where the only things that matters to a person is himself? Or is it that people are becoming more attached to one another and to this materialistic world?

I can recall a phase in my life which was completely different to the current phase; a phase when everyone had time for one another; people met, talked and really socialised in a manner which was not Islamically wrong or breaking boundaries... And now I see that parents has selective time for their children and if that is the case of family then what needs to be said about friends and relatives.

Point

It might seem like a 'mumbling' post and therefore I'm going to really just get to the point. At times we really make an effort to 'communicate' with friends; to ensure that we are around and that we keep in 'contact'. Yet time is such a powerful tool that it can separate people in many ways... We can remain friends yet be busy with our own lives; or we could be physically separated through relocating or even worse we could turn into enemies and not want to have any contact with one another.

In all this, there usually is an emotional feeling attached. We either feel hurt, lost or maybe even alone. And this should be the case considering the amount of effort we place in these relations and connections.

At the same time, I thought, what if we were to place the same effort and dedication in befriending Allah? What if a day wouldn't pass where we ensured that we had conversed with Allah; gave him a 'quick call' or a simple 'text message' just to let Him know we are thinking of Him and missing Him?

What if our separation from Him caused us pain and grief; made us feel lonely, lost and saddened?

What if we ensured that we met regularly with Him; heard Him and talked about Him?

If we placed that much of an effort in befriending Allah; trying to please Him then it is guaranteed that Allah would return this friendship at a much greater level.

He would never leave us and would be there in times of sorrow and grief. He would give us support in times of hardship and would never leave our side so that we would never feel lonely. If we called Him then He would surely answer and not miss a single of our calls. If we created love for Him then we would surely feel the desire to meet Him.

Yet we choose to console our hearts with the love and friendship of 'temporary' things; materialistic items and with people that will come and go...

The way I look at it... There is not better friend than Allah....

May Allah give us the guidance to befriend Him and may He accept this friendship and accept us as His Khaleel. Aameen.

The majority of us, if not all, will have a mobile phone; and we would all be aware of its usage and functionalities.

Recently, due to Ramadhan, I’ve not been giving my phone a complete charge and therefore the battery either becomes close to ‘dying’ or actually does ‘die’ on me.

On many phones that I have used in the past, I have a bleeping sound warning me of the low battery charge and ‘hoping’ that I will connect it to the mains to give it a recharge. Recently, with the change of phone, I have a ‘lecture’ accompanying the bleep warning me that I could lose any unsaved work if I did not charge my phone.

It’s amazing in this technologically advancing world how many products require charging or some form of power supply, be it through batteries or through the mains. In the same manner, these items all come with a level of instructions and manuals to ensure correct usage of the product and eliminating the risk of rendering the product faulty.

I was thinking along these points during the month of Ramadhan, how our bodies also feel depleted of energy levels and how these levels of energy are increased during the time of breaking our fast and the sleep we have during the night.

Point

It occurred to me that in the way our accessories and gadgets require an energy source so does our physical body; by far the greatest ‘technology’ and ‘machinery’. In the same manner, as it is the month of Ramadhan, my mind drifted towards the spiritual body. Just as the technologies of today require a power source and the body requires an energy source, so does the spiritual body and Rooh (spirit, soul) require nourishment, energy and power.

Our mobile will continue to serve us and be of use as long as it has battery power; our bodies will function and have the strength to carry out our daily duties and necessities as long as it contains the energy and in the same manner our spiritual existence will continue to please Allah and create a connection with Him if we provide it with the correct nourishment.

It is in this month that there has been a greater awareness of this from Allah تعالى as a great level of emphasis has been placed on the existence of one’s spiritual needs. So much so, that we have been told to decrease the energy we give to our physical bodies so that we can strengthen our spirituality and create, within this month, a connection with Allah, our power source, who will illuminate our hearts, Insha Allah, with Nur (divine light).

It is through this divine light that we hope to continue our days serving Allah تعالى and whenever necessary we need to ensure that this power and energy is ‘topped up’ through the Faraidh, Sunan and Nawaafil (obligatory, optional and recommended acts).

Being the month of Ramadhan, I hope to keep this post to a minimum. But I pray that the message of this post as well as this month is clear; increase your spiritual awareness and its needs; increase the energy one places on one’s soul.

May Allah تعالى increase our connection with Him and make this connection a means for our salvation. May this month honour us with the mercy of Allah, His forgiveness and become a means of freedom from the fire of Hell. Aameen.

Du’as requested, especially in this blessed month.

Whilst on my recent trip I was at an island for which the main form of transportation was either to walk by foot or by cycling. An alternative transportation, which I would class as more luxurious and occasional, would be the horse and carriage, mainly used as an attraction for the tourists visiting the island.

Whilst watching these horse driven carriages I noticed that the horse is made to wear a bridle along with eye covers which ensure that the horse's vision remains on the road and is not distracted towards the sides.

It is an important preparation for the rider to ensure the safety of the passengers as well as his well-being and that of the horse. Though the eye covers seem to be a restriction to the onlooker they actually ensure that the horse remains on the path he is supposed to take and is not distracted by other horses or disturbances which may occur in the surrounding.

Point

As individuals we all have a unique lifestyle; one that is determined by the many choices we have made and intend to make as well as those matters which are beyond our control and, at times, beyond our imagination.

We experience, from day to day, sorrow, grief, happiness, anxiety, anger, stress, disbelief, exhaustion, depression and determination amongst many other emotions and feelings. At times these feelings determine our course of action and thereby set our lifestyle which we established for ourselves.

This is a matter which relates to our present, transitory life; the life of this temporary world.

However, whilst passing our days in this momentary world we are required to stay focused on our long-term goal, the Hereafter. It would be of no use to acquire success and prosperity in this world at the cost of the Hereafter just as it would be useless to acquire a short-term goal at the expense of the ultimate goal.

For example, to acquire qualifications in medication and thereafter work in a call-centre or factory where the conditions, perks and pay do not meet the standards who hoped for. Hence, the short term achievements are important as long as they serve as a stepping stone for the long-term goal.

In the same manner, all that we do in this world will only be deemed useful and of benefit if it becomes a means of acquiring salvation in the Hereafter and therefore it is vital to put these 'covers' upon our eyes which safeguard us from the distractions of this world and allow us to stay upon the 'straight path' which leads towards our ultimate goal and destination.

May Allah give us all the strength to stay firm on the straight path which He has clearly defined and set for us. May He give us the inclination to safeguard ourselves from the distractions which surround this path and towards which Shaytaan continually entices us. May He give us the inclination to strengthen our Taqwa so that the fear and love of Allah and His beloved Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم become the 'covers' upon our eyes; guiding us to our ultimate goal, the Hereafter. Aameen.

The exam periods have now come to an end, with most students awaiting their results and grades to continue into the next year of university or to confirm their offers from universities and colleges.

Seeing as I use my car more often than I used to whilst being at university, I noticed that despite changing my battery a few months back I still have the feeling that this battery is 'whining' and is not powering up as it should, especially for a battery which is six months old.

Six months ago my battery had given up all the power it had, although I noticed I could still recharge it with the small amount of power it had left. Therefore, I decided to charge the battery and drive over and get one that is 'life guaranteed' to ensure I don't have any problems in the future... but luck has it that my battery needs another replacement in just six months and I will have to take it back and get it changed for a new one.

Point

An episode of a battery; not the most exciting of posts and neither the most interesting of stories. But despite that this incident is one that occurred every time I would start the car; the whining for ten seconds followed by the roar of the engine always made me think of my battery and the fact that I needed to get it changed.

The battery powers up the motor (car) and makes the gadgets within the car work; the life and soul of the car.

In the same manner, I felt that our hearts have the same characteristics; it powers up the soul and the spiritual existence within us. The heart goes through phases which can be compared to the dying battery as well as to that of the powered battery.

At times our spiritual battery comes to a low and requires boosting through jump leads; this can be achieved, at times, through the short bursts of energy gained from the talks and gatherings that take place either on a regular basis on special talks which occur every once in a while.

At other times, the batter will not suffice through jump starting from another battery, instead it requires to be charged by a battery charger over a period of time and this is the same as seeking a spiritual guide (Shaykh) and asking the Shaykh to charge one's heart with spiritualism over a longer period to ensure that there is enough power to take a person through the hurdles, tests and trials of this world.

Alhumdulillah, the heart of a Muslim has enough power to never die out and be replaced; the spark of Imaan remains in the heart of every Muslim and just requires the power of the Shaykh, 'Ulamaa and the company of the pious to turn the spark and into a flame.

We, as Muslims, have an option of continuosly jump starting our batteries by attending the talks of the Shuyookh as well as to remain in their company and charge our batteries completely. If we fail to do this then we may just find ourselves stranded one day without an indication as to where we are and how we will get out of the place we have got into...

No battery, no power, no jump leads and no one to help us... In this world we may think that will never happen and there is always a solution - but - in the Hereafter it will surely occur... No battery, no power, no jump leads and we will not be able to 'drive' to Jannah but instead we will be driven towards Jahannam:




May Allah سبحانه و تعالى save us all from the dying heart and keep our hearts alive with His remembrance. Our Nabi صلى الله عليه و سلم has stated:



May Allah سبحانه و تعالى give us all the inclination to glance towards the states of our hearts and hear its whining and cries. May He give us the strength and courage to reform and empower our hearts through His love. Aameen.

For many of us these months will be stressful as it is the exam periods in schools and universities as well as many Madaaris. It is during these months that we will be examined, ranked and informed as to what we have done and achieved during the year that has just past.

It is no different for me as I am also going through my exams. Alhumdulillah, having already passed all my modules through coursework I am more relaxed during my exams and aim to achieve a better grade due to being less nervous during the actual examination.

Anyway, the concept and idea of examinations is quiet scary; although having put my best into the year I fear the results of the exams; will they really reflect my efforts? Will I be asked something that I overlooked or didn't revise? Did I miss something out without realising? Was my learning method and information I learnt wrong and incorrect?

These are all questions that I can ask myself despite having made an effort throughout the year. And obviously if I failed to make an effort then many more questions will arise and the stress will or should be greater than this.

So after one exam, I have got a taste of what examinations are really like; no matter how hard you try and revise there is always the pressure that will remain and the nervousness will remain until the results are released.

POINT

It will be obvious to many what the point of this incident of thought will be. It is a point that we have all been reminded of and all have pondered over. Yet it sometimes feels necessary to repeat these points so that we are reminded, for surely we need reminding of these matters time and again.

Despite knowing that I have passed all the modules and can continue in the second year I feel nervous of these exams and prepare for them to the best of my ability. It isn't necessarily for any financial gain but it is essential for me to achieve what I believe in and what I have set out to achieve.

But it sometimes is disturbing to think how much effort we place in the 'true' examination. How much consideration do we place on that examination where thousands of questions will be asked in front the entire world population; those who have gone before us and those who are yet to come? How much effort do we place to achieve success in that examination where there are no re-takes, no concessions and no hope of survival if we fail?

It is an Arabic saying: "at the time of an examination, a person is either honoured or he is disgraced"

Hadhrat Aisha رضي الله عنها relates that the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم stated: 'whosoever is questioned (on that day) will be destroyed'

An examination where all the questions will be based on our honesty, obedience, intentions and our lifestyle. We have achieved the name of Muslims but do our actions depict this? We claim to love Allah and His Rasool صلى الله عليه و سلم but does our obedience highlight this?

In these exams we can get away with leaving our questions or even guessing the answer; the examiner is not bothered and neither do we have to face him to answer to him. But on the day of the 'true' examination there will be no questions left unanswered, a day when our tongues will not have permission to speak but instead our hands, feet, ears, eyes and other limbs will answer and inform Allah of our deeds

Is this month not a reminder enough that we spend sleepless nights in revision for the success in the following year yet we never spend a night in worship for the success in the Hereafter?

May Allah make us all successful in our examinations in this world and the Hereafter. May he use these examinations to remind us of the true examination that is to come and that may arrive at the next moment... An exam that is guaranteed without an examination date. May He give us the ability and inclination to prepare for this exam so that after preparation He can overlook our shortcomings through His mercy and forgive us by excusing us and appreciating our efforts. Aameen.