Has there ever been a moment in your life where you are so confused and lost that you don't even know what to ask for? 
Is it okay to confess to Allah that you are afraid? 

Ya rab I'm scared of the outcome and everything around it, save me from what I fear and guide me to the best dua.

At times when I've felt the most helpless or hopeless against circumstances, I've found a lot of comfort in repeating to myself 'hasbunallahu wa ni'mal wakeel' 
I try to imagine the infinity of outer space, and the amount of power that governs it and it reminds me how easy it is for Allah to make the impossible completely possible. It reminds me whoever puts their trust in Allah, Allah will make a way out for them from where they never expected. The more lost, confused, afraid, weak, helpless you feel, the more intensely you call out and I find Allah always answers those prayers. May Allah make an easy way for you, guide you and give you patience through this!


Right now everyone is confused about themselves and their place since it’s so hard to understand what is happening and so fast. Whenever in my life I feel like my life is tumbling out of my hands, I remind myself my life wasn’t in my hands in the first place. I always listen to Surah Taha because I truly believe it’s a surah Allah (SWT) has given to as a mercy just because of how it comforts the hearts at times of unease. It took one conversation with Allah (SWT)  for Prophet Musa (AS) to gain confidence and strength in himself. This conversation between them is just very soothing because Allah (SWT) comforts Prophet Musa (AS) the way we want to be comforted everyday in our life. Especially in the ayah  41 of Surah Taha                             

                                                      وَاصْطَنَعْتُكَ لِنَفْسِي       ( And I have attached thee to Myself).

Allah (SWT) tells Prophet Musa (AS) that He took care of him from when he was young. We forget that Allah (SWT) has done the same for us. We have never stepped outside of what Allah (SWT) has decreed for us. We have no idea of the situations that Allah (SWT) has already saved us from, the heartbreaks of  the situations we were in, because of the mercy of Allah (SWT) we were sheltered from it.

Even with everything going on in Prophet Musa’s (AS) life, He tells him to face the worst human on the face of the Earth. With the command Allah (SWT) comforts him even more in ayah 46

                           قَالَ لَا تَخَافَا ۖ إِنَّنِي مَعَكُمَا أَسْمَعُ وَأَرَىٰ    (He said: Fear not. Lo! I am with you twain, Hearing and Seeing)

With this Prophet Musa (AS) sets off to fight a huge battle to a man who was his father figure for a portion of his life.  How great is the comfort of Allah (SWT) which can bring ease to a situation that we have no way of imagining. We truly do not know how to handle the situation around us right now but keep in mind in whose hands the situation is in. It’s the same one who brought victory to Bani Israel over people they had no way of winning over. It’s still Him who bought victory to an army of 300 against 1000. His aid is more than we can imagine. His comfort is better than the one we can just hope for. Allah (SWT) is always with us. Let us not fall into the trap of Shaytan and start to ostracize ourselves because we see this as a punishment. We don’t know that at all. This could be a point in our life to elevate our status so we can meet Our Lord with bright and happy faces.

Muslim Student Organization & Women in Islam  CCNY

﷽

What does it mean to truly trust Allah in the face of fear and adversity?

Pharaoh is introduced in the Quran as someone who elevated himself to absolute power, declaring, 'I am your lord, the most high' (79:24). He divided people with fear and dependency, tormenting their sense of self and community (28:4). Under such a system, survival meant submission, and over time, submission became a reflex. 

When fear becomes constant, it rewires the mind. Resistance no longer feels like an option; obedience feels like safety. This is how Pharaoh’s power penetrated deeper than laws—he ruled minds, shaping thoughts and silencing questions before they could surface.

For Musa (AS), standing before Pharaoh meant more than confronting a tyrant. It was a psychological battle—facing the person who had raised him, whose presence meant both fear and familiarity. Confronting Pharaoh meant letting go of the beliefs he learned while growing up in the palace, and realizing that he didn’t have to accept Pharaoh’s authority as absolute. Even Musa’s initial hesitation—my chest feels tight, and my tongue is not fluent (20:25-28)—reflects how deeply the pressure affected him. 

Pharaoh’s power relied on illusion—making others believe he was invincible. Musa (AS) had to stand in front of that illusion and say—you are not what you claim to be. Allah reminded him, 'Fear not, I am with you, hearing and seeing' (20:46), strengthing Musa’s heart beyond the visible power of the king to the invisible presence of Allah. 

On a personal level, this story teaches that fear is a part of the human experience. It shows us that courage isn’t about eliminating fear but learning to act through it. Pharaoh’s world was one where external power dictated reality, but Musa (AS) teaches us that freedom begins when we refuse to let fear define our choices. 

Each of us faces moments where fear, anxiety, or self-doubt feel overwhelming, paralyzing our ability to act. In all those moments, faith grounds us that we are not alone, even when everything external tells us otherwise. It’s a shift in perspective—from seeing power as something others hold over us to recognizing that strength comes from trusting Allah’s presence and plan.

That is where true freedom is found—when we rely not on what we see, but on the One who sees us.

Bismillāh

I’ve realized there is a roadblock in my journey to Allah ﷻ—
Something that makes me pause in doing good.

My first thoughts often deceive me.
When I set out to act, a whisper strikes: 'Don’t. Stop. Fear.'
I convince myself that I’ve already failed—
That there is no point in continuing.

But then I look at how Allah ﷻ dealt with Mūsā عليه السلام.
It is the complete opposite.

In Mūsā’s very first encounter with Allah ﷻ, he trembles in fear.
Yet Allah does not scold him,
He does not say: 'In My presence? Really?'
Instead, Allah ﷻ comforts him:

'O Moses! Draw near, and have no fear.' (28:31)

Later, when Allah ﷻ commands Mūsā and his brother to face Pharaoh,
they confess their dread:

'Our Lord! We fear that he may be quick to harm us or act tyrannically.' (20:45)

And Allah ﷻ responds with divine reassurance:

'Have no fear! I am with you—hearing and seeing.' (20:46)

Again, as Mūsā stands before Pharaoh, fear fills his chest:

'Moses concealed fear within himself.' (20:67)

But Allah, the Forbearing, once more soothes him:

'Do not fear! You will certainly prevail.' (20:68)

Is it any wonder, then,
that when Mūsā عليه السلام stood trapped between the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s army,
he proclaimed with unshakable conviction:

'My Lord is certainly with me—He will guide me.' (26:62)

Because every time fear seized him,
Allah ﷻ was there, steadying his heart with His words.
Until Mūsā stood firm, knowing:

'With Our signs, you and those who follow you will certainly prevail.' (28:35)

This shows me something profound:
Allah ﷻ allows me to keep trying in this world.
Even when I feel unready.
Even when fear makes me want to hide.
His door remains open, as long as I return.

And I remember the words of one of the salaf:

'Weep! And if you do not find yourself weeping, then feign weeping.'
(al-Zuhd wal-Raqāʾiq 1007)

Why? Because it is about striving—
not perfection at the start, but persistence until the end.

The times I tell myself I am not worthy of an act of ʿibādah,
or that my heart is unfit in the beginning—
those are not reasons to quit.
They are reasons to push harder, to keep striving.

As Abu Yazīd said:

'I continued dragging my soul to Allah whilst it cried,
until it finally surrendered itself—
and came with me to Allah smiling.'

So I ask Allah ﷻ:
Make worship beloved to us.
Grant us the sweetness of submission—
while we still have the choice.

Yā Rabb, Arḥamur-Rāḥimīn,
give us the strength and wisdom to press forward,
the knowledge of You and Your words to comfort our hearts.
Unite this Ummah, and spread peace across it.

Āmīn.

#QuranicOcean #PeacebeUponHim

Needed this reminder today. JazakAllahu khayran for sharing it with us.

The next time you recite Surah Al Taha in your Salah especially, or outside of it. Imagine yourself to be Musa ( Alayhi Assalaam) and replace your life story with his life story, 
Outside of Salah pretend to have that conversation and reflect and see how your Lord Has favored you and chosen you, and shaped you for who you are and then take on life with in mind.
I speak to myself with this reflection. May Allah Grant Wisdom to appreciate His favors upon us.

God sees everything. He sees the crawling black ant under a hard rock in the darkest of the night; He is not oblivious to anything that is happening to you. When Musa (Moses), peace be unto him), and Harun (as) were told to speak to Pharoah, they were understandably afraid. They said to God Almighty: 'Our Lord, indeed we are afraid that he will hasten [punishment] against us or that he will transgress.' And God Almighty responded to them to reassure them: 'Fear not. Indeed, I am with you both; I hear and I see,' (Qur’an, 20:45-46) So when you are feeling lonely or in difficulty, call out to the One who hears everything and sees everything. Rest assured that the difficulty that you are going through has not gone unnoticed.

Learn more: http://www.the99names.com/names/28.html

The 99 Names of Allah

Some things that help in dawah deduced from these verses , though there are more to list:

1. Having an expanded chest (being stress free) is best for giving dawah to be able to focus on the listener and not the thing causing you stress.
2. Speaking clearly to be able to beautify the good with your speech, and vilify the evil is an asset for the da3i
3.Having a teammate in dawah can cause for more strength and success in your mission
4. Constantly making dhikr of Allah is your source of strength , and the more difficult the task the more you should remember Allah 

JazakAllah, 
And last but not the least,
Never fear as the Master of the Multiverse is always with the da3i, Who is personally listening and seeing everything. 

How do I know that my failure is because I am doing something wrong or because it is the will of Allah? 

In the 10th-11th years of the prophecy, prophet Mohammad SAAW went through the toughest times of his life. He lost his uncle and his wife. He was isolated for 2-3 years, he got no more protection and no wife to support him and heal his scars. He was at risk and he had to find a place just to at least stay alive in. 
All what he went through SAAW was by the will of Allah, not as a punishment or because he was doing wrong, his relationship with Allah was good so it was a test. A heavy one. 
So i feel like when my relationship is good with Allah, when i extend my efforts to the extreme and nothing is left to be done and i still fail, all i could remind my self is 

‎وَمَا جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بُشْرَىٰ وَلِتَطْمَئِنَّ بِهِ قُلُوبُكُمْ ۚ وَمَا النَّصْرُ إِلَّا مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
Allah only made it a message of hope, and to set your hearts at rest. Victory comes only from Allah. Allah is Mighty and Wise. 

Victory only comes from Allah, so i gotta wait for it with All pleasure and patience. 

On the other hand, on the battle of Uhud,
Archers violate the command of the Prophet SAAW. The archers thought that the polytheists would not return after they saw their flight, and a number of them went down to seek the spoil, and they violated the Prophet’s command not to leave their places, despite the reminder of their Emir, but they insisted on leaving their sites, and Khaled Bin Al-Walid hinted that the gap was, and it was At the time among the polytheists, he wrapped behind the mountain with a squad of Quraish's knights, and killed the remaining archers on the mountain, and the back of the Muslim army was revealed to Khaled, so they surprised them from the back, their ranks were disturbed, and the killing occurred, and the army of polytheists returned and surrounded Muslims from all directions, They began to withdraw from the battlefield, and the victory achieved turned into a great setback. 

So you see there? They did something wrong, they didn’t follow the rules they just followed what they wanted to do most and there was consequences. If i don’t pray for example, don’t practice and don’t do anything and something goes wrong, and i question it.... well of course something is going to go wrong! Like what am I doing to deserve the goodness to be in my life you know? The further you walk away from Allah, the hardest it will become for you to breath. If you walk away further, your chest will get tighter and tighter on you and things will go from bad to worse than ever. 

Have hope in Allah and everything but don’t let that hope destroy you and keep you lying to yourself that if you do nothing Allah will give you whatever you ask for. 

وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَنْ ذِكْرِي فَإِنَّ لَهُ مَعِيشَةً ضَنْكًا وَنَحْشُرُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَعْمَىٰ
who turns away from My remembrance, he shall surely lead a straitened life. And (what is more,) We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection.'

How do I know that my failure is because I am doing something wrong or because it is the will of Allah? 


May Allah reward you with goodness for these words. We can do many actions such as striving, doing everything, thinking about it day and night to reach a single result. But what if we do not have the will of God within us while taking these steps?  If there is a result, we should actually be afraid. Because if you do not seek the consent of Allah, you will be following the path of Satan.If God doesn't give you love. Let's see it this way, you made your intention for the sake of Allah, you worked day and night with the help of Allah and there was no result, thank God after years, it was a good thing it didn't happen. The issue is only and only whether events are in accordance with Allah's will or not? What is my intention? What does my ego want? Am I doing it with Allah's permission or am I on the path of Satan? In fact, the accounting of the Self must be done for these. Asceticism, self, knowing one's intentions, Now I say alhamdulillah for whatever is not there. It is good that it was not there because I did not seek the pleasure of Allah.We should pray a lot. Oh God, let me do things that please you. The power comes only from you. If we understand the sovereignty of God over us, everything becomes easier.


Allah describes His book as, 'a Book of perfect consistency and repeated lessons—which causes the skin of those who fear their Lord to tremble.'

Do you ever read a surah and you can sense that another surah is echoed or reflected? For me it is not immediately obvious, but something, maybe a similar phrase or key word will tip me off to a pattern of similarity. It is possible that this similarity is just in my imagination - maybe these threads run through many surahs, but wanted to share some of it here in case there are more reflections on this. 

For example, while reflecting on surah as-sajdah, I wanted to collect some of the other verses that speak about those who turn away from the signs of Allah.

That took me to, among other surahs, surah Taha. And then, I noticed some parallels between the two surahs, though they are not side by side in the Quran or similar in length: Surah Taha is 10 pages long, Sajda is only 3 pages. But words and expressions that are not common in other surahs stood out to me when I placed them side by side:

-Both begin with, after the letters in the first verse, the coming down - tanzeel - of the book
-Both surahs mention the throne of Allah early in the surah (verse 4/5 )
-Both describe consequences for those who are reminded of Allah but turn away
-Both describe the humbling/lowering of the face - Surah Taha 111 - Surah Sajda 12, 15
-Both use the word forgot/ignore and  forgotten/ignored to describe the disbelievers on the day of judgment
-Taha is characterized by long stories of Prophet Musa while Surah Sajda summarizes the story of Prophet Musa in just one verse  
-Both have an almost identical verse: Taha 128 and Sajda 26: Can they not draw a lesson from the many generations We destroyed before them, through whose dwelling places they now walk? There truly are signs in this for anyone with understanding AND Is it not a lesson for them to see how many generations We destroyed before them, in whose homes they now walk? There truly are signs in this - do they not hear? 
-Both of them end the second to last verses with a irrelevant/foolish question asked by the disbelievers: When is the Judgment (Surah Sajda) and Why does he not bring us a sign from his Lord? (Surah Taha)
-Both of them end with waiting:
Surah Taha: Say, 'We are all waiting, so you carry on waiting: you will come to learn who has followed the even path, and been rightly guided.'
Surah As-Sajda:  So turn away from them, and wait. They too are waiting.

A stretch? Maybe. My brain hurts a little bit, I can't put my finger on the significance of these parallels, but it makes me feel in awe of the Quran, and a sense that we as Muslims are barely scratching the surface of the wisdom in this book. 

Have you sensed this echo or reflection in other places in the Quran?






Subhanallah ! What a wonderful reflection! Of course Quranul Kareem is from Allah, the exalted ❤️ that's why its contents are so miraculous.

Muslim American Society

Personal Reflection on Surah Taha

'This Surah held up a mirror I wasn’t ready for.'

There’s something uncomfortable about Surah Taha.

Not because it’s hard to understand 
But because it’s hard to face.

I used to read the story of Musa (AS) like a bedtime tale. Familiar, safe.
He stood before Pharaoh. He parted the sea. He made history.

But I never noticed how human he was.

He was afraid.
He hesitated.
He told Allah straight up, 'I can’t do this alone.'
And instead of rebuking him, Allah gave him Harun. Gave him calm. Gave him backup.
And I realized asking for help doesn’t mean you’re weak.
It means you trust Allah enough to admit your limits.

Then there’s Pharaoh. The villain.

But sometimes, I catch traces of him in me.
When I want control.
When I refuse advice.
When I pretend I know better.
When I judge others, but excuse my own behavior.

He thought he was god. I’ve never said that out loud but how many times have I acted like I know best?

That was hard to admit.


The golden calf story hit even harder.

The people saw the sea split. They were saved from death. And yet… they still ended up worshipping a calf.

And I thought: If they can forget Allah after seeing miracles with their own eyes… what’s stopping me from doing the same after my duas get answered?

I’ve seen moments where Allah clearly helped me.
Yet later, I panic. I scroll endlessly. I numb out. I chase distractions.
That calf may be ancient, but I think we’ve all built our own versions of it.

Anything we turn to more than Allah — that’s our calf.
Even if it looks like a goal, a habit, a person, or a screen.



Then came the verse that wouldn’t let me sleep:

'Whoever turns away from My remembrance – for him is a life of hardship.' (20:124)

That line didn’t feel like a threat.
It felt like a diagnosis.

The low days. The heavy heart. The random anxiety.
Not all of it is from life.
Some of it is from forgetting why I’m here.

This life feels hard because I’m trying to live it without the One who gave it to me.
Simple, but brutally honest.


And then the verse that quietly broke me:

'My Lord, why have You raised me blind, while I used to see?'

That shook me.

Because physical blindness is one thing.
But spiritual blindness — where you walk through life chasing the wrong things, ignoring the truth, wasting time — that’s worse.

What if I’ve been spiritually blind and didn’t even know it?

What if I’ve been seeing the world through a lens that leaves Allah out?


But here’s what I love most about Surah Taha:

It doesn’t leave you in guilt.

It doesn’t just expose the problem — it gives you a way out.

'We did not send down this Qur’an to distress you…' (20:2)

This book is not a burden. It’s a light.

And now I’m trying to treat it like one — not a school subject, not a routine checklist, but a manual for how to survive this life with my soul intact.



So what do I take from this Surah?
• I’m allowed to fear — but I’m not allowed to forget Who’s with me.
• I need to stop romanticizing distractions — they might be my personal calf.
• And most of all, I don’t want to wake up in the next life blind… because I ignored what really mattered in this one.

It’s uncomfortable.
But maybe discomfort is where change begins.

#personalreflection 
#quranreflection
#surahTa-ha

Jazak Allah khair for a beautiful reflection. It felt like I had someone vested in my improvement guide me. May Allah bless you and all your readers/commentators unlimited contentment, ease, happiness and protect you from all evil. Ameen.