Bismillah 
In surah kahf verse 39 Allah tells us about a conversation between two gentlemen, and one guy was telling the other who said regarding his garden " I do not think this will ever perish, nor don't think the hour will come ".
Later on in the story, his garden was ruined.

But today, I want to share some words which the  friend of the garden owner said " if you had said  upon entering your garden, Ma shaa Allah la quwatan illa billah ( This is what Allah has willed ! There is no power except with Allah) ".

What are our gardens:
1. Our houses
2. Our workstation and offices
3. Our cars
4. Our investments 
5. Our ibadah/worship
6. Our family 

Upon encountering the above examples [ blessings] and many others, we should learn to say " Ma Shaa Allah, La quwatan illa Billah"
● Acknowledging this, will open for us the door of gratitude to Allah for these favours 
● It helps remove pride in our blessings by acknowledging that whatever we have is not from us but from Allah because we do not have any power at all to start with 
● It helps us from attaching our nafs to these blessing "Ma Shaa Allah " (whatever Allah wills) puts us in a position to know and accept that Allah had willed for this particular grace to come to you and me, and He can also take it away whenever He wills 

" Ma Shaa Allah, La quwattan illah Billah ".



#DivineBookClub

I had missed many many many weeks of this series. How apt that when I caught up again on a Friday morning it was the beginning of 
Surah al Kahf! I like how Dr Sohaib 
 starts each Surah by highlighting the main 'thread' or some main topics of the Surah.

After decades of reciting Surah Al Kahfi on Fridays, it was only listening to Dr Sohaib  that it dawned upon me that this Surah contains all of these 
oft-mentioned Islamic phrases:

ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ
All Praise be to Allah

أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ
If Allah Wills

مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ 
This is what Allah Has willed 

لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ 
There is no power except with Allah

The possible significance of this hit me like a lightning bolt!
 I have often heard that Surah al Kahf contains lessons for this Ummah to face the tribulations and the Fitnas of the End of Days. 
From this episode, I learnt the possible intrinsic lessons of having the divine placement of these phrases.. 

Allahu a'lam... 
(I would need to delete this reflection if its too far fetched,  LOL )

Top of the list; I need to be GRATEFUL. 
No matter what the circumstance is, I need to see the benefit of each circumstance or strive to find Blessings in any situation.

Then, I have to ACKNOWLEDGE that all the best plans I have made will not happen unless Allah Wills it to happen. 
Allah's Will supersedes mine; Allah's Plans are always the Best Plans.

Following that I need to have full AWARENESS and RECOGNITION that all my achievements are actually Allah's Blessings upon me and it was not mine to begin with; no matter what struggles I went through to achieve it.

Finally, comes the SURRENDER to Allah as the Ultimate Owner of  Power over all things.

SubhanAllah! 
What powerful framework this is for me to apply any Trials I may be facing in these challenging times. Allahu a'lam!

رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا

...and May Allah always guide our thoughts and actions...
Aamiin 

https://youtu.be/QAZgMfYM9rQ?si=rrR3jUy1KtjibzeU 

The Qur'an commands us to have sabr in so many places. And yet having sabr is very hard. For me one of the hardest tests of my patience is other people. I actually think that may be my own personal test in this life. Especially when some people you just find SO JARRING. People that can so easily disrupt your inner peace. 

The simple dhikr of 'Laa hawla walaa quwwata illaa billaa' is one of the things that I turn to when I start to get consumed with negative feelings. 

This dhikr is so comprehensive and all-encompassing. The Prophet ﷺ said that it is one of the treasures of Jannah. 

'There is no might or power except with Allah.' 

Whatever happens in life, Allah is greater than it. 

If you've achieved great things, remember that it was only through Allah's help and you will always need Allah's help so stay humble. 

If someone is overpowering you and oppressing you, Allah is infinitely greater than them so don't despair. 

If you have power and responsibility over someone, remember that you're at the mercy of Allah even more than that person may be at your mercy so tread carefully lest you should become an oppressor. 

And when someone is testing you to the point where it is eating you up from the inside, remember Allah is greater than whatever you're feeling. Allah can cause those feelings inside of you to evaporate in an instant. 

If you're upset, fearful, hurt, weak, completely overwhelmed... whatever it may be. Allah is greater than it so don't give it anymore weight than it actually deserves and seek help in Allah.

At the start of Ramadan, in one of my first posts on here, I said that I wanted to cleanse my heart of all grudges and ill feelings and that I would rely on the dua in surah al-Hashr to help me on that path. 

Now as we're into the final week of Ramadan I must admit that whilst I did make progress in that regard and that dua really helped me a lot, there were too many times when I allowed situations to unsettle me. 

My rolemodel as always, is the Prophet ﷺ. He had a remarkable ability to clean his heart of all grudges and ill feelings. It didn't weigh him down. He didn't allow others to negatively affect his life. Rather, he found his peace and strength with and in Allah. And that is where I want to be. 

'Indeed in the rememberance of Allah do hearts find peace'. This is a lifelong journey and struggle that will continue long after Ramadan. May Allah help us find that peace that we're so desperately seeking.

#sabr
#patience
#peace

Often Times its hard to relect to the Quran because we are looking for verses that connect to us, as opposed to trying to connect with the verses we read.  

Here I did the former lol, The goal I think is a balance between the two. 

Throughout the Quran there are duas for everything. for Iman,  strength, forgiveness, marriage, children, parents, wealth,  power,  knowledge and many more. 

Some duas I think dont need to be in the form 'Oh Allah grant me this'

Here a declaration that 'there is no Power except with Allah' , gives me a feeling Oh Allah I have no Power , you are All powerful, I am weak so give me strength. 

Its not hard putting ourselves in the situation of the man who did not have two gardens and he was observing his companion being boastful. we are all surounded with young brothers and sisters  who it may seem like they are doing better than us.  And constantly being on Facebook and instagram etc and seeing this maybe toxic for us. 

So yes the person who finds himself being arrogant should remind himself that 
'There is no power except with Allah '
and the person who finds himself crushed by his situation or his inner anxiety and helplessness should also remind himself that 
'There is no power except with Allah'

Muslim Student Organization & Women in Islam  CCNY

My son and I often play the card game Go Fish together, and for a while he legitimately kept winning. (I wasn’t letting him win, by the way.) After about fifteen straight losses and one tie, I eventually won a game.

Apparently, one developmental milestone for children around ages six to eight is that they do not like to lose. My son is in that phase right now.

When he wins, life is wonderful. You can’t tell him anything. But when he loses, you would think he has never won in his entire six years of existence. In that moment, it is as if every previous victory has been erased from his memory and he is convinced he will never win again.

As I watched this play out, I was reminded of a hadith about the reality of this life and the next. The Prophet ﷺ told us that the person who endured the greatest hardships in this world will be dipped into Jannah for a moment and then asked, “Have you ever experienced any hardship?” He will reply, “No, by Allah, I have never experienced any hardship.” Likewise, the person who enjoyed the greatest comforts in this world will be dipped into the Fire and then asked, “Have you ever known any happiness?” He will reply, “No, by Allah, I have never known any happiness.”

One experience becomes so overwhelming that everything before it seems to disappear.

I was also reminded of something I came across while studying zuhd. It was said that a person can possess wealth and still be a zahid, but on one condition: if his wealth increases, he does not become excessively joyful, and if it decreases, he does not become distressed and unhappy.

This is exactly what Allah ﷻ teaches us:

“No disaster strikes upon the earth or among yourselves except that it is in a register before We bring it into being. Indeed that, for Allah, is easy. So that you may not grieve over what has escaped you nor exult over what He has given you. And Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful.”
(57:22-23)

Allah not only tells us that everything happens by His decree, but He also informs us of this reality so that we are not devastated by what we lose nor intoxicated by what we gain.

Yet how often do we behave exactly like children?

When financial hardship is lifted, some people become so elated that they act as though they have never struggled and will never struggle again. Then, if that blessing is taken away, they speak as though Allah has never blessed them and never will. This all-or-nothing mentality causes a person to overlook countless blessings from Allah ﷻ simply because they are focused on what they have just gained or lost.

We see this lesson in the story of the three men tested by Allah ﷻ. One had leprosy, one was bald, and one was blind. Allah ﷻ cured them, enriched them, and gave them more than they had ever imagined. Later, an angel came to them in the form of a poor and afflicted traveler resembling their former condition. Two denied their past and acted as though their blessings had always belonged to them. Only one remembered where he came from and acknowledged Allah’s favor.

We see it again in the story of the owner of the gardens who became impressed with what he possessed and failed to acknowledge Allah ﷻproperly. He viewed his blessing as secure and permanent, only for his garden to be destroyed, leaving him regretting what he had taken for granted. (18:32-44)

This is the essence of zuhd: knowing that this world is temporary and refusing to let it occupy an oversized place in the heart. It is understanding that the changing conditions of dunya are not a flaw in the system. They are the system.

You will win some and lose some.
You will receive some things and be deprived of others.
You will experience ease and hardship.

The impermanence of this life and everything in it is not the problem.
Truly, the impermanence is the point.
The impermanence is the reminder in and of itself.

Allah ﷻ says:

“And whatever you have been given is only the enjoyment of worldly life and its adornment, but what is with Allah is better and more lasting. Will you not then understand?”
(28:60)

The more we accept this reality, the less we cling to dunya and the more we build for the Akhirah. We stop measuring Allah’s favor by our current circumstances and begin measuring success by our relationship with Him.

In many ways, this realization became one of the foundations of contentment for me. I learned that I belong to Allah ﷻ before my circumstances belong to me, and that understanding created a freedom I could never have anticipated.

I realized that anxiety often comes from believing reality is unmanaged, while rida appears when the heart realizes that reality is curated.

The heart resists decree when it assumes ownership over its life. It treats circumstances as possessions and outcomes as entitlements. When those things change, it feels robbed.

But once ownership returns to Allah ﷻ, decree stops feeling like a violation. It no longer feels like a power struggle or a fight for autonomy. The inner resistance begins to melt away because the heart recognizes that nothing was ever truly its to control or cling to in the first place.

Everything was entrusted by Allah, managed by Allah, and will ultimately return to Allah ﷻ.

Perhaps my son’s frustration over losing a game is not so childish after all.

Perhaps it is simply a mirror showing us a tendency many adults never outgrow.

Your reflection is really thought provoking. JazakAllahu khairyan, may Allah swt bless you.

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful,

Compare the conversation between these two men from the story of the man with the two gardens. Compare their character, what they say and their conduct.

Haughtiness, lack of gratitude, self assured:

1)The man with two gardens is haughty, arrogant, he doesn’t really think that the Day of Judgment will occur and if it will occur then he is self assured and under the misconception that he would be granted something better. All this seems to stem from his arrogance, his weak belief and his lack of God consciousness and knowledge about his Creator;

And then the second man:

Humility, reflective, accepting of Allah’s decree, grateful, believes in the Oneness of Allah, does not associate any partner and his focus is the hereafter:

2) He is humble because he remembers his origin a ‘mere sperm-drop’ whom Allah azza wa jal has fashioned into a man, this man knows his Lord and that he is One without any partner, his vision and understanding is clear because he acknowledges he has been created from dust. Another thing he acknowledges is divine decree and he accepts whatever befalls him and whatever he has and has not been given. He understands that Allah does everything according to His wisdom and that having wealth is not an indication of one’s status with Allah,  Having sincere belief in Allah and the Day of Judgment gives a person clarity and vision. 

These ayats remind me not be arrogant, to accept the decree of Allah in all matters whether they seem favourable or not, to be prepared for the Day of Reckoning and to remember Allah’s graces upon us; that we  created from dust and He has fashioned us and caused us to grow. He is our Lord and all power and might belong to Him. We must show gratitude, follow Allah with what He has commanded and we will gain clarity as this man had. 

Indeed Allah knows best. May Allah azza wa jal increase us in humility towards Him and His Creation, and thank Him for all that He does for us and grant us foresight and true faith - Allah Ameen. May we be pleased with Allah and may Allah be pleased with us - Allahumma ameen! 

#SurahAlKahf

Wa iyyak my brother and shukran for reading and your comment. 

Relevant reminder

In response to the boast of the arrogant man with two gardens, his believing companion tries to change his perspective with an argument that feels personalised, and so more persuasive. 

He asks his companion to consider his own creation from dust, and the perfect fashioning of his form from the seed of his parents. 

I feel a person familiar with cultivation, upon hearing this, may find this analogous to the arc of his own crops - first there is just barren land, then a seed is placed in the right conditions and when the shoots emerge, the plants are tended to so they achieve their complete and perfect forms.

In this way, the believing man attempts to instil humility in his companion, not just by emphasing his humble beginnings in creation, but perhaps using word choice that urges him to reflect on his own garden's natural cycles and consider that he, too, is subject to Allah's commands. 

May Allah SWT make us of those who walk humbly on the earth, appreciate His signs in creations, and advise others with wisdom.

اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِ عَلىَ سَيِّدِناَ مُحَمَّدٍ

Assalaamu Alaikum,


Thank you for sharing your reflection on the story of the arrogant man with two gardens from the Quran. Your interpretation of the believer's attempt to instill humility in his companion through a personalised analogy of cultivation is truly insightful. Drawing parallels between the growth of crops and the development of character serves as a powerful reminder of our humble beginnings and dependence on Allah's commands. Your connection between the natural cycles of a garden and the spiritual growth of individuals adds depth to the understanding of this Quranic narrative. May we all strive to walk humbly on this earth, appreciate the signs of Allah's creations, and offer advice with wisdom, just as the believing companion exemplified. Jazak Allah Khair for your reflective contribution to QuranReflect.

A Khutbah I wrote on #Introspection/#Self-Reckoning (#Muhaasabah)
Preparing for travel, we double check everything: passport, luggage, shampoo
Shouldn’t we do the same for the trip to the akhirah?
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلْتَنظُرْ نَفْسٌ مَّا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
We’re ignorant of our own wrongdoings - too busy worrying about bills, business, image
Should spend as much time filtering our sins as we do our picsTake time to sit with yourself and look hard into spiritual mirror
Keeping ourselves in check is necessary for success
Own up to your wrongs
So quick to justify and avoid blameWe blame everything on hasad
وَمَآ أَصَٰبَكُم مِّن مُّصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَيَعْفُوا۟ عَن كَثِيرٍ
Something goes wrong, we forget that we may have deserved worsePeople cry: 'Why me?!' when they don’t prayWomen blame hasad when they’re not modestIf nothing going wrong, you should be worried!Allah sending you signals, don’t brush them off!
Don’t be tricked by your good deeds
We commit the worst crimes in front of Allah, then feel good with small deedLittle acts are important, but do nothing if they’re cancelled outبَا هُرَيْرَةَ يَقُولُ‏:‏ قِيلَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، إِنَّ فُلاَنَةً تَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ وَتَصُومُ النَّهَارَ، وَتَفْعَلُ، وَتَصَّدَّقُ، وَتُؤْذِي جِيرَانَهَا بِلِسَانِهَا‏؟‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ لاَ خَيْرَ فِيهَا، هِيَ مِنْ أَهْلِ النَّارِ، قَالُوا‏:‏ وَفُلاَنَةٌ تُصَلِّي الْمَكْتُوبَةَ، وَتَصَّدَّقُ بِأَثْوَارٍ، وَلاَ تُؤْذِي أَحَدًا‏؟‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ هِيَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ‏.‏Mistreat our parents in the morning and dawah @work and feel good$$$ in Haram business/mortgage, and then give $ and feel goodHours watching worst movies/videos and then share a Youtube lectureYes, ان الصلاة تنهى عن الفحشاء والمنكر والبغي but why isn’t it working for you?Something wrong inside the deed, and outside, so need to constantly investigate
Repent now before its too late
Take yourself to account before Allah does it for youYou don’t know what you will see on DOJيَوْمَ يَبْعَثُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا عَمِلُوٓا۟ أَحْصَىٰهُ ٱللَّهُ وَنَسُوهُ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ شَهِيدٌSins that you are aware of: what makes you so sure that you were forgiven?
Case study: Man of 2 Gardens
وَٱضْرِبْ لَهُم مَّثَلًا رَّجُلَيْنِ جَعَلْنَا لِأَحَدِهِمَا جَنَّتَيْنِ مِنْ أَعْنَٰبٍ وَحَفَفْنَٰهُمَا بِنَخْلٍ وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَهُمَا زَرْعًا (٣٢) كِلْتَا ٱلْجَنَّتَيْنِ ءَاتَتْ أُكُلَهَا وَلَمْ تَظْلِم مِّنْهُ شَيْـًٔا وَفَجَّرْنَا خِلَٰلَهُمَا نَهَرًا (٣٣) وَكَانَ لَهُۥ ثَمَرٌ 
3 long ayahs describing his amazing luscious garden: flowers, fruits and rivers
فَقَالَ لِصَٰحِبِهِۦ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُۥٓ أَنَا۠ أَكْثَرُ مِنكَ مَالًا وَأَعَزُّ نَفَرًا (٣٤) وَدَخَلَ جَنَّتَهُۥ وَهُوَ ظَالِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِۦ قَالَ مَآ أَظُنُّ أَن تَبِيدَ هَٰذِهِۦٓ أَبَدًا (٣٥) وَمَآ أَظُنُّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ قَآئِمَةً وَلَئِن رُّدِدتُّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّى لَأَجِدَنَّ خَيْرًا مِّنْهَا مُنقَلَبًا (٣٦)
He let it get to his head, bragged, didn’t show gratitudeHe assumed Allah loved him, but he was ظالم لنفسه
قَالَ لَهُۥ صَاحِبُهُۥ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُۥٓ أَكَفَرْتَ بِٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكَ مِن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ سَوَّىٰكَ رَجُلًا (٣٧) لَّٰكِنَّا۠ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ رَبِّى وَلَآ أُشْرِكُ بِرَبِّىٓ أَحَدًا (٣٨) وَلَوْلَآ إِذْ دَخَلْتَ جَنَّتَكَ قُلْتَ مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ إِن تَرَنِ أَنَا۠ أَقَلَّ مِنكَ مَالًا وَوَلَدًا (٣٩) فَعَسَىٰ رَبِّىٓ أَن يُؤْتِيَنِ خَيْرًا مِّن جَنَّتِكَ وَيُرْسِلَ عَلَيْهَا حُسْبَانًا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَتُصْبِحَ صَعِيدًا زَلَقًا (٤٠) أَوْ يُصْبِحَ مَآؤُهَا غَوْرًا فَلَن تَسْتَطِيعَ لَهُۥ طَلَبًا (٤١)
Allah sent him warning through his friend, but he insisted on learning the hard way
وَأُحِيطَ بِثَمَرِهِۦ فَأَصْبَحَ يُقَلِّبُ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَىٰ مَآ أَنفَقَ فِيهَا وَهِىَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا وَيَقُولُ يَٰلَيْتَنِى لَمْ أُشْرِكْ بِرَبِّىٓ أَحَدًا (٤٢) وَلَمْ تَكُن لَّهُۥ فِئَةٌ يَنصُرُونَهُۥ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا كَانَ مُنتَصِرًا (٤٣) هُنَالِكَ ٱلْوَلَٰيَةُ لِلَّهِ ٱلْحَقِّ هُوَ خَيْرٌ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ عُقْبًا
Allah taught him the hard way.'I wish I never put anything before Allah!' 
If he kept himself in check, he would have:
Seen his sins and not felt anything to brag aboutBeen grateful to Allah for his wealth, done more good deeds with itBeen humble and repentful the start, avoiding regret at the end