These verse reminds me that we all made an effort for something—whether it's our deen, occupation, education, health, or anything—but sometimes here, in this dunya, we didn't get the results we wanted.
This dunya never looks to your effort.  It looks to the end result.
Was it successful? Was it a failure?
Well done, you've failed. That's all.
But the efforts....where do they go? Unnoticed from people, yes. But never unnoticed by Allah.
Here, from these verse: we have two groups. They both strived hard. But the end result are different. 
One is exhausted with their efforts.
The other is pleased with their efforts.
What makes them different is: how did they make effort? With sincerity? faith? tawakkul? patience?
Or... With the desire to fulfill ego? wanting only this world's success and achivements?

We are all constantly struggling. What makes us different is which path we're all heading to?
And often times, the path to goodness isn't easy at all. But it's worth it. For getting the pleasure of Allah and seeing Allah, is the best thing you can imagine.

This verses reminds me to keep purifying my intentions when I'm striving for something, and to stay in the path goodness while hoping of Allah's mercy and pleasure.

Ali Ali Wa jazakallah khair! May Allah bless you.

Allah in this ayah describes the path of good as a “difficult pass.”
Doing good isn’t easy. It requires sacrifices.
Oftentimes, it’s easier to not do it at all. It’d be easier to sleep in rather than struggle to wake up for fajr, it’d be easier to withhold your wealth rather than watch it decrease.

And yet, Allah says that He created us in hardship. No matter what, we’ll be toiling away at something. So let it be something worthwhile. Even if you try to take an easy road, this world will never become Jannah; there will always still be slips and bumps along the way.

The biggest sacrifices reap the greatest rewards. Even though the path may be steep and difficult, the destination will be higher than you ever imagined. May Allah make us of those who strive in His sake, no matter how difficult the path may get.

#SubmissionAndSacrifice 

One of my avocado trees has fruited quite fruitfully (pun intended). Alhamdulillah. And if you know me, you know I love my avocados, so I am already salivating. But as I stood there admiring this tree, naturally, I started thinking about harvesting it. I started thinking about the kind of effort it would require my team to harvest these fruits – they were quite up there in the tree. The tools they would have to use. The time they would have to spend. The possible danger of falling or hurting themselves. The energy it might require. All of a sudden, it felt like a lot of work. Just harvesting one fruit felt like a day's work. This reminded me of Ayah 90:4
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ فِى كَبَدٍ
Such toil and struggle we have to face in this world. Just to put a morsel in our mouths. A morsel that we need to survive. Which in turn reminded me of the effortless ease in Jannah. 
Picture the scene with me. You're just chilling there with your mates in your lofty garden, adorned in your finest silks, feeling good and looking really cool, reclining on these luxurious, shaded couches underneath this lush fruit tree, and the fruits are so low that they almost drop into your mouth—such effortless ease! This kind of convenience is out of this world. 
Speaking of this world, for most of us, we don't get our fruits directly from trees; we get them from stores. Which, unfortunately, has made the whole process of acquiring fruits quite effortless, so much so that we start to live in an illusion of ease. We start to develop the mentality that this world is some kind of Jannah. 
I am not saying you should not buy fruits from stores, but perhaps next time you buy a fruit, just ponder over the process of how it got to you, and don't fall into the trap of convenience. True ease and convenience can only be found in Jannah, and whatever this world has to offer is an inferior illusion of what will come. 
May Allah make us among those who appreciate His endless blessings upon us and grant us the ease He promises us in Jannatul Firdaws. Ameen 
#FarmReflections 

Such a delight to read this reflection, mashaAllah. Jazaki Allah Khair, Sister! 

'O mankind! Indeed, you are laboring toward your Lord with great exertion and will meet Him.' — Qur’an 84:6

'Indeed, We have created humankind in ˹constant˺ struggle.' Quran 90:4

Sometimes I pause and realize, we are all struggling toward something in life. Each of us is chasing a dream, a goal, a sense of perfection. But if I look deeply, I see that what I truly yearn for in all my pursuits is not the thing itself, but what lies behind it — peace, love, fulfillment.

Yet, how often do we mistake the shadow for the source? I seek peace, so I chase money! forgetting that Allah is As-Salām, the Source of Peace. I seek honor, so I pursue power!,  unaware that true might belongs to Al-‘Azīz. I crave beauty, knowledge, or love — all of which are but reflections of Al-Jamīl and Al-‘Alīm.

And even when I gain what I thought I wanted, the void within remains. I might accumulate wealth, power, or admiration, yet still feel restless, because the heart cannot find peace in anything less than its Origin. Meanwhile, time quietly passes, carrying me closer to the end.

But when the realization dawns, that my deepest yearning has always been for Him — and I begin to turn my pursuit toward Allah, something within settles. The chase ends. The heart finds tranquility.

So let us pause, reflect, and redirect our energy and focus toward Allah, the True Object of every longing heart. For all else are but fleeting shadows, and only in His nearness do we find lasting peace.

And when the journey of this life concludes, may we be among those greeted with the words:

 'O tranquil soul, return to your Lord, pleased and pleasing. Enter among My servants, and enter My Garden.' (Qur’an 89:27–30)

This was such a blessing to read, Mashallah! Shukran, o servant of Allah.

Various times in the Qur'an, Allah SWT reveals such integral qualities of Al Insaan - Mankind which only Al Khaaliq - The Creator can. Allah SWT describes human beings as ungrateful, hasty, impatient, unfair, stingy. He SWT calls them ignorant, argumentative, wrongful and transgressive. He says mankind has been created weak, in difficulty and constant struggle.

لا ريب فيه
No doubt that Al Musawwir - The Fashioner has spoken the truth about His Creation. At first, I used to feel that Allah is mentioning these qualities to express His disappointment with us humans when it comes to fulfillment of His Rights - Huqooq ullaah. How we fail to display sabr, shukr towards our Rabb and how we constantly fail to fulfill our duties as His slaves. But the more I think about it, the more I realise that it's not limited to Huqooq ullaah, but also extends to Huqooq ul Ibaad - Right of His servants over one another.

From my own experiences and of those around me, I have realised that we humans, especially women, often feel unappreciated. We feel like we do thankless jobs for ungrateful people. It's as if we are surrounded by impatient people, who can't seem to empathise with us. They are ignorant, unfair and how they love to argue! But here's the thing. When Allah SWT describes mankind, He does not mention any exceptions. That means it is ALL humans, including me. 

How often do I think if the other person feels appreciated? Do I not lose my patience and say something I should not have said? If someone has a weak moment and makes a mistake, do I not judge them? Am I always fair in my dealings? Do I never cross boundaries? Do I readily forgive? The people around me have certain rights over me - Huqooq ul Ibaad. Do I make sure that I am fulfilling all those rights? Am I as a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, an in-law, a relative, a friend, a teacher, a student, a neighbour - giving the others their due rights? Or am I only concerned with the rights I have over others? 

When Our Creator says that He has created us with some attributes, there is no way that we can be separated from them. We can manage them sure, but we can never disassociate ourselves from them. We are all in a constant struggle with our Nafs. It's a work in progress. But everyone is trying. And we need to appreciate that effort.

These aayaat teach me this much-required empathy and tolerance towards others and introspection of my own faults. It teaches me to be more accepting - with others, of their struggle and with myself, of my mistakes. And they also teach me to slowly but surely, steer my expectations away from the creation and towards The Creator.

Because...
Man is ungrateful and ignorant, but Allah is Ash-Shakoor, The Most Appreciative and Al-Muhsee, The All-Enumerating.
Man is impatient and hasty, but Allah is Al-Haleem, The Most Forbearing and As-Saboor, The Most Patient.
Man is stingy, but Allah is Al-Mughnee, The Enricher and Al-Wasee', The Limitless.
Man is unfair and judgemental, but Allah is Al-Hakm and Al-Adl, The Most Impartial and Just Judge.
Man is unforgiving, but Allah is Al-Afuww, The Pardoner and Al-Ghafoor, The All-Forgiving.
Man is weak, but Allah is Al-Qawiyy, The All-Strong and Al-Azeez, The Almighty.
Man is imperfect, but our Rabb is As-Salaam, The Most Perfect.

jazakallah i took away from your reflection that we need to Acnowledge that we own this attributes instead of dissociating from it so you  understand your weakness first and understanding the human nature allows you to pardon when others act in such ways and the very ackowlegment of understanding this is human nature leads us to be vulnerable with Allah because you understand who you are in nature so you ask Allah for protection. 

I had to take some hours to fully internalise this verse: Allah says in Surah Al-Anbiya (21:50):

'And this is a blessed Reminder that We have revealed. Will you then deny it?'

after taken time going through tafsir, i sat down alone and think through what does it mean for Quran to be a blessed reminder, i had this realisation :

Qur’an is indeed a blessed book, concise in its expression yet profound in its impact. It is textually efficient and spiritually effective. In just a few words, it delivers truths that can shake the heart and reorient a person’s entire life. 

The verse is a challenge to those who doubt. Can they truly deny a message so powerfully efficient, where a single verse can ignite transformation?

Consider the lives it continues to transform across generations and backgrounds. A professor reads it and is captivated by its depth. A young student reads the same verse and finds clarity and comfort. This is part of its miracle. The Qur’an speaks to every heart, no matter the level of understanding.

Even the Prophet (s) was called a magician by the disbelievers. While meant as an insult, it unintentionally points to the mysterious power of the Qur’an. We call something magic when we cannot fully grasp how it works, yet we cannot deny its effect. Such was the Qur’an. It touched hearts, broke idols, stirred sleeping souls, and rebuilt lives from the inside out. Its power was undeniable, even to its fiercest opponents.

Take for instance the verse: 'Indeed, We have created man in hardship' (Qur’an 90:4). Reflecting on this alone changes the way we see life. We no longer try to escape struggle. Instead, we learn to choose the right struggle, the one that draws us closer to Allah. That is the worthy path.

Qur’an is a divine book with layers, meeting each soul where it is and guiding it to where it ought to be. 

Blessed is the one whose heart opens to its message.

MashaAllah.
Jazakallahu khairan kaseeran for wording such an inspiring knowledge.

'We have certainly created man in hardship.' (Qur’an 90:4)

This verse has been on my mind since morning, just one short Aya, yet it carries a truth that reshapes how I see life.

We were created in hardship. Struggle isn’t a detour from life; it is life. But for years, I kept hoping for that day when things would finally settle, when the struggle would be over. And yet, every time I reached a goal, I felt... empty. That peace I imagined never truly came.

It made me realize: we’re not meant to escape struggle! we’re meant to choose the right one.

Some pour all their energy into wealth or fame. But even those things point beyond themselves! to a deeper hunger, a longing for the Infinite. And if we’re fortunate, we realize that the only struggle truly worthy of us is the one that brings us nearer to Allah.

I’ve met people whose presence alone reminded me of Him, their compassion, humility, truthfulness. Like signs. And it struck me: I want to be a sign too. A reminder, a reflection. Not of worldly success, but of the One who created us in struggle, so that through it, we might rise toward Him.

We were created to strive. The only question is, in which direction?

I wasn't getting enough sleep for the last couple of days, but yesterday I had a better sleep, alhamdulillah. I also felt better while I was at work. I felt sharper and more rejuvenated mentally and physically.


So, this positive feeling caused me to reflect on a verse of the Quran in a more personal and relatable way. It is about the sleep or the drowsiness that some of the Companions were blessed with during the battles of Badr and Uhud (which is actually mentioned in two separate verses).


I will share the personal reflection a little later, but first let's have a brief look at the historical background.


The word that Allah used for such a sleep is 'nu'asan' (نُّعَاسًا), and scholars have said that it refers to a sleep that causes the eyes to close but it's not a full, deep sleep; it is somewhere between sleep and wakefulness; and it's a state that mainly brings a feeling of peace and tranquility in one's heart, so that they can tackle the challenges in front of them without fear.


During the battle of Badr, there was a certain point that the Muslims started to get more intimidated by the force and the greater man-power of their enemy. And this fear can be overwhelming and stressful, and logically, this can be depleting for them physically, mentally, and emotionally as well.


So, as a means of help and mercy toward the believers, Allah covered some of them with a kind of sleep or drowsiness (nu'asan) to help them regain their strength and motivation levels. This also happened during the battle of Uhud, and Allah mentioned this in another verse, in Surah Al-Imran:


‎ثُمَّ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ ٱلْغَمِّ أَمَنَةً نُّعَاسًا يَغْشَىٰ طَآئِفَةً مِّنكُمْ وَطَآئِفَةٌ قَدْ أَهَمَّتْهُمْ أَنفُسُهُمْ يَظُنُّونَ بِٱللَّهِ غَيْرَ ٱلْحَقِّ


'Then after distress, He sent down upon you security (in the form of) drowsiness, overcoming a faction of you, while another faction worried about themselves, thinking of Allah other than the truth ...' (3:154)


There are narrations about this which tell us that the swords were slipping from the Companions' hands, and they were slouching behind their shields in a state of slumber. Ibn Kathir comments on this verse:


'Allah reminds the believers of the slumber that He sent down on them as security from the fear they suffered from, because of the multitude of their enemy and the sparseness of their own forces.'


And then he quoted Abu Talha, who said, 'I was among those who were overcome by slumber during the battle of Uhud. The sword fell from my hand several times, and I kept picking it up again, several times. I also saw the Companions' heads nodding while in the rear guard.'


So, reflecting on these events in connection to my own revitalized experience after having a good sleep, alhamdulillah, I had the following reflections.


Sleep is something that we get regularly, and it doesn't require that much of an effort to fall asleep. We just have to go to bed, and gradually the sleep overtakes us.


However, because of getting it so easily, unlike the Companions who got it in a time distress and anxiety, it's something that I think we underestimate the blessing of, and therefore we also don't feel grateful enough about being able to sleep (and wake up again).


In a way, though with a lesser intensity, we can say that each day we go through our own individual battles (mini-battles), and so each day Allah provides a time for us to rest and sleep so that we can prepare and motivate ourselves for the next day's battle.


Allah also said, 'Indeed, We have created man in (a state of) toil' (90:4), so He also blessed us with an opportunity to have moments of silence and tranquility each and every night which enables us to calm down our entire bodies and our minds, which is through sleep.


Whether the battle is big or small, we too have to be grateful for the periods of rest and tranquility which Allah SWT has caused to descend upon us.


#SleepAndToil

The Khateeb recited this Surah today in the context of motivating everyone to give in charity and sponsor orphans 

This verse hit me because lately I’ve been thinking about daily struggles , how somehow some of my struggles are old, and some are new that I did not anticipate . And some of my struggles are long gone forgotten . 

The only things constant are the existence of struggles and the confusion on how to deal with them . But this is how it’s going to be . Always something. And then it hit me 

The other thing constant is pleading to Allah to make these struggles easy for me . 

And then the connection to Sadaqa made sense 

How giving Sadaqa , alleviates trials 
Perhaps that is a connection in this Surah

It is He who made the earth tame for you – so walk among its slopes and eat of His provision – and to Him is the resurrection.


Today this ayah flashed before my eyes when I took my seat  in the  van  after crossing roads , walking past different people ,  through hustle and bustle , making  way to reach my destination safely. 

'Thanks God ! I made it without any accident'
' It is He who made the earth tame for you , so walk among its slopes'    
This made me think how He inspires me to cross roads ,making through all the rush  is truly amazing. 

While embarking this journey towards Allah. Many times I feel nothingness. Perhaps , to me only what I do would determine the end of this journey, I overlook how  His mercy encompasses me, How He tames  my fears and strengthens me.

 It made me think , 'Will  the one who guides me on  the roads, inspiring me to walk cautiously ,protecting me from accidents can ever leave me? Leave my confusions unanswered? Leave my  heart restless.
Certainly He will not.
So what comes to my part? 

I should keep myself going. Everyday I know there will be terrible traffic outside ,yet I never thought even once  to quit because I know the level of comfort  that comes being  finally  in my home after a tiring day.  
Similarly,
We are embarking this journey,
Every day we struggle,
Sometimes we be patiently enduring,
And sometimes we be  messed up ,
But having the certainty of gaining Allah's pleasure shall  wipe our tears and energize   our spirits.

This is beautiful reminder, Noor. JAK for sharing ❤ 