This ayah comes in the middle of a powerful passage in Surah Al-Balad. 
After reminding us that human life is created in struggle (كبد), the Qur’an introduces another idea: العقبة — the steep path.

The word العقبة literally refers to a steep mountain pass, a difficult climb that requires effort, endurance, and determination.

The Qur’an asks a rhetorical question:
“And what will make you know what the steep path is?”
It prepares the reader for something important — something that is difficult, but meaningful.

Right after this ayah, the Qur’an explains what this “steep path” really is:
-freeing a person from bondage
-feeding the hungry during times of hardship
-caring for the orphan who is close to you
-helping the poor who are in desperate need

The steep path is not about physical difficulty.
It is about moral courage and compassion.

Why it is called a steep path?
Because these choices are not always easy.
It is easier to: keep wealth for ourselves, ignore suffering, pass by someone in need.

But the Qur’an describes goodness as a climb — something that requires effort, intention, and sacrifice.
Not everyone chooses to climb.

The Qur’an does not hide the truth:
The road to goodness is not always the easiest road.
It is a steep path.

But every step taken on that climb — every act of compassion, every moment of patience, every sincere intention — brings a person closer to Allah.

And sometimes the most beautiful view
is only visible after the hardest climb.

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 

Ramadan has a way of making everything feel clearer to me. For a while, effort feels lighter. Giving feels natural. I find it easier to pause, to reflect, to choose what is right.

But once the month passes, something changes. The structure fades, the environment shifts, and the same actions that once felt easy begin to feel heavier. That is when these verses from Surah Al-Balad start to feel more personal to me.

“But he has not attempted the steep path. And what can make you know what the steep path is?” (90:11–12)

It feels like a gentle but direct question to me. Not about what I achieved during Ramadan, but about what I choose to do after it.

Because if I am honest, the issue is not that I don’t know what is right. It is that I hesitate when it becomes difficult. During Ramadan, I feel carried by the environment. There is a rhythm, a shared energy, a sense that everything around me is pushing me towards doing better. But now, that support is gone, and the responsibility feels more real. It feels like it is on me.

When I reflect on what the “steep path” actually is, it becomes uncomfortably clear. It is not something abstract or distant. It is simple, but not easy.

It is helping someone when it costs me something.
It is giving food when I might not have much myself.
It is standing up for someone who has no support.
It is doing the right thing when it is uncomfortable.

This is where my understanding begins to shift.

I realise that what I often consider “difficulty” is mostly about my own pressures, my own stress, my own challenges. But maybe real difficulty is something else. Maybe it is choosing to step beyond myself, especially when there is no external push to do so. It is easy for me to be good when everything around me supports it. It is much harder to remain consistent when it becomes a personal choice.

That is why this question stays with me: “What can make you know what the steep path is?” It feels like I am being told that I might be measuring difficulty the wrong way. That there is a higher form of effort, one that is quieter, more consistent, and often unseen.

So now, I find myself asking a different question. Not what I did during Ramadan, but what has stayed with me after it.

Am I still willing to give when it is not expected?
Am I still aware of those who need support?
Am I still choosing what is right, even when it is uncomfortable?

The steep path has not disappeared. It is still there, in my everyday moments, in small decisions, in opportunities that I can either take or ignore. And maybe this is the real test for me. Not the intensity of Ramadan, but the consistency that follows it.  Because in the end, I am not being asked to be perfect. I am simply being asked to take the step, and begin the climb.

#RamadanTaughtMe 

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful,

Today I spoke with one of my close friends from Gaza. She told me to read Suratul Balad ayah 14.

Once I put the children to bed I went to read this Surah.  Whatever you can do, and ways you can help donate to the people of Gaza and beyond to the people of Sudan, the people Congo and so on. 

Little aid is getting into Gaza, but they have high prayers for those who send help. If you can find a way to donate please donate. This is a message from my dear friend Umm Firas from Gaza 'give food in times of famine' win the pleasure of Allah and soften the heart. 

They are in need of food and aid,
We are in need of conducting righteousness. 

May Allah grant victory to every oppressed Ameen ya rabb.

#ReflectingInCrisis #LightForGaza

Ameen.
Jazakallahu khairan kaseeran for so much love and bound.

﷽

Surah Al-Balad, verse 90:11, Allah (SWT) says,

 فَلَا ٱقْتَحَمَ ٱلْعَقَبَةَ
'But he has not attempted the steep path.' 

It's as if Allah is challenging us to rise above the ordinary and embrace the rigorous journey that faith demands.

Those of us living in cities with steep roads can understand the metaphor well. Driving or walking on these roads is tough, requiring more effort and resilience than walking on flat terrain. For those who hike, the challenge of climbing a steep mountain compared to plain land is even clearer. This comparison illustrates that a life of genuine faith and devotion is not about choosing the easy route. It's about embracing challenges and constantly striving for excellence.

Reflecting on what it means to truly strive, I realize it's about pushing myself to be the best in devotion and actions. 
I am reminded never to be content with my current state of faith but always aspire to achieve more good. 

I ask myself: What is difficult for me? 

Is it waking up for Fajr? Then I must challenge myself to wake up for Tahajjud.

Is it giving charity when I feel financially strained? Then I should push myself to give even more, trusting in Allah's provision. 

Is it fasting on Mondays and Thursdays or during extra days like the White Days (13th, 14th, and 15th of the lunar month)? Then I must take up this challenge to draw closer to Allah.

What about controlling my temper and speaking kindly when I am frustrated or angry? Then I must strive to practice patience and gentleness in every interaction. 

Is it being honest even when a lie would make things easier? Then I must uphold truthfulness, remembering that Allah knows all that we do. 

Is it spending time with family and fulfilling their rights when I am busy? Then I must prioritize them, understanding that this is also a form of worship.

This also means helping a friend in need even when I am struggling myself, 
feeding others when I am hungry, 
or supporting others when I am vulnerable. 

These are the values my parents taught me when I was a kid—
values that seem increasingly sparse in today's society, where selfishness is often encouraged.

Yet, despite societal norms, the Quran reminds me that this journey, though steep and challenging, 
ultimately leads to true success and divine favour.

May Allah (SWT) grant us the strength and perseverance to strive in His way, to embrace the steep paths, and to continuously seek His pleasure through our actions. Ameen