Our modern life’s buzz typically bombards our fragile spiritual beings, rendering our hearts as hard as stones and aching as an ailing body. Torn between human maneuvering, worries over the future, tormenting sense of guilt over old sins, and longing for those who left our world, our soul surely needs to get back to its center, as balanced, strong and as pure as originally created.

But that would mean we live Paradise on Earth, some would murmur?

Well, true! There are two kinds of Paradise: Eternal Paradise which we shall encounter only in the Hereafter God willing, and there’s the worldly kind of Paradise that we lare entitled to ive through in this life if we followed the right path. As for the latter, Worldly Paradise is granted to those who decide to live in the shade of God’s satisfaction and mercy, those who abide by the law of God, ordained for His servants to safeguard their well-being and preserve their human dignity, thus living Paradise on earth, which itself leads up to Eternal Paradise which we’re promised in the Hereafter.

I keep on stressing that the core of our modern age dilemmas is spiritual. It’s the source of all mental and moral ailing. It’s the spiritual decadence that’s rendered us as semi-humans, reacting to events like robots, and seeking after material pleasures as if we’re living for ever, thereby ripping us of our faith, and instilling in our hearts fear of the unknown as if our destiny lies in the control of our hands.

Do we ever achieve anything other than that which is predestined for ourselves? We all know the answer. Then my question is what is it you fear and what is it do you fight for?

Know that you shall not obtain but what God has destined for you. Similarly, rest assured that you shall not leave this world before acquiring the last crumb of rizk (wealth) written as yours in the tablet.

On another note, what about this dark spot in your heart, sprouted and fed throughout the years as you deviate more and more from the straight path you’re guided by Allah and His Messenger to follow?! It might have originally grew up with the first Satanic whisper to your soul, developed with moral and spiritual inclination towards whims and desires, but it eventually reached maturity and became monstrous with your conscious drowning in major and minor sins, hatred, fading faith, and limited understanding of Islam and what it connotes.

If you think you can and truly want to pour some liveliness onto your infertile life and certainly barren world, you’ve got to decide now and at this very moment, to start investing that energy wasted over worries and anticipation, hatred and fighting, envy and arrogance- in a more meaningful and productive life and you shall just feel reborn.

Replace hatred and abhorrence with love, shallow faith with genuine one, worry with peace of mind and  placing your sole trust in God’s wisdom, torching yourself by guilt over a bleak past with hope for God’s mercy.

You’ve got a sure pleasant life ahead of you, only if you decide to live your future and untie from the past and whatever that holds you back. Embrace your originally faithful self, and set aside any whispers telling you life is meant to be tormenting, for God doesn’t need your suffering.

Wassalaam,

Maha Yousssuf

maha@muslimtribune.org

Posted on: Ramadan 2, 1432 AH- August 2, 2011