forgiveness

8

Mirror of A Believer

Mirror, mirror on the wall, Reflecting the past, the treacherous falls, My soul’s weaknesses pierce your glare, And reflect again on my own despair. Trembling and sore, I seek to erase The failures that are bolded, retraced. My blood boils, tears well up in my eyes, My chest constricts as my throat runs dry. Regret seeps into my aching veins, As memories of vice leak through the pain. I stare narrowly as I clench my teeth, And let out a crippled cry in the face of defeat. “Forgiveness, mercy,”...

14 February 2013 | Evaluation, Purification, Reflection, Repentance | , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments
10

A Soul’s Showpiece

It stood gracefully on a shelf of an antique wooden cabinet – a showpiece in the shape of a heart bordered with Swarovski diamonds. Its many edges, cut with the utmost precision, gave it an additional dazzling shine that captured the eyes of visitors.  Even though it was just another piece picked out of many from a crystal gallery, it had an air of superiority among the other artifacts that it was placed with. Its new surrounding was rather too rusty for a heavenly thing like it to reside....

11 February 2013 | Purification | , , , , , , , | 10 Comments
6

Learning to Truly Believe

Not too long ago, I sat down in my room doing something that many of us eventually end up doing in our lives; I began to think about where I stand right now, where I am going, or if I had really moved at all. As I thought about my journey, I hit the same obstacle again and again. I am Muslim.  I want Jannah. And yet, if I know certain things are wrong, if I know I shouldn’t be doing them, why was I still committing the same sins?...

23 January 2013 | Character, Evaluation | , , , | 6 Comments
6

Shaytan’s White Flag

Imagine Shaytan’s campaign dancing across your television screen. “He’ll never give up on you. He’ll keep whispering until he’s sure that you won’t enter Paradise. Are you wavering over whether or not to fall into desire? He’ll be there!” Images of people being blissful in their ignorance fade on and off of the screen. The background music is deceivingly soothing, almost enticing. “I’m Iblis and I approve this message.” Every commercial break, the ad plays over again. Your eyes, ears, and heart begin to go numb to it. It...

11 November 2012 | Dua, Repentance, Worship | , , , , , | 6 Comments
6

Al-Ghaffar: The Perpetual Forgiver

While we go about living our daily lives, caught up in the speed and realness of each moment, an occasional “oh my Allah!” moment interrupts, reminding us to step back and reassess our situation. Reality dawns upon us, and we suddenly find ourselves at a loss of hope because of our sins. All of this is due to our choosing to live in the moment instead of living for this moment and all the rest. We find ourselves being lackadaisical and insincere when we want to repent. We begin...

17 February 2012 | Repentance | , , , , , , | 6 Comments
10

Learning to Forgive

They used to live in my grandmother’s neighbourhood. A big, poor family of eight children. After the eighth child was born, the husband and wife were constantly quarrelling –the husband hadn’t wanted another child, it just meant another stomach to feed and another body to clothe. The wife didn’t mind. God has given us another child, she said, we should be grateful.. But that only angered the husband more. One evening, after weeks of yelling and slamming doors, the couple began to argue again. The wife was making chapattis...

03 December 2011 | Repentance | , , , | 10 Comments
34

Drowning in Sin

Her fingers stretched toward the disturbed surface of water. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head. Then, she plunged. She plunged into a world where people did not care about their Lord, a world where shades of black engulfed her, where a searing pain cut off her feeble air supply. The only certainty was uncertainty, the only relief defeat. Her limbs flailed helplessly, her mouth moved in soundless cries for help. Bubbles sprouted from her mouth, carrying away the praise of Allah she so desperately needed to...

29 November 2011 | Depression, Desires | , , , , , , , , , | 34 Comments
6

Sweeter Than Sleep

She wakes to the galaxy of Styrofoam forming her popcorn-ceiling and wonders why she can discern the intricacies of it before dawn? Groaning, she covers her face in shame; the sun has risen, but He needs not light to see what she has failed to do. The makeshift shelter of her hands is dismantled and gropes for the blanket that once appeared a comfort, making sleep seem sweeter. But throughout the globe, wherever the submitters reside, men from among them called out before dawn, Salah is better than sleep....

05 May 2011 | Prayer | , , , , | 6 Comments
17

How To Perform Repentance (Part 2)

How to do Tawbah?  It’s not difficult at all, from a physical perspective. But firstly, the scholars have derived, from the Qur’an and statements of the Prophet Muhammad, that certain conditions must accompany the tawbah for it to be valid and correct. Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymeen mentions the following in Sharh Riyaadh as-Saliheen: 1. Sincerity - It’s very important that the person is not repenting for any other purpose, or reason (for example, for the sake of reputation, to be seen by others or to get closer to them, or because...

20 August 2009 | Worship | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments