The Source

By Iris Khadijah Lim

Finding religion = finding the source = Allah ﷻ

Religion must be clear and uncomplicated. It is not just a set of rituals and rules to complete. It must be accompanied by the conviction of the heart. We cannot be like the atheist who stands in front of the creation of Allah ﷻ and His favours and miracles, watching the sun set and rise, blind to His favours, foolishly asking where Allah ﷻ is.

It is the Muslims’ duty to constantly convert to get closer to Allah ﷻ. He doesn’t need us, yet He constantly gives.

When we fill our hearts with other than Allah ﷻ, we fall into stress, anxiety and depression because we are not feeding what the heart is yearning for. 

Completion only comes from Allah SWT. Everything else are either band aids or distractions. When we do not offer our acts of Ibadah with sincerity, as prescribed, in consistency, we will still feel empty.

“Such are the ones who believe (in the message of the Prophet) and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah.“

Quran 13:28

He controls everything from the littlest of atoms to the largest of mountains. There is nowhere to run because everything belongs to Him and the only sane direction to run to is to Allah ﷻ.

Understand that we require Allah ﷻ to get the next breath and blink the next blink. He doesn’t need us, He doesn’t have to have us, we are His slaves, yet He clothed, fed and showered us with gifts and favours. The world moves forward when we die yet, The Lord of the Worlds never forget us and gave us individuality, dignity and honour. Allah ﷻ has given us favours of enjoyment even when we are ingrates. The least that we can do is to have neediness towards Allah ﷻ.

We cannot leech off Allah ﷻ without remembering His bounties. We need to attribute and constantly remind ourselves that we are in need of Him. Be thankful. If we forget to be thankful, then be ashamed of our shortcomings.

We need to actualise the purpose of life that Allah ﷻ has ordained, which is to live a life of La Ilaha Ilallah. Do not let the mainstream way of living take over the narrative of how we should live our lives (i.e. work, marry, die). Istighfar is the medicine for the heart. Do it with sincerity at least once a day to really apologise to Allah ﷻ.

Allah ﷻ honours the knowledge seeker who does it to get closer to the Lord of the Worlds—To get to know Him, to choose Him all the time, to be acquainted with Him, knowing that your destination is to Him.

Strive, be consistent, keep coming back to seeking knowledge. One can pause seeking knowledge but the Believer never stops entirely.

Allah ﷻ opens His doors of forgiveness for the knowledge seeker—this is His Mercy to push us into Jannah. Yet, we are the ones who run from Him. Do not throw away the gifts of knowledge and teachers from Allah ﷻ. Have a balance of hope and fear in the presence of Allah ﷻ. Never be hopeless, for hopelessness is for shaitan.

DIE TRYING TO PLEASE ALLAH ﷻ AND THAT IS WHAT A WORTHY LIFE IS.

Increase in Ilm or striving for Ilm increases the worldly provisions for the believer. Allah ﷻ is Ar Razzaq. The outcome never comes from us; we are never in any part of the outcome so never attribute any success and good to yourself.

Those who choose Allah ﷻ have nothing to lose and everything to gain. We need to be a mu’min and muhsin, a grateful servant to Allah ﷻ. Everyone has their final day, and everyday is a step closer to the grave. As long as we are prepared for the final destination, InshaAllah, we will be ready to be questioned by the Lord of the Worlds.

Allah ﷻ said to establish prayer for the remembrance of Him. Therefore, any other passing thought, any other distraction in thought means that the believer hasn’t established prayer, for it did not fulfil the condition of “remembrance of Allah ﷻ”.

We should not make solat a joke, for we are in the presence of Allah ﷻ. This is so disrespectful to the Creator. It is like having a family dinner, but everyone is on their phones. 

It is even worse when we think of transgressive thoughts in His presence.

Yet, Allah ﷻ keeps opening the doors of mercy, 5 times a day and more.

Yet, He asks us to pour our sorrows and ask Him for our needs, even when we are faltering in what He has ordained for us. 

IT IS OUT DUTY TO MAKE ALLAH ﷻ A FRIEND, FOR A FRIEND OF ALLAH ﷻ WILL NEVER BE DISGRACED.

We need to get rid the disease of putting Allah ﷻ at a lower pedestal

Prayer is not just about the movement, or the way you beautifully recite; having fear and humility in front of Allah ﷻ is the solat that is more supreme over the solat that is beautifully recited but recited in heedlessness. 

There are 2 aspects of worship; Internal & External.

Worry more about the reality of “Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilayhi Rajioon” (We surely belong to Allah and to Him we shall return). It should encourage the practice of Deen—to make the remembrance and consciousness of Allah ﷻ a way of life. i.e. See Allah ﷻ in everything. Continuous practice and perseverance towards Allah ﷻ will prove its success. Even if you practice just a portion, keep working at it instead of practicing none.

No one is too good or bad to solat. Even if you are the greatest sinner, NEVER give it up. Because solat is a Mercy from Allah ﷻ. It is not just for the perfect angels, it was made for sinners like us.

And then believe in His Mercy. Share the good word of Allah ﷻ. Bring people to goodness, no one is too evil to return to Allah ﷻ. Do the work of the prophets and bring people to Allah ﷻ.

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Convert Sharing by Brother Ayman Toh:
“My Parents Embraced Islam Too”

Lessons learnt from this sharing:

Committing to knowledge about Islam and being okay to admit that you have no knowledge and no idea about what Islam is.

Have fear of passing away without truly and sincerely declaring La Ilaha Ilallah.

If your parents ask about Islam, then share your knowledge with them in an empathetic manner, otherwise find out for them and thank them for making you seek information.

“Alif Lam Lam Ha”

Brother Ayman’s parents were told to recite “alif lam lam ha” for there is good in it. “Alif lam lam ha” are the letters that form الله The Greatest Name. This is an example of how to graciously and slowly seed Islam into the lives of your loved ones. No one should feel like they are too impure to witness acts of Ibadah or be part of acts of Ibadah. His parents believed that in life, one just has to be good and everything will be fine.

Brother Ayman shared with them about about giving thanks and gratitude to Allah ﷻ in the way that He has ordained instead of giving thanks to other-than-Allah ﷻ. The conviction in your heart carries more weight than the rituals your body is performing. This is not to say that the acts of Ibadah are not important, but it starts from the conviction of the heart.

Guidance comes from Allah ﷻ, don’t rely on the means but work hard through the means provided by Allah ﷻ. Live without regretting the time wasted not remembering Allah ﷻ. Accept that you are nothing and the only reason why you have anything is because of Allah ﷻ. Have love for Rasulullah ﷺ and the rest of his ummah. Think of his sacrifices and all of his duas for his ummah.

DO NOT BE SWAYED BY THE GLITTER AND POMP OF THIS WORLD. ALL YOU NEED IS ALLAH ﷻ ON YOUR SIDE. IF THE WORLD IS AGAINST YOU AND YOU HAVE ALLAH ﷻ, YOU ARE AMONG THE SUCCESSFUL.

If the world loves you but Allah ﷻ is displeased with you, surely you are among the losers.

Introduce your non-muslim friends and family members to Islam by showing or demonstrating to them what Islam truly is about. Do not let the mainstream media steal the narrative. Take back the narrative through our actions—to follow in the steps of Rasulullah ﷺ.

Have yaqeen in sight, speech and heart that Allah ﷻ will make beautiful things happen for you. Never give up or lose hope for the hopeless is for shaitan. La Ilaha Ilallah is not just something you say for fun, it is an all-encompassing dua that makes good in your dunya and akhirah. Perseverance, loyalty and having good views and love for Allah ﷻ will bring success.

He is All Knowing, All Seeing, All Hearing, so clearly He will know what’s best for you.

Have hope that the hearts of those you love contains La Ilaha Ilallah.

Get your connection right with Allah SWT and He will change your condition.

Do You Believe in One God
& Ready to [Re]start your Journey of Faith & Gratitude as a Muslim?