By Nur’Aisha Binte Johari Mohd Zain

The Trials and Tribulations of the Day-to-Day.

“Is your heart beating ‘Allah’? Or is it beating something else?”

Every time this question gets asked in class, I feel it pierce through the very organ mentioned, and the immediate need to utter a remorseful ‘Astaghfirullah’ arises.

In this extremely fast-paced world, being mindful of the day-to-day is hard. I admittedly get swept away by the plans I make, the places I plan to be, and the things I hope to do––all without realising Who is giving me the strength, will, and blessings to see my day through. These questions remind me that our existence is privileged and sanctioned by a very Merciful and Forgiving Lord.

So how can I now know this and still hold back my gratitude and humility to my Rabb, who constantly reminds us of His Mercy and Compassion?

ALLAH ﷻ SIMPLY ASKS FOR MY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND WORSHIP, SO THE LEAST I CAN DO IS DO JUST THAT! A SINCERE ‘ALHAMDULILLAH’ WHEN SOMETHING GOOD HAPPENS, A GENUINE ‘ASTAGHFIRULLAH’ WHEN I’M IN A TROUBLED SITUATION, A SIMPLE CALLING OUT TO ALLAH ﷻ WHENEVER I FEEL OVERWHELMED.

He is, after all, our Rabb who sees us through the trials and tribulations of the day-to-day, even when we neglect him. SubhanAllah.

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Abundance is not always a good thing.

While on the dunya (world), I realised that the system has made me a perfectionist––and many of us are. Nevertheless, the rat race to impress and surpass one another only lasts a while.

THE SAYING “MORE MONEY, MORE PROBLEMS” HOLDS AN IMPENETRABLE TRUTH––TITLES, WEALTH, MATERIAL GOODS––WE STRIVE FOR THE TEMPORARY, BUT RARELY FOR THE HEREAFTER.

So what should we truly strive for?

The closeness and satisfaction of our Rabb.

The knowledge that Allah ﷻ regards us with awe at our strive for perfection for His sake humbled me beyond words. Our Rabb, the King of Kings, the One recognises our struggles and rewards us for trying. SubhanAllah. As brothers and sisters of humanity, we are responsible for one another. We have the capacity to remind each other of why we are here on this Earth. Why knowledge is to be shared with one another and not hoarded. Why we love and give with goodness and not for greed. And when one of us is struggling and held down by the shackles of worldly temptation, let’s remind each other that abundance is not always a good thing by freeing them with a welcoming smile, a shake of the hand, and remembering why we strive only for Allah ﷻ .

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In Difficulty, There Is Mercy.

We all go through hardships, I am not excluded from this. When I woke up that Tuesday morning, I felt a heaviness in my chest that tempted me to sleep the day away and not make my way to class, but I’m glad I did. Before I left the house, I did my afternoon prayers and begged Allah ﷻ to bring me ease and let me find the good in all these emotions and confusion—and He did!

In the form of this reminder:

“In Difficulty, There is Mercy.”

When the tears fall, the heart aches, and the mind worries and races all around, it’s tough to recognise the “mercy” in all of it. Truth be told, I still struggle to fully grasp the concept of it even now. I gathered that turning to Allah ﷻ and relying on Him is where mercy lies. Even when I can’t be at my 100%, His door of forgiveness doesn’t close and welcomes even the most minor acts of worship and remembrance.

Another thing that made me come to that conclusion was looking at the design of Islam. Growing up, I thought the deen came with too many restrictions and rules and was too hard to keep up with. I realised I needed clarification on what my Rabb intended: ease. He wants to make my—no, our lives easier, not just in the here, but especially in the hereafter.

So all my struggles, worries, trip-ups, mistakes, and repentance were designed so that I would rely on Him and, in turn, be rewarded when I persevere and try again for His sake. How beautiful is that? The design of His Mercy.

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