By Muhammad Arif Bin Syed Sulaiman

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, The performance of Umrah is an expiation for the sins committed between it and the previous one. – Bukhari

Ya Rasulullah ﷺ,

Another opportunity granted by Allah ﷻ , to pay a visit to His beloved, you, and being welcomed as a guest in your city, in your presence.

So many things could have gone against us, health struggles, family difficulties, work commitments, distractions of the nafs (ego), financial challenges. Yet, by the infinite mercy of Allah ﷻ , here we are, entering your fortress through His facilitation and His love for us.

As we reflect, we realise that we often fall short in truly loving you the way we claim to. If we truly loved you, our lives would reflect that love. Instead, we find ourselves living according to our own desires, not embracing the lifestyle you taught us, the lifestyle that you lived. We have yet to embody your way, a way that leads us to purity and closeness to Allahﷻ .

قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ ٱللَّهَ فَٱتَّبِعُونِى يُحْبِبْكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌۭرَّحِيمٌۭ

Say, [O Muhammad], “If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” (3:31)

Our Salawat & Qasidah often lack the depth they deserve, sometimes they are merely words spoken with fleeting feeling, like a routine or lip service. We recite out of fear of the Hellfire, or because we know it earns us reward, but not always because we truly understand the profound potential of you.

Witnessing your resting place, sending our peace, greetings, and salutations upon you underneath the green dome, we are struck by a contradicting feeling, so close, yet so far. Why is that? Because we have not seen you with our own eyes. Unlike the deep engagement we have with others, those on screens, in movies, artists, sports figures. May Allahﷻ protect us from such distractions, we have allowed ourselves to fall into Ghaflah (heedlessness) and have been swept away by these fleeting attachments.

We are moved so easily by Western movies, stirred by the fake lights and fleeting emotions they create. Yet the true light within us, the light of your noble character, remains dim. We’ve read and heard about your mercy, patience, beauty, endurance, generosity, and selflessness. These qualities leave our hearts longing, yet how often do we truly apply them in our lives? How often do we put them into practice? Is it just a fleeting moment of inspiration, and then, as soon as we return to our daily lives, we fall back into our heedlessness? Astaghfirullah.

Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “I wish I could meet my brothers.” The companions of the Prophet ﷺ said, “Are we not your brothers?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “You are my companions, but my brothers are those who have faith in me yet they never saw me.” – Musnad Aḥmad

But therein lies the secret of not seeing you physically yet witnessing you with the eyes of the heart. Walking the streets of Madinah, standing in your Masjid, following in your footsteps, visiting the sites of your battles, reflecting on your sacrifices and battle scars, standing where you once prayed. We ponder how you carried the flag of Islam, the lessons we can take from each battle, and how we can apply those lessons in our own times. In these moments, we come face to face with the truth you left behind: Tawhid and Knowledge, rather than the fleeting love for the Dunya.

“Indeed the scholars are the heirs of the Prophets” – Tirmidhi 

Through our teachers, we try to follow the path you left behind, gaining knowledge, walking in your footsteps, and spreading your teachings. Through their status and guidance, we hope to be led back to you, Insha’Allah.

Ya Allah, clothe us with the noble characteristics of Nabi Muhammad ﷺ both internally and externally. Keep us under the guidance of our teachers, for they are the means through which we can come to know both Nabi ﷺ and You better. Grant our hearts with salawat, filled with true meaning. We pray that, when you see us, you will recognize us, Ya Rasulullah. Until then, Allahumma Solli Ala SayyidinaMuhammad.

Muhammad Arif Bin Syed Sulaiman

9 Rajab 1447 AH

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