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I pray you're all well and in the best imaan. This upload is all about peer pressure and slightly putting into perspective our existence on earth.
For most of us, the biggest obstacle in our faith, in any aspect, has to be the peer pressure we feel from our surroundings.
I have and still do get moments and thoughts where I feel out of place, awkward, as though I’ll stand out if I do certain something that everyone else around me isn’t/ don’t do. It’s a tough battle and it’s hard to ignore, but we have to train and fight our nafs if we want our abode to be Jannah.
We all get these whispers from Shaytaan, telling us don’t say that, people are going to think your too Islamic, don’t pray there, people will look at you strangely, don’t wear your scarf, all eyes will be on you, don’t wear those loose modest clothes, it’s not fashionable, don’t grow your beard, you can do that when you’re older.
People will never be satisfied, they’ll always have something to say. The happiness of Allah should be our goal, over people. So long as we know we’ve done all that we’re required to do, we’re abstaining from all that’s wrong, then know that we’ve gained the All-Mighty’s Pleasure. Believe me, it’s this feeling that will start having an impact on our life. It’s that pleasure that brings success, contentment, happiness.
We’ve all had these exact thoughts, if not similar, and fighting these are so very hard, but the one thing to bare in mind is, whose team are we on? What do we want our abode to be? What is our purpose?
Understand how beautiful our religion is;
- The one who does the zikr of Allah whilst walking past trees, rocks, etc, will all be a witness for him in his grave and on the day of Judgement – it will be given the ability to speak, and they will speak in your favour.
- Any strip of earth that Allah is remembered, takes pride over the rest of the earth. And again, all those millions of places we’ve done sujood and prayed salaah, will speak for us and be a means of our entry into Jannah insha’Allah.
- That comfortable warm bed we do zikr in and sleep with whudu in, will be a means of our forgiveness all night and entry into Jannah.
If these are just some of the very few ni’mats we’ve been given and will get, then why are we so worried about what people will say about us. Why do we want to follow the crowd and tread on Shaytaans’ path.
Are we working with shaytaan or against him. Are we on Allahs team or Shaytaans. Are we doing what Allah wants or Shaytaan. Just remember, at the end of it all, we will never be able to blame shaytaan for our sins, for he will turn around and say I just tempted you, yet you were the one who took that step more and carried out that evil. However, if we take the way of Allah, he will not only bless us with its gems In this dunya, but also in the Aakirah, with gardens upon gardens, mansions upon mansions all made of glass and rubies.
We often struggle with such thoughts when we haven’t yet understood Allah and his religion. When we haven’t tasted the sweetness of our imaan and deeds. We’re torn in the middle between what people will say, and what Allah wants. Once we actually fall in love with Allah, we’ll never want to go to, do anything, listen to, look at, anything that will compromise our heaven.
Lets take the example of Hijab; Why aren’t we wearing it yet? We all know it’s fardh which has been mentioned and ordained in the Holy Quran. Ask anyone but the most common answers you’ll find are; I’ll wear it when I’m older, I don’t look nice in it, im too sinful, Im not ready yet.
We’re never going to be ready, and we’re always going to be sinful, we’re the creation of Adam (as), we’re not angels. We’re told, even if you’re committing every single sin under the sun, don’t let go of the good deeds you’re doing, because one day through your good aa’maal, you’ll give up your sins. Islam isn’t about being perfect, it’s about trying and being proactive. Hijab is the most beautiful and most honourable title one can ever possess. As much as Hijab also includes hijab of the ears, eyes, tongue, etc, everything will fall into place once you put the hijab over your head. Islam will always honour it's people. Make the deen and it's priorities your main concern, and watch how your life will fall at your feet. The dunya and Akirah. The way people will honour you, respect you, make dua for you. It's all because Allah has ordered His angels in the heavens and all those on earth to love you. The Prophet (saw) has even said ‘Modesty is half of faith’. Modest dressing and having haya, is more beautiful than tight, short, see through clothing. Look into the women of before, the wives and daughters of Nabi (saw). The dress of Fatima (ra) still and always will put me to shame. Just the other day I learnt the story of how hijab began and it’s so beautiful how much taqwa the women had for Allah, which also puts us to shame today.
It was when Umar (ra), was in the market place where Rasullulah (saw) was also. There was a lot of free mixing, men, women etc. Umar (ra) really didn’t like this and told the Prophet (saw)how he was feeling about the intermingling. To this worry and concern, Umar (ra) had earnt such a status in Islam after becoming Muslim, that Allah sent down the Aayat on hijab at this point, based on what he said. When this Aayat was revealed, all the women ( the Ummahatul-Mu’mineen) hid behind tress and told their men folk to go get them a piece of cloth so that they can cover themselves. They said, ‘Even if we were to die, we’d not move an inch that we get exposed until we’re fully covered’. Just imagine the level of their Imaan and fear of Allah. Where they knew it was a command, they fulfilled all of its rights. And now if we have a look at us, it’s shameful to say we don’t even know whose Muslim and whose not when out on the streets.
We have this tunnel, instant gratification mindset. We’re not looking long term, not looking ahead. We’re going to spend more time below the earth, than above. If that’s the case, then why are we caring about what the people around us will say when we do a certain something, when we’re trying to get closer to Allah. The amount of people we’ve seen lose their lives in just these past few months, has been double, triple of what it is normal. No certain age, fit, healthy souls, who have gone. This has to be our biggest wake up call to understand one day that is going to be us and that message that is sent around saying this Marhoom has sadly passed away, is one day going to have mine and your name on it. We need and want our death to be a beautiful one, but we can’t expect to have such a life if we don’t live such a life. Just the other day, my Apa was telling us how she was with her grandma in the last moments of her life, to the moment where she was experiencing sakarat. She was in pain, however even at this time, she was making those movements of doing tasbih. To this, she said “where’s my tasbeeh, please get me my tasbeeh”. To this, she passed away doing the zikr of Allah. The reason why she had such an ending was because her entire life she had a tasbih in her hand and all that she would do was remember Allah. Just imagine how beautiful her grave must be right now.
We’ll die on the imaan on that which we lived on. It would be foolish, and almost unrealistic for us to expect a beautiful ending if our whole life has been in negligence and ignorance. Ignorant to the teachings of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet (saw). It’s our soul that will speak in the grave and answer the three questions, at the time of our death, it’ll be our soul that will do the zikr of Allah. It’s easier said than done. If our souls aren’t inclined to and familiar with such words, then it’s only understandable what it would be like at the time of death. We should strive to not be like those who pick and choose which acts suite them and those which don’t.
We want our abode to be Jannah, we want the fragrances of Jannah in our grave, we want a grave full of noor, but we’re doing everything contrary to what will give us those bounties.
Nafs; Our nafs is the biggest drive that will either make our abode Jannah or Jahannam. We need to train it. Just the other day, an Apa was saying, the best way to fight your nafs, is to do everything opposite of what it says. When we get an initial thought, a feeling, a temptation, two parts of our nafs speak. The good first, then the bad. The good says no, don’t do that, obey Allah, however, the bad, as always, overpowers it and tempts you more to carry out that wrong, and this way we keep feeding our nafs. So to fight this, what we have to do is to be stubborn and say no, I’m not going to do what you say, and do the opposite instead. Just as how w don't give in to a nagging child, and they learn the hard way, in the same way, we have to train our nafs. Over time, this will truly help train the nafs, and believe me, it works wonders.
If we look into Islamic history, there were many occasions/where the nations of certain Prophets had been destroyed, for example, Nuh (as)'s flood, how Allah destroyed the people of Lut (as), the nations of Aad and Thamud, Pharaoh who was part of Musa (as) nation, whilst others underwent a plague etc. All of the above were destroyed because of their wrong doings and defiance against Allah. But because our Prophet (saw) is the most beloved to Allah, he said that he will not destroy the people/nation of Muhammad (saw), except that they are trialled with such hardships and difficulties. We have to understand what is happening around us from an Islamic perspective. This exact same thing of a plague has happened previously, and it was due to the defiance against Allah. Now lets have a look at our state. How defiant we are, and how far have we've come from the teachings of Allah. How we’re always giving into society around us, our desires, the whispers of our friends, the new and upcoming trends.
Allah makes mention of such calamities in the Quran in various places;
1. ‘ And whatever misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much’ (Ash-Shura 42;30)
2. ‘Evil (sins and disobedience of Allah) has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned (by oppression and evil deeds) that Allah may make them taste a part of that which they have done, in order that they may return (by repenting to Allah and begging His partner)’ (Ar-Rum 30;41)
3. ‘See they not that they are tried once or twice every year (with different kinds of calamities, diseases)? Yet they turn not in repentance, nor do they learn a lesson (from it) (At-Tawbah 9;126)
If we think about it, we’re not any much different to the nations of before. The only difference between us and them is that we have different preferences and values. By us not praying, listening to music, not wearing hijab, not fasting, what we’re saying is that in that exact moment, the thing we're choosing over Allah, is more important than the obedience of Allah. And this is exactly what the previous nations did, except that they were worshipping idols, na’uthu’billah. Reflecting on us now, we’re not worshipping idols, but rather, we’re worshipping our nafs. Always giving in to what it wants, giving in to society around and what it wants from us. Hence we can’t complain when we’re trialled and tested with such hardships and calamities from Allah, as it’s said in the Quran multiple times, that whatever is sent down as a calamity and trial, is a result of what the people on the earth have caused by their hands. It’s us, we’re not changing and turning back to Him. We’re not using this to understand Allah’s power and might, and all- encompassing mercy. we're not using this as a lesson turn and ask for forgiveness and change. Allah is ever so merciful and it’s almost shameful as to how merciful He actually is. We sin time and time again, but every single time, Allah says, take that step and turn back to me, ask me for forgiveness, repent, and I will surely forgive you. Allah is giving us excuses upon excuses, time and time again to come back to Him and His beautiful religion. Who would ever do that for someone? No one would ever forgive another after constant and continuous transgression and wrong. Yet look at how eager Allah is. He says come to me walking, and I’ll run unto you. We haven’t understood Allahs grandeur, which is why we struggle with itaa’at and obedience. We will never be perfect souls, but it’s that point of taking the first step, sincerely asking for forgiveness, turning a new page and changing your life. To avoid giving into societal pressures and to understand our existence.
We often find our selves giving into society and it’s needs and wants because we haven’t understood what our purpose is here in the dunya. We’ve not understood how temporary this life is. One day we have health, the next we don’t. One day we have our family, the next we don’t. When Nouh (as) was asked how he found this temporary world; (bearing in mind he lived for approx. 2000+ years), he said, ‘The dunya was like a small house. You enter through one door, wait in the middle for a short while, then leave through the other door.’ SubhanAllah that was Nouh (as) who had the longest life anyone could have, and even he was saying that’s how short my life felt. So what for us then if that’s the case?
A piece of advice that I’ve learnt and give, is to be proud of your religion! Be proud you’re a Muslim and be proud to show others you’re Muslim. Through dress, character, nobleness, cleanliness. Islam will always be attacked, but just remember eventually, no matter what, the Muslims will most certainly be victorious. But it’s only when we give Allah and His religion the importance that it deserves.
How were the Muslims successful in the battle of Badr, with only 313 Muslims? How did Allah protect the Muslims and the Ka’bah in the incident of the Elephants..etc. How did Allah spare Ismaeel (as) from being slaughtered and instead sent for an animal from the heavens to be slaughtered? It was all because the Muslims had belief in Allah, complete Taqwa and obedience of Allah. They didn’t dilute the religion, they didn’t pick and choose, they didn’t make excuses. Those who we’re successful, despite having no food for days on end or a proper roof over their heads, were the ones who were the richest at the time of their death. They were the ones who Allah’s help was with.
Abu Bakr (ra)- the first man to accept Islam without any second thoughts, because of which he, amongst others, was given the title Ashara- Mubashara, the ones given glad tidings in the Dunya, of Jannah. Why did he attain such status? It’s all because of his full obedience and love for Allah, the Deen, and Prophet (saw).
Hopefully this was beneficial for us all, and something to truly contemplate and work on. We're all human and we we all sin, but remember with Allah, your sins don't define you. People may bring up your past, but, Allah won't expose you. He didn't expose you when you were sinning, so He won't expose you when you've asked for forgiveness. Our time in this world is ever so short, work, strive to be your best in the Deen, give Islam and Deeny knowledge the due importance it deserves, and every day remember your goal and your grave.
Remember me in your humble duas, and any other recommendations, feel free to drop me a message.
Assalaam'ualaikum.
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