never understood Islam to begin with. And if you were raised Muslim
but were not taught the infinite importance of this single sentence,
then you were not really raised as Muslim. You were only taught
cultural practices.
This is Islam. This is what all reality is based on. This is what
religion has been since the beginning of time. This is what all the
Prophets brought (may Allah bless them all). Every element of creation
acknowledges this truth except us; every child is born on this truth
(which iswhy we are all "born Muslim"): This truth that we were
created by a single, indivisible God; that our Creator is Loving,
Merciful and Compassionate; that everything we are and everything we
own comes from Him; that we began with Him as a breath, and we return
to Him as dust; that He witnesses everything we do; that He rewards
the good and punishes evil; that He lovesus and wants good for us in
this life and the next; that He answers when we call and guides us
when weask; that we owe gratitudeto Him for every heartbeat,every lung
full of air, every bite of food, and every glimpse of truth.
No one deserves our love and obedience before Allah. Our first loyalty
is to Him.
No one can help us but Allah; and no one can harmus but Him. When
we're struggling and we cry out to ourselves, "What am I going to do?
Who will helpme? What is the way forward for me?", we need to address
those cries to Allah! The answers will not come from our own thoughts
or tears; the answers won't come from banging our fists or pullingour
hair. The answers will come from Allah.
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