appliances beeping, traffic roaring, horns honking, commercials, mall
music, elevator music… That's the external noise.
Then there is shame, worrying about the bills, frustration over
relationships, guilt, anger, resentment… That's the internal noise.
There's so much clamor in our lives, outside and inside, that we can't
hearour own hearts anymore.We can't hear Allah's guidance, or we don't
recognize it when we do.
We need to find moments of total silence to pray, make dua', read
Quran, contemplate Allah… We need periods of uninterrupted calm to get
back in touch with our fitrah , that pure nature given to us by Allah.
We need to confesseverything to Allah, lay ourselves bare before him
and beg forgiveness,then forgive ourselves for what we've done, and
pardon others who have harmed us, so that we can get rid of the
baggage of bitterness and anger.
We must open our eyes to the clear light of Allah's huda (guidance),
and have tranquility in our hearts, and quiet in our minds, so we can
recognize the guidance when it comes.
We cannot silence the modern world. But we can make personal changes.
It's okay to haveperiods of silence in our lives. We don't
constantlyhave to have our phones or MP3 players with us, orbe
listening to lectures… We don't have be doing something every momentof
the day.
So many of us are afraid to be alone and silent because that's when
the disturbing thoughts come: resentment over the way someone
treatedus, regret over a lost love,shame over things we've done in the
past, anxiety about the future. Believe me, I know exactly what that's
like.
It's okay to feel those things. In fact we need to feel those things,
to deal with them and confront them. When those feelings come we can
turn to Allah and say, "Ya Allah, I have made mistakes, forgive me. I
am lost, please guide me. I am worried, help me." Let the tears come.
Weep before Allah. Those tears are precious to Him. Allah, the
Exalted, says:
"And they fall down on their faces weeping and it increases their
humility." (17:109)
Abu Umamah Sudaiy bin `Ajlan Al-Bahili (May Allah be pleased with him)
reported: The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said:
"Nothing is dearer to Allah than two drops and two marks: A drop of
tears shed out of consciousness of Allah, and a drop of blood shedin
Allah's way. Regarding the two marks, they are: Marks left in the
Cause of Allah and a mark left in observing one of the obligatory acts
of worship of Allah, the Exalted." [At-Tirmidhi].
And if tears do not come, that's okay too. As long asyou are honest
with yourself and with Allah, and turn to Him with sincerity and
humility, that's what matters.
Find a place that is your special place, a refuge where you can be
alone to pray, recite Quran, do dhikr, meditate and think. Amid the
chaos and noise of modern life, take time to be alone with your Lord.
For me that place is in mybedroom with the door closed and the lights
dimmed, late at night when everyone is asleep. I sit on the floor on a
musalla and confess everything to Allah. But I also want to find an
outside refuge, someplace in nature.
Do you already have a special place like that? Tell me about it. And
if you don't, then your mission is to find such a place, then comment
here and tell me about it Insha'Allah.
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