Allah knows every fallen leaf, and He knows you

"With Him are the keys ofthe unseen, the treasuresthat none knows but
He. He knows whatever thereis on the earth and in thesea. Not a leaf
falls but with His knowledge: there is not a grain in thedarkness (or
depths) of the earth, nor anything fresh or dry (green or withered),
but is (inscribed) in a record clear (to those who can read)." – Quran
6:59
SubhanAllah, Glory to God. Imagine, brothers and sisters. Allah knows
every fallen leaf in your yard, in the gutter, drifting on the wind,
or compacted layers deep in the depths of the darkest forest.
To us fallen leaves may be trash to be swept away, or food for worms,
or mulching material. Perhapsto a child they are a source of amusement
by scoopingthem into a pile and jumping in (I used to do that while
waiting for the kindergarten bus in autumn, when I was growing up in
Davis, California).
But Allah knows every leaf:its history, its individual veins and
ragged edges, even its microscopic cells.
Don't you think then that Allah knows your own pain, and fear, and suffering?
"And indeed We have created man, and We know whatever thoughtshis
inner self develops, and We are closer to him than (his) jugular
vein." (Quran 50:16). This does not mean that Allah is physically
closer than your jugular vein; rather it refersto His knowledge,
understanding, and power. And it could refer to the angels appointed
to you, who sit on your right and left, noting everything you say and
do.

Surely in Allah’s remembrance do the hearts find peace

When we remember God, we also realize that we are constantly in His
presence, and thus we are liberated from the self-destructive habits
that consume us.
So often in life we are wronged by others, and the temptation to
respond in a demeaning and un-Islamic manner is very strong.
Fortunately, we canavoid wrong responses in the case of mistreatment
by relying on Allah and knowing that He is the All-Knowing. When we
take part in wrong responses, we fall victim todisobediences that lead
thesoul away from righteousness, and into thepits of retaliation and
cruelty.
"Surely in Allah's remembrance do the hearts find peace." (13:28)
Those who seek God and remember Him will find contentment and joy in
their lives with the knowledge that they are under the protection of
Allah. When we utter praise to the Almighty and thank Him for his
countlessbounties, our hearts are filled with inner peace and
reflection. How happy and blessed are those who seekrefuge in their
Lord, the Most Beneficent and Most Merciful Allah.

What does it mean for us?

So what does that mean for me and you to see ourselves as perfect? I
am asking seriously and rhetorically. What does it mean when we can't
fall back on self-pity? What does it mean when we are no longer
allowed to view ourselves as flawed?
What does it mean when we have to accept that we can achieve any
"crazy dream" that may smolder in our hearts? What does itmean when we
look at ourselves in the mirror andsee perfect, beautiful faces, no
matter the shape of our features? What does it mean when we realize
thatwe have within ourselves the capacity to reach the same heights of
imaan (faith) as the sahabah, or the same level of intellectual rigor
as Imam Al-Bukhari or Sheikh ibn Taymiyyah, or the same purity and
unwavering trust as Sayyidna Maryam? (may Allah be pleased withher).
Do we begin to see that they were simply human beings who acknowledged
the perfection with which Allah created them? They strove their utmost
to live up to that perfection, placing no boundaries or limitations
upon themselves. They were not extraordinary people in their creation;
they were only extraordinary becausethey accepted Allah's words and
thrust themselves utterly into theriver of the Quran (or in Maryam's
case, immersed herself completely in tawakkul [trust in Allah], and
taqwa [consciousness of Allah], allowing themselves to expand to fill
the capacity of the flawless mold that Allah created them in, and
refusing to allow themselves to be defined or demeaned by anyone
else's opinion. Nor did theyallow themselves to be mentally or
spiritually diminished or damaged by the harsh circumstances of life.
We have the same option. You, me, all of us.
You are perfect, whether you admit it or not. Go with it. Live up to
it. It's nota burden but a liberty. It is the freedom to be who Allah
put you on this earth to be. It's the freedom to dream and achieve
withoutthe chains of self-doubt or self-deprecation. It's the freedom
to accept yourself,love yourself, and allow yourself to love others
fee-sabeel-illah, in Allah's cause, and to live a full life of meaning
and worth.

Happy Alive Day

If today were your birthday, would you be happy and excited?
Well, guess what? Today is your "Alive Day"!
You are alive today. You have the opportunity to earn huge rewards by
praying, being kind to people, giving charity, loving your family,
helping your neighbors, and just looking around and appreciating the
beauty of Allah's creation.
Oh, that's not good enough? Okay, get yourselfa cupcake and stick a
candle in it; then blow out the candle, and enjoy this song: "Happy
Alive Day to you, Happy Alive Day dear reader…"
After you've had that cupcake, visit one of your friends, maybe
someone you love but haven't seen in a while. Catch up on each others'
lives, go out toeat or to the park, or stay home and play a game of
cards. Make sure you spendat least a few minutes talking about Allah,
because that's what brings life and blessings to any visit.
Every day is an opportunity. Happiness is where you find it. Sometimes
all it takes is a candle in a cupcake, and a call to a friend.
Happy Alive Day.