Be true, and be you

Listen to the quiet voice inside yourself. The persistent voice that
tells you that there's somethingmore to life, that calls you to do
something meaningful, to experience the world in a profound way. So
many of us dismissthat voice and suppress it. We are told that our
dreams are not realistic or practical. We are told that we should
settle for what is reliable, and will pay the bills, and garner us the
respect of our peers.
But if we do not listen to that quiet voice, then who will? There is
no external advocate who can read theyearnings of your heart and speak
up on your soul's behalf. You must be the champion of your own soul.
On the authority of Abu Malik Al-Harith bin Asim Al-Ashari said that
the messenger of Allah said:
"Purity is half of faith. alhamdu-lillah [Praise be to Allah] fills
the scales, and subhana-Allah [How far is Allah from every
imperfection] and alhamdu-lillah [Praise be to Allah] fill that which
is between heaven and earth. Prayer is light; charity is a proof;
patience is illumination; and the Quran is an argument for or against
you. Everyone starts his day and is a vendor of hissoul, either
freeing it or bringing about its ruin."
(Related by Muslim).
You are the vendor of your soul: either freeing it or bringing about
its ruin. Youfree it by worshiping Allah in love, gratitude and fear;
keeping the praises of Allahon your tongue and in yourheart; praying
and fasting and living righteously (as opposed to self-righteously);
by showing love and concern for other human beings; and by being true
to yourself.
Allah created you with a unique nature. Do you think it's only your
fingerprints that are unique? Or your retinal scan, palm print, voice
printand DNA? Do you believe that your uniqueness is encapsulated by
measurable biometrical data? No, your uniqueness extends to your own
wonderful thought patterns, your special heart, and your soul. You are
you, not anyone else.
You are not an assembly-line robot, or a machine put here to consume,
produce and expire. You are different from everyone else in the world
because you are you. Respect that, and don't try to force yourself
into an uncomfortable or even impossible mold that someone else has
dictated for you. Be true, be you , and free your soul.
I'm not talking about sinfuldesires. I am speaking of the quiet and
inspired urgings of your heart. Maybe you dream of working in disaster
relief, helping all those poor soulswho suffered after the Indian
Ocean tsunami, or from the earthquake in Haiti. Maybe you have an
inner artist and you'd like to pursue that passionatelyand see where
it takes you.Maybe you love children and would like to teach; maybe
you are not satisfied with current school curricula and you have an
idea of starting your own school. Maybe you've always fantasized about
being a karate black belt, or helping poor villages in Africa become
self-sustaining, or campaigning for human rights.
Maybe you're single and you have feelings for a certain person, or
just an undercurrent of admirationand respect, but you fear rejection
if you come forward with a marriage proposal; or maybe the person
comes from a different cultural background and you worrythat your
family or your peers would not approve.
I could go on, but you get the point. The fact that each of us is
utterly unique is a blessing, because each of us brings a new
imagination to solving the world's problems, and eachof us beautifies
the world in a new way. Each of us has something important to teach.
Each of us has a different voice, not so that we can win "American
Idol", but so that we add tothe universal chorus that praises Allah.
Don't fear your dreams: cherish them, nurture them, and do your best
to live them. Let's face it, life is short; it passes so quickly, much
sooner than we expect, and when we get to the end of the road we will
regret only that wesuppressed our hearts, and shoved them down into
silence, and failed to live up to our potential as believers and as
unique individuals, with our own God-given gifts.
Sister Sara, author of the Sweet Serenity blog, pointed out, "Often
while in search for who we truly are, we are dictated by the world
around us, and thereby lose ourselves. Thewords of the Qur'an and
example of the Prophet (sallAllahu 'alayhi wasallam) should be our
guides and inspiration, reaffirming that we need to patiently
persevere, following the calling in our hearts and Insha'Allah, we
will be able to make our dreams a reality."
One person pointed out that following his dreams is impractical for
him due to his family obligations. That is a valid objection. We have
realities of family to deal with, and that oftenrequires compromise.
Our duties to our family are a part of our deen.

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.