Mending Our Past
Yasmin Mogahed
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This document is a write-up of notes I made whilst attending a lecture entitled “Mending Our Past” by Yasmin Mogahed at the Institute of Education, London.
I have added to the notes to further understand the take away messages of the lecture. They may be subject to mistakes and do not represent the views of the speaker.
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The title of the talk is intriguing as it clearly indicates that there will always be something in our past that needs mending. It highlights that we have all made mistakes, those which are apparent and those which we ourselves know not of. But this is the very nature of the human being and the very nature of Dunya.
Dunya was meant to be a preparation – it was created and designed that way. Dunya is a purification process by which we try to purify ourselves of evil and wrongdoings that our own hands have earned. Similarly Allah puts us through tests and fitna, hardships and struggle; out of His love for us, to purify us of our sins and save us from the punishment that shall come to us because of our mistakes and evil deeds.
The key to being able to get though hardships in life is to know that Allah loves you and if Allah loves you, He would never hurt you…. never! And thus when you are afflicted with pain and suffering and hardship know that this is Allah’s love for you. Allah is wishing to purify you, to test you – to raise your ranks in Jannah or to give you suffering in this Dunya because of your sins such to save you from a greater punishment in the Hereafter.
“When Allah wills good for His slave, He hastens the punishment for him in this world, and when Allah wills ill for His slave, he withholds the punishment for his sins from him until he comes with all his sins on the Day of Resurrection.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (2396)
The purification process itself is a struggle – Life is a struggle. It requires that you have focus; that you train yourself, build yourself and purify yourself to obtain excellence in character and standing before Your Creator. It is about striving for excellence – Ihsan ; which by its very nature implies having to overcome hardship and loss.
Allah, in the Quran, describes the purpose of hardship as Tamhees – the same word is used to purify gold. Thus without extreme heat the impurities of gold are not removed and such is the similitude with the believer.
The focus that we mention is that of Jannah. That is our home, the home of our father Adam and the true success of this life.
The two main types of disorders psychologist have to deal with are: Anxiety Disorders and Depression Disorders. Yet Allah makes mention that those who follow Allah guidance should have no fear and no shall they grieve for they have trust in Allah and know that Allah loves them and would never hurt them – nothing afflicts you except it is good for you and a means of Allah wanting you to return to Him in dua and in a state of humbleness and submission.
Every human has a void in their heart – some people try to fill it by going to the nightclub, watching movies and things on the Internet, listening to music or even just by daydreaming. Yet Allah makes mention that only in His remembrance will hearts find contentment – true sakina. And those who have tasted that sakina when making dua with tears flowing or in sujood will testify to the truth of Allah’s statement.
The hadith makes mention –
“How wonderful is the affair of the believer, for his affairs are all good, and this applies to no one but the believer. If something good happens to him, he is thankful for it and that is good for him. If something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience and that is good for him.” (Narrated by Muslim, 2999)
Thus even if a bad thing afflict a believer it is good for you – its just a matter of perspective. In fact, a believer should be happy when a calamity afflicts him:
“The greatest reward comes with the greatest trial. When Allaah loves a people He tests them. Whoever accepts that wins His pleasure but whoever is discontent with that earns His wrath.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (2396) and Ibn Maajah (4031)
How else can Allah raise your ranks in Jannah without having to test you again and again to see how much you trust in Him.
Al-Hasan al-Basri said: “Do not resent the calamities that come and the disasters that occur, for perhaps in something that you dislike will be your salvation, and perhaps in something that you prefer will be your doom.”
If for example, Allah does not will for you to get a certain job or marry a certain person or even restricts your wealth and rizq it may be better for you. Out of Allah’s wisdom, it may be that had He have given you what you asked you would have become arrogant or thought yourself self-sufficient and thus become ungrateful – distancing yourself from Allah. Thus Allah may sometimes restrict a person knowing that it is better for Him in the Hereafter.
This highlights a concept, which is difficult for many people to understand. Allah may give you good in the form of a loss or rather … what you would perceive to be a loss.
Thus it is recognizing that it is in fact a manifestation of Allah’s love and Him wanting to increase you in the Hereafter through trials and tribulation, hardship and ease.
It is therefore not about what Allah will test you with and how that will come about – It is a question of when Allah tests you, how will you react? Will you see it as an opportunity, a chance to rise in ranks in Jannah and chance to have your sins forgiven?
Al-Fadl ibn Sahl said: “There is a blessing in calamity that the wise man should not ignore, for it erases sins, gives one the opportunity to attain the reward for patience, dispels negligence, reminds one of blessings at the time of health, calls one to repent and encourages one to give charity.
Through calamity the believer seeks reward, and there is no way to attain it but patience, and there is no way to be patient except with resolute faith and strong will.
Muslim (918) narrated that Umm Salamah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “There is no Muslim who is stricken with a calamity and says what Allaah has enjoined – ‘Verily to Allaah we belong and unto Him is our return. O Allaah, reward me for my affliction and compensate me with something better’ – but Allaah will compensate him with something better.”
Forgiveness is best when someone has wronged you. This was the case with Abu Bakr who was financial supporting a relative until he had knowledge that this relative was complicit in spreading rumours about his daughter Aisha and the accusation of adultery. In hearing this, he discontinued the financial support until Allah revealed a verse:
Translation – “And let not those of virtue among you and wealth swear not to give [aid] to their relatives and the needy and the emigrants for the cause of Allah, and let them pardon and overlook. Would you not like that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful”
Thus we learn from this not to hold grudges against people, not to hold people accountable for what they may have done to harm you – for this is the best chance to gain Allah’s forgiveness.
One of the best ways to gain Allah’s forgiveness is to forgive those who have wronged you. It is an opportunity that could take you to Jannah and so never let it go.
Whenever you have the chance to forgive someone do so, and know that Allah will indeed forgive you. What a bargain! Forgive a persons ill treatment towards you and Allah will forgive you. Cover up the sins of your fellow Muslims
Somebody being rude to you is actually good for you. Someone annoying you is actually good for you. Somebody wronging you is actually good for you; as it is a chance to practice sabr and an opportunity to gain Allah’s forgiveness – should you choose to overlook peoples rudeness and bad behavior.
Allah says:
“Verily the patient will get their reward without it being estimated, without it being calculated. It can’t be counted. One is waiting for reward, for that one who is patient.” Surah Az-Zumar
We all need to hold fast onto the rope of Allah meaning maintaining dhikr. Maintaining constant remembrance of Allah – and the foremost of this dhikr is to pray Salah.
Salah is oxygen, you can’t live without oxygen, you can’t move without oxygen. Likewise, never give up Salah.
Good day or bad day …… you have to pray Salah
Reference:
Some hadiths taken from:
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