Unmasked : The Real Beauty

It has been some time that I am trying to define beauty. While visiting a cosmetic shop as I accompanied my freind, I bawled at the price that was displayed under each item. The cost of a perfume bottle could feed a family for a week in the the rural parts of Africa!

As I waited for my friend to finish her shopping, I sat and observed the customers who came in and made their purchases. One of them walked right in and picked up stuffs that amounted to a few hundred dollars and left - all in less than 10 minutes. Another couple passed by the store and spent nearly 30 minutes without making any purchases at all. Then came in a man clad in classy suit, looking to get something for his wife.

I watched this unravel before my eyes and  a pressing question surfaced in my thoughts. Why are so many people willing, or at the very least, intending to spend so much of money for a lotion put into bottle with a famous brand name, nicely decked at the shelf with full lighting? Does these cosmetics really make them beautiful? Wait, what is beauty? Let's see.

I would prefer the rough creases on her palm as she raises her hand in Dua after a long day of work as manual labour. 

I would prefer the girl with dark circles and eye bags since she stayed up late night to finish her assignments. She knew she had to fight to fulfil her dreams and her parents wishes.

I would prefer the unkempt hair and the pale face as she lies on the stretcher, waiting for her turn into the operation theatre while her husband stands by her side, hiding his greatest fear - losing her.

I would prefer the sleep-deprived, yellowish eyes of the old woman who still works at 55 years old to feed her grandchildren after their mother passed away.

I would prefer the tiredness of the woman who stands by the cash register all day long while not even being thanked by the customers to feed her children. She has no other choice.

I would prefer the oil splash marks on the hands of the newly-wed bride who is still learning to cook. She couldn't afford her mother-in-law complaining to her mother of her 'inadequacy'.

I would prefer the will of the overweight girl who hits the gym to be active and fit because it makes her feel alive, not because she wants to fall prey to the eyes of men.

I would prefer the old, ripped rug the woman uses to pray day and night than the hand-made, import quality,velvet prayer mat that never tasted a tear drop from its owner.

I would prefer the smell of natural henna on her hair as I snuggle beside my mom more than any designer perfumes.

I would prefer the widely-gaped front teeth of my dad even when he hides it when taking a picture.

I would prefer the staunch smell of sweat dripping as my brother walks into the room after an evening of futsal.

To be beautiful is an art and this world has reduced it to moisturisers, facial creams and compact powders. Nothing makes me more uncomfortable more than the widespread promotions of anti-aging creams.I mean, you can 'prevent' aging but what's your plan to escape death?

Being beautiful is to be raw, perfectly imperfect and unapologetically human in this seemingly immortal life. And to be beautiful in these ways is a rare thing to be witnessed today. This type of beauty might not be recognised or appreciated by many but those who do see the spark in your eyes are the ones to keep close to your heart. It was their beauty which attracted the beauty inside you.

"Is there any reward for good except good?" (55:60)

A message to the young ladies : Remove those masks that they have been pushing you to wear and walk on Earth with confidence, a strong will and an understanding heart. Free yourself from the self-imposed chains that keep you from soaring high. Do not give your skin colour the power to decide who you are. You are defined more than just some melatonin pigment in your skin; you're a living soul so don't settle for anything less than life.

May Allah SWT beautify our souls and help us meet other beautiful souls on the same Journey  so that we may unite in Jannatul Firdaus enjoying eternal beauty.

[The Ultimate Secret] : Where is my sweetness of Imaan?

She wondered. For the umpteenth time. What is wrong with herself? Why is she failing day after day?She ran after perfection day in and day out. Why can't she just get up for that extra Nafl prayer? Why can't she put down her phone and take the Quran in her hand? Why can't she do it when she knows they are rewarding?

He cried. Again, as he questioned his self-worth. Why can't he just be normal when talking with the sisters? Why does he always feel the impulse to text her when knowing all too well it isn't necessary? Why can't his fingers stay away from clicking that mp3 music link?

These are situations that PRACTISING Muslims face these days. No, it's not a picture of the non-practising people but real time conditions of the young people whom we see at every conference, volunteering for noble causes and spending their time for the sake of Allah SWT.

Human beings, let it be Muslims or not, practising or not, are inherently prone to errors and mistakes. And young, passionate, practising Muslims are no exception. They too have to overcome the hurdles of their Nafs, the fitna around them and the innermost dark thoughts that come up. They are being sucked into the era of easy accessibility to Fitna as well. Just because they attend every conference, weekend courses and take up Hifdh of Quran, it doesn't make them Syaitan-proof.

Abdullah bin Ahmed said:

“When death approached my father, I sat with him and in my hand was a scrap of cloth with which I wanted to tie his beard and he began to drift in and out of consciousness, then he opened his eyes and said, indicating with his hand: “No, not yet. No, not yet” And he repeated it three times. After the third repetition ,I said to him: Oh, my father! What is this thing which you have said at this time? You fall into unconsciousness so that we say that you have gone,then you return (to consciousness) and say: “No, not yet. No, not yet”He said to me : Oh, my son! Do you not know?” I said: “No”.He said :” Satan – May Allah’s curse be upon him – stood before me, he lowered himself on his knuckles and said to me:”Oh, Ahmad! You have eluded me.” But I replied: “No, not yet, not yet until I die.”

The scholars didn't feel safe from the traps of the Syaitan as well. How wrong would it be for us to think we would be Syaitan-proof? If the courses we attend and the tafseers we listen were to bring any good, it should make us more concious of our inner Nafs and the need and urgency of seeking Allah to help us. We all have an ideal "Islamic" picture of ourselves ; praying all prayers on time, with Sunnah prayers, getting up for Tahajjud every night, completing 1 juz of Quran each day, etc. The truth is a true practising Muslim will never reach the "Ideal" version! Hold on there, read on!

In fact, there will never be a day where one will look in the mirror and say, "Yes, I have achieved my ideal Islamic personality." The day you say that is the most dangerous day because you are now at your "peak" performance. Doing all those Ibadaah is good, but it won't last if you settle down for that "ideal" picture.

The pressing question arises; how does one get to feel the sweetness of Imaan? The sweetness of Imaan isn't tasted when you have reached that pinnacle where you do all the super-Ibaadahs. The sweetness of Iman, that sumptuous delicacy is treasured in the PROCESS of reaching that pinnacle. It is in the journey to please Allah SWT you will face physical and mental challenges.

Some people just start taking about Allah Azza Wajal and tears roll down their cheeks. What noble status they have achieved!But, they continue to strive too. The scholars said, if you can't cry for the sake of Allah, then pretend to cry for His Sake. Recall your past sins and your answered Duas. Make an effort to cry. It is in the effort that your sweetness of Imaan lies.

It is a huge blessing that Allah SWT tests us by making us confront with these challenges every single day. Every day is a choice whether to take the Quran or to check Facebook for the 5th time, to listen to the Quran Mp3 or to checkout the new hit songs that are just released, to lower our gaze or to simply have a "look" of what she looks like and the list is endless. Our daily life is about making choices. And these choices are difficult , needs conviction and a lot of strength.

Sweetness of Imaan isn't when you don't struggle to worhsip Allah in the best way. It is when you know you are struggling, you know you have mountains of sins on your back, you know you failed and are prone to fail in the future, yet you gather the courage to continue on this journey back to Allah. You continue even if you have to be limping. You continue even if you are broken.

Where else sweetness can be if it isn't in presenting yourself before Allah in a state of humility? 

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Ibn AlQayyim said, “A person will continue to struggle with obedience until it becomes beloved to them. And so Allah will send angels that will inspire them and push them.

أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَنْ يُتْرَكُوا أَنْ يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ

Do men imagine that they will be left (at ease) because they say, We believe, and will not be tested with affliction ? (Surah AlAnkabut:2)

The next time you feel overwhelmed by your mistakes and the guilt overtakes your ability to ask forgiveness from Allah, Al-Afuww, Al-Ghafoor,  stop in your tracks and cry. Seize these moments of "inability" because Allah loves the drop of tear from your eyes at this time. When a person feels guilt, that in and of itself is a blessing, a Rahma from Ar-Rahman. He, جل جلاله , who is free of all need, intends for you to get back on track when you have given up on yourself. Isn't this a sign that He loves us more than we love ourselves? Ponder.

The struggle is real and it will be there till the day the Ruh exits from the body to meet its Master. No matter how knowledgeable, religious and pious you become, Allah SWT refines the purity of His slaves by constantly putting them to test. If you feel down, broken, useless and weak, then it is this moment that you should capture and beg Allah to bring you back to Him. Isn't this a blessing again; to be able to recognise one's weakness and have no way to turn to except Allah, Al-Qawwiy, Al-Jabbar, Al-Haleem?

أَلَا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ خَلَقَ وَهُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ

Should He not know He that created? And He is the One that understands the finest mysteries (and) is well-acquainted (with them).  (Surah Al-Mulk:14)

After you have done that, get up and rush to do good. Syaitan's whispers will continue making you feel like a hypocrite but that is just another nasty trick. Push yourself in the face of negativity. There will never be a day where you have achieved your "Ideal Islamic Image". The day you think you have reached that is the very day you are actually at your lowest. One Day, all the tears, humility, inability to do the best Ibadaah even after putting your full effort, limping back to Allah even when it hurts, continuing even when you don't feel like, will all manifest itself in the most glorious form. This Day will come soon. Till that day, STRIVE.

أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ وَلَا يَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلُ فَطَالَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَمَدُ فَقَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ ۖ وَكَثِيرٌ مِنْهُمْ فَاسِقُونَ

Has not the time arrived for the Believers that their hearts in all humility should engage in the remembrance of Allah and of the truth which has been revealed (to them) and that they should not become like those to whom was given Revelation aforetime but long ages passed over them and their hearts grew hard? For many among them are rebellious transgressors. (Surah Al-Hadid:16)

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The Trust of the Rahm

Pregnancy brings on a flood of emotions. She had those emotions as well. Since the day she conceived him, she had dreams that was shed as tears every night. Being a slave in an Empire so huge that still has its impacts seen in today's modern world is not easy. With all the complications of pregnancy, physiological and psychological changes, she bore him. A fear was always there in the corner of her heart - the fear of losing him in front of her eyes.

Umm Musa was an ordinary slave woman ordered to toil and labour in harsh conditions under the ruthless Pharaoh's rule. With security checks and police chiefs all over the city, the Bani Israel had no way of escape. Every woman anticipates her delivery due date. It brings feelings of love for the unborn, anxiety on how things are going to turn out, dreams she held for so long, anticipation of holding him in her hands and yearning to look into his eyes. But for Umm Musa, she dreaded that day. Painfully, she ailed in silence and eventually gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

Her eyes welled up seeing the 9-month-old life inside her womb now on her hands, close to her chest. A moment that every mother cherishes. A moment where she is so cautious where she does't exhale in fear of losing that magical moment in the tide of time. A moment she could keep on gazing at the coolness of her eyes. Umm Musa had all those feelings too. But, her son was in extreme danger. The Egyptian soldiers patrolling outside would burst into her house and slaughter the newborn barbarously if the heard the cries of a baby.

She was devastated. Which mother would have thought to feed the baby in such a terrible situation? And that is when Allah SWT inspired her to feed the baby. See, you don't need to be super-prophets to be connected to Allah. You just need to be vulnerable and have the courage to reach out to Him. The result of having Tawakkul is that Allah SWT took full responsibility of her affairs and inspired her to act swiflty.

She fed baby Musa and silenced his cries. Mother and child were safe from the soldiers but for how long? She sat desolate thinking what to do next. And Allah inspired her again. Allah ordered her to place the baby in a chest-like box and to throw it into a winding and whirling river. The courage it took to convince herself that it isn't an insane act must have been extremely huge. What gave her that courage? 

Just to give you a picture of how a river is; it is absolutely deadly to "throw" a fragile newborn whose skeletal strucutres are still delicate into a river. The tides of river that rise and fall, the bed rocks of river with the sharp edges at every corner, the downstream rush at its peak, the crocodiles and other deadly predators hunting for their prey and The Rabb of the 'Alameen, The Most Knowledgable,ordered Umm Musa to throw the baby into it.The tawakkul of a believer should seem to be an absolute insane trust to the disbelievers. What is insane for others is the right thing to do for the believer. Ajeeb are the affairs of the ghurabaa!

Allah's promise to Umm Musa was fulfilled when baby Musa was returned to her to nurse him. She wasn't only allowed to nurse him but to do so with full rights as the order itself came from the Palace of Fira'un from whom she dreaded the fate of her child! Again, this is the result of tawakkul. Allah fulfils His Promise made to His slave. Ask any mother who has lost her child. She would give up her whole life without a second thought if she could hold her baby one last time. The depression of Umm Musa after throwing baby Musa into the river did not weaken her. Instead, it strengthen her heart and made it firm upon His Promise.

Ask yourselves, when was the last time you insanely had tawakkul on Allah? Having tawakkul is not the absence of worry. Rather, it is directing it toward the One who can remove it and replace it with peace and serenity. How ever huge you might see your problem as, no matter how much obstacles there are on the path, ask yourself,who could stop if Allah 'Azza wa Jal has taken charge of helping you through out?

Sometimes we are used to riding so high that we forget the success that is actually a combination of two things ; our effort and Allah's Help. That is what Ummu Musa did. An effort so huge, so painful and yet she chose to do it. And the rest is history.