Fa Inni Qareeb

It's not easy. Life isn't supposed to be easy anyways. It's going to break me, drag me through some deep mud, try to pull me into a quicksand, have a hurricane that sucks up everything on its way and never stops. This will continue till the day my soul leaves my body.

Yes, there are days where sadness and grief overwhelms me. I learnt that it's not a sin to feel sad. The Prophet SAW experienced a whole year of depression after the demise of his beloved wife.

Yes, there are days where I yearn to be in the arms of my loved ones and be comforted just by being with them.

Yes, there are days where my stomach growls in hunger yet my self-wrath denies food and drink to pass down my throat.

Yes, there are days when I see the world with the tired eyes and worn-out mind of an old woman living in the body that is just new to adulthood. Till I wonder, is life about to be over already because I think I've seen enough.

And then, I know too well, more is to come. Accepting it makes it easier, well, atleast I'd like to think so.

Read the title again. This is my oft-repeated mantra during times where I have mountains to move but not a drop of energy within me. I repeat it until my lips fumble, the load in my mind feels lighter, my tightly closed eyes feel moisture after being dry for too long. I keep repeating until the world dissolves away in those tears. Even after that, I keep repeating.

Of course, some of our family and friends have much worse problems. Global war is happening, people are dying of starvation and the world is in a haywire with corruption in every nook and corner.

Does that mean our problems aren't serious? Should you and I just keep quiet and do not have the privilege of letting a sigh out and seeking help and feeling incomplete?

Yes, the world has a million problems. But for the One who created us, fashioned us with an amazing body and emotions, taught us step by step, test us with this and that, will take charge of our condition personally in His Hands.

Proof?

Egypt was in the hands of a ruthless Emperor, the Pharoah. People were enslaved, insulted, tortured, raped and let to die. It was a nightmare. As Allah SWT narrates the political and social condition in the Quran, he interrupts the lines and takes the time to describe in detail what Umm Musa went through. Beginning from her contraction pangs, the birth of her son, the absence of her husband by her side, the fear of Musa's cry catching the attention of the military men outside who would then snatch her baby, her motherly heart being numb and wild at once as she casted her newborn into the treacherous river even before the blood on her baby's body dried up, how she told her daughter to keep an eye on the baby from the river banks even after having supposedly let go of him, her shock when her nightmare came true as she learned the baby had ended up in the hands of Pharoah. 

Each of these emotions is discussed in detail and presented by Allah SWT who was in charge of altering the Day and Night, feeding millions of creatures and providing their daily needs and ruling over the rulers of the world. 

With all the tasks on His Hands, He chose to describe every inch of detail that a mother was going through without her husband by her side as she delivered their baby. What's even more amazing is that Umm Musa's emotions have been permanently embedded in the Quran, the Timeless Guidance for Mankind. Out of everything Allah SWT could have chosen to narrate to provide Guidance, He did this.

Just like that, Allah SWT would never dismiss our feelings, our relatively "insignificant" trials, our sleepless nights, our overwhelming responsibilities, our seemingly huge dreams that isn't appreciated or encouraged by anyone. Every.single.thing.

Be assured, that not only is He in-charge of our affairs but knows what we go through when we fall and is right next to you and I to catch us before we hit the ground. Right next to us just like how He was right next to Umm Musa.

Right next to you. Right next to me. Right next to each and every one of us.

Meh, it's just another halaqa

It was another usual day of weekly Quran class held at a friend's house. It's held every Friday evening right after lunch where ladies will gather to discuss about Quran Tafseer, checking each other's Tilaawah, reading up on Fiqh, voicing out their opinions regarding the current happenings in the Muslim world and activities alike.The kids usually gather in another room where they read story books and do hifz of Surah Yaasin which they will present to their mothers at the main hall at the end of the class.

I was listening to Aunty Mushfiq's explanation on Taqwa when I heard a soft knock at the door. As I went and opened the door, I saw a lady clad in black burka catching her breath as she hurried to the main hall past me. I came to know her name was Thahirah. Only shortly later I would come to realize how pure she was just like her name, mashaAllah.

The class continued and we reached Tilaawah and Tajweed session. We were learning the basics of Qalqala, Madd Sukoon and the right way of pronouncing the Arabic letters. When it was Thahirah's turn, she struggled and stumbled to pronounce the Arabic letters properly. She repeated it oft but it just didn't fit in place. I helped her to get through it only for her to fall down again and again. It began to get slightly time-consuming and had to tell her that she should try practising at home for better control of the letters.

The evening moved on and we came to Arabic session where short arabic phrases would be looked up for their meaning and written down for revision purposes. Everyone was writing down and that was when I realized something about Thahirah. Her eyes seemed so eager to see the words written on the board, her ears so keen to listen to Aunty Mushfiq's explanation and her hands diligently and swiftly taking down all that is being said. Her zeal was so strong that it manifested right in front of my eyes. It wasn't any deep analysis of the Arabic language that is digging the gems of the Quranic phrases. Rather, it was simple translation of the words that are oft-repeated like fee, wa, alladzi, etc. When we picked out an ayah to try translating them using the basic vocabulary we just learned, Thahirah beamed out of joy as she saw it is possible to understand the Quran.

As the day winded down, Thahirah was still overwhelmed with the new vocabulary she just learned, kept asking about the right pronunciations of the letters while everyone else were busy with their teas and samosas.

I wondered what was so interesting about the class just now that she was so excited. 

That was when it hit me! I've been wrong all this while blaming everything else for the lack of sweetness of Iman and Khushoo in my Salah. Comparing myself to Thahirah, I was "relatively more knowledgable" since I had access to full weekend courses, QnA with shuyookhs and shaykhas, online reminders, articles of fatwas on this and that and so much more. She was "just a housewife" with 2 hours of Friday evening classes covering some very basic lessons that isn't particularly Imaan-uplifting.

Lo and behold! I was wrong!

The reason behind her eyes beaming out of joy, tongue constantly twisting snd turning to catch the proper pronunciation for the umpteenth time, fingers scaling the same ayah over and over again held one thing clear for me; her Niyyah.

Yes, she is "just a housewife". Yes, she comes in late due to household commitments and the unpredictable work shift of her husband, leaving her with no option to attend the class. Yes, she is learning the most basic things and that too while struggling and stumbling repeatedly.

You and I might have more "knowledge" than the old man in some far away village. But, that old man who prays Fajr in jamaah every morning at the mosque is more praiseworthy in the sight of Allah SWT. The "oppressed" lady who was "forced" to become a housewife might have limited access to courses and conferences but the salawat on her lips never stops while she cooks and cleans.

See, knowledge isn't about how much you know but how much you act upon it. Sincerity is not simply saying to ourselves that it is for the sake of Allah SWT but proving it in manifesting the lessons learnt in our lives.

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter if you're a student of advanced Arabic learning Sarf and Nahw or just beginning to memorize the small Surahs, the sweetness of Imaan and Love for Allah SWT blossoms from your attitude towards knowledge and not your accomplishments.

And don't forget that sweetness of Iman isn't a state or an event to be experienced. Yes, we have been through that sleepless night where we bawled and cried like a baby raising our hands to the sky. The relief that comes after it is priceless. But don't get into the illusion that every Qiyam should have been such an experience. Khusoo in Salah and sweetness of Iman isn't an event rather it is a process.

So, if you're listening to a lecture of Surah Kahf, don't pass it simply because it is a repitition of what you already know. Rather, listen to it intently and see the change of heart that this "old information" can do.

May Allah soften our hearts and nourish it with knowledge that transforms us, brings us closer to Him, moves us to tears and make us among His beloved slaves.

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? 

Image source

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)

Image source

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.

The Blessed Land

Alhamdulillah, touched down KL at about 8.30pm after a long flight from Jeddah via Doha. The pain of returning from Umrah is overwhelming.

Needless to say, I miss Home, my Home, the Home of Rasulullah SAW, Ibrahim AS and Ismail AS. The pain of separation when I lifted my head from the last Sujud in the Blessed Mosque was so much so that I wished my soul was ripped from my body that very moment itself. Like a mature baby being cut off from the umbilical cord of it's mother as it enters this world, I cried wondering how could this be possible.

Subhanallah, the lessons that Allah taught me are way too much for my soul to even comprehend. Lessons after lesssons, realization of the subtle things in life poured down as I stood receiving it in awe, my mouth wide open in amazement.

My words can by no means do justice to what my heart wants to scream out loud. Feelings and
emotions I've never even known that existed was introduced into my life. Love, fear, hope, contentment, gratitude, guilt, shame, humility, mercy, kindness was thought in a way that it manifested itself in the depths of my heart, illuminating this little miskeen soul.

Old, weak, disabled, poor people staying and sleeping in Masjidil Haraam and worshipping Allah in pain and hunger made me feel so small. A sharp question stabbed me over and over again asking
me what is my worth compared to them in the Sight of Allah SWT?

Roads busy with people walking to the Harem at 2.00am in the morning, the cool breeze as dawn breaks over the valley, the chilly morning walks back to the hotel, the crimson sky with pearly clouds seeded on it, the rush of new pilgrims into the hotels, the melancholy of those who have to return and so much more sights that emancipates and pinches the heart repeatedly.

An incident comes to mind.There was this old woman from Pakistan if I'm not mistaken. She was struggling with her leg ache and I saw no one nearby to help massage her leg. I asked if I could help her and she handed me the oil and cream bottle. Whilst I massaged her leg, we both communicated in sign language since my urdu was limited. Yes, two people with no relationship and don't even have a mutual language were engaged in a soul-lifting, ego-breaking quality time. She told me her life story and Wallahi I was moved to tears right then and there. Her eyes could express the pain she went through. After the salah, I went to see my mum and my legs couldn't bear the weight of my heart. I stumbled and fell in front of my mom. I cried and cried and cried. I didn't know why the old woman's story mattered to me so much. Maybe, just maybe, because she gave me a new sense of hope that was too big and extremely sweet for me to bear. *bittersweet*

This journey gave me a lot of gifts - happiness, a sense of belonging in a "foreign" country, humility and friendship. I made dua so that He TEACHES me and indeed He is the Best of those who Teach and Guide.

O the one who is reading this! Go. Go for the Sake of Allah to visit His House as His Guest. Trust me, He will never disappoint His Slaves..

Here I am. Trying hard to console myself that life has to move on. But in a different way. In a way that will bring me much closer to Him.

After all, the newborn baby's life has not ended as the umbilical cord was cut off. Rather, Life has just Begun.

I may not be there yet. But I am closer to it than I was yesterday.

Buried under problems?

Our problems are overwhelming. Let it be the new project you're working on, that one friend who doesn't understand you, the exams that are coming up, the debt that we owe others and tons of other problems.

Remember, it's not the goal that matters the most. Getting a new car, finally finding the right spouse, getting a massive audience for the program that you organise is not the solution. We may think that is the actual success. However, in reality, it is not the ultimate objective.

It is the perseverance that we show through the process. The anger that we choose to hide. The gossip session that we try to avoid. The gaze we intentionally avert. The lustful desire that we consciously keep in check. The time we spend on useful things rather than movies and dramas. The ideas we think instead of the complains we never stop with. It is the process that matters. The real objective of the test is not the final solution that we think of. It is the ATTITUDE we develop through them.

Saying about it is different. Living by it is a whole new thing that needs courage. The whole process is painful, terrible, heart-wrenching, nerve-wracking and horrible. There will be a lot of failures and tons of mistake. But, get up and swim ahead. The journey is long.

Persevere till you meet your Lord! If it is for that one moment of standing in front of Him, then it is sure worth all the trouble and hurdles.