JOURNEYING HOME
The movement of all earthly life leads to a singular, profound truth: impermanence.
“Every soul will taste death, then it is to Us that you will be returned” [29:57].
The question is, what type of homecoming will it be?
That depends on whether the afterlife is a primary preoccupation: ‘Whoso desireth the harvest of the Hereafter, We give him increase in its harvest. And whoso desireth the harvest of the world, We give him thereof, and he hath no portion in the Hereafter’ [42:20].
To be solely engrossed in the vanities of this world shuts the door to the next.
Returning our gaze to the eternal prize is the intelligent thing to do. Everything else pales in comparison. More accurately, it’s nullified when juxtaposed with deathlessness. How can any worldly home compete with an everlasting abode in Paradise?
Some people strive their entire lives to purchase a house. Ironically, the same efforts may be enough to secure one in Paradise. But, if we forfeit the opportunity, we may risk our afterlife chasing a paltry lodging while those who work for the akhirah transact in a trade that never declines: ‘What you have been given is only the fleeting enjoyment of this world. Far better and more lasting is what God will give to those who believe and trust in their Lord’ [42:36].
The ultimate goal is not to achieve but to become.
So, how does one become a resident of Jannah (Paradise), and what do you think the characteristics of such a person are?
These questions should be at the forefront of every believer’s mind, guiding them, driving them home.
FINDING HIRA
Ramadan is racing towards us, eager to provide a sanctuary for our tired minds, bodies, and souls.
Before Islam, the Prophet (s) used to seek Allah by retreating to Mount Hira during the month of Ramadan.
Retreat: an act of moving back or withdrawing.
Muhammad (s) withdrew from a toxic culture, searching for a solution and found Islam.
The faith he (s) founded rests on five pillars. They form the bedrock of Islam and drive the very notion of retreat:
Faith, turning heavenly, selflessness, eschewing and community are the building blocks of a super-retreat.
Like the Prophet (s), we, too, live in a toxic culture, but thankfully have within Islam a foundational system that perennially offers our bodies, minds and souls a haven, a refuge, a retreat.
#Ramadan #Ceaseconsuming Now!
Throw everything you believe to be sound against the wall and see if it sticks. You can rest assured that not all will.
We must reject many of the mainstream doctrines before we can understand this strange, coloured world. And the quickest way to do so is to spend time with or join solidarity movements that oppose these systems. Why? Because they possess deep knowledge and understanding of their opposition. When we do so, we engage in the finest Quranic tradition: ‘You can ask those who know if you do not know’ [16:43].
Asking others implies we are limited. When we recognise this truth, we deflate our ego and engender humility. The willingness to learn and humility are essential virtues for decolonising our minds.
The global systems that govern our world are human constructs. More precisely. Elitist constructs. They exclude by design. They mean to enslave. But they fool us into believing they’re absolute, unchanging and the path to freedom.
Challenging mainstream conventions is the most responsible thing we can do, and as Muslims, we do so by testing them against the Quran.
Until next week, InshaAllah
Zaahied Sallie
Author of The Beloved Prophet – An Illustrated Biography in Rhyme
p.s. I’ve launched Red Kufi Courses, Alhamdulillah. Click to learn more.
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