ENDINGS PRECEDE BEGINNINGS
A merciless year is a wretched one. Fortunately, none exists in this life.
The evidence for this statement lies in the basmalah (bismillāhir raḥmānir raḥīm) and the Asmā ‘ul Ḥusnā (the 99 Names of Allah).
In both instances, Allāh introduces Himself first as al-Raḥmān—The Indiscriminately Merciful, which means He extends His Mercy to everyone without any conditions. Hence, His Mercy is ever present.
For a Muslim, every beginning opens with the basmalah. So, too, does every sūrah (chapter), excluding al-Taubah. Al-Raḥmān also appears in sūrah Fātiḥah and is the second Divine Name after Allāh (His most sacred name) presented within the text of the Quran. After Allāh, al-Raḥmān, together with al-Rahīm, are the Divine Names most frequently mentioned. Thus, the overarching Divine attribute of mercy should predominate our relationship with Him and be the counterweight to any despairing soul. Regardless of our state or record, when we recognise Allah’s mercy and are thankful, we grasp His Grace.
However, to be a recipient of the al-Rahīm—The Especially Merciful—is conditional. In the chapter The Bee, Allah provides the formula:
‘Whatever you have will end, but whatever Allah has is everlasting. And We will certainly reward the steadfast according to the best of their deeds.’ [16:96].
This ayah—verse should be our rudder and propulsion for 2024 and beyond. We should strive for that which endures, that which is with Allah, instead of laying our lives on the altar of this transient world. If we do so consistently, Allah will reward us not according to our merits, which is forever deficient, but our best efforts and embrace us with His special Mercy and Generosity. Before anything, know that your Lord is One and, thereafter, Merciful.
Regardless of our opinion of 2023, we must bid it farewell in gratitude for Allah’s mercy because our endings precede our beginnings.
O People, whatever you seek is with Allah, so seek Allah, and you will find everything you need.
THE GOLDEN MEAN
We were all born in a state of fitrah—inclining to naturalness. Nature is truth, which is our primordial disposition. The further away we move from nature, the more disconnected we are to the Divine, which results in an unhinging of self. The more unnatural our environment, food, work, and connections, the fewer signposts there are directing to the Divine. Today, it is evident that most suffer from NDD, Nature Deficit Disorder.
Nature, by design, is balanced and, therefore, so successful. The median is the home between two extremes where energy is most efficient and where Allah and His Messenger (s) repeatedly call us:
‘Thus We have appointed you a middle nation’ [2:143], and ‘Go at a moderate pace’ [31:19].
‘Take on only as much as you can do of good deeds, for the best deeds are consistent, even if it is little’ [Ibn Majah 4240], and ‘The Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by a man who was praying on a rock, and he went towards Makkah and stayed a while, then he left and found the man still praying as he had been. He stood up and clasped his hands, then said: “O people, you should observe moderation,” three times, “for Allah does not get tired (of giving reward), but you get tired.’ [Ibn Majah 4241], and ‘Whenever Allah’s Messenger ﷺ had the choice of one of two matters, he would choose the easier of the two, as long as it was not sinful to do so’ [Bukhari 3560].
Both verses and prophetic traditions guide us in becoming fuel efficient because, from the median helm, we can accomplish and sustain our best work. Remember, the degree to which we move from the centre will inevitably cause matters to become exponentially more difficult.
Whatever our goals are for the coming year, a mistake often made is we take on too much (off-centre), and before we have established the habit, we’ve lost it.
Make the ritual easy and thus achievable even on challenging days (3 minutes max). Consistency is the currency for establishing a habit. The easier it is, the more consistent you’ll be. Only once you’ve embedded the practice should you focus on scaling and improving it.
In nature, perfect balance is ubiquitous,
but we are nature, too.
Nature seeks the path of least resistance,
from it, we take our cue.
Until next year, InshaAllah
Zaahied Sallie
Author of The Beloved Prophet – An Illustrated Biography in Rhyme
p.s. My favourite Get-Up-And-Go book for 2024
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