Not very long ago, I received an update indicating that I’ve reached a very important milestone. Alhamdulilah. Without Allah, it never would have been possible. All thanks and appreciation belong to Him. I won’t say what happened, dear reader, but I nevertheless would like to share how I experienced this event.

Most of us never really know when the important moments in life are happening until they’ve happened; that is, unless you’ve planned them, like weddings for example. This is a bland description of how I experienced the moment I realized what was happening, but it’s true: I was happy for a few beats. In that moment and the short few minutes that followed it, I swear by the Master of the heavens and the earth that my gladness felt unconquerable. It was as though I never felt anything ever before except for the happiness I felt in that moment, and that no other feeling could ever dominate that light, seraphic moment.

When you finally receive something you’ve been dying to have for a very long time—well, let’s just say the glee is incomparable. I like to think that what I received, dear reader, is the indomitable proof of Allah showing me the way to Him. So, I had to give back thanks. I went to the washroom and performed wudu, then prayed two rak’ahs of salat al-shukr. Alhamdulilah. That prayer alone… that felt amazing. I prayed with sweet, sweet khushoo, which is something I’ve lately been finding challenging to consistently do in my prayers.

Umm… so, yeah! That was how I celebrated that important moment in my life. It was quiet for the rest of the day, alhamdulilah. I don’t think I’m the extravagant type when it comes to marking the important moments in life. I just like to bask in the blessing for the moment and thank Allah a thousand times over. Allah is greater! I pray that He keeps us all on the straight path. Ameen.

Allah subhanahu wa’tala has created this world in such a way that it offers a person much good if they internally and externally align themselves with the truth. Allah is the Truth; He is Al-Haqq. Alhamdulilah. All the glory belongs to Him. I’m starting to sound like Khabib Nurmagomedov. “FIRST OF ALL I’D LIKE TO SAY ALHAMDULILAH! GOD GAVE ME EVERYTHING, ALHAMDULILAH! Y’ALL DON’T LIKE HEARING ME SAY THIS BUT ALHAMDULILAH!!!” In my own way, I “smashed your boy, guys.” Alhamdulilah.

On a more serious note, I’m reminded of an ayah where the disgraced and rejected Iblis is in conversation with Allah about us, the progeny of our mother and father Adam and Eve:

قَالَ فَبِمَآ أَغْوَيْتَنِى لَأَقْعُدَنَّ لَهُمْ صِرَٰطَكَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ

ثُمَّ لَـَٔاتِيَنَّهُم مِّنۢ بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ وَعَنْ أَيْمَـٰنِهِمْ وَعَن شَمَآئِلِهِمْ ۖ وَلَا تَجِدُ أَكْثَرَهُمْ شَـٰكِرِينَ

He said, “For leaving me to stray I will lie in ambush for them on Your Straight Path (7:16).

I will approach them from their front, their back, their right, their left, and then You will find most of them ungrateful” (7:17).

It’s beautiful to turn to your Creator not only in your time of grief and need, but also in your time of glee. Don’t you ever let a disgraced being turn you away from God. On Yawm Al-Qiyamah, you don’t want to be counted as one of the people who never gave thanks back to Allah for what He blessed them with.

Sooo… yeah! Don’t be stressed about stuff. If you’re reading this and you currently find yourself in a pickle, don’t worry. You’re going to figure it out. Just recognize that you’re blessed. I personally believe that it is an honour to experience hardship because through it, I get to understand the world and myself a little better. Alhamdulilah.

فِي أَمَانِ اللَّهِ