Extravagant dresses, beautiful and delicate jewelry, fame, societal status, beauty, marriage, children, financial security, a lavish home, mouth-watering foods and countless gifts surrounded Safa. Anyone who looked at her thought how perfect her life was. Even she herself noticed that most people of her age did not have even half of the comforts that she had. She made sure she showed immense gratitude to the Almighty and to those around her for the blessings. She tried hard to feel happy with these things, but she still feels a void in her, she’s missing on something important.
“If a man loses a dear friend, he looks around and sees many friends come to console and comfort him. If a man loses his wealth, after a little thought he will realize that the delight that came from wealth will be restored by finding more. Thus, he forgets his loss and is consoled. But if a man’s heart is deprived of peace, where will he find it again, how will he replace it?”
(Kahlil Gibran)
Safa felt disconnected from her own self. When you give up your identity for others, they may like you for who you’ve become but you risk losing your authentic true self, true love, and the most important thing which is the essence of human life-peace, you lose peace.
The Almighty has mentioned the secret of happiness in His Final Revelation: “Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah: for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.” (Quran 13:28) She remembered Allah a lot, prayed all prayers on time, said the prescribed supplications. She had devoted her life to His work since she discovered in her teens that Islam is the only pure, unadulterated belief in the Creator of the Universe Who is free from any shortcomings, high above the distorted perceptions of humans that stem from their limited understanding. After embracing Islam, she persevered against the opposition of her parents and near and dear ones to adhere to its teachings. She spent years studying the Quran, the Seerah (life of Muhammad), inviting others to this path of true success. When she gave public speeches, the audience applauded, young people looked up to her as a role model and showered her with praises and affection. Even after these accomplishments in the Deen what was this utter darkness in her heart? What was she missing so desperately?
sajdah-e-ishq ho to ibadat mein maza aata hai,
khali sajdon mein to dunya hi basa karti hai.
log kehtay hein kay bus farz ada karna hai,
aisa lagta hai kay koi qarz liya ho Rab se.
teray sajday kahin tujhay kafir na kar dein, aye iqbal.
tu jhukta kahin aur hai aur sochta kahin aur hai.
translation:
a prostration filled with love leads to enjoyment in worship,
the only thing that exists in empty prostrations is this world.
people say that we just have to fulfill an obligation,
it feels as if they’ve taken a loan from their Lord.
I pray your prostrations don’t make you a disbeliever, o iqbal.
for you bow down in one place and your mind wanders elsewhere.
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