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Assalamualaikum wrh :)
As I promised, Change, part I.
Change isn't overnight. We've all established that already. So maybe this rough guide might help us (yes, myself included) to go through this beautiful transition back to our fitrah, Islam (:
First step: Realising the purpose of your life
First and foremost, of course, we have to realise the purpose of our existence. Why were we born? This question first came to my mind, I remember vividly, when I was around 4-5 years old. 'Where did we come from and why were we placed on Earth?' Then I got a headache from it. I was too small to think such big things, perhaps.
But now we're big enough, no? About time we realise the truth.
My aim in life used to be: Find the right guy, fall in love, find the thing I love to do and spend my life doing it. Yeah I was pretty philosophical back then. Back then, I could've sworn I wanted to take up a minor in Philosophy during my university years. Hey I'm not dissing the subject. I still admire its ability to make people ponder and think thoroughly sometimes. I'm still somehow attracted to the subject. But I was so into it, I used to spend days writing poetry and reading literature, more than I ever tried to read and understand the Quran. I used to think philosophy had the answer to everything. I used to want to figure out the secret behind this life, the secret on being happy.
Well it's no secret. It's in our life manual.
"..Whoever submits his whole self to Allah and is a doer of good - he will get his reward with his Lord: on such shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve" [Quran 2:112]
But I didn't know, or refused to know, back then. I never used to relate religion to my heart. When I think of religion all I could think of was rules rules rules. When actually the Holy Quran itelf contained less on Syariah (Islamic rules) and more on stories of the past people. (Correct me if I'm wrong) Stories that made us think. Stories that should touch the heart.
When you're really feeling like crap and nothing felt right, try opening the Quran (Translation). Any page, any surah, any line. Have faith, and read. The verse you read will hit right at the spot, and it will heal right there and then insya-Allah. That's how beautiful this deen is. That's how much your Lord loves you.
I used to wear the hijab since I was 12, alhamdulillah, because a kind friend had persistently pujuked me to. I'll forever be indebted to her :) But I've never really covered my aurah properly, it was just a piece of cloth covering my hair. What about the rest of my body? What about my heart? I used to not care about those stuff. My best friend told me once that a mutual friend of ours discussed me and she said "*My name here* tu eventhough pakai tudung, dia bukannya alim pun. Cool je" She meant it in a nice way, of course. And I used to take pride in that. Astaghfirullahalazim. See how jahil I was? But Allah was so kind to lead me out of the darkness and into the light to realise the purpose of our existence, alhamdulillah. (And I'm sure my friends mentioned had also realised this truth, alhamdulillah)
"Cut to the chase, dude. So what's our purpose here on Earth?"
Okay chills Bills, I'm getting to that now.
"I have only created Jinns and men, that they may serve(worship) Me" [Quran 51:56]
I used to see Islam as nothing more than mere rituals. Never saw that Islam was more than a religion, it's a deen. A way of life. To worship Allah doesn't simply mean prayers alone. Everything you do, if you do it for Allah, it becomes an ibadah. For instance, in the mornings, when we wake up, say 'Alhamdulillahilladzi ahyana ba’da ma amatana wa ilaihin nusyur' (All praise be to Allah Who has caused us life after He had caused us death, and to Him is the return) and say to ourselves 'I want today to be better than tomorrow, for Allah'. Then we go get ready and niat 'I want to clean myself for Allah because Allah loves cleanliness and beauty'. We go have some breakfast and niat 'I eat to have energy to carry out the purpose of my life as Allah would want me to'. Every single thing, if we do it for Allah, it is counted as an ibadah. And that's what He meant in the Quran verse above. Every single moment should be a submission to Him. That, is our purpose in life.
But! Does that mean we should be good alone? Keep all our good intentions to ourself? Not caring and not mingling with the people around us? Nu'uh!
"Behold, your Lord said to the angels: 'I will create a vicegerent(khalifah) on earth'..." [Quran 2:30]
Here's another task of ours. To be a khalifah. Which means to be a leader on this Earth. One that leads another to good and forbids another of an evil conduct. Amar makruf nahi mungkar. That's what it means. My lovely friend always tells of a day that she calls 'Hari tarik-menarik'. The Day of the Awakening, when everyone will try to blame others for their wrongdoings on Earth. "He used to go to usrah but never invited me along!" "My sister wears a tudung labuh but she never told me to cover my hair" "I once sat with that dude in a bus for 30 whole minutes and not once did he mention about Allah!" "He should be in Hell with us too, for he did not remind us!"
Nauzubillahminzalik. May Allah protect us all :/
(Ermagahh. I iz schared)
The purpose of this life is to gain as many good deeds as we can, to gain the pleasure of our Lord. Allah had promised our deeds will be accounted for on D-Day
"O mankind! Do your duty to your Lord, and fear (the coming of) a Day when no father can avail aught for his son, nor a son avail aught for his father. Verily, the promise of Allah is true: let not then this present life deceive you, nor let the Chief Deceiver deceive you about Allah" [Quran 31:33]
Now let's hear what the 'Chief Deceiver' has to say
"And Satan will say when the matter is decided: 'It was Allah Who gave you a promise of Truth: I too promised, but I failed in my promise to you. I had no authority over you, EXCEPT TO CALL YOU BUT YOU LISTENED TO ME: then reproach not me, but reproach your own soals. I cannot listen to your cries, nor can you listen to mine. I REJECT YOUR FORMER ACT IN ASSOCIATING ME WITH ALLAH. For wrong-doers there must be a grievous Penalty" [Quran 14:22]
So whose promise do you want to hold on to now, eh?
"Don't wear that tudung yet. You're not ready yet. You have all your life to make your change. You're only going to die at an old age, still got time to repent whaat" Hmm yeah it is really up to us when we die, eh?
"Couple is haram? But you love him, and he loves you. And he's going to marry you one day, so what's wrong with that? What if you'll never find a guy as good as him? What if you won't end up with any guy at all?" Hmm yeah it is really up to us to decide our jodoh, eh?
This life is nothing but deceit.
"That which is on earth We have made but as a glittering show for the earth, in order that We may test them - as to which of them are best in conduct" [Quran 18:7]
So now we know the purpose of us here on planet Earth. Wait no more! Let's strive for His good pleasure and fulfill the promise we've made back in the heavens, in our previous life
Allah asked the spirits (that's us before we were put into our bodies) "Am I not your Lord (who cherishes and sustains you)?" They said: "Yes! We bear witness that you are!" [Quran 7:172] (Rephrased for easier understanding)
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The following 'steps' will follow in the next posts (Change 2.0, 3.0 etc), insya-Allah :)
I've yet so much knowledge to learn, the knowledge I have with me is very shallow. Please do not hesitate to correct my faults. Jazakallahu khairan in advance :)
Allahualam.
P/S: Have a good 1/2/34! :D
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