There are a variety of paths to reach your spiritual goals, to draw closer to Allah SWT. Not all the paths look the same, but each has incredible benefits and rewards. Allah SWT has created us with different personalities, with different strengths and weaknesses. So that we may cover, shield and compensate each other’s weaknesses . That we may, using each other strengths, collectively build a strong, supportive and loving community .
Yet sometimes, more often than necessary, we fall into the trap of comparing and competing with each other. Competition is good if it inspires us to better ourselves and improve our faults; it is damaging if it makes us feel envious and bitter.
My friend A, she breezes through the Quran, completing a reading not once but twice in the month.
Another lady, lets say B, cooks up a storm sending food packages to friends, family and the everyone else around her.
Another stays hours in the Masjid, praying Taraweeh , Qiyam and Itikaaf.
Z has a hectic schedule built around her children- Quran class in the day, classes at home for 15 children twice a week, hifdh classes at the mosque.
N spends a lot of time at work and focuses on fitness, honoring the amanah Allah has given her ie. her physical self.
J secludes herself, reducing her social
life to a bare minimum as she focusses inward on learning.
M is increasing her socializing to build stronger family and community ties.
S focuses on creating , to inspire and teach as a means of Sadaqah Jariya.
F is busy with little children, wiping , cleaning, feeding and entertaining toddlers.
Each of these activities has immense rewards. If you can, do look up Hadith and Quran references that explain the rewards for each of these actions.
But then S sees N and regrets not exercising.
Z sees B and regrets not cooking and feeding people….. you get the idea…and they feel inadequate and diminished.
Let go of comparison, Let go of regret.
Find your strength, your sweet-spot. The thing that ignites and excites you. Then make the intention of dedicating whatever you are doing (and whatever you love to do) to the cause of Allah SWT alone.
Do it ONLY for the sake of gaining HIS pleasure.
Do it after consciously removing ALL social expectations.
Do it to seek approval from Allah alone.
Do it, conscious and mindful of the rewards promised for that activity.
Do it to find YOUR path to Jannah.
Find your self, focus on yourself, then dedicate the best of yourself to Allah SWT
May Allah accept all our efforts and help us build a vibrant and pious community here in Dunya. Then reunite us in the blessed gardens- in Jannah.
Ameen.
image courtesy: pexels.com
(we all know how difficult it is to find good stock images related to Islam/Muslims)