Death

 can come at anytime 

Few days ago, my cousin died. He had a massive heart attack. His wife called 911 but they couldn't revive him. He was in his late sixties. Not that old. Wonderful human being, religious, caring, loved his family, always there when needed, sharing the family's joys and grief, yet always cherishing his solitude. 

He was a sailor by profession. He had spent many years sailing with the Merchant Navy. Now, he held a port job in Canada. 

On the day he died, it was nighttime in Canada, while it was daytime in Pakistan. 

Few hours before his death, it occurred to me to pray for his forgiveness. I did. 

In the morning, as I sat watching TV, there was a movie about an offshore oil rig that had some plumbing issues, and something went massively wrong. 

In the early afternoon, a friend of mine started sharing a post about how the angel of death can come anytime. She posted this on three groups on WhatsApp. I'm reading these posts, and wondering... 

Few minutes later, my husband comes and informs me of the news of our cousin having passed away in Canada. 

In hindsight, was I being prepared to receive the news? 

How wonderful is Allah's planning: he causes people to pray for the forgiveness of his believing slaves. He loved Allah, and he trusted Allah. My cousin used to talk about how everyone will go to their grave alone. He was conscious of death, and lived his life accordingly. May Allah surround him in His Mercy. May he rest in peace. May his grave be lit with Nur, and the breeze of Jannah make his stay pleasant, and on the Day we are raised up again, may Allah Almighty bless him with the highest levels in Jannat-ul-Firdaus. Aameen. 

   

Straightforward conversation

...

An old colleague was at a funeral. 

It had been over thirty years that we had worked as teachers at a school. 

As soon as she saw me, she was quite excited and immediately became friends. It was nice. She took my number and kept in touch. 

Once, she asked me to donate in her social work. I did. 

Then, she asked again. And again. ... 

Twice, I had reasons to wonder if the money / item was being used for the purpose requested. Yet, almost every time she asked, I did contribute a small amount. 

Eventually, I started trying to avoid her as much as politely possible. 

Recently, I was reminded of the edict that a Muslim should not stop talking with another Muslim for more than three days. So, I reconnected. So, she again asked for a donation. 

I asked Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى what to do. 

Later in the evening, while praying, it occurred to me to reply with 'I don't trust you'. It sounded rude. I wondered what to do. Then, I was reminded of 'يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَقُولُوا۟ قَوْلًۭا سَدِيدًۭا ٧٠ ' [Q33:70].

I messaged, and added '..., so please do not keep asking me for money'. 

Alhamdolillah, she responded that she will never approach me in this matter.  

So, in a very civilised way, we have politely made our position clear. 

May Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى bless her, and increase her in goodness and piety. 

May Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى help us all serve Him in ways that He is pleased with us. 

May our hearts be clean and not carry the weight of unspoken burdens. 

May Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى forgive us all.  

...

...

...

 

Spectacular Display of the Night Sky

Many times I had seen photos and videos of the colourful, dancing, polar lights, yet never did I expect that I would get to see it, as we live so far away from where they dance. 

On a summer night in Canada, there was a red alert for aurora visibility. We headed out to search for a dark place, away from city lights. It was around midnight. Suddenly, the dark night sky started coming to life. Faint colours in one portion of the sky gave way to brighter colours, and soon the whole sky around us was dancing with colours. Moreover, there was a fascinating display of fluid colours overhead. A unexpected, natural, delightful light show! 

Around the same time that the sky started to colour, there was also a distinct vertical white light, that seemed to cleave the sky, yet it didn't quite reach the horizon. On both its side was darkness. I had read about the 'false dawn', but had never tried to observe the phenomenon. That was another unexpected treat. 

Earlier that trip, and again that evening, I was also treated to another fascinating aspect of the night sky. For several months, we had been discussing when night falls. My position was, according to The Quran, that the night covers the Sun, so sunset is a clear indication of night. Moreover, according to a Hadith of our dear Prophet Muhammad ﷺ , during a travel, he pointed to the Eastern horizon and said to see when night begins there. And so, I was shown the night gradient on the Eastern horizon, while the Sun had not yet set on the Western horizon. 

All praises to Allah  سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎  for showing me so many signs, none of which I ever expected to see in my lifetime. Alhamdolillah summa Alhamdolillah.  

Related posts:

Nightfall

Subah Kazib

Northern Lights

Bay of Fundy

The Quran informs us that when Noah (Nuh عليه السلام) climbed in the Ark, the Earth was flooded with water. Later on, when it was over, the water receded. 

There is a place on Earth that displays this phenomenon daily. 

When we visited the Bay of Fundy, the water had almost receded. From the almost forty-eight feet high tide, we learnt later, that inundates the Bay every day, twice a day, what we witnessed was just very little water, receding away from us, as we walked towards it. It seemed unbelievable. 

Later on, when we returned and looked up the phenomenon, it was amazing to read all about this miracle that is witnessed daily. All praise and thanks to Allah ﷻ for showing us His miracles in the most gentle of ways, increasing our faith, and helping us know that all that is mentioned in His Book is real. 

Related Post: The Flood 

Growing Glaciers

A few years ago, by the Grace of Allah, I was able to travel near the base of a mountain range, and witness an amazing wonder. 

The jeep ride half the way up was very rough, and then it was a steep walking track, which I could not climb easily. So, we hired a horse and its rider to lead me all the way up to the valley, and beyond towards the base camp. It was three continuous days of luxurious travelling, like a royalty, even climbing upon, and getting off, the horse beside a high rock. 

The ride up was steep, with tall mountain on one side, and a deep ravine on the other. The valley we reached up was beautiful. Next, we undertook the journey towards the base camp of one of the tallest mountains. Trotting through beautiful streams of water amidst tall mountains, with an avalanche in clear view, at a distance, it was an idyllic journey. 

Next, as we cantered up closer towards the base camp, clear into view came rows of glaciers, spectacular to behold. They were rows of muddy brown and pristine white glaciers, running parallel to each other. The guide mentioned that the muddy glaciers were male, and the pristine white female, something we modern people mentally dismissed as folk tale. However, later on, I searched online, and to my amazement, learnt that actually glaciers are of two kinds, and if we want to grow a glacier, we need both kinds together. This is local wisdom that is applied to create a water source in dry seasons. 

All praise and thanks to Allah, who has created everything in pairs, and shows us His wonderful creations. 

Related post: Pairs of Glaciers

Prevented from Hearing

 Recently, I heard about the testimony of a person who had his hearing sealed for a while, such that no doctor could cure it ... it was a wake up call for him to revert to the Deen. 

This reminds me of the one time that my hearing was temporarily blocked. Someone was reciting Surah alFateha, and I couldn't hear him. I could hear before and after everything that was said, but during those moments, I couldn't hear anything. I was scared. I understood that this was a warning. If The Quran was dear to me, I had to part ways. There was no other way. 

Alhamdollilah, I parted ways, and Allah , ذُو ٱلْجَلَالِ وَٱلْإِكْرَامُ , blessed me with knowledge from The Quran. 

In Surah al-Kahf, the young people who believed, were increased in guidance. They stood firmly for their faith, and their hearing was sealed while they were protected in the pit-cave. 

How beautiful is Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ 's love and care, how He protects us from harm, how gently, and just in time, allowing us to learn from our mistakes. Allah عزوجل is amazing. All praise belongs to Him, and all thanks belongs to Him. He is Great. 

Averting an accident

Once upon a time, I was speeding on a flyover. It flew over the main road, and turned full circle to merge with the road below. 

Apparently, I was too fast. As I approached the curve, the speed was just too much to steer properly. As the wheels raced, it felt as if the car immediately and gently disconnected from the road, and someone just turned it safely along the curve, without it being noticeable. 

Alhamdolillah, by the Grace of Allah, ذُو ٱلْجَلَالِ وَٱلْإِكْرَامُ , I was saved from a terrible accident. 

 

The Dog who couldn't Bite

Once upon a time, when I was a kid ... as I remember it: 

We went for a holiday to a hill station. My parents wanted to rest after the journey, while I was all excited about climbing the hills. So, I took permission and went off on my own to the hill next to our rest house. 

It was a small, green hill. I climbed up, and then it was time to descend. There was a dog  there. It started to come towards me. I got scared, and started to run. Knowing me, I probably also screamed. Stumbling downhill, I fell flat on the ground. The dog came upon me. 

Just at that moment, there was a man, clothed in a white robe, praying salah (Muslim contact prayer). He offered Salam, and picked a tiny stone, and threw it at the dog. Hurt, the dog quickly moved away. Alhamdolillah. May Allah bless the man who was there at that moment to help me. 

Goes without saying, I scrambled back down to the safety of my parents. Alhamdolillah.     

The Mosquito who wouldn't bite

 Many years ago, when Dengue was new in our city. 

My son got infected. He had fever and his blood test showed relatively low platelet count. Not very serious, but ill still. 

We have a tiny pond in our garden. There were fish living in the garden. The media was full of scary news about clean still water as breeding places for dengue-spreading mosquitoes. I was under pressure to empty the pond. The fish would have died. I resisted the pressure. 

As I was walking in the garden, I saw a nice, big, black and white striped mosquito sitting on a leaf. I looked at it, and it seemed to look at me. We stared at each other for quite a long time. It didn't seem interested in biting me. Just so you know, generally I'm a magnet for mosquitoes. They are quite eager to feast on me. So, this was strange. 

Alhamdolillah. Nothing happens without the express permission of Allah. I believe that at that time, this mosquito did not have the permission to bite me. Alhamdolillah. 

My son recovered in a few days. Alhamdollilah. 

Mosquito is the first non-human creature mentioned in The Quran in Surah al-Baqarah, ayat 26. Here's how I try to understand the ayat: Mosquito-borne Diseases. 

Nothing can harm without Allah’s Permission

Some years ago, one day, a series of strange incidents happened. 

First, as I was about to get in my car, I was setting something on my mobile phone to listen to, while my brother was standing there to see me off. Engrossed in my phone, I wasn't really paying attention to anything else. A motorcycle, with three young men on it, stopped next to us. One of them jumped off, extended his hand towards me (to snatch my phone?), my brother scolded him, he climbed back on the motorcycle, and they ran away. Much later, I realised that it was an attempt to snatch my phone. Alhamdolilliah, in my mentally absent state of mind, I was protected from the physical and emotional harm of the situation. Alhamdolillah. 

Next, as I drove away, just two signals later, a great wind blowed, such that a large billboard just fell on the road, right in front of and next to me, leaving just enough space for me to steer the car ahead by quickly veering towards the other side. Alhamdolillah, again I was saved from physical and emotional harm. Alhamdolillah. 

There was another third incident that day, yet I cannot remember it. Alhamdolillah for it, and for all the harms that Allah, our Rabb ذُو ٱلْجَلَالِ وَٱلْإِكْرَامُ, keeps protecting us from day and night, throughout our lives.     

Restoring the hand

One day, my right hand turned old. It was wrinkled like an old person's hand. 

I was in my very early fifties.  

It had been a year since I hadn't menstruated. 

Suddenly, I started menstruating. ... and my hand was restored. 

By the grace of Allah, about the time when my hand got wrinkled, we were also having star anise tea for health reasons. Probably had it for a few days, and then left. Later on, I learnt that it has oestrogen-like effects, and helps in menstruation.  

Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ 's Hospitality

فِيۡهِ اٰيٰتٌ ۢ بَيِّنٰتٌ مَّقَامُ اِبۡرٰهِيۡمَ   وَمَنۡ دَخَلَهٗ كَانَ اٰمِنًا ​ؕ وَلِلّٰهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الۡبَيۡتِ مَنِ اسۡتَطَاعَ اِلَيۡهِ سَبِيۡلًا ​ؕ وَمَنۡ كَفَرَ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ غَنِىٌّ عَنِ الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَ‏ ٩٧

In it are clear signs [such as] the standing place of Abraham. And whoever enters it [i.e., the Ḥaram] shall be safe. And [due] to Allāh from the people is a pilgrimage to the House - for whoever is able to find thereto a way. But whoever disbelieves [i.e., refuses] - then indeed, Allāh is free from need of the worlds.

[Al-Quran 3:97, Translation: Saheeh International]

December 2006 

We went for Hajj with a group. Our accommodation was in Azizia, a little away from Makkah. 

We were provided conveyance for manasik of the Hajj, but other than that, we were to arrange our own transportation to Haram and back for prayers and tawaf. 

The first day, a few of us got together, hired a taxi, and went to Haram in the afternoon. By the time we reached there, the prayer rows were already formed till outside the gates of the mosque. I think it was a little before Magrib prayers. We prayed the obligatory prayers. Our team members decided that it'll be best to return the next morning for tawaf as there seemed no way to get inside then. I commented that it'll be hot. 

Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ is so sweet, so kind, so hospitable, so amazing, so wonderful, ... :the next morning, as we were leaving Azizia, it started to drizzle. By the time we reached the Haram, it had stopped raining, but there was a cloud cover. We entered the Mataf and started to do tawaf. Then, we sat in the Mataf area, with a grand view of the Kaaba, and waited there till Zuhr prayers. All this time, the cloud cover remained. Alhamdollilah. 

----

I also wanted to eat a local delicacy. Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ knew it wasn't healthy for me, so that craving was not met. Alhamdolillah. 

----

I also had worries about how I'll manage long hours without going to the toilet during the Hajj manasik, especially the night at Muzdhalifah. Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ was most kind, and made it all easy for me. I didn't even need to go to the toilet in Muzdalifah. Alhamdolillah. 

----

Not used to walking long distances, I was also worried how I'll cope and keep up with everyone. Alhamdolillah, I had to walk long distance only twice: once for only twenty minutes when we were returning from Muzdalifah in the morning, and that also because our bus was stuck in traffic, and it would take two hours to reach the same distance. The other was a stroll as our team members decided to walk back to Azizia from Jamarat after our first day of pelting the stones. Alhamdolillah. 

----

Our group leader had counselled us that there is great rush at the Jamarat, so its best if women don't go. I had accepted it. As I was sitting, in Azizia , a sister; one of our team members, came and asked me if I wanted to go. Surprised and delighted, I rushed to the bus, and asked my husband (who was already in the bus) if I could come. He consented. Alhamdolillah.  

At the Jamarat, we encountered hardly any rush. Out group leader advised us to walk past the pillar, and pelt the stones from behind. There was no rush there, nor any pushing / tugging. Alhamdolillah, we were able to perform all the manasiks. Alhamdolillah. 

---- 

So many people perform Umrah and Hajj every year, and so many wonderful stories and personal experiences are related each year. How amazing is our Rabb?  

Ya Allah, thank you. Thank you for the opportunity. Thank you for all the details, all the ease, all the comforts, all the wonderful moments, everything, and everyone. Thank you for making our Hajj extra-special. Kindly forgive our mistakes, sins, and shortcomings. Please accept our Hajj. Please be well-pleased with us. Aameen.  

Menstruation

While I was still in my forties, and menstruating regularly...  I realised that I had never really kept count of the Ramadhan obligatory fasts that I had missed, nor of the extra fasts I occasionally kept during the year. So there was no way of knowing how many of my total obligatory fasts were still due.  

I started counting the obligatory Ramadhan fasts that I had missed since I entered adulthood. So, that would be approximately seven days every year. Then, I added to the total the four months of Ramadhan of my four pregnancies / lactation. The total came to around one year. Hmm... 

I started to keep fasts as often as possible, and give fidya whenever I could. Many months passed. Now only two months remained to the next Ramadhan. Also, an almost equal number of fasts also remained. 

I wanted to complete the balance before the next Ramadhan. However, there was one hurdle. Two monthly  periods would reduce the count by fourteen days. What to do? 

I had recently understood that its not right to 'kill' progeny, and had given up contraception. 

I also did not want to get pregnant. 

I didn't want to take pills to interfere with the menstrual cycle. 

I didn't know of any other natural way of avoiding menses. 

I prayed. I asked Allah to forgive me for thinking such things, and I asked for His help to complete my fasts. I admitted I didn't know how. It was a passionate, informal, monologue. 

Guess what? 

Allah ﷻ responded. 

Allah  سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎  accepted my prayer.  

I didn't menstruate the next two months, and thus was able to complete my count a few days before the next Ramadhan began.    

Speaking Thigh

About a decade ago, I was blustering through a lot of new experiences. Blundering my way through, praying for help, making more mistakes, praying over and over again, … 

Once I was about to agree to something very wrong, and a sound came from, or somewhere around, my left thigh:’Game Over’. By the Grace of Allah, I was saved from agreeing to that.

At that time, I wasn’t aware of the end time hadiths of our dear Prophet Muhammad ﷺ which foretell about thighs speaking. So, when I came across this hadith, I knew that it is literally true that the thighs can, and will, speak by the permission of Allah. 

I write this to testify to the truthfulness of that hadith. 

Reference: Jami at-Tirmidi 2181 

In all earnestness

 Holy Quran 17:67

------------------

وَإِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الضُّرُّ فِي الْبَحْرِ ضَلَّ مَن تَدْعُونَ إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ ۖ فَلَمَّا نَجَّاكُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ أَعْرَضْتُمْ ۚ وَكَانَ الْإِنسَانُ كَفُورًا

And when adversity touches you at sea, lost are [all] those you invoke except for Him. But when He delivers you to the land, you turn away [from Him]. And ever is man ungrateful.

Holy Quran 17:68

------------------

أَفَأَمِنتُمْ أَن يَخْسِفَ بِكُمْ جَانِبَ الْبَرِّ أَوْ يُرْسِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ حَاصِبًا ثُمَّ لَا تَجِدُوا لَكُمْ وَكِيلًا

Then do you feel secure that [instead] He will not cause a part of the land to swallow you or send against you a storm of stones? Then you would not find for yourselves an advocate.

Holy Quran 17:69

------------------

أَمْ أَمِنتُمْ أَن يُعِيدَكُمْ فِيهِ تَارَةً أُخْرَىٰ فَيُرْسِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ قَاصِفًا مِّنَ الرِّيحِ فَيُغْرِقَكُم بِمَا كَفَرْتُمْ ۙ ثُمَّ لَا تَجِدُوا لَكُمْ عَلَيْنَا بِهِ تَبِيعًا

Or do you feel secure that He will not send you back into the sea another time and send upon you a hurricane of wind and drown you for what you denied? Then you would not find for yourselves against Us an avenger.

Holy Quran 17:70

------------------

۞ وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ وَحَمَلْنَاهُمْ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَرَزَقْنَاهُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَفَضَّلْنَاهُمْ عَلَىٰ كَثِيرٍ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا تَفْضِيلًا

And We have certainly honored the children of Adam and carried them on the land and sea and provided for them of the good things and preferred them over much of what We have created, with [definite] preference.

In normal city life, we generally tend to take safety for granted. However, when we travel by ship, or drive through rocky terrain, one realises the need to call upon God, especially when the going gets rough. 

By the Grace of Allah, we have taken many journeys in mountainous terrains. There have been several rough drives, and narrow escapes in rough weather conditions. A few times, we learnt that the road has been blocked and closed a little after we crossed it. 

I must admit the earnestness with which I call upon Allah at those times. Shukar Alhamdolillah for all the times He has carried us safely through land and sea, and all the wonderful memories. 

Toothache

As I study The Quran, and as I become more and more cautious about Satan and his efforts to destroy humans, I hesitate to seek medical help, well-aware of its roots in ancient greek practice, lest I end up harming myself. 

So, one day, I developed a toothache. It hurt. The problem persisted for a few days. 

As I was praying, I went down in prostration, and asked Allah what to do. I didn't want to go to a dentist for a, b, & c, reasons. I wasn't even sure if going or not going was the right thing to do. So, I spoke my heart out. I asked...  

Later on, it occurred to me, to lather the aching tooth with a spoonful of honey. I cleaned my teeth, and then applied the honey on my teeth and gums, especially putting more on the area where it was hurting. After doing this routine for a few days, the pain went away. 

Shukar Alhamdolillah 

For more on my learnings and my hesitations, 

Disease & Cure 
https://signsandscience.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_19.html  

 

Indigestion

A few days ago, I kept a fast. I had a paratha (bread made from wheat flour) for the sehri (pre-dawn meal to keep the fast). 

Throughout the morning, I was feeling uncomfortable. It felt like its just sitting in my upper stomach, and just won't get digested. 

In zuhr (the afternoon prayer), I prayed to Allah to cure the indigestion. While I was still on my prayer mat, someone came to our door asking for some atta (wheat flour). We told him that we didn't have any new (un-opened) bags. He insisted that he wanted atta. He just wouldn't take no for an answer. Eventually, we gave him a little from our home ration. 

As soon as he took it, by the Mercy of Allah, my indigestion went away.  Shukar Alhamdolillah. 

In The Quran, spending in charity is linked to the removal of the bad effects of our deeds (وَيُكَفِّرُ عَنكُم مِّن سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ) (Q2:271). The beggar and the poor have a right in our wealth (Q2:177; Q17:26-30; Q51:19; Q70:24-25; Q93:8-10). From Moses' adventure (Q18:60-82) to learn righteousness (عُلِّمْتَ رُشْدً), we know that there is so much that we really don't know, and we really cannot encompass divine wisdom with our minds. 

It is attributed to our dear Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to treat your ill by giving sadqa (spending on the poor). 

Truly, our charities are actually for our own benefit. Subhan'Allah.  

Pledging Organs

Throughout the early 2000s, I kept hearing about organ transplants and how it was saving lives. 

As a parent of a child with health issues, I knew I would desperately want my child to be able to receive organs if needed. So, as I would like others' organs for my child, I thought I should also pledge my organs, for the benefit of others, to be harvested when I no longer need my body. 

I asked religious scholars on the permissibility to pledge organs. Nobody had anything for or against organ transplants. Curiously, the people I asked, none of them had pledged their organs. It was strange that they would bypass such a wonderful opportunity to continue earning the rewards for a deed even after their death. 

Although unsure and hesitant, I decided that I will pledge my organs. Somehow, it didn't feel the right thing to do. So, I prayed to Allah that if this is indeed a noble deed, then let this be the 'zakat' of my body, and accept it from me. And if it is not a noble deed, then please protect me from the sin of it. I went and pledged my organs at SIUT Pakistan. I don't remember the exact date, but I think it was 2012 +/-1 year. 

In 2014, by the Grace of Allah, I started studying the science mentioned in The Quran. In 2017, I came to realise the significance of our body: its not we who no longer need our body, but that when our nafs tastes death, we transition from the living to dead state, and disintegrate. Dead is also a state of being, though we have no knowledge about it. We are made of dust, and we will be resurrected thus. We are our body! 

With that understanding, by the Grace of Allah, I un-pledged my organs, and informed my family and friends that I am no longer an organ donor, nor do I wish to be an organ-recipient, God-forbid, if such a medical situation emerges. 

I have explored the subject from various angles and have tried to share my learnings online for the benefit of the believers. The following are links to some relevant blogposts: 

Human: Body or Soul?
https://signsandscience.blogspot.com/2017/05/human-body-or-soul.html 

The Case against Organ Transplant 
https://expeditionthink.blogspot.com/2019/02/the-case-against-organ-transplant.html 
this post also contains links to other relevant learnings posted prior to it 

Our Record in Our Neck 
https://signsandscience.blogspot.com/2019/04/our-record-in-our-neck.html 

Non-Living & Living 
https://signsandscience.blogspot.com/2019/09/non-living-living.html  

Alhamdolillah! I gratefully thank Allah for the guidance, and praise Him in All His Perfection. May Allah keep us all in His Mercy and Protection, always.  

He Knows our thoughts ...

Many years ago, an old lady used to come by. She would ring the bell. She would gesture that she wants clothes. She was suffering from some kind of partial paralysis, and so couldn't speak properly. She could only manage a few sounds.  She was also very frail and petite. I used to generally honour her request, and give her some of my clothes. 

One day, the bell rang again. I picked up the intercom to ask who it was. She responded, as usual, with some sounds. So I knew it was her, and I headed towards my closet. 

In our culture, a ladies' suit is generally shalwar or pant, kameez and a dupatta.

As I went in to my closet to take out something for her, I thought to myself that I have never seen her wearing any of the clothes I part with. So, why not give her something I am not so fond of. So, I took off the hanger a suit which I didn't like and didn't want to wear. I put it in a bag and went to the gate. 

There she was, probably for the very first time, wearing a combination of three different suits of mine: a different shalwar, a different kameez and a different dupatta. All three suits I had been fond of; I had given them to her because we should give things we like when giving for the sake of Allah (Q2:267, Q3:92); and since it had been quite a while, I had even forgotten about these clothes. 

Though I had not spoken aloud, Allah knew my thoughts, and He showed me that He knows our thoughts, and remembers everything! (Q2:284, Q17:25, Q20:7)

It has been a while since the old lady passed away. I thank Allah for the opportunity to serve, and the lesson taught to me through her. May Allah forgive every opportunity we lost, or failed to use properly. May Allah accept our charities, and increase us in good thoughts and good deeds, which are accepted and invested in our eternal future. May Allah increase us in guidance and goodness. 

Diseases & Pandemics

The Quran 24:61 permits the diseased and the healthy to eat together or separately. It includes a clause to send salaam upon our own nafs... 

When the Covid-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) started affecting many people globally, countries went into lockdown. Social distancing became the norm. Everyone started wearing face masks. Those who were tested positive for the virus were put into isolation. ... The world was facing a pandemic! 

My daughter tested positive for the virus. She was in severe pain. By the Grace of Allah, we didn't have to hospitalise her or put her in isolation: a friend sent over his pulse oximeter; another sent over a portable oxygen concentrator. 

We were with her throughout her ordeal. We did not isolate her. We ate together. I even slept beside her on the same bed. I also developed a few symptoms. 

When her test first came positive, we had ourselves tested as well. By the Grace and Mercy of Allah, we tested negative. After her body had developed antibodies, I was tested again. Alhamdolillah, again my test result came negative. 

No, I'm not invincible. It was only the Mercy of Allah that He Protected me from the virus. 

The purpose to share this story is to glorify Allah and to help people realise that nothing happens without Allah decreeing it. All things good and bad happen with His Permission (Q57:22). The good is from Allah, while the bad is from our own nafs (Q4:79). We need to seek Allah's protection and forgiveness, and patiently endure whatever trials Allah decrees for us. May Allah help us, guide us, and improve our condition.

The رُوحُ الْقُدُسِ (Holy Spirit || Pure Command) has brought down The Quran in Truth from Our Lord (Q16:102). We need to learn to trust the guidance in The Quran.