Let the Past be the Past

Everyone has a past. We are all humans, not angels. So making mistakes is human and it is what makes us, us. A great example of this, is Prophet Musa (as) who has a past of his own, although a mistake, it was something done in the past that was not praiseworthy. If a Prophet of Allah, a servant chosen by God, made a mistake in his life, what would make anyone think that we wouldn’t? What gives us enough arrogance to believe that there is even the possibility of the perfect human being?  There really does not need to be a page written to get this point across, everyone is going to make mistakes and everyone is going to have something lingering in their past. This is what gives us the building blocks to change, knowing that we are not perfect it is what gives us the basis to grow and become a better person. And we can never let our past become out future. We have to remember that Allah is Ar-Rahman, Ar-Raheem, and there is nothing we can do that we cannot build from. We cannot reach a state in which we have passed Allah’s mercy, so although, we make mistakes, we can go from the worst of sinners to the best of believers. 

Ummar ibn Khattab is considered one of one hundred most influential people to ever live. “He was a pioneering figure in the Islamic world. He was a leader, a statesman, a pious and God conscious Muslim who showed respect for all individuals including non-Muslims and he ordered the Muslims to treat non-Muslims with respect. He showed us how to apply the Quranic injunction "there is no compulsion in religion. Under the leadership of Umar ibn Al-Khattab Islam spread widely not by the sword but by virtue of its beauty, simplicity, transparency, openness and the leadership provided by him.” But this  is the same man who tried to kill the Prophet (sws) and would kill Muslims just because they are Muslims yet he grew to become one of the most influential men to ever live and not by just Islamic standards, but world-wide. He went from the worst of sinners to a man promised Jannah. There is not a sin that we cannot rise from and become the inhabitants of Jannah. We pave our own paths and are the leaders of our own future. 

One very important thing to focus on when discussing the topic of having pasts and change is how, we, as individuals treat others who are trying to turn around, and are trying to return back. And the best way to look at this, is from the Story of a woman that lived during the time of the Prophet (sws), named Hind. Hind was one of the elites in the Quraysh, coming from a family of royalty. Her family was one of the biggest opposers of Islam and when the Prophet (sws) made the message public, her family was one of the foremost in opposition to the message. During the Battle of Badr, Hind's family was fighting against the Muslims and in battle, Hind's father, brother, and uncle all were killed. When Hind's husband came home and told her that, she was furious. She hated Islam, and she hated the Prophet, and she hated the message. At the next battle, the Battle of Uhud, she hired an assassin named Wahshi to go and assassinate the Prophet (sws)'s uncle, Hamza (rA) whose sword was the one that had killed her family in the Battle of Badr. Wahshi goes onto the field during the battle, and kills Hamza (rA) but even after that, Hind is still so full of hate that she goes on to the battlefield and starts stabbing the body of Hamza (rA). Some narrations say that she cut his nose off, cut his ears and his tongue, took his intestines out and even started chewing them just to show how much she hated him. Awhile later, during the conquest of Makkah, Hind's husband converted to Islam after the Muslims offered him protection, which made Hind extremely furious that she publicly humiliated her husband. That same night, however, she noticed how even though they, as the enemy of Muslims had caused so much grief to the Muslims, now that the Muslims were back in Makkah, there was so much peace and quiet. The next day she cloaks herself and goes to the Prophet (sws) and confesses that she wants to accept Islam. 

And what does the Prophet (sws) do? He welcomes her to Islam happily and tells her about the rites and duties of being a Muslim. This was the same women that had chewed out and killed his uncle but look at the way he treats her, with so much kindness and respect, without ever mentioning anything of the past. Even Wahshi, the assassin who Hind had hired, the Prophet (sws) would send him letters telling him to become Muslim. Look at the way the Prophet embraces people who had done such great sins, yet welcomes them and not once undermines them. This is the way we should treat people. If we know something about someone, we know how they were back in the day, and now we see that they are truly trying, instead of pulling them under again, instead of talking about them and pushing them away, we should always be welcoming towards everyone. When we see a Muslim that is truly trying to return back an change their ways, we should not be the "Haram Police" or the make snide, rude remarks once they start and integrate into the masjid or try to start something good. Instead, we should help them, facilitate their journey back to Allah, and make sure that we try always keep our arms open to our brothers and sisters in Islam. 

Everyone makes mistakes, everyone has a past. But just like that, everyone has the potential to change and turn back as well. And when that does happen, we should be the facilitators for people to turn back and we should help people rather than hinder their journey. 

Don't be Sad, Allah is with us

In the Qur’an Allah says,

“…This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.” [5:3]

Allah tells us that he has done us a favor; Allah has given us something, a gift that many people do not have.  Sometimes we don’t realize what blessing we have, what kind of gift we hold in our hands and hearts, a gift that no one can take away from us.

“And strive for Allah with the striving due to Him. He has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty.”  [22:78]

Allah says that He, subhana wa ta’ala has chosen us, He has CHOSEN US. We have been chosen. Allah says in another verse in the Qur’an, that the angels are chosen to do certain duties, the messengers are chosen, and just like that we are chosen as well.

Usually if you are looking to get hired for a job or a high-end position, you don’t just apply and get it. If you get it, there were probably other candidates and you become the one that was chosen because of your qualifications that set you apart from the rest. To those of us that are Muslim, Allah chose us for this job, for this responsibility. We have been given a huge blessing. Sometimes we tend to wonder what we did to deserve such an honorable thing, such a gift, or do we even have the qualifications to uphold this job and honor, but Allah says…that he CHOSE us. Allah sees potential in us that even we might not even realize ourselves. There is potential of good inside all of us, its just us who have to tap into that and use that to make good changes and leave an impact that will be beneficial to the Ummah.

This religion gives us a profound purpose. Islam gives meaning to life. You see people today just walking around doing the same old routine- hanging out with friends, school, career, relationships, break ups, parties, night clubs, drinkning, “having fun”- yet how satisfying is it really? How happy are the celebrities on TV? How happy are the people that live life like this? Do they sleep contented; do they feel full? Usually the answer is no. Why? Because that’s not what we were here for to begin with. “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” [51:58]

In a recent discussion, Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan discussed the difference of mindsets from two different angles: the non-Muslim angle and then the Muslim perspective. In the first cast scenario, Ustadh Nouman described a man that he knew who was writing his thesis for psychology as part of his post-doctorate at NYU. He was a very smart fellow and he had been working on this thesis for over five years. This thesis and working on it had become his life. He was typing it out, and did not have it backed up like we do things now a days, and did not have any other copy except the one that he was typing out. The day he turned the copy in, was the day that he was giving away his only copy of his years and years worth of work and effort. What happened to that thesis? The department ended up losing the thesis and the guy who had spent so much time on this thing, fell over the edge. He became mentally unstable. Ustadh Nouman was saying that years and years later, even when the man had become old, he could be found on campus every once in awhile going around warning people to not trust the department etc etc. Because that thing had become his life, when he lost his thesis, it shook him so much that it changed his mental condition.

On the flip side, Ustadh Nouman told the story of another man that he knew who was a Muslim. This Muslim brother owned a car dealership and sold luxury cars. They mashAllah used to make about 100-200,000 dollars just in profit from their business. However, there was a flood that hit and the entire dealership and the cars were destroyed over night due to the flood. The man overnight lost everything that he had except for his own car. Now, the brother delivers pizza in his luxury Lexus car that was still his and feeds his family that way. Even though he lost his wealth over night, him and his family are living content, and still counting the blessings of Allah. This is what Islam does. It changes your perspective. It makes you realize that nothing in this world is your destination or goal.

At the end of the day, even if you have nothing, you have Islam.  Allah gives and takes but no one can take away Allah from your heart. Because Taqwa isn’t materialistic. Taqwa isn’t physical. It’s in the heart. It’s something no one can snatch from you. Even if you are to lose everything in this world, you still have something that is more valuable than any thing that can be named: Islam.

And this realization itself helps us navigate through all the bumps and roadblocks in our life. No matter what difficulty you may be facing, no matter what sticky or low phase you may be in, realize that through Islam, you have submitted to the one that will never abandon you, never leave you. Everything is to prepare you for something greater.

In the Qur’an, Allah tells the narrative of Musa, alayhisalam in many different place but in one instance, after Allah tells Musa (as) the different things and tests that he went through- him being put down the river, returning back to his mother, him accidently killing someone, the tests he faced after that period- Allah tells Musa (as): “…Then you came [here] at the decreed time, O Moses. And I produced you for Myself.” [20:40-41] Allah flashes Musa’s life before him, letting him know that Allah was always there, Allah was always watching and tells Musa (as) that all of that was for Him, all the tests and difficulties that he had faced were to prepare him for that meeting with Allah. Reading this passage brings a sense of comfort, that just like Musa (as), Allah has always watched over us, been there as we face different phases of our life, and every thing we go through is a preparation for us to return back to Allah and meet him in the hereafter.

We are never alone; we can never feel abandoned. When Musa (as) was standing with his people with the sea in front of him and Pharoh and his soldiers coming up behind him, and Musa’s companions are getting afraid, scared that they’re about to face their end, that all doors are shut, Musa (as) remains firm: [Moses] said, "No! Indeed, with me is my Lord; He will guide me.” [26:62] And we know that he is asked to strike his staff and the sea parts and they are saved. Allah also tells us in the Qur’an that “And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein.” [50:16] Allah lets us know how close His presence is…closer to us than a major vein of body that if harmed, our existence would be put in jeopardy. Allah is even closer to us that that. Allah knows us better than we know ourselves, Allah is the all-hearing, all-seeing, the just, the loving, the giver of all things, that one who answers the call of his slaves. Allah never abandons us, Allah never withholds anything except to give much greater. Allah plan is the best of plans. We never face a struggle that we are completely alone in…Allah knows the difficulty, Allah knows what we go through and lets us know how near he is to us in Surah Baqarah: “And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.” [2:186] 

This world with everything in it…it’s a means and a journey to something greater: a place where phases don’t exist, a place where pain doesn’t exist, a place where nothing is lost and nothing ends. We were made in Jannah, we were made for Jannah and that’s what we are striving to get back to. This place is tempory and the bargain that Allah asks for is so so simple. For a little while, do good, submit to Allah, pray, develop a relationship with Allah, get through the rough patches, be grateful in the good & the tough times and then for those that are sincere and submit to Allah…for them is a reward that is eternal. How does something temporary even compare to the bargain that Allah is making? We just have to get through this test. Jannah is not free, its not just handed down. We have to live like Muslims with sincerity to attain Jannah.

“Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until [even their] messenger and those who believed with him said,"When is the help of Allah ?" Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near.”  [2:214]

 In the Qur’an, Allah makes comparisons of the things in Jannah to the things of this world. We are familiar with cars in this world, there will be cars in Jannah but better, beyond our imagination. There are fruits and food here, there will be fruits and food there but better, beyond our imagination. There are houses and mansions here, there will be mansions in Jannah, but better beyond our imagination. The whole list of things that you remembered above, it will be in Jannah but way way way better.

“For those who do good in this world is good; and the home of the Hereafter is better”. [16:30]

Life is a beautiful struggle. Hold the dunya, hold this world in your hand. Don’t let it delude you or throw you off course. & Keep the Akhirah in your heart. Yearn & strive for that meeting of Allah and that paradise that awaits the believers! In the end, it will all be worth it.