Muslim Kid

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Every little conflict in life, or everything we perceive as a conflict, we have a hand in getting to that situation. If you can't understand why your friend hates when you haven't done anything, more likely than not, you have done something wrong. I've always been told--you know one of those wise, really-smart, and practical advices the intellectual people in mankind have passed on, yet we just call it foolish, stupid and unpractical. You know what I'm talking about, don't you? Well the ability to look at every conflict as partially due to your own faults--its really useful. It will humble you and force you to accept your mistakes.

1. Academic Standing - Hmm, I wish I got all A's. My parents would never complain about anything and life would be set. Why don't I get straight A's? Teachers, too much work, not enough time, or is that material just that hard? Nope, its me. For example, if right now If I wasn't on Facebook I could read my Chapters 18 and 19 in Bailey and get it out of the way. It always IS my fault. I waste time doing stupid stuff that if I didn't, I could do even MORE in life. If I had more free time I could read books, something I never seem to have time to. I could sleep and then not fall asleep (once) in APUSH and get yelled for it in front of my mom and being told how it is unacceptable. Just kidding, Ms. Park's doing her job, I really should not have fallen asleep in class. If she keeps bringing it up, then that's good, shes making sure I won't ever again. If I was able to think more clearly then I could harvest the material in Chemistry so that I didn't make little mistakes on tests. And If I put more effort in my homework, I would not have a B in American Lit. Faique, all these B's are reflective of you and no one else.

2. Family - I'm so blessed to have understanding, providing, and reasonable parents. Luckily, my parents are an essential part to the "push" that motivates me, but even then why do I get into minors arguments with my siblings? Okay, those of you guys reading this thinking, whats the big deal about arguing? It is a big deal knowing you could have prevented it! If my little brothers comes in my room and I just tell him to get out and he gets upset, its all my fault. Even if its his fault, its my fault for not making him understand and for not being understanding.

3. Friends - I love you guys, my "real" friends. You guys don't give me the strength to do anything, you do something even more important, you keep me going! Thank you. Where do I fail with my friends? I think often the spotlight is on me rather than my friend who I might be talking to. If I talk too much, just tell me. I need to learn to talk less and listen more. I'm sorry for not being a friend sometimes, I really do try (but I guess not hard enough at times).

4. Religion - "Remember me and I will remember you" If I can't establish my Salah how do I ever expect any form of success in life? You established yourself before, why are you going back? This is pathetic. You don't even need to verbalize your mistakes in this category, just leave the bad and the good will come. But understand that you can't blame the "cards" its not about what cards your getting because in that case you've been getting Royal Flushes with those teachers, your parents, your friends, and everything else too; just play the cards right! Allah (God) is giving you so many chances to become somebody--something amazing! We hear about these amazing people who we call our role models, whats their secret? They all took advantage of their youths! Stop wasting your time kid.

5. Life - Whats the general conflict of life for me? Like I said, I'm getting some amazing cards, why are you playing them so bad? I learn something interesting everyday. Today I leaned two! I keep thinking to myself, don't be too happy because then you will become too sad and don't be too sad because then you will become too happy (and then too sad again). True that. It reminded me of a narration of Imam Abu Hanifa ( I think) that goes something like this: Imam Hanafi was informed of his merchant ships recent economic activity, that his ships had made a higher than expected profit. Imam Hanafi said, "Alhumdulillah" which means like Thank God. Then later he was informed that his ships had not made a hefty profit and instead made a hefty lost. He still said "Alhumdulillah" and then the man asked him why he was saying Thank God to a bad thing? He responded: "The first time I was told that I made a gain in this world, I looked at my heart and was happy that It didn't make me too happy and then when I was told I got a lost, I was just glad that Thank God a loss in this world didn't make me too sad" Subhanallah (Praise be to God) These people were so amazing! Why can't you be like them!? Independent of the ups and downs of this world. But no, one day that person says this to you and next day they say that to you and one day your happy and the next day your sad; stop. The second thing I learned was ... well I can't remember.

Just, like Ms. Park said. You KNOW what your doing wrong, so then stop saying, "yes, yes" and get to it. Pray for me friends.

As time plays its role, my dad continues to age and I continue to "mature". If I was given a dollar for every time I thought I was "mature" and knew the meaning of life and really I didn't, I'd be seriously rich.

This blog used to play a very different role in my life, but as I just mentioned, that was the meaning of life, before. Now, blogging just seems like someone sharing their experiences for others to read--well it was always just that--but the function it serves is different. Before, blogging was where my thoughts met paper (or electrolytes in the case of computers) but now I view it differently. I'm wasting my time blogging my life away.

Paper is meaningless, as it should be, it’s just a means, and I guess that's the new function of my blog. I blog when necessary, to get through life. Before, I think I was seriously blogging, for the sake of blogging.

Anyway.

Shaykh Husain in a very old lecture mentioned a very comprehensible analogy of what life should be for the Mu'min. Here is the scenario: Imagine if Starbucks said they will give free coffee to the first hundred people in line and then whoever brings it back the next day, in the same condition (it'll cool down of course) will get one million dollars!

We would run to Starbucks to make sure we were one of the first hundred to get the coffee to begin with. Then once we got it, we would let nothing disturb that coffee. We would make sure it remained intact and as preserved as possible. If you dropped a little bit, you would not be able to claim that one million dollars and no way would we trade it in for a few, a few hundred or even a few thousand dollars! Who would give you that much money for coffee anyway?

Well that coffee represents our Iman, our status as Muslims. And this one day period, between getting the coffee and keeping it in the same condition till you get that million dollar check, represents the Duniya. The reality of this scenario is not the that less than twenty four hours time period, but after you get that money--only then you can fully enjoy the benefits of your toils, right? Similarly, that check represents our ticket to Jannah (Heaven), we will trade in our Iman, that which as Muslims have perserved and in return be giving the best of rewards: Jannah.

Luckily for us! Life isn't even that hard. Yep, you read that right! Life isn't that hard, Allah (SWT) is much more merciful than the factors present in the anecdote. Allah (SWT) gives us the chance to refill our cup and clean it, outside in case the cup is dirty, and inside incase a bug or something secretly crept in! What is this chance, a chance that we are given five times everyday!? Imagine Starbucks telling you that if you come to the store during a certain time they will refill the cup for you, practically give you a new one! It would be super easy then to get that million dollar check, right?

Above all this, what if Starbucks was even more generous and said that they would give opportunities for people to fill up their cups more than they needed, incase some coffee dripped. Then we would be set so that even if some coffee fell, we would still be safe. By the mercy of Allah, we have this too! Allah gives us Salah, continual chance to redeem our Iman, if that wasn't merciful enough, he offers us the ability to boost our Iman beyond what is necessitated: we fast, we do Hajj and we pay zakah!

Of course, even with all this--it’s easier said than done. What if Starbucks published--and gave out for free, a guide, "How to get a million dollars from Starsbucks for Dummies"! Then which one of those 100 people shouldn't win? Only those without brains and any common sense, those living in ignorance and stupidity. Allah is amazing that he gave us this guide, the Quran!

You might complain to Starbucks, "this book is just too hard to understand" and so they tell you, "don't worry, look at the footnotes and commentary. It will set you straight" and Subhanallah, Allah gave us this too: the Sunnah of the Prophet(S).

The reality is of the story is that Starbucks would never do this; it’s the biggest joke ever. Yet this is OUR reality, as Muslims. As Muslims, we have been blessed with Iman, and are fortunate enough that our Lord is so merciful that he is in essence dragging us back on the right path. Every time we stray too far from the right path, we are re-guided through means of our Salah. For the rust that accumulates for a year's worth of sinning and hardening, Allah blesses us with even more powerful tools: zakah and fasting. And the Mercy of our Lord doesn't end there! For those who spend a lifetime sinning and living in heedlessness; for them there is Hajj!

And yet there is more! Imagine is starbucks said: "Okay so whoever came here with their coffee cups even if the coffee is gone or if you have a drop of coffee in your cup, we will give you a million dollars for trying" then, THEN which one of those people would not get the million dollars? Only those who were such idiots that it is beyond comprehension. Similarly, as a reoccurring theme in the Quran states, Intentions are based on intention! If you intended to have your coffee in the morning perfectly in the same condition (if not better) than it was given to you, then star bucks would give you the million dollars. Yea right! But Subhanallah that is the mercy of our Lord that if we intend to do well on this earth, he will reward us with our intentions.

Think of this: For those who do good deeds for 40 years of your life then before you die you renounce Allah and die in disbelief (Audubillah, may it happen to no one), then you will enter Hell because you disbelief. Subhanallah isn't it unfair that this person will go to hell forever, yet he only sinned for so long. On the contrary: Imagine a person who has sinned for 40 years of his life and before he dies, he accepts Allah and dies with Iman. That person, while only doing good deeds for such a small amount of time, is granted Falah! Everlasting success, that which cannot be lost! Such is the mercy of Allah, you are judged on your intentions. Such that if you were kept on that earth for another hundred years, you would commit that which you intend.

So then how exactly do you get from a cup of coffee to a million dollars? You give them the cup and they will give you the check! And in reality, for us, how do we get from this Iman we have been bestowed with and trade it in for Jannah? This is the essence of this story. The one focus of our lives: to die in belief. To die saying the words La-ilaha-ilalla. And that my friends, is the One Focus of our lives Put into Perspective.

Now imagine, what if Starbucks NEVER even did this whole thing? Imagine if you weren't part of those 100 people. What if you just weren't smart enough to bring the coffee back in the morning! Alhumdulilah, if you are reading this, you are probably one of the blessed people who has been one born, two born Muslim, and three given Hidaya by Allah so that DO care about their religion. Alhumdulillah, what else can we say?
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I think that is definitely the most amazing concept I have ever read, understood, or wrote about. Shaykh Husain is so amazing, May Allah shower him with Happiness. This is something we really need to think about. I really enjoyed listening to those lectures. (The Starbucks example is from the second Lecture) Its really long, Puting things into Prespective. Enjoy.

P.S. Please make Dua for me. I really need it at this point in life.

-The Muslim Kid-

See this.

I want to wake up and look at the dawn sky.
Look at the motley colors of the horizon.
I want to hear the farewells of owls and the singing of the morning birds.
Thank Allah.
Bow and pray, for another blessed day.
Just me and my Lord.

I want to hike mountains and run in large open fields.
On a hill above a large body of water, I want to look around and stare in awe far into the distance.
Looking at the sun above me and the openness around me.
I want to feel gravity as I stand on the sloped mountain pulling me down yet I conversely feel higher than ever before.
As close to my Lord as I can ever be.
Bow in prostration and remain therein forever.
Reflect the words that I do say, "All Praise is due to Allah alone, Master of all the worlds"
Just me and my Lord.

I want to stand aside rivers flowing rapidly and those of less fervent flowing peacefully.
Look down the river till I can no more.
Put my hand in the peaceful flow of water to make wudu.
Thank Allah for making it so benign that I may do so.
I want to look with awe at the fierce current of the raging river.
Fear and obey Allah just as the river and all of creation does.

I want to wander about fields of tall grasses.
Where both east and west lay no road.
And if it rains, let the rains wet me.
Just the puddle forming in the empty spots.
Free from this life, just the thought of my Lord.
He who has knowledge of all,
the swaying of the grasses because of his winds,
the flight of the rain drops when they fall,
and of me, bowing in prostration.
Accompanied by my shadow, two times my height.
Just me and my Lord.

I want to sit on the high plains, watching the sun.
Off into the west, thus is the command of my Lord.
The wind become swifter and the leaves swivel around in golden ratios.
The orange and red shine vividly from the crumbling leaves.
I want to hear the sound of the leaves tearing away as my forehead touches the ground.
I Pray, such is the command of my Lord.
Just me and my Lord.

I want to look above at the night sky and at the branches of the trees blocking my view.
Feel warmth in the coldness around me.
Find comfort in the misery and dangers of the dark.
All are asleep, yet I know,
neither fatigue nor slumber overtake my lord.
I look up at the moon and hear its silent worship.
It is a mere sign for never can I truly grasp my lord.
Yet he his grasp is over all of vision. Ya Al-Basir!
And many fathoms away, in Heaven, the angels praise my Lord.
And so, too, was I created: to praise my lord.
Finally, I want look below myself and familiarize myself.
For so soon I shall visit the dirt.
Just me and my Lord.

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I don't 'believe' in poetry. This is just a gamut of emotions, feelings, and thoughts. The purpose of it? I want to go camping! For so long, I have not went camping. But now, I really want to. I want to pray secluded and satisfied in nature. Away from the material world. I should stop before I end up composing another 'poem'.


Inshallah, we all continue to establish and perfect our salah.
Keep this kid in your duas, he needs it.

-The Muslim Kid-