My Ramblings: Thoughts while on the bus

I have been really itching to write something for quite a while now. Over the last few months I’ve been a mixture of busy and lazy; the lack of my own writings bare testament to this. I hope to insha Allah soon get back into the habit of writing and translating things on a regular basis. However, some have also requested me to use this blog as a blog and share some of my thoughts and tales from my adventures and escapades; I’ll write whatever I can and I pray to Allah Ta’ala that it is of benefit to some people. The following picture can some up my thoughts, putting them into words is harder!

I am a person that thinks a lot. I think the most when I am on travels; I often peer out of the window and observe my surroundings with great interest. In fact, the Qur’an exhorts us to ponder on our travels as when we see different creations of Allah Ta’ala, our hearts are strengthened in believing in him.

Sometimes, it is quite amazing just to put Allah Ta’ala in the context of the world; how useless we are to Allah Ta’ala but how dependant we are on him. I peer in amazement when I see people running from bus to bus and platform to platform in order to carry out their day to day affairs. When we push the ‘stop’ button on the bus and the ‘ting!’ sound rings, every single person getting off the bus has a different thought or worry on their mind. Some are wondering whether they will be late, some are happy they are on time, some are figuring out what to do if they are early; the bottom line here is that every single being on the face of this earth has a different worry on their mind.

Now, let’s put all of this into the context of Allah Ta’ala as our Lord. We read in Ayyatul Kursi, “Allah, there is no God but He; the Living, the All Sustaining.” The word Qayyum (translated here as All Sustaining) has been defined by the commentators of the Qur’an as that being who not only sustains himself but sustains others as well. When we consider ourselves and our day to day lives, we are only responsible for sustaining those around us. A good child will try to help his parents and vice versa however, the scope of maintaining and looking after one another is very limited. We only look after the worries of 3-4 people on a day to day basis. Some of us have really big families so that number may increase a little but the bottom line is, the scope is limited to a few individuals for whom we are responsible...

Baring this in mind, I only understood this feature of Allah, ‘Al Qayyum’, when I was travelling. There are thousands of people all with a different worry or issue but it is Allah Ta’ala who is sustaining them with sustenance of various kinds. 

How amazing is our Allah Ta’ala? We barely are able to look after those around us yet Allah Ta’ala has been taking care of the entirety of humanity from the beginning!

These are a few ramblings of mine, a few points to ponder over... I caution you all in advance from future posts! Sometimes I see things that bug me and as a result I tend to go AWOL which results in an almighty, epic rant!

Allah Ta’ala reward you all. Ameen.

Heart Wrenching Poetry - If my Lord asks me

A man once came to Imām Ahlus-Sunnah, Ahmad bin Hanbal and asked him, "O Imām, what is your opinion on poetry?"

He replied, "Which poetry is this?" to which the man responded by reciting the following couplets:

إذا ما قال لي ربي اما استحييت تعصيني
If my Lord asks me, "Have you shyness in disobeying me?

وتخفي الذنب عن خلقي وبالعصيان تأتيني
You conceal your sins from my creation -- and with sins you come to me."

Imām Ahmad took these lines and repeated them over and over again, and wept profusely to such an extent that one his students said that he almost perished due to him crying so much.

"If my Lord asks me..."

إذا ما قال لي ربي اما استحييت تعصيني

If my Lord asks me, "Have you shyness in disobeying me?

وتخفي الذنب عن خلقي وبالعصيان تأتيني

You conceal your sins from my creation -- and with sins you come to me."

فكيف أجيبُ يا ويحي ومن ذا سوف يحميني؟

So how will I answer? O woe to me -- and who shall protect me?

أسُلي النفس بالآمالِ من حينٍ الى حيني

I keep averting my soul with thoughts of hope -- from time to time.

وأنسى ما وراءُ الموت ماذا بعد تكفيني

And I forget what is to come after death -- and what is to come after I am shrouded.

كأني قد ضّمنتُ العيش ليس الموت يأتيني

As if I am guaranteed life (eternally) -- and that death will not come to me.

وجائت سكرة الموتُ الشديدة من سيحميني

And when the severe stupor of death overtakes me -- who will protect me?

نظرتُ الى الوُجوهِ أليـس منُهم من سيفدينـــي

I looked at the faces; is there not from amongst them who will ransom me?

سأسأل ما الذي قدمت في دنياي ينجيني

I will be asked regarding what I have prepared in my life to save me (on the Day of Judgement).

فكيف إجابتي من بعد ما فرطت في ديني

Then how will I answer -- after I have neglected my religion.

ويا ويحي ألــــم أسمع كلام الله يدعوني

Woe to me! Did I not hear the Speech of Allāh inviting me?

ألــــم أسمع لما قد جاء في قاف ويسِ

Did I not hear what came in (the chapters of) Qāf and Yā-Sīn?

ألـــم أسمع بيوم الحشر يوم الجمع و الديني

Did I not hear about the Day of Gathering, the Day of Assemble and the Day of Judgement?

ألـــم أسمع مُنادي الموت يدعوني يناديني

Did I not hear the crier of death inviting me, calling me?

فيا ربــــاه عبدُ تــائبُ من ذا سيؤويني

So O my Lord, a slave (turning to you) I have repented -- so who then shall shelter me?

سوى رب غفور واسعُ للحقِ يهديني

Except a Lord extensive in forgiveness -- to the truth He will guide me.

أتيتُ إليكَ فارحمني وثقــّـل في موازيني

I have come to you (in repentance) -- so have mercy on me, and make heavy my scales (with good deeds).

وخفَفَ في جزائي أنتَ أرجـى من يجازيني