Bismillah!
How are you dear sisters? I have missed posting on this platform. I took a quick break from writing because of some health issues I was dealing with. I am now recovering from it all Alhamdulillah. Part of recovery for me when dealing with a difficult situation is to write, reflect and learn from my qadr. I was reflecting on this past year, on my life, on what happened with me, around me, with my loved ones, with Al An 4 U, with my goals and noted that overall, it had been a tremendous year of growth maa shaa Allah.
For a while now, I have chosen the word ‘growth’ to focus on to better myself. SubhannAllah, growth it has been!
I think at the time when I chose that word, I only thought of growing Al An 4 U, of growing the positive impact, growing in knowledge, in eeman etc… What I didn’t think of, was the fact that with growth, there is pain, there is discomfort, there is risk, there is loss, there is resilience, there is patience…
Life being an excellent teacher, I now have a better idea of what growth entails. Alhamdulillah I embrace it all because I have seen how good it has been for me maa shaa Allah. I just pray Allah Azza Wajal forgive the shortcomings and accept the good. Aameen.
During this time of growth, I’ve learned to face some of my fears, say Bismillah and act seeking Allah’s help. What I noted from that is that the fear was often greater than the reality of the situation.
Fear of Dunya paralyzes us sisters, it stops us from growing, it stops us from reaching our highest potential, it is a barrier between us and complete reliance in Allah Azza Wajal. Instead, let’s worry about the pleasure of Allah, fear the displeasure of Allah, say Bismillah and proceed. If what we want to do is good for our Akhirah, let’s plant the seed now, today. Never delay planting that seed of Akhirah! Time to do good is always NOW!
I have also learned about growth from the loss of my dear friend and sister, Lateefah, may Allah forgive her and have mercy on her soul. She passed earlier this year, and her death contributed to so much growth for me subhannAllah. Whenever I procrastinate, I think of how she spent the last days of her life, planting the seeds of Akhirah. She would enroll in all the classes Al An 4 U offered, she would participate in class, she would do the homework and at times, she would just join the class to listen because she was in too much pain to do anything else. I remember her and ask myself: “am I busy planting the seeds of Akhirah with the time I have left”?
I have learned to look for the ease in difficult and painful situations and learned that when you focus on the ease, the pain lessens.
I have learned that I can not grow on my own, I need to be in the right environment and surround myself with the right people. This is huge when seeking to grow. The right soil for the right seed is key!
I have learned that growth also requires a lot of patience and prayers because the results will never be in my hands. We can plant seeds all day, but Allah Azza Wajal is the Only One who can make that seed grow into something beautiful for you to harvest. Alhamdulillah in our beautiful deen, intentions count even more than the result, so I learned that the planting of the seed also starts with having the right intentions.
Even though we have no control over the results, it is still on us to plant. If we plant the seed of Akhirah with beautiful intentions, the harvest is guaranteed in this life and/or in the next so never quit planting, never quit hoping in His Mercy and in His promise. May we all witness many beautiful harvest in this life and most importantly in the Akhirah. Allahumma Aameen!
In my coaching practice, I help sisters set beautiful intentions for themselves and seek clarity. If you want to work with me, message me or visit our coaching packages at Al An 4 U.
Binta Umm Yahya is the owner of Al An 4 U Online Coaching which is an online platform for Qur’an lessons, Islamic studies and Lifecoaching for Muslimas and women interested in Islam. She has been teaching Qur’an for over 7 years now and is an ongoing student of Qur’an with her husband imam Ahmed Abu Suhailah. She loves reciting, teaching and reflecting on the Qur’an. She is a Certified Master Lifecoach and a NLP Practitioner who absolutely enjoys coaching her sisters in faith to help them gain clarity, focus and understanding of their religion so they live their best life and connect to their Maker. Whenever she is not teaching or coaching, you can find her staring at the sky, reading or journaling with a big cup of tea. 🙂
Time To Do Good Now 