The Prophet (صلى الله علیھ وسلم) said: “There are two blessings that many people are deceived into losing: health and free time.”
Without dhikr and consciousness, there is only a deep-set feeling of uncertainty as time passes. Every moment is an opportunity. A culmination of a million factors by the will of Allah (SWT) have kept us alive, fed, and able to do what we are doing at this moment. That should be extremely humbling, but we are cushioned with praise of ourselves and material distractions. Health is not a measure of worthiness,so to view the fruits of health as an indicator of superiority is a way of pride, opposing gratitude.
We have to be aware of how we spend our time because no matter how static we feel, our calendars still turn forward. If we do not brush our teeth when Allah (SWT) restores our ruh (spirit) each day, our external skeleton (teeth) will start to rust in front of our eyes. Our bodies are designed to decay.
Through social media, we often capsulize ourselves as polished, sociable, and accomplished. Our virtual appearances can lead us to feel a false sense of control on life’s events, naively immersed in competition with similar projections of others. Blessings can slip away from remembrance when our actions center on drawing narratives. This is most damaging when we start to believe in our own constructed realities and lose the present, our peace.
Our days, milestones, and memories are not much more than a montage of passing moments. Time never stops moving, so emotions and thoughts can pile, but it is helpful to pause. We cannot forget that situations will change and stories will end, it is only our souls that are eternal. If we become too lost in the intricacies of personal images and desires, we risk neglecting the communities to which we are connected.
As Mohammad Ali eloquently states, “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.” Faith can be a great source of motivation to take care of those around us, but religion has sadly become an ornament in many of our lives. Praying or fasting can be just physical rituals we do. When we focus on convenience, and the blessings other people are receiving, we
not only feel devoid of responsibility to others and our deen, but can easily become stuck in a mindset of self-pity.
Paying attention to our emotions and practicing self-care is vital, but it should not be reduced to affirmations and beautification. Displays of flamboyance and extravagance in the way we carry ourselves keep us incredibly preoccupied and reflect “work on oneself,” but more so, an internal longing for flavor and excitement. We want to feel rejuvenated, and that is only sustainably achieved through solid internal reflection, in addition to maintaining outer appearances.Nature is full of color—many shades we cannot name, let alone produce. Our family, friends, and the eyes we meet should already possess enough of the beauty and variance we need to feel lit up. Finding color and joy in this world is about uncovering majesty in what we already have in front of us.
Yet often, we grow tired of the known. Growing up involves being disillusioned. We start to notice how days come and go as they are meant to be, not necessarily how we plan.
Change will come with time. Wait a few hours and the entire sky will change. Wait a few months and tree branches will regrow leaves. We cannot always force change. Islam reminds us that we are the ones who submit. There is no inner peace in this life without submission. “What you seek is seeking you”- Rumi. Belief has to be at the core of everything, and the beauty of Islam is that every necessary action has a tariqah (method) and a niyyah (intention) that is balanced, if we look to the seerah of Rasul Allah (SWS).
In Islam, there is a fill to every void. There is a blessing in routine, wisdom to remaining quiet, and an unchanging recipe for how to eat, think, and act. There are duaas for every occasion: go to a marketplace, engage in business, raise children, and depart from this world, with remembrance. No matter where you are or how you feel, Allah (SWT) provides us a practical way to not get lost. Duaas are inscribed jewels to a moderate life, blanketed by dignity, and medicated for arrogance, greed, and disappointment.
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: “Verily, when the slave (of Allah) commits a sin, a black spot appears on his heart. When he refrains from it, seeks forgiveness and repents, his heart is polished clean. But if he returns, it increases until it covers his entire heart.”
While the spiritual heart referenced in this hadith is not visible to us, we have intuitions: we know what makes us calm and in what situations we are restless. It is interesting how our physical habits imprint differences on our organs. For example, we can discern a healthy liver from one with alcohol damage; healthy lungs from an individual who has never smoked, the lungs of a smoker, and the lungs of an ex-smoker who is healing and now has fewer black spots. SubhanAllah, similarly to our deeds, we have been given clear signs about the consequences of our habits.
All we have for certain is this very moment in time. Death is a guarantee, and if we neglect death, we deny faith. If we deny faith, we deny our purpose in life—the cycle continues. If we go through our days without taking ownership of our moments, we risk becoming lifeless, deluded into purposeless action and virtual distractions from reality.
Inshaa’Allah, by not letting perfect be the enemy of good, images overtake pleasant moments, and comparison plague our gratitude, we can make fleeting moments more meaningful.
Fatema Rehmani is a sophomore at Saint Louis University. Her personal philosophy is, “If you want to make the world a better place, look at yourself and make a change” -Michael Jackson. Her hobbies include baking, writing, and spending time with friends and family.