Some days carry more light than others.

Have you ever wondered why?

It’s often not the days where you get the most done, be it chores, work, or studies, though there is certainly satisfaction in that.

Rather, it’s those days that you fill with meaning, whether it’s immersing in nature, making loved ones happy, or allotting time to pursue something you’re passionate about outside of any obligation.

But the truth of life is that these moments of freedom from responsibility and commitments are few and far between. 

So how do we combine that feeling of excitement and peace of doing what enthralls our souls with our everyday tasks and duties?

By elevating our deeds with higher intentions.

We channel our purpose into everything we do, instead of making those individual actions our purpose in life.

And what is our purpose? What is the Why behind all our pursuits?

To worship Allah.

And worship includes a vast spectrum; it is all the words and deeds, inwardly and outwardly, that please Allah.

It comprises all the beautiful and beneficial things that our Lord loves and that lead us to His Love.

The Worthwhile Accomplishment

A person could have the whole world resting on the palm of their hand.

They could have the best qualifications and most renowned career, they could sport the most flashy cars and live in a house that gets featured in Architectural Digest, but they can still dwell in misery.  They can still miss the point of life and feel adrift in a dark ocean with no beginning and no end.

However, the person who lives with the bare minimum, who is struggling to make ends meet and doesn’t even have the facilities to admire the mansions featured in Architectural Digest, that person could be completely satisfied and ready to smilingly help anyone they meet. Why? Because they know why they are here, they know that this life isn’t the be-all and end-all, that it’s only-

“…A day or part of a day…”    [ Surah Al-Mu’minun: 113 ]

And,

“…The Hereafter is better and more enduring.”    [Surah Al-A’la:17]

This person recognizes that his deeds don’t have to be epic and grand, he doesn’t have to collect and flaunt all the accolades of the world, and he doesn’t have to possess any of the so-called markers of success of the Dunya.

All we need to do, my brothers and sister, is our best with what we have, and connect even the tiniest good deed back to Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى.  

Remember the man who removed something harmful from the road and received Jannah in return?

[Sahih Muslim 4751]

Remember the woman who split her date to feed her two children and was promised Paradise for it?  

[Sahih Bukhari 5649]

These small and simple deeds are made immensely significant because of the Greatness of the One we are sacrificing for.

My brothers and sisters, we cannot remember our purpose only five times a day or run to Allah only when something bad happens to live an enriching life.

We have to be always attuned with our purpose, treating every creation and interaction as an ayah (sign) from Allah, seeking Allah’s Greatness, His Beautiful Face, in everything we encounter and everything we attempt.

So, whether it’s dusting the house, cooking for your household, working late to save up for sadaqah, teaching children to marvel at the world, or showing kindness to a random stranger, use every opportunity to race towards the Divine.

We Always Need Allah

My brothers and sisters, the fact that Allah has absolutely no need of us makes His infinite Mercy, Generosity, Patience, and Forgiveness all the more astounding and beautiful.

However, while He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy, He is also the Most Wise and Just.

Therefore, with His Perfect Wisdom and Justice, Allah has decreed that:

“Deeds are considered by the intentions, and a person will get the reward according to his intention.”

[ Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

And if you think about it, brothers and sisters, isn’t this justice?

Why should Allah reward His slaves for something they never even wished for? Instead, He gives us only what we strive for.

Let’s not forget the hadith of the first three people to enter the Fire.   

A scholar of the Qur’an who taught others, a martyr who died fighting for Allah’s Deen, and a wealthy man who spent abundantly in sadaqah.

My brothers and sisters, we can’t imagine worthier and more righteous actions than these if we tried, so then, how do these people end up in the worst destination?

Because they forgot Allah and did these deeds exclusively to bolster their ego. In short, these people were worshipping themselves and their desires, not the Lord of the Worlds.

The Qur’an teacher only desired to be praised as knowledgeable and eloquent. And SubhanAllah, this shows that he had no knowledge or respect for Allah’s Book in reality.

The martyr wanted to be glorified as a courageous hero. He gave up Allah’s Pleasure after his death for something he wouldn’t even live to enjoy.

The man who spent in every imaginable avenue that Allah loves did not do so out of gratitude to Allah for His Provision-no, it was so that people would gasp and say, “How generous he is!”

[Hadith 6, 40 Hadith Qudsi]

And they got what they wanted- they were celebrated for a while, and then forgotten.

However, there was nothing for them in the Hereafter.

These immensely noble acts of worship were warped by their self-serving intentions till they became meaningless in the Sight of Allah.

My brothers and sisters, again, I reiterate: Allah does not need us.

But we are nothing without Him.

 I recently read a hard-hitting quote that said (and I paraphrase),

“The person floating out to sea with no idea of what is going to happen to him does not need Allah more than those of us who are safe and sound in our homes.”

It’s up to us to take a lesson and never forget what truly matters - Allah’s Pleasure.

Reframing what Matters

Some hearts carry more light than others.

These are the hearts that tremble in awe as they remember the meeting with their Lord.

These hearts flood with gratitude as they reflect on His Favours.

Those that recognize that nothing in this world is more worthy than pleasing our Creator and nothing in this world can compare to an Eternity celebrating His Closeness.

Let’s time travel back to our Prophet ﷺ as he left Ta’if, bleeding and broken. He had been humiliated and despised, even though all he had spoken were gentle words of Truth. He had also just lost the love of his life, Khadijaرضي الله عنها , and his most stalwart supporter, Abu Talib, who had grieved him deeply by dying upon disbelief.

Allah’s beautiful Rasul was suffering extreme mental and physical torture that eludes our comprehension, and he hadn’t done a single thing wrong.

What would we have done in his place?

Maybe we would have desperately looked for food and water or some kind outsider who could offer us some warmth and shelter.

Some people might have questioned Allah’s Decree at this point, “What did I do to deserve this? How could life be so unfair?”

But Rasulullah ﷺ did not place his expectations on the people, and he did not indulge in self-pity.

In this dire situation, his first instinct was not, “How do I help myself?”

Instead, his attitude during the lowest and most painful moment of his life was, “What does Allah want from me?”

He never forgot that he is the ‘Abd (slave) of Allah; His purpose was to be of service and not to be served.

Here’s part of his remarkable du’a to his Lord in his weakness, humiliation, and scarcity,

“…So long as You are not angry with me, I do not care. Your favour is of a more expansive relief to me. I seek refuge in the light of Your Face by which all darkness is dispelled and every affair of this world and the next is set right, lest Your anger or Your displeasure descends upon me. I desire Your pleasure and satisfaction until You are pleased...”

[Ar-Raheeq-Al-Makhtum]

While Rasulullah ﷺ is undoubtedly the best of Mankind, don’t think that this kind of relationship with Allah is beyond our capacity.

In fact, if we build and strengthen our connection to Him in times of ease, we will inevitably be brought near to Him in times of hardship.

Even when we are in pain, we will never despair because we recognize that we have a Rabb Who cares enough about us to purify us so we can be the best version of ourselves.

As the Prophet ﷺ advised us,

“Recognize and acknowledge Allah in times of ease and prosperity, and He will remember you in times of adversity.”

[Hadith 19, 40 Hadith an-Nawawi]

My brothers and sisters, your deeds are as meaningful as your intentions.

Happiness in this Dunya never works out in the way you want it to, but Allah’s Promise is always true and what He has in store for us is Infinitely better.

When Allah accepts what you do and when He loves you and is pleased with you, then you don’t just have the world in the palm of your hand- you have everything. You have the Promise of a Home that is wider than the heavens and the earth, and what’s more, you will be able to delight in the Highest Company.

I shall end by imparting this profound du’a of Umar bin Al-Khattab that I hope, In Shaa Allah, you will learn with both mind and heart,

اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ عَمَلِي صَالِحًا وَاجْعَلْهُ لَكَ خَالِصًا وَلَا تَجْعَلْ لِأَحَدٍ فِيهِ شَيْئًا

Allahumma  Ja'al  Amalee Salihan Waja'al hu Laka Khalisan  Wa La  Thaja'al Li Ahadin  Feehi  Shayyan

“O Allah, make my deeds righteous, make them purely for Your sake, and do not let anyone else have a share of them.”

[al-Zuhd li-Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal 617