01-16-2004, 04:06 AM
Asalaamu alikum,
The following story made remember the importance of keeping life in it's proper order, and perspective:
-------------------------------------------
Praise be to Allah and prayer and peace be upon His Messenger, household and companions.
This is a true situation that I went through 3 months ago.
We all see entertainment in having fun (of course halal one) through joining friends for an ice cream, sandwich, or even a beach trip (without going to the water of course for females). We are living in a hard time full of fitnah; we certainly need to entertain ourselves. The Messenger of Allah (sallah Allahu a`alheyee wa sallam) also encouraged us to entertain our hearts for if they are to become tired they go blind.
3 months ago I asked my sister to take me on a two hour drive away from where we live to have breakfast in a restaurant well known with its quality of fava beans and falafel. The restaurant itself reminds me of my childhood and I like the place for many reasons. I haven't been there for quite sometime. Also, I'd like to tell you that Allah blessed me by living with my old mother and looking after her. Usually I simply just go out only for work and the necessary stuff like shopping or any other emergency, but not to visit friends or even family. They all know I prefer to stay with my mother and look after her, even just to give her company. Alhamdulelah who guided me for this and if it was not for Him I wouldn’t have been guided. On that day, I asked my sister to take me for breakfast on Sat. I told her as if talking to myself, will be back before my mother wakes up and thus will not miss anything of what I have to do for her. Deep inside I was feeling guilty but still wanting to go.
I told my mother she said fine, next day (Thu.) she said I feel uncomfortable about it. Mind you again I missed an important point. For 4 months I was suffering some health conditions, which I revealed to no one, I was tired all the time, unable to focus on my work, distracted most of the time and many more other symptoms. I just went on with my life and consulted no doctor about it. I had no time. But the suffering was increasing.
Any way back to that day, I told my mother to pray Istikharah on Fri and let me know.
Friday she prayed Istikharah and told me she is still uncomfortable. Immediately I told her I will cancel the trip. I said no point in going somewhere seeking entertainment while this will make her unhappy, I said this will not be blessed and thus will never attain what I seek. I told her I am fully happy and satisfied to do this in the name of Allah.
Wallahi, upon saying this I felt as if something was covering me from head to toe being removed, I regained my energy, focused, happy and content inside in a way never witnessed before, no symptoms of illness what so ever, without spending money on doctors, lab test or even going for the Fava beans.
Brothers and sisters, be sure when you observe the priorities as per Allah's order you are all safe and happy.
I know you like to see friends and talk to them, but what you attain of entertainment is only temporary I am sure you notice it. The minute you are out of whatever, you feel the same heaviness and tiresome again. Only when you abide by what Allah commands is when you attain an incomparable and permanent feeling that is even hard to describe.
Now what can we learn from this experience, in a hadeeth someone came asking the Prophet's permission to go for Jihad, he asked him do you have old parents, he said yes, the Messenger of Allah (sallah Allah a`alyhee wa sallam) said go and make jihad in them. Many other Ayahs of Quran and hadeeth regarding the value of obeying, being kind and attending to parents and the mother in particular.
