the ways were hard, somewhat
the sorrows collared my neck, as well
the townsfolk were harsh, somewhat
the death wish, I had, as well
Poetry: Muneer Niazi
Translated by – Jasdeep
I can’t stress this enough.
— Heaven, Mieko Kawakami
[text ID: I knew that it was cruel to be so optimistic, but, in my solitude, I couldn't resist the urge and spent entire days basking in idiotic fantasies, sometimes verging on prayer.]
Yūsuf ibn al-Husayn ar-Rāzī said:
“The most difficult thing in the world is ikhlās. How I struggle to remove showing off from my heart and it is as if it grows in it again with other colours.”
[Jami' Al-'Ulum Wa'l-Hikam by Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali رحمه الله pg. 10]
coming back to the things you loved when you were younger feels so special
Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī (رحمه الله) stated,
“One of the Salaf said, They would supplicate to Allah for six months to allow them to reach Ramadan, then they would supplicate to Him for six months to accept [their worship].”
[Lata’if al-Ma arif (Dar Ibn Hazm), 376.]
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“When a person does not have enough good deeds to reach a certain level in Jannah, but Allah wants him to attain that level, then Allah tests him and puts him through difficult trials so that Allah may make him reach that level (in Jannah).”
[Sahih Ibn Hibban; Al Ihsan, Hadith: 2908]
Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله:
“Lofty ranks cannot be reached except with trials.”
[Majmu’ al-Fataawa v25, p302]
The Prophet ﷺ said,
“When death was approaching the Prophet Nuh عليه السلام, he said to his son,
‘I will narrate to you my bequest; I command you with two things and prohibit you from two things.
I command you with La ilaha illAllah (‘There is none worthy of worship in truth except Allaah),
if the seven heavens and the seven earths were placed upon a scale and La ilaha illAllah was placed on the other, then La ilaha illAllah would be heavier.
If the seven heavens and the seven earths were a closed off circle then La ilaha illAllah would be able to break it.
The second thing I command you with is Subhana Allaahi wa bihamdihi because it is a supplication for everything, and by it the creation is given its provision, and I prohibit you from shirk and pride.’”
[Al Silsila As Sahiha, 3130]