Fajr Thoughts: Nearness to Him Part 1

It begins with Mercy

In the name of Allah, the entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful

بِسمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحمٰنِ الرَّحيمِ ‎

In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. [Qur’an 1:1]

If you had only one chance to introduce yourself to someone, just a few words to tell them who you are, what would you say?

What would you choose to highlight?

When Allah ﷻ introduces Himself in the Qur’an, He doesn’t start with His power, His authority, or even His justice.

He starts with mercy.

Every chapter of the Qur’an (except one) begins with this introduction. Every prayer, every moment we whisper Bismillah before doing anything, we are reminded that before He is anything else to us, He is Ar-Rahmān, Ar-Rahīm.

Ar-Rahmān: A mercy so vast, it reaches everything and everyone. The believer, the disbeliever, the grateful, the heedless. It is the air we breathe, the heart that beats without our permission, [I remember showing my anger many years ago by holding my breath because I didn’t want to breathe the same air as the poor soul who upset me..but i digress], the food that nourishes us even when we forget to say Bismillah before eating. It is the kind of mercy that never waits to be earned, it just is.

Ar-Rahīm: A mercy that is intimate. It is the moment He pulls you back to prayer after days of distraction. The way He places the right words in your heart when you need comfort. The way He opens doors when you least expect it.

وعن عمر بن الخطاب، رضي الله عنه ، قال‏: ‏ قدم رسول الله ، صلى الله عليه وسلم، بسبي، فإذا امرأة من السبي تسعى، إذ وجدت صبياً في السبي أخذته، فألزقته ببطنها، فأرضعته، فقال رسول الله، صلى الله عليه وسلم‏: ‏ “أترون هذه المرأة طارحة ولدها في النار‏؟‏” قلنا لا والله ‏.‏ قال‏: ‏ ‏ "‏لله أرحم بعباده من هذه الأم بولدها‏"‏ ‏(‏‏(‏متفق عليه‏)‏‏)‏

'Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Some prisoners were brought to Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) amongst whom there was a woman who was running (searching for her child). When she saw a child among the captives, she took hold of it, pressed it against her belly and gave it a suck. Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Do you think this woman would ever throw her child in fire?" We said, "By Allah, she would never throw the child in fire." Thereupon Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Allah is more kind to his slave than this woman is to her child". [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Riyad as-Salihin 418

So…

Let His Mercy Reach You. Some of us carry wounds we do not believe can heal. But He is Ar-Rahmān, and His mercy has no limits. Let it reach you.

No matter what I have done, no matter how long I have been away, He is waiting. And NOW is the best time to re-connect.

Be a Vessel of Mercy. As I look to claim Allah’s mercy for myself, I should not hesitate to extend mercy to others.

If He is Ar-Rahmān, how can I hold grudges? If He is Ar-Rahīm, how can I not be gentle with those who seek my forgiveness?

Begin Everything With His Name: Whether it is a new day, a new task, or a new chapter in life, begin it with Bismillah. Let His mercy fill our moments.

If the only thing we ever knew about Allah was that He is Ar-Rahmān, Ar-Rahīm, it would be enough. But He is so much more and there is nothing like Him.

But knowing it is one thing, feeling it is another.

So, the next time you say Bismillah, pause!

Feel the weight of His mercy in your life. Let yourself ache for it. And then remember, before you even realised you needed it, He had already surrounded you with it.

SubhānAllah! Such Mercy.

O Allah ﷻ help us see Your mercy in our lives and help us embody mercy as we engage with our loved ones. Amin!

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If you would like to reflect on least one ayah daily this blessed month, then go ahead and get your copy of Fajr Thoughts. It contains a summary of each juz, an ayah or passage from each juz, some notes from tafasir and then some questions to get you started on your reflections.