Fajr Thoughts: Nearness to Him Part 15

All in Praise of Him

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

{ تُسَبِّحُ لَهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰ⁠تُ ٱلسَّبۡعُ وَٱلۡأَرۡضُ وَمَن فِیهِنَّۚ وَإِن مِّن شَیۡءٍ إِلَّا یُسَبِّحُ بِحَمۡدِهِۦ وَلَـٰكِن لَّا تَفۡقَهُونَ تَسۡبِیحَهُمۡۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ حَلِیمًا غَفُورࣰا }

[Surah Al-Isrāʾ: 44]

The seven heavens and the earth and whatever is in them exalt Him. And there is not a thing except that it exalts His praise, but you do not understand their way of exalting. Indeed, He is Ever-Forbearing, Most Forgiving."

Stillness has become something strange.

The rustling of trees, the waves as they hit the shore, the silence between each breath we take, well except when with a flu or if one snores while sleeping.

We live in a world filled with noise, conversations, loud ads, machines, notifications, the hum of life moving so fast.

And there is a silent dhikr that never stops.

The sky in its vastness glorifies Him. The wind in its movement, the trees in the swaying of their leaves, the rivers as they flow and the mountains as they stand firm…

all in tasbeeh…

SubhānAllah

Alhamdulillah

Allahu Akbar

All in constant remembrance of Allah.

Everything remembers Him.

And yet, I sometimes forget.

The mountains hold their ground in tasbeeh, but I waver in my faith.

The stars remain in their pre-ordained orbit, but I stumble in my submission.

The wind moves exactly as He commands, but I hesitate when called to surrender.

The whole universe is in perfect remembrance of Him, and me, the one blessed with intellect, and choice, I falter.

Even when we forget, His universe remembers.

If Allah were to seize us for every sin, for every moment of heedlessness, for every breath spent in forgetfulness, where would we be?

He grants respite (and He granted respite even to Shaytan). He allows us to return. His forbearance is not because He is unaware, nor because He is in need of our worship. Rather, it is because His mercy outweighs His wrath, because He invites not just destroys.

He is al-Haleem (The Most Forbearing)—He does not rush to punish us when we forget. He does not cast us away when we turn to everything but Him. He is patient.

And He is al-Ghafoor (The Most Forgiving)—because He knows we will forget. He knows we will sin. He knows we will wake up some days and feel distant, lost, heavy with the weight of neglect.

He knows that even when I get lost in all of the noise of this world, I would still long for Him.

And still, the moment I whisper His name, the moment I seek Him again, He forgives.

I wish I could come back.

I want to come back.

Please Ya Rabb, bring me back to you.

I don’t want to be the only thing in creation that is silent while everything else praises you.

Hasan al-Basri (رحمه الله) once looked at the ayah, "Will they not repent to Allah and ask His forgiveness? For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Al-Ma'idah 5:74), and said: "Look at this Generosity and Munificence. They killed His believing slaves, and He invites them to repentance and forgiveness."

His forbearance is neither indifference nor weakness. It is strength, wisdom and the deliberate choice to let the door of repentance remain open. His is forbearance that comes from absolute power, absolute knowledge, and absolute mercy.

But it is not forever.

The One who holds the heavens will not hold them back indefinitely. When the time comes, the sky will split, the earth will shake, and there will be no turning back.

SubhanAllah!

He delays out of mercy, not out of need.

Everything remembers Him.

Let me not be the exception.

Ya Rabb, please, let me not be the exception.

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Ya Haleem, Ya Ghafoor,
Let me not be silent and heedless of praising you and glorifying you. When I forget, remind me. When I stray, bring me back. Help me hasten to seek forgiveness. Make my heart join in Your praise in my every moment and please don't let me run out of time. Admit me into Jannah without account.

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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.