Sehar Altaf

Salaah is what separates believers from non-believers. If we don’t pray, then what really makes us different? And if we skip prayer, how can we expect the same love from Allah that’s given to the believers?

When the command to pray was revealed, the Sahabah (RA) followed it immediately, without question. Those early believers prayed even in hard times, when the whole world seemed against them. They gave up family traditions, cultural practices, and their ancestors’ ways to follow the true faith. They had no idea what the future held and felt fear too. But they respected the Prophet (SAW) so deeply that if he told them to pray a certain number of units, they obeyed without hesitation.

Some of these early Muslims were slaves, whose non-believing masters despised how they would stop work, make wudhu, and stand in prayer. Those masters would often torture them, but still, they never gave up their prayers.

And look at us—we skip prayer because we’re tired, have guests, don’t want to make wudhu, or just don’t feel like it.

Those believers could have made excuses to avoid their masters’ punishment, but they didn’t. Today, people ask if they can skip prayer if it bothers their spouse or remove their hijab if their spouse dislikes it. Are these real excuses? People used to stand firm before their masters; can’t we do the same within our families? Those early believers went through hardships and never skipped prayer, yet we skip it because the water is cold or we don’t feel up to it?

Our feelings don’t change our obligations. Whether the water is hot or cold, we need to make wudhu and pray, as prayer is what separates believers from non-believers. If we don’t pray, any claim of love for the Prophet is just empty words.

If you’ve missed prayers, where do you start?

Start with just one prayer. For a week or ten days, focus on that one prayer, then add another each week. After five weeks, you’ll be praying all five.

Don’t try to start with all five prayers at once. If we’ve spent years skipping prayer, it’s unrealistic to suddenly build a five-prayer routine.

Imagine the desert of Arabia, a nation deeply involved in idol worship. In such a time, Allah sent His angel to the best among them, granting him prophethood and the responsibility to spread the message.

The first thing they were taught was to pray. They weren't given orders about charity, jihad, or anything else, nor were they told not to listen to music or how to raise children, or even what not to eat. There was no prohibition at the start, just one task: keep yourselves clean and pray two rakaat of prayer, once in the morning and once in the evening. That's it!

What do we do? When we join an Islamic school or take a Quran course, we often rush home on the first day and immediately start telling our parents about all the wrong practices they are following. We tell our sisters that their nail polish is forbidden, and we tell our cousins how shaping their eyebrows or not wearing a headscarf will lead them to hell. Within 24 hours of listening to an Islamic lecture, we start giving verdicts on what others shouldn't be doing and how they are making mistakes.

By doing this, we start many arguments and upset a lot of people. We engage in debates, and in the end, we defend our points with flushed faces and shaky voices, thinking that the opposition we face is the same as what the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) faced, or that every follower of the truth must endure such challenges. We end up seeing ourselves as victims, while labeling our family members as misguided.

When you preach Islam by giving speeches, passing judgments, and pointing out others' mistakes, this has nothing to do with the way the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) spread Islam. The Prophet (PBUH) didn’t spread Islam by criticizing people, raising his voice, making them feel bad, or forcing them to follow Islam through anger. The Prophet (PBUH) started spreading Islam — not by forbidding things, but by encouraging people to do something positive: keep themselves clean and pray.

When we come back from Islamic schools or courses, the first thing we do is criticize people's appearances and actions. We point out whose pants are too long, who doesn’t have a beard, or who isn’t covering themselves properly. Our focus starts with things that were introduced much later in Islam.

What we need to learn is that if we truly want to connect someone to the religion, we should first introduce them to an act of worship, something they can do. The time to forbid things will come, but not yet. First, we should gain proper knowledge ourselves, and then, when this act of worship starts bringing light into their life, we can gradually guide them toward the things they should avoid.

But we don’t do this. We start with criticism. Why? Because we focus on feeling superior. We want to say something different in gatherings, show people that we know more, and tell them they are wrong according to religion. This gives us a sense of satisfaction, but it’s actually pride in our knowledge. This is the same pride that Iblees had when he refused to bow to Adam.

Our goal should be to guide people toward Islam, not to push them away. We should think, "This person is in darkness, and I want to connect them with Allah's light, just as I was guided by Allah." We should approach them with kindness, making sure that none of our words hurt their feelings. They should not feel distant from religion after seeing us. Our words about Islam should inspire them, not push them away.

“We don’t choose to read the Quran, but rather, we are brought to it, by Allah.”

It’s best if we come to it willingly, otherwise, our circumstances become so difficult that we are forced towards it because there is no other place to find refuge. Or, life becomes so easy and filled with comforts that we get lost in them and forget our Lord.

Sometimes, we even forget ourselves. Has this ever happened to you? Like when you enter a room and forget why you came? Or go to the kitchen for something but leave without doing it? You were supposed to attend a wedding but forgot. You needed to call someone back but forgot. Someone gave you a task, but you forgot to do it. Why does this happen?

One reason for forgetfulness is brain fog, which many people started experiencing after the coronavirus. Another cause is eating foods high in oil and sugar. The more oil and sugar you consume, the more inflammation occurs in your brain.

Every part of the human body has pain receptors that let you know if something is wrong, like if your knee is scraped or inflamed—it hurts. If your muscles are tight, they hurt. But the brain doesn’t have pain receptors, so it doesn’t feel pain. Instead, inflammation in the brain shows up in other ways, like constant fatigue, depression, anxiety, and brain fog (forgetting things).

There are a few things that can reduce brain inflammation, such as eating less sugar and avoiding fried foods. Instead, you can use extra virgin olive oil, eat avocados, dark chocolate (unsweetened), and blueberries. The rule of thumb is to eat things that existed before the year 1900. If something didn’t exist before then, don’t eat it, and your brain will start to improve.

Another old method is eating almonds. If you want to take supplements, you can try Ginkgo Biloba capsules for at least a couple of months.

Why are we talking about brain issues in a Quran course? Because a hadith says that Allah loves a strong believer more than a weak one. This body is a trust given to you by Allah, and it's your duty to take care of it and not waste it.

What is another important reason for forgetting things all the time?

If you find yourself frequently forgetting things, it may be a sign that you are losing connection with yourself. Suddenly, you're overwhelmed with tasks, feeling buried in responsibilities from all directions. This doesn't always happen because of something bad—it can also be due to good things, like preparing for a wedding in the family, where you're so busy that you forget about yourself. Or maybe you're starting a new business and it's growing, but you're so absorbed in work that you neglect personal matters. Or maybe you start forgetting where you put things. Perhaps a tragedy has struck, like losing a loved one, and your heart feels so empty that you don’t care about anything anymore. These are all signs of losing touch with yourself.

And this is not a good thing.

Because Allah makes a person forget themselves when they forget Him.

Whenever you feel like you're forgetting everything, take supplements but ask yourself: is this happening because I've forgotten my Lord? Have my prayers become just a formality? Am I missing prayers? Do I find no time to make dua or remember Allah? Have I stopped thinking about the afterlife because I’m too busy with this world?

Have I upset Allah? Have I become so distant from Him that He has let me become so tangled up in this world that I’ve forgotten both Him and myself?

If you feel like this is happening to you too, then it's time to wake up and take action.

This lesson is being told to you as a reminder. You didn't come to this by chance—you were brought here. There’s something specific you are meant to hear. In this entire lesson, there will be at least one line that is especially for you. It’s not because the writer is great—it was meant to be written because it was decided that you would read it today. The writer doesn’t know who it’s for or why, and neither do the other students in this class know which line fits you perfectly.

This secret will stay between you and your Lord. No one else will know unless you choose to share it.

Will you ever find another class like this in your life?

When we read the Quran, we come across words like "disbeliever" and think that they refer to all non-believers. But this is not true. It's crucial to understand who this term really applies to and why we should be careful in using it.

In the Quran, when Allah speaks of disbelievers, He's not just talking about anyone who isn't Muslim. The term is meant for those who have received the best message—the Quran itself, taught by the best teacher, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)—in the best environment, using a language they understand, and still choose to deny the truth. They have all the knowledge and guidance but decide to reject it anyway.

Today, we often label anyone who isn't Muslim as a disbeliever, which isn't accurate or fair. There are many reasons someone might not be Muslim—they might not know about Islam, or they might have grown up in a different religion. Some might even worship multiple gods or simply be unaware of Islamic teachings. Calling them disbelievers is inappropriate and can be offensive.

The word "kafara" which comes from "Kufr" in Arabic has an interesting meaning—it refers to burying a seed in the ground. When someone knows the truth but hides or denies it, it's like burying a seed deep underground, hiding it from everyone. This is what a true disbeliever does: they know the truth but reject it and refuse to change.

In the case of true disbelievers, no matter how much the Prophet (peace be upon him) warned them, they wouldn't listen. It's as if they're at a point of no return—they've made up their minds to reject the message. Those people were then called "disbelievers".

This is why we should be careful not to judge others too quickly or call them disbelievers without understanding their journey.

If we assume everyone who isn't Muslim is a disbeliever, then what's the point of spreading the message of Islam? Dawah, or inviting others to Islam, is about compassion, patience, and understanding. By being too quick to label someone a disbeliever, we might close the door to their path to Islam. We should be more open-hearted and recognize that everyone is on their own journey to faith.

Hajrah is left alone in the desert by her husband. She has a newborn baby who needs milk, food, and shelter. There were no fields, no animals to get milk from. And when the husband was leaving, she asked him, "Is this what my Lord commands?" Ibrahim AS replied, "Yes, this is His command."

She replied, "Allah is sufficient for us, and He will not abandon us." So, because she relied on Allah, she was given water - just water. Even though the Zamzam water was a great miracle, it was still just water that could not help. Neither could the child grow, nor could life go on with just water. Water can quench thirst but not hunger. Water cannot build shelter or protect. Humans need sustenance to keep themselves alive and to create a sense of security and peace in their lives. Only water cannot fulfil all these needs.

If Hajrah had been an ordinary woman, she would have thought, "What has Allah given me? He only gave water.” But Hajrah was not ordinary. Her faith in her Lord was very strong.

Water doesn't seem like sustenance because it can't satisfy hunger or fulfill life's comforts. But those who trust in Allah, Allah provides them with all the treasures from within water.

When Hajrah discovered the spring of Zamzam, birds were the first to notice. Mecca was originally a transit point where many caravans passed through. One such caravan coming from Yemen was named Banu Jurhum. They were desperate for water, searching tirelessly but finding none. Seeing the birds, they hoped for water. When they came closer, they found a woman and her child there. Hajrah made it clear to them that this well of Zamzam belonged to her and her son because it was provided by Allah for them.

The people of Banu Jurhum were noble and asked permission from Hajrah to use the water from the well. They also offered to compensate her for it. In those times, there were no paper currency notes. It was either a system of barter or trade. So, in exchange for water, they would offer goods such as grains, meat, and other items.

So, Hajrah began selling water to them, and they paid its price in exchange. They wanted to settle in the same area. Hajrah agreed to this as well. Thus, a whole tribe from Yemen, originally part of the ruling elite of Yemen, but forced to leave their country for some reason, settled near Hajrah. And that is how Allah helped Hajrah and Ismail.

What is water for us?

The Quran itself has been called water. Divine revelation. Knowledge given by Allah. Allah's Quran.

Do you think the Quran is only useful for quenching the thirst for knowledge and that the good deeds it brings will accumulate like credits for the afterlife? The Quran doesn't bring you any material benefit in this life?

But... that's not the case.

The Quran is like water that will pour into your life one day. If you think that the Quran can only give me rewards. You are wrong.

Because the Quran is what will bring birds to your desert-like life. It will attract influential people to you who can bring sustenance and progress to your life. It is the Quran that will create such attraction in front of the world that people will come to your door for help. It is the Quran that will provide you sustenance from where you couldn't even imagine. Because if anyone has fulfilled their promise from eternity, it is your Lord. And He says that whoever trusts in Him, He will provide sustenance for them from the depths of the earth. Meaning, He will create sources of income for you from places you couldn't even think of.

Your Lord has promised you that if you hold onto this water(Quran) and trust in Him, He will turn all the birds and caravans towards you. Hajrah owned the well her Lord had provided. You need to own your Lord's water, your Quran. Zamzam was Hajrah and Ismail’s miracle. What is the miracle of this ummah? Quran!

If you make the Quran part of your daily routine, whether through memorization, tajweed, or tafsir classes, listening to recitations in gatherings or daily reflection, the Quran will open doors of blessings in your life. The reward of this world and the reward of the hereafter are separate. The Quran will bring you success and prosperity in this world too.

Ibrahim AS left Hajra in a desert. She is alone. The child is alone. There is nothing to eat or drink. The child kept crying. And the mother ran barefoot between Safa and Marwah. Until the spring burst forth from the child's footsteps. And that spring is still flowing today. And the patience of this mother became a sign.

Millions of Muslims have been running to follow her example for centuries. They walk thousands of steps on air-conditioned roads and marble floors. And they get very tired. They complete the Sa’i and shave their heads. Then they head straight to the nearest restaurant or mall. They eat food. And go to sleep in their hotels.

But when Hajra was alone, there was no hotel or mall near Hajra. The water flowing did not mean that her life became easy.

What do women usually do? They need their husbands for everything. If he's there, they can manage everything, but if he's not, they struggle a lot. Obviously, husbands should be there because they are both responsible for the child. But sometimes, according to Allah's will, what you "need" doesn't happen. Humans don't always stay together. Death, illness, tragedy, anything can separate you from your biggest support. In such situations, many women walk into self-doubt.

We say, “what should we do? We are helpless. We are left alone.”

But Hajra didn't do that. Hajra trusted in Allah. Just like Allah allowed Ibrahim to enter the fire, similarly, Allah also allowed Hajra to walk between Safa and Marwah.

Allah will test your limits and tire your body on His path. Its reward comes after the difficulty. The hardships have to be borne first.

It's not like Allah abandoned Hajra. If Allah told Ibrahim to stay with Sarah, it doesn't mean Allah didn't care about Hajra. Rather, Hajra's life was more important than that marriage.

Every person has a purpose they need to fulfill. Hajra had work to do in her own share. And it couldn't happen while staying in Palestine with this marriage. Allah had a separate plan for Sarah and a separate one for Hajra.

So whenever you feel like Allah has given someone else the blessing you wanted in your test, like if Sarah wanted children, it doesn't mean Hajra didn't want companionship with her husband. She did too.

After months of traveling, Ibrahim AS brought his wife and newborn baby to a desert in Arabia. There was nothing there. No buildings. No houses. Just a desolated, empty desert.

Now Ibrahim AS receives another command. He's told to leave them both here and return towards Palestine, to Sarah. It was difficult for Hajrah AS in the desert with the child. But for a moment, Let's forget about that. Let's just try to understand the task given to our father, Ibrahim, AS.

For years, no child was born in his family. He faced injustice in life, being mistreated by his father and family. After some time, a son was born. But what happened next? Ibrahim AS was then told to leave this child.

We've been reading for years that Ibrahim AS didn't sacrifice Ismail AS, but he did sacrifice him when he left him in the desert. It was a sacrifice, wasnt it?

According to Abdullah bin Abbas, it is narrated that:

Ibrahim (AS) took his son Ismail and his mother along, towards the upper part of the place where later the Kaaba was built, near the Zamzam well, to a shaded place where signs of living were not visible for a long distance, neither was there any arrangement for water, nor was there anyone's presence. Ibrahim (AS) left a bag with them containing some dates and a water flask, then he tied his luggage and returned from where he came. Ismail's mother ran after him and started asking:

"O Ibrahim! Why are you leaving us alone in this valley, where there is no one to console or help us, and no other thing?' She kept repeating this question, and Ibrahim (AS) did not even look back to answer, until finally when she asked, 'Has Allah commanded you to do this?' Ibrahim (AS) replied: 'Yes,. To which Hajrah AS replied... 'Then He will not waste us away.' And it is also narrated that she said, 'Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs.'

After saying this, Ibrahim AS walked away. Back to his and Sarah's world.

But what do you think? Was he happy to leave? No. He must have traveled alone for months to reach Palestine. Imagine: Allah gave you children after years, and then says to leave this child. Not leaving it with its mother or with relatives where there are comforts. No. Leave it in the desert where there isn't even water.

There were no cell phones. Nothing he could have used to inquire whether Hajrah AS and Ismail AS were fine after he left. How hurt must he be?

We focus on the event of sacrifice and say, "Yes, it was just a dream." Ibrahim AS came and started to sacrifice his son, but Allah put a sheep under the knife, so Ismail was saved from sacrifice.

But Ismail had already been sacrificed. Ibrahim had sacrificed his own son when he left him.

The lesson to learn here is: It's painful to leave something for the sake of Allah. It can't be without pain. The heart does become empty.

We believe that those good people who trust in Allah and leave things for Allah are not troubled by leaving, or their faith is so strong that it doesn't affect them. But that's not the case.

Ibrahim (AS) was thrown into the fire by Nimrud. We don't take the incident seriously because Ibrahim (AS) was saved in the end. The fire became cool for him. But when did the fire become cool for Ibrahim?

When he was thrown into it. Not before.

Wouldn't his heart tremble before being put into the fire? Wouldn't he have thought, "Why isn't Allah helping? Let it rain, let some big event happen, let something happen so that this fire can be extinguished." Like in movies where the police come in time to save the main character. But no one came to save Ibrahim before he entered the fire. Allah let Ibrahim fall into the fire.

Ibrahim (AS) was tied up and thrown into the fire from a great height, like throwing a ball from a cannon. From tying him up to throwing him into the fire, Allah's help was silent. Why? Allah could have extinguished the fire. He could have made all those who started the fire disappear. But Allah let the fire burn. The wood was so strong that it took several days for it to burn completely. Allah could have turned the wood into ashes before they caught fire. He could have stopped the fire from starting at all. But Allah didn't do that. He let the fire start. He let it burn. People were allowed to do their job. Because it was Ibrahim's test. It was a test of faith.

Facing the blazing fire in front of him, would Ibrahim lose hope in the Lord he had found through his own intellect? Would Ibrahim lose faith in justice and truth? Would Ibrahim give up hope? And to pass this test, it was necessary to descend into the fire. Until Ibrahim descends into the fire with complete calmness, how will it be proven that his faith in Allah is strong?

Why was Ibrahim calm when he was thrown into the fire? Because he knew that if believing in Allah as his Lord costs burning, then I will pay it. If telling the truth is the punishment, then I accept it.

Let’s look at our lives. Although no one throws you into the fire after burning wood. Nor does anyone tie you up with ropes. But there are other fires in our lives.

Sometimes you are bound by chains of relationships and obligations. To the extent that you become imprisoned. You can't escape. Because there are chains on your feet. Family. Spouse. Children. Siblings. Blood relations. Social ties. No matter how much they hurt you, you can't leave them. No matter how troubled they become, you can't leave them.

And then there are some people among them who always ignite fires for you. They also set your heart on fire, sometimes reducing you to ashes with their words.

And in such situations, who do you lose hope in first? Your Rabb. We ask, “Why isn't He helping me? Why isn't He taking me out of this? Why is He letting this happen to me?”

We ask these questions to Him countless times with shock and regret. But Allah had let this happen with Ibrahim too.

Allah will not extinguish the fire for you beforehand. Nor will He cut off the hands of those who set it. Allah will let them light the fire. He will let you enter that fire as well. Because that's the test.

And what is Allah’s help? Allah will not let you burn. He will turn that fire into a garden for you. In the world's eyes, it will remain a fire, but you won’t feel it. For every trouble that keeps you clinging to Allah's promises, Allah will let you enter that trouble and send help, but after you've entered it, so that He doesn't let you burn. He won't let that fire turn your life into ashes.

By abiding by Allah's command, the fire that enters your life will never be able to burn your house. It will only be terrifying to look at. It will be cool in intensity. You will conquer your fear and enter that fire. There will be no fear for you.

So, if someone opposes us because of Allah, let them. If someone gives us trouble because of Allah, let them. We'll endure it. Because this trouble will never ruin your life.

Ibrahim AS, Hajrah AS, and their son Ismail went to a place called Arab. Upon reaching there, Allah ordered Ibrahim AS to leave Hajrah and Ismail in Makkah and go back to Sarah. So he did exactly that; he left Hajrah and Ismail in Makkah and went back to Palestine to live with Sarah.

In those days, travel was on horses and camels, and these journeys could take many months. Imagine a man, with his wife and newborn child, leaving his home and setting out for an unknown, desolate, and barren land. He had never been there before and knew nothing about it.

Why did he do this?

Because he was commanded by Allah. The command of Allah was so important to him that he was willing to leave everything behind and set out on this difficult journey.

You might say, he was a prophet. He used to get direct commands from God. And this is why he was so obedient.

But we also get direct commands. We believe that the Quran is the final word. The Quran says not to lie. But sometimes, out of fear, we end up lying. The Quran says to leave certain things, but we don't. We don't have the courage to leave everything behind like Ibrahim did. But Ibrahim (peace be upon him) had it.

Ibrahim visited Makkah only four times in his lifetime. Otherwise, for the rest of his life, he stayed with Sarah in Palestine. When Ibrahim and Sarah were old, angels came to them in human form and gave them the good news that Allah has given them the news of a son. It is mentioned in the Quran that Sarah laughed upon hearing this. Allah does not utter a word without purpose in the Quran, and He has recorded Sarah’s laugh to tell us that happy endings happen for people who do not lose hope in Allah and that happy endings exist.

Despite Sara's infertility and years of waiting, Allah blessed her with Is'haaq AS. This was Sarah’s happy ending.

Ibrahim had to go through several trials, including being deprived of his son growing up with him and not being with him in important moments of his life. He was left by him, and then Allah asked for that same son in a dream. Ibrahim did not attend his son's wedding either. Whenever he went to Makkah, he went for the work of Allah. From those four times of his visit to Makkah, two times Ismail RA was not even there. So we can say that Ibrahim lived his entire life without a child. But by telling us about 'Sarah's laugh', Allah has conveyed to us that Ibrahim AS and Sarah had a happy ending.

Allah blessed Sarah with beauty, Imaan, a loving husband who was a prophet of Allah, but He did not give her a child. So, when Sarah saw Hajrah’s child, her heart started to ache.

Whether it was envy or jealousy, we have to understand that Sarah is a human, not a robot. She was so upset that she told Ibrahim AS to take the child away from there. She said, "If I kept looking at him, maybe I would kill him.

When you read about this incident, your heart suddenly becomes heavy. You expect perfection from pious people, and you don't expect human emotions from them. This is what we need to learn here: that prophets were also human beings, and their wives were too. They were not robots. They walked on the straight path of Allah with their emotions and desires, and so can we.

Therefore, everything you desire, and it looks very easy for someone else to find it in front of your eyes, while you beg Allah for it, seeing it will hurt you. There will also be jealousy. And the heart will break. These are your human emotions. Face them. Don't hide them under the carpet.

Sarah was a brave woman. She did not conspire against Hajrah’s son. She did not say bad things. She communicated her emotions to the person who could take a step. She went to Ibrahim AS and told him everything.

But what do we do when we have a problem with someone? We go to every X, Y, Z and vent out, take out our heart's frustration, and avoid that one person we have a problem with. Only one person whom we don't say anything to is the person who is the problem for us. We gossip because we are cowards. We are afraid to communicate our heartfelt emotions to that person. Sarah was brave. She said what she felt.

So, know that Allah understands your heartfelt emotions. If you think about this story, then Sarah said a huge thing (that she can take this child's life). Obviously, she wasn't going to take a life. She was expressing the intensity of her emotions because she didn't have any children of her own. How could another child in the house feel good? So, Sarah spoke out.

And who did Allah give support to?

Allah gave support to Sarah.

What would you do if you were there? If you see a woman in a similar situation, you might console her. You might say she should have a big heart, etc. But Allah understands humans like no one else can. Allah did not tell Ibrahim to ask his wife to have a big heart. Why?

“Because Allah knows we should never burden those with harsh words who are already wounded.”

Allah had tested Sarah by not giving her children. If Allah does not understand His servant's distress, then who will understand? So Allah commanded Ibrahim to take Hajrah and Ismail and leave from there and go to Makkah.

Allah is aware of our distress. He is the one who created us. He is the one with whose permission we get afflicted with pain. If He doesn't know our emotions, then who will? So don't think that Allah expects perfection from you when you receive trouble, and he expects you to smile and say, 'I'm fine.' Nooo!

Like Yaqoob AS, tell Allah, complain about your sorrow and pain to Him. Tell Him who you're complaining about. He understands whoever He gives trouble to. He who could understand Sarah's emotions when perhaps no other human could, why wouldn't He understand yours?

We learn that Ibrahim, upon leaving Iraq, took his wife Sarah with him. They say Sarah was given half of the beauty of all the women in the world, just as Yusuf was given half of the beauty of men. When Ibrahim took them to Egypt, the king there, known as Pharaoh of that time, was so taken aback by the beauty of Sarah that his intention turned bad. But when he reached out to touch her, his hand became paralyzed. This happened three times. Each time, Sarah prayed for him, and he would repeat the same action and his hand would become paralyzed. The third time, he realized she was no ordinary woman. When Pharaoh realized she was not an ordinary woman, he regretted his actions. And as a form of compensation, he gave Hajrah as a gift to Sarah from his palace, as a remedy. Since Sarah was childless, after some time, she gave Hajrah to Ibrahim, meaning she married them. Thus, Ibrahim, Hajar, and Sarah settled in Palestine.

Ibrahim and Sarah had spent a long time in marriage, but they had no children. Allah deprived Sarah of motherhood but gave her all worldly beauty. And on top of that... Allah put them in such a trial that Allah blessed Ibrahim's new wife, Hajar, with a son. Whose name was Ismail.

Try to understand the condition of Sarah's heart at such a moment. You have so much beauty, a loving husband, but everything seems tasteless without children.

The question now arises. Doesn't Sarah pray? Doesn't Sarah have any heartfelt connection with Allah?

Her husband was a prophet. Her righteousness and piety were such that the king's hand became paralyzed when he raised it to touch her. So, what would her life be like?

Do you think she would be enjoying money, friendships, and feasts? Where will all this be in her life? Nowhere to be found. She was the wife of Ibrahim AS. In her life, there will be supplications and continuous ibadah. And then a difficult life in which the husband was facing opposition because of religion. If you look at Sarah's life, she will be perfect in everything. She will not be committing sins. Her worship will be much better and more factual than mine and yours. Her prayers will be sincere. But still, Allah did not give her children. Allah did not fulfill the biggest desire of her heart. Why?

Because what we get and when we don't get, Allah decides. He has written the story of our lives. We cannot question Him. If you intensely desire something and your prayers and worship don't bring it into your fate, what do you give up first? Hope in Allah. First, you question your faith and ask yourself, “Do I even matter to Allah? Even after leaving sins, Allah still doesn't listen to me. What's the point of these prayers?”

Let us ask ourselves, is our worship better than Sarah's worship? Are we better than her? If Allah delayed Sarah’s dua, does that mean He had abandoned her?

No. Unfulfilled desires and unanswered prayers don't mean Allah has forsaken you. Don't judge your relationship with Allah based on the acceptance of your prayers. Don't measure your relationship with Allah by the acceptance of your prayers. Prayers are a bonus. Whether they're answered or not, it shouldn't affect the relationship. Sometimes, you bow in every situation.

I’m active on Instagram these days (let’s see for how long).

Would you follow me on Instagram as well 🥹

Jazakallah khayran kaseer🫶🏻