Ramadan Reflections 1444/2023 Part 3
The Seasons of Life
When we choose the life of Islam, it looks like this...
(Submission + Surrender + Sacrifice) = (Satisfaction + Sanctuary + Serenity)
The left side of the equation is synonymous with struggle (mujahadah) = The right side of the equation is synonymous with salvation.
I like to have candid conversations with my growing adolescent children because I want to somewhat prepare them for the life of this world, keeping in mind the ultimate destination of the next world.
There is no better time than the Month of Ramadan to help us revaluate our lives, so that we can help our children reevaluate theirs. There is a fundamental responsibility upon caregivers to teach our growing adolescent youth, with kindness, gentleness, knowledge, wisdom and emotional intelligence, such that they are not blindsided by the trials and tribulations to come, for these will surely come. Every human being experiences trials, tribulations, and challenges in their life. 'Tis inevitable as breathing because that is the nature of this worldly life.
Our Beloved Prophet ﷺ advised us to “Live in this world as if you are a stranger or a traveller upon a path.” Passing through... because this world is a bridge between the world we came from, ‘The Realm of the Souls’ and the world we are going to ‘The Hereafter’. None of us should be taking up permanent residence on a bridge but it's so very easy to fall into this trap. I know, because I fell into it, and getting it out of that mentality was no picnic in the park.
I also know now, with absolute certainty, that the seasons of life will come and go, and every human soul who lives to maturity will experience...
moments of joy and moments of grief...
times of ease and times of hardship...
material gain and material loss...
physiological and psychological wellness and physiological and psychological illness...
chapters beginning and chapters endings...
people who join our lives and people who leave our lives...
the summer of youth and the fall of old age...
the spring of birth and the winter of death...
إِنَّا لِلَّٰهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُون
To Him we belong and unto Him we shall return. Let us always remember that and remind each other of the return journey, which all of us are already upon.
