Death

My mum's sister passed away yesterday. She suffered a lot in this world, in many ways that I haven't, or even have seen anyone suffer. While I was having dessert last night and picking off the blueberries and feeding my daughter at her request, it occurred to me that khalamoni probably never tasted a blueberry in this world. How amazing is the promise of Jannah! She can taste so much more than we ever can in this world, soon. Its scary to think that I live a life in which everything I want is at my fingertips. Ya Allah, do not take away any of my blessings and grant me Jannah as well, ameen.

How do I make sense of it?

Death is inevitable. I don't know when I will die. The only thing I can do is to live my life with purpose and meaning and look forward to the promise of Allah, knowing that everything is out of His mercy and that He is the Most Merciful.

Allah is Ar-Razzak - everything comes from Him. All of my rizk - love, family, wealth, comfort, peace - everything. The only Being that can keep it all going is Him.

Allah is Al-Malik - He owns EVERYTHING. Every place we go to in the world, everything I have. If I ask, I need to ask of Him.

Allah is Ar-Rahman, Al-Lateef, Ash-Shakur, Al-Kareem, Al-Mujeeb, Al-Wadood.

Allah is Al-Hakim - Every decision He makes is a wise decision.

Allah is As-Samad - He is the only One we can turn to for anything.

Happiness

I heard the story of ninety nine coins yesterday. A man found a bag labelled 'one hundred gold coins' in front of his door. When he took it inside and counted all the coins, he found ninety-nine. He counted again and again but there was only ninety nine. When he woke up that morning, before he opened his door, he was a happy man. But as soon as he started to expect to find one hundred gold coins inside a bag he wasn't even supposed to get, he became dissatisfied with ninety-nine, forgetting that he wasn't expecting these gold coins to turn up at his door at all.

Expecting anything from people leads to disappointment.