How to Achieve Tranquility Of the Heart

Whatever grief we go through, whatever hardship we endure, we must understand that we are never alone. Even if we feel abandoned by the world and those closest to us, Allah (SWT) is there

ometimes it feels like its just too much these fluctuations in our IMAN, the repeated sinning, the feeling that I just dont deserve Allahs (SWT) mercy. The tests always feel like punishments. There is a constant worry about the future: my marriage, my money, my career, my Ummah And some difficulties just feel like they are too great to overcome. We know were not supposed to ask this, but the question at the back of our minds is, Why me? Never despair of Allahs (SWT) Mercy: We have all heard that we should never despair of Allahs (SWT) Mercy. And on the surface, we try not to, but Shaytaan (the Devil) has a trick. We tend to despair f ourselves and our incapacity to change things, especially the inner turmoil that we feel. And the effect of this is basically the same as despairing of Allahs (SWT) mercy. We do not always accept that Allah (SWT) can take us out of the situation we are in and we dont need t deserve the trouble; Allah (SWT) isnt punishing us and we dont need to be perfect. This doesnt mean, however, that we shouldnt strive, or take ourselves to account when we do mess up. The key is to develop our relationship with Allah (SWT) during that trouble. If we know Allah (SWT), no situation is too hopeless. No sadness is ever permanent. We perceive trials as they are meant to be perceived as tests of our trust in Allah (SWT), forcing us to put our knowledge into practice and bringing us closer to Him (SWT). These trials could potentially be a punishment too, that is if we lwt it affect us negatively by completely turning away from Him (SWT) because of our sadness. But our awareness of our own state and our punishment into something positive that is manifested through repentance to Allah, alongside increasing in hasanat (good deeds) in order to erase the bad deeds. The first exercise is for us: The first exercise is for us to consciously realize that Allah (SWT) knows. Whatever grief we go through, whatever hardship we endure, we must understand that we are never alone. Even if we feel abandoned by the world and those closest to us, Allah (SWT) is there He (SWT) reminds us in the Quran: Fear not. Indeed, I am with you [both]; I hear and I see. (20:46) Allah (SWT) is with us: As long as we begin by recognizing that Allah (SWT) is with us and He (SWT) is close to us, there remains a solution to our inner worries. There are things we need to know in order to develop our relationship with Allah (SWT). Then there are things we need to do in order to maintain that closeness to Allah (SWT). And finally, there are things we need to aspire for to achieve the ideal relationship with our Lord (SWT). We pray that by the end of the series, we will all have developed a stronger relationship with Allah (SWT) Inshallah Ameen! Source: Crecent-Srinagar.