He Who Perseveres Finds and He Who Sows Harvests

من جد وجد ومن زرعة حصد
(mann gadda wagad wa man zara3a 7assad)


He Who Perseveres Finds and He Who Sows Harvests


(Today's post is dedicated to someone close to my heart. You know who you are.)

Ramadan is over, Eid has passed, and now we're back to "reality." I'm a bit sad in fact - I really enjoy the month of Ramadan - everything just seems so peaceful. It's an opportunity to just concentrate on my relationship with God. Cleanse my soul. Start a new page. Everything just seems so easy. And for some reason, this was one of those Ramadans that truly was a blessing in disguise. I know you may not see it now, but I'm confident that it will be.

Indeed, it was one of my most difficult Ramadan's ever. And probably one I will never forget. And one day, I will look back at it and probably realize it was one of the best Ramadan's ever inshaAllah (God willing). I hope that during this blessed month, the prayers that we prayed, the du3a2 we made, and the fasting we persevered with is accepted by God (inshaAllah). And that all of these events that happened during Ramadan happened for a reason - for those prayers to be multiplied.

To those of you going through difficult times, some of my thoughts that I hope will help get you through your trials and tribulations:

Things in this life don't come easy. In fact, God tests those he loves the most. So see it as a test from God. And hopefully, we all pass these tests with flying colors. I've come to appreciate, especially in the almost six years since my divorce, that indeed "with every difficulty there is relief. Verily, with every difficulty there is relief" (The Quran, Surah 94, Ayahs 5-6). My favorite Quran'ic ayahs...even used them as I gave the benediction at my high school graduation from a public school, in front of an audience of about 10,000 people. 

It's been an absolute roller coaster - ups and downs, time and time again. Every time I feel like I've hit the lowest part, something happens to bring me lower. But somehow, God puts this inner strength in me that helps me pull out. The trick is to stay grounded. 

Don't lose focus. 

Don't give up. 

Don't back down. 

Don't forget who you are.

Be the good person you know you are. 

Do what makes you feel comfortable.

Remember the more effort you make to get closer to Him, the more He'll move closer to you.

And most of all, as a believer, remember that God never gives you more than you can handle.

It's ok to feel helpless, lost, and scared at times. But you will find that inner strength. You will make it. You can do it. And one day, you will see the fruits of your labor. I see it every time I look at my two beautiful boys Y and Z, mashaAllah. May Allah protect them and continue to shower them with His blessings.

You can do it too.

Because as the saying goes, "he who perseveres finds, and he who sows harvests."