Zishaan Karim (Dar es Salaam, Tanzania)
Your Pleasure is my ultimate goal (at least it should be ?), but at times, things get confusing. I find myself at crossroads where both directions are leading to virtuousness, and I find it difficult to decide which one to walk upon. I come across times when opportunities are vast and they all invite towards goodness, and they all look similar in the outward appearance: leading to Your Pleasure. However. I need the serenity to prioritize and pick the best one over others. Realizing my own shortcomings in such circumstances, I try to attain Habit 1: Connect with The All Pure, and seek You
and give me the ability to reach: the most guided of affairs when affairs confuse me, the purest of actions when the actions seem similar, and the most pleasing of creeds when creeds conflict
Then there are times when I have nothing to do and I look for time-pass activities so as to occupy myself and stay away from building anxiety and cutting boredom. These are the times that take me towards heedlessness and negligence. I end up spending time in vain where in this blessed month, I can so easily make profit and gain.
alert me to Your remembrance in times of negligence,
These are times when, if I keep my eyes open, there are so many opportunities. I need a clear, confusion-free vision, to pick on the right things and attempt them the correct way to tread upon the path of Your Love and attain goodness in both worlds- spelt in two words, Your Pleasure
Imam Sajjad (as)’s illuminating words continue to shed light…
employ me in Your obedience in the days of respite,
clarify for me an easy path to Your love
and complete for me, through this
the good of the world and the hereafter.
You are the Sublime, and the only possible way to reach You is Your helping Hand drawing me closer to You.
In my journey to attain Habit 1, I have been exerting efforts in order to:
- Have clear intentions to yield best of actions
- Be purposeful and contented
- Stay away from self-conceit and vanity
- Expand my capacity
- Rely upon Him Alone
- Not rebel against Him and oppress my Self.
- Get cleansed through forgiveness
- continue striving to connect
I have boldly borrowed profound words of Imam Sajjad (as) for my words and thoughts hold no value. The final lines that I reflect upon in building this habit strikingly tell me of two things;
- The dimensions of Rizq
- The concept of acquiring Rizq
Earlier, I asked for increase in sustenance. Here with these lines I clearly see that Rizq is much wider than just material wellbeing. The dua lines say;
Sustain me with soundness in worship and detachment in renunciation, knowledge in practice and piety, on the whole.
My mental state is Rizq from Him, and so is my detachment from material world. The practice of what I know and the acquisition of what I don’t, are all part of His sustenance for me. If I get to know all that I need to, and practice upon all that I know, I am sustained with piety as a whole.
When I have attained piety and done all that I am supposed to do and abstain from all that I am refrained from, in Imam (as)’s beautiful words, I beseech an excellent acceptance and sealing of approval to my temporary existence in this world.
O Allah, seal my term with Your pardon
verify my hope in expecting Your mercy,
ease my path to reach Your pleasure,
and make my actions good in all circumstances.
Having known how to attain Habit 1, I will now reflect upon Habit 2: Be energized. Only Him do I worship, and only Him do I seek help from.
