DO YOU REMEMBER THE STORY OF HAJAR (Alaiha Salaam), THE WIFE OF OUR GRANDAD IBRAHEEM ALAYHI SALAAM?

 THE DAILY ISLAMIC REMINDERS. Yaum Arba'a.17th day of RAJAB, 1444AH (Wednesday 8th February. 2023).

*_DO YOU REMEMBER THE STORY OF HAJAR (Alaiha Salaam), THE WIFE OF OUR GRANDAD IBRAHEEM ALAYHI SALAAM?_* BismilLah. 

Let's continue from our topic in yesterday's reminder. 

Giving up and losing hope in ALLAH (ArRaheem, The Most MERCIFUL)  essentially mean we don’t truly know or believe in ALLAH’s Names and Attributes. We don’t believe that HE is The Provider, The Protector, The All-Wise, The Source of Peace, The Giver of Peace, Relief and Victory. It means you think ALLAH(Al-Mu'min, The Guardian of Faith) is not sufficient for you and that's SHIRK. That’s an essential point to remember as soon as one is hit with a hardship. As soon as you visit any pastor, so called maalams or any source-sayer or fortune teller, you've committed SHIRK because these are satanic agents (evil jinns agents). 

Remembering to trust ALLAH (Al-Muhaymin, The Preserver), have good expectations of HIM, knowing that HIS relief will definitely come, even if it seems impossible at the moment.

The second lesson to take heed of is in what happened to Hajar (May ALLAH be pleased with her) next.

You know, it is easy to utter words of belief, but acting upon them is something else.

When Hajar A.S) was faced with this seemingly inexplicable hardship, she immediately said “ALLAH (Al-Aziz, The ALMIGHTY, The Self sufficient) will not neglect us.”

But did the hardship immediately go away when she said that? Not at all. She “talked the talk”, but she literally had to “walk the walk.”

The food and drink she had eventually run out and her baby started crying desperately. She could have started doubting the relief of ALLAH then. But she didn’t.

She started taking the means, walking to a mountain hoping to find anything or anyone there. But there was nothing. She could have doubted the relief of ALLAH then. But she didn’t. She walked again to the other mountain seeking help, seeking anything to save her and her child. But there was nothing. And she really could have doubted ALLAH then. But she didn’t. She went back again, and again, and again between those two mountains…. And she could have given up completely at any moment, she could have fallen in despair and anger and rebellion… But she didn’t! She didn’t. Until…...

“She saw an Angel at the place of Zamzam, digging the earth with his heel (wing), till water flowed out from that place. She started to make something like of a basin around it, using her hands in this way and began to fill her water-skin with water with her hands, and the water was flowing out until she had scooped some of it….

“Then she drank (water) and suckled her child. The Angel said to her: ‘Do not be afraid of being neglected, for this is the site on which the House of ALLAH (Al-Jabbaar, The Compeller) will be built by this boy and his father, and ALLAH (Al-Quddus, The Most Holy) will never let neglected HIS people.’ [Al Bukhari]. Allahu Akbar. 

Remember those words:

“Do not be afraid of being neglected…ALLAH (As Salaam, The Ultimate Provider of Piece) will never neglect HIS people!” This woman faced her difficulty saying “ALLAH will not neglect us”; she experienced physical struggle, emotional struggle, psychological, spiritual and even existential struggle… She could have doubted the words of faith she uttered at the beginning. But she remained steadfast. The relief eventually came with an Angel repeating her same words “ALLAH will never neglect HIS people”.

This is a live embodiment of this hadith:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “ALLAH the Exalted says: ‘I am as my slave expects ME to be” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. She had good expectations of ALLAH (Al-Mutakabbir, The Dominant One). ALLAH didn’t only meet her expectations, but HE has given her beyond what she would have imagined or prayed for.

The place that was deserted became the honourable location of the House of ALLAH HIMSELF where millions upon millions of people will gravitate towards year after year until the end of time.

The little water she was looking for, turned out to be a well that brought life to the entire area; a purified, blessed source of water that doesn’t run out until the end of time. The moments of faith, patience and hard work she experienced became a fundamental part of a faith followed by billions of people.

She initiated the ritual of sa’ee (walking) between Safar and Marwa, without which our Hajj and Umrah won’t be complete. A pillar of Islam won’t be complete without following this woman. This is not merely in the physical sense of walking between Safar and Marwa, but also in the spiritual sense of trusting ALLAH (Al-Baari, The Maker) in the severest of moments, continuing to pursue HIM and have hope in HIM despite everything that we may be facing…

Many go to Hajj and Umrah, perform those acts but hardly reflect on the meaning; we hardly reflect on how this is relevant to us, our own hardships, trials and tribulations. But THIS is the foundation of our deen. Faith is not just a word. It is not a fleeting moment of spiritual excitement. Faith is much deeper, much heavier and much more worthwhile than anything we can experience in this life. This is what we were created for.

It is essential to remember the message: We will continue to trust ALLAH, pursue HIM and remain on HIS path no matter how difficult/sad/dull/gloomy/impossible our situations may seem… we will continue to seek ALLAH. And HE will always support HIS believers! ALLAH(Al-Alim, The All-Knowing) says to the Prophet and all believers;

“Indeed, I will support my messengers and those who believe during the life of this world and on the Day when the witnesses will stand” (Qur’an 40: 51). Allahu Akbar. It's more than enough now and my apologies once again for the length.  *_May ALLAH(Al-Latif, The Kind) keep guiding us all and protect us from any satanic influences_*. Aameen.