Voice of British Muslim Women

Bareera Ghaffar, Nottingham

It is stated in the Holy Qur’an: “ ‘…My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favour which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and to do such good works as would please You, and admit me, by Your mercy, among Your righteous servants.” (27:20)

At times, the realisation comes to me that as a collective, we have found solace in the quiet of forgetting ourselves. While we acknowledge our human capabilities and boundaries we are unable to bridge, a subtle amnesia has overtaken us, severing us from the infinite wisdom of Allah and the spiritual foundations by which we were created.

Humanity has acquired a vast amount of knowledge across many disciplines; we have witnessed the rise and fall of many civilisations, tyrants and kings who believed they would never die – who believed their wealth, power and status would keep them in dominion in the mirage of the earth Allah created. Oh! They forget themselves, in such an ignorant lapse, they deem themselves “self-made’.

What a grave mistake. What a spiritual annihilation of one’s soul.

Allah in His perfect book, beautifully illustrates the creation of man. It is stated in Chapter 38 verses 72-74,

“When thy Lord said to the angels, ‘I am about to create man from clay, And so when I have fashioned him in perfection, and have breathed into him of My Spirit, fall ye down in submission to him.’ So, the angels submitted, all of them together.”

Therein lies the truth that it is Allah, through His divine mercy who gave humans free will, intellect and the highest status among all His creation so they may worship Him. Yet, we fall short in gratitude (shukr) to Allah.

Let us take the story of Korah depicted in the Holy Qur’an, Surah Al Qasas. He was an Israelite who stood in favour of Pharaoh and was given high office by him. Korah had abundance of wealth, but he was proud and arrogant and believed it was through his own means that he acquired it . Korah did not heed to any advice given to him about being humble and not spreading corruption. He was pleaded with to use his wealth as a stepping stone to the hereafter, but the pleas of the believers fell on deaf ears. What was the outcome for Korah you may ask? In verses 82- 84 it says,

“Then We caused the earth to swallow him up and his dwelling; and he had no party to help him against Allah…Ah! it is indeed Allah Who enlarges the provision for such of His servants as He pleases and straitens it for whom He pleases. Had not Allah been gracious to us, He would have caused it to swallow us up also. Ah! the ungrateful never prosper.’ This is the Home of the Hereafter! We give it to those who desire not self-exaltation in the earth, nor corruption. And the end is for the righteous.”

Allah is All-Powerful, the Mighty. How self-sufficient was Korah when Allah’s decree came? What of his wealth? His ego, power, and status could not save him, and now, his is a cautionary tale for all.

Ramadan is of course the month in which Muslims forgo food and drink during daylight hours. It is therefore an opportunity for us to reflect on and be grateful for the bounties of Allah, as we seek His mercy and forgiveness. It is a time to stand in Allah’s worship during the early hours of the morning, throughout the day, and in the evening, with increased focus and complete and utter humility, to show our immense gratitude to Him. Ramadan serves as a time of true spiritual rejuvenation, a reminder of what is being forgotten, that we are nothing without Allah, and to fervently pray that all shreds of arrogance be taken away from our heart. In a Friday ermon given by the current worldwide head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad (may Allah be His Helper) quoted the Promised Messiah (peace be on him) that “arrogance is a most dangerous affliction. It brings about spiritual death for the person in whom it is instilled… I know for certain that this affliction is worse than murder. An arrogant person becomes Satan’s brother because it was arrogance which disgraced Satan. Therefore, it is conditional for a believer that he should not have any arrogance”.

Gratitude, through humility, should have one constantly bowed down in submission to Allah.

The Holy Qur’an states: “And put thy trust in Allah, and Allah is sufficient as a Guardian.” (33:4) May we bear witness to all of Allah’s mercies and grace in our lives and the perfect path that Allah guides us to.