Today in sha Allah marks the end of the year 1441 after the migration of the noble prophet Muhammad SAW from Makkah to Madinah. Personally, it’s been a quite eventful year full of ebbs and tides. I started out the year as a corps member and finished off as a post NYSC pharmacist struggling through the post COVID-19 world. In between, things were so colourful. Though, I must say the year started out as a hopeful year, around the middle of the year things turned south. Covid-19 happened. The whole world witnessed an unprecedented change and it hasn’t recovered yet. I think the most emotional thing I witnessed this year was the hajj being cancelled, for international pilgrims. Instead, we witnessed an awe-inspiring limited private hajj for selected pilgrims from within the Kingdom (KSA). Even the Ramadan was different. We had to pray the taraweeh at home as all the masajid were closed due to the pandemic. It was a rather unusual Ramadhan but like most seemingly bad occurrences for muslims, this one came with a silver lining too. People had more time to worship Allah as workplaces were also closed due to the pandemic.
Enough with
the depressing covid-19 recap. 1441 was a year of contradictions for me. There were
times I had a spiritual high and other times I couldn’t recognise myself due to
the low. I won’t say more but I could have definitely done better during my
lows. This is something I must work on going forward.
Despite the
hardships and uncertainties that we faced during the outgoing year, I am profoundly
and immensely grateful for how life turned out in the end. Things are definitely
looking good and in sha Allah, I will succeed in all my endeavours and become a
better person in the process. I have many shortcomings as a mere mortal, but I am
hopeful that I can do better, be better.
The way
this year ran out is a warning to us reminding us that our time on the big blue
ball is limited and that the time we have left is rapidly running out. This way,
we are forced to take heed and work harder towards ensuring that our abode in
the hereafter is a good one at the minimum. I always try to keep a healthy balanced
between the hope for Allah’s mercy and the fear of his punishment. This balance
is the only way a person can keep himself steadfast on the path to salvation.
No matter
what I do, whatever my feelings, the year is gone and the year would bear witness
to Allah regarding our actions and inactions during the year. It terrifies me
that I sin often despite knowing the Islamic position. Sometimes I try to justify
myself by telling myself that I sin because the entire modern world is wired to
make us sin. But then, a realisation dawned on me, we sin not because we are constantly
surrounded by sin or its triggers, but because our state of mind at the moment
of sin is such that we were vulnerable to shaitan. And this is a loophole I have
to work on. It requires commitment, discipline and the aid of the Almighty,
most especially. Anytime I remember death and Jannah and Jahannam, I lose my strength
and will to fight for my attenuated dreams. I then quickly realise that I have
to go on because the life was designed that way by the Almighty.
I pray
that Allah accepts all our acts of worship during the outgoing year and forgives
us for our shortcomings and weaknesses. We can only rely on the mercy of Allah
at all times. May Almighty Allah keep us steadfast upon the faith.
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