March 21, 2024

There is so much beauty in the way that the Qur’an reveals itself and who Allah is to us. The more time I spend with it, the more in awe of Allah I am becoming subhanAllah. And today, what it left me pondering on is how subtle Allah is in His decree. Usually, when I’m going through a hardship, it is difficult to “think outside the box” as they say or to see things beyond just the affliction. So often, I read surah Ash-Sharh in my salah and easily gloss over the ayats that mention - “So, surely with hardship comes ease. Surely with ˹that˺ hardship comes ˹more˺ ease” [Qur’an 94:5-6]; not really internalizing the deeper meaning of these words. It is so much easier to lose sight of the ease that does exist within a hardship that I maybe experiencing. Last year, while listening to the late night reflection series with Sh. Omar Suleiman and Sh. Yaser Birjas, Sh Yaser quoted Ibn Al Qayyim saying:

“Allah does not close a door for a servant out of His wisdom except that He opens two doors for him out of His mercy” ~ Ibn Al Qayyim

Sh. Yaser then mentions that when you find yourself in a difficult situation, going through hardships or when you are experiencing many door-closing moments, try to seek the Mercy of Allah within it because Allah in His wisdom may withold something from you and in His Mercy grants you opening for what is going to be best for you. I thought to myself, this is easier said than done, especially because if and when I find myself in the throes of a difficulty, naturally as a human, first, I react to the difficulty whether it is through grief, sadness or heartbreak. However, hearing and learning this, had me thinking about how much comfort I could find if I was to shift my lens to focusing and seeking the ease and the Mercy of Allah that comes with a hardship. And that is in His Subtlety as Al-Latif (The Most Gentle, Most Subtle). He provides for us in ways we don’t know even in ways we “may not like” or not recognize as goodness for us.

And today, in reciting surah Yusuf, I came across an ayah that in which I witness Nabi (Prophet) Yusuf embody this attitude of seeking the ease within the hardship, recognizing Allah’s Mercy and being a person of gratitude for it. In ayah 100-101, Allah tells us:

“Then he raised his parents to the throne, and they all fell down in prostration to Joseph,1 who then said, “O my dear father! This is the interpretation of my old dream. My Lord has made it come true. He was truly kind to me when He freed me from prison, and brought you all from the desert after Satan had ignited rivalry between me and my siblings. Indeed my Lord is subtle in fulfilling what He wills. Surely He ˹alone˺ is the All-Knowing, All-Wise.” [Qur’an 12:100]

“My Lord! You have surely granted me authority and taught me the interpretation of dreams. ˹O˺ Originator of the heavens and the earth! You are my Guardian in this world and the Hereafter. Allow me to die as one who submits and join me with the righteous.” [Qur’an 12:101]

SubhanAllah, in the whole of Surah Yusuf, we are getting an account of hardship after hardship that he goes through. His brothers plotting to kill him, then they throw him in a well where he gets found and sold to slavery in a foreign land, then the lady of the house tried to seduce him and when he refused, she falsely accuses him and he gets thrown in jail for years. Some scholars say up to 10/12 years that he spends in jail. And the story continues until we find him now in a ni’ma (blessing) being in a position of authority and reverence.

And in these ayats, Nabi Yusuf is not only affirming that Allah made his dream come true but he says, Allah was truly kind to him. Ya Rabb, in that moment all of the hardships didn’t matter. What He was able to recognize was Allah’s kindness within all of it. He recognized Allah’s Subtlety as He says, “Indeed my Lord is subtle in fulfilling what He wills.” Because in all of his trials was Allah subtly preparing him for this moment of blessing. And he recognized that Allah was his guardian all along and again reminding himself again that his authority now and the ability to interpret dreams were favors granted by Allah. And in showing shukr (gratitude), He calls out to Allah asking Him to continue to be His guardian in this life and the next. And then asking Allah to allow him to continue to be one who submits and to join him with the righteous.

There’s so much to learn from this but what stood out for me in the moment is that I need to change the attitude with which I approached my hardships in life. And again going back to recognizing the blessing of not knowing and finding comfort in uncertainty and my not knowing and Allah being All-knowing. And instead seeking Allah’s subtlety in such moments, His kindness and His Mercy.

I pray may Allah not test me beyond my capabilities, and when I find myself in a hard time, I pray that Allah allows me to find the ease within the hardship, to be one who submits to His Decree, recognizes His Mercy and His Gentle Subtlety. I pray may Allah continue to be my Guardian in this life and the next and join me with the righteous and grant me the honor by His Mercy to gaze upon His Divine face. Allahumma Amin Ya Rabb.

With Love, Ibtisam