April 1, 2024

I’ve found that sometimes there are adhkar (remebrances) or surahs or ayats that I frequently recite and while Alhamdulillah I’m able to recite, they end up becoming just an exercise of the tongue, devoid of the attentiveness with which one should have when in remembrance of Allah - may Allah forgive me and grant me khushu. In reciting today’s Juz, I came across one such ayah that I frequently recite when reciting the Qur’an or when engaging in dhikr but I guess I never really pondered upon it until today.

As I was reciting Surah Yasin, I found myself in full glee as I recited ayats 55 -58, where it detailed the reward and the life of the residents of paradise - may Allah make me among them, Amin. Specifically when I got to ayah 58 where it says: “And Peace! will be ˹their˺ greeting from the Merciful Lord [36:58]”. Allah! SubhanAllah! This specific ayah is one that I frequently recite as a dhikr but I don’t think I had allowed myself to ponder and appreciate the ayah as much as it needs to. In this moment all I could think of was, what would it look like for me to receive the greeting of salam from As-Salam Himself. He is Peace and from Him is Peace. And to imagine receiving salam from Allah, my heart couldn’t contain it. Ya Allah ya Rabb by your Mercy keep me steadfast and by Your Mercy make me among those who receive Your Greating of Salam.

The Salam is a greeting we as muslims are so familiar with because it is the saying with which we greet each other often. Assalamu alaykum (May the peace of Allah be upon you). We greet each other with this beautiful greeting of peace, asking Allah As-Salam to bestow peace upon each other. And to know that we will one day by His Mercy, receive this greating of peace from The Peace! May he make it so, Amin. It makes me think of the greeting of salam differently.

This ayah will not be the same for me anymore. In sha Allah, when I recite this, I’ll remember to ask Him, As-Salam to make me a recipient of His Salam. When I say salam to another person, I will make the intention that my giving of salam to them will In sha Allah be a means of receiving salam from The Source of Peace. When I recite it in dhikr, I would hope in His Mercy that I am among those who receive His Salam and I would hope by His Mercy that when I do receive His Salam, I am able to give the response of our mother Khadija (may Allah be well pleased with her), when Allah sent His Salam to her through the angel Jibril (peace be upon him) - As for Allah, He is As-Salam.

All Praise and Thanks Belong to Allah. Ya Allah, ya Rabb, You are As-Salam. You are Peace, The Source of Peace, The Giver of Peace. Grant me peace from Your Peace, fill my life with Your Peace, replace my anxiety and my worries with Your Peace. Ya Quddus, purify my heart and comfort it with Your Peace. Ya Rahman, by Your Mercy make me a person of peace and make me among those who receive Your Greeting of Peace in the highest of Jannah. Allahumma Amin

With Love, Ibtisam