I’m 37 years old today and THIS number means so much to me! See, when I was 27 years old, Allah gifted me a vision. I was a recent graduate determined to get out of school loans so I was literally living out of $200 a month when Sh. Tawfique Chowdhury offered a course in Toronto titled Vision Weavers. It was $600. All of my income for 3 months! I was starving for direction. I was desperate for meaning in my life. I was in an emotional turmoil to figure myself and life out. So nothing was going to stand in the way of me going. I remember the insistent dua I made. I remember the twirling dance I made when I secured the money to go. I remember the conversations I had with strangers and the hope that filled my heart on that greyhound ride from Columbus to Toronto.
People are remarkable memories in my journey. I wasn’t alone in that journey. Misbah, Heba, Amal and Asmaa were all part of this vision weaving. We all shared one thing in common. We wanted to figure ourselves and our lives out! We had no idea what we wanted and Allah lead us to it by His Wisdom. The shaykh taught us the principles of living a life of vision. A life of submission to Allah. A life where -in his own words- we must strive for excellence. He wanted us to be sought after in every aspect of our lives. Because the true slaves of Allah become the Qadar of Allah on earth. They are the representatives of Allah on earth. Upholding justice and spreading His light.
So I wrote my credo. I wrote it and for the past ten years I’ve been living my life to try to reach what’s in it. Allah knows, I was so far off. I still am not there. But he asked us questions that solidified my values. What will I jump out of bed for? What will I go to prison for? What will I die for? I wrote that. I wrote it and it was placed by Allah in my heart. He allowed me to put it into words and paper so whenever shaytan made me forget, the paper didn’t forget. When I struggled, I went back to this credo and it fueled my purpose with energy again. My identity was in this credo and so there was no other way possible. He asked us to write where we will be in the next ten years and 37 is here today and I couldn’t be more grateful for this guidance.
In one of the breaks in this course, I had a conversation with my friend Heba. I can’t remember the conversation, but I remember her kneeling and taking out my Mushaf and underlining this verse with a pencil: “He gives wisdom to whomever He wills. Whoever is given wisdom has been given much good. But none pays heed except those with insight.” Baqarah 269.
I’ve been chasing this wisdom for so long and it lead to the birth of Hikma Academy. Not because I had found the wisdom and I was ready to teach it. Far from it! I needed the wisdom so I was determined to find it in the Quran. Islamic Wisdom for Intentional Living.
I wrote my life and I wrote Intentionally Rising with all that as a foundation. I ask Allah that He benefit you with it. -Author plug, get it on Amazon-.
Allah has truly amazed me with His Generosity and Wisdom. I feel like I am losing my mind over putting the pieces together. Ya Allah, forgive me for my many shortcomings. This year and for the rest of my life, I’m going to fully step into my identity with complete conviction. With zero hesitation. Unapologetically. I’m wearing the dhikr and dua armour, ain’t no shaytan has permission to me.Ya Mu’een, Your support is what I need. You Alone We Worship, You Alone We Seek Help!
I’m in the business of rising. I ask Allah that He brings along with me in this journey those who are sincerely seeking Him.
#intentionallyrising #quran #sunnah
