How Garri Made It Into My Heart

‘Take Garri and Epa if you can't do without it’, that was the simple travel advice that refused to leave my heart and inspired this piece.

‘What's the big deal’? I wondered. After all, I barely eat Garri, not my problem, right? Well, that was what I thought till Garri started cropping up everywhere! In my meals, travel list, it even made a special appearance in my cravings, in my conversations! Ahhhh! What could be  going on here?

 Was I moving from someone who had a once in a lifetime relationship with Garri to a regular consumer? I found it even more disturbing that my sister who was also exposed to the same message felt the same way. Before we go further , AlhamduliLlahi, that it is Garri and nothing else.

I was reflecting on the whole thing and flashes from my  learnings from Purification of the heart surfaced (a course at Ribaat institute which  I highly recommend, you can check it out here. I thought about how often Anse cautioned us to protect  the pathways to our hearts and how they must be guarded by jealousy.  I mean, look at how I unconsciously became a Garri ambassador, now think of the myriad of messages we expose ourselves to daily with no filters. We tell ourselves ‘It's just a harmless video’, ‘They are just harmless lyrics’  or ‘I am just scrolling to decompress’, whereas, we've opened up pathways for a free flow of soot to blacken our hearts. 

We may not be able to curb everything but I can assure you that a lot is within our control. Al-Nu’man ibn Bashir reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

أَلَا وَإِنَّ فِي الْجَسَدِ مُضْغَةً إِذَا صَلَحَتْ صَلَحَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ وَإِذَا فَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ أَلَا وَهِيَ الْقَلْبُ

Verily, in the body is a piece of flesh which, if sound, the entire body is sound, and if corrupt, the entire body is corrupt. Truly, it is the heart.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 52, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi

 We owe it ourselves to protect our hearts and be conscious of what we let in.  

This incident has served as a major reminder for  me and I hope it does for you too. A few activities to get you started:

• Scrub that Instagram/Twitter/Tiktok/Whatsapp feed, get rid of the harmful stuff. 

• Make replacements, ditch the crude lyrics for Dhikr/ Quran recitation. 

• Before watching anything on TV or online ask yourself ‘ Does this deserve space in my heart’?

• Remind yourself always that Allah is watching and the angels are recording.  

• Keep great company, ko si aiye katikati (No room for nonsense)

This is a non-exhaustive list, do share the steps you will be taking to protect your heart.

These are just a few, but I trust  they will inspire more. 

Amusement Park of  distractions ni Dunya yi o, Focus, my people and remember the goal is Al- Jannah Firdaus. 

May we be guided.

 I'm off to unfollow some accounts!

Leave you in Allah's care,

Omodara

P.S: Garri is creamy granular flour obtained from Cassava Flour. It can be mixed with cold water or hot water and can be consumed in different forms. It is very popular in Nigeria where I am from and you can read about it here.