Allah Loves A Good Cry
Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatuLlah wa barakaatuh, dear sis.
Trust that you are doing great, striving and thriving?
I don’t want to be tough. In fact, I am done with it. I have no interest in being the strong one. I am not in need of the praise that comes with being tough, I don’t want, ‘I no dey do again’.
Resuming ‘mummy duties’ early in life had quite an impact. Being there for adults, a not-so-little one and being involved in a lot of decisions that were way beyond my age is real work.
AlhamduliLlahi, it was a blessing but also came with its fair share of trials, one of them was this idea of ‘being strong for everyone’ and the ‘resident tough cookie’.
You won’t find me shedding a tear or expressing my pain because, if I did, ‘what would others do’, years later and I was still tough as ever. I remember one of my coaches trying to figure out why and then she said something that struck something in me, ‘I get the toughness but you know, Allah loves a good cry’.
It would have made a great movie if the floodgates opened at that moment and I started wailing, right? Well, that didn’t happen, instead we had a few moments of sitting in awkward silence and we called it a day..lol.. Anyway, I left with her words in my heart.
Fast forward to donkey months (Does anyone say that?) later and I am ugly-crying during recitations or at different moments and as the tears flow, it reminds me that it is okay to feel. It's okay to be emotional, what really matters is who you take your pain to.
As you prepare for Ramadan, I encourage you to take it ALL to ALlah.
The pain, the struggles, the trials, everything, don’t hold back, take it to Him. He sees you, He hears you, He will comfort you and He is with you , always.
هُوَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلۡعَرۡشِ ۖ يَعۡلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا يَخۡرُجُ مِنۡهَا وَمَا يَنزِلُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَمَا يَعۡرُجُ فِيهَا ۖ وَهُوَ مَعَكُمۡ أَيۡنَ مَا كُنتُمۡ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرٞ
He is the One Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days,1 then established Himself on the Throne. He knows whatever goes into the earth and whatever comes out of it, and whatever descends from the sky and whatever ascends into it. And He is with you wherever you are. For Allah is All-Seeing of what you do. (Surah 57: 4)
Starting this week's newsletter with a resource that resonates and it's from Imam Omar Suleiman. I particularly love how he touches on how our vulnerability to Allah draws us closer to Him. You'd love it.
Up next is a reminder from Yasmin Mogahed and if you know her, you'd agree her reminders are power-packed and beautiful.
Wrapping with our Seeker's Circle session happening this Sunday, and you're invited! Our Facilitator, Oyinkansola Fatima Momoh, is ready to share her experiences with you. The question is, are you ready for her? If yes, please, save your slot by registering now. Even if you are not ready, still register.
We leave you in Allah's care,
One of us at Ibadahplug