In love with me...a little more

I did it again..
Thinking about business ideas...looking into sites that can sell my stuff...I even discussed with a friend...but now isnt the time.

So I am here to remind me...I had promised myself that
1. Go on dates with kids...alternate months...pay attention to their liking in foods, their dislikes..love them a little more.

2. I will explore more, invest more...not worrying about the returns..i will do that cz I have promised to love myself a little more.

3. I will write cz I love to...I will write poetry and tiny tales..not for appreciation...but because I love to.

4. Hold in my anger a bit more...think and analyse.

5. Value people who value my presence....a bit more..

6. Its been years since I decided who gets to stay in my life. Today, I am thankful for that decision...Thank u my old self. lol

7.Read, learn...imagine a little more.

8.Define my personality...be clear of what i like n wht i dont..cz I need to define and defend myself a bit more.

9. Learn self defense, swimming, exercise regularly...eat healthy..cz i need to take care of myself a little more.

10. 2018 will be the year of giving.. ;) Will spread happiness a little more.

Finding Me

Its been almost 5 years since the inception of this crazy idea that I should be doing business.. I must be crazy to think something like that. I severly lack skills required fir running a business.... I am a downright loser at management...financial, time, resources..
And I almost all the time keep repeating my mistakes....i should be learning from them right? lol!

I think its time I give up dreaming about things I cannot achieve and concentrate on mundane things in life that require no extra effort to use my not so good brain.

Its time I accept that my creativity has no value because of how foolish I can be.

So on a happier note lets do what I am best at:
Giving!!

2018 be the year of giving 💗

-Afrah

Under the rock.

"Living under a rock?" people are often amused.

At first I did feel an urge to update myself with the current affairs...but that did no good to my soul.

So I chose an alternate path..
Of the oblivion. I trained my mind to repel what was not usefeul for me and absorb what was. It had to be trained to take the good from the bad. To be ignorant of matters that did not concern me or my faith.

It was good to be under that rock...in my own world of happiness, grief and satisfaction...

Maybe.

-Afrah

Carefree

You realise death could be tomorrow.
So what do you do?
You start caring less of what is not important.
You start being you.
You are carefree 'cz you don't care of what could be.

Let me tell you..
Once in a while it's okay.
Do what you want
Be who you want to be
Travel...do your best to recognise your abilities.
Challenge, sacrifice, learn, reflect and interpret.
This is all you were born for.
So stop worrying
And just be...

Once in a while...its okay to be carefree.

-Afrah

Death

There has always been a question ringing in my mind since time immemorial..
"What kind of a person is scared of death"? 

Death is truth...hence none can defy it. So what scares a person when he actually thinks of death?Thought of losing someone?...or the thought of laying alone in the grave...or the fear of the uncertain.
What is scary? 

In search for the answer I asked many people..to which most of the persons replied "The persn in love with this duniya is scared of death."
True.
But it somehow never convinced me. There was something more I had to know. I held onto this statement trying to understand it. Then as it is said there is a time for everything..I found the answer.

I happened to ask my father in law and he too began with this statement..but then we had an elaborate discussion. And my quest was answered, my search ended.

Remember the story of the campanions of the cave. The very first story in Sura Al Kahf.
The young men escape from the town and seek Allah's protection. They hide in a cave and when they wake up they try to remember for how long they have slept. And they think they must have slept for a night or a part of the day....only later to realise Allah taala made them to sleep for 300 years.

قَالَ قَائِلٌ مِّنْهُمْ كَمْ لَبِثْتُمْ ۖ قَالُوا لَبِثْنَا يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ ۚ قَالُوا رَبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثْتُمْ
[Said a speaker from among them, "How long have you remained [here]?" They said, "We have remained a day or part of a day." They said, "Your Lord is most knowing of how long you remained. ]
[Part of Ayat 19 of surah Kahf] 
[18:19] Saheeh International]
[Source: Tanzil.net]

This story gives us many lessons...but as far as death is concerned it affirms that is how a believer will feel when he is resurrected. 

The again in Surah Naziyaat, Allah taala says

كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَهَا لَمْ يَلْبَثُوا إِلَّا عَشِيَّةً أَوْ ضُحَاهَا
(It will be, on the Day they see it, as though they had not remained [in the world] except for an afternoon or a morning thereof.)
[79:46] Saheeh International 

[Source : tanzil.net]

On the day of judgement, when we will be risen to account for our deeds we will remember nothing of this life except a few hours, that is said to be the time just before a person's death. So, if he is to die in the afternoon then at the time of resurrection that is the time he will remember.

There are other examples that Allah taala gave us in the Quran to reflect.. Another one such example where Allah taala instills in us beleif of life after death is the story of Prophet Uzair (A.s) and his donkey.
Or [consider such an example] as the one who passed by a township which had fallen into ruin. He said, "How will Allah bring this to life after its death?" So Allah caused him to die for a hundred years; then He revived him. He said, "How long have you remained?" The man said, "I have remained a day or part of a day." He said, "Rather, you have remained one hundred years. Look at your food and your drink; it has not changed with time. And look at your donkey; and We will make you a sign for the people. And look at the bones [of this donkey] - how We raise them and then We cover them with flesh." And when it became clear to him, he said, "I know that Allah is over all things competent." [2:259] Saheeh International

[Source : tanzil.net]

Then I wondered what it must be like to be dead...to feel nothing and to be buried in a 6 feet deep grave...
And so it happened one night.
I suddenly woke up...I felt like my breath had just returned to me. It was pitch dark. (I don't sleep in complete darkness)..I almost assumed that I was dead. I thought to myself my grave looks spacious...alhamdulillah..Now I was waiting for the angels to appear...but I couldn't feel anyone coming....And the my baby squealed a bit... That is when I realised I was very much alive! I laughed at myself..and then opened the torch in my phone. But I did realise...that I just got a hint of what it would probably be like....Alhamdulillah..

May our graves be spacious with the cool breeze of Jannah ad May Allah, The Most High light it up with His Nur..
Ameen

-Afrah Taher 

Piety (Taqwa)

So what is it about piety?

Let's define it first: "Piety" or "Taqwa" is abstaining from something for the fear of Allah.

To me it has evolved over the years..

When I was much younger, I could look at a person praying 5 times a day and to me that was ultimate taqwa..But then the definition grew deeper for me.. It could be easier for a person to pray 5 times a day but harder to abstain from a major sin like backbiting.

In my understanding any such thing that you are not allowed to do and you find it hard to abstain from and still abstain because you want to please your Rabb...that's Taqwa..
Yes..following orders like fulfilling the 5 pillars of islam..or the 6 pillars of iman...that could be taqwa too...But real test comes when you have to choose between your ego, pride, honour and the love of Allah.

What would you sacrifice?

It requires an amazing level of iman to even harbor something so amazing in our hearts...The love of Allah taala.. What would you do to achieve His acceptance, His happiness, His love? How easy is it for you to let go when you can't? What ultimately do you place your decisions on? That's where you can analyse the taqwa you hold within you. When you accept there's a supreme power watching over you and you completely submit yourself to Him...that's taqwa.

May Allah taala fill our hearts with His Nur and everlasting Piety till the last of our breaths...
Ameen

This

This. This is the path I carved out for me.
This. This is how I want it to be.

This. This is the life I have dreamed for me.
This. This is how it's going to be.

This. This is the time I will listen to me.
This. This is how I want it to be.