How can I understand my role in the will of Allah?
Assalamu Alaykum My Brothers and Sisters,
I am a revert, alhumdulillah. I am so blessed that Allah chose me out of all the people who are non-Muslims. It seems He crafted my life and circumstances to come to Him at the time and manner of His choosing.
My question is, can I pray to Allah to ask Him to choose that someone submits to Him and becomes a Muslim?
I know that Allah knows and met all the souls that He created (Holy Quran 7:172), and also that I should accept that non-believers may not submit to Allah (Holy Quran 109:1-6). I also understand that I cannot comprehend His plan, and who He chooses, only Allah knows best.
But what is my role? Several of the Muslims I have met over the years were very influential in my choosing to revert. Mashallah! So I want to be a good example to non-Muslims, and also pray that they choose to submit to Him. I know Allah could easily command me to do whatever He wanted. But instead, He has blessed me with a free will to choose to follow His will. I feel a great responsibility to do my part to follow His will so that as many people as possible that I come in contact with can see the light of Allah through me, inshallah, through my actions, my heart, and my adherence to His will. But if it is His will that a specific person submit to Him, how can I affect this? If I miss a chance to follow His will because of my sins, what happens? Does Allah's will get accomplished through someone else's actions, or am I dooming someone because of my inaction?
For me personally, I was in the process of getting divorced when I reverted. I prayed that Allah choose my wife, but she has a deep hatred for religion. I wonder if there was something I could have done to change her heart, to open her heart to Allah. But, in her case, what its written in 109:1-6 is very true. She shall have her religion and I shall have mine. I have a work friend (also a revert) who is also getting divorced, and I pray that her husband submits to the will of Allah before their divorce is final, but, alas, I don't think he will revert. I cannot understand why, and maybe I should just accept that there are things I cannot know. And I know my insignificance compared to Allah, but since some people affected me so positively, alhumdulillah, I want to do the same where I can, inshallah. I work in the US as a civilian supporting the government, where most people do not understand Muslims and do not approve. I have shared the fact that I reverted with only a few of the people I work with.
I want to help them all see how beautiful and how perfect Islam is, but I am fearful of being open about it because I need to keep my job to support my children and fear I will be fired. But I also want to glorify Him in all that I do, inshallah. But I am only human, and I find myself begging Him for forgiveness five, six, or sometimes even more times a day tearfully as part of my prayers because of my weaknesses. I feel so ashamed and so grateful for his mercy. I know Allah is the forgiver, and his ability for mercy is without bound. Without His mercy, I would be lost forever to Shaytan, but because He is with me, I can fight a renewed battle with Shaytan and defeat his evil.
Is there anything you can share with me to help me? I want to remember Him in all that I do, and become a pious Muslim man, but sometimes I feel I can never measure up. Inshallah, I can do better. I don't want to give up until everyone can experience the blessing and mercy and rewards that Allah has given me.
-American Muslim
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Salaam,brother. Im truly amazed by your post. Because you sound like a newly revert but you are more pious than me,or most of us. Allah says that,you wil not reach the highest point of imaan until you love another muslim like you love yourself, for the sake of Allah 😀 anyway, do you that one of the best prayer is a prayer made for a friend secretly?enshallah Allah listens to that :-Dand brother,you sound like you want to be perfect in Islam, and that's not the case here.all we can do is to try our best and leave Allah to the rest 😀 honestly im ashamed since im born Islam but I dont have the same realisation like you.thank you brother
assalamalaikum-
1]TAWHEED IS THE ROOT OF IMAN AND MANHAJ IS THE TREE-THE BREEZE THAT SWINGS THE LEAVES IS THE PURE PRACTICE OF SUNNAH WHICH SPREADS PURE OF OXYGEN IN THE IMMIDIATE SHADE OF THE TREE AND IN THE SURROUNDING HE WHO SITS UNDER SUCH A TREE SAVES HIMSELF ROM THE FALSE AWNINGS OF THE WORLD AND ATTAINS AN ETERNAL LIFE.
2] pl go to google open a website where is Allah? follow that as priority and then ponder on what Allah wants from you.
3]Why don’t we rely on Allah’s mercy?
As we get to know Islam better and the belief in Tauheed gradually takes hold in our hearts, we make many discoveries in this personal journey. Lately, the idea of a compassionate and merciful Allah is taking a more refined form in my head. As a child growing up in a Muslim household, Allah was always a friend, someone to talk to in bleak times. At dozens of instances during a day – anxiously sitting the Maths exam or before eating dinner – we would say Bismillah and be reminded of His mercy. But it is the sheer generosity of His forgiving nature that is sinking in these days.
AsSalamualaikum,
This is the best attitude one can have, brother. Sadly, many of us are far away from it. May Allah give us all the same attitude and enable us to actually act on it.
Further to this, it is correct to pray to Allah that He Guides someone. We can find this in the lifetime of the Prophet Sallallahu alihi wasallam. He prayed that Allah Guides Umar (Radiyallahu anhu) or Abu Jahl. Allah Guided Umar and we know how strong a believer he became. Hence, you can ask Allah to Guide someone.
Regarding the effect of Da'wah, we find in the lifetime of Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi wasallam that He called his uncle Abu Talib but it was not what Allah wished. Allah chose not to Guide him. And Allah said that He Guides whom He Wills.
It is true that Allah Has Decreed, and whatever He Wills, it happens. But we should know that Allah is al 'Aleem, Who Has knowledge of all things. He knows whatever there is in the sea, on the Earth, in the sky and so on. He Has the knowledge of what exists and what will exist in the future. And most importantly, we should understand that 'we do not do what we do, because it is Written by Allah, but Allah Has Written, because He knows how we will act and what we will do'
And we should call the people, because Allah would have decreed that a person be Guided, through you, so that even you be rewarded an equal amount as the one who acts on your call. Allah Has Decreed whether He Guides that person or not. But it is your duty to do your work, by passing the message of Allah, in any way possible.Guidance is not in your hands. It is Allah Who Guides. I know you understand this well, but I mention this, in order to make people understand it better.
May Allah make us all beloved to Him
Aameen
Wassalamualaikum
Muhammad Waseem
I forgot to mention this:
Your feeling about the Mercy of Allah is good. you said you seek forgiveness of Allah 5 or 6 times a day. And we have the Companions of Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi wasallam that he (the Prophet) sought Allah's forgiveness anound 70 to 100 times. Just imagine..... He was one whose past and future sins were forgiven, and he was so keen on seeking forgiveness of Allah, then what about us?
Brother,
Thank you, Alhumdulillah.
I need to seek His forgiveness continually, because I am so flawed, I have done so many things that do not measure up. He is with me always, yet I turn my back on Him for such trival reasons sometimes, without even thinking. I need to allow Him to guide me and I need to seek His will continually. I am trying, and He is helping me. And He forgives me again and again and again. I do not deserve this, and yet I ask Him, and He forgives me. I am in awe of His mercy. I only hope I can continue to do more to deserve it, inshallah.
SubhanAllah brother - I am afraid that I have little advice to offer at the moment - just wanted to tell you that your post actually made me cry. It was a wake-up call for me on the attitude I as a Muslimah should be having and the attitude I currently have. My heart is so closed and I am so ashamed. I truly hope this is something that can be the driving force for change. I am not telling you this to try and compliment you or praise you as it is not you - rather it is a gift Allah has given you. I pray that Allah (swt) opens my heart and your heart and all of our hearts to Islam and gives us true understanding, true taqwa and true love and fear for Allah (swt) in our hearts. Too many of us take this gift for granted. That Allah swt chose us over others. We could have easily have not been chosen.
All I will say to you brother is that honestly if your heart is sincere, if you seek to do this to please Allah then not only will He reward you abundantly but He will make a way for you. You have the wonderful opportunity to do dawah especially as you work amongst non-Muslims - and you are doing this to please Allah and to try and share the gift you have with others. May Allah swt reward you immensely for your intention and keep your intention pure.
JazakAllah khair for this post - it was very touching and very enlightening.
Sara
IslamicAnswerscom Editor
Ahumdulillah, my sister. Allah has blessed me so much, you have no idea. He blessed me all my life, even before I reverted.
I cannot take these blessings and rewards for granted, I am compelled by Allah and his mercy to pass them on, inshallah. I struggle with this, but this struggle itself is a blessing. It helps motivate me to pray and seek His will.
I need Allah to sustain me in my struggles, and He does, but only if I let Him. How do I let his will permeate my soul? I need Him so much. I cry out for Him, but then somehow Shaytan prys open a crevice and redirects me sometimes. It weighs so heavy on my soul. I have done so many bad things in my life. I have to work hard to deserve what Allah has already given me.
I don't know if this makes any sense. I need Him so much. I need Him just to breathe.
Thanks for listening.
dear brother,
asalamalaikum
alhamdulillah Allah has blessed you with the heart with imaan. we all have flaws. we all do sins . Allah is so merciful that he bestows his mercy on us despite us not deserving it.
just keep doing good, if one falls , just get up and get going again. Allah loves that.giving up is what He doesnt like. giving up on yourself, giving up on His mercy.
may Allah increase our imaan and elp u strive in his path.