By A. Helwa
“That it is He who grants laughter and tears.” (Qur’an 53:43)
“God wants to see more love and playfulness in your eyes for that is your greatest witness to Him.” (Hafiz)
“Your tears are holy; they water the rose gardens in invisible realms.” (Sufi saying)
The worst thing we can do is think that something we’re feeling is so wrong and horrible that we isolate ourselves from God, thinking we’re not worthy of being in His presence. We must remember that Allah doesn’t expect us to be perfect; after all, or our sense of self-worth is not dependent on us, but on God. When we bring our poverty, our neediness, and our nothingness to God, He meets us with His generosity (Al-Karim), His ability to satisfy all needs (As-Samad), and His richness (Al-Ghaniy). Just as if you want light in your room you must open the blinds, if you want the shadows and dark places in your being to dissolve, you have to open your heart to the light of Allah. In essence, all of existence is just a reflection of the light of God’s grace manifesting into different forms.
Truly accepting the loss of someone we deeply love is one of the hardest trials we will ever face. The key to walking through loss is not to get so lost in our grief and pain that we miss witnessing the loving presence of Allah that embraces us even in the moments that shatter our hearts.
Grief has a very holy purpose. Through our feelings of loss, we actualize true gratitude. When we begin to see the depth of our grief as reflecting the depth of love that we felt, the holes that a loved one’s spirit once filled go from triggers of sadness and regret to altars of gratitude. May we not allow our grief for the loss of a loved one prevent us from being grateful for having had that person in our life as long as we did.
Grief is normal, and our faith is not lessened by it. After all, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) mourned his wife and the love of his life, Khadijah, any years after she passed. Cry the tears you need to cry, but in the midst of your pain do not forget that your Lord loves you deeply and sees you fully. “Do not be afraid, I am with you, All Hearing and All Seeing.” (Qur’an 20:46)
This blog is an excerpt from A. Helwa’s recently published best-selling book, “Secrets of Divine Love: A Spiritual Journey into the Heart of Islam.” Her book is available on Amazon.com
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About A. Helwa
A. Helwa believes that every single person on Earth is deeply loved by the Divine. She is a writer who has inspired hundreds of thousands of readers through her passionate, poetic, and love-based approach to spirituality. Her popular blog @quranquotesdaily, was established while obtaining her Masters in Divinity, as a means of helping others overcome personal and spiritual struggles on their journey of experiencing divine love.
With over 15 years of experience writing and speaking on Islam and spiritual development, A. Helwa draws from her personal experiences and traditional sources to help her readers access ‘Divine love in everyday life.’