This is the third in a 3 part series.
Allah Hu Akbar! الله أكبر I look outside and reflect on the words that beckon the melodious Athaan.
A new day is about to be ushered in by the night, just as Allah SWT teaches us via His most beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW), and our most glorious rehma on the Day of Judgment. The ground glistens with a sparkling new coat of snow, and the trees have a proud glistening shine to them with the ice so majestically covering the tree. It is an incredible sight; one only Allah SWT can create Allah Hu Akbar! الله أكبر It is the middle of winter and as I prepare to make ablution, I think about the immense amount of snow we have had this winter and I am left in deep bewilderment as to Allah SWT’s never ending signs of his great majesty Allah Hu Akbar! الله أكبر
Snow, trees, the earth undoubtedly are all created for our beloved Prophet Muhammad SAW, the seal of Prophets and our Intercessor on the Day of Judgment. All creation works together in a perfect un matched harmonious unison and made to make our existence more comfortable. The cold weather preserves and hardens the ground locking in the nutrients for the spring while preparing the earth for spring Allah Hu Akbar! الله أكبر
The snow is a most pristine divine beauty. Elementally it is composed of the snow flake with its infinite patterns and shapes that makes it a natural wonder, a wonder despite our best ice making machines can’t be replicated, Allah Hu Akbar! الله أكبر The snow elegantly blankets the earth reminding us that just as Allah SWT ushers the day in from the night, by HIS command only, winter will soon usher in spring and bring with it the tremendous array of beautiful colors from leaves, fresh smelling flowers, and new baby animals all praising Allah SWT in the most melodious manner, one fitting only for our maker. Allah Hu Akbar. الله أكبر The snow gracefully carries with it the treasures and secrets of the vast life sustaining oceans, the oceans that remind of us Allah SWT’s kind and everlasting mercy, Allah Hu Akbar. الله أكبر Soon however, the snow will melt and thaw the ground bringing the peacefully sleeping earth vivaciously back to life. The water from the snow will give birth to new grass while nourishing the roots of all the plants and bring back to life what was once frozen in a deep sleep. (In a way, it is like us, on the Day of Judgment the horn will sound and we will too be awoken from our slumber, we will be awoken to meet our maker). This cycle of sleep and life is all created by the command of the most glorious Allah SWT (reminding us of the revelatory Aya Kun FaYa Kun, HE says be and it is!), all this undoubtedly created for his most prized creation and our rehma prophet Muhammad SAW, all this working in a perfect harmony and unparalleled unison, Allah Hu Akbar! الله أكبر
The miracle of Allah SWT that was winter ends. The miracle of cold winds blowing from the lakes and carrying with it snow and ice to help nourish our soil and providing water for the upcoming spring ends. The miracle of pristine snow melts away and reveals the beauty of the hidden treasures that Allah SWT reveals from the soil. الله أكبر Allah Hu Akbar, winter welcomes HIS next miracle spring. Spring is synonymous with new growth; this allows me to reflect for a moment. As the winter has prepared us for spring, have I prepared my soul and spirit for what will come next? Have I adequately moistened my mouth with the Dhikr of Allah SWT, have I watered my soul, spirit and body with the love of Allah SWT and the remembrance of our beloved Prophet Muhammad SAW? Have I fertilized my soil so that spiritually I am growing, are my fruits full of taste and life, like the life we see blossoming in front of our very eyes during spring? I think of the winter and how much snow and cold weather we had, and how that hard weather prepared us for a wonderful spring. What if, however we didn’t have the snow and cold weather, would we see all the lovely spring time flowers blooming? Would we smell the fresh roses that fragrantly fill the air with the sweet smell of our most Glorious Prophet Muhammad’s SAW sweat? Would we hear the young birds chirping a melodious tune to their creator, to our creator Allah SWT, would we witness trees coming to life with a gorgeous array of leaves? الله أكبر Allah HU Akbar how perfect is HIS creation. If today I don’t take the time to nourish my soul, if today I don’t take the time to perfect my ablution, if today I don’t offer my prayer, if today I don’t work on my devotion what kind of fruits will my soul produce tomorrow? In front of Allah SWT, how will I appear when I too will awaken from my deep winter slumber? What will I be able to say to Prophet Muhammad (SAW) who all this time has been praying for my salvation?
The perfection of Allah SWT’s world is remarkable and one that words created by humans can’t adequately describe. الله أكبر Allah Hu Akbar, how does a bird instinctively know exactly how to feed its new hatchling? How does a bee know exactly which flowers to taste pollen from and produce honey for us? How does the tree so grandly know to sway in the breeze of spring in a constant reminder of its devotion? Yet again signs, signs reminding us of Allah SWT’s majesty and his creation, Allah HU Akbar الله أكبر. As life starts to bloom, the earth showcases the endless array of this world’s beauty, Allah Hu Akbar الله أكبر. Indeed Allah SWT has left his signs everywhere for us to discover. The beautiful earth’s colors that we poorly attempt to ‘artistically’ imitate lead us to the warmer weather that is summer. Summer, the season of warmth, the season of maturation, the season of development, the season of long hot days and short warm nights rapidly approaches reminding us too of the passage of our time through this short life. Allah Hu Akbar, الله أكبر.
Fresh berries and garden vegetables are ripe and ready to be eaten. All this the work of winters melted snow, and springs awakened fertilized earth, Allah Hu Akbar الله أكبر. Summer brings with it a divine reminder of an opportunity. The days are longer; the opportunity to devote to Allah SWT between prayers is also longer. In the late summer as the grass starts to discolor due to heat I am reminded to water the ‘grass’ and ‘garden’ to ensure the endurance of the lovely shades of life that only Allah SWT can create Allah Hu Akbar الله أكبر. I am also reminded to continue to nourish my spirit and soul with the water and life that is the Dhikr of Allah SWT and Muhabba of our most beautiful Messenger Prophet Muhammad SAW.
Summer is also the season of thunderstorms. The sound of thunder is an awe-inspiring sound that even the most regal of lions can’t imitate. The thunder of course reminds us of Allah SWT’s infinite power. The lightning that precedes the thunder is forever a reminder of Allah SWT’s majesty, and the rain that follows is a sign of Allah SWT’s mercy, Allah Hu Akbar! الله أكبر
Summer is the season where fruits ripen gushing out of the earth hoping to be eaten by someone whose mouth is fresh with the Dhikr of Allah SWT. The fruit is eager to be eaten by someone, who while they are digesting the very fruit that Allah SWT rewarded them with, remembers Allah SWT’s infinite favors including the remembrance of the jewel of creation, Prophet Muhammad SAW. Indeed Allah Hu Akbar الله أكبر, that he gave us all these reminders of his majesty and wonder. Summer also reminds us to prepare ourselves. As the nights of summer turn colder, autumn the season of maturation and the season of most vibrant color is hastily approaching.
Every season undoubtedly provides signs’ of Allah SWT’s great and breathtaking splendor, Allah Hu Akbar الله أكبر. Autumn offers a unique majestic array of colors. HIS vibrant colors are manifest and evident in the changing colors of the leaves, and the sky’s color especially during Maghrib’s arrival, Allah Hu Akbar الله أكبر, in autumn no two days are coloured in the same way. The vibrant color of autumn takes me personally to the resting place of our Great Prophet Muhammad SAW, it reminds me of the sky of Medina Sharif during late Fajr and Asr. It reminds ever so faintly of the great colors of Medina’s sky, the colors that Allah SWT paints and reminds us of us great power, Allah Hu Akbar! الله أكبر
Autumn is also the chance to prepare for next spring’s harvest. The greater effort taken to harvest autumn’s soil produces greater fruits in the spring. Inherent in this is a reminder to prepare our soul and spirit during the autumn of our life so that our restful winter will be a peaceful one. Autumn is a great chance for us to remember our Maker, remember HE, who created this world and all the glorious colors and life forms for our commander and chief, Prophet Muhammad (SAW). As autumn continues to showcase Allah SWT’s great glory, winter is getting ready to bring with it cold winds and snow.
The seasons complete full circle and another year so quickly marks its end while another year is quickly pressing upon us. How quickly the year started, and how quickly it came to an end. The year’s seasons serve as constant reminders of Allah SWT’s greatness, Allah Hu Akbar الله أكبر. The seasons also serve as reminders of opportunities. Opportunities to remember Allah SWT at every juncture, and remember that inherent in this world’s beauty are his signs. Allah Hu Akbar الله أكبر.
Perhaps the most important reminder for us however, is that while we appreciate the beauty of Allah’s creations throughout all seasons, HIS most beautiful creation is waiting for us, and praying for us. His most beautiful creation is forever linked to HIM on HIS throne, and His most beautiful creation is the most beautiful of all seasons, and the best reminders or all reminders, and the best signs of all of Allah SWT’s signs, he is our Messenger, our Prophet SAW, and he is the our savior. Allah Hu Akbar الله أكبر.