Slow Down Before You Get A Heart Attack

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Pause and reflect while you are holding your amazing iPhone 5 (for example). What seems more real to you--Allah or the iPhone?

إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱخْتِلَـٰفِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍ لِّأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ ﴿١٩٠﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ ٱللَّـهَ قِيَـٰمًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَـٰذَا بَـٰطِلًا سُبْحَـٰنَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ ﴿١٩١﴾ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ مَن تُدْخِلِ ٱلنَّارَ فَقَدْ أَخْزَيْتَهُۥ ۖ وَمَا لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ ﴿١٩٢﴾ رَّبَّنَآ إِنَّنَا سَمِعْنَا مُنَادِيًا يُنَادِى لِلْإِيمَـٰنِ أَنْ ءَامِنُوا۟ بِرَبِّكُمْ فَـَٔامَنَّا ۚ رَبَّنَا فَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَكَفِّرْ عَنَّا سَيِّـَٔاتِنَا وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ ٱلْأَبْرَارِ ﴿١٩٣﴾ رَبَّنَا وَءَاتِنَا مَا وَعَدتَّنَا عَلَىٰ رُسُلِكَ وَلَا تُخْزِنَا يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۗ إِنَّكَ لَا تُخْلِفُ ٱلْمِيعَادَ ﴿١٩٤

Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding. (190) Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], "Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire. (191) Our Lord, indeed whoever You admit to the Fire - You have disgraced him, and for the wrongdoers there are no helpers. (192) Our Lord, indeed we have heard a caller calling to faith, [saying], 'Believe in your Lord,' and we have believed. Our Lord, so forgive us our sins and remove from us our misdeeds and cause us to die with the righteous. (193) Our Lord, and grant us what You promised us through Your messengers and do not disgrace us on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed, You do not fail in [Your] promise." (194)

[Qur'an AleImran 3:190-194]

In reality, everything is created by Allah and sustained by Allah. So don't live this life bouncing from one thing to another like a donkey that goes around the treading wheel, that the place it goes is the same place that it came from, but go from creation to the Creator.

Ibn Ata'ila said:

Travel not from creature to creature, otherwise you will be like a donkey at the mill: roundabout the turns, his goal the same as his departure. Rather, go from creatures (al-akwaan) to Creator (al-Mukawwin): وَأَنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ٱلْمُنتَهَىٰ (And that to your Lord is the finality) [Quran An-Najm 53:42] Consider the Prophet's words (Allah bless him and grant him peace): "Therefore, he whose flight is for Allah and His Messenger, then his flight is for Allah and His Messenger; and he whose flight is for worldly gain or marriage with a woman, then his flight is for that which he flees to." So understand his words (upon him be Peace) and ponder this matter, if you can. And Peace be upon you!

Ultimately, all things will perish, including your expensive iPhone, and all that remains is Allah Himself. So, flee to Allah.

وَلَا تَدْعُ مَعَ ٱللَّـهِ إِلَـٰهًا ءَاخَرَ ۘ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ كُلُّ شَىْءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجْهَهُۥ ۚ لَهُ ٱلْحُكْمُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ﴿٨٨

And do not invoke with Allah another deity. There is no deity except Him. Everything will be destroyed except His Face. His is the judgement, and to Him you will be returned. (88)

[Qur'an al-Qasas 28:88]

Everything on this earth and the heavens and all that are within ourselves are signs for people of insight. The true meaning of the signs is not this worldly meaning but they are meant to point us to our Creator and submit to His Oneness.

When you see something wonderful, you don't say Wow! Amazing! Excellent! A true believer will never speak in exclamation marks because it is meaningless. They are nonsense. Many people are consumed by the meaningless of the godless environment. To be people of insight and meaning, you don't be shallow. You don't just see forms, but you see Allah first, Eternal with all His Attributes, then you see His creation. In order to do this, you need to slow down and stop rushing from one merely worldly thing/concern to another merely worldly thing/concern lest you are bound for physical and spiritual heart attack.

...إِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا۟ مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ ....

...Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves... [Qur'an Ar-Ra'd 13:11]

May Allah make us among those who reflect and among those with pure understanding. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam