In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
One day my neighbor pointed out to me that Soya, our female cat, was pregnant. She being our first female cat, I didn't notice it until she pointed that out. So for the past couple months my family has been anxiously waiting for the birth of our first kitten(s).
We noticed the change in Soya's moods for the past couple weeks -- sleeping more, more affectionate, eating less, sniffing in the closets and under beds. My son prepared a nesting box under his bed and a couple other nests elsewhere in the house so she could choose where she wanted to have her kittens.
In the morning of Sunday May 25, after Fajr, Soya started to show signs of labor. She laid down on her side by me, while purring very hard and wagging her tail every few minutes. She looked quite uncomfortable. I tried to comfort her by petting her and talking to her. She looked at me and as if telling me, "I'm in pain!" Yes, I could relate to that for labor is difficult.
Allah Almighty reminds us in the Qur'an,
...وَوَصَّيْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ بِوَٰلِدَيْهِ إِحْسَـٰنًا ۖ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُۥ كُرْهًا وَوَضَعَتْهُ كُرْهًا ۖ وَحَمْلُهُۥ وَفِصَـٰلُهُۥ ثَلَـٰثُونَ شَهْرًا[Qur'an, Ah-Ahqaf 46:15]
And We have enjoined upon man, to his parents, good treatment. His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship, and his gestation and weaning [period] is thirty months...
After the Maghrib adhan before my kids left for the masjid, one of my sons told me that from his research about cats birth, he was pretty sure Soya was nearing delivery. Just before my children came back from the masjid, Soya had delivered her first 2 kittens -- the first is white with black crown on its head (a give away as who the father is), and the second is a brown one. No wonder Squeaker, the name which we give to one of the street cats, came to our balcony door making meowing a lot around the time Soya delivered her kittens. I think he sensed that his babies were being born.
We missed the births. When I came to check on Soya and her kittens, she was all clean and so were her kittens and the nest. I petted her while the kittens were climbing on her. She didn't mind that at all though she looked exhausted. Within the next 2 hours she delivered another 2 kittens, both have a few small light brown spots. Alhamdulillah.
It is amazing to see the little creatures, how quickly the kittens bond with their mother and how their mother with them. Soya was a great mom (we were a little worried if she does not know how to handle the kittens during delivery etc). She is only out of the nest to eat and drink and clean herself. She eats and drinks a lot. I have never seen her eat like that before. She is also a very loving and tender mom. She would lift her legs to let her kittens pass through, and when she enters the nest, she enters with much care so she does not step on her kittens. MashaAllah.
It seems that all animals know how to take care of their young properly and they seem experts except humans -- people are having a hard time being good parents. Allah knows this and so He sent us prophets and Messengers to teach us. But how many humans want to learn and take heed?
How amazing when you look at the hair color of the kittens. Something to reflect on...imagine the infinite combination of colors and arrangements but Allah chose those particular color and arrangement for each of Soya's kittens. Hence, there are no two the same. SubhanAllah. Truly Allah is Al-Badee', both the unique Originator and the Originator of all that is unique! He is the One who is the unique Originator and His incomparable power originates, invents and brings into existence all of the unique creation without following any prior model or unlike any similarity to anything that ever existed.
بَدِيعُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَإِذَا قَضَىٰٓ أَمْرًا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ ﴿١١٧[Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:117]
Originator of the heavens and the earth. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, "Be," and it is. (117)
Allah created us as unique human beings. Sadly, we don't appreciate our uniqueness and so we find people try to change their looks -- they have this certain definition of beauty -- so they spend lots of money changing their looks, ranging with makeup to cosmetic and plastic surgeries. The makeup industry is booming and plastic surgery spending is surging. It was reported that Americans spent $10.4 billion on cosmetic surgery in 2011. That's more than the gross domestic product of nations such as Chad, Liechtenstein and Suriname. In 2009, Americans forked over more than $38 million on chin jobs, having one every 25 minutes, according to American Society of Plastic Surgeons. The procedure costs an average of $1,851. Certain surgeries could run $5000 to $15000 a pop. What does this all mean? It means people are not happy with the way Allah created them. So they have to find plastic surgeons to make them look beautiful. For whom? Do they think those plastic surgeons are better than their Creator?
لَّعَنَهُ ٱللَّـهُ ۘ وَقَالَ لَأَتَّخِذَنَّ مِنْ عِبَادِكَ نَصِيبًا مَّفْرُوضًا ﴿١١٨﴾ وَلَأُضِلَّنَّهُمْ وَلَأُمَنِّيَنَّهُمْ وَلَـَٔامُرَنَّهُمْ فَلَيُبَتِّكُنَّ ءَاذَانَ ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ وَلَـَٔامُرَنَّهُمْ فَلَيُغَيِّرُنَّ خَلْقَ ٱللَّـهِ ۚ وَمَن يَتَّخِذِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنَ وَلِيًّا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّـهِ فَقَدْ خَسِرَ خُسْرَانًا مُّبِينًا ﴿١١٩[Qur'an, An-Nisa 4:118-119]
They call upon instead of Him none but female [deities], and they [actually] call upon none but a rebellious Satan. (117) Whom Allah has cursed. For he had said, "I will surely take from among Your servants a specific portion. (118) And I will mislead them, and I will arouse in them [sinful] desires, and I will command them so they will slit the ears of cattle, and I will command them so they will change the creation of Allah." And whoever takes Satan as an ally instead of Allah has certainly sustained a clear loss. (119)
As Muslims, we can learn from the animals. We must be grateful with the looks that Allah had determined for us. It is the best.
Allah Almighty says,
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ فِىٓ أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ ﴿٤﴾ ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَـٰهُ أَسْفَلَ سَـٰفِلِينَ ﴿٥﴾ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ فَلَهُمْ أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍ ﴿٦﴾ فَمَا يُكَذِّبُكَ بَعْدُ بِٱلدِّينِ ﴿٧﴾ أَلَيْسَ ٱللَّـهُ بِأَحْكَمِ ٱلْحَـٰكِمِينَ ﴿٨[Qur'an At-Tin 95:4-7]
Verily, We created man in the best stature (form), (4) Then We reduced him to the lowest of the low, (5) Save those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous deeds, Then they shall have a reward without end (Paradise). (6) Then what (or who) causes you (O disbelievers) to deny the Recompense (i.e. Day of Resurrection)? (7)
These verses inspire in the believer’s heart a desire for righteousness and a feeling of hope. Whether we look at the human being’s physical construction, or consider the human potential, or the human soul and mind, we get a profound glimpse of Allah’s wisdom in these verses. Allah promises that after this life which must inevitably come to an end, there is an immense reward in the Hereafter for the righteous. Though all human beings are subject in this world to the laws of nature – everyone will age and die – the righteous (regardless of how they look in this life) will enjoy an eternal, blissful life in the Hereafter.
Soya won't worry if nobody loves the way her kittens look. Like her, when you submit to the will of Allah, you have no worries. Allah will take care of you. Allah has put the love in my family for cats, for her and for her kittens and either He care for Soya through us or others, her kittens will be loved and well taken care of. They don't need any cosmetic or plastic surgery for people to love them. They are just fine with being felines and with whatever shapes and colors they were born with!
Don't be wasting money and time to change your looks to look pretty for other humans...for what people think of your looks doesn't matter. The only One who matters is Allah.
Abu Hurairah (radhiAllahu anhu) narrated: Messenger of Allah (sallaAllahu alayhe wasallam) said, “Allah does not look at your figures, nor at your attire but He looks at your hearts [and deeds].”
[Muslim]
Allah does not look at the figures of His servants, if they are big or small, healthy or sick, nor at their looks if they are beautiful or not. He does not look at their lineage, whether it is prestigious or not, nor does He look at their wealth, or any of these factors at all. The only connection between Allah and His servants is through taqwa (righteousness), so whoever has more taqwa of Allah is closer and more honorable in the sight of Allah. So do not be proud of your wealth, your beauty and body, your children, your mansions or cars, or with anything of these worldly matters at all. However, if Allah has enabled you to be righteous and have taqwa, then this is from the blessing of Allah upon you, so thank Allah and praise Him for it.
The most important thing: Always attend to your heart, constantly wash it until it is purified. Allah Almighty says:
أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُرِدِ اللَّهُ أَن يُطَهِّرَ قُلُوبَهُمْ[Qur'an al-Ma'idah 5:41]
Those are they for whom Allah does not desire that He should purify their hearts.
Therefore, purification of the heart is the crucial matter, not your 2-inch makeup on your face, botox injections, nose or chin reconstruction, etc.
On the Day of Resurrection, only those who come to Allah with a healthy heart will be saved. Allah Almighty says:
يَوْمَ لَا يَنفَعُ مَالٌ وَلَا بَنُونَ ﴿٨٨﴾ إِلَّا مَنْ أَتَى ٱللَّـهَ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ ﴿٨٩[Qur'an, Ash-Shu'ara 26:88-89]
The Day when there will not benefit [anyone] wealth or children (88) But only one who comes to Allah with a sound heart." (89)
We ask Allah to purify our hearts and to make us sincere to Him and enable us to walk on the footsteps of His beloved Messenger sallallahu alayhi wassallam.
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakum Allahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
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