Back to School - Beware!

Well, I couldn’t very well write about the final days of August with summer school ending and

moving into my new place without writing about what is on many minds this week – back to school!  Yes, the post-vacation glow is over, the sleeping in and seeing new landscapes (I hit the stunning shores of Halifax and PEI), the endless family time looking at whales, wondering if we could jump in for a swim with them. What has replaced those activities?  Mentally, it is anxiety of keeping up with all the readings. To be fair, I am reading some pretty interesting stuff this semester from Public Policy making to novels like Truth and Bright Water, Good Soldier, Dracula, Stone Angel, Obasan, Three lives and Women in White etc. Basically I am learning how messed up the government and lives of ordinary people are without Islam (can you spell depressing for me with a capital "D"?).  On a plus note, now I have a lot of blogging ideas to write about but I can't find the time for any of that honestly. I have caught a bad case of exhaustion. Anyone who said they got bored in summer and couldn't wait for school to start should be put in jail. Are you happy now? 

Then, it’s the “WOW, this is early (I have to be at work at 8 a.m.), but I can’t quite go to bed on time, but I feel so tired and weepy” - physical ailments, my flu and sinuses won't go away. The stress of finding a new hijab to wear everyday (or at least, every other day), the realization that if I leave just five minutes late from work, I will be half an hour late for class. The drag of walking to the bus stop - I wish I had my licence. I wish I was not at the mercy of my professors for grades. I think the only thing that is working out for me is my husband's innovative and nutritional lunches, which he packs for me everyday - Allah bless his soul - alhamdulillah for him! In fact three cheers for him mashaAllah for keeping me alive, so far. 

When you are mentally and physically worn out, its very likely that you are emotionally and

spiritually crashing as well. I know believe me, it is hard to go from zero to a hundred and ten percent in one day. You must have been licking Canada's best ice cream at Cow's Ice cream parlor one day and the next day you are playing superwife, teacher, coworker, student, notetaker, cook all at the same time is a bit pushing your limits - for the worst. Don't feel beat up, even if you are. Don't put your guard down for shaytaan. Don't give up praying!

Though we may justify putting it off, Salah - if prayed wholeheartedly with total remembrance of Allah is a real stress buster. As life presses and demands more of you and from you - you have to be in three places at once, don't be frightened or overwhelmed scurrying around unable to accomplish everything on your list.  It is not the end of the world, literally! Take your eyes off your planner and phone, stacks of papers and chocolates and turn to Allah. You don't have to be alone, at the mercy of our own abilities, ground yourself in Allah. He never slumbers, never tires (ayat al kursi, hello!)
Allah will make something good come out of your messy, over-hectic schedule and commitments. Make these tests you are experiencing your testimony on the Day of Judgement. You didn't sign up for this crash course in being a full time student with a job. No, Allah enrolled you in it. He has taken all the little things that irk you and rewoven it into your curriculum. Why? So He can hone out your best qualities. Find a blessing in every challenge, its bound to be there. 


We get too caught up with our lives that we forget the purpose of our lives - to pray. The Sahaba

(r.a) prayed and then kept on praying. They continued to bring their every need before Allah. Just a few days ago the weather in Toronto was excruciatingly humid. Instead of whining about how drenched our clothes were in sweat, did anyone of us step aside to pray? Whenever bad weather struck Medina, everyone in the city would come out to offer Salat al Istiskha - Umar (r.a) himself or Abbas (r.a) would led the congregation before Allah. Their strength was not their own body or minds but the unmatched Power and Greatness of Allah. They rested their burdens confidently in the Might of Allah and His Grandeur. Thus, in everything they were successful for Allah's refuge is the only true refuge. 


So I just wanted to say, in the back-to-school storm when homework is raining like cats and dogs and when your part-time job is also drowning you in a sea of work, take shelter in salah -  in it and through it, Allah will give you relief, aid and escape (aameen). 

ps. I still miss the whales

"Do you not see that Allah is exalted by whomever is within the heavens and the earth and [by] the birds with wings spread [in flight]? Each [of them] has known his [means of] prayer and exalting [Him], and Allah is Knowing of what they do" - Qur'an, 24:41 

Do you know your Tasbeeh?