
Sometimes we fail. We fail in our worship of Allah. We fail in fulfilling commitments to others. We fail in protecting ourselves and our families when we open ourselve up to influences or suggestions that lead us into the twists and turns of life that are better left unexplored.
Consider the following:
A mother and teacher advises strangers but abandons her own family.
A man who has memorized over half of the quran becomes an adulterer.
A man who saves others in during a robbery goes home to his stash of illegal drugs.
We know that each of us is a mixture of strength and weakness. We know we should come to Allah with a mixture of fear and hope. Too often, in knowing the magnitude of our failings, we let the fear drive us away from hope. When we give up hope, we begin to justify our failings and begin a moral spiral downward. We give up prayer. We give up fasing. We seek non-Muslim society and avoid Muslims. We know we are lost, but we don’t know how to find our way back.
We look at the complications involved in retracing our steps, in reconnecting with family and friends, in undoing the wreckage we’ve made in our lives. We are overwhelmed with the details we can foresee, so fearful of the details we cannot for see but which we know are out there, waiting to ambush us. It seems that continuing the downward spiral is actually easier than the process of reversing course.
The beginning of change can be as simple as remembering hope. Hope means making one decision such as praying one salat, or fasting one day, or turning down one drink, or going to the mosque for one event. Hope means recognizing one sign from Allah when we begin to make positive change.
Consider:
A woman going to her first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting finds that not only is her cab driver another Muslim, but that this man who knows nothing of her journey gives her a Quran.
A man with legal problems takes a low paying job rather than make a lot of money selling drugs comes in contact at work with a lawyer who settles the legal issues pro bono.
A woman who decides to quit her working as a stripper has the suitcase stolen that contained all of her costumes.
An abusive huband attends Jumuah prayer and hears a sermon about the rights of women and wives.
These Muslims began with the first easy step–the hope that they could change. They made one decision, recognized these events as signs from Allah, and moved forward from there.
…but We leave those who rest not their hope of their meeting with Us, in their trespasses, wandering in distraction to and fro. (Quran 10:11)