As Salaam Alaykum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu ,

Have you listened to the latest episode of the RWPodcast? If you haven’t listened to Embracing the Seasons of Life: Navigating Transitions with Grace,

Click here to watch on YouTube

Click here to listen on Spotify

Invitation to Reflective Session

On the back of that, I would like to invite you to a LIVE reflective session on the same topic, where we will discuss it more in-depth from our individual perspectives. I want to keep it nice and cozy, so if you would like to join, please sign up HERE.

The session will hold on Sunday, 4th of August at 12noon EST / 4pm WAT.

I do hope you can join us.

Now, let me get into the crux of my letter to you today:

Reflections on Al-Barr

Last week, I was going through a resource my Ustaz had sent me on the 99 names of Allah, and the explanation under the name Al-Barr struck me! You see, Al-Barr is one of my favourite names and my interpretation of it has always been Allah- the source of all goodness.Yet, this particular description touched me deeply. It goes thus:

Immediately, I read it, I was like Subhanallah!

The phrase - who does not interrupt His fine treatment of them is what got to me.

My brain linked it to a lesson I had taken from a parenting book I was reading a day prior, which is: your children should never feel like your love is conditional based on their behaviour (good or bad).

This reminded me of how amazing Allah is and how imperfect we are as humans.

, I think of the times I scold my children or withhold something from them when they behave in ways I do not approve of ; all in the name of disciplining them or trying to teach them a lesson.

I think of the times where I withdraw or withhold my full affection and attention from people because they hurt me, or I feel offended by something they have done to me.

Meanwhile, my Lord, Al-Barr, never interrupts His fine treatment of me, you, us; no matter what we do!

It is only Allah SWT that will:

• reward a good deed we do to any degree He pleases
• reward us for choosing not to do a bad deed
• never condemn us for a bad thought we had

He is the Most Merciful who will give us the least point recorded for a bad deed on our scales. He even goes ahead to wipe it away completely without any trace if we seek forgiveness and repent to Him. He is the one that never holds a grudge against us no matter what we do and is always waiting for us to turn back to Him. He, Al-Barr is the one that showers us with His kindness no matter what season we are in.

His Divine Kindness Through the Seasons

Spring Season: It is part of His unconditional fine treatment of us that He sends us opportunities during our spring season.

Summer Season: It is this same kindness He showers us with when He grants us the strength to worship Him and work towards our goals during our summer season.

Autumn Season: It is in His infinite kindness He allows us to reap and enjoy the fruits of our efforts both in this life and the hereafter.

Winter Season: It is also in His infinite mercies He allows us to experience rest and tests that are supposed to call us to order, give us a chance to rectify our affairs, be an expiation of our sins, or raise our ranks with Him.

Who else is capable of this much goodness except Al-Barr: the benign and most kind!

No matter what life throws our way, good or “bad”; it always ends in a beautiful reward for us if we respond appropriately.

My Gratitude and Aspiration

, I am in awe of Allah's overwhelming kindness, and I feel so blessed to be one of His servants. No creation will ever measure up to His standard, yet we can continually try to show love, kindness, and grace to others in ways that are not dependent on what they do or do not do to/for us. I urge you today to strive to be unconditional in your dealings with others.

May Allah make us among those who embody even a minute bit of the extent and depth of His kindness and mercy. Ameen.

, I hope I get to see you this weekend at the reflective session. Again, here’s the link to sign up

Till you read from me again,

As salaam alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu

Sekinat