Sunday, October 16, 2022

🤗 The Joy of Meeting our family when they return home 😍

 



الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي بِنِعْمَتِهِ تَتِمُّ الصَّالِحَاتُ

One of the things that brings me the most joy is seeing my 4-year old Muawiyah’s excited expression of sheer happiness when I return home from work - especially from a business trip.

Immediately as I enter the home, he is so excited that he just starts talking about what he did, and proudly shows off the toys he built and the achievements that he’s accomplished while I am gone. What surprised me, is that even though I told him I have presents for him, he gets so excited to meet and talk to Abah, that he almost forgot about his presents.

Masha Allah, what a great ni’mah from Allah, Allahumma barik. This reminds me of three beautiful narrations from the Qur’an and Sunnah:

😘 1. The mannerisms of how the Prophet ﷺ would receive his daughter, Fatimah - and vice versa

Aisya narrated,

وَكَانَتْ إِذَا دَخَلَتْ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَامَ إِلَيْهَا فَقَبَّلَهَا وَأَجْلَسَهَا فِي مَجْلِسِهِ وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا قَامَتْ مِنْ مَجْلِسِهَا فَقَبَّلَتْهُ وَأَجْلَسَتْهُ فِي مَجْلِسِهَا

"Whenever she would enter upon the Prophet (ﷺ), he would stand to her and kiss her, and he would sit her in his sitting place.

Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) entered upon her she would stand from her seat, and kiss him and sit him in her sitting place.” (Narrated by At-Tirmidzi and Al-Bukhari in Adab Al-Mufrad)

It’s so heartwarming to observe how much love, compassion and respect the Prophet used to receive his daughter. It is worth noting that at this point of time, Fatimah wasn’t a small child or a toddler. This narration is from Aisya based on her first hand observations. Which means that, at this point of time, the Prophet was well into his 60’s, and Fatimah was a well grown-up woman well into her 20s. Many of us, as we grow older we tend to be less enthusiastic or passionate in greeting our family members. Not our beloved Prophet ﷺ!

What is interesting here about Aisya’s observation here is that they used to do that to each other. The lesson? Lead by example. If we want our children to receive us joyfully, then we do that first!

👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 2. Imagine the feeling of joy when we unite with our believing families in Paradise!

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَاتَّبَعَتْهُمْ ذُرِّيَّتُهُمْ بِإِيمَانٍ أَلْحَقْنَا بِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَمَا أَلَتْنَاهُمْ مِنْ عَمَلِهِمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ ۚ

“And those who believe and whose children & offspring follow them in Faith, to them shall We unite their children with them, and We shall not decrease the reward of their deeds in anything.” (Surah At-Tur 52:26)

In Surah Al-Inshiqaq, Allah describes the feeling of the believers on the Day of Judgment:

فَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتَابَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ ﴿٧﴾ فَسَوْفَ يُحَاسَبُ حِسَابًا يَسِيرًا ﴿٨﴾ وَيَنْقَلِبُ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهِ مَسْرُورًا ﴿٩﴾

Then, as for him who will be given his Record in his right hand, he surely will receive an easy reckoning, and will return to his family in joy!” (84:7-9)

Imagine the happiness of reuniting with our families in Paradise - where we can finally enjoy each other’s company without worry, fear, sadness, or deadlines. In the comfort of Allah’s Paradise!

🕌 3. Allah’s feeling of joy when WE go to the masjid

Finally, a takeaway point for us to act upon every day, right now. The Prophet ﷺ said,

مَا تَوَطَّنَ رَجُلٌ مُسْلِمٌ الْمَسَاجِدَ لِلصَّلاَةِ وَالذِّكْرِ إِلاَّ تَبَشْبَشَ اللَّهُ لَهُ كَمَا يَتَبَشْبَشُ أَهْلُ الْغَائِبِ بِغَائِبِهِمْ إِذَا قَدِمَ عَلَيْهِمْ

“No Muslim regularly attends the mosques to perform prayers and dzikir of Allah, except that Allah feels happy with him, just as the family members of one who is absent feels happy when he returns to them.” (ibn Majah)

I find this hadith very uplifting to motivate us to go to the masjid! The Prophet here describes that, this feeling of joy that our family members feel, that’s how joyful Allah is when we go to the masjid every time. وَلِلَّـهِ الْمَثَلُ الْأَعْلَىٰ

And Who wouldn’t want a Lord who is Pleased with him?!

This feeling of happiness isn’t just a once-off. It happens every time we go to the masjid. For Subuh, Dzuhur, Asr, Maghrib ^ Isha. So we all have a chance to Please Our Rabb FIVE times every day!

May Allah make us amongst those whom He is pleased with, and May Allah grant us the ni’mah of meeting our family full of joy in His Paradise!

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