A Hate-Comment Led to This Newsletter.

How uncomfortable are you willing to get for Jannah?
And why are we so weak?

Whenever I read a story about a companion of the Prophet ﷺ, I notice an ongoing theme.

There’s a string that these companions have in common — a rope they didn’t just hold onto but used to climb higher every time they slipped. A very strong rope, if you ask me.

But there’s something that kept them coming back to that rope.
Something that reminded them why they were holding onto it in the first place.

It’s pain.

Maybe the pain of struggles and worries of this world.
Maybe the pain of failing.
Maybe the pain of losing.
Maybe the pain of being stuck in that loop of being poor, helpless, lonely, sick, “ugly,” or whatever else you can name.

No, not the Sahaba.

For them, it wasn’t worldly problems that made them cling to that rope.
It wasn’t their sickness, or their poverty, or their looks, or a person.

They were used to that.
They knew this life.

When the Prophet ﷺ came with the message of Islam, the Sahaba didn’t suddenly become rich, handsome, or powerful.

What did happen though is that they found purpose behind every worldly pain they experienced.

And that made them strong.
That made them men.
That made them the best people to walk this earth.

Because they knew why they were doing what they were doing.
They knew why they sacrificed.

And that is the reason why they held onto that rope. Thats the reason why worldly gains or pains did not bother them. They only bothered them when it could either benefit their akhira or destroy it.

So they would either use it or lose it for Jannah, quite literally.

The Sahaba were willing to get uncomfortable for the truth.

They were ready to give everything they had in sadaqah, like Abu Bakr (RA).
They were ready to fight anyone who came between them and their Islam, like Umar ibn Al-Khattab (RA).
They were ready to sacrifice their lives, like Ali (RA).
And they stood firm on what the Prophet ﷺ taught them, no matter who attacked them, like Uthman (RA).

I don’t even know where to begin — there are so many stories, even after the Prophet ﷺ had passed away.

But what’s a common theme?
The pain the Sahaba endured after Islam.

While some of their lives didn’t change much, others went from wealth to poverty, from honor to disgrace (in society’s eyes).
Some were tortured, especially in the early days.
And many died because of their faith.

The only “crime” they committed?
Becoming Muslim — in a society that didn’t want this new way of life.

Why? Why wouldn’t they accept Islam?

Because Islam meant justice — and they were deeply unjust.
Islam meant equity — but they were extremely segregated.
Islam meant mercy — and people back then crushed mercy under their feet.
Islam meant education — in a society that was mostly uneducated.
Islam meant reflection — in a people full of arrogance and ignorance.
Islam meant Tawheed — in a land full of idols.

It was uncomfortable.
It was different.
It went completely against their views, their traditions — and, most of all, their nafs.

And the nafs gets really ugly when you try to fight it. You know that.

The truth was — and still is — uncomfortable.
That’s just fact.

The other day, I got a comment wishing immense hardship on me because I made a post about sabr.
The post I made was simply talking about hardships and how Islam gives meaning and purpose to them.

It was clear that the guy was deeply hateful, full of resentment toward Allah ﷻ.
He accused me of “glorifying” hardships — and that’s why he wanted me to experience them firsthand, and in the worst way.

It was rough, not gonna lie.
I actually felt bad and tried to de-escalate the situation.
But here’s the thing about hateful people: they just don’t see.

"They have hearts with which they do not understand, eyes with which they do not see, and ears with which they do not hear. They are like cattle—no, even more astray. They are the heedless ones."

Qur'an Surah Al-Araf, 7:179

He didn’t understand the basics.
He kept going on about how bad people have it in the world and how poverty turns people into criminals and corrupts them.

I know that.
But how does wishing the worst on others help fix that?
I still don’t get it.

Anyway — I’d say many atheists (not all, and I don’t know the stats) suffer from an emotional kind of atheism.

“Why is there suffering?”
I think that’s the most common question.
Even Muslims ask it sometimes.

But that’s not even the question.

Because even when the Sahaba were living the worst moments of their lives, you never hear them ask, “Why?”

They never questioned the existence of suffering.
It didn’t even occur to them.

Because they understood their WHY.

They understood that the default state of this life isn’t happiness or ease.
In fact, a life without struggle can be a punishment — because Allah may give you this life instead of the next.

And while we are at it- how can you enjoy happiness without struggle?
Just like you don’t know what light is without darkness you need the negative to appreciate the positive, don’t you?

Wealth is one of the biggest tests, the Prophet ﷺ said, because it must be used for good.

The Sahaba knew that this life was designed to test you.
Any joy or ease is a bonus — a mercy from Allah ﷻ.

And in a world that constantly screams:
“Do what you want!”
“Follow your heart!”
“Listen to your feelings!”

Let me tell you — Islam is not about feelings.
Islam is the purest definition of discipline.

But… are feelings completely forbidden in Islam? Thats a topic for the next newsletter, in shaa allah! Because finding the balance between feelings and discipline is the real struggle of our nafs.

For now, let’s find out why Muslims today are so incredibly weak.

A few years back I found myself asking this very question. Why are we so weak?

My research led me to so many answers, one clearer, deeper and simpler than the other. The issue lies at hand.

Brother Mohammad Hijab once quoted someone describing the Muslims as
“The Sleeping Giant”.

I really felt that.

And you know the reason I felt that is not due to pride. It wasn’t even me knowing that Islam is the truth or whatever. The reason this description makes so much sense is because of our history.

Do you think wonders were limited to the times of the prophets?

Obviously there were certain wonders that only the prophets were able to do with the help of Allah, no doubt.

But have you ever heard of the battles of the Sahaba during the Caliphate of Umar ra. for example? How the Muslims defeated the Persians?

When I first read about the story was baffled. Ouallahi whenever I heard these stories this ayah came to mind:

كَم مِّن فِئَةٍۢ قَلِيلَةٍ غَلَبَتْ فِئَةًۭ كَثِيرَةًۢ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ مَعَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ

"How many a small group has overcome a large group by the permission of Allah. And Allah is with the patient."

Qur’an – Surah Al-Baqarah (2:249)

And it made me so incredibly hopeful for our brothers and sisters in Filisteen.

If I start talking about these stories you would be sitting here till duhur prayer of the next day tbh. But these stories hold so much weight. They hold so much love towards Allah and strength the muslims had despite being small.

Do you know how many Muslims we are today?

About 2 Billion.

Let that sink in.

And now think about our state.

And now compare it to the state of the Sahaba & Tabi’un.

Notice something? We are WEAK. 

But on the bright side, this does not need to stay like this. In fact Allah is so incredibly merciful to show us our state to wake us up.

Wake up. work on yourself. Let everyday count as much as you can. This Ummah suffers because of our daily decisions.

I'll conclude with what Uthman ra. said about this issue because it does not need a complicated description:

"If our hearts were truly pure, we would never get enough of the Qur’an."

This Newsletter might have bee a bit harsh but I think it is important to put the situation into perspective. The situation is bad but subhaanallah, the explanation is so simple.

I hope that this letter acts like a wake up call, a reminder for you and me.

Allah gifted us Ramadan, now let’s hold onto what we learned and in shaa allah earned in that blessed month.

May Allah bless you all—I would love to hear your thoughts!
Until then, I’ll leave you

في أمان الله^{(In the care and protection of Allah)}

❦nDunja ❦