Light Upon Light

#30 The Intervention

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
I'm back with another update! One that I'm actually unsure about posting truth be told... but anywho, go ahead and enjoy!

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#30 The Intervention

'Assalamualaikum kids and grandkids. Welcome to story night by our favorite Razeena Ali!' Samar exclaimed as the whole family took their seats around Dadi in the sitting hall.

'Kids and grandkids… I didn't realize you were so old,' Di mused as she took her place next to Phuppa.

Samar grumbled as everyone laughed at him.

'Ma sha Allah, it's great to have my family around me like  this. It's going to be quiet around here after half of you leave the day after tomorrow,' Dadi said.

'Aww Dadi let's not think of that already,' I plead.

It really was sad to think that Razi Phuppi and family and Dad and my brothers would leave for Dubai tomorrow night. Ashiana has been very lively these last few months. And I'm going to miss Samir and Dad and Jaad a lot.

'Well, I called you all here to talk about Ibrahim A.S and more importantly his family. We all know the story of this great Prophet who first built the Ka'aba which has become the center of worship for Muslims all over the world. We know that because of his great faith and loyalty he was known as Khalil-ullah, the friend of Allah.'

'He was brilliant. His way of proving idolatry baseless was remarkable and yet ignorant people threw him into the fire. And Subhan Allah, he was unharmed by the fire by the Grace of Allah. Such was his faith in his Lord that he didn't even flinch while being thrown to what looked like certain and painful death,'

'While strong belief and faith are spoken of a lot, what stands out in the life of Prophet Ibrahim and his family is their sacrifice. With his first wife Sarah he had no children initially. And when he married Hajara Bibi and was blessed with his son Ismail, he had to leave them in Makkah, which was then a barren land. Literally in the middle of nowhere with no people or resources. Never did Hajara bibi complain. Their acceptance of the Qadr of Allah is a feat people of today would never be able to accomplish,'

'Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, it's so closely associated with the life of Prophet Ibrahim A.S and his family. Hajara Bibi's search for water between the mountains Safa and Marwa is now Sa'ee, how many thousands of people replicate this action on a daily basis. The Ka'aba was built by Ibrahim A.S and Ismail A.S. and in all our prayers we stand facing in its direction. This great pillar of our deen was established by Ibrahim A.S and his son.'

'Sacrifice. Something especially hard for humans. Be it our wealth or health or whatever other possession. Think then what it must take to sacrifice one's own son whom you got after such a long time and whom you had to abandon for years. Think then what it must feel like to give up your life when you're so young. And yet both Ibrahim A.S and his son were only too willing to oblige what Allah asked of them.'

'Imagine the level of piety they must have had. Could we even have an atom of it in our hearts? Allah alone knows. What Ibrahim A.S and his family have taught us with their lives is to dedicate and sacrifice everything dear to us for Allah. To strive in that path alone will add much to our book of good deeds. Sacrifice wealth that isn't even ours to begin with. Sacrifice health that is a huge blessing from Allah. Sacrifice our own feelings of being wronged and to learn to forgive. We only sacrifice for the people we love. And so giving up things for Allah's sake is a way of expressing our love for our Rabb.'

'We sacrifice animals and distribute the meat on Bakrid as a reminder of Prophet Ibrahim's sacrifice. And tomorrow we fast to show our unity with all the people who are performing Hajj. The day of Arafa and the gathering at Arafa also symbolizes us gathering before Allah on the Day of Judgement. So, what I want my family to do tomorrow is to fast sincerely tomorrow and repent truly for your greatest sins. Think of something that you could give up for the sake of Allah and try to do so in the year ahead,'