A golden truth I was reminded of recently

Assalaamu’alaykum,

Your body carries innate wisdom, a natural intelligence gifted by Allah that knows how to move and which way to go without needing to be taught. 

A baby is not shown diagrams of how to shuffle, then stand and finally take those few precious first steps. It gradually begins to move forward, relying on the knowledge Allah has already placed within its tiny body. Somehow it knows how to coordinate its limbs, which leg to lift, which hand to reach out with and how to pull itself upright...It's quite miraculous to see.

Have you ever watched in wonder as a little baby smiles and laughs, completely unaware of what they're doing? They were never taught how to express joy, yet the muscles in their face already know how to work together in perfect harmony to communicate different emotions.

And we see this same wisdom reflected throughout creation.

A seed buried beneath the soil somehow knows to push upwards towards the light. Birds instinctively migrate across continents without maps or directions.
Bees travel great distances and return to their hive. Even flowers turn their faces towards the sun.

At the most basic level, creation is constantly responding to the guidance Allah has placed within it.

Why am I sharing this?

I was recently reminded of the beautiful Arabic proverb: في الحركة بركة (Fi al-harakah barakah) "In movement there is blessing."

We're so easily trapped in our minds, analysing, overanalysing and thinking through every conceivable pathway and outcome, that our feet become paralysed and we struggle to take even a single step forward.

We become disconnected from our bodies and live neck up. In doing so, we lose the ability to listen to the wisdom our bodies carry and more importantly, the trust to follow where they instinctively know we need to go.

As believers we are people of action and sometimes that action does not always make sense to us.

For example, we are told that if the Hour comes while we have a sapling in our hand, we should still plant it. This is the way of the believer.

But if I were to stop and analyse it, I would be weighing up the pros and cons and ask myself, "What's the point?"
Logically, I would probably conclude there isn't one...why plant something that will never have time to grow?

And still, the instruction remains the same: plant it.

But that isn't the point.

The point is that Allah sees the action. He sees the intention and the effort. And in response, He places barakah in the outcome and opens doors we could never have anticipated.

When we look through the lens of faith, 1 + 1 does not always equal 2. Why? Because barakah doesn't always operate according to natural laws.

You give sadaqah and you increase in wealth. You step away from worldly pursuits to seek closeness to Allah and the dunya changes direction to chase you instead.

None of this appears to make logical sense, but these realities still exist as truths.

Of course, there's balance in everything. And I'm not saying to jump without thinking but I'm speaking to those who find themselves repeatedly trapped in cycles of "analysis paralysis."

I see you and I know how painful it can be to be stuck there, watching the world keep turning, watching others move forward, while your own feet feel unable to take the next step.

I hope this is the reminder you need today to... move :) 

Take that step, switch off your mind and just allow the wisdom Allah has placed within your body to move you in a direction.

Trust that with the right intentions, the right doors will start to open, the eases will come in and you will experience a form of barakah you could never have envisioned just thinking about it.

Make the niyyah, say bismillah and take that step today! 

Reflection of the Week

What is one area of your life where you've been waiting for certainty before taking action?

Identify one step you feel intuitively will move you in a purposeful direction, renew intentions, say bismillah and without overthinking it... take that step!

Dua of the Week

اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي وَسَدِّدْنِي

Allahumma ihdini wa saddidni.

O Allah, guide me and keep me steadfast upon the correct path.

(Sahih Muslim)

Allah's name of the Week

Al-Haadi (The Guide)

Ya Haadi, guide us when the path ahead feels unclear. Help us to trust Your direction, even when we cannot see the destination. Grant us the courage to take the next step, knowing that every step taken towards You is never wasted. Aameen, ya rabbal aalameen.