What weeks of sickness taught me

Assalaamu’alaykum,

Health is one of those blessings you never want to waste yet it’s one the Prophet ﷺ told us many of us would waste… sadly.

And these past few weeks have been a big “wake-up call” reminder of that for me.

Last month, I had the next four weeks mapped out. My launch prep, a TV interview, attending a wedding, finally getting my new personal IG page out there, lessons with my Ustadha… and so much in between.

But we plan and Allah is indeed the Best of Planners.

Wedding – cancelled

TV appearance – cancelled

Launch – pushed back

Lessons – cancelled

Reels for my new IG page – delayed

And the list goes on...

A message was coming through loud and clear from my body telling me my priorities had drifted and fallen out of sync!

Every week brought a new symptom, a new test and at one point, I even lost my voice. Alhamdulilah nothing serious yet significant enough to push me into a cancelling spree... something I really dislike doing :(

However....

SubhanAllah, I don’t feel bad. I’m not upset or resentful about how the last four weeks have gone.

In fact, I’m sitting in a deep sense of gratitude. I genuinely feel it was a gift, a divine pause, forcing me to slow down and realign.

And I wanted to share a few lessons that have come from this:

1. Your health has to come first

It’s so easy to get swept up in the “doing” and forget the rights of the body. But finding your own rhythm of health is a non-negotiable. Not as a cure when things go wrong, but as a preventative measure. To honour the amanah of this body and protect your peace of mind.

We’re not engines designed to keep chugging away at the expense of all else. When the cogs are overworked, they crack. When the engine never rests, it breaks down.

But if we pour in the best oil, switch off regularly and treat every part with care and respect, the engine serves us beautifully.

These weeks forced me to re-evaluate everything without resistance; my food, movement, sleep, spiritual habits...all of it. I embraced the adjustments wholeheartedly, Alhamdulilah. 
Stepping outside to breathe in fresh air and soak in the marvels of nature is something I always want to hold as an essential, high-priority part of my day, InshaAllah. 

But I did have to let go of one thing, which leads me to lesson number two…

2. Let go of the ticking clock

Running life on a rigid timeline is exhausting. The pressure, the panic, the urgency...it builds up in all the wrong ways.

Releasing the timeline to Allah brings instant relief. Trusting that everything will happen at the exact right time in the exact right way is one of the most liberating forms of surrender.

Cognitively we all know this but the inner freedom that comes with this sweet surrender, is only felt when we embody this truth and with all of life’s distractions, it’s something we can easily forget. We need to create regular time to realign ourselves with that reality.

Side note: Another thing I am grateful for during this downtime is that it led me into a deep dive on quantum physics and the time continuum (why and how lol please don't ask:)  Completely fascinating! If any of you are science lovers or physicists, please reach out, I’d genuinely love to discuss it.

But I mention it because when you look at the dimension of time through that lens, science itself proves time (past, future and present) already exists. We can only experience time in the present moment while Allah knows and sees it as a single continuum already written by Him SWT, the One who is the Most Loving and the Most Kind.

That’s Qadr! SubhanAllah.

If the plan is already written and we’re simply walking the steps and Allah has already designed the best future for us… then how can we not move with trust. Work hard but work smart with full yaqeen (certainty) that whatever outcomes we experience is for our growth, expiation and ultimate salvation because it comes from the One who loves us most.

3. You are a body and a ruh (soul)

The body is nourished and sustained by what comes from this earth, whereas the ruh is nourished by whatever draws it closer to Jannah.

And we want to be mindful that we are taking care of both parts. For example, when you eat a meal, the food fuels the body, but when you say the duaa, pause with gratitude and follow the sunnah in how you eat, both the soul and the body are nourished in that one moment.

At any moment we can ask ourselves: which part am I responding to, and is it nourishing me or harming me? When we give in to the whims and desires of the body, it may feel good in the moment, but it slowly harms the soul  and eventually the body too. However, when we bring our heart and attention to nourishing the soul, ONLY goodness can follow for both body and soul. 

These are just some of the lessons I’ve taken away and am still sitting with but my overall message today is:

• Don’t undervalue taking care of your health, both physical and spiritual
• Release your timelines to Allah without resistance
• Remember we are travellers, making our way back to our real home...so keep your eyes on the destination and be present enough to enjoy the view along the way!

Oh and if you'd like to support me (and encourage me to get going once my voice is back lol) feel free to follow my new IG page and be the first to see the reels when they’re out.

Follow here: https://www.instagram.com/belikeatraveller

May Allah bless you with strong health, a grounded heart and abundant sukoon always.

Ameen ya Rabb. 

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Reflection of the Week

Where have I been pushing through on empty?
What would change if I honoured the needs of my body and ruh before the world’s demands?

Dua of the Week

اللّٰهُمَّ عَافِنِي فِي بَدَنِي

Allahumma ‘aafini fi badani

O Allah, grant my body wellbeing and protect me from illness.

(Hadith: Sunan Abi Dawud)

Allah's name of the Week

Al-‘Alīm (The All-Knowing)

Ya ‘Alīm, You know what my heart carries, what my body needs and what my soul longs for. Fill my decisions with Your wisdom, guide me towards what is best and let Your Mercy shape the choices I make each day.