Reclaim Your Heart: Personal insights on breaking free from life's shackles

by Yasmin Mogahed

"The one who is (truly) imprisoned is the one whose heart is imprisoned from Allah and the captivated one is the one whose desires have enslaved him." (Ibn al-Qayyim, al-Wabil)

But there is only one thing which no person has the power to take away from you: God.

That is why the formula for true success given to us in the Qur’an consists of two elements: Sabr (patience, perseverance) and Taqwa (fear of God alone): "O you who have believed, persevere and endure and remain stationed and fear God (alone) that you may be successful." (Qur’an, 3:200)

He knows every leaf that falls from a tree. Let the knowledge that He knows every tear that falls from your eyes, quiet your screaming heart.

Beaut

Did not the Prophet say: "Die before your death"?

Refectionss

But then I thought how I wish I could die before my death: Have a soul that is no longer in this life—even while the body must remain. A heart that is freed from the shackles of dunya—even while the legs must walk its streets. Have a nafs that is in complete rest and satisfaction with its’ Lord–even while the crumbling shell remains. A soul that is already there—even before it is there. A soul detached. A nafs mutmainah—in the truest and deepest and realest sense (Qur’an 89:27) For as the great scholar said, rahimahu Allah, "He who does not enter the paradise of this life, will not enter the paradise of the next."

It is only through His kindness That the heart can speak When the mind and body are numb, Only dragging.

Every day I get closer to our Meeting. I feel like I’ve been walking this path for a thousand years towards You… and yet I’m still not there. So close, and yet so far still But I keep walking, despite the tears, despite the wind, despite the skinned knees and broken bones, despite the bruises and scars that make this heart what it is today, I keep walking… toward You. There’s only one direction, one direction: towards You. From You, to You. I have nothing else. Nothing. That is my poverty. I keep walking because behind every sun’s setting is a rising, behind every storm is a Refuge, behind every fall is a rise, behind every tear is a cleansing of the eyes. And in every spot you’ve ever been stabbed, is a healing, and the creation of skin stronger than it was. I keep walking because wallahi I have nothing but Your mercy. I have nothing but Your promise Your words Your promise that: O mankind, indeed you are laboring toward your Lord with [great] exertion and will meet it. (Qur’an, 84:6)