Fallen

Bismillah.

(Singing a la Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan)
Allah Hu...Allah Hu...Allah Hu......
Allah Hu...Allah Hu...Allah Hu......

O son, Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah, I have been overwhelmed by love today and thought of  writing about it. Then a dear sister asked a question and the answer to her query has something to do with love too. 

Allah Hu...Allah Hu...Allah Hu......

Allah Hu...Allah Hu...Allah Hu......

I met Sis Rizwana only once, in May 2009. We were lazing around a beautiful home in Malaysia, in between Shaykh Hisham's sohbet. I smiled at her and asked if she was from India. She said yes. I then asked, "I know India is a huge country but do you by any chance know a brother by the name of Syed Mustafa?" Rizwana grinned and said "Of course, he is my cousin!"

Syed Mustafa is another love story to tell - brotherly love. Naqshbandi brotherhood that is. Anyway, Rizwana showed me love when we spoke on the phone today. I thought she was in Madinah doing her umrah so I phoned with an intention to convey salam to Rasulullah (s.a.w). Apparently she has postponed her trip. I inquired her travel itineraries so I know when she would be on holy Madinah grounds; to which she replied, "Sis Ezza, I plan to call you from there anyway." How sweet! O son, you will know love when you feel love.

Today, another sister whose fragrant (rayhan) soul permeates from a farther land, asked for advice on hijab. She keeps thinking about it but cannot seem to do it. I thought, all her worries about wearing hijab only prove her genuine concern for her religion. MashaAllah! But sister, all I can say is from my experience wearing hijab was like falling in love. I wasn't expecting it although I longed for it. 

I might have mentioned in an earlier posting about my hijab experience. It happened when I met someone special - a learned and pious man. I remember sitting at his feet, looking up to his calm face, listening to him speak casually about life, about being grateful for having a house, a car etc. He was like a father chatting affectionately with his children. He then talked about Sufi gurus. "There are gurus who could change you just by glancing at you." So I said half smiling and half pleading, "Oh Baba, please change me!" He just looked at me and smiled back. I left the meeting feeling elated. I had fallen for Baba Aziz! Baba Aziz the man whose 'small talk' epitomized a deeper sense of love for one's religion and Creator.

The next day, a sunday, I woke up like someone who had just fallen in love. I woke up happily and while getting dressed to go out, I had effortlessly and willingly put on a scarf! Although Baba Aziz had not talked about aurat or hijab at all. Honestly speaking, I was not sure what was happening to me then. It just happened. So to me, wearing hijab is like falling in love. You are simply overwhelmed by the feelings. You don't know when it's gonna come but when it does, it is so natural.

My advice to you dear sister: don't worry about not wearing hijab yet. The time will come when you will fall in love, surely. But you cannot hurry love and you won't know when it will come knocking on your heart. So just wait for the day when you fall in love, InshaAllah.

Bi-iznillah.

Allah Hu...Allah Hu...Allah Hu...

Allah Hu...Allah Hu...Allah Hu...