Friends in faith (1)

Bismillah.

MashaAllah! Alhamdulillah! I am humbled by the support and encouragement I have been getting from some of you, Lisan al-Din visitors. If you were a Naqshbandi brother I would plant a rose in your Taj. And for the ladies, only a bouquet of flowers could speak of my appreciation and respect. 

Hassan al-Basri said:

"My spiritual brothers are dearer to me than my family and children,

for the former are my friends in faith

but my family and children are friends in the world."

Someone sent me a meaningful quote on friendship today.

"If you wish to befriend someone, do not let it be based on his/her strengths, for one day you might be turned off by one of his/her weaknesses.

If you wish to befriend someone, do not let it be for the sake of his/her goodness, for one day you might hate him/her because of one flaw.

If you wish to befriend someone, do not let it be for his/her cheerfulness, for one day he/she may fail to make you happy and you might blame him/her for it.

If you want to befriend someone, let it not be for his/her knowledge, for one day he/she may not appear as smart and you might speak ill of him/her.

If you wish to befriend someone, simply accept him/her as a friend who is just an ordinary person. Do not expect him/her to be perfect because you are not sure if you are perfect yourself, in the eyes of God."

Wallahi, I think most of the readers know a lot better about the deen and sufism than I do. The only difference between you and I is that I speak my mind and heart about my faith and vulnerability openly. And sometimes I do get to hear yours when you leave a comment or email me. Thank you so much!

So know that I am also like many of you - a sinner who's trying to make amends with her Lord.

A transgressor who tries to keep husnul zan (positive thoughts) about her Creator.

A repenting servant who hopes that her Lord will replace her bad deeds with good deeds.

A student who is trying to catch up and learn what she has missed.

So please do not be a fan.

There's one du'a I learned from Hikam of Ibn Athaillah:

Ilahi kam 'asika wa anta tas turuni

Lord, I am so flawed and yet You cover up my weaknesses.

Bismillah, I pray that we will remain to be friends of faith for the longest time and that we love each other for the sake of Allah and Rasulullah s.a.w. InshaAllah.