A letter to the heart that is numb.

Standing in taraweeh while everyone is weeping – except you. Your friends talk about how exhilarating fasting is for them – but all you feel is irritation; and that is if you feel anything at all. Your supplications are just words you repeat – without heart.

What is the point of all of it? Your actions are robotic. Monotone. Without soul. You wish you could be like that person praying next to you in taraweeh who sobs during every prostration. You want to be the one passionately pleading with Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala with humility. Your hope is that you can be that person whose heart is broken before God.

You know what? You too are special to Allah.

You who recites the Qur’an because you know it is good.

You who prays because Allah commanded you to.

You who attends lectures on Islam because you want to feel closer to Him.

The Prophet Sallallaahu alayhi wasallam told us that the person who recites the Qur’an and struggles with the recitation, receives twice the reward: for their recitation and for their effort and struggle.

As long as you are trying, Allah is with you.

The fact that you get up to pray qiyaam even though you feel nothing, is appreciated by Allah. When you mouth the words to your du`a even when your heart is numb, Allah knows how you feel. And you are rewarded for that. 

Do not think that this will go to waste. Allah gets it.

Because you are not worshiping a feeling. You do not bow down solely for that ‘high’. You prostrate only to the Lord of the feelings and the One who is the Most High. You submit to Him – through your prayers, fasting and supplication – because you know you have a Merciful, Just, Appreciative, Forgiving God, Who has the power to give life to everything that is dead.

Including your heart.

You know you have a Nurturing, Patient, Generous, Subtle and Kind Lord who can bring back whatever is lost.

He can bring you back.

So to the heart that is numb: Do not give up just yet. Your heart is on a journey. You are first and foremost worshiping your Lord. And He has promised you:

“And those who strive for Us – We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.” (Qur’an, 29:69)

As long as you are doing good, Allah will guide you and He is with you.

“Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds – the Most Merciful will appoint for them affection.” (Qur’an, 19:96)

So keep trekking. Your heart will open – He is, after all, al-Fattah. Al-Fattah is He who opens whatever is closed; your heart included. You might wonder when and how, but just know that it will happen. It could be on the last night of Ramadan or it could be a month after Ramadan – your heart will open inshaaAllaah. The daily exercise you do might not look like much, but you will inevitably see the results if you persevere.

Similarly, your good actions slowly chip away at what has been hardening your heart and, eventually, you will feel.

And if it gets too much, just talk to Allah. Tell Him how you feel, and tell Him how you want to feel. Do it every night, and every time you feel empty. He is there; never underestimate your turning to Him.

On the Day of Judgment, you will be grateful for your perseverance and your hope in Him, because it will matter more than you will ever know. So push yourself and exert all the effort you can. The tiniest ray of light can brighten the darkest of places.

Via – Mariam Akhtar.