By Aya Zaki

“O you who have believed, respond to Allah and to the Messenger when He calls you to that which gives you life” ( The Noble Qur’aan, 8:24)

How many people are living lifeless lives? How many have gone through life so distracted by the outside, that they completely forgot to tend to what lies inside? How many have gone through life and missed experiencing the sweetest of its pleasures?

Our souls and hearts are longing to live a true life, one that resonates with the innate truth found within us. We are tired of all that is fake and temporary, and we are yearning for something that is real and permanent.

So if we were to just allow ourselves to take the time and enter into a state of calm solitude or deep introspection, we would find that we all have the same longing for eternal “happiness” in all of its different subjective definitions. And that is exactly Allah’s promise for those who believe in Him: He tells us about the origin of this happiness, the path that leads to it, how to walk through that path, and the ultimate destination.

That assurance that Allaah gives for belief gives answers, gives purpose, gives peace, and most of all gives life. It gives life in the form of self-knowledge. And while we live in times where there are  many tools available for gaining a deeper understanding of ourselves, with all the different kinds of personality types, assessments, and therapies, all of these without the foundation of belief are merely touching and enhancing the outer layers, and leaving out the core. Belief is what unfolds the truth of who we really are as human beings, where we came from, why we are here, and where we are headed.

The most potent way that belief gives life is through granting us the knowledge of our Creator, our Lord, our Master, Allah.

Getting to know our Creator is both the first step and  the entire journey, because it’s a continuous lifelong process. We will continue throughout our lives to have very personal encounters with the different Perfect Names and Attributes of Allah, which act as a lifeline to our heart and belief as we go through different experiences and have needs for some of His Attributes over others…

In order to be able to keep going in our journey back to Him, we need sustenance and a strong anchor.

The sustenance comes in the form of continuous seeking of authentic knowledge of this Deen and its core values; and getting to know the perfect character of Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).  That sustenance is what helps us grow. The anchor, on the other hand, is what keeps us grounded and is what brings us back when we lose sight. That anchor is the love we have for Allah, that He rooted in our hearts, and our sincere intention of wanting to be with Him eternally.

…Leave all the noise of thoughts in your head and search for that centre in your heart that really loves your Lord and longs so deeply to be Home with Him. Speak that love and intention to Him, and try living through that centre and going back to it whenever you feel lost.

…Go back to that precious moment in time and space where you feel completely at peace, knowing that you are under His Care- He sees you, He hears you, and He’s so near, watching over you.

That is our anchor when the wave gets high;  our shelter in every storm, and our sanctuary. Not just the place we run to, but the place we want to stay in; feeling as if we are actually in Allah’s constant Presence.

“If you do not aid the Prophet – Allah has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out [of Makkah] as one of two, when they were in the cave and he said to his companion, “Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us.” And Allah sent down his tranquility upon him and supported him with angels you did not see and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowest, while the word of Allah – that is the highest. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.” ( The Noble Qur’aan 9:40)

…That Presence which brings peace to our hearts and minds because He is As-Salaam; the Source of Peace.

…That Presence which gives light because He is An-Noor; the Light.

…That Presence which gives us the assurance that we are taken care of because He is Al-Waliyy; the Guardian.

…That Presence that makes us feel loved because He is Al-Wadood; the Loving One.

That Presence that fills us up with so many different positive feelings because Allah, with all of His Perfect Names and Attributes, is with us and close, so much closer than we think.

“And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than his jugular vein” (50:16)

It is through learning and believing in these Perfect Names and Attributes that we truly start to experience a more profound connection with our Lord;  and it is when we internalise them that we experience profound changes in ourselves and in the world around us.

True worship of Allah through knowing Him, is the purpose of our existence and is the most life-giving process anyone can go through. It is through knowing Him that we can sail life’s sea with a positive outlook and be at peace with whatever He decrees, believing that “Thul-Jalali wal-Ikram; the Lord of Glory and Bounty,” always decrees what is good for us. That process of learning and living with Allah’s Perfect Names and Attributes will increase our love for Him and will help us see Him through everything, resulting in a stronger belief and a sweetness tasted only by believing hearts.

“And to Allah belong the best Names, so invoke Him by them.” ( The Noble Qur’an, 7:180)

 May Allah ease and bless our journey of knowing Him, may He make us amongst His closest and most loved ones,  and may He gather us all with His beloved, sala Allahu alyhi wassalam, Ameen.

About the author: Aya Zaki

Aya is mother who is passionate about education and art. She aspires to be a tool for planting seeds of Allah’s Love and Light. Read more from her at http://fromatwinklyheart.blogspot.com/