By Barakah Hassan

It was 4:30pm on a Monday. I was in the middle of spring- cleaning my bedroom when I heard the gentle vibration of my phone on my bedside table. I looked over at it and picked it up- it was my agent.

“Hey! I’ve got a job that’s come up that I think you’ll be interested in. It’s for a business analyst consultant role and I think you’ll love it.”

My eyes slowly lit up as I listened.

“Okay… Tell me more,” I replied, “What are they looking for exactly?”

A smile slowly spread across my face as he gave me further details. It sounded perfect for me- I had all the skills, qualifications and experience they required.

“Sounds good! So where is it based?”

I froze at his reply. I put down the shirt I had been folding and looked around in disbelief. Was someone playing some kind of a joke?

I repeated the address back to him to confirm that I had heard him correctly.

“Yes. That’s right. They want to see you for an interview tomorrow at 9:30am”.

I couldn’t believe it. It was like a dream come true. The company was across the road from where I lived- literally a 4-minute walk from my house!

I went for the interview with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. Though I felt it went well, I was afraid to get my hopes up too high.

Later that day, at 4.40 pm my agent called to confirm that I had gotten the job. I could not believe it. Flashes of the past year flashed through my mind as I dropped to the floor in prostration. I thought about the late night studying, the early morning rises, the prayers upon prayers, the many moments of frustration, the silent tears; and I wept as I thanked Him.

For you to fully understand the emotions that surged through me, I need to explain a little more. You see, I had just moved to where I was living. After months and months of trying to find a bigger place, Allah had blessed me with my current home just 3 months prior. Not only was it a blessing in terms of the convenience of the new job, but also because I was also now only a stone’s throw away from my children’s school.

Prior to the move, I had been doing 45- minute school runs (on a good day; it was sometimes up to an hour or more on bad days). It would have been extremely difficult for me to fit in getting to work on time with my other motherly responsibilities if the job had come any sooner. Furthermore, it would have taken me over an hour to get to work from where I previously lived. It was all of this and more that caused me to weep out of gratitude.

I thought about all those times when I’d drive for an hour each way, just to get my daughter to school. I thought about the times I’d been without a car and had to take my toddler in tow along with with me in his pushchair, which I’d struggled with while trying to carry it up and down several flights of stairs when getting on the tube to the school. I thought about the time I decided to begin on a new path- to change careers from lecturer to business consultant in a world unknown to me- a career in the field that largely centred around IT. I thought about the apprehension, the fear, the failures and frustrations along the way. I thought about all this and I thanked Him as I remained in Sujood.

Many times, we pray and pray for something. We pray for a change, a new start, a new beginning. Sometimes, He answers us straight away while other times He delays answering our prayers. When the latter happens we do not always understand nor see the benefits as to why. We become despondent, down or depressed, while in actuality, Allah is Al- Baseer ( The All- Seeing), As-Samee’ (The All- Hearing) and Al- Mujeeb ( The Answerer of Prayers). He sees us. He hears us. He answers us. Always. Even though it may not always feel like it.

My dear sister, I want you to know that if you desire a new start, a change or something different in your life, you should go for it. Don’t hold back from pursing your dreams.

Believe

Allah is capable of giving you everything that you want and more. The first step to achieving anything is to have full belief in Allah and His ability to make anything possible. He provides the air that you breathe and gives sustenance to all that exists. He is Al Malik (the King) and Al Azeez (The Mighty). He can give you anything you desire.

Set your intention

The next step is to have the correct intention. It always pays to tie your intentions to Allah. Sincerely think about how you can tie your dreams to Allah and that is how you will begin to see incredible things happen for you. That’s how doors will literally begin to open for you. Miracles will begin to happen. The people and resources you need will come to you, the ideas will flow and you will excel beyond your imagination.

If your dream is to embark on a career change or to start a business, for example; think about how you can use your income or business to gain Allah’s pleasure. Is it by giving a percentage of your earnings regularly in charity? Or perhaps by using it to establish a Sadaqah Jariyah legacy? If you intend to please Allah, He will aid you continuously along the way.

Be Patient

It may take sometime before you get to where you want to be, but keep on going. Trust in Him and His perfect plan, knowing that He only wants the best for you. As long as you keep your intentions sincere, work hard and consistently turn to Him, you will get there in the end. You may have days when you struggle, when things feel difficult and you find it hard to go on. Take solace in the remembrance of Allah and in full reliance upon Him to look after you. Allah says, “I am as my servant thinks (expects) I am” (Bukhari).

So think good thoughts of Allah and have faith in His plans for you. You will be amazed at what He will do.

About the author:

Barakah Hassan is a business consultant, author, entrepreneur, and mother of four. She is passionate about empowering Muslim women to chase their dreams and start their dream businesses. If you are looking to start or build a business, grab a copy of her book Taking Action (available on Amazon). Taking Action is a goal- setting guide that helps you go from idea to reality. You can learn more about her at her site, www.barakahhassan.com, as well as on Instagram and Facebook.