The Raising Fall… a story

“Sometimes, Allah breaks our spirit to save our soul.

Sometimes, HE breaks our heart to make us whole.

Sometimes, HE allows pain so we can be stronger.

Sometimes, HE sends us failure so we can be humble.

Sometimes, HE allows illness so we can take better care of ourselves.

Sometimes, Allah takes everything away from us so we can learn the value of everything HE gave us.

Make plans but understand that we live by Allah’s grace.”

*****

We’ve read this before, right.

I’ll add another example to it:

“Sometimes Allah lets us fall so we can rise higher.”

LITERALLY!

The following is a true account of an inspirational episode narrated by a sister:

“I had some purchase to make at my local utility store. I completed my shopping, which fitted in two very light bags, and left the store to get to my car. I have no idea how, but in a fraction of a second I tripped and landed on the hard ground with a painful thud! It was like a second ago I was walking and the next second I found myself sitting with my legs straight in front of me. It was a moment of shock, embarrassment and physical pain.

I said, “Inna lillahi wa inna ilahi raajioon”. I didn’t look right or left, just pulled myself together, got up and walked towards my parked car with my shopping bag. Once seated, I looked back through the front and side mirrors to see who or how many people must have witnessed my fall. And subhanallah, there were none! The entire parking lot was empty of people. Relieved, I then became sensitive to the hard pain that emanated from the tail-end of my spine.

I had read of people who had become paralyzed due to minor accidents which caused damage to their spinal cord. I knew of several people who suffer from debilitating chronic pain from a slipped disc caused by injury to their spine. I was a little worried. 

I got back home and rested for the rest of the day to gain relief from the pain. I decided to visit a doctor if the pain persisted the following day. That night when I lay in bed, I thought about the whole episode again and again.

The next day, alhumdullilah the pain had almost disappeared. It was right in the middle of my Zuhr prayer that a realization dawned on me – a deep sense of gratitude. When I completed my prayer, I bowed down again for Sajjdah as-Shukr*.

I was utterly grateful to Allah for protecting me from any serious physical injury.

I was profoundly grateful to Allah for shielding me from the awkwardness of being watched.

And most importantly….

I was overwhelmed with gratitude towards Allah for guiding me to say the words of the Istirja* at the critical moment.”

*****

Prophet Muhammad (Sallullahualahiwasullum) said: “There is nothing that befalls a believer, not even a thorn that pricks him, but Allaah will record a hasanah (good deed) for him thereby, or erase from him a sin.” [Muslim 2572]

The mishaps that befall a believer in this world ‘raise’ him in status and expiate for his sins.    

Perhaps, then, it wasn’t a ‘fall’ at all!

——–      

* Sujdah as Shukr is the prostration of gratitude. It is a sunnah to prostrate when a new obvious blessing comes or when an obvious adversity is warded off.  [An-Nawawi 'Al-Majmoo 3/56]

* Istirja is the term for uttering the dikhr, “Inna lillahi wainna ilahi rajioon” with patience, at the moment some tragedy hits you. It is the cause for receiving Allah’s blessings, forgiveness, mercy and guidance. [Quran 2:155-157]