From More to Enough

Abu Maisarah narrated from 'Aishah that they had slaughtered a sheep, so the Prophet (s.a.w) said: "What remains of it?" She said: "Nothing remains of it except its shoulder." He said: "All of it remains except its shoulder."

The sheep that is mentioned above is slaughtered and distributed to those most in need- the poor, the widow, the orphan, the wayfarer. In a few words, our beloved Prophet (sas) teaches us that this is ultimately what will last with us; what we give away will be what we hold onto when we meet our Lord (swt). 

This time of quarantine has forced a huge perspective shift. Where we would wake up every morning thinking of what we desire, what we can get, what opportunities there are to seize, we are now thinking in terms of “enough.” 

Alhamdulillah, we have enough and for those that do not have enough, it’s our moral responsibility to help in whatever capacity we can. 

A more conscious effort not to waste food is clearly felt in our household. Toys that haven’t been touched for months have been given an attention facelift. Our outside space is no longer neglected. Our moments of connecting are amplified in a concentrated space.

A few days ago, I was trying to remember the last time I physically saw my extended family members and friends. What were we talking about? Were we happy being together? It reminds me of an episode in “The Office” where Pam is taking mental pictures with her imaginary camera so she can remember her wedding day with Jim. How I wish I can recollect those moments instead of fragmented coalesced snippets as if we would see each other again in a few day's time.

Quarantining is a challenging teacher, but we’re continuing to learn from it. We’re learning to really value what we have in our lives. We’re learning not to have a wasteful attitude- whether that’s with our food, our things, or our relationships with those we hold dear to us.

May we live by valuing the “enough” that we have in our lives and focus on enriching it. May we be reminded of Allah’s mercy when we forget and exceed His limitations:

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّـهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ ﴿٥٣﴾ 

Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful," (39:53).

May we give what we are able and know that that is ultimately what will stay with us.