Thank You, 2017.

Bismillahirrahmannirrahim.

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

In the blink of an eye, 2017 has come to an end. It's unbelievable at times, how fast time flies without us noticing it. I would say this has been one of the toughest and most turbulent year of my life, yet I am thankful for all the lessons and realisations that this year gave me.

What I realised the most this year are two things: the power of du'a, and importance of having Tawakkul in Allah, in all matters. I've always known these two things are important, but this year, going through so many hard times and learning things the hard way, I learnt that these two things can make or break our lives, depending on how much we apply it from the biggest of things to the smallest details of our lives.

I remember being in such a difficult situation, and the only solace I could find was while reading the Qur'an. I randomly let my hands guide me to a page in the translation, as this is what I usually do when I am in need of guidance.I was so stuck at that moment, physically, emotionally, and mentally but my spirit was telling me to hold on. I remember how Allah always provides a way out, for Musa from Firaun, for Nuh who was trapped in the whale, and I prayed for Allah to bless me with His Mercy and to get me out of that dire situation. I think it was one of the most sincere du'a that I have ever made in my life, and not long after that, by the will of Allah, He provided me a way out of my misery, Alhamdulillah.

The second most important thing, after making du'a is to have full, and complete Tawakkul in Allah, that He will settle our affairs for us. More often than not, we are so busy with the hustle and bustle of our lives, that we forget that we are only mere servants of God, and it is He and only He that can provide sustainance for us, as He may also take it as He wills.

I would describe Tawakkul as having complete, and utter reliance in Allah, that He will provide what is best for us, at the right place, at the right time, with the right people. Having faith that Allah's plan is better than what we have planned initially, that He knows best what is for us, and that sometimes a 'No' for now is a much better 'Yes' for later. It is only with time that we will be able to see His wisdom in all things, and the things that happened this year made me realise, how important it is to not only say it with your tongue, but to practice it in your actions, and really mean it in your heart.

I am hopeful and optimistic, that 2018 will be a better year for me, as Allah promises:

فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلۡعُسۡرِ يُسۡرًا. إِنَّ مَعَ ٱلۡعُسۡرِ يُسۡرً۬ا.

"So verily, with the hardship, there is relief; Verily, with the hardship, there is relief."

If I were to take three things from 2017 to bring to 2018, it would be:

To always be kind, even if those around you aren't.

To always have patience, to wait for what you deserve.

To always leave our affairs to Allah, as He is the best of planners.

Sometimes, we are so focused on our problems, that we fail to realise the bigger problems of the ummah, like the plight of the Rohingya, of the occupation of Palestine and the declaration of Intifada. It shook me particularly because I felt it was a sign that the Day of Judgement is near, and here I am worrying about my own problems and worrying about the problems of the dunya, when this world is only a temporary stopover, and our end game is not here, but in the hereafter.