by Ramzia C. (Meriden, CT)

Even in silence, the echo is heard, a voice calling out to you, demanding to be heard. You ignore it and continue on with your work, allowing the desires of your base self to take control. You neglect its promise of fertility and feed its whims, desiring more but gaining zilch. It walks to you, but you turn away. It nags you, but you increase the noise, leaving it no choice but to turn into a murmur. It grows deep inside you, causing pain and discomfort, but you pop a pill and numb it in its core. It tries to divert you, but you let it slide. It tries to wake you, but you put it to sleep. It tries to warn you, but you distract it and give it assurance.

You befriend it, and teach it the ways. You let it meet your friends and pollute them too. No longer does it desire anything that once opposed you. As time goes by, you no longer feel its presence, as if it took a sudden death without a given notice. You begin to experience a growing anxiety, as if a part of you has gone missing. You look to your sides and even up, finding no surprise but something inside you has definitely changed, as if something you needed has departed. It needed the care, which you never provided. It wanted to be heard, but you turned your head. This realization has now woken your senses, the ones that it wasn’t able to before.

You quickly rush to your shelf and reach for its cure. As your hands begin to tremble, your eyes fill with tears. Your words quiver with joy as you try to feed whatever is left within you, only to realize the remedy was always in front of you. It needed the reach that you neglected.

So take care of what is within you, for the echoes are a ni`mah from Al-Ghafur. And beware of becoming an obstacle in their path, for they invite you to embrace His Infinite Rahmah.

Editorial Comment by Dr. Mateen A. Khan:

Each man and woman has within them a calling toward the divine. This voice echoing in the chambers of our hearts is a divine gift. It is a remnant from a time when Allah spoke out to us saying, “Am I not your Lord?” and we all responded, “Oh yes, indeed you are! We bear witness!” (Surah Al-I`raf, Ayah 172).

Unfortunately, our dunya’ and all of its distractions does its best to drown out that voice. Yet, once in a while, in a moment of quietude or perhaps a forced moment of reflection from a tragic event, we hear its call. Our Prophet ﷺ told his Companions, “That is the sign of the essence of faith.” (ذاك صريح الإيمان: Narrated by Muslim, Abu Dawud and others).

We are grateful to the author of this piece, who lovingly advises us, “Do not ignore it!” Fortunate are those who move on towards reflection and contemplation.

A non-existent world that came into existence despite impossible odds screams for a necessary Creator—our Creator.

Start with this fact. As you reflect on the phenomena of the universe and yourself, turn towards the Creator with unwavering trust and sincerity. Call on Him in the depths of the night from the depths of your soul.

What an amazing thing to know that your existence isn’t a cosmic joke! Rather, a Loving Creator sent a caring Messenger ﷺ for no other reason than to show you what is best for you. Neither Allah nor His Messenger ﷺ benefit from guiding you. Rather, you are the beneficiary of His Infinite Mercy and Love. So we are wary of becoming our own obstacles and ask Allah to open our hearts towards Him. Āmīn.