Quarantined? Here's Your Invitation in Surah Al-Tawba

It's a beautiful thing when you find that Allah painted a perfect picture of a situation you are experiencing beforehand. First of all, it would console us that our experience is tailored and purposeful. This alone is wonderful to know in our hearts with these times of uncertainty. Second, in addition to listening to our health authorities, we get a better picture of what's really asked of us from our Caretaker. We are spiritual beings in essence, and spiritual advice sometimes goes a long way with physical precautions. We can be healthy and taking the right steps, yet our anxieties can make us feel like we are already drowning. You need your heart to be in the right place, and as you have probably found out this luxury cannot be secured from a plethora of social media posts. Where did Allah ever speak about this Quarantine-like experience though? In Surah Al-Tawba. There were three companions that didn't catch up with the rest of the Muslims to an expedition due to procrastination. However, as they confessed their mistake to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Allah revealed that they must be isolated society as a penalty until He wills otherwise. Here is where Allah describes their experience of isolation, and as you read this you'll notice how this can elevate our own Quarantine experiences to something more than a mere stay-at-home vacation: Surah Al-Tawba(9): Verse 118 Allah describes their experience just as many of us feel now. Both figuratively, and literally. We are cornered, and the Earth has limited its vast space to us. We're all locked down in our houses and countries. We're also feeling cornered with the state of our jobs, anxieties for ourselves and loved ones. Allah has placed you in a corner, along with the rest of humanity. We all collectively share this dread. It seems that so far Allah has perfectly depicted the state of our affairs, but this isn't merely a commentary. This is a clarification as to what gems can lie in this experience of ours and this is where the other half of this verse comes in. Allah reveals the purpose behind such an experience, and it's beautifully described as an invitation to a spiritual awakening. Allah describes the recognition of realizing that there lies no refuge from Allah except to Him. This might seem simple, but not easy to internalize. Allah's bridges this gap through the means of quarantine to us to make us see it, think about it, and feel it. Following this invitation, Allah gives us the opportunity to finally contemplate our own setbacks in the times before and find our hearts finally prepared for a great spiritual cleanse. The cleanse of returning back to Him through repentance. This was really the whole purpose behind those three companions' trial. Simple, yet so heavy. Once their repentance was accepted, this verse was revealed and they were actually released. Can we relate? Sure we can. There are many burdens of sin holding us down, and this is the time to lift them off. It's an honor to be placed in this position, where you can walk in these companion's shoes. The mosques have closed, and people claim that Allah no longer invited us to His houses, but I disagree. When we look at the beauty of how this verse is described, we can see that the invitation to repentance has, in fact, become more distinguished to us than ever before. We are experiencing these divine signals coming to every household. May Allah guide our hearts, and may Allah alleviate the burdens of our hearts. وَظَنُّوا أَنْ لَا مَلْجَأَ مِنَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا إِلَيْهِ {Disclaimer: This is a personal reflection on the established tafsir and meanings of the verse above amongst our scholars}. Youtube: SomeMuslimKid submitted by /u/somemuslimkid [link] [comments]

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