Life Lessons

Litanies of Light

Feeding the soul with remembrance

Areebah M. Javed
Pen Tribe

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Photo by Alexander Andrews on Unsplash

I am not writing this for you to read.

I often write because I am bored. Doodling, signing my name, and just randomly stringing up a sentence is a great diversion sometimes.

And to type? I often wonder if this is therapeutic or if it’s just me trying to fill a void, maybe to prove myself of the things I gave up on because they no longer satiated my ego.

I thought it was about time to go with the flow, to find stability in this chaos.

But things got blurred into mist and fog, obscuring my path until I found myself standing on shifting sands, the sky above me masked by a stifling canopy.

And I know I wear specs but as far as I can see, I’m reminded of my mortality, a transient wanderer in a realm meant for but fleeting days.

“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” — Oscar Wilde.

And every time I look at the stars, I feel alive. And all that mist and fog disappears and I involuntarily say: “Glory be to Allah and all praise is to Him, (and) Allah the Greatest is free from imperfection.”

There’s a book of litanies called “Dalāʾil al-khayrāt” and the foreword has a few lines that would make you stop, reread it put the book down, and take a breath.

It says, “The sustenance of the soul resides in the remembrance of the Almighty. Nothing benefits the heart more than a spiritual retreat wherein it enters the domain of isolation.”

That is precisely why I am not writing this for you. It’s a reminder for myself.

That if I can feed my soul by typing out words on this blank screen if I make progress in my journey because I am consciously aware of my mind when I write, then I think it’s a sign for me to continue writing.

The more I am vigilant of myself in my wakeful state, the more I can rectify to being a better human being.

Perhaps if you’ve made it this far, then I suggest you read the words again, till they burn your mind and make you realize who you truly are.

Reach out to your Creator, immerse yourself in His teachings, and courageously tread the path toward healing.

For when you seek Him earnestly, His response will envelop you with guidance and solace.

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Areebah M. Javed
Pen Tribe

18 | Writing to level-up my productivity game - I own enough humor to deal with life | Twitter - @_A_Writes