If I was able to take still-photos of my movements and ‘possessions’ over time and compile them into a flowing-video that would show how I have changed and how things that surround me have changed, there would be one constant: the Qur’an. Even while it sat on a shelf, ever-present and revered but untouched for long stretches of time – it was there. This truly is awe-inspiring for me because I am not one to keep stuff indefinitely and often find myself purging ‘stuff’ from my life but even when I was at a low, I never purged the Qur’an from my life. In fact, I not only managed to hold onto all things related to Islam (i.e. books, cassette tapes, videos, DVDs, CDs, pamphlets, newsletters, etc.), I also managed to acquire some from people who were letting them go. Allahu Akbar!

Not only was I not purging Islam and Islamic sources from my life, but I was acquiring more than I really felt the need for at the time. For example, many years ago I purchased some du’aa books when visiting a Muslim country with the intention that I would use them for the 1 or 2 du’aas that I recognized and purchased them for – I couldn’t find anything that only had the 2 I wanted. Subhan’Allah, how would I know then that years later I would learn and use so many more of those du’aas? Even when this book (and many others) sat untouched for a number of years, I did not dispose of it. Alhamdulillah!

Insha’Allah even when I lose the physical sources Islamic knowledge (i.e. books and teachers), what I am able to commit to memory and heart will remain. The task then is to implement (from the heart and outward) what I’ve learned in such a way as to attain consistency and then continually increase what I do while I am able to do so, while also committing more and more of the knowledge to memory (most especially the Qur’an) before memory starts to fade…

Insha’Allah I will share more of what I’ve come to recognize and what I’ve learned on this subject in future posts.

May Allah Ta’aala forgive our weaknesses, flaws, errors and omissions, and may He accept our efforts and put barakah into all of our efforts to learn, implement, memorize, and share His knowledge. Ameen.