by Rebecca Salman
I was sitting with a student of mine when she made a statement that blew me away in an Eman Rush. I’ll try to put it in her words as best as I can.
I have a cousin who has two children, a girl and a younger boy. And I told her that I felt she favored her son over her daughter. She said, “It’s not like that. I buy them things in equal amounts, I feed them equally, I give them the same amount of my time. But let me tell you a story. I was in the kitchen while the kids were watching TV with their dad. I burned myself, and I cried ‘Ouch!’ My husband and daughter didn’t bat an eyelash, as this is a normal occurrence in our home, but my son came running into the kitchen, asking if I was okay, demanding to see where I was hurt and telling me to be more careful.
I try to love them equally, but HE loves ME more, and so I I can’t help but love HIM more.”
My student looked at me and said words that I will never forget, Inshallah. She said, “Ma’am, I feel like that’s how we’re supposed to be with Allah (SWT), we should love Him so much that He loves us more because of our love.”
To love Him, we must know Him, remember Him, appreciate Him, speak (pray) to Him and obey Him.
Honestly, I think most of us don’t even know Him yet. Maybe that’s why we falter when it comes to the other parts.
May Allah SWT grant us the tawfeeq to be among His Favored Ones. Ameen, thumma Ameen.
Al Muqarraboon 