Plugging In
“Have they not looked to the birds above them spreading their wings, and (at times) they fold (them) in? No one holds them up except the Rahman (the All-Merciful Allah). Surely He is watchful of every thing.” (Quran – Surah Al Mulk: 19)
Beautiful verse. This is a physical manifestation of Allah’s power. If Allah, the All-Able, can hold birds up in the sky, set up their schedules so beautifully, and guide them so that they know when exactly to migrate and where exactly to migrate to, can He not “hold” us? Can He not settle our affairs for us? Can He not guide us to that which is right, both in this world and the Hereafter? Never despair of Allah’s mercy.
Let us let Allah hold us. Let us let Him guide us. Let us seek Allah. Let us connect to Him. Let us plug in. None can hold up the birds in the sky – against the very real force of gravity – none but Allah. Allah says:
“The example of those who have adopted patrons other than Allah is like the spider that has made a house, while indeed the weakest of houses is the house of the spider. If only they know.”
These “patrons” need not be idols. Holding onto anything other than the rope of Allah is setting oneself up for failure. This could be a career, a child, a spouse, a friend, a house, a car, wealth or anything else that becomes your lifeline. We are created weak. We need to hold onto something. It is Allah alone who can hold us up. A spider’s house can be finished in a few seconds, with the swipe of a hand. Let’s hold onto what is strongest. Let’s hold onto Allah. Let’s connect to Him. In times of ease, and in times of difficulty. In the example of the birds, Allah shows us a beautiful physical manifestation of His boundless power and mercy. Allah can hold us up too. We need to plug in. We need to return to Him.
