Musings — Divine Connections (V10-I1)

By Imam Abdullah El-Amin

“Being in the right place at the right time” is one of the oldest clichés known to man, and one that we all wish to find ourselves in as we go about our daily excursions. It is also possibly one of the least understood. Being in the right place at the right time is not waking up to your lucky day. It is a God-engineered intervention in your life. It is a Divine Connection.

How do we know if the Divine Connection we run into is best for us? All sorts of situations and people come into our lives on a daily basis. Are we supposed to take each encounter as something we are automatically supposed to respond to and act upon? I think not. ALLAH might be showing us something we are supposed to avoid.

I watched a documentary movie called “Daddy Hungry.” It was about children who have come up without knowing their father or not having the presence of a father in the home. The devastating effects of these fatherless homes produced results that were not productive to the society. Boys whose father’s were imprisoned oftentimes followed their fathers into the prison. So sometimes you might have three generations of males in prison at the same time.

The movie also showed success stories of people coming from the same type of environment. Boys had grown up to be lawyers and lived in middle and upper-middle class communities. In most of these cases the boys and girls expressed their love for the absent parent, but also focused on what not to do. One fellow said, “My dad is messed up. I’m going to make sure my kid does not go through what he put me through.”

In all of us there is a “quiet little voice” in our gut that can guide us to make the right decisions in life. A Divine Connection can come to us, whether we perceive it to be positive or negative, and if we pray and reflect on ALLAH and why He sent us this message, we will be guided right. If we observe and think, we can actually see what we are supposed to avoid. Have you ever noticed how bad-spirited people have the same type of person as their peers? Take a look around and see who hangs out together. If you see someone constantly complaining and finding fault with everything – look at their peers. They act and think alike. These are the people to avoid.

On the other hand, look at the people that are making positive change in our society. Look at the ones who are using their God-given talents to better society and then look who their companions are. They are just like them. Steel sharpens steel and man sharpens man. So it all depends on what type of men you are around as to what type of sharp person you get.

Each of us can do the same. In all of our daily connections, use your life experiences as reflective tools then listen to your gut feelings and, most probably, you will make the right decision.

ALLAH gives us instruction in Qur`an to warn us about unscrupulous people where He says, “If an unsavory person brings you some news, first ascertain the truth of the message lest you unknowingly hurt someone who is innocent.”

So listen to that “quiet little voice” telling us to listen to that Giant Voice of Instruction, Almighty ALLAH through His directives in Qur’an.

It’s simple, Just Do It.

With ALLAH’S name, the Merciful Benefactor, Merciful Redeemer
As Salaam alaikum
(Al Hajj) Imam Abdullah Bey El-Amin

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