What's your biggest worry?

Short blog/article I found on a forum. Reminding myself what should matter to me the most.

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All of us have worries. Worry has been defined as an uneasy preoccupation with things that have gone wrong, or that could go wrong. It includes repetitive self-talk and unpleasant imaginings. Human beings worry in different ways; they fret, brood, stress, mope . . . you get the idea.

Worrying is not always negative however. It can be reflective and motivate us to take action to change the situation. It can help us realize what is wrong and plan accordingly. Productive worry brings about improvements in life.

So what’s your biggest worry? Is it your job, your family, relationships, health . . ?

What should be your biggest worry?

A hadith of the Holy Prophet (s) tells us: Let your biggest worry be your Salaat

This hadith is food for thought. What is the focus of the self-talk of a believer? What preoccupies his mind and worries him often? The answer lies in his connection with the Creator. Thoughts about Salaat constantly invade the mind of a believer. After all, Salaat is the foundation of the relationship with Allah. The status of my Salaat reflects the status of my nearness to God. What else is really as important?

The Messenger of Allah loved Salaat and looked forward to it (am I excited about the thought of praying?). He prayed slowly, relishing every moment (do I rush through my Salaat?) He told us that humility is the adornment of Salaat (am I humble in my Salaat?). He warned us that sometimes only parts of Salaat are accepted, and sometimes it is wrapped up and sent back (is mine accepted?), He said that one who takes Salaat lightly is not from him and will not reach him at the fountain of Kauthar (do I take my Salaat seriously?). So many things to think about . . . .

Worry about your Salaat! The good news is that when you do, all other worries will fade into insignificance. They will melt away, leaving you free to focus your mind on the most crucial element of life, your relationship with God. This is the source of true tranquility. All other things will fall into place. Imam Ali (a) says: Whoever keeps in order his affairs with Allah, Allah will put his affairs with people in order. Whoever improves his life of the Hereafter, Allah will improve his life in the world, whoever is a preacher for himself, Allah will be a protector for him. (Nahjul Balagha, saying no.89)

Make it your daily motto; my biggest worry is my Salaat.

-Tahera Kassimali

Rita

Although Bajjo was limited with her condition, that never stopped her from being a born leader. As long as I can remember, she has always taken initiative in everything that came her way—be it humanitarian efforts, hosting various events, public speaking, and most of all, caring and catering to everyone else’s needs. She was scheduled to deliver a speech at my wedding. I remember being sad on my birthday because everyone that I’m close to was not able to say a few words about me on my wedding day. It was Bajjo who stepped up and agreed to give a speech; however, little did we all know that she was not destined to be present that evening.

I think the reason why I personally miss her as much as I do is because she was genuinely a fun person to be around. Growing up, I would want to be around her all of the time simply because I admired her so much. I wanted to be exactly like her. Everything about her was so humble. She was never in to the average superficial things a girl cares about. She didn’t care much for make up or having the finer things in life. She was content in her own world, with her husband, daughter and all the people she cared for. She enjoyed going out for dinner and a movie and being around her friends and family.

There is so much about her that I can never forget and will continue to miss for the rest of my life. I miss that she was always in a good mood. Whenever I’d see her, she was always hyper. And when she was hyper, she would talk like she was a gangster when she wasn’t. She tried hard to be cool but would fail miserable; and that made her ultra cool. The energy she’d illuminate was so magical; it was contagious. I miss her soft hands. And I miss the smell of her hair scrunchies. They always had the best rain forest spring smell. I miss her hospitality. And I really really reallly miss her voice. I miss her cute, naïve nature. I miss the grilled egg and cheese sandwiches she used to make for me. I miss seeing her and Zain bhai make fun of each other when I’d sit in the car with them. I miss the times she taught me how to make a killer gyro sub. I miss talking to her all night long when I’d sleep over at her house.

She was always kind to everyone and always inquired about the well-being of others. Even while being so sick herself, it was her who took care of everyone else.

Bajjo’s demise has taught me to value my time. It has given me a push to remember how near my own death is. There is so much I want to accomplish before leaving this world. The time to start is now; because there literally may be no tomorrow. It is unfortunate that this event has occurred, however, I am very fortunate to have come closer to God through this experience. I firmly believe that that is a key part as to why He took her away from so many people that love her. In order to come closer to Allah (swt), we must give up those things which we love the most, and only then will we find true contentment.