Anything I say that is good or true comes from Allah (SWT), and anything that is incorrect may Allah forgive me. It would be impossible for me to completely reflect on a single ayah of the Holy Qur’an, much less an entire juz’, so I have chosen to focus on a single du‘a made by one of our prophets.
Juz’ 20 is composed mainly of Surah Al-Qasas, also referred to as The Whole Story, which provides more insight into the story of Musa (laihis Salam). When Musa reached Midian after fleeing Egypt, he was exhausted and destitute. In this time of weakness, he turned to Allah, “My Lord! I am truly in desperate need of whatever provision You may have in store for me” (28:24). This du‘a stood out to me because of its simplicity and example of true tawakkul.
Musa’s du‘a asked Allah for what He had in store for him, not what he wanted, not even what he felt he needed. His tawakkul in Allah reassured him that whatever Allah had for him would be best, better than anything he could have imagined for himself. After making this du‘a, Musa gained a wife, home and job on the same day.
Tawakkul is not an easy thing for us to achieve. It requires silencing ourselves and listening to our creator. The poem below is inspired by Musa’s du‘a, capturing the battle between ourselves and the will of Allah (SWT).
May we all strive to have this level of reliance on Allah (SWT) and trust in His plan for us.
Tawakkul is not an easy thing for us to achieve. It requires silencing ourselves and listening to our creator.
It was all so unexpected
Your mercy came crashing over me
Like 10-foot waves from the deep blue sea
With all Your might yet as gentle as could be
In a time of despair when Your guidance was not clear to me
And I tried to fight but there was no use in it
You Washed away any fears or doubts that tried to persist
Until we were a perfect fit
Then placed me back onto the shores of life
There I stood repackaged, rebranded
Pristine and new
With the deepest understanding of what I had to do
Ya Rabb, I beg, make it easy for me
To walk these shores with Your light for peace
To lean on You when my faith is weak
And to trust in You with everything I seek
And my final request before I proceed
Is make me exactly how You want me to be
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Radiya Buchanan is a nonprofit professional working in youth development in the D.C. metro area. In her spare time, she uses poetry to help unpack her experiences as a Black Muslim woman in America. Her pieces are influenced by her stories and the stories of those she comes across. As she shares her poetry, which was a therapeutic process, with the world, she prays that her words are a point of connection, fellowship and peace for those that read them.
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