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  “There’s one in every family. Two in mine, actually. And they always manage to ruin special occasions.”
 –Zazu, The Lion King

Ah, Zazu.  In all your wisdomocity, one would think you wouldn’t say something quite so vain and awful. But who could blame you? Scar really was a horrible uncle and brother. He was selfish, rude, unjust – all the qualities of a bad, bad kitty. This is all not to mention the negative influence he had on those around him; everyone from the hyenas to innocent little Simba himself. Surely this means you have a right to complain, right?

We’re constantly faced by challenges in life, there’s no denying that. Though people may offer you explanations as to why these things happen, this is often just a comfort mechanism used to justify things in or against your favour. The fact of the matter is that everything- good, bad and otherwise- is from Allah SWT. So it is silly, and I daresay it is dangerous, to attribute happenings to anything but Allah SWT. I say this not because events don’t have immediate rational reasons behind them, but because in the grand scheme of things, they mean much more than we’ll ever know or understand. You failing your courses at university is because you didn’t work hard enough, but in the long run, it might turn out that you were destined to become an all-star cricket player. Tawhid is the very ground that Islam is built upon and the principles underlying this are firstly the belief that there is no god but Allah SWT and secondly, the belief in predestination. This means that as Muslims, we cannot afford to ask “why me”, particularly not about things completely out of our control. Allah SWT wanted it to happen, so it did. This doesn’t mean we can stop working hard because things will take care of themselves, but it does mean that if misfortune befalls us, by our own doing or otherwise, it’s only by Allah’s Will.

It’s so easy to say and so hard to practice – this I know. Especially when the things that make us ask “whyyy, oh why, oh why” are people; human beings we have to deal with for whatever reason that make even simple interactions absolutely dreadful. I think the worst of this is when the people are your family. I mean we all have ups and downs with our relatives but some of us have cousins who never call, uncles who refuse to bathe and grandmothers who have been trying to marry us off since we were 10. It’s trying. But as with everything else in life, it is in the remembrance of Allah SWT that our hearts can find rest.  Now one might ask how remembering Allah SWT will make their uncle shower, but that’s not the point. If we choose to see a lot of negative aspects in people and become frustrated with them, we overlook all the hidden mercies that bearing them tolerantly brings. It’s like Buckley’s cough syrup; it tastes awful, but it works. In a similar vein, your grandmother constantly bringing you photos of new suitors when you’re not ready for marriage is extremely distasteful. But imagine how quickly you’ll develop patience and respect for elders! Something as simple as saying bismillah before you talk to her will make your whole engagement with her beneficial in this life and the next, inshAllah.

Our families were bound to us; we did not choose them. Heck, we didn’t even ask for them. However, loving them for the sake of Allah SWT is our responsibility. They have rights over us as Muslims and more rights over us by blood. It’s helpful, then, to fulfill our duties by trying to see all our kin as a part of our immutable fate. We couldn’t have had anything else because this is what Allah SWT wanted for us. If we truly believe in the Mercy and Wisdom of Allah SWT, it quickly becomes irrelevant if our personalities clash with those around us. He has put them before us out of His Infinite Mercy and all we have to see is how. How could this really be a blessing in disguise? Then, if we were to become attuned to the idea that whatever will be, will be…Well wouldn’t that make things a lot easier? Love it or hate it; it’s yours. Mmmm, might as well love it.

So when Scar says “Life’s not fair, is it? You see I, well I, shall never be king…” I say woe unto you, Scar! Life is as fair as we make it. If we learn to love our fate by virtue of loving Allah SWT, then unfairness is our own misconstrued reading of life because everything is from Him and He is the Fairest of Judges.

WAllahu Alim.



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