A Visit at the Garden

I went out this morning to check the front garden of our house. The flowers are blooming profusely, and while I was observing the outgrowth of the plants, my little cat followed me. He ran everywhere I went and he smelled the purple periwinkles.

I wonder what makes him smell the periwinkles? Isn't it that periwinkles don't have any sweet scent? Or maybe he's just posing in front of the camera. What do you think?

Daily Details

From top left: Long-tail baby / Pink flower / My lens / Morning coffee / Sour blueberry shake a few hours ago

This will be my final post for the week. Have a good weekend! :)

A Word of Comfort to the Suffering

When the world becomes your enemy and you cannot trust anyone, know that  God knows what you are going through. He knows your pain, and your weakness. When you can no longer entrust your affairs to any person with whom there is no safety from betrayal and abandonment, know that the One Who created you is the Only One Whom you can trust and turn to in the most difficult moments of life. This world may never understand, may never accept or listen, will turn its back from you. And when that happens, unless you acknowledge the presence of the Only One Who Created you and Is always there to help and understand you, you are alone, and even your own self will never have the ability or power to help you in this trial. Believe and have hope, and reflect that during these hard times that you have to go through, this might be a wake-up call for you turn to you Creator and flee to Him in this world full of injustice, oppression and deceit.

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَشْرِي نَفْسَهُ ابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاتِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ رَءُوفٌ بِالْعِبَادِ

And of mankind is he who would sell himself, seeking the Pleasure of Allah. And Allah is Full of Kindness to (His) slaves.

- Qur'an (Surah Al Baqarah 207)

   

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ 

Say: "O 'Ibadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: verily, Allah forgives all sins. Truly He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

- Qur'an (Surah Az Zumar 39)

 

In these trials, we learn valuable lessons. If we rely solely on our own, we cannot make it through, for as human beings, we have limited capacities. We have to acknowledge our own vulnerability - and then - humble ourselves to our Creator, Allah سبحانه و تعالى‎. We were created to worship Allah سبحانه و تعالى‎, and our happiness lies on how to perfectly worship Him.

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالإِنسَ إِلاَّ لِيَعْبُدُونِ

And I (Allah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone). 

- Qur'an (Surah Adh Dhariyat 56)

When we accept our total slavery and submission to Him, we have no cause or reason to fear and be sad simply on account of events and experiences that inevitably happen on our lives. Everything happens according to His Permission and Perfect Plan, and if we submit to His Will and reflect that there is wisdom behind everything that He Willed to happen, then, the confusion, isolation, hurt, pain, and suffering will all be understood and then pass by. It is about acceptance. When we face these trials with patience, an open mind, and a heart full or yearning to earn the pleasure and mercy of Allah سبحانه و تعالى‎, will we be able to face life's tests and challenges with confidence and happiness.

And finally, there is hope for every believer who is suffering, for hardships are also a means of purification from sins if they are faced with patience, and hope of reward from Allah سبحانه و تعالى‎. for the Hereafter. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم‎ said,

"No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that."    

(Narrated in Sahih Al-Bukhari)

Four Things

A slave of Allah will remain standing on the Day of Judgment until he is questioned about four things: his life on earth and how he spent it, his knowledge and how he utilized it, his wealth and how he acquired it and in what way he spent it, and his body and how he wore it out.

- Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم‎

Thursday Morning

I woke up today at Fajr Prayer at around past 4 am, and then afterwards, I decided not to sleep anymore. My body surprisingly felt very light and I didn't had the surge to sleep again. Perhaps, this is due to a beautiful surprise I received upon waking up, hahaha :) This is what usually happens to me when I am in a state of pleasant anticipation. I'm very much hoping for something to happen these days - although with a little bit of reservation. Perhaps, that's a familiar feeling everyone can relate into. But the only difference is, this time, there's a space for personal reservation. A way of coping to avoid the necessary disappointments when in a state of anticipation.

Just when the sun was peering through the clouds on the early hours today, there came a light drizzle of rain. While I was preparing breakfast, my little cat, Helix Long Tail kept following me, running here and there, and meowing. I can't resist taking the photos above, especially the flowers with the raindrops still on their petals, and the small saresa on the garden. In addition, I'm thinking of changing lenses lately, as I've been enjoying taking close-up photos of flowers and natural environments. It's also nice to maintain and appreciate the natural colors of subjects every once in a while instead of hyper-processing them. 

Roses et Macarons

An Afternoon with my Camera

I'm testing and experimenting with the settings of my camera. Here are some shots I took yesterday and last Saturday.

Seen Through an Iphone

From top left: My bag /  My feet and garden flowers / Sergeant Spiral and Princess Anemone / Indoor plants at the library / Drinking hot chocolate last evening / Bouquet of flowers at the library / Mountainscape at Zambales / Flowers, Books and Qur'an stand on my desk / White Chrysanthemum at Strawberry Farm / Shawarma / Rose tea and lemon / Small white flower at home / Seascape at Bataan / Camp John Hay Park at Baguio / Strawberry Farm at La Trinidad / Road I pass by everyday

I wish everyone a good weekend! :)

A Friday Afternoon