Let Allah Surprise You
فَلَا تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَّا أُخْفِيَ لَهُم مِّن قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍ
What If I told You That Allah Doesn't Want You To Have Any Expectations ?
While I was walking, which is part of my daily routine, as I usually take a walk in the late afternoon, I stepped out of the house, looked up at the sky, and took a deep breath. I put on my headphones, opened my podcast playlist, and started listening. But that day, while walking, I wasn’t as focused as usual. I just felt like I wanted to hear nature, the sound of my steps on the falling leaves, the sound of trees as the wind hit their leaves, the sound of children playing and laughing, and the sound of the same man I always see, talking to his family so loudly, I almost felt like I was right there with them.
As I walked, I noticed the sky darkening with clouds, and the sun was completely covered, A cold breeze whispered through the air, gently caressing my soul as if it were a soft pat on my spirit ، And then suddenly, thunder clapped. Without thinking, I instinctively said, “Allahu Akbar” in awe of its power. i felt like the thunder had grabbed every nerve in my body, like my whole being was frozen and my heart raced with fear. And then, suddenly, the rain came , soft and gentle, like a touch of mercy from Allah. It poured over my chest, my soul, my entire being, washing away the tension and filling me with a sense of release. I looked up at the sky, a smile forming on my lips, whispering to myself, “It’s raining.”
For those who don’t know me, I absolutely love rain. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a light drizzle or a torrential downpour ، I’ll rush out and play under it . This is a forgotten Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH), a beautiful practice he cherished deeply.
as Anas (RA) narrated: “Rain fell upon us while we were with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). He opened his garment till some of the rain fell upon him. He then said, "It has only recently been created by its Rabb.’”
Imagine, in that moment, the Prophet (PBUH) feeling the rain as a direct blessing from Allah, an intimate connection with the Creator.Each raindrop is a new creation, crafted by Allah in that very moment, carrying His mercy and blessings. When we notice them and reflect on their presence, they awaken in us a deep sense of Allah’s closeness and care. Imagine this—if these tiny drops, falling gently from the sky, can make us feel His mercy so clearly, then how much closer is Allah to us than even these raindrops? He is closer to us than our jugular vein, watching over us, enveloping us in His mercy, and caring for us in ways beyond our imagination. The Prophet (PBUH) sought its blessings, and so should we, as it serves as a reminder of Allah’s grace. The time of rainfall is a moment of favor and mercy from Allah upon His servants, a blessed time when du‘a is answered. We should take full advantage of this moment, feeling how these blessings pour directly upon us and our bodies. SubhanAllah.
I mention this moment specifically because I didn’t expect the rain to fall that day. I could’ve taken precautions and brought my umbrella, but I didn’t. It felt as though Allah wanted to surprise me. Sometimes, the very things we use to protect ourselves—our umbrellas, our fears, our rigid ideas—can block the blessings Allah wants to pour upon us. A single drop of rain might fall, harmless, yet some cover themselves, afraid of getting wet, unaware that Allah intended it as mercy. Our beautiful religion encourages us to break through that fear, to step out, to feel the rain on our skin, a Sunnah that can bring reward. To smile at someone, even a stranger, in a world where people are glued to their phones, avoiding eye contact, and often judging kindness as foolishness, is part of opening our hearts to blessings. Our Prophet (PBUH), carrying the weight of the message and the ummah, would race with Aisha (رضي الله عنها ) and laugh, never worried about what others thought.
Shaytan wants us to stay safe, to keep everything planned, controlled, and predictable, but the most beautiful things often happen by chance—meeting a friend while waiting for the bus, helping someone who becomes a lifelong companion, sending a dish to a new neighbor and forming a friendship, even a misunderstanding that leads to finding your soulmate. Life’s greatest gifts rarely come as we expect, and the plans we cling to often fall short. Allah’s wisdom works in ways we cannot foresee, and He knows the perfect timing, the perfect form, and the perfect people for our rizq. To surrender, to step out without fear, and to embrace the unexpected is to live with the joy, wonder, and gratitude that Allah wants us to feel.
Allah wants us to preserve this feeling- a sense sense of awe and excitement-that arises within us when we witness one of His signs. Allah constantly encourages us in the Qur’an to reflect and ponder, often in the form of questions: “ 'Do they not see how the camels were formed, how the sky was lifted, how the mountains were raised high, how the earth was spread out?? These questions are meant to make us think and reflect on His creations. He wants us to embrace that beautiful feeling, to fully experience it. That’s why Allah said to His Prophet (PBUH) at the end of Surah Al-Ghashiyah: “So remind, [O Muhammad] you are only a reminder.” The Qur’an itself is a reminder, a constant invitation for us to reflect, return to our essence, and reconnect with the truths that often slip from our hearts in the rush of life. We were created with an innate spiritual nature (fitrah) to sense the blessings of Allah around us, but we often forget and become distracted by the layers of worldly pursuits, to the point where we no longer sense or feel anything. Yet, when we purify our souls through inner purification (Tazkiyah), we return to our fitrah (فِطْرِة) and reconnect with that sense of wonder and awe. Tazkiyah leads to true perception (Basirah), allowing us to see Allah’s signs with clarity and depth, becoming like children, seeing Allah’s signs as if we’re seeing them for the first time.
.“ ولكنها القلوب يا عليّ، إذا صَفَت رأَت”
“But it is the hearts, O Ali, that when they are purified, they see.”
– Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA) - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ
your gift
Imagine that Allah has prepared a gift for every person here, each one wrapped in a unique way. We often think that gifts have to come in a certain form, at a certain time, or in a particular way, but Allah has a different plan. We often forget that everything Allah gifts us with is good, whether we like it or not. Sometimes, these gifts aren’t just about happiness—they are lessons that shape who we are. Without those lessons, we wouldn’t be the people we are today.
As Prophet Muhammad PBUH - (ﷺ) said:
قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : « عَجَباً لأمْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِ إِنَّ أَمْرَهُ كُلَّهُ لَهُ خَيْرٌ، وَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ لأِحَدٍ إِلاَّ للْمُؤْمِن: إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْراً لَهُ، وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ فَكَانَ خيْراً لَهُ »
“How wonderful is the case of a believer; there is good for him in everything and this applies only to a believer. If prosperity attends him, he expresses gratitude to Allah and that is good for him; and if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently and that is better for him”.
and also - Umar ibn al-Khattab رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ says :
“I do not care if I wake up to what I like or dislike, for I do not know if goodness is found in what I like or dislike.”
“ مَا أُبَالِي عَلَى أَيِّ حَالٍ أَصْبَحْتُ عَلَى مَا أُحِبُّ أَوْ عَلَى مَا أَكْرَهُ ، لأَنِّي لا أَدْرِي الْخَيْرُ فِيمَا أُحِبُّ أَوْ فِيمَا أَكْرَهُ ؟
- Umar ibn al-Khattab
You know how sometimes people talk about how Allah moves mountains for you or makes the impossible possible, right? But do you truly believe that, or do you just repeat it with your mouth? Because Allah literally does that. He has shown us in the Qur’an that it’s not just empty words. You might say, Yeah, but that only happened to the Prophets. Well, actually, no. There’s a story in the Qur’an that shows Allah’s power in such a way, and it wasn’t for a Prophet—it happened to normal people. It’s the story of the orphans in Surah Al-Kahf. Allah sent Khidr and Musa (عَلَيْهِما ٱلسَّلَامُ) to build a wall for them. Under that wall was a treasure meant for the orphans—”their gift” . The orphans had no idea that Allah had arranged everything for them—the people, the circumstances, everything was designed just for them.
At first glance, the situation seemed illogical. Musa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) was surprised. Why put effort into fixing a wall for a people who didn’t even offer them hospitality? But behind this act was Allah’s divine wisdom, because if the wall hadn’t been repaired, the treasure would’ve been taken by the village people. And yet, because of our limited thinking, we often see every difficulty as something negative, simply because it doesn’t seem logical to us. We forget that Allah’s planning (التدبير الإلهي) is far beyond our understanding.
Sometimes, we think that something makes sense to us and that we know what’s best for us. But often, what seems logical to us comes from our ego, fears, and mistaken beliefs. In reality, Allah’s choice for us is what truly benefits us, because it’s in line with our natural fitrah. Allah’s choices are always the best for us, even if they don’t seem logical at the time. That’s why He purifies us from all the obstacles, fears, and misconceptions we carry, so that when His blessings come, we don’t doubt or reject them. Then, Allah completes His favor upon us, as He says: “Allah does not intend to burden you, but He intends to purify you, and to complete His favor upon you, so you may be thankful” (Quran 5:6). Here, we begin to view trials in a different light, understanding that Allah wants to purify us, teach us, and show us our fears and limitations before He grants us His blessings. These moments of trial aren’t meant to harm us but to refine us and prepare us to receive His grace.
soldiers of Allah
When we look at the stories of the prophets, the rizq Allah gave them doesn’t always align with our logic. For example, Musa’s mother (عَلَيْها ٱلسَّلَامُ) was instructed by Allah to throw her child into the sea because she feared Pharaoh. To us, this seems completely irrational—how could a mother throw her child into the sea? We might think he would surely drown, but we forget that the sea itself is one of Allah’s soldiers. When Allah commands it, the sea will not harm Musa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ). This is similar to the story of Ibrahim (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ), when he was thrown into the fire. Allah commanded the fire to be بَرْدًا وَسَلاَمًا (cool and peaceful) for Ibrahim. What we often overlook is that the entire universe operates under Allah’s command, moving according to His will. Even your heart and soul, you do not control them. They are (between two fingers of the Most Merciful), as if they were one heart which He turns about as He wills.
“The hearts of all men are between two of the Compassionate’s fingers as if they were one heart which He turns about as He wills.”
And one of the greatest examples of this divine control is seen in the relationship between our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his wife Khadijah (رضي الله عنها). Allah, in His infinite wisdom, united their hearts, despite the many differences between them that, to our limited understanding, might have seemed significant—such as their age gap, her being a successful businesswoman, or her past life experiences. Khadijah’s love for the Prophet (PBUH) was a gift from Allah, as He is the One who unites hearts.
“He brought their hearts together. Had you spent all the riches in the earth, you could not have united their hearts. But Allah has united them. Indeed, He is Almighty, All-Wise.”
The Prophet (PBUH) even said, “رزقت حبها” (I was nourished by her love), showing that it was not just a matter of chance, but a divine blessing—a beautiful example of how Allah arranges the connections between people in ways beyond our understanding. No matter what differences or circumstances you may face, only Allah can bring hearts together and guide us through them.The entire universe is like an army of Allah’s creation—if He wills it, the whale will not harm you, the fire will not burn you, the sea will not drown you, and all of creation may move on your behalf, by the command of Allah - Subhanahu wa Ta’ala.
I came across a quote that I really liked:
“And when Allah pushes you to the edge, trust that He will either catch you when you fall, or He will teach you how to fly.”
قُرَّةُ العَيْن (Qurrat al-‘Ayn)
“. فَلَا تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَا أُخْفِيَ لَهُمْ مِنْ قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍ “
“No soul knows what eye’s delight is kept hidden for it—a reward for what they used to do”.
The Prophet, said, “Allah said, ‘I have prepared for My pious worshipers such things as no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard of, and nobody has ever thought of.
You might ask Allah for something, but suddenly, everything seems to close in your face. In those moments, Allah wants you to continue worshiping Him, making du’a, even if it doesn’t seem logical to you. Allah tests you so that you learn to respond better. He tests you so that when He grants you what you wanted, you know how to truly thank Him and attribute all the blessings to Him. Allah will ask you when you meet Him: When I blessed you with My favor, when I granted you health, wealth, and prosperity, what did you do with it? Every blessing Allah grants us will be questioned on the Day of Judgment.. This is the state of Yusuf ((عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ)) after enduring immense hardships, after Allah purified him and perfected His favor upon him. Despite the many trials, Yusuf (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) said about Allah: « He (Allah) was certainly kind to me». He didn’t dwell on the difficulties he had gone through. He tasted the sweetness of faith and closeness to Allah. This is a glimpse of the blessings of Jannah that Allah sends down to His believing servants.
Anas bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “ one of the people of Jannah who had experienced extreme misery in the life of this world will be dipped in Jannah. Then he will be asked: ‘O son of Adam! Did you ever experience any misery? Did you ever encounter difficulty?’ He will say: “By Allah, no my Rubb, I neither experienced misery nor passed through hardship”
This amazement makes a person forget every hardship in this world, because Jannah makes him forget everything he’s been through. When they’re dipped in Jannah, it’s like a cloth being dipped into dye—fully immersed in a touch of blessing. Even this small immersion makes them forget all the struggles and hardships they faced in this dunya.. Imagine what it would be like when they enter Jannah completely. This is why the most precious worship is الإيمان بالغيب (faith in the unseen), because that’s what faith is—believing in what we can’t see. That’s why Allah has hidden it from us, so He may know who truly fears Him and believes in Him through the unseen ..
“Sometimes you eat too many appetizers, you ain’t got no room for the main course”.
Allah always encourages us to keep the Hereafter in our sights and take from this dunya only what suffices. ۚوَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا مَتَـٰعُ ٱلْغُرُورِ (whereas the life of this world is no more than the delusion of enjoyment.)Imagine that the pleasures of this dunya are like a bag containing your food. Just as we don’t take the whole bag at once, but only enough to satisfy our hunger, Allah encourages us to take from this life only what suffices. To understand this, we have a perfect example in food: in Arabic, we call this تَصْبِيرة (tasbeera)—a small portion that a hungry person eats to help them be patient until the main meal is ready. The word comes from صَبَر (patience)—just a little to sustain you until the real blessing arrives. This teaches us that our entire life is built upon patience, for it is the path to Jannah . as mentioned in the hadith: As Anas b. Malik reported, “The Paradise is surrounded by hardships, and the Hell-Fire is surrounded by temptations.” Therefore, we must exercise patience in striving for Allah’s obedience, persevering through its challenges, avoiding what is forbidden, and restraining ourselves from desires. we will be rewarded in ways beyond our imagination. Even the angels will greet us for our patience saying: “Peace be upon you for what you patiently endured.”
And these little touches from Allah—these moments of grace—are like glimpses of Jannah. They strengthen and console us, guiding us through life’s hardships, and preparing us for the ultimate reward. Just as a tasbeera keeps a hungry person going until the main meal is served, these divine gifts sustain our hearts and souls, helping us remain patient on the path until we receive the greatest blessing: Jannah itself. This is so that the pleasures of Jannah have their true value.
If we received everything we wanted in this world without effort or challenge, we would not truly appreciate the joys of the Hereafter.
And just as Allah sends small glimpses of His mercy to prepare us for the ultimate reward, sometimes He blesses us in this world with people who reflect a piece of that eternal bliss. From the kindness of Allah, your life partner may be one of these blessings—a piece of your Jannah, a reminder of what awaits.
As Dr. Omar Suleiman said:
“You might be marrying a piece of your Jannah here.”
And also, from the sayings of the scholars on this matter, as the great scholars and imams, like Ibn Taymiyyah said:
“What can my enemies do to me? My paradise and my garden are in my heart wherever I go. They are with me and never leave me. If I am imprisoned, it is seclusion for worship. If I am killed, it is martyrdom. If they expel me from my land, it is tourism.”
A scholar said: “The inhabitants of this world are poor souls. They come out of it without tasting the best thing in it.”
It was asked, “What is the best thing in it?” He replied, “Loving Allah, seeking His knowledge, and praising Him.”
Another scholar said: “Sometimes my heart dances with joy. So I say, if the inhabitants of Jannah lived like me, they would be living a good life.”
My paradise is in my heart.
Shaytan and the distractions of this world try to convince us that everyone else has succeeded by following the same system, forcing us to adhere to rules and routines while leaving Allah out of the equation. They want us to believe that life is controlled by us alone, that we can create our own happiness or wait for it from the world, which often appears shiny on the outside but is empty within. Yet Allah loves our weaknesses. In a time when people value only perfection, Allah loves what we see as flaws. Musa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) feared because of his stutter, yet Allah chose him to be His speaker - كَلِيمُ الله. Our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) could neither read nor write, yet Allah entrusted him with the holy book to guide the world. Allah does not demand perfection; He loves those who turn to Him, those who make mistakes and return repeatedly, because true strength lies in recognizing our flaws and seeking His forgiveness. It is not society’s image of perfection that matters; it is the sincere, humble heart striving to grow closer to Allah.
Many of us chase worldly things, pretending to feel joy or excitement, but wealth, status, or recognition cannot truly fill the soul. True contentment comes from Allah, from being close to Him, and from the inner peace that nourishes the heart. As Ibn Taymiyyah said, “My paradise is in my heart.”
Allah blesses us with countless gifts every day, yet we often overlook them. The greatest gift is being brought back to life each day after a “minor death” -sleep. Each morning we wake, our hearts are renewed, giving us another chance to worship Him, draw closer to Him, and love Him more than before. Alongside this, He sends smaller gifts: a family outing, a moment of clarity, a child’s spontaneous laughter, a delicious meal, or gentle touches that feel like a kiss from destiny. Live these moments, thank Allah for them, and let them be a source of comfort and joy on your journey toward the greatest gift—the pleasure of meeting Him, seeing His noble Face(SWT), and entering Jannah with the Beloved Prophet (PBUH) and all the righteous.
Allah wants us to appreciate the small blessings so that when He gives the great ones, we truly recognize their value. Sometimes we think a certain job, relationship, or path is what we need, but Allah, the Best of Judges, knows what is best for us and may guide us differently. Every moment, every experience, every lesson is a gift, teaching us in ways no worldly course ever could.
This is the grace of Allah ، when we surrender to Him with trust, without expectations or resistance, He envelops us in His mercy and endless blessings. He is the Most Generous, the Most Merciful, Subhanahu wa Ta’ala.
يا ريت يكون المقال بجد بالعربي
Amazing 👏👏👏