Whenever I used to see the images of Aurora Borealis online, I always used to feel in awe of Allah-Al Khaaliq.
I always used to have in my mind that I will visit to see such heavenly appealing lights.
Last night, we came to know that the probability of seeing Aurora is quite high, so we drove for 2 hours 30 mins with the approximate ly the speed of 100 kilometres/hour to reach the spot to witness the amazingly beautiful sight.
On my way to reach there, I was wondering how much already exerted we are due to the hectic day, but we are still heading towards the spot to witness the stunning sky with northern lights.
I was thinking how beautiful it would be to be under it, to be immersed into it, to feel it, and perhaps this will give me a small glimpse that if it would be wonderful to watch just one of Allah Al-Khaaliq’s beautiful takhleeq (creation), then how breathtaking would it be to see Allah – The Exalted in heaven, which will be indeed the fauzul azeem (the real, big success).
We went there, exerted, exhausted. There were many like us already believing they will too see the beautiful lights, only to realise that nothing of that sort happened even after spending long hours, and waiting under the dark sky. However, I appreciated the long drive, the family time together, the meeting with some friends as well, the wait, and also sitting under the dark sky far away from the city lights’ pollution, witnessing beautiful skies, and stepping on the 2 billion years old rock while waiting for the beautiful glimpse.
Hours after, when dawn was almost about to begin, we realised the purpose we came for was not fulfilled despite the high probability.
Somewhere deep down I was in a state of nadamah, hasrah (regret, sorrow), as after a long drive, after all the exertion, despite the probability being so high, what we got was nothing to cite!
I tried to shift my focus to the perspective that okay, fine even if we didn’t see it, we did witness the 2 billion year old rock there, the constellation of stars and had a family and friends time together, but still my qalb (heart) was dragging me back to the regret, the nadamah, the hasrah.
Then I thought, perhaps Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى wanted me to feel it, and then I channelised this regret by reflecting upon the day of akhirah, the judgment day which is also called as the day of nadamah, hasrah (day of regret). The day when people will think they have “high probability” to enter jannah and see Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى, they will come exerted by doing good, and thinking they will be paid back in full!
But then it will be a day of regret, yawmaul hasrah (nadamah) for many.
“And ˹beware of˺ the Day the wrongdoer will bite his nails ˹in regret˺…..”
(Holy Quran 25.27)
There will be many who will regret – Some will be those who will regret not following the path of the Prophet
(صلی الله علیه وسلم),
then there will be those who
used to do good but had no sincerity, they used to do good to be seen of it, used to do good to be seen as pious, and mukhlis. Then there will also be those who used to do good, but they wronged others, and thus their good deeds will be given to the victims as a compensation, and when the good deeds will be no more to compensate with, then the sins of that person whose rights were violated, with whom injustice was done, will be put on the person who did wrong to them. What a truly bankruptcy, and what a day of nadamah will it be, thinking the “high probability” of witnessing The Light but then witnessing the regret!
SubhanAllah! All the way back to home, this hadith resonated with me –
Abu Huraira (radhiyallaahu ‘anhu) reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Do you know who are bankrupt?” They said, “The one without money or goods is bankrupt.” The Prophet said, “Verily, the bankrupt of my nation are those who come on the Day of Resurrection with prayers, fasting, and charity, but also with insults, slander, consuming wealth, shedding blood, and beating others. The oppressed will each be given from his good deeds. If his good deeds run out before justice is fulfilled, then their sins will be cast upon him and he will be thrown into the Hellfire.”
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2581
May Allah Al-‘Afuww forgive us, and make us among those who regret not!
May we see His Face, His Light, His Noor in jannah, and may our assumption of the high probability turns into certainty on the day of judgement, and may we become NOT among those who are in hasrah, nadamah.
Ameen.