truth

Poem: Reflective Growth
Poem: Reflective Growth 2560 1600 Nadir Keval

I learned very recently of a truth.
that one cannot expect another
to repeat what those of the past would do.
Not in that it is an impossibility,
but that every person should be given the opportunity,
to rise above the rest,
and show their worth
by opening their heart
and cleansing it of dirt.

My life has thrown me obstacles,
one after the other,
but God has blessed me
with the strength and courage
to jump hurdles
once thought to be indestructible.

Ah, how blessed I am,
to have been given the friendship
of the Most High.
He protects me from evil,
and sometimes let’s me indulge,
so that I may be grateful,
and at other times may be left in a state of epiphany.

I have learned to take a moment,
before every day,
before every breath,
to ask your heart who I am
and why I’m driven to be me,
and then go out there,
live out my life to the fullest,
while letting some into my heart,
and letting others live their own destiny.

Copyright © Nadir Keval

Relationships: What If?
Relationships: What If? 1280 800 Nadir Keval

So, I was sifting through YouTube when I fell upon this video. I’d say it’s pretty well done, considering I would say that many of us have experienced something similar to this in our lives. At first, I thought, wow, what a great depiction of relationships. Then, I realized that there is much more we could do to approach relationships in a more mature, responsible and stress-free way.

See, Islam’s way to approach a relationship is different, but unfortunately, today, people feel that this is a better approach. It’s a touching story, but in truth, Allah knows what is best, and His advice through the Quran and through the teachings of the Prophet (pbuh) is ultimately still more beneficial. If we all learned to just trust in Allah more, we’d find love much easier to find. Allah knows best, and it’s important we remember that we just need to bring our hearts closer to Him, and He will bring us the love we deserve, Insha Allah 🙂

We worry so often about what will happen if we get married to someone that’s not right for us. But, I guarantee that if we do things as Muslims, in the way that Islam has taught us to do things, we won’t lose. I know, I know, the divorce rate amongst Muslims is drastically increasing, but at the same time, have we ever considered that the reason is because we go about getting married in ways that displease Allah? He is the One that can either bless or curse our marriages, so why do we not focus on ensuring that we live out our lives, have our weddings, and build our marriages in ways that He has described as being the righteous and most beneficial way? How many times has Allah promised us that He will protect us if we solely rely on Him? That promise is stronger than any promise a person can give you. So, trust it!

What is there to fear? One of two things will happen if you consider someone: Allah will bring you closer to that person and make marriage come easy, or He will remove that person from your heart and replace them with someone that’s better for you. Either way, it’s a win-win Insha Allah. Focus on building yourself, and if someone is suggested to you, or you’re interested in someone, pray Isthikhaarah and make dua. Then, if you feel inclined towards that person, talk to them bluntly about things. Relationships in Islam are clear-cut. Either you’re into the person or you’re not. It doesn’t take months or years to know if a person is good for you to consider for marriage or not. It takes a moment to say, this person is someone I could consider, or that this person isn’t. Your Isthikhaarah will take effect insha Allah, and things will become clear to you. Do things with Allah in mind, and move forward from there.

Muslims aren’t wusses because we know that we have nothing to worry about except for seeking Allah’s pleasure. We know that Allah has our backs, so we’re supposed to be stress-free. Ever thought that if that’s how we Muslims should be, then all these doubts and concerns that enter our minds when we fear approaching marriage even when we find someone we think would be great for us, might just be the whispers of Shaitaan? Makes ya think, doesn’t it?

Regardless, be straightforward, tell a person how you feel, ask Allah to guide you, and then take steps forward. If the person’s right for you, Allah will make it clear to you if you are reliant on Him. If the person isn’t good for you, He will make it clear to you to steer clear of that person, once again IF you are reliant on Him.

Don’t spend too much time just hanging around. You’re just asking for fitna (temptation/tribulation). The Prophet (pbuh) even said that, “The best thing for two people who love one another is marriage.” (that was me paraphrasing, by the way) Now, I’m not saying that you’ll fall in love right away. Every relationship has its own time for that if it’s meant to be. What I AM saying though, is that if you think someone is good for you, and you’ve done your Isthikhaarah, take steps forward towards making it happen.

Sure, you may be engaged (in the halal way, of course!) for a while, so that you can prep yourself financially or so you can finish school, etc. but at least you will have protected yourself from the ridiculous amount of fitna there is in the world, you will have a confidant and someone you can rely on to be there for you Insha Allah. You will feel more secure too.

Either way, this is just me ranting now, but I truly believe that we should all be more active in approaching marriage in a more Islamically sound manner. Sure, times have changed and society approaches things differently now, but correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t Allah say that He has perfected this religion for all of mankind (ie. the people at the time of the Prophet (pbuh), people now, and all those to come in the future until the Day of Judgment)? So, then, who are we to say that we know better than Allah? Right?

This is all just my thoughts. I’d love to hear what you think. And, I pray that Allah gives us all the strength, courage, patience, guidance, and all else we need in order for us to find ease in every step of marriage, and that you all are blessed with the best of spouses. Ameen.

Poem: Our Journey
Poem: Our Journey 1280 853 Nadir Keval

I’m a traveller,
loving every moment.
Every time I turn around,
I can say because of you, that it was all worth it.
We went through times,
some great, some tough,
but where’s the crime,
in feeling that’s what built our love?

See, on this journey,
we’ve been taking,
I thought we’d lose touch.
Sandstorms of confusion,
blinding us from seeing,
that our love is worth believing.
But, hurt us they couldn’t,
when the truth sheltered us.
Though we needed to be patient,
waiting for the storms to pass,
we still came out surviving.

On most days, we’ll be smiling,
and some when we won’t be able to help crying.
But, come tears or shine,
we can only be what we’re meant to be.
Let’s keep going on making our love grow,
and hope we never reach our destination.
I never want this trip to end,
so I can show you how much I love you more and more.
I’m certain that as we continue,
we’ll take steps forward and back,
but I can guarantee that as we lay our tracks,
there’s no other I’d want to have as my companion.

Copyright © Nadir Keval

 

In memory of….
In memory of…. 3888 2592 Nadir Keval

You know, when you have days like this, when people (in this case, Canadians) are thinking about those who have passed in the ways of war, and then you look at what the world has been facing in recent years, you quickly realize that the world is in a difficult place, and seems to only be inflicting pain upon itself.

I speak of the people of the world as one entity, because in truth, we are people who should learn to live in peace and unity. But, to believe that this can be a reality would be ignorance. They say that there cannot be peace without war, just as there cannot be happiness without sadness. But that leads me to question if the world has taken this concept and turned it into a position of accepting defeat against the evils of human nature…almost as though people have forgotten that goodness lies in all of us, and is only in need of that motivation and determination to present itself.

People seem to have given up on the world changing. They think that donating some money to a charity, volunteering at an event, or things of that sort are enough. Truth be told, those things are all things we should do, but they are NOT enough. Not by a long shot.

There is a quote that often lingers in my mind throughout my days, keeping me grounded and focused on living a righteous life:

The righteous person is the one constantly thinking of death.

(I was told this is a quote from the Hadith – the traditions, actions and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him – but because I’m not sure, I won’t quote it as such. Rather, try to just take the meaning of it.)

When I first heard this quote, I thought, “Wow…that’s pretty negative and pessimistic.” But then, it was explained to me, and it changed my life. The quotation means that the person who is righteous is always asking him/herself a simple question: If I were to pass today, would I be ready to face the Lord/would I be able to look back at my life and say that I did the most I could to be a good person? What’s good and what’s not isn’t the matter at hand here. To each his own in that matter. But, can we look back at our lives and really say that right now, we’re in a place that we’re proud of…not because of pride, because what we’re doing is, in an unbiased opinion, righteous.

That’s when that change needs to come. The reason I mentioned the above quote was to address the fact that we CAN in fact make a change in the world by making a change within ourselves as individuals.

“Truly, God does not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” (Quran 13:11)

So, look at that as the plan. Now, let’s work together towards actually putting this plan into action. We all know that there are certain things that we’d like to do in order to make a change in ourselves. We just need that support and motivation to do so. I’m not perfect, but I believe in doing my best to make changes in my own life, so that I can look in the mirror and say, “I’m happy with who I am.”

My friends, let’s make these changes together, and work together towards helping each other make our lives better. I started this website, as well as the programs I run, with this goal in mind: help as many people as possible. So, leave a comment below, or click the Contact button on the side of the page, and talk out your changes with me. We’ll work together in making these changes. I’ll help as much as I can. Who knows, these may be the boosts we need in order to reach our own goals!

Poem: Black Star
Poem: Black Star 1700 1168 Nadir Keval

Like that black star in the night sky,
Hiding amongst others shining pride so bright,
I stand strong, knowing that I’m surrounded,
Not bounded,
By the negative connotations
The world founded.
There’s no truth to the images they create,
I can see that through the fate they debate.
Thinking life is how they made it,
But truth is, those words are the ones tainted…
By the misconceptions they forcefully imposed,
Decepting themselves,
Breakin down their souls.
What happened to the world so sound?
Greed came and shouted too loud.
Living in a world so out of place,
It’s no wonder people have forgotten reality’s face.
Doesn’t make sense to take the world by storm.
That’s just a lotta rainy days,
And happiness to mourn.
Listen to your heart and be aware of the Unseen.
Try your best to make it,
And to all that happens,
Know there’s a reason your reason is yet to be seen.

Copyright © Nadir Keval

Poem: Epitomy of Happy
Poem: Epitomy of Happy 1024 768 Nadir Keval

She’s the epitomy of beauty,
Brings dreams of happiness
From the depths of fantasy,
Into a reality.
She appeals to my every attribute,
Makes me feel like my love’s the truth.
She has the smile of an angel,
You’ll see innocence in her every angle.
She’s the epitomy of beauty,
In more than just the physical,
But in her soul’s purity,
Making me fall in love with her daily.
The day I met her, I fell into a daze,
And since then, my feelings have become,
More than just a phase.
There’s things about her that I love,
And there’s thing I could do without.
But this woman’s everything I could ever ask for,
It’d be an insult to ask God for any more.
He’s sent me my own guardian,
To love and cherish me,
Without any hurting.
Now, I’m praying for the courage, to maybe,
Ask her to become my lady,
By blessing me even more,
And saying yes when I ask if she’d marry me.
I dream of days when we could start a family,
With children we would adore.
A daughter just like her
And a son, whose love for us is unconditional.
Baby, will you help me,
In finding reason to smile?
‘cause all I need to be satisfied with life,
is the chance to be your husband and make you my wife.

Copyright © Nadir Keval

Poem: Desired
Poem: Desired 1920 1200 Nadir Keval

Mesmerized by dreams of past,
Illusions overtaking the realities of life.
It has become overly clear that life holds its purpose,
But that the achievement is found through individual choices.
We strive so hard throughout our lives,
To please those around us.
But in truth, seeking happiness is found in the search for one’s own desires.

That said, we are left with the equation,
Of how to find the solution to fighting off persuasion.
If we lived purely for our desires,
We would be left with no sympathetic morals.
The world would become misunderstood,
To a greater degree than it already is.
With billions of opinions based on desires,
Ruling any place would cause it to diminish.

Variables in our equation should include such things,
As a foundation built on belief of a Supreme.
This would singular,
Other nightmares is what would become of our dreams.
More than one Divinity,
Would result in no difference,
From what we would be percieving from our desire-focused leaders.

This One would bring about laws,
Ones that hold no obligations,
Only because we trust them so strong.
We believe what is to come,
For we knew it to be good, no matter our thought outcome.
We then continue to pursue our happiness, desires.
But have corrected them,
By using our minds, inspired.

Copyright © Nadir Keval
 

Poem: Souled
Poem: Souled 3456 2304 Nadir Keval

Gorgeous.
That’s how she’s seen,
As a depiction of beauty.
But I wonder at times,
If that vision,
Is purely physical.

To be an intellectual,
Speaking to each other as equals,
Is easy in most scenarios.
But when I think to how your words would leave,
Your mouth like discarded thoughts of past…
Regret and disappointment exist,
In myself letting things last
As long as they did.

Soulful.
I wish I could say this matched her description.
But truth be told,
That’s what holds me back from affection.
When looking into your eyes,
All I see is lies.
Within yourself,
You have walked past all reason,
And embraced all that makes you displeasing.
There appear to be walking mannequins,
Strolling through your mind,
Walking into positions,
That develop you into a mime.
Your physical encompasses your identity,
And without saying anything,
You have shown the world everything.

When you decide to speak
Your truth, and be human,
Let me know.
Maybe then,
I’ll consider a hoping chance with you.
But until then, please remain mute.
That way you can stop bothering me with your sad excuses.

I do love you,
That is without doubt.
Otherwise, I wouldn’t have married you.
But you left me with no other thought,
Than thinking that I’ve lost my love.

Your still here,
But I’m scared your soul’s left.
Please bring it back to me.
I feel I’ve lost half of me.
And now I need we back,
So our unified soul can get on track.

Copyright © Nadir Keval

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