Ramadhan in the Hijri Year (the Islamic calendar) of 1446 started on 1st March 2025. As part of my routine during Ramadhan, I usually do a study of one of the chapters in the Qur’an. This year, with the blog, I intend to do a reflection of natural phenomena found in the Qur’an. To frame it within the context of the key principles of:
- being still/silent
- observe
- reflect
- practice
this series will focus on the third key principle and give ideas on the fourth. If you would like to know more about the key principles, please click this link. If you want to see an example of how the key principles are applied, please click this link.
Fog
I woke up on Sunday to a foggy morning. As Pippin and I went about our morning walk, the mist was thick. I could barely see in the distance. Contrary to many people, I love walking in such conditions. It soothes my senses as no bright lights and noises are muffled. The heavy moist air feels like a comforting blanket.
Losing direction
But that is not the experience of drivers, seafarers, or hikers in such conditions. In an especially thick fog, you lose all sense of direction, unable to see the road or path ahead. Even if you can see the path, it is such a short distance that you cannot foresee any danger ahead. I have driven in such conditions before and it is harrowing. You can only drive at a snail’s pace so that you don’t drive into a corner or a barrier. Or worse, get into an accident.
A similar scene is painted in the Qur’an in Surah Al-Baqarah 2:19-20 of people being in a storm, surrounded by utter darkness
أَوۡ كَصَيِّبٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فِيهِ ظُلُمَـٰتٌ۬ وَرَعۡدٌ۬ وَبَرۡقٌ۬ يَجۡعَلُونَ أَصَـٰبِعَهُمۡ فِىٓ ءَاذَانِہِم مِّنَ ٱلصَّوَٲعِقِ حَذَرَ ٱلۡمَوۡتِۚ وَٱللَّهُ مُحِيطُۢ بِٱلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ (١٩)
يَكَادُ ٱلۡبَرۡقُ يَخۡطَفُ أَبۡصَـٰرَهُمۡۖ كُلَّمَآ أَضَآءَ لَهُم مَّشَوۡاْ فِيهِ وَإِذَآ أَظۡلَمَ عَلَيۡہِمۡ قَامُواْۚ وَلَوۡ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَذَهَبَ بِسَمۡعِهِمۡ وَأَبۡصَـٰرِهِمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡ ءٍ۬ قَدِيرٌ۬ (٢٠)Or [the parable] of a violent cloudburst in the sky, with utter darkness, thunder and lightning: they put their fingers into their ears to keep out the peals of thunder, in terror of death; but God encompasses [with His might] all who deny the truth. (19)
The lightning well-nigh takes away their sight; whenever it gives them light, they advance therein, and whenever darkness falls around them, they stand still. And if God so willed, He could indeed take away their hearing and their sight: for, verily, God has the power to will anything. (20)
This parable is a description of a hypocrite, someone who professes to be a believer but truly does not. The darkness here, equivalent to the thick fog, represent their state of hypocrisy. While the light represents God’s guidance. Like the fog, it is enveloping their soul, preventing the light from penetrating through. Similar to the situation in the physical fog, it is treacherous to move if you can’t see where you are going. You need light to enable you to see.
Having experienced the physical foggy conditions, I am terrified that my soul is experiencing such conditions. I know that the Prophet s.a.w. mentioned three signs of a hypocrite:
- lies in their speech
- breaking promises
- betraying trusts
Surah Al-Baqarah 8-15 further elaborates:
- hypocrisy is a disease of the heart
- deluding themselves
- spreading corruption
- arrogance
- giving in to base impulses
These are traits that we really need to guard against to avoid being enveloped by the fog of the soul.
Light of guidance
As the sun rose on Sunday morning, the fog gradually cleared and the day was really pleasant. The sun wasn’t too bright but warmed up the air. I spent a good few hours walking at Dalkeith Country Park where I spotted some deer. Also was privileged to hear a woodpecker.
Even though travelling through the fog is terrifying, I have hope in God’s mercy. At the end of the verse, He said:
And if God so willed, He could indeed take away their hearing and their sight: for, verily, God has the power to will anything.
Yet He does not. We have been given time to work on lifting the fog of our souls. The fog is not permanent. Like the sun clearing the fog on Sunday, the light of guidance can help clear the metaphorical fog. Reconnecting back to the Qur’an and the way of the Prophet s.a.w. is the cure for the fog of our souls. And Ramadhan is a good opportunity to do so.
A call for help
I leave this little poem as a prayer.
I am walking deeper into the abyss.
An abyss so deep that no light penetrates
And no sound escapes
Where am I going?
Which direction should I take?
Walking deeper into the abyss,
I have lost my bearing, my guide
My calls for help echoes in the chasm of the abyss
Yet there is none to hear me
O Lord, save me from this abyss of my own making
Throw me a rope to guide my way out
Shed a light into this abyss
That I might see the pitfalls of my way
Heed my call O Lord,
for You are the All Hearer, the Illuminator
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