SaadIt has been a lifetime since I last stood here. Silence had grown long, and dust had begun to settle upon these virtual halls. Even the doors of visitation had swung shut, leaving this blog a hollow sanctuary, devoid of both scribe and seeker.
I was startled from this slumber by a simple notification: a domain renewal. Ah, the blog. I had almost forgotten. My absence was not a void, but a season of relentless labor. I was a man caught between two worlds—either hunched over my desk, drowning in scientific papers in pursuit of a doctoral thesis, or weaving the threads of a new home before the appointed hour of marriage. Between these two fires, and the weight of teaching across two universities, my time vanished until the year finally sighed into a summer break. I even found a forgotten manuscript—a testament to my third year in the field of education—waiting for a light that never came.
I emerge now having worn many hats: student, lecturer, researcher, and the sacred roles of family. It was an exhausting journey, yet beautiful in its toil. It taught me the art of the “Now”—to anchor myself in the present, unburdened by the ghosts of the past or the shadows of the tomorrow.
I learned the quiet geometry of boundaries and the grace of self-reconciliation. I have decided to let the current of life take me where I truly belong, for after such hardship, there is no room left for trivialities, empty courtesies, or the heavy tax of emotional labor that serves no purpose.
At these great turning points of life, one must make peace with the soul. You must let it reclaim its rights by force. I watched as masks crumbled and distances we had thought short revealed themselves as vast abysses. I saw words, once heavy with promise, weighed against actions and found to be lighter than a grain of mustard seed. Yet, in that same wreckage, the true gold of character shone through. I saw the noble hands that reached through the rubble to pull me up. It is agonizing to fight a battle unarmed while the world watches; it is more agonizing still to hide your wounds just to preserve your dignity. For to lose one’s dignity is to suffer a double defeat: the cruelty of the war and the malice of the onlooker.
This battle, too, shall pass. You will emerge with your head held high. You may forget the pain of the wounds, but you will never forget who abandoned you in the trenches. Do not seek revenge, but seek justice. Give your soul its due. Do not measure the closeness of hearts by bloodlines or titles, nor by the hollow resonance of polished words. You have seen the truth; let the lesson shorten your path. Remember: those who extend a hand in dark times have saved themselves before they saved others. To be kind is a gift you give to your own spirit.
At life’s crossroads, faces long absent suddenly appear when the stars align, as if they never left. Conversely, faces we saw every day reveal themselves to be the furthest from our hearts. You learn that the one who truly wishes to stand by you will come with a generosity that would humble even Hatim al-Tai. Those who do not, hide behind the veils of flimsy excuses and “asking” for permission to help. In the eyes of the experienced, some things need no questions; they are as clear as the sun.
I have seen souls so noble that a lifetime of gratitude would not suffice to repay them—only God can grant them their due. I have learned that there is a poverty of emotion just as there is a poverty of wealth, and it is no less bitter. I have learned that kindness is not weakness. If anyone mistakes your gentleness for fragility, let them live with the consequences of their delusion.
My friend, your battle is nearing its end, and the heralds of victory are in sight. Before you lies the dawn, the future, and a joy yet to be tasted. Be grateful for the hardships, for they were the fire that revealed the truth of every soul.
Praise be to God, by whose grace good deeds are perfected. Praise be to Him who granted us dignity through our need for Him and our independence from all else. Praise be to Him who delighted our eyes with what we desired and promised us more if we are grateful. To Him belongs all gratitude, all remembrance, and all praise, as befits the majesty of His Countenance and the greatness of His Sovereignty.