By The Time

I had fallen to the busy-ness of this world and slacked.  I flipped through the pages and my eyes rested on the following verse, Al-Baqarah 183:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
"O you who believe!  the Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed to those before you, - that you may practice reverence".

I was attracted to the verse, not just because it is Ramadhan, but also because of - laa'llakum tattaqun - a continuation lesson for me in understanding my strive to be a al-muttaqun, the God-conscious, the one who does not associate partners to God, the one who fears God's punishment,  the one who believes in the Unseen and is steadfast in Prayer, and spends on others out of what Allah has provided for him.  The one who believes in the Revelation sent to the Prophet, and sent before the Prophet's time, and in his heart has the assurance of the Hereinafter.

The other day, my younger son said I was forcing him when I told him to do something and I reacted angrily.  Later, it made me review my responsibility as a mother.  I am a mother of teenage sons.  A mother of young men.  I searched for answers in my head.  And Surah Al-Asr came to mind.  "By the time!  Verily man is in loss; Save those who believe and do righteous deeds, and exhort one another to abide by the truth and admonish each other to be patient".

I talked to my son, I told him that I am here to guide him and remind him; and that he should remind me too if he saw me slacking or lose my patience.