When Allah turns you to talk to Him

Something happened and I really needed to speak to a friend and seek advice. But I was on the plane with incredibly choppy internet. The discussion would have to wait. I had supplicated to and asked Allah - but I also really wanted to speak to my friend. 

Moosa (as) requested of Allah to have Harun (as) support him, and because of Allah’s generosity and knowledge of our needs as humans, He said, “And we gifted him, from Our mercy, his brother Harun as a prophet.” And even though it was Moosa (as) who asked that of Allah, Harun (as) was never a replacement for God. Moosa (as) says in the Qur’an, 

“And I have hastened to You, my Lord, so You will be pleased.” (20:84)

When I texted my friend what had happened, and the fact that we would have to wait until the next day to talk, she said this: 

So I took a screenshot and saved it to remind myself - always turn to Allah first, and turn to Him the most. This reflects your trust in Him, knowledge of His wisdom and power, and certainty that He is there and far above what any human being can give. And how kind He is that He reminds us through the human gifts He has given us (side note: get yourself friends that remind you of Allah) but also puts us in a position where He has to be the first and only one we talk to. 

This is something we should know automatically. It’s a little offensive when we think about it - that we turn to the creation first rather than our Creator. When a friend doesn’t come to speak to us, and has been distant for a while, we might feel shunned and respond with, “well she didn’t call me so why should I call her?” Allah is not petty. Instead, He invites us. He not only invites us, but He puts us in a position that we can only turn to Him.

And who benefits? Not Him. We do. 

And perhaps that is because He wants to hear you talk to Him, ask Him, and seek the best way through Him. He is Al-Rahmān: He has so much care and concern for you, He reminds you that people cannot help you really - only He can. And so He turns you to Him - because He is Al-Tawwāb, who turns to His creation first, so that they may turn to Him. 

And how merciful is He that instead of leaving you to your own devices, He puts you 20000 feet up in the sky, as a traveller to take advantage of the blessed time, with those on the ground to tell you: keep talking to Him. Wherever we are, whether high in the sky or in the belly of a whale, with the fastest internet or without any at all, Allah is with us, He hears us and listens to us - He is Al-Samī’ (the All-Hearing). 

So whatever your situation, whatever your problem, whatever the news you want to share, say: I rushed to you my Lord, so that You may be pleased. Everything else is secondary.