Bismillah بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
Looking Above or Below: Where Should We Focus?
We have a choice in life: we can look at those who have less than us, who are more unfortunate, and be grateful for what Allah has blessed us with. Or we can look at those who have more than us, who seem to be doing better, and use them as inspiration to push forward.
Rasulullah ﷺ guided us on this:
“Look at those who are lower than you (in wealth and worldly affairs) and do not look at those above you, lest you belittle the favors Allah has conferred upon you.”
(Sahih Muslim 2963)
But is there any harm in looking at those who have more, as a way to set new goals, gain inspiration, and keep ourselves moving forward?
To be honest, I have a tendency to do this. I look at successful people, not to feel bad about my own life, but to find new motivation and prevent myself from feeling stuck. But I wonder—does this come at the cost of being fully grateful for my current blessings?
How Do You Know If You’re Truly Grateful?
How do we really measure gratitude? What if we’re in a test of gratitude right now, and we don’t even realize it?
One way I personally check myself is through my prayers and ibadah. If I can still perform my salah on time, with presence and devotion, if I still find joy in reciting the Quran, if I actively strive to become a better Muslimah every day—then, Alhamdulillah, I am still on the path of gratitude.
“Therefore, remember Me; I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and do not deny Me.”
(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:152)
Gratitude is not just a feeling, it’s an action. It’s living in obedience to Allah, appreciating His favors by using them in a way that pleases Him.
I Want My Family to Be “The Grateful Family”
I once asked Allah something simple yet powerful:
“Ya Allah, if every family had a theme—some families are creative, some are scholarly, some are entrepreneurs—please make my family The Grateful Family.”
Why? Because gratitude is the key to every blessed door in life.
Allah ﷻ makes this very clear in the Quran:
“If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe.”
(Surah Ibrahim 14:7)
It’s as if Allah is telling us—there is no other option. If you’re grateful, blessings will increase. If you’re ungrateful, it’s not just about losing worldly things—it leads straight to destruction. Nauzubillah.
This makes me reflect—am I grateful enough?
Ya Allah, Purify Our Hearts and Make Us Among the Grateful
Reaching for the stars is scary. Trying to build something meaningful with all our limitations is overwhelming. But I remind myself—Allah is infinitely merciful, kind, and the best of helpers.
If my goals are sincerely for His sake, His help is always near.
But I need to do my part too—making more duas, waking up for tahajjud, praying Salat Hajat when I need guidance. Because tawakkul (trust in Allah) doesn’t mean doing nothing—it means tying the camel, then leaving the rest to Him.
An ustaz I heard on Instagram recently said something profound (I’m paraphrasing):
“When you do business, you are demonstrating tawakkul in Allah. Because business is uncertain—you gain one day, lose the next. If you still choose to do it for Allah’s sake, you are showing the ultimate trust in Him.”
This hit deep. I never thought of business as an act of faith, but subhanAllah, it makes perfect sense.
Ya Allah, You know my heart. You know I’m trying my best to please You. Please grant me success in dunya and akhirah.
The Beauty of Seeing Your Duas Come True
Looking back at my past goals, dreams, and duas, I feel at peace. They all came true.
There were things I thought were impossible—yet here I am, living my previous duas. SubhanAllah.
Allah is Ar-Rahman, Ar-Raheem—He gives without limits.
Today, I have:
✔️ A beautiful child I prayed for.
✔️ A husband I adore.
✔️ Good health and sustenance.
✔️ A loving family who supports me.
Ten years ago, these were just duas on my tongue. Today, they are my reality.
“And He gave you from all you asked of Him. And if you should count the favor of Allah, you could not enumerate them.”
(Surah Ibrahim 14:34)
A Moment of Pride: Maryam’s Love for Salah
My daughter Maryam just turned two on February 8th. I love the little person she is becoming—mature, smart, kind, and loving.
Something happened recently that touched my heart.
We were at my mother-in-law’s house, and Maryam was with her 7-year-old cousin. They were playing when the adhan was called, and prayer was about to start. Maryam looked at her cousin and nudged her, saying:
“Jie jie, solat la.”
I was so moved. A 2-year-old reminding her cousin about Salah? SubhanAllah.
This made me think of the hadith:
“When a person dies, his deeds end except for three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who prays for him.”
(Sahih Muslim 1631)
Ya Allah, please preserve my baby, her cousin, and all the children of this ummah. Make them scholars, teachers, and leaders of Islam. Ameen.
Conclusion
We always have a choice—to look at those below us and be grateful for what we have, or to look at those above us for inspiration.
Rasulullah ﷺ taught us to focus on those less fortunate, so we never forget the blessings Allah has given us. But what about looking at successful people as motivation? As long as it doesn’t make us ungrateful, it can be a powerful tool for growth and ambition.
True gratitude is not just in words—it’s in our actions, our ibadah, our obedience to Allah. When we truly recognize Allah’s blessings, we naturally worship Him better and seek His pleasure more.
At the end of the day, all our dreams and duas are in Allah’s Hands. If we continue striving, trusting, and being grateful—Allah will always increase us in goodness.
What about you? What’s happening in your life? Share your thoughts in the comments—I’d love to hear from you!
Till next time. Take care. Ma’assalama!
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