The Heartbeat of Home: A Father
An anchor in the storm.
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Often, we find numerous lectures, poetry and articles on mothers and this is rightfully so as Jannah (Heaven) lies under her feet, but here I aim to highlight the key to that very same Jannah (Heaven): Our fathers.
Fathers are the silent heroes of our lives. Through years of tremendous hard work, they strive to provide us a comfortable life and even though we're never able to truly appreciate their efforts, they silently gift us everything that our heart desires and more.
They silently protect us from the minute we take our first breath until they take their last even though we may not understand them.
Silently bringing us home our favorite treats, making us smile when our days are bleak.
Our fathers are our silent heroes yet their prayers for us echo from their hearts, illuminating our life with happiness, Barakah (blessings) and peace.
The father is the home that brings reunion in the family and shields us against the harm of the enemy.
The strong tree under whose shade you take refuge in from the scorching heat of the sun, an unshakeable fortress that shelters us from all storms.
A sharp sword that defends you, a silent guardian that protects you; standing in the shadows, sacrificing his dreams so he can allow you to chase yours.
A luxuriant garden where every flower blooming represents the care and provision he tirelessly offers to you.
A father toils away his youth to earn a living for you, travelling through places seeking provision just for your sake.
Perhaps he worked in cultivating crops in the field, enduring the heat of the summer or harsh cold of the winters. Or he endured humiliation and restrictions of a job , undertaking orders or tasks regardless of the fact whether he is content with them or not. He obeys his boss unwillingly just for you!
No wonder how much he has fatigued himself only to see you in comfort!
An experienced man who imparts his wisdom enlightening the affairs of your life. Someone whose pride you always look up to in times of delight.
A father is someone whose tears are unseen, yet his eyes get teary, the minute he sees you in pain.
A father is the one who holds you up so you could touch the stars. He uncurls your wings so you could fly up high, soaring through the sky's limit.
He doesn't just provide; but he empowers, instils in you the skills, teaching you not just how to live, but how to thrive in life, with dignity and honour.
Someone whose presence alone is unmatched unlike any other, even if it means just seeing his shoes lying at the front of the doorstep of your house.
The man you look for in every other person, only to accept the fact that no one can ever be as sincere to you as him.
How many times you couldn't help but have the brightest smile forming on your lips the minute someone came up to you and said, 'I know your father. He is a good man.' Did it not spark a light of joy within your soul?
Or the comfort you felt inside of you whenever you failed at something? You knew deep down that he is the only man who you can ever confide to for support, the one who would never take advantage of your weaknesses or shortcomings.
Each wrinkle on his face tells a unique story of the battles he secretly fought to give you a better life. His weary hands, a testimony for the labour he carried out tirelessly, day and night.
He faced the world, encountered all kinds of people, switched jobs in search of better opportunities to provide for you with the best.
Believe me when I say that your father is the only man in this whole world who wants you to succeed in life more than him. No matter how good he may be he'll always want you to be twice better than him.
When the entire world turns its back against you, he stands there unwaveringly by your side.
With him, you find the strength to face any storm in life, knowing no matter how dark the night is or how lost you feel, you are never truly alone for his guidance is a beacon of light ready to enlighten your path along the way.
He may have not lived the most luxurious life, but he was determined to give you a far greater one than he experienced. Where he probably went to school in the heat of the sun walking, he bought a bicycle for you or let you ride to school in an air-conditioned car.
Working tirelessly for hours on end, six days a week , he dedicated all his time in building your life. He worked day and night just to see you walk with pride.
Someone who sees the faults in you, yet his deep love and his desire to provide you never waver.
People respect you in honour of your father, they value you knowing him. When you lose your father, you lose all of these favours in life. You lose the feeling of an identity, a feeling of belonging somewhere that your heart once felt having him.
How many countless favors of a father yet a person recognizes their value only after it is gone.
Always remember those special fathers who have been called back to their Creator as we make duaa that Allah grants them the highest ranks and unites them with their families in the gardens of Jannah (Heaven), Aameen.
For those whose fathers are still with them; May Allah (SWT) prolong their lives with faith, good health and happiness❤ for when they leave this world, you will then know the true value of a father.
To comprehend the value of a father, look into the eyes of those who have lost theirs.
For it is not known except with his demise, as the moment of death arrives. Seeing the man who held you once in his arms struggling to take his last breaths. What a painful and heartbreaking sight must that be!
An indescribable feeling, as though you lost the supporting pillar of your life, lost the place of refuge from which you sought relief.
Truly, you will not recognize his value until in those last moments. No matter how advanced your age, you become an orphan.
So, strive your best in being dutiful to him during his lifetime, for it is a chance, a privilege bestowed upon you by Allah. Once taken, you'll never get him back. Be grateful to him, treat him with utmost respect and kindness. Don't even think in saying a word back in anger for he was the one who silently endured all the bitterness of the world to protect you.
I hope you now realise the vital role fathers play in our lives. A father's love is as profound as a mother's; it's simply expressed in different ways.
I previously wrote an article describing the love parents have for us, if you haven't read it yet here is the link to it:
