DAILYREFLECTION
Your Lord has said, ‘Call upon Me; I will respond to you.
There are moments in life when our duʿāʾ feel deeply personal, tucked quietly into the folds of our hearts. We may not voice them aloud. We may not even admit them to ourselves. But Allah hears them all the same.
A woman once discovered she was pregnant. Along with the rush of gratitude came a private longing. Having raised her younger sister almost as her own child, she yearned for something different this time. In the silence of her prayers, she asked Allah for a son.
She never announced it. She never hinted at it. She only whispered it in tahajjud, when the world slept and sincerity spoke louder than words.
Yet her mother-in-law somehow sensed it.
One evening, with a playful smile, she revealed her own longing. She had always wanted a daughter. And with gentle humor and sincere faith, she proposed something unexpected. A tahajjud competition. Each would pray nightly for what her heart desired, trusting Allah to decide.
So the nights became filled with quiet footsteps, hurried wuḍūʾ, and whispered duʿāʾ. Not out of rivalry, but hope. Each woman stood before Allah convinced that He was listening.
When the ultrasound day arrived, neither could hide their anticipation. The question of gender hung heavy in the room. But Allah had already written something far more generous.
Twins.
One boy. One girl.
In that moment, laughter and tears met. It was as though Allah gently reminded them that His mercy is not constrained by our limited imagination. That He does not ask us to compete for His attention. That He gives without shortage.
Tahajjud is powerful not because it bends Allah’s will, but because it aligns our hearts with trust. The true miracle is not simply that Allah listens, but that He answers in ways that heal us, protect us, and sometimes astonish us.
We ask for what we know. Allah gives according to what He knows.
And there is no comparison.
Reflect On This
Do we trust Allah’s wisdom as much as we trust His generosity?
Share your reflections in the poll at the end of the email.
WATERMELONWATCH
Palestinians, whose homes were destroyed and who are unable to return to them, take shelter in the Furkan Mosque in Khan Younis, Gaza.
UN chief António Guterres warned that Israel’s suspension of several international NGOs will further choke deliveries of food, medicine, hygiene supplies, and shelter materials into Gaza. Aid groups say they are still pushing to keep clinics and distributions running wherever access is possible.
Severe weather has battered displacement sites across Gaza, worsening risks for families in fragile tents and damaged buildings as winter storms hit. On the ground, mutual aid teams and humanitarian workers are prioritizing winterization support and urgent medical needs for the most vulnerable.
OCHA reports that since the ceasefire began, hundreds have been reported killed and over a thousand injured, with more bodies still being recovered from under rubble. Even amid the devastation, responders and community volunteers continue rescue and recovery efforts that help families find loved ones and access what services remain.
QURANCORNER
تَبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ
“May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined, and ruined is he.”
Tabbat yadā Abī Lahabin wa tabb
"Tabbat yadā": An Arabic expression meaning “may his efforts perish” or “may he be destroyed.”
"Abī Lahab": An uncle of the Prophet ﷺ and a staunch enemy of Islam.
The verse curses both his actions (hands) and his own self for his evil opposition.