The World Beneath This One

DAILYREFLECTION

We live surrounded by invisible worlds. The Qur’an calls Allah the “Lord of the Worlds,” not this world alone, but all realms that exist by His command.

There is the world we see: streets, breath, and sunlight. And there is the world just beneath it, where those who once walked these same paths now reside beyond an unbreakable veil.
They are not gone. Their existence continues as real as ours, only in another dimension.

Some dwell in gardens of light, greeted by family who left decades ago. Others sit in constriction, longing for mercy. This is Al-Barzakh, the world between worlds, where every soul awaits the final awakening.

Right now, someone you buried years ago is alive in that realm, seeing, hearing, remembering. Every human being who has ever lived now resides there. While our planet holds nearly eight billion people, the Barzakh holds more than a hundred billion souls. Prophets and tyrants, scholars and children, all alive in a reality that runs parallel to ours.

Each one a story, filled with dreams and fears, ambitions and regrets. Each once had a heartbeat, a favorite scent, a memory that made them smile. Every one of them was as rich and deep and complicated as you. Yet now, all that seemed so permanent has turned to dust. Their triumphs and failures have faded.

Most of humanity will spend more time in Barzakh than they ever did on Earth. You and I might cross that veil tomorrow, only to remain there for centuries. It is called The Life of the Barzakh for a reason.

But its laws are unlike ours. Time stretches and folds. What feels like a thousand years may pass as a single day, and a single day may feel like an eternity. Its landscapes exist under different dimensions, where homes, gatherings, and beauty remain, but the physics of this world no longer apply.

Barzakh is neither like Earth, where we age, nor like Paradise, where we are perfected. It is the bridge between realities.

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WATERMELONWATCH

• Food flows into Gaza remain far below the level needed, with the World Food Programme reporting around 750 tons of food entering daily, less than half the target of 2,000 tons, while local aid-workers strive to stretch supplies to support vulnerable families.

• US diplomacy steps up after the fragile cease-fire in Gaza was shaken, as the United States Department of State engages with Israeli and Palestinian leaders to salvaging momentum even as community volunteers in Gaza quietly rebuild shelters and revive small-business stalls.

• Governance talks intensify as Benjamin Netanyahu declared Israel’s intent to disarm Hamas and demilitarize Gaza, while mediators discuss a technocratic interim administration at the same time, local civic groups are organizing youth education and community gardens to reclaim hope.

• Border crossing dispute persists at the Rafah crossing with Egypt, which remains closed amid mutual accusations of truce violations, yet in Gaza some displaced residents have nonetheless returned home to begin preliminary clean-up and neighborhood restoration efforts.

• International force planning underway as United Nations-backed talks led by France and Britain prepare a resolution for a future international stabilisation mission in Gaza. Meanwhile, grassroots groups are training local first-responders and community-medics to step in where aid trucks cannot yet reach.

QURANCORNER

Each day, you’ll be introduced to one of the 300 most common Qur’anic words. The Qur’an has about 77,430 words in total, all built on just 2,000 root words. By learning these frequently recurring ones, you’ll recognize 70–80% of the Qur’an’s vocabulary and begin connecting more deeply as you read.

An (عَنْ) - From / Away From / Concerning

An carries distance, it speaks of what is turned aside, protected from, or spoken about. Yusriḥ ʿanhu, it is turned away from him. Sometimes it reflects mercy, when harm is pushed back. Other times, it carries sorrow when hearts turn away from truth. ʿAn reminds us that direction matters: what we move toward and what we choose to turn away from.