– Rimsha Maheen
“A Reflection on faded dreams, hidden blessings, and finding light through patience.”
One evening, while travelling, my eyes caught the sight of the moon, faded and hidden among the clouds. I don’t know why, but this time it captured me in a different way. I had reflected on nature before, but that night the moon spoke to my heart with unusual depth.
We often hear stories of the moon’s beauty, songs and tales praising its charm. But what held me that evening was not its beauty, it was its fadedness. Looking at it, I remembered all the faded dreams of my life. The dreams of academics, career, and ambitions that once looked so bright but now seemed clouded by circumstances. They were there, yet hidden, just like the moon behind the clouds.
For a moment, sadness filled me. Years had passed, but some chapters of life were still heavy to recall. Yet, as I kept staring at that faded moon, a beautiful verse from the Qur’an came to my heart:
Ø “If Allah finds any goodness in your hearts, He will give you that which is better than what has been taken away from you, and He will forgive you. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Qur’an, 8:70)
This verse brought to mind an inspiring incident from the life of our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. When the Muslims had to depart from their homes in Makkah during the migration to Madinah, numerous companions cried as they glanced back at their dear city. They were leaving behind their properties, their businesses, their childhood memories – everything that had defined their worldly achievements.
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet’s best friend, had been among the richest merchants of Makkah. When he spent nearly all his wealth in the cause of Allah, some may have thought that it was an enormous loss. But what did Allah give him instead? He was made the first Caliph, the Prophet’s best friend, and was given the honorific “As-Siddiq” – the truthful one. His faded dream of worldly success was replaced with something so much greater: lasting glory in both worlds.
How could I forget Allah’s mercy in my own life? The things I once lost, He replaced with far better. The transitions I thought were painful, He made beautiful. The university aspirations that I had to put aside because of circumstances, led me to discover paths and talents I never knew I possessed. The opportunities that seemed out of reach at the time – later I realised how different circumstances guided me toward experiences that shaped me in ways I never could have imagined or dreamt of. Truly, it is only we who cry over what wasn’t granted, while overlooking the countless blessings we already have.
The moon reminded me, its fadedness was not permanent. Today clouds covered it, tomorrow they would pass, and once again it would shine in its full light. Life too is like that. The dreams that seem lost are only hidden for a while. Circumstances will shift, and what is written for us will unfold in the most perfect way.
The Qur’an teaches us this divine wisdom in multiple verses. Allah says:
Ø “But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you, and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not.” (Qur’an 2:216)
This verse was revealed in the context of warfare, when the believers were reluctant to fight. But its wisdom extends to every aspect of our lives. Every trial, every delay, every closed door was only shaping me for something better. Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear, and His tests are never without wisdom.
Consider the story of Prophet Yusuf (peace be to him). When his brothers threw him into the well, when he was sold as a slave, when he was falsely accused and imprisoned – each of these events seemed like the fading of his childhood dreams of greatness. The dreams he saw as a young boy, where the sun, moon, and stars prostrated to him, must have seemed impossible during his darkest moments in the Egyptian prison.
Yet Allah was preparing him for something magnificent. Every trial was a stepping stone towards becoming the treasurer of Egypt, towards reuniting with his family, towards fulfilling the very dreams that seemed to have died in that well. This story shows us how Allah’s wisdom works – what appears as an end is often just a redirection toward something greater.
The Qur’an further consoles us:
Ø “We shall certainly test you by afflicting you with fear, hunger, loss of properties and lives and fruits. But give glad tidings to those who remain patient. Upon them will be the blessings and mercy of their Lord, and it is they who are rightly guided.”
(Qur’an 2:155-157)
These verses don’t promise us that life will be easy; rather, they promise us that our struggles have meaning. When we understand that Allah doesn’t take something away from us to punish us, but to empty our hands for something better, we begin to see trials differently.
This reminds me of the profound wisdom that teaches us: “Try not to resist the changes that come your way. Instead, let life live through you. And do not worry that your life is turning upside down. How do you know that the side you are used to is better than the one to come?”
The practical lesson here is profound yet simple: when we face moments where our dreams seem faded, we must remember that Allah’s wisdom transcends our limited understanding. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught us to say in times of difficulty: “Allahumma la sahla illa ma ja’altahu sahla, wa anta taj’alul hazna sahla idha shi’ta” – “O Allah, there is nothing easy except what You make easy, and You make the difficult easy when You wish.”
This is not mere consolation; it’s a fundamental shift in perspective. When we truly internalise that Allah’s plan for us is better than our own plans for ourselves, we begin to see setbacks as setups for comebacks. We start to view closed doors as protection from paths that wouldn’t have served our highest good.
That night, the faded moon whispered a lesson my heart will never forget: no loss is forever, no sadness is permanent, and no dream truly dies. The clouds will pass, the light will return. What matters is to remain patient, to remain grateful, and to trust the One who writes our stories with perfect wisdom.
The moon’s temporary concealment behind the clouds serves as a powerful metaphor for our own lives. Just as the moon doesn’t lose its luminosity when hidden by clouds, our potential, our blessings, and our destined success don’t disappear when temporarily obscured by life’s challenges.
Perhaps, the moon was never faded. It was only waiting for me to see it differently – and more importantly, it was waiting for me to understand that true light comes not from circumstances aligning with our desires, but from our hearts aligning with Allah’s will.
O Allah, make us among those who see Your signs in nature, who remain patient in trials, and who are always grateful for Your blessings. Replace our faded dreams with what is better for us in this world and the Hereafter, and keep our hearts firm upon Your light. Grant us the wisdom to see Your perfect plan even when our sight is clouded by temporary difficulties. Ameen.
