You know you’re in real pain when walking feels like a slow-motion scene from a cartoon movie—yes, I currently limp on both sides like Donald Duck (Feel free to pause and laugh for a bit, I forgave you.)
But this is done so not by choice. Not for fun. But because Allah SWT has a way of humbling you in ways that may never cross your mind.
Some time ago, as you may know, I was struck with a serious back injury. And I don’t mean the kind of injury where you pop a painkiller and carry on with life. No, this one hit different. It crept into every corner of my existence—physically, emotionally, and even spiritually.
Suddenly, the most basic actions became Herculean tasks. Praying, sleeping, bending, sitting, wearing socks, etc … things I once took for granted felt like climbing mountains barefoot. There were moments I couldn’t function emotionally because the physical agony was too loud. Too raw. Too constant. There were times I couldn’t speak. Times I couldn’t even pretend to be okay. I’d sit quietly, fighting back tears, not because I was weak—but because I was human.
But in that storm of pain, I found a strange kind of clarity.
You see, as Muslims, we are told time and again that pain isn’t always a punishment. It’s not always about what you’ve done wrong. Sometimes, it’s about what Allah SWT wants to make right within you.
The Prophet Muhammad PBUH said:
“No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim—even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn—but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that.”
(Bukhari & Muslim)
And that Hadith hit me differently in those dark days. Because let’s face it—we all have history. We all have mistakes, regrets, secret sins, and unspoken wounds. But Allah SWT, in His infinite mercy, gives us a chance to leave this world clean. And one of the ways He does that… is through pain.
So now, when I limp like a confused duck at the airport, I remind myself: This is not punishment. This is purification InshaAallah.
Every ache is a drop of dirt being wiped from our souls.
Every tear is a stain being lifted before we meet our Creator.
And please, don’t get me wrong—I still make Du’a for healing. I still visit my doctor when I can. And yes, I still laugh (though cautiously—because laughing too hard pulls a nerve I didn’t even know I had). But I now see pain with a new lens. A sacred one.
Pain is not the enemy. It’s the cleansing fire before the eternal peace.
It is the call from Allah SWT: Come back to Me… lighter.
So to anyone out there struggling with pain—physical, emotional, or even spiritual—I see you. I feel you. I am you. We’re all in this together and we all share similar stories.
You are not being punished by Allah’s will. You are being purified. So exercise patience.
You are not forgotten. You are being remembered in a Divine way. So keep strengthening your bond with Allah SWT.
You are not weak. You are being empowered in silence. So keep moving forward with your life.
Let your tears fall if they must.
Take your medication. Do your therapy. But keep your head always up high and never lose hope in the mercy of Allah SWT.
“O Allah, let our pains be a means to cleanse us before we meet You.” Ameen Ameen Ameen.
And if you see me waddling around like I just finished filming a cartoon scene—just smile, make a silent Du’a for me, and remember:
Sometimes, limping is the walk of a warrior in healing. 😉
And maybe, just maybe, it’s the walk that leads us closer to Jannah.
