We strive, we plan, we work, but above all, we trust. What is written for us will find us. What Allah wills will always be enough. If Allah does not will it, even the easiest path becomes unreachable.
Dr Fazal Wani
In life, we often make plans carefully, logically, and sometimes obsessively. We calculate our steps, count our savings, and measure our possibilities. Yet, despite all our efforts, there remains a truth that quietly governs everything: what Allah wills, happens. Nothing less, nothing more.
This is not just a statement of belief; it is something one observes over time. There are moments when everything seems perfectly within reach, yet it slips away. And there are moments when something feels impossibly distant, yet it arrives in the most unexpected way. Between these two lies the wisdom of Allah’s will.
For every Muslim, there is a place that lives in the heart long before it is seen by the eyes–Makkah and Madina. The desire to stand before the Kaaba, to send salutations upon the Prophet ﷺ in Madina, is not just a wish; it is a longing that defines faith itself. Many spend their lives saving for that journey. Some have wealth beyond measure, yet never make it there. Others, with nothing but hope, find their way.
I was once deeply moved by a story shared by Zubair Riyaz. During a visit to Pakistan, he met an old man: poor, humble, and working tirelessly in a small restaurant, frying chicken to earn his daily bread. His hands were worn, his body aged, but his heart carried a dream.
Zubair greeted him, “MashaAllah, are you okay?” The old man replied, “Thank Allah.” He then asked, “Where have you come from?” Zubair answered, “From Madina Munawara.” Hearing this, the old man’s face lit up with longing and love: “MashaAllah, MashaAllah… May Allah grant us the chance to see it too.”
Zubair, with complete faith, replied, “By Allah’s will, you will definitely go.” The old man said softly, “We truly long for it.” Zubair then asked, “So your heart desires to perform Umrah?”
The old man’s response carried deep emotion: “My heart desires it so deeply that after Hajj or Umrah, I will not work anymore… I am working only to go there.” Zubair continued, “If someone arranges Umrah for you, what would you say?” The old man did not speak of thanking a person. Instead, with pure sincerity, he said: “If it is arranged, then that would truly be Allah’s mercy.” And then he added, revealing the depth of his desire: “If I have anything else, even something small, I will sell it.”
It is painful how often the world measures possibility by age, wealth, and practicality. But Allah measures differently. Zubair Riyaz, moved by the old man’s sincerity, told him, “You will go for Umrah, InshaAllah. I will make sure of it.”
The old man’s reaction was not just happiness; it was disbelief wrapped in hope. He said something that pierces the heart: just an hour before meeting Zubair, he had raised his hands and prayed to Allah, asking to be taken to that sacred place. An hour. Just an hour between a dua and its first answer.
Within a couple of months, what seemed impossible became reality. The same man who counted coins and carried doubts placed upon him by others, found himself on a journey to Makkah and Madina. Not by his means, not by his planning, but by the will of Allah through a person sent into his life at the exact right moment. This is where the essence of faith reveals itself. We often think that our efforts alone define outcomes. But sometimes, Allah sends help from directions we cannot even imagine. A stranger becomes a means. A moment becomes a turning point. A silent prayer becomes a life-changing reality. And on the other side of this truth are those who have everything wealth, health, time, yet never make that journey. It is not a question of capability; it is a matter of calling. If Allah does not will it, even the easiest path becomes unreachable.
This story is not just about a journey to Makkah and Madina. It is about understanding that rizq, opportunities, and even sacred invitations are written long before we begin to chase them. It is about realising that dua is never unheard, even if its answer comes in ways we do not expect. Perhaps the old man’s greatest wealth was not money, but sincerity. Perhaps his greatest strength was not his body, but his unwavering hope in Allah. And perhaps that is why his prayer did not just remain a wish; it became a reality.
In the end, life teaches us this again and again: when Allah wills, doors open in ways no human plan could ever design. And when He does not will, even open doors feel closed. So we strive, we plan, we work, but above all, we trust. Because what is written for us will find us. And what Allah wills, will always be enough.
wa*******@***il.com