We live in a world where we want things immediately. But, all around us, Allah teaches us a profound lesson, again and again: everything is a process and takes time. Allah could have made a baby in a moment, but He designed it to take 9 months. A seed could have become a massive Oak in a day, but He designed it to take hundreds of years. The Prophet's mission could have been completed in a year or two. But, God designed it to take twenty three. You will not always see the fruits of your labor right away. Maybe not even in your lifetime. Don't get discouraged. All things take time. And to all things is a process you cannot speed up. Therefore, success is dependent upon patience

In this life, there will come different shades of tiredness. Some people will have minds that have grown tired. For some, it will be their bodies. For other, it's the heart. And then there will be some whose *soul* is tired. These people didn't get there overnight. These are the veterans of this life. The veterans of struggle, defeat. Loss. The veterans of tears and sleepless nights. The veterans of prayer--but not the normal kind. The broken, desperate kind. The kind of prayer that can only come from a wounded heart. To all those who are tired today, I can only ask you to look up to find the strength. Wait patiently, but not passively. Keep your eyes fixed. Don't let the

Facing hardships? Life treating you extra rough? Once, Aisha was with the Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) and he was sick with a high fever, in great pain. Aisha remarked at how painful and difficult this was, even for her to watch. The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) remarked, 'O Aisha! Do you not know that Allah makes matters difficult for the believer so that all of his sins may be forgiven?' [Ibn Sa'd; authentic] Realize that as tough as life gets, if you are patient and expect relief and reward, both of those will inevitably be given to you. Always remember the purpose of such tests: to raise our ranks and forgive our sins. And know that the trials of this worl