Shakirah Hunter

Your home is often your solace. It is the place that you find the most calm and peace. Recently I have finally settled down into my own space after leaving South America for almost ten years. We came back to South Africa and found ourselves rebuilding and recreating a home. There was much to purchase to make a house a home. To find the place where you find your inner joy and peace. The little things that you don’t even realize give you such pleasure.

This morning i was smelling the brewing coffee and watering my beloved plants , when this overwhelming feeling of joy hit me. I stepped over a toy that my son had thrown about in his playing and I recalled a hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) wherein He advised وليسعك بيتك “let your homes contain you”.

This Hadith always fascinates me because we love traveling and going out to lovely parks and garden centres. And yet this Hadith as drawing my attention to the peace and contentment that can be found within your own home. The ni’mah of having that space that allows you to live with peace and calm ,to obey Allah and to have joy in your family. Everyday when we make whudhu we constantly make the following dua :

اللهم اغفرلي ذنبي ووسعلى في داري وبارك لي في رزقي
“Oh Allah forgive me my sins and grant me spaciousness in my home and bless me in my sustenance”.

This duaa draws our attention to the spaciousness of our homes not in the physical size of a home – but rather in the ability to find solace within your home away from the tests of the world . The inner satisfaction and calm that your personal space brings and allows you to find a closeness to Allah Ta’ala within those walls. The size does not matter. Nor does the location matter. What matters is that this home allows you to stay connected to Allah and you find a deep sense of barakah and ease. This home refers to four different types of homes which is why this dua is so encompassing :

1. Your first home – the home of your parents
2. Your second Home – the home of your marriage
3. Your Qabr- Your home as you journey to the Aakhirah
4. Your home in Jannah

In reading this dua you ask Allah at every whudhu to grant you this ni’mah of a home that protects you from the physical elements such as the cold or heat , protects you from harm and most importantly protects your spiritual self by keeping you away from sin.

In a world that encourages us to want to leave home – find joy in your home. Thank Allah for all that your home represents to you and don’t let your eyes become tired to the great favour of a space that allows you to be you