With the first step I took to begin my journey with the Qur’an, in understanding its meaning and delving into its depths, I knew it would be life changing for me. In fact, I began merely for that very reason- To change myself for the better. 

From darkness that obscured my vision 
Into light that brought perfect distinction
Between the right and the wrong, the good and the bad
My journey began with the Quran in my hand. 

The past few months of my life have been a metarmophosis for me. Like a caterpillar that roams around in the mud, despicable to some people, I knew, my heart was in need of some change. My heart was in need of healing. My heart was in need of a good clean up – to remove the layers of rust and darkness caused by sin. And deep down I KNEW that all these could only be achieved by forming a connection with my Rabb through His words. 
And it could only be by letting the beauty of His words touch and cleanse my heart, by letting the stories of the pure character of His beloved messenger ﷺ, engrave in my mind in order for me to rise and reform myself everyday.

It has been a never ending struggle with my nafs and Satan urging me on the path to evil. Urging me to deviate from the straight path that Allah alone has guided me on.  
For example, it isn’t all that easy to control your anger when you are provoked. We try and fail, time and time again. But when we believe in the words of Allah and the promise of reward from Him, everything becomes worth it. Throwing away that massive ego and pride and letting go of a very good and sarcastic comeback, is definitely a battle. But our Lord promises us much more. So we have to make choices everyday- do we want to follow our desires which will only lead us to misery? Or follow the commands of Allah which will only lead to eternal success?

My journey with the Qur’an not only transformed my days but my nights as well. The transition from nights that were spent in evil to nights spent crying at the door of my Lord, begging for His forgiveness and great favour. From nights that I wasted away in heedlessness to nights where I only yearn to be closer than I have ever been to the Most Loving. 

Subhanallah, it’s the love that Allah has for us that never fails to amaze me. We spend our days and nights in His disobedience but yet, HE Himself chooses such sinful people like us to be among His chosen ones? He guides us and calls us to Him just so that we don’t burn in fire of Jahannam? Just so that we can enter the Gardens of Paradise which He has prepared for His righteous slaves? Just so that we can abide in bliss forever? Just so that we can achieve His pleasure? The pleasure of the one who has given us everything and more. The pleasure of the most High, the pleasure of the king of kings. 
The price of Jannah is huge. It isn’t something that can be obtained easily and we need to ask ourselves what is that one deed we do that is worthy of such a huge reward? 

Let me share with you the story of the caterpillar who turns into a butterfly. 
On the journey between a caterpillar to a butterfly, the caterpillar encloses itself into a cocoon. Within that cocoon, the entire caterpillar is broken down into a soup-like mixture. Just about all of the major structures are broken down and rebuilt including the heart. Soon the butterfly emerges, free to fly with hardly a trace of the caterpillar.

The journey with the Qur’an is a metamorphosis. 
A spiritual one rather. A journey where we evolve from human beings that merely eat, sleep, work and exist, into human beings with much greater purpose in our lives. Human beings with the goal of Jannah and the pleasure of Allah in our minds. Once we’ve got the drive to achieve the loftiest rank in Jannah, no dark cocoon can be too difficult or uncomfortable for us. Remember just as the caterpillar faced hardship inside that cocoon, we will too. But the caterpillar knew that there was something much greater waiting for it on the other side. This is our journey too- a journey where we evolve from nasty caterpillars into the most beautiful of butterflies. More beautiful in heart, in our speech and in our deeds. So no matter what we go through along this life changing journey, let us keep our eyes fixed on the goal- Jannatul Firdouse and never give up striving and sacrificing in the way of the Most Generous. Your Lord who has promised to reward you in full. And your Lord never goes against His promise. 

Oh how we pray that on the day we meet our Lord, that our names are called from every gate in Jannah. How we pray, that Al Wadud Himself says to us,

“O soul, in (complete) rest and satisfaction!
Come back to your Lord, Well-pleased (yourself) and well-pleasing unto Him!
Enter you, then, among My honoured slaves,
And enter you My Paradise!” 

Aameen.