Balance is the best key

Last Ramadan I resolved to soften my heart and I wrote about it in my blog post. This Ramadan I resolve to find balance. I am a big proponent of holistic living. I think that everything has advantages and disadvantages and we are always trying to balance both of these. I did not know what I would set as my theme this year but then I remembered my favorite prayer (or dua).

Rabbana atina fid dunya hasanatan wa fil akhirati hasanatan wa qina azaban naar.

Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the punishment of the Fire!

Sometimes we are attracted to that which is not good for us. Sometimes we want and ask for things that are not good for us. Sometimes we end up on the wrong path going in the wrong direction. Sometimes we focus on this world and neglect the next life. Finding balance means wanting good in this life and the next life and working towards this. Life is a test and we endeavor our best to pass this test. We can be tested with both good things and bad things. Finding balance means being humbled by our imperfections and making the best of what we have.

If I see balance as the key then what is the door that is being opened? I think the door leads to God's mercy and favors. My original title was "balance is the key" then I figured out I could make it 19 letters and 23 with spaces by adding the word best. But why would I want to add the word best? Maybe there are multiple doors and different levels and this is a master key that can open all of these? Maybe this is the key that leads to all the other keys? Maybe this is the best one for me. Maybe my mind is trying to tell me something through rhyme like "life is a test and to get the best out of it you need balance and leave the rest up to God and you will be blest". That might be the best way to end this blog post and I could say that's a w-rap!

*Ahsan is an Arabic word meaning best and I read that Ahsan is the superlative of Hassan

*Surah 2 verse 143 tells us: Thus, have We made of you an Ummat justly balanced, that ye might be witnesses over the nations, and the Messenger (saw) a witness over yourselves;

*Some translation say "middle nation"

*143 is exactly half (the middle) of the 286 verses of that surah

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