Self-introspection

In the Name of Allaah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. 

"May Allaah forgive me for portraying a level of piety which I do not possess. "

This to me is one of the most interesting and apt duas I've come across in recent times. It defines our sad reality and offers a solution to it. I used to say that it is easier to maintain consistency in sins than to maintain stringent consistency in piety.

We all talk about piety at least once in a day but when we do self introspection we will be more disappointed in ourselves than anyone else because we appear more pious than we really are. 

Our silent sins, our inconsistency in words and deeds, our clash between the inward reality of sins and outward image of piety send a shiver down the spine of anyone that hopes to meet Allaah.

The million dollar question is, how then do we fare before Allaah if people keep seeing us and relating with us as pious individuals while we remain far from piety?

My message is not to create an atmosphere of despondency but that of self introspection that leads one to blaming himself for failing to live up to the reality of the piety he advocates.

I end with what I started with:

May Allaah forgive us for portraying a level of piety which we do not possess and make us a living reality of the notion of piety which people have about us.‎

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