february '25 - attribute of the month

on letting go of the need to control

after asking Allah to give me one of His names to reflect on in february, i spun the attribute wheel which landed on Al-Qawiyy - the Strong.

‘qawiyy’ comes from the root qaf-waw-ya (ق و ي), which has the following arabic connotations: to have strength, power, to prevail, to be vigorous.

subhanallah, the way i need to reflect on this attribute is so coincidental that it’s not a coincidence at all. this is definitely an attribute i need to remember right now.

there’s a specific barrier in my life that i’m unable to get rid of myself which is making me confused and stressed. in fact, i feel completely powerless. when i feel this way, i often go into a frenzy and start pacing around my room like a mad-man. i like to do what i can. i like to protect my peace and will do whatever i can to make sure stressful and unnecessary things are removed from my life as soon as possible.

the other day, i was so frustrated over this barrier and wondering why and how i’m even in this situation to begin with. as i was pacing around my room, i decided to call an older friend of mine—someone i see as a big sister and who i’ve always looked up to and admired.

i told her the situation i’m in and she was the one who told me it seems like a barrier. but she told me that the only thing i can do is pray for the barrier to leave.

at this, i began thinking: …only pray? that’s it?

i’m used to praying about something but also taking action by doing what i can. i’m used to praying and putting my trust in Allah but also tying my camel. i’m used to praying and then receiving guidance afterwards—signs, dreams, feelings—and then acting on it.

i’m not used to praying and just… waiting. it seems so new to me. to just pray, sit back and wait.

new thoughts begin entering my mind at the thought: how long will i have to wait for? what if it never goes away? what else can i do?

but, reflecting on the attribute of the month, i’m reminding myself that Al-Qawiyy, the Strong, can break through any barrier with ease. there is no brick too strong for him, no metal that is too hard.

praying and just praying while being in a powerless situation might seem like it’s not much—especially when, like me, you want to do something, you want to try whatever you can to get rid of something or solve the issue, but you literally have no power to. but as rumi said, ‘to every cry of ‘O Allah,’ He answers a hundred times ‘I am here’. it’s hard to have trust. but it’s the essence of life. to let go and let God.

i was talking to Allah Himself a few days ago saying, ‘why are you doing this Allah? You’re the One who put this in my life, i didn’t even do this to myself nor did i even expect any of this’.

but thinking about it, maybe He put it in my life to show me how to pray for something and simply wait for the magic to happen. to show me that my whispers to the ground reach the heavens and Al-Qawiyy, the Strong—the same God who split the sea for Musa (as), the same God who cooled the fire for Ibrahim (as), the same God who got Yunus (as) out of the whale, the same God who reunited Yusuf (as) with his father—is the same God who is listening to my cries and will ease my affairs, without me having to do anything but call on Him.

maybe calling on Him isn’t something small. maybe calling on Him is enough for the Most Strong to not only break the barrier i’m praying about but destroy many more obstacles that i don’t even see or realise i have.

He can absolutely break this barrier for me if He wills. and whether He does or not will actually be a crucial sign for me.

but maybe it’s not about the removal of the barrier which will, Insha’Allah, most likely be removed by him. maybe it’s about the lesson i’m learning on the way to deepen my trust in Al-Qawiyy’s sole capabilities and let go of the need to control. to let go of the steering wheel and realise that the car was, in fact, on self-driving mode the entire time—controlled from above.

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prompts/reflections:

• how does looking around the world remind you of Allah’s infinite strength and power? which aspects of creation do you think really demonstrates and proves Allah’s strength?

• how can you actively seek help from Allah by remembering His name Al-Qawiyy? how can you call on His strength in your du’as?

• in moments where you feel incapable of handling difficulties, how can you remember that Allah’s strength is always there to help you through? how does believing in His strength give you peace during times of uncertainty?

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grab a blessing:

• la hawla wala *quwwata* illa billah

  (there is no power or strength except with Allah)

• hasbunallah wa ni’mal wakeel

  (sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs)

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jazakallah for reading! alhamdulillah, i’ve gotten so many new subscribers this past week so i wanted to say assalamu alaikum and welcome to the World of SabrGirl! thank you all, whether you’ve been here for a while or you’re new, for your presence and time and for giving my writing a little part of your day. i truly appreciate it more than i can express :)

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— SabrGirl ♡.