A few days into Ramadan in 2017, I sat in the Sheikh’s living room after bringing him home from the airport. He had just returned from Umrah, which he had to cut short due to a death in the family.
In the taxi home, he had just read the first few pages of my soon-to-be-released book, “Inside the Soul of Islam” which was the purpose of our meeting.
Or so I thought.
“So, you want to get married?”
My somewhat surprised response was an emphatic, “Yes!”.
“But you were married and you got divorced.”
Looking down, I responded with a more humble, timid, “Yes.”
“So how do you know you won’t get divorced again?”
That question stopped me in my tracks.
My first thought was: “Perhaps I should explain how I had a huge insight about the nature of thought, consciousness and presence that relieved me of my negativity and judgmentalness…”
Thankfully, that thought quickly passed. When you’re with a spiritual master of the Islamic tradition (in the truest sense of each of those words), you don’t talk. You listen.
“Let me tell you how…”
The Sheikh went on to give me several ‘gems’ of advice that have stayed with me to this day. Not only have they saved my marriage and improved it several times over and over again, but they’ve had a similar impact on every client I’ve shared them with.
The man I was blessed to be sitting with was a living example of someone who lives the Prophetic practices (sunnah) in real-life, on a day to day basis. Not by coincidence, he is one of the most intensely present, loving and wise people I’ve ever met.
Any time things aren’t going particularly well between Rachida and I, all it takes is for me to glance over my calendar or journal and think back over the last few weeks to see if I’ve been making the space and time for the simple, spiritual relationship practices he recommended.
Usually, when things aren’t going well, the answer is an obvious, “No!”.
And yet, when I’m wise enough to follow through and take action on them, our marriage is as wonderful as I can imagine.
Finally, before wrapping up the meeting, the Sheikh gave me a very warm, sincere warning:
“If you don’t do these simple practices and you get divorced, then it will be 100% your own fault”.
If you’d like me to share what these spiritual practices are, I’d love to. Along with a few of the most useful, practical lessons I’ve ever learned on connecting with Allah, the Most Loving, in a way that uplifts you and enhances all of your most important relationships.
But, it’s not all going to fit in an email. And, like many things in life, it’s best to receive this type of knowledge and wisdom in person, so I can answer your questions and make sure everything is clear, before you try and implement it.
That’s why I’m inviting you to come to my next live, online event called, “Loving With Presence”.
You can read all the details and sign up here:
