A Reflection on Servitude to Allah
Living with my cat for two to three years has quietly taught me uncomfortable truths about myself as a servant of Allah. Not through lectures or books, but through daily observation.
Part One
The Mirror That Exposes Our Ingratitude
My cat is treated like royalty.
We provide food, shelter, comfort, toys, and medical care that easily costs three to five times more than my own medical expenses. We plan our days around its needs. We adjust our lives for its comfort. In many ways, it lives better than many humans.
Yet it appears arrogant, Indifferent, Unbothered & sadly Unimpressed.
It comes to us only when it wants something. Food. Comfort. Attention. Then it disappears again, uninterested in our presence.
This behaviour is not a moral flaw. Allah created the cat this way. But living with it long enough forced me to confront something far more uncomfortable.
This is how many of us behave with Allah.
Allah gives us what we can handle.
For some, abundance.
For others, just enough.
Family. Food. Shelter. Health. Even hardship measured precisely to our capacity.
Yet we forget Him.
We delay prayer.
We choose when to obey.
We return only when desperate.
Like the cat, we approach Allah when we want something, then walk away once satisfied.
This is not condemnation.
It is recognition.
Part Two
The Noble Traits That Quietly Shame Us
And yet, the same cat teaches beautiful lessons about worship, restraint, and remembrance.
Patience
The cat waits.
It waits for food.
It waits for doors to open.
It waits for access.
It does not steal food. It eats what is enough and walks away. No greed. No hoarding.
A quiet reminder of restraint, contentment, and trust.
Calm Presence
The cat rarely disturbs.
Unless annoyed or overstimulated, it remains quiet.
It exists without demanding attention.
A lesson for humans who feel the need to be loud, intrusive, or constantly visible. Worship does not require noise. Presence itself can be devotion.
Selective Listening
The cat hears everything, but listens selectively.
People talk. Noise happens. Chaos unfolds. The cat does not react.
This is wisdom.
Listening to everything emotionally pollutes the heart. It leads to anger, resentment, backbiting, and unnecessary pain. Selective listening protects the soul.
Gentle Movement and Humility
The cat moves silently, almost unnoticed.
Its presence is felt, not imposed.
This is humility in action. How we move through the world matters. Loud egos irritate hearts. Quiet humility invites peace.
Night Wakefulness
At night, the cat rarely sleeps deeply.
It closes its eyes briefly. Moves. Watches. Rests lightly. Then moves again.
This reflects the spirit of qiyam al layl and tahajjud, when the world sleeps and closeness to Allah is sought quietly, without an audience.
Additional Lessons Worth Sitting With
The cat is relaxed but alert.
Not paranoid. Not heedless.
A balance many of us lose. Calm bodies with asleep hearts, or anxious hearts without trust.
It does not force affection.
It comes close when it chooses, withdraws when it has had enough.
This is adab. Knowing limits. Knowing when to engage and when to step back.
No matter how far it roams, it returns.
No speeches. No explanations.
Just return.
This mirrors tawbah.
It trusts provision without panic.
It waits.
This is tawakkul without entitlement.
It cleans itself consistently.
Islam values purity as discipline, not obsession. Many clean bodies while neglecting hearts.
When sick or weak, it becomes quiet.
This reflects sabr with dignity. Asking for help is allowed. Complaining against Allah is not.
It lives in the present.
No replaying yesterday. No fearing tomorrow.
Just responding to what Allah places before it.
It does not question why the door is closed.
It waits.
Humans argue endlessly with divine commands.
Submission does not require full understanding.
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