A poem by Dahlia Ibrahim

From Mothers To Their Children

My beloved ones,
If you ever wonder how I carried
the weight of days that bent my back
or the nights that stole my sleep,
know this:

I walked through every test
with my palms open to the sky,
trusting that Allah sees
what the heart endures in silence.

I learned to live in a state of atonement
not from shame,
but from longing.
A longing to return to Him
with a heart washed clean,
with a soul that tried,
again and again,
to rise after every fall.

Hardships came like uninvited guests,
sorrow sat beside me,
and trials pressed against my ribs
but I made peace with them.
For they were not punishments,
but pathways.
Each one a door
leading me closer to the One
who never leaves.

My children,
if you remember anything of me,
remember this:

I chose patience
even when my voice trembled.
I chose gratitude
even when my eyes burned with tears.
I chose to forgive
so Allah might forgive me.
I chose to hope
so despair would never own my heart.

And I pray
oh, how I pray
that when my journey ends
and I stand before my Lord,
He will find me in full submission,
my hands empty of this world,
my heart full of love for Him.

May He cloak me in His mercy,
accept my striving,
and grant me Jannah
not for perfection,
but for sincerity.

And for you, my children,
I ask Allah for a softer path
that your burdens come light,
your tests never break you,
and the weight you carry
is shaped to your strength,
never beyond it.
May ease meet you often,
and may mercy follow you
like a loyal companion.
Walk your own paths
with gentleness, courage, and tawakkul,
knowing that every hardship
is a bridge,
and every tear
is a seed of light
in the gardens of the Hereafter.

Dahlia Ibrahim ©gainperspectiveblog.wordpress.com

1/30/2026