Parking spot

Looking at my watch I knew that I had almost no chance of getting a parking spot. The clinic that I am attached to is located in a very busy place. Just a few minutes makes all the difference. Well...I was about to learn that all it takes is a few seconds...

As I thought all the parking lots were full. Even the roadside with the yellow line staring at everyone as clear as day was lined with cars and motor bikes, and trucks and lorries that don't look like they were going to be moving any time soon. Well it's not like we Malaysians ever really cared much for such petty details. And theres even a police station glaring down at the road. I often wonder how everyone was getting away with it all.

Anyhow I was already as pessimistic as I can get about getting a parking spot, but I went to look anyway, just in case...and out of the blue the imposssible happened. A car actually vacated a parking lot just as I passed.

Alhamdulillah. A gift from Allah no doubt.

I drove some way ahead to turn around at a petrol station. It wouldn't take more than a few seconds to turn around and take the parking spot. And as it was already way past 9, all the office workers should already be in. There shouldn't be anyone coming to take that one precious spot right - WRONG.

Those mere few moments was all it took for someone to come in an snugly park their car in that one spot I was aiming for. To make it more ironic, they did it right in front of my eyes. Well...they signaled to go in before I did, so it was rightfully theirs. Just a few seconds late. What could I do, it just wasn't meant for me.

But I thought then as I glanced sadly at that one precious parking spot that could have been mine:

Is this not how all of Allahs gifts are? Not ours by default.

I felt most strongly then about the most precious of gifts - the gift of Iman. If we do not 'take' it, if we do not appreciate it, then Allah can always fill the slot in with others, and it will only be our loss.

May Allah give strength to those pure souls who have given their selves to the service of Allah, as did the du'aat before us, as did the companions before them, as did Rasulullah SAW and the prophets before that.