Goodness, All the Way Home

الْبَرُّ

Al-Barr — The Source of Goodness

إِنَّا كُنَّا مِن قَبْلُ نَدْعُوهُ ۖ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْبَرُّ الرَّحِيمُ

Lo! we used to pray unto Him of old. Lo! He is the Benign, the Merciful

Surah Aṭ-Ṭūr (52:28)

Intention

Today, I will trace the goodness of this year back to Al-Barr — every blessing, every lesson, every tear, every smile.

Reflection

Al-Barr — the Source of All Goodness — on the penultimate day. Look back at 364 days and see goodness everywhere: in the morning du'as, in the Ramadan fasts, in the Names that named your feelings, in the verses that found you at the right moment. Al-Barr has been pouring goodness into every page. Now carry it into every page of your life after this.

On this verse

We used to supplicate Him — kunna min qablu nadʿūhu. In Paradise, they look back on their du'as and see that every single one was answered. Your du'as this year were not lost.

Du'a

Three Names in one breath: Good, Merciful, Hearer. The One who is good, whose method is mercy, and who hears when you call.

Hadith

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Birr is good character.'

— Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2553