Bismillahirrahmanirraheem.

Alhamdulillah.

Allah has been so kind.

I grew up in a family where you read the quaida and Quran with the Qari sahab while small, then the Quran is put away. There was fasting in Ramadan and efforts at daily prayer.

I found my Grandfather's old urdu book, Hisnul Haseen and would read the duas after prayer in it, and names of Allah.

Somehow, I was attached to this book. I later found the English version as it was easier than Urdu. This book is a blessing.

Long story short, there was a lot of jealousy and black magic in my environment.

There were calamities.

Allah guided me to the morning evening duas in this book, and to other duas and practices. Especially the end of Surah Al Baqarah, ruqya and prayers for healing.

Just like that, within a few weeks, calamities ceased, peace reigned, fear disappeared. It was incredible, like night vs day, the time before the morning evening duas, and the time after. The duas, so small and simple, were incredibly powerful.

I felt I must seek knowledge.

So I attend online courses, and in person wherever I can.

It took me a long time and various trials to understand about the shirk of attachment to family which is insidious. The opening supplication for the prayer (wajhatu wajhiya) was so helpful in remembering, that Allah comes first.

Anyway, alhamdulillah, by reading surah Baqarah in the home daily (1/3 read every day) and the morning evening duas, Allah has been sufficient for us when the entire world turned its back.

Allah keeps forgiving lapses as I become engrossed in other things again and again.

Once, my daughter, 2, wandered out of the gate into the street (the maid left it ajar). She was going to the shop to get something after she heard me say as I was cooking breakfast 'we need to buy xyz today'. So my baby decided to go. She didn't know about money, or cars, or streets or people. She couldn't speak Urdu. She probably thought she would go to the shop and they would give her what she needs. We found her gone, and searched the house. Then the streets all around, without success.

I went home in tears, and sat down to pray salatul hajat. Just as I said salam, there was an announcement from the mosque, that a child has been found, and come and get her. It was my daughter. SubhanAllah. I still remember, as I said salam, immediately, the announcement came. Alhamdulillah, AllahuAkbar.

Allah helps through so many things, when nobody else ever did. When I thought I could never do it, it was impossible, Allah helped. Allah has been very kind.

The biggest lesson I have learnt is the danger of attachments. People take, and go. People get angry when one attaches to Allah, they want us to serve them only. No matter how much you do, they do not remember. They misuse authority to exploit others. One should be prepared, like Ibraheem (peace be upon him), Musa (peace be upon him), Ayesha (may Allah be pleased with her), Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah (may Allah be pleased with him) to walk away from those who try to cause tremendous harm.

Allah is the Only One Who takes care of us. People take, demand, blame and leave. Allah forgives, takes us back again and again, and loves us despite mistakes.

The biggest benefit I can mention is in the duas, morning evening duas, gratitude, prayer, because it keeps us safe and happy and undistracted by all the tiring games and craziness of the world, alhamdulillah.