The Coolness of Our Eyes: The Heart’s Cry

Contributed by Yerusalem Work

May your children be the coolness of your eyes! This Arabic expression qurrata a’yun (قُرَّ‌ةَ أَعْيُنٍ) conveys a message of love and joy. It refers to tears that flow from a sense of comfort after having achieved refuge. 

Quran 25:74 includes a prayer that Allah makes our spouses and children the coolness of our eyes. May Allah (swt) bless our families. The home is a sacred space. It is where we offer fervent prayer. It is where we ought to feel peace. 

When we hear the Adhan (the Call to Prayer), we come across the saying, “Hasten to prayer. Hasten to success.” This wakes us up on the inside. It helps us to ponder our true responsibility in life: to worship Allah (swt). 

Our families prepare us for life in the outside world. We cherish our families because they shape our lives. Truly, Allah (swt) guides and provides, but we must remember to be grateful for the safety and stability of our inner sanctum, our home. We can cultivate knowledge and wisdom, but without practical application, we are at a loss. Let us learn how to hold space for each other in our hearts, graciously showing hospitality through generosity. We can hold space for each other by sharing a kind word or filling up an empty cup. We can meet a pressing need.

Our parents raise us and most often intend the best for us. We can show our appreciation by caring for them and ourselves and the world around us. Is it a perfect world? No, but that makes it no less deserving of our attention. Keep your eyes on those you love. Watch them sing and dance. Watch them change over the course of life—ideally for the better. We are very devoted to famous people, but are we watchful of those in our inner circles? What about the distance between us and the hearts nearest to us? We must bridge the gap and eliminate the divide between us and those genuinely deserving of our trust. A warm smile or a simple hug can melt hearts, heal wounds, or demonstrate compassion.

So, remember the small screen does not deserve all our time. Bond with those worthy of your care and concern. Time is precious. Utilize it wisely. There is an African proverb that states, “If you cut your chains, you free yourself. If you cut your roots, you die.” Nurture your roots and you will grow strong. Plant seeds of good deeds and meditation. You can rise above anything with love and hope. Stay inspired! Hold onto who and what matter most. Never forget that you deserve to be treasured. 

Yerusalem Work, a creative writer and the membership director of the Congregational Library Association, has a heart for interfaith dialogue and is a passionate community builder. A holder of a master’s degree in library science and prolific author, she regularly blogs and self-publishes her writing. Her writing has been published in Muslim Matters, Islamic Horizons, and Tysons Interfaith. She considers it an honor and a pleasure to write on Islamic themes.

This blog post is the expressed opinion of its writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Tysons Interfaith or its members.