This blog was originally uploaded on the previous version of the www.sajidumar.com website on December 22, 2017.

Assalāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāh,
Below is a small yet paradigm-shifting reflection, one that urges us to look beyond outward actions and examine the integrity of our deeds.

Beware of the Leaking Bucket

A leaking bucket may appear full, yet it never truly holds water. Likewise, good deeds lose their value when paired with contradictory behaviour.

1. You wear ʿabāyah and ḥijāb, yet accompany them with perfume and excessive makeup.
   (A leaking bucket)

2. You follow the Sunnah and keep a beard, yet you do not lower your gaze.
   (A leaking bucket)

3. You perform all your prayers on time, yet pray with no khushūʿ.
   (A leaking bucket)

4. You are gentle and kind to people, yet harsh with your own family.
   (A leaking bucket)

5. You honour your guests, but once they leave, you gossip and expose their flaws.
   (A leaking bucket)

6. You give abundant ṣadaqah to the poor, yet humiliate and hurt them.
   (A leaking bucket)

7. You stand for tahajjud, fast, and read the Qurʾān daily, yet you cut family ties.
   (A leaking bucket)

8. You fast patiently through hunger and thirst, yet swear, insult, and curse.
   (A leaking bucket)

9. You help others, but your intentions are transactional, not sincerely for the sake of Allāh’s pleasure.
   (A leaking bucket)

Do not gather your good deeds in a leaking bucket.

You struggle endlessly to fill it, while it drains effortlessly through unseen holes.

True righteousness is not about how much we do, but how consistent, sincere, and aligned our actions are with our character.

May Allāh Almighty correct our affairs, purify our intentions, and seal the leaks in our deeds.
Āmīn.

Your brother

Sajid Umar

Location: 'somewhere en route to the hereafter'

04/04/1439 (AH) - 22/12/2017