بسم ﷲ الرحمٰن الرحیم
When You Fall, Return to Sujood (Prostration)
By: Qalbun Yaqzaan | قلبٌ يقظان
A heart that can no longer sleep
There is a silence that only sujood can answer. A restlessness that no voice, no plan, no distraction can calm – except the moment your forehead touches the ground. This is not a how-to. It’s a story. A reminder. A reflection. That no matter how far you’ve slipped, struggled, or shut down – Allah is always ready for your return – to Him, to peace, to prayer.
When Allah Calls You Back
You don’t always realise when it’s happening. Sometimes it starts with a storm – a heartbreak, an unexpected loss, a door slammed shut. Something shakes your world. And in that moment of weakness, when you have run out of strength, you fall. Not out of failure, but into sujood. That’s when you know – this isn’t just life falling apart. This is Allah calling you back.
I once heard a scholar say, “When a test hits and you turn to prayer, that’s Allah calling you back. If you don’t, you fall deeper into the abyss.”
That one sentence shifted something inside me. It made me realize: my return to Salah (prayer) wasn’t always my doing – it was Allah’ love. He did not let me go.
When My servants ask you ˹O Prophet˺ about Me: I am truly near. I respond to one’s prayer when they call upon Me……” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:186)
Trying to Control Everything Was Draining Me
I used to worry constantly. About everything. I had unknowingly made myself believe that I had to control it all – the outcomes, the people, the future.
But I was wrong. I wasn’t created to bear that weight.
Eventually, I asked myself: Why am I trying to play God? Why not let go, and finally believe in His plan?
Letting go was not instant. It was painful. But when I stopped trying to control the uncontrollable, peace settled into my heart. The moment I surrendered, I saw everything fall into place – in ways I could never orchestrate on my own.
“And put your trust in Allah, for Allah is sufficient as a Trustee of Affairs.”(Surah Al-Ahzab 33:3)
No One Can Harm or Benefit Me Without His Will
This is one of the most freeing truths: no human being can harm me or benefit me unless Allah wills it.
And ‘If Allah touches you with harm,
none can undo it except Him. And if He intends good for you, none can withhold His bounty…” (Surah Yunus 10:107)
Why, then, should I place my hopes entirely in people? Why should I fear anyone when Allah is closer to me than my own heartbeat?
Talk to Allah. Loudly. Honestly. Desperately.
I no longer keep everything inside. I speak to Allah – out loud. I sit on my prayer mat and tell Him what hurts, what confuses me, what I desire.
I say it, not because He does not already know, but so I can hear it. So I know what’s truly in my heart.
“It is not for any soul to believe except by Allah’s leave, and He will bring His wrath upon those who are unmindful.” (Surah Yunus 10:100)
And when I do this, something incredible happens:
- I stop venting to people who can’t fix it.
- I lighten the weight on my chest.
- I remind myself who’s really in control.
Tahajjud: Where I’ve Seen Miracles Unfold
The quietest part of the night holds the loudest conversations between me and my Lord. Tahajjud is where I have seen problems disappear – sometimes overnight, sometimes over months, but always with wisdom.
If you haven’t tried it, begin small. Just wake up once and talk to Him before Fajr. It’ll change your life.
To Anyone Struggling Right Now
Please, pause. Take a breath.
Ask yourself: Is this something I can fix with effort, or something only Allah can change?
If it’s in your hands, act. But if it’s not, fall into sujood. Beg. Ask. Cry. Trust.
Say, ˹O Prophet, that Allah says, “O My servants who have exceeded the limits against their souls! Do not lose hope in Allah’s mercy, for Allah certainly forgives all sins.…” (Surah Az-Zumar 39:53)
And if you’ve missed prayers – don’t let guilt bury you. Maybe you didn’t just miss those prayers – maybe Allah, in His wisdom, hadn’t yet called you back.
But now He is.
Final Thoughts
I can say this with complete certainty: Allah has never left me alone (Alhamdulillah). Even in the darkest hours, I was being guided back to Him.
A renowned scholar once said, “If you knew how Allah manages your affairs behind the scenes, you would never stop smiling.”
So let go. Surrender. Return.
And when you fall – emotionally, spiritually, or mentally – fall into sujood. Because that’s not the end. That’s the beginning.
A note from the heart: I know there are many beautiful practices in our deen – dhikr, tasbeeh, Qur’an recitation, charity, and more — each one a way to heal and reconnect. And yes, the silent prayers of my loved ones and the duas of my Mashaikh have lifted me in ways I’ll never fully comprehend. But when my heart was heavy, when I didn’t know who to turn to or how to move forward, it was sujood that saved me – especially in tahajjud. Not just the act of bowing down, but speaking to Allah like He’s the only one who can help – because He is. This reflection is about that: turning away from people, and turning fully to Allah – and finding that He never turned away from me.
O Allah, do not make us among the heedless. And if we ever lose our way, return us to You with a beautiful return. Never deprive us of the sweetness of coming back to You. Ameen.
If this touched your heart, share it with someone who needs the reminder today. Let us return to sujood together.
