^and you too dear sis Riana, ameen
Assalamu alaykum sis anon,
Thank you for taking what I said good-heartedly ukhti. Al hamdulillah I appreciate it.
Maybe a scholar will tell you it’s ok for you to ask for divorce. Allahu alam. Praise be to Allah, Who in His infinite Knowledge and Wisdom, has made some things permissible because He knows we are weak and impatient, and may do wrong because of it. But there are some thing’s if we bear with patience and piety for the purpose of a greater good, then that is better for us in the eyes of Allah and thus for our hereafter.
“…and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know.” (2:216)
I’m thinking of your 1 heart on one side and 4 hearts (your children’s and their fathers) on the other side. Four people can stand to lose out and experience a very sad and irreparable loss.
Happiness isn’t a state we can be in permanently. Even couples with the deepest love experience grief and loss, either by lack of offspring, financial struggles, disease, or any trial Allah afflicts them with. It may be that you find a loving spouse but Allah may try you with the loss of something else? Even the Anbiya (peace be upon them) and Allah's beloved Prophet (pbuh) weren’t immune from trials and afflictions. This life isn’t meant to be used to pursue happiness. But amazingly if we pursue the pleasure of Allah, happiness pursues us right into the hereafter.
Rasulullah (pbuh) said, “The average age of my ummah will be around 60 to 70 and few will go beyond 70.” So middle age for us isn’t the 50’s. It’s around about 30-35. That makes those in their 40’s in the last third of their lifespan. So little time, right? It’s not fardh on you, but I wonder how great an honour and status might Allah bestow upon a woman who sacrificed her timely desires to keep her family together, and rather than leave the man who cares for her, supported him with the grace and strength of Khadeeja (ra). Even rose above her natural jealousy and helped raise her co-wife’s children and thereby strengthened family ties before departing from his world. No good deed is ever in vain. Truth proves itself. You can be remembered as the Prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam remembered Khadeejha after her death, so much so that it made Aisha (ra) jealous. Your children and your husband (and even step children if you help nuture them in their emotional, physical and religious needs) would raise their hands in dua for you for the rest of their lives - duas that come from the depths of their souls out of love, honour and appreciation for what you did for them. Wouldn't this be such a huge blessing ukhti? Yet would it be possible without sacrifices?
Our biggest goal should be wanting to see the Beautiful face of Allah subhana wa ta 'ala. I remember reading in Surah Al Waqiyah, that on the Day, mankind will be divided in three groups. Those on the right-hand- the Jannatis, those on the left (jahanummis) and there will the those at the forefront who will be in the Highest Paradise. Subhan Allah. It just makes one realise that we can't let ourselves be content with the knowledge that we pray 5 times a day, we fast, we avoid sinning etc. But we have to be greater than that if we are going to be amongst Allah most beloveds.
The life of this duniya is like a candle in the wind. We never know when it will be blown out. All our desires will have finished with it. The searched for happiness in the dunya will have ended. We know the only place in which we will find eternal happiness is Jannah.The only place where the love beautiful spouses is guaranteed. The only place where happiness won’t be temporary. If we dwell on what awaits us, it makes our struggles in this life that much more easy.
I know sacrifices require a lot of patience, strength and endurance and they are easily said than done. I wouldn’t blame you either way. I just wanted to show my dear sister that she has so much to gain from it – especially as there are no guarantees about the alternative.
I really hope for the best of you my dear sis. May Allah inspire you to do what is best for you in this duniya and the hereafter. Ameen.