Monday Morning Walk, A Small Kitten, and the Mercy of Allah

A Morning Walk, A Small Kitten, and the Mercy of Allah

Time: 7.30AM

Steps: 4900

Temp: 25c

Today marked the beginning of a new week. I woke up with a bad stomach but still made my way downstairs to the masjid for Fajr prayer. After returning home, I completed my morning adhkar and prayers. I was actually looking forward to my morning walk, hoping the fresh air and movement would help settle and heal my stomach.

I headed out at around 7:30am. It was nice to see Jerry outside ZUS Coffee as the area slowly came to life. I bought a hot Americano, but as there was nowhere to sit, I decided to take it home to drink instead before continuing with the morning.

Along the lake I noticed a large number of men fishing, despite the signs clearly stating that fishing is not allowed. Not far from them, I spotted a large biawak swimming calmly through the water.

As I reached the far end near Terra and the new bridge, a tiny kitten suddenly came running toward me crying loudly. It looked frightened and alone. I picked it up and carried it back toward Ayer 8 where there are more people around and many other cats that could potentially care for it.

Afterwards, I found myself wondering if I had done the right thing. Part of me worried that perhaps its mother was nearby and I should have left it where it was. But another part of me thought about the dangers around the lake — the monitor lizard, the quiet areas, and the lack of safety for such a small kitten.

Allah says in the Quran:

“So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it.”
(Surah Az-Zalzalah 99:7)

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“The merciful are shown mercy by The Most Merciful. Be merciful to those on the earth and the One above the heavens will have mercy upon you.”
(Sunan At-Tirmidhi)

The Salaf understood that sincerity in small acts mattered greatly. Many of them believed that a person may reach the mercy of Allah through deeds people consider insignificant, because Allah looks not only at the action itself, but at the sincerity and mercy within the heart.

Sometimes in life we act with the best intentions we can in that moment, then leave the outcome to Allah. Today’s walk reminded me that even small moments can stay in the heart long after the walk itself has ended.