Monday, January 02, 2006

LESSON OF THE DAY 428

Ayah of the Day:
They will all go forth before God, and the weak will say to those who aggrandized themselves, "We were your followers; so can you help us at all against punishment from God?" They will say, "Had God guided us, we would have guided you. It is the same for us whether we get anxious or we are patient; there is no escape for us. [14: 21]

Hadith of the Day:
"Shall I tell you what is better for you than giving sadaqa or fasting? It is that you mend relations between people. Verily, hatred is a killer." [Bukhari & Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Put aside your pride, set down your arrogance, and remember your grave. [Ali radi Allah anhu]

Guidance of the Day:

Most of our possessions arrive in our lives almost by accident. Gradually, like falling snow, they accumulate around us until they form the basis for our identity. Unless we want to dedicate ourselves to some higher ascetic ideal, it will only make us obsessed with our own poverty, and neither the self absorbed poor nor the self absorbed rich are doing themselves or anyone else any good. We need to find a true measure for our possessions so we can free ourselves from their weight without denying them their potential for good.

We must always remember that possessions have no inherent value. They become what we make them. If they increase our capacity to give, they become good. If they increase our focus on ourselves and become standards by which we measure other people, they become bad. When we seek a possession, we should ask ourselves if it will make us better people, more able to share, more willing to give, more capable of doing good in our daily lives. Possessions that increase our own sense of self-importance are empty in comparison to those that help us contribute something of value to the world.

Keep in mind that possessions are as likely to make you unhappy as they are to make you happy, because they define the limits of your life and keep you from the freedom of choice that comes with traveling light upon earth. They are chameleons that change from fantasies into responsibilities once you hold them in your hand, because they take your eye from the heavens and rivet it squarely on the earth. Listen to the quieter wisdom that says you will value your possessions more if you have fewer of them, and that you will find deeper meaning in human sharing than in the accumulation of goods. [Simple Truths]

Food for Thought:

If you build up possessions just as the logical outcome of pursuing your desires, you will lose your wings to fly.

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