Friday, September 28, 2007

LESSON OF THE DAY 931

Ayahs of the Day:
O humanity, the promise of God is true, so don't let the life of the world deceive you, don't let illusion deceive you about God. For Satan is an enemy to you, so regard him as an enemy, who only calls to his partisans, to become inmates of the inferno. [35: 5,6]

Hadith of the Day:
There are palaces in Paradise for the one's who sweeten their tongues and talk kindly and beautifully, feed the hungry, and spend the nights praying while everyone else is sleeping. [Tabarani]

Wise Quote of the Day:
To take the Messenger as a model means to emulate him, follow his sunna, and abandon opposition to him in either word or action. [Muhammad ibn Ali al Tirmidhi]

Guidance of the Day:
There is no greater satisfaction than lying your head on the pillow at night and knowing you have touched another person's life, made his burden lighter, taught him some infinite wisdom, made him laugh, allowed him to cry on your shoulder, lent him an understanding ear. . . made a difference. " And so shines a good deed in a weary world." This is what our world needs. It is what makes the world a joy to live in. It is what fills with a tangible sense of our own worth and wealth.

Our every action is an opportunity to carry the torch of hope to an often weary world. Each day is filled with endless possibilities to make a difference. It doesn't take much, for it really is a weary world for so many people. It is a world full of people desperately hungry for sincerity, honesty, and goodness.. Most of them are men and women just like you and me. They don't have the power to change the world single-handedly, so they think change must be someone else's responsibility. The truth is, no one has the power to change the world single-handedly, but each of us has the power to make a difference. {Kelly, The Rhythm of Life]

Food for Thought:
Knowledge is learning something everyday. Wisdom is letting go of something everyday. It's not how you live, it's whose life you change in the wake hours. If you must raise your voice, do it to cheer someone.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

LESSON OF THE DAY 930

Ayah of the Day:
O humanity, remember God's blessings on you. Is there a creator other than God who provides for you from the sky or the earth? There is no deity; so how is it you are deceived? [35: 3]

Hadith of the Day:
The best of the people are those who influence people to do good, prevent them from doing wrong, whose hearts are full of compassion and who fear God. [Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
The greatest miracle is to succeed in bringing back to the true path one who has strayed from that path. Those who die for the salvation of mankind do not really die. [Shaykh Muzaffar Ozak]

Guidance of the Day:
What do all great men and women in history have in common? What raises a person beyond success, achievement, and excellence to the realm of greatness? Greatness is attained beyond the pursuit of our own fulfillment. True greatness is achieved by making a difference in other people's lives. What moves a person from success to significance? Making a difference in the lives of other people. History is full of examples of great men and women, but we must be careful not to confuse greatness with fame or fortune. Fame and fortune are external qualities of a person's life. Greatness is an internal quality of a person's character, which emerges in his or her actions.

Most of the people who have developed and mastered this greatness of which we speak are not public figures or celebrities. They are mothers and fathers, teachers and doctors, preachers. . . .They are people from all walks of life who turn their talents, efforts, and energies toward people's lives. When you meet such a person, you see a certain calm in his/her eyes and he/she seems to be unusually happy. He/She is quietly confident and occupied with a serene satisfaction. [Kelly, The Rhythm of Life]

Food for Thought:
The Devil comes where money is; where it is not he comes twice. The Devil does not tempt unbelievers and sinners who are already his own. The Devil has three children: pride, falsehood and envy. If the Devil catch a man idle, he will set him at work. All the works of our evil nature are the work of the Devil.

Monday, September 24, 2007

LESSON OF THE DAY 929

Ayah of the Day:
Whatever God grants people out of mercy, none can withhold; and whatever God withholds, no one can deliver, for God is the almighty, the epitome of wisdom. [35: 2]

Hadith of the Day:
Help the one in need, and help him by asking for help for him. God will reward you for both your efforts. [Bukhari]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Television is a hellish vision because it robs us of the sense of truth. [Abdul Hakeem Murad]

Guidance of the Day:
Uppermost in our minds is the final destination. On a certain day at a certain hour we will pull into the station. How restlessly we pace the aisles, damning the minutes for loitering---------waiting, waiting, waiting for the station. Sooner or later we must realize there is no station, no one place to arrive at once and for all. The true joy of life is in the trip. The station is only and illusion. It constantly outdistances us.

Relish the moment in a good motto. "This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." It isn't the burdens of today that drive men mad. It is the regrets over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us the today. So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice cream, swim more rivers, and watch more sunsets. Life must be lived as we go along. The station will come soon enough. [Kelly, The Rhythm of Life]

Food for Thought:
Great opportunities come to all, but many do not know they have met them. The only preparation to take advantage of them is simply fidelity to watch what each day brings. The word is all gates, all opportunities, strings of tension waiting to be struck. No great man ever complains of want of opportunities.

Friday, September 21, 2007

LESSON OF THE DAY 928

Ayahs of the Day:
Say, "Truth has arrived; and the false neither creates nor restores." Say, "If I am mistaken, I just err on my own; while if I am guided, it is by what my Lord reveals to me by inspiration, and God is listening, nearby." [34: 49,50]

Hadith of the Day:
The ones who will be considered the lowest of the low on the Day of Judgment are the two-faced who say one thing to one person and another to someone else. [Bukhari]

Wise Quote of the Day:
All human beings are essentially helpless. However, they discover an extraordinary competence by depending on the Infinite Powerful One, for this dependence transforms them from a drop into a waterfall, a particle into a sun, and a beggar to a king. [Fethullah Gulen]

Guidance of the Day:
Often, we are distracted by the past and the future. Those distractions rob us of our lives. The past is history. The future is a mirage. The past was the present. The future will be present. The only reality is now. The other way that failing manifests itself is in our tendency to put off important matters. Each activity has its own priority and place in our lives, whether it is work, prayer, leisure, exercise, or friendship. The rhythm of life helps us to give each activity its own place-----everyday-----and immerses us in the abundant life.

Life is a journey. Enjoy the journey. Whether you are setting out to become a legend, a hero, a champion, a star, a leader, or a saint------enjoy the journey. If you do not enjoy life, you will be no good to anybody. The destination, the victory, the achievement------these last only a moment, and then they fade like the morning dew from the grass into little more than pleasant memories. Success is not a destination--------it is a journey.

The secret of life is enjoying the passing of time. The joy is not in the destination; the joy is in the journey. If you cannot find peace in the journey, you will not find peace in the destination. Our passion, enthusiasm, and excitement should be for the journey. Don't put off important things using a destination, or an achievement, as an excuse. Take it easy. Slow and steady. Let things have their place. Be present in your life. It is an amazing and rare gift. [Kelly, Rhythm of Life]

Food for Thought:
The great use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts it. Do not seek death. Death will find you. But seek the road which makes death a fulfillment. It is not so much where you live, as how you live, and whether good flows from you through your neighborhood.

The Lord Almighty ordained, "Find leisure for My service and I shall fill your hearts with peace and enrich you in bounty,"[al Hadith al Qudsi]

For previous lessons visit the following link:LESSONS OF THE DAYhttp://lessonsoftheday.blogspot.com/
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Wednesday, September 19, 2007

LESSON OF THE DAY 927

Ayah of the Day:
Say, "My Lord expands the provision of any servant at will, and regulates it; and whatever you disburse, God will replace it, being the best of providers. [34: 39]

Hadith of the Day:
The people who are two-faced during their lives will be raised in the Hereafter with two tongues of fire in their mouths. [Bukhari]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Whoever is not thankful for graces runs the risk of losing them, and whoever is thankful fetters them with their own cords. [Ibn Ata'Allah]

Guidance of the Day:
It is a long journey. Some make it, and others fall by the wayside. We all love the beauty of the diamond, but we forget the time and pressure it took to make it. Along the way we become discouraged. It seems too hard. It isn't. It seems impossible. It isn't.

There will be setbacks and failures. Winners are inspired by failure. Losers are afraid of and discouraged by failure. In the wake of failure, winners want to do more, to be more, to do a better job next time. When faced with failures, losers become overwhelmed by the fear of greater failure. They allow the fear to smother them and in the process achieve what they wanted to avoid------a greater failure. The greatest failure is not to try.

There are plenty of reasons to give up. Think of reasons not to give up, to stay strong, to stay focused, and to persevere. Once you set yourself at something, keep your eye on your goal and employ the final principle: "Never give up!" [Kelly, The Rhythm of Life]

Food for Thought:
A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions. No failure, but low aim, is crime. Man can only receive what he sees himself receiving. Once you say you are going to settle for second, that's what happens to you. Shoot for moon. Even if you miss it, you will land among the stars.

Monday, September 17, 2007

LESSON OF THE DAY 926

Ayah of the Day:
It is not your property or your children that will bring you closer to Our presence: only those who have faith and act with integrity are those who will have a compounded reward for what they have done; and they will be secure in the chambers on high. [34: 37]

Hadith of the Day:
Do not say: "I feel awful," rather say: "I do not feel very well." Do not say: "I am ruined," rather say: "I am having some difficulties." [Bukhari]

Wise Quote of the Day:
The folk of Allah are those who are detached from the world in such a way that the folk of dunya do not even notice it. [Shaykh Abul Hasan Kharqani]

Guidance of the Day:
The communication principle is, "Be clear, concise, open, and honest." Communication is an art. These are some of the lessons---------let others talk. Avoid arguments. Don't complain. Give honest and sincere compliments. Be more ready to compliment than to criticize. Invite input. Make a point to remember people's names; it is music to their ears. Never be afraid to seek advice. Never criticize someone in front of other people. Beware of other people's desires. Find joy and pleasure through taking interest in people. Talk about yourself only if asked. Smile-------it is contagious and opens people's hearts. Learn to listen.

Encourage people to share about themselves. Engage people where they are-----talk in relation to their interests. Respect other people's opinions. Admit when you are wrong. Be kind and friendly to every person you meet. Ask questions people respond to positively. Try to see things from the other person's point of view. Hold up ideals. Challenge people gently. Talk about your own failures. Appeal to higher motives. Always look for yourself in others and others in yourself--------it affirms the oneness of the human family. Affirm the highest values of the human spirit. Never pass up an opportunity to speak a kind word of appreciation. [Kelly, The Rhythm of Life]

Food for Thought:
Beware of despairing about yourself: you are commanded to put your trust in God, and not in yourself. You may trust the Lord too little, but you can never trust Him too much. There is but one way to browbeat this world-------to go on trusting, namely, till faith move mountains.

Friday, September 14, 2007

LESSON OF THE DAY 925

Ayah of the Day:
And We have only sent you (O Muhammad) universally to all people, as a herald and a warner; but most people do not know. [34: 28]

Hadith of the Day:
On the Day of Judgment the ones who have committed the most errors are going to be the people who indulged in the most vain talk during their lifetimes. [Tabarani]

Wise Quote of the Day:
When a servant is conscientiously devoted to Allah Almighty, He rewards him by converting ignorance into knowledge, remoteness into nearness, silence into spoken recognition, loneliness into intimate friendship, and darkness into light. [Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani]

Guidance of the Day:
Along the way you will meet many people. Some of them you will help, assist, advise. Others will help, assist, and advise you. When you think you are there to help someone else, chances are they are there to help you. Our students make our best teachers. Without the help of others, you will never make the journey. It is simply part of the divine plan that we make this journey together. It is a funny thing about life-------mistakes are almost always and inevitably one's own responsibility, but one's successes, triumphs, and worthwhile achievements are rarely accomplished without the help of others.

The greatest barrier to loving people, to cherishing people, and to accepting people is our inability to see ourselves in them. Take a closer look. We are one. To see ourselves in others and others in ourselves----that is wisdom. Life is relationship. How are we relating? How are our relationships? People are a gift. Each person who crosses through your life is a chance to love, a chance to really live. Cherish people. [Kelly, The Rhythm of Life]

Food for Thought:
Man does not live by bread alone, but by beauty and harmony, truth and goodness, work and recreation, affection and friendship, aspiration and worship. Not by bread alone, but by seeking and finding, serving and sharing, loving and being loved. Not by bread alone, but by being faithful in prayer, finding and doing the loving will of God now and eternally.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

LESSON OF THE DAY 924

Ayah of the Day:
He knows what goes into the earth and what comes out of it, and what descends from the sky and what ascends to it; and being epitome of mercy and forgiveness. [34: 2]

Hadith of the Day:
It suffices you for sin to be always contentious. [Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Whatever you lost through the stroke of destiny, know it was to save you from adversity. One small affliction keeps off greater afflictions; one small loss prevents greater losses. [Mawlana Rumi]

Guidance of the Day:
The foundation of relationship is acceptance. It is a great wisdom to accept people where they are on the journey. Acceptance is the welcoming open arms of relationship. People deserve to be cherished. In order to cherish people, we must look beyond our personal preferences, prejudices, and judgmental inclinations to discover and reverence the wonder and marvel of the individual.

It is helpful to remember that we are all at different points along the path. Our ability to love and cherish people increases infinitely as we learn to accept people for who they are and where they are on their journey. Some people are at places we ourselves have been before, others are in places we have not yet been. It is a journey---------trust that the same God who is moving you toward your purpose and dreams is moving them toward theirs. Even when you cannot understand people, accept them, cherish them. [Kelly, The Rhythm of Life]

Food for Thought:
We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand. . . and melting like a snowflake. Let us use it before it is too late. Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood. . . Make big plans, aim high and work. If a man constantly aspires, is he not elevated? Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.

Monday, September 10, 2007

LESSON OF THE DAY 923

Ayah of the Day:
All praise is due to God, to whom belongs what is in the heavens and what is on the earth; and to whom is due all praise in the hereafter, and who is perfectly wise and completely aware. [34: 1]

Hadith of the Day:
A Muslim is not permitted to argue with a fellow Muslim, to make fun of him, or to make him a promise that he cannot keep. [Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Some of the most sublime bestowals of God are contentment with the reliance upon God in hardships, and recourse to Him in reverse of fortune. [Shaykh Abul Hasan Shadhili]

Guidance of the Day:
Have you ever given your best, your all, to anything? What do you think would happen if you did? The legends, heroes, leaders, champions, and saints who fill our history books loved what they did. People of their caliber dedicate their whole being to their pursuits. Dedicate yourself to becoming the-best-version-of-yourself. In everything you do, remember your essential purpose. View everything in relation to becoming your best self. Everything makes sense against the backdrop of the purpose of our lives. Everything finds meaning in relation to our essential purpose. Love yourself by becoming the-best-version-of-yourself.

Dedicate yourself to choosing the-best-version-of-yourself in every choice you make. You are here for some reason. You have been born to live one life. Foster the belief that you were born for a reason. . . and with every passing day you will begin to see the reason unfolding before your eyes. You were created for a purpose, and everything happens for a reason. Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact. [Kelly, The Rhythm of Life]

Food for Thought:
Religion in the life of man is a momentary glance from time to time into eternity. Religion is the sacrifice of a meal in order that starvation elsewhere may be averted. Religion is as big as life and as normal an experience as breathing, eating, and sleeping. Religion should be our steering wheel, not our spare tire.

Friday, September 07, 2007

LESSON OF THE DAY 922

Ayahs of the Day:
Believers, be conscious of God, and speak in accurate terms, so God may make your actions sound and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys God and the messenger of God has already attained great success. [33: 70,71]

Hadith of the Day:
A believer will not be able to perfect his faith unless he forsakes arguing and debating matters with others. [Ibn Abi Dunya]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Insight is in accord with the strength of belief: whoever has strong belief is also strong in insight. [al-Qushayri]

Guidance of the Day:
Focus achieves results in our lives. That is why we need a life principle. It brings focus to our lives. Crystallize your purpose. Human thought is creative. What you think, becomes. What you allow to occupy your mind forms the reality of your life and affects the whole world for generations to come. Thought determines action. Before too long, you will be living out what has already happened in your mind. Good or bad, everything happens in your mind before it happens in reality. If you can control what happens in your mind, you can control every action of your life.

Thought determines action. The actions of our lives are determined by our last, most dominant thoughts. What is your most dominant thought? The answer to that question will tell you a lot about who you are and what you are doing with your life. The thought principle is "Thought determined action." It's funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it. [Kelly, The Rhythm of Life]

Food for Thought:
It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that they are difficult. Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. Taking risks gives us energy. Without risk, faith is an impossibility.

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

LESSON OF THE DAY 921

Ayah of the Day:
And those who bother believing men and women with what they don't deserve have taken on themselves the burden of making false accusations, an obvious sin. [33: 58]

Hadith of the Day:
The one who shows the beauty of his character and manners in an atmosphere of controversy by staying quiet has won a place at the highest point in Paradise. [Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:
In patience and tolerance is the secret of well-being. Forgive the person who has committed a wrong and thus eliminate your anger. [Nizamuddin Awliya]

Guidance of the Day:
Without the direction and guidance that a life principle brings to our lives, we are like ships headed for shipwreck. Without foundational principle, we find ourselves in the dark and confusing abyss of deciding based upon "what we feel like" at any given moment. Our feelings are transitory and always changing. If we make our decisions based upon our ever-changing feelings, our lives will have no theme, no rhythm, no continuity, and no consistency. We will lose the thread of our lives, we will lose our own personal story, and we will become insane. We should develop the habit of viewing our current life questions in relation to a life principle.

Our life principle becomes the tool for bringing focus to our day. It is practical, it is effective, and the more we stay focused on this principle, the more we are able to attend to our legitimate physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual needs. The more we attend to these legitimate needs, the more we are energized. This energy maximizes our capacity in each area of our lives. By planning our days according to our legitimate needs, with the guidance and direction of this life principle, we know we are doing as much as we can without sacrificing the rhythm------and there is certain peace and liberation that comes from that knowing. [Kelly, The Rhythm of Life]

Food for Thought:
When you aren't distracted by your negative thinking, when you don't allow yourself to get lost in moments that are gone or yet to come, you are left with this moment. This moment------now------truly is the only moment you have. It is beautiful and special. Life is simply a series of such moments to be experienced one right after another.

Monday, September 03, 2007

LESSON OF THE DAY 920

Ayahs of the Day:
God and God's angels bless the Prophet: O believers, invoke blessings on him, and greet him with a prayer for peace. As for those who offend God and the Messenger of God, God has cursed them in this world and the hereafter, and arranged a degrading punishment for them. [33: 56, 57]

Hadith of the Day:
The one who realizes that he is wrong in his opinions, and does not get into an argument, has won a place at the edges of Paradise. The one who knows he is right and does not argue has won a place at the center of Paradise. [Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Indeed the whole world is imagination. Only He is the real in Reality. Whoever understands this knows the secrets of the spiritual path. [Ibn Arabi]

Guidance of the Day:
Every day, hundreds of options exist for us to expend our time, effort, and energy. Dozens of opportunities emerge in the day-to-day happenings of our lives that distract us from what is really important. Successful people do not allow these distractions to take a grip on their lives. In each moment of decision throughout the day, they carefully consider the opportunity before them in relation to their life principle. They constantly ask themselves, "Will this help me achieve my goal?" "Will this help me along the path toward point B?" They use their life principle as their guide or navigator. It becomes guiding principle of their lives and the anchor of their dreams.

The whole world will get out of the way for someone who knows what he wants and where he is going. Who you become is infinitely more important than what you do or what you have. This idea brings us to focus on change, growth, and development. It challenges us to dedicate our efforts and energies to those activities that will help us to become the-best-version-of-ourselves. [Kelly, The Rhythm of Life]

Food for Thought:
To hold a grudge against anyone is like carrying the devil on your shoulders. It is our willingness to forgive and forget that casts away such a burden and brings light into our hearts, freeing us from many ill feelings against our fellow human beings.