Monday, February 28, 2011

LESSON OF THE DAY 1266

Ayahs of the Day:
When the earth convulses in its shock and the earth unloads its burdens and man says, "What is the matter with it?'' That day it will relate its information, as your Lord has inspired it. That day humanity will go out separately, to be shown their works: then whoever has done a bit of good will see it, and whoever has done a bit of ill will see it. [99: 1 to 8]

Hadith of the Day:
Whoever protects the honor of his brother in his absence, Allah protects his face from the fire on the Day of Judgment. [Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:
People praise you for what they suppose is in you, but you must blame your soul for what you know is in it. [Ibn Ata'Allah]

Guidance of the Day:
Put things in Perspective: We're all so blessed to be alive, to be God's guests on this beautiful planet. Whether it takes us thirty minutes or forty-five minutes to get home from work need not interfere with our gratitude. If our kids are bickering, we can get all upset and let it ruin our day, or we can accept it as part of raising a family. If our homes aren't perfectly clean, we can feel defeated and worthless, or we can remember how fortunate we are to have a shelter to live in. If we can't afford the vacation we really want, we can feel victimized and sorry for ourselves, or we can plan a special adventure within our own budget.

I could probably go on for many pages, but the point is that our response is up to us. We can complain that life isn't perfect and wait for life to accommodate us with fewer demands, or we can put things in perspective and lighten up a little. If you're like most people, you've probably already tried the struggle approach to life. My suggestion is that we all strive to become a little more accepting of life and take it as it comes, put things in perspective. The more we're able to do so, the happier and less stressed we will become. [Carlson, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff -- with your family]

Food for Thought:
The future is not in the hands of fate, but in ours. The best place to find a helping hand is at the end of your own arm. If you would have a faithful servant, and the one that you like, serve yourself. There is no dependence that can be sure but a dependence upon one's self. He who would be well taken care of must take care of himself.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Pearls of wisdom 297

1. Honor lies in hastening to forgive; dishonor lies in hastening to revenge.

2. The more worldly greed in one's heart, the less certainty in God.

3. The best an evil person can do is to think others are like him.

4. Time wasted in youth must be made up in later years, if what you seek is a solicitous end.

5. Remain silent about the favors done by you, yet proclaim the favors others do for you.

6. Self satisfaction is a sure sign of lacking intellect.

7. The one whom small calamities seem large, will certainly be afflicted by truly large calamities.

8. He whose thoughts are vile and low can have nothing but the worst opinion of others.

9. Thankfulness to the Creator in the form of service to His creation is the ultimate expression of gratitude.

10. The one who acts as if death will come tomorrow feels no sorrow when it finally comes. [Above quotes by Ali radi Allah anhu]

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

LESSON OF THE DAY 1265

Ayahs of the Day:
As for those who scoffed, among both people of scripture and polytheists, they will be in hellfire, where they will remain. They are the worst of creation. As for those who have faith and do good works, they are the best of creation. Their reward is in the presence of their Lord: gardens of eternity with rivers flowing below, where they will abide forever, God being pleased with them and they being pleased with God. That is for those in awe of their Lord. [98: 6,7,8]

Hadith of the Day:
Glad tidings to the one busied by his own faults from the faults of others. [Bazzar]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Of all worldly possessions, few are more precious than a grateful heart. It is a well-spring of belief, attuning us to the Divine presence and driving us to His worship. [Imam Magid bin Muhammad]

Guidance of the Day:
Put things in Perspective: I have found it to be very helpful to remind myself -- each and everyday -- how trivial most things really are. Whether it's dealing with bills, crabby or demanding children, a messy home, pesky neighbors, a barking dog, an overwhelming schedule, a traffic jam, an unreturned phone call, weeds in the yard, whatever -- in reality, it's all small stuff.

I watch the news and remind myself that the stuff I have to deal with isn't front page news. A vast, vast majority of the time, it's not life-or-death. And if I see all the things confronting me as small stuff instead of as a series of major emergencies, it's all so much easier to deal with. With perspective, life is smoother and more manageable. [Carlson, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff -- with your family]

Food for Thought:
Pray to God, but row for the shore. Prayer is not a lazy substitute for work. It is not a short cut to skill or knowledge. And sometimes God delays the answer to our prayer in final form until we have time to build up the strength, accumulate the knowledge, or fashion the character that would make it possible for Him to say "yes" to what we ask.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Pearls of wisdom 296

1. Beware of having long term expectations (for this world), for it makes one forget his true purpose.

2. Thankfulness for blessings is the condition for attaining more blessings, and ingratitude for blessings is the condition for losing them.

3. Death is always a silent companion.

4. There is no age which does not have its calamities hidden in its every moment.

5. The heights of felicity are reached through the breaking of bad habits.

6. The wise attain honor through their humbleness, whereas the fool bears humiliation through his haughtiness.

7. Regret over misdeeds erases them, and pride over good deeds ruins them.

8. Vain desires is a ruinous companion, and bad habits make up a formidable foe.

9. The intellect of a man lies hidden behind his tongue.

10. To panic during a calamity is itself a greater calamity. [Above quotes by Ali radi Allah anhu]

Friday, February 18, 2011

LESSON OF THE DAY 1264

Ayahs of the Day:
And those to whom scripture was given did not become divided among themselves until after the evidence came to them. Yet they have only been enjoined to worship God sincerely in their way of life, devoted; and to practice regular prayer, and to give alms; that is true religion. [98: 4,5]

Hadith of the Day:
Whoever eavesdrops on the conversation of the people who dislike to have him listening shall have molten lead poured into his ears. [Bukhari]

Wise Quote of the Day:
The deceased await your imminent arrival, so gather now your provisions for that journey. [Dawud Tai]

Guidance of the Day:
One of the most important things we can do is to put things in perspective. Most of the things that upset us most are not life-or-death emergencies. In fact, I find it fascinating that when people are confronted with truly "big stuff" -- natural disasters, divorce, financial crisis, illness, death of loved ones, sick children, aging parents, and so forth --most of them are remarkably courageous and innovative. For some reason, we respond to major life events by rising to the occasion, calling on our inner strength, and getting through whatever it is that life has to offer. We pray, ask for help, become highly creative, and exhibit enormous endurance.

However, the same people (all of us) who somehow get through a chemical addiction, business disaster, or some other crisis, are often overwhelmed, bent out of shape, easily annoyed, stressed out, frustrated, and bothered by all the daily "small stuff" that is part of every one's life. Somehow, it's the little stuff, not the big stuff, that we struggle with the most.
[Carlson, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff -- with the family]

Food for Thought:
Prayer time must be kept up as duly as meal-time. Begin to realize more and more that prayer is the most important thing you do. You can use your time to no better advantage than to pray whenever you have an opportunity to do so, either alone or with others; while at work, while at rest, or while walking down the street. Anywhere!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Pearls of wisdom 295

1. The surest way of achieving heaven on earth is contentment with His decree.

2. Indeed the sword may wound the body, but it is the foul speech which wounds the soul.

3. Steeped in error is he who can find time to seek out the faults of others.

4. A Muslim's humiliation comes from his heedlessness of his religion, not in his lack of wealth and stature.

5. When the poor and needy come to you, then know that it is a gift from your Lord.

6. Sins have a tendency of creating restlessness in one's heart in one form or the other.

7. Ingratitude -- spending of Allah's bounty in ways which are inappropriate and unbefitting.

8. Generosity is the fruit of wealth; practice is the fruit of knowledge; Allah's pleasure is the fruit of sincerity.

9. The one who has not observed the rights of people cannot possibly observe the rights of God.

10. Lovers of fine raiment and garb! forget not that one day you will wear the shroud of the grave;
Lovers of palaces and lofty mansions! forget not that ditch where you will ultimately lie;
Lovers of fine food and drink forget not that you are to become the food of worms and maggots. [Above quotes by Othman radi Allah anhu]

Monday, February 14, 2011

LESSON OF THE DAY 1263

Ayahs of the Day:
We have revealed this during the night of the Decree. And what will convey to you what the night of the Decree is? The night of the Decree is better than a thousand months: the angels and the spirit descend therein, by permission of their Lord, on every matter. It is peace: this till the rise of dawn. [97: 1 to 5]

Hadith of the Day:
Whoever withholds his anger, Allah will withhold His punishment from him. [Tabarani]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Only someone who is sincere recognizes what showing off is. [Imam al-Shafi'i]

Guidance of the Day:
Don't talk behind their backs. Breaking this habit is easier than you might think. Once you see how truly nasty the habit really is, the rest seems to fall gently into place. At first, you might not notice yourself being critical until after the fact. You'll remember when it's too late. Don't be hard on yourself. Instead, be grateful that your old habit came to mind and that your goal is to stop doing it.

The next time, you might catch yourself right in the middle of a conversation about someone else. You can then say something like "Whoops, there I go again being critical about someone who isn't even around." Then gently shift the conversation. At some point, it will become easy. You'll feel yourself about ready to be critical but stop short of actually doing so. You'll "see it coming," observe your own thoughts and behavior, and rip them in the bud. In time, you'll rarely be critical of others when they're not around.

Even when the people around you are talking about others, you can gently refuse to get involved. Instead, you can guide the conversation elsewhere by remaining quiet, saying something nice, or defending the person being criticized or changing the topic altogether. The benefits of being less critical behind the backs of others can be dramatic and instantaneous. Give it a try and you will feel better right away. [Carlson, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff -- with your family]

Food for Thought:
Take plenty of time to count your blessings, but never spend a minute in worry. Blessed is the man who is too busy to worry in the daytime, and too sleepy at night. Anxiety springs from the desire that things should happen as we wish rather than as God wills.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Pearls of wisdom 294

1. How strange is the one who believes in Paradise yet spends his days in the world leisurely.

2. How strange is the one who considers God to be the Ultimate Reality and yet relies on others exclusively.

3. How strange is the one who knows Satan to be his enemy and yet listens to him obediently.

4. O' son of Adam! Allah has nourishingly created you for Himself alone, yet you so desire to belong to others.

5. The lover of God loves his times of solitude.

6. Well being has ten parts, nine of which are only found in solitude and one found in interaction with people.

7. A slip of the tongue is far more hazardous than the slip of the foot.

8. If you are bent on committing that sin, then seek out that place which is bent on keeping God out.

9. To deem that Allah is with one every moment is the greatest expression of faith.

10. The scandal monger harms three people with his tongue -- himself, his listener, and his target. [Above quotes by Othman radi Allah anhu]

Tuesday, February 08, 2011

LESSON OF THE DAY 1262

Ayahs of the Day:
Do you see the one who prevents the devotee from praying? Do you see if he is following direction? Or if he enjoins conscience? Do you see if he scoffs at truth and turns away? Doesn't he know God sees? If he doesn't desist, We'll drag him by the forelock -- a lying -- sinning forelock -- then let him call on his council: We will call the infernal guard. Don't obey him, but bow down and draw near. [96: 9 to 19]

Hadith of the Day:
Do not insult the dead, for they have moved on to what they sent forth. [Bukhari]

Wise Quote of the Day:
The presence of taqwa is recognized by three things: Rushing to fulfill Allah's commands; Seeking nothing from people; Speaking and acting only for what benefits one in this life and in the Hereafter. [Shaqeeq al Balkhi]

Guidance of the Day:
Don't talk behind their backs. When you talk behind someone's back, it says far less about the person you are discussing than it does about our own character, about your need to be critical and your need to talk behind other people's backs. It's like hitting a person who is down -- the person you are talking about is not able to defend himself or herself. It's not fair.

Furthermore, if you pay careful attention to how you feel when you are critical about someone behind that person's back, you'll notice that you'll feel a little mean-spirited, as if your conscience is trying to tell you something Deep down, you know that in most instances it's wrong to be critical of others behind their backs.

When you talk behind the backs of other people, it can also make the person you are gossiping with a little insecure. After all, if you're saying those thing about someone else, what assurance do others have that you're not doing the same thing about them when they are not around? This lack of integrity greatly contributes to increased cynicism in our family and our world because no one feels that anyone else is ultimately trustworthy. [Carlson, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff -- with your family]

Food for Thought:
We have to ask ourselves how our individual presence can change the course of humanity for the good. If we change, humanity changes. We just have to look at what is before us and start right where we are. We need to see where we can help, and then act in a way that fulfills our personal errand for humanity. Every act has its effects. How do you plan to fulfill your errand to humanity?

Sunday, February 06, 2011

Pearls of wisdom 293

1. Wasted is a scholar who is not asked about what he knows.

2. Wasted is the wealth which is not used in good.

3. Wasted is the knowledge which is not acted upon.

4. Wasted is the goodly advice which is ignored.

5. Wasted is the mus'haf (copy of the Qur'an) which is not recited from.

6. Wasted is the the heart which is firmly planted in the mud of dunya.

7. Wasted is the life which has made no provision for the ultimate journey.

8. Put your hopes in no one except your Lord, have fear of nothing other than your sins.

9. The extent to which one understands the nature of dunya measures the degree of his attachment from it.

10. O son of Adam! Allah has nourishingly created you for Him alone, yet you so desire to belong to others. [Above quotes by Othman radi Allah anhu]

Friday, February 04, 2011

LESSON OF THE DAY 1261

Ayahs of the Day:
Read, in the name of your Lord, who created: created man of clotted blood. Read, for your Lord is most generous, the one who taught the use of the pen, taught man what he did not know. Man does indeed go to excess in viewing himself as self-sufficient; for all returns to your Lord. [96: 1 to 8]

Hadith of the Day:
Allah hates the obscene and wasteful. [Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:
If the belief is truly in the heart, the deeds will not delay in following it whatsoever. The complete recognition of Allah and proper love cannot be in the heart if it does not have an over riding effect on the outward deeds. [Ibn Taymiyyah]

Guidance of the Day:
Become less easily bothered. The way to become less easily bothered is to make it a priority. Observe your own reactions to life. Take note of how uptight you can be and how reactive you are to the events and people around you. When you have done so, make a commitment to becoming less bothered, especially by little things.

As you move through your day, see if you can catch yourself being annoyed or bothered. Make a game out of it. As you find yourself getting uptight over some little thing, say something to yourself like "Whoops, there I go again." Make light of it. You will notice that most of your (over) reactions are unconscious, meaning you probably aren't even aware of how uptight you have become. By consciously paying attention to your own thinking and reactions, you bring them to the surface and enable yourself to change.

Most of our reactions to life are nothing more than habits, learned behavior. If we practice being rigid and uptight, that's what we'll become. However the reverse is equally true. If you can combine a little humility with the ability to catch yourself and your own reactions, and you have the determination to change, you will certainly be able to do so. Give it a try. By becoming less reactive and agitated, you'll become a happier person and you'll have a lot more fun too. One more thing: Every important person in your life will notice your positive change and will appreciate it a great deal. [Carlson, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff -- with your family]

Food for Thought:
The one important thing I have learned over the years is the difference between taking one's work seriously and taking one's self seriously. The first is imperative, and the second is disastrous.

Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Pearls of wisdom 292

1. How strange is the one who claims to know the reality of death and yet can go on enjoying himself heedlessly!

2. How strange is the one who recognizes the evanescence of the world yet longs after it tirelessly!

3. How strange is the one who believes in destiny yet cries over the loss of that which is fleeting!

4. How strange is the one who knows Reckoning to be true and yet goes on hoarding ceaselessly!

5. Silence -- the best remedy for anger.

6. Over indulging in the fleeting pleasures leads to a decrease in what is to be enjoyed in the eternal realm to come.

7. Wanting more when sufficient sustenance and well-being has been given is also a form of complaint.

8. Seek not to burden anyone of God's creature with it be something large or small.

9. Dunya -- any action undertaken without Allah's pleasure as its goal.

10. This world is merely a way station which Allah has placed on the road of those travelling to Him. [Above quotes by Othman radi Allah anhu]