LESSON OF THE DAY 157

Ayahs of the Day:
And Zakariyya and John, and Jesus and Elias: All in the ranks of the Righteous. And Ismael and Elisha, and Jonah, and Lot: And to all We gave favor above the nations. We picked out of their forefathers, their offspring and their brethren, and We guided them to a straight way. Such is God's guidance: He thereby guides any of His servants He may wish. If they were to join other gods with Him, all that they did would be vain for them. [6:86,87,88]

Hadith of the Day:
A servant makes a statement that is so pleasing to Allah, although he himself does not give it much concern, that Allah raises him levels due to it. And a servant makes a statement that is so displeasing to Allah, although he himself does not give it much concern, that he is thrown because of it into Hell. [Bukhari]

Wise Quote of the Day:
The root of every sin, distraction, or lust is self-satisfaction. He who is satisfied with oneself does not see his shortcomings. And he who is unaware of his shortcomings, how can he succeed? [Ibn Ataillah]

Guidance of the Day:
Should the Devil--may God curse him!--tell you that God, Transcendent and High is He, neither needs you nor your deeds, that neither your submission will benefit Him, nor your rebellion harm Him, reply to him, "This is true! But I am the one in need of the graces of God and the good deeds. I am the one who benefits by submission and is harmed from disobedience. This is what my Lord has said to me in His noble Book and on the tongue of His Messenger (peace be upon him).

If the Devil then says to you, "If, in the knowledge of God, you are among the fortunate, you will inevitably end up in the Garden, whether you submit or rebel; and if, in the knowledge of God, you are among the wretched, you will end up in the Fire, even if you are obedient!" You must ignore him for the decree is hidden, only God knows and none of creation has anything to do with it.

Submission and obedience are the surest proof of good fortune, nothing stands between the obedient and the Garden should he die in a state of obedience. Whereas disobedience is the surest proof of wretchedness, nothing stands between the sinner and the Fire should he die in a state of sin. [Mutual Reminding--Good Manners]

Food for Thought:
Life is about timing. Winners never quit and quitters never win. Success is where preparation and opportunity meet. In order to succeed, your desire to succeed should be greater than your fear to failure.

LESSON OF THE DAY 156

Ayahs of the Day:
Such was Our argument which We furnished Abraham with against his folk: We raise anyone We wish to in rank. Your Lord is Wise, Aware. We gave him Isaac and Jacob: all (three) We guided; And before him We guided Noah, and among his progeny, David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses. and Aaron: Thus do We reward those who do good. [6: 83,84]

Hadith of the Day:
Whoever is killed defending his wealth is a martyr. Whoever is killed defending his family or his religion is a martyr. [Abu Dawood]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Know that death does not pounce at a specific time, situation, or age, but it is certain to pounce. Therefore, preparing for it has priority over preparing for this world. [Imam Ghazali]

Guidance of the Day:
If you feel that your soul is leaning toward rebellion or heading for sin, then use the whip of fear to rebuke it. Remind it of that with which God has threatened those who disobey Him: humiliation, calamity, debasement and vengeance, expulsion and deprivation, dejection and loss.

Beware of falling into error of those who strayed and belittled the garden and the Fire! Magnify what God and His Messenger has magnified and act only for the sake of God, for He is your Lord and you are His slave. Ask Him to let you enter His Garden and ask His protection from His Fire by His grace and mercy.

Food for Thought:
Champions keep trying until they get it right. Winning isn't everything, but wanting to win is. Failure can be accepted, but not trying cannot be accepted.

LESSON OF THE DAY 155

Ayahs of the Day:
(Abraham said) "How should I fear what you associate (with Him) while you do not fear having associated something with God for which He has not sent you down any authority? Which of either group deserve more security, if you know anything?" Those who believe and do not cloak their faith in wrongdoing will feel more secure and will be (better) guided. [6: 81,82]

Hadith of the Day:
By the One in whose hand is my soul, a servant does not truly believe until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself of goodness. [Ahmad]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Every man wakes up in his home / with death nearer to him than the laces of his sandals. [Abu Bakr Siddiq radi Allah anhu]

Guidance of the Day:
And reflect in abundance, O believer. Reflection is of three kinds. The first is reflection on the wonders of Divine Power and the marvels of the heavenly and earthly kingdoms. And its fruit is gnosis of God.

The second is reflection on the gifts of God and His graces. And its fruit is the love of God. The third is reflection on this world, the next, and the states of creation in both. And its benefit is turning away from this world and becoming attentive to the Hereafter.

If you feel, that your soul, through laziness and sloth, moves away from submission and good actions, then lead it back by the reins of hope, remind it of what God has promised those who obey Him: vast bounty, permanent bliss, grace, and contentment, eternity in the vastness of the Garden, honor, and high rank and eminence accorded by God the Exalted. [Mutual Reminding--Good Manners]

Food for Thought:
Sports do not build character, they reveal it. The only way to prove that you are a good sport is to lose. You can't win unless you know how to lose.

LESSON OF THE DAY 154

Ayahs of the Day:
So when he (Abraham) saw the sun rising (again), he said: "Will this be my lord? This is (even) greater." As it set, he said: "My people, I am innocent of what you associate (with God)! I have turned my face enquiringly to Him Who originated Heaven and Earth. I am no associator." His people argued with him. He said: "Are you arguing with me concerning God, while He has guided me? I do not fear what you associate with Him, unless my Lord should wish for something else. My Lord comprises everything in knowledge. Will you not (yourselves) be admonished. [6: 78,79,80]

Hadith of the Day:
The believer's shade on the Day of Resurrection will be the charity he or she has given. [Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:
What I fear most for you is that you follow your passions and have long hopes. Following passions repels from the truth; and having long hopes causes you to forget the Hereafter. [Ali radi Allah anhu]

Guidance of the Day:
O believer, strive to your utmost to make your performance of the five Prayers satisfactory, and do that by making your standing, recitation, humility, bowing, prostrations, and the Prayers' other obligations and sunnas complete in every way.

Before entering into Prayer, bring to your heart the awesomeness of the One you wish to stand before, Majestic and High is He. Beware of communing with the King of kings, the subduer of tyrants, with a distracted heart, deeply lost in the valleys of unawareness and whisperings, roaming the places of incidental thoughts and worldly ideas.

Know that the essence and meaning of worship is presence with God. Acts of worship which are devoid of presence are like dust, easily blown away. [Mutual Reminding--Good Manners]

Food for Thought:
Science has made us gods even before we are worthy of being human beings. Anybody who has been seriously engaged in scientific work of any kind realizes that over the entrance of the temple of science are written the words; "YOU MUST HAVE FAITH."

LESSON OF THE DAY 153

Ayahs of the Day:
Thus Abraham said to his father Azar: "Do you accept idols as gods? I see you and your folk are in obvious error." Therefore We showed Abraham sovereignty over Heaven and Earth so he might feel reassured. When night descended on him, he saw a star. He said: "Will this be my lord?" So when it set, he said: "I do not like setting things." So then when as he saw the moon rising, he said: "Will this be my lord?" and when it set, he said: "If my Lord did not guide me, I would be a member of the lost folk." [6: 74,75,76,77]

Hadith of the Day:
Every faith has an innate character. The character of Islam is modesty. [Al-Muwatta]

Wise Quote of the Day:
He who seeks knowledge for himself, a little will suffice him; but he who seeks knowledge for the people, the people's needs are numerous. [Malik ibn Dinar]

Guidance of the Day:
A believer should be the furthest of people from sins and forbidden acts, the most conscientious in carrying out his obligations, the most eager to do what draws him nearer to God, and the swiftest in performing acts of goodness.

One who is ignorant and one who knows but does not act on his knowledge are no different, except that the latter will have a stronger case made against him before God. Seen in this light, the ignorant is in a better situation. This is why it is said, "Ignorance is better than knowledge that is of no benefit."

Have a share in Night Prayers, for the night is the time when the servant is alone with his Lord. Make abundant pleas for help and forgiveness. Cummune with your Lord with the tongue of the humble and needy, and a heart where complete helplessness and abasement are realized. [Mutual Reminding--Good Manners]

Food for Thought:
Science investigates, religion interprets. Science gives man knowledge which is power, religion gives man wisdom which is control. Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power, It has guided missiles but it has misguided men.

LESSON OF THE DAY 152

Ayahs of the Day:
Say; "Allah's guidance is the (only) guidance, and we have been directed to submit ourselves to the Lord of the worlds. To establish regular prayers and to fear Allah; for it is to Him that we shall be gathered together." It is He who created the heavens and the earth in true (proportions): The day He will say, "Be," Behold! it is. His word is the truth. His will be the dominion the day the trumpet will be blown. He knows the unseen as well as that which is open. For He is the Wise, well-acquainted (with all things). [6:71,72,73]

Hadith of the Day:
The parable of the believers with respect to their love, mercy and compassion for one another is like that of the body: if one of its limbs is hurting, the remainder of the body is afflicted by sleeplessness and fever. [Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Ignorance is a fire that burns a person's religion. And its extinguishing water is knowledge. [Shaykh Ali ibn Abi Bakr]

Guidance of the Day:
Know that hearing and sight are two open doors, whatever enters through them reaches the heart. How many a thing does a person hear and see, which he should not have, but that once they have entered the heart, it proves difficult to remove them? For the heart is rapidly affected by what enters it, then the effect is difficult to erase.

Let the believer then be careful to protect his hearing and eyesight, and strive to restrain all his senses and his limbs from sins and from what is in excess of the necessary. Let him beware of looking with approval at the ornaments of this world, for its outward is deception and its inward is a lesson in wisdom. The eye looks at its deceptive manifestations, but the heart looks at the lesson hidden within.

Look at the creatures with an eye that sees them as evidence of their Creator's perfect power. Every creation says with the tongue of its state, "There is no God but God, the August, the Wise." This is what the people of enlightened hearts---who perceive by the light of God--can hear. [Mutual Reminding--Good Manners]

Food for Thought:
Science is wonderfully equipped to answer the question "HOW"? But it gets terribly confused when asked the question "WHY"?

LESSON OF THE DAY 151

Ayahs of the Day:
Those who do their duty are not accountable for them (i.e.the heedless) in any way except to remind them, so that they (in turn) may do their duty. Stay away from those who take their religion as a sport and amusement, and are deceived by the life of this world. Remind (them) of it lest any soul become reckless because of what he has earned; he will have no patron nor any other intercessor besides God. If it offered every ransom, none will be accepted; such is (the end of) those who deliver themselves to ruin by their own acts; they will have for drink (only) boiling water, and suffer painful torment because of how they persisted in rejecting Allah. [6: 69, 70]

Hadith of the Day:
Whoever loves to be saved from the Fire and entered into Paradise should die with belief in Allah and the Last Day and should treat the people in the way that he wishes to be treated by them. [Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
There is no enemy worse than ignorance. A man is the enemy of that which he has no knowledge of. [Ali radi Allah anhu]

Guidance of the Day:
The believer should strive to restrain his senses and limbs from transgressions and sins, and only use them in obedience. He should only use them in those things which would benefit him in the Hereafter. He should take great care in guarding his tongue, for its size is small, but its crimes are great. Let him prevent it from lying, backbiting, and other forms of forbidden speech.

Let him beware of lewdness, and of delving into what does not concern him, even if it were not forbidden, for it hardens the heart and wastes time. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "The speech of the Son of Adam will be counted against him, not for him, except for enjoining good, forbidding evil, and remembering God." Thus a believer should not only move his tongue in reciting the Quran, the remembrance of God, giving advice to a Muslim, enjoining good, and forbidding evil, but also only for those worldly things that relate to the Hereafter. [Mutual Reminding--Good Manners}

Food for Thought:
Humans love to wonder, and that is the seed of science. Science does not know its debt to imagination. Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.

LESSON OF THE DAY 150

Ayahs of the Day:
For every Message is a limit of time, and soon you shall know it. Whenever you see people engaged in vain discourse about Our signs, turn away from them unless they turn to a different theme. If Satan ever makes you forget, then after recollection, do not sit in the company of those who do wrong. [6: 67,68]

Hadith of the Day:
If one of you makes his faith excellent, he will be recorded for every good deed tenfold to seven hundred fold. And for every evil deed he does, he will have recorded one similar to it, until he meets Allah. [Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Sins in succession slay the heart. Sins are the harbinger of disbelief. [Muhammad ibn Wasi]

Guidance of the Day:
The resentful envy is manifest enmity to God, and opposition to Him in His kingdom. When God the Exalted bestows gifts on some of His servants, it is evidence that He intends them to be given to them and has chosen them for them, for none forces His hand. If the servant wants something different from what his Lord wants, he is discourteous and deserves to come to grief.

Resentful envy can also target things associated with the Hereafter, such as knowledge and virtue. A believer finds strength in his brother. A believer should inwardly desire and outwardly act to gather people on the path to God and help in their submitting to Him. He should not care whether they become better than him or he better than them, for this is given by God, and He, Exalted is He, selects whom He will for His mercy.

The blameworthy qualities of the heart, are many. The origin, foundation, and root of them all is love of this world. Its love is the head of every sin. When the heart is free from it, it becomes healthy and clear, enlightened and fragrant, fit to receive the lights and have the secrets unveiled. [Mutual reminding--Good Manners]

Food for Thought:
An expert is a person who has made all the mistakes which can be made in a narrow field. Bad times have a scientific value. These are occasions a good learner would not miss.

LESSON OF THE DAY 149

Ayahs of the Day:
Say: "He is able to send torment down upon you or from underneath your feet, or to confuse you with factions and make some of you experience the violence of others." Watch how We handle signs so that they may understand. Even so your folk reject it although it is the Truth. [6: 65, 66]

Hadith of the Day:
Part of the perfection of a person's Islam is his leaving that which is of no concern to him. [Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:
People honor themselves with nothing better than obedience to God, nor do they debase themselves with anything worse than disobedience to God. [Sa'id ibn al Musayyab]

Guidance of the Day:
The presence of ostentation is proof that the heart is devoid of the vastness and majesty of God because it seeks the approval of creatures through feigning and is not content with the knowledge that God, the Lord of creation, knows all that he does.

The one who performs good deeds and likes it to be known, so that people would revere and serve him, is an ignorant hypocrites whose desire is but for this world. The detached person is one who finds it repugnant when people offer him reverence and wealth, and seeks to avoid them.

Who can be more ignorant than the one who seeks the Hereafter by acts of this world? If he is unable to renounce the world, he should seek it from its Owner. The hearts of the creation are in the hand of God; He makes them incline toward the one who seeks Him, and He makes them serve him. [Mutual Reminding--Good Manners]

Food for Thought:
Only a brave person is willing to honestly admit, and fearlessly face, what a sincere and logical mind discovers. Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood.

LESSON OF THE DAY 148

Ayahs of the Day:
Say: Who saves you from darkness on land and at sea, When you call upon Him in humility and in the secrecy of the heart, 'If He will rescue us from this, we shall truly show our gratitude?' Say: It is Allah that saves you from these and all (other) distresses: and yet you still associate others with Him. [6: 63,64]

Hadith of the Day:
By the one in whose hand is my soul, you must order good and forbid evil or Allah will soon send upon you a punishment from Himself and then you will supplicate to Him and He will not respond to you. [Ahmad & Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:
He whose capital is the fear of God, tongues grow weary in describing his profits. [Al-A'Mash]

Guidance of the Day:
Among the worst sins of the heart are arrogance, ostentation, and resentful envy. Arrogance is a proof of great foolishness, excessive ignorance, and stupidity. If he possesses virtues and good qualities, they are but gracious gifts from God; a person can achieve nothing by his own power, neither can he acquire anything through his own strength and cleverness.

When he behaves with arrogance towards the servants of God, employing therein the gifts that God has graciously bestowed on him, does he not fear that by behaving discourteously and attributing to himself what belongs to God, He would take away everything from him? Prominence and greatness are attributes of God, the Compeller, the Supreme. [Mutual Reminding--Good Manners]

Food for Thought:
The saddest part of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than it gathers wisdom. There is more to life than increasing its speed.

LESSON OF THE DAY 147

Ayahs of the Day:
He is the Irresistible, (reigns Supreme) above His servants! He send guardians (to watch) over you so that whenever death comes for one of you, Our angels take his soul, and they will not neglect (their duty). Then they will be sent back to God, their true Protector, surely discretion belongs to Him! He is the Swiftest in taking account. [6: 61,62]

Hadith of the Day:
Judges are of three categories: one in Paradise and two in the Hell-Fire. As for the one in Paradise, it is a man who recognizes the truth and judges in accordance with it. As for the one who recognizes the truth but is unjust in his ruling, he is in the Hell-Fire. And the one who judges among the people with ignorance, he is also in the Hell-Fire. [Abu Daud & Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:
The crops of a people never perish in the presence of the fear of God. [Ali radi Allah anhu]

Guidance of the Day:
A believer should strive to guard his heart against insinuations, ailments, and bad thoughts. He should guard its gate by constant vigilance and prevent these things from entering. Once they enter his heart, they will ruin it and it becomes difficult to expel them. He should purify his heart--which is the place his Lord's gaze falls upon--from worldly desires, spite, rancor, deceitfulness, or thinking ill of any Muslim.

He must be of good advice to them, compassionate, and merciful; he must think well of them all, desiring for them whatever good he desires for himself, and disliking for them whatever evil he dislikes for himself. The heart commits sins which are uglier, fouler, and more offensive than those committed by the senses: a heart remains unfit for the gnosis of God and His love to descend on it, until it rids itself of all such things. [Mutual reminding--Good Manners]

Food for Thought:
I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with the sense, reason and intellect has intended us to forego their use. How many observe Christ's birthday! How few his precepts! O it is easy to keep holidays than commandments.

LESSON OF THE DAY 146

Ayah of the Day:
It is He who takes your souls by night, and has knowledge of all that you have done by the day; then He revives you in it so a stated period may be fulfilled. In the end to Him will be your return; then He will show you the truth of all you did. [6: 60]

Hadith of the Day:
If two disputants sit in front of you, do not decide the case for one of them until you listen to the other as you listened to the first. [Ahmad, Abu daud]

Wise Quote of the Day:
God will say to the people of Garden: Enter the Garden through My mercy, dwell therein perpetually by your good intentions, and take your shares of it by your works! [Hasan al Basri}

Guidance of the Day:
A Believer should protect himself from the smallest of the sins--let alone the major ones--with more urgency than protecting himself from lethal poison. Should he commit such a sin, he should be more frightened than if he had taken poison, for sins are to the heart what poison is to the body. The heart of a Believer is more precious to him than his body. The Believer has no capital other than protecting and improving his heart.

The body is a target for disease, soon to be destroyed by death. Its death, however, means only that one has to leave this grief and anxiety-laden world. But if the heart is ruined, the Hereafter is ruined. The only one to be rescued from the wrath of God and gain His rewards and win His Pleasure will be the one who comes to Him with a heart that is "whole". [Mutual Reminding--Good Manners]

Food for Thought:
People will wrangle for religion, write for it, fight for it, die for it, anything but live for it. Islam is no longer a journey, it has become a demography.

LESSON OF THE DAY 145

Ayahs of the Day:
Thus did We try some of them with others, that they should say: "Is it these then that Allah has favored from amongst us?" Does not Allah know best those who are grateful? When those come to you who believe in Our Signs, say: "Peace be on you, your Lord has inscribed for Himself (the rule) of mercy: verily, if any of you did evil in ignorance, and thereafter repented, and amended (his conduct), he is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful. Thus do We explain the Signs in detail; that the way of sinners be shown up. [6: 53,54,55]

Hadith of the Day:
Leave what makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt. Verily, truth is tranquility and falsehood is doubt. [Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:
This world is the abode of works; there are no rewards in it. The Hereafter is the abode of rewards, there are no works in it. So act in the abode of no rewards for the sake of the abode of no works. [Ali radi Allah anhu]

Guidance of the Day:
A person on the path to God should begin with sound repentance from all his sins. If he has treated unjustly any of God's creation, he should correct this by giving everyone their due. If this is not possible, he should ask them to release him from those obligations. Whoever is encumbered with debts to creation cannot proceed towards the Real.

It is a condition for sound repentance that one feel sincere remorse for his sins and be wholly determined not to repeat such actions as long as he lives. If he does not refrain from them, or is still harboring the intention to repeat them, his repentance is false.

He should be extremely aware of his shortcomings towards his Lord. When these shortcomings bring him sadness and his heart breaks, let him know that God is with him, for He says, Transcendent is He, "I am with those whose hearts break for My sake." [Mutual Reminding--Good Manners]

Food for Thought:
I would rather live my life as if there is a God and die to find out there isn't, than live my life as if there isn't and die to find out there is.

LESSON OF THE DAY 144

Ayahs of the Day:
Give this warning to those in whose (hearts) is the fear that they will be brought (to judgment before their Lord: except for Him they will have no protector nor intercessor; that they may guard (against evil). Send not away those who call on their lord morning and evening, seeking His pleasure. You are not accountable for them, and they are not accountable for you, that you should turn them away, you would be a wrong doer. [6: 51,52]

Hadith of the Day:
Many a person with disheveled hair (and dust-colored) is turned away from the doors, (whereas Allah holds him in such high esteem) that if he were to swear by Allah, Allah would fulfill that for him. [Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Human suffering is real. However, human perseverance, and human dignity are just as real. They allow us to nobly endure the trials of this world. [Imam Zaid shakir]

Guidance of the Day:
Know that the pursuers of this world are of three kinds: Some pursue it with the intention of giving to relatives and comforting the poor. Such people are considered to be generous and they will be rewarded, if their acts match their intentions.

Others yet have nothing but appetites and pleasures in mind. They are likened to cattle, as God the Exalted has said, Do you think that most of them hear or understand? they are but like cattle, they are even more astray. (25:44)

Others frequently pursue worldly things for the purpose of boast, bragging, and rivalry. These folk are considered illusioned fools or, worse still, the ruined losers: And your Lord knows what their breasts hide and what they reveal. (28:69). Counsel yourself honestly and do not betray yourself by feigning something you do not really intend. For you will have combined bankruptcy with false pretense and will lose both this world and the next: This is a manifest loss (39:15) [Mutual Reminding---Good Manners]

Food for Thought:
Courage is fear that has said its prayer. Prayer doesn't change God but it changes him who prays. We have just enough religion to hate each other, but not enough to love one another.

LESSON OF THE DAY 143

Ayahs of the Day:
We send the Messengers only to give good news and to warn; so those who believe and mend (their lives)--upon them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. But those who reject Our sings--them shall punishment touch, for they ceased not from transgressing. [6: 48,49]

Hadith of the Day:
Verily Allah, the Exalted, is pure and accepts only that which is pure. [Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Whoever builds his outward form upon following the sunnah, his internal form upon perpetual contemplation and awareness of Allah, he restrains his soul from following desires, he lowers his gaze from the forbidden things and he always eats the lawful things, then his perception and insight shall never be wrong. [Ibn Shuja al Kirmani]

Guidance of the Day:
This world is of three kinds: one leading to reward; another leading to being asked to account; and the third leading to torment.

As for that life leading to reward, it is one in which you work for and attain good and escape all evil. The world is the riding mount of the believer and the tilling ground of the Hereafter. This consists of necessities that are lawfully acquired.

As for that which leads one to being asked to account, it is the life which neither prevents you from an obligation nor induces you to indulge in transgression. This is the kind of worldly situation which leads to protracted reckoning in the Hereafter. It is that of the rich whom the poor will precede into the Garden by half a day, which is five hundred years.

As for that which leads to torment, it is living a life that prevents you from your obligations or lures you into transgression. For its owner, this life is provision for the Fire and his path to the abode of ruin. [Mutual Reminding--Good Manners]

Food for Thought:
I never knew worship until I knew how to love. Let our religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair. Religion is essentially the art and the theory of the remaking of man. Man is not a finished creation.

LESSON OF THE DAY 142

Ayahs of the Day:
But when they forgot the warning they had received, We opened to them the gates of all (good) things, until in the midst of their enjoyment of Our gifts, on a sudden, We called them to account, when lo! they were plunged in despair! of the wrong doers the last remnant was cut off, praise be to Allah, The Cherisher of the Worlds. [6: 44,45]

Hadith of the Day:
Be happy with what Allah has given you and you will be the richest of the people. Be good to your neighbor and you will be a believer. Love for the people what you love for yourself and you will be a Muslim. Protect yourself from the forbidden acts and you will be the one who worships Allah the most. [Tirmidhi & Ahmad]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Our living in this world will inevitably bring us tests. Those tests are subtle and open, they occur in great and small things. Through these tests, God shows which of us truly believe, and which of us are empty claimants. [Imam Zaid Shakir]

Guidance of the Day:
Beware of ostentation, for it invalidates what you do, leads to loss of reward for your deeds, and brings on detestation and punishment. Ostentation is to seek importance in people's eyes with acts that draw nearer to God, such as ritual Prayers and Fasts. Should you perceive ostentation in yourself, do not try to rid yourself of it by abandoning works, thus pleasing the Devil.

Works that can only be done in public, such as going on Pilgrimage,jihad,acquiring knowledge, congregational Prayers, and similar things, you should perform publicly as God has commanded you. Strive against your ego and seek God's help! As for the other kinds of works like fasting, night vigils, charity and Quran recitation, these you should go to extremes to conceal, for performing them in secret is unreservedly preferable, except for those who are safe from ostentation, who hope to be emulated by others, and who are qualified for this, [Mutual Reminding--Good Manners]

Food for Thought:
An idea not coupled with action will never get any bigger than the brain cell it occupied. Perseverance is the hard work you do after you got tired of the hard work you already did.

LESSON OF THE DAY 141

Ayahs of the Day:
Before you We sent (Messengers) to many nations, and We afflicted the nations with suffering and adversity, that they might learn humility. When the suffering reached them from Us, why then did they not learn humility? On the contrary their hearts became hardened, and Satan made their (sinful) acts seem alluring to them. [6: 42,43]

Hadith of the Day:
There are three things that if a person adheres to them, they purify his heart from any form of treachery or evil: making his deeds purely for the sake of Allah, being sincere with those in authority and sticking to the Muslim community as (its members) supplications encompass each other. [Ahmad, al Daarimi]

Wise Quote of the Day:
One does not attain unto the reality of faith until one has four traits: performing all obligatory acts in accordance with the sunnah; Eating only the lawful with scrupulousness; Avoiding all prohibited matters, whether outward or inward; And remaining steadfast on the above till death. [Imam Ghazali]

Guidance of the Day:
Consuming illicit and doubtful food inevitably hinders obedience and invites transgression. Refrain from eating the illicit, for this is obligatory, and the suspect, for this is dictated by scrupulousness. And seek only the licit, for this is an obligation among the other obligations.

When you obtain licit food and clothes, eat with moderation and dress with moderation. Do not be excessive, for the licit does not bear excessiveness. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "He who eats halal (permissible), his members obey, whether he wishes it or not: but he who eats haram (forbidden), his members sin, whether he wishes it or not." And, "Eat what you will, for that is how you will act." People are severed from the truth and excluded from the circle of sainthood only because they do not scrutinize what they eat. [Mutual reminding--Good Manners]

Food for Thought:
Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what is right. Those who stand for nothing, fall for anything.

LESSON OF THE DAY 140

Ayahs of the Day:
Lost indeed are they who treat it as falsehood that they must meet Allah--until when the Hour comes suddenly on them, they will say: "Woe to us for how we neglected it!" They will carry their burdens on their backs, and evil indeed are the burdens that they carry. What is the life of this world but play and amusement? But best is the home in the Hereafter, for those who are righteous, will not you then understand? [6: 31,32]

Hadith of the Day:

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "The religion is naseeha." The people said, "To whom?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, "To Allah and His Book and to His Messenger and to the Leaders of the Muslims and to the common folk of the Muslims." [Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
If you do not believe that God can take you at this moment and make you one of His saintly believers (awliya), then you are ignorant of His power. [Ibn Ataillah]

Guidance of the Day:
Long hopes bring about procrastination, which is a most sterile thing, for it never gives birth to anything good. It is said that most of the woeful howling of the people of the Fire is due to their procrastination. For he who procrastinates is ever lazy in obedience, slow in repentance, until death overtakes him, then he will say: "O Lord! Were You to only reprieve me for a short time, that I may give charity and be one of the righteous" (63:10). The procrastinator leaves this world with endless sorrow and limitless regret.

O my brother, shorten your hopes, and let your time stand before your eyes and your hope behind your back. Seek help in this by remembering the "defeater of pleasures" in abundance, the "disperser of companies," (i.e. death). Reflect on those who have preceded you, relatives and acquaintances (who have passed on). Bring to mind just how near death is, for it is the nearest thing lying in wait. Be ready for it; expect its pouncing upon you anytime.

Know that death does not pounce at a specific time, situation, or age, but it is certain to pounce. Therefore, preparing for it has priority over preparing for this world. [Mutual Reminding--Good Manners]

Food for Thought:
If we have no peace it is because we have forgotten we belong to each other. Peace is of the nature of a conquest. For that both parties are nobly subdued and neither party is a loser. Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition, benevolence, confidence and justice.

LESSON OF THE DAY 139

Ayahs of the Day:
If Allah touches you with affliction, none can remove it but He; If He touches you with happiness He has power over all things. He is the irresistible (watching) from above over His slaves, and He is the Wise, Well aquainted with all things. [5:17,18]

Hadith of the Day:
If one leaves that concerning which he has only doubt (and not certainty) that it is sinful, then he will avoid more of what is clearly a sin. The one who is bold enough to take part in what is doubtful, soon he may fall into what is clearly a sin. The sinful acts are Allah's private pasture. Whoever grazes around the private pasture is soon to fall into it. [Bukhari]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Our fundamental principles are six: Holding fast to the book of Allah Most High, following the sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him), eating only the lawful, keeping from harming others, avoiding sins, repentance and fulfilling the rights of others. [Sahl al Tustari]

Guidance of the Day:
Because the abode of this world is founded on hardship and trial, kneaded with trouble and distress, and filled with preoccupations and distractions, the things that divert one away from acts of obedience abound, as are those things that incite to transgression. These transgressions are numerous, but may be reduced to four categories: The first is ignorance, the second weakness of faith,the third long hopes, and the fourth eating illicit or dubious food.

Long hopes are extremely blameworthy. they lead one to work for prosperity of his worldly life at the expense of ruining his Hereafter. It is a maxim that he whose hopes are long, his works are bad. To harbor long hopes is to feel secure that you will remain in this world for a very long time. it shows an excessive foolishness and extreme stupidity, for long hopes push away certitude about death and attracts attachment to the illusion of a perpetual life.

Furthermore, long hopes are at the root of a number of evil character traits and acts which hinder obedience of God's commands and invite sin. Examples of this are avidity, avarice, and the fear of poverty. Among the worst are finding comfort in this world, working to improve one's lot in it, and striving to amass its debris. [Mutual Reminding--Good Manners]

Food for Thought:
It isn't enough to talk about peace, one must believe in it, and it isn't enough to believe in it, one must work at it. Peace begins with a smile. Peace has higher tests of manhood than battle ever knew.

LESSON OF THE DAY 138

Ayahs of the Day:
Say: "Shall I take for my protector any other than Allah, The Maker of the heavens and the earth? And He it is that feeds but is not fed." Say: "No! but I am commanded to be the first of those who bow to Allah (in Islam), And do not be of the company of those who join Gods with Allah." Say: "I would, if I disobeyed my Lord, indeed have fear of the penalty of a Mighty Day. On that day, if the Penalty is averted from any, It is due to Allah's Mercy. And that would be (salvation), the obvious fulfillment of all desires. [5: 14,15,16]

Hadith of the Day:
Verily, the womb (al-rahim) has taken its name from al-Rahman (the All -Merciful). Allah has said, "Whoever keeps your ties, I shall keep his ties. Whoever cuts you off, I shall cut him off." [Bukhari]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Meet people in such a way that if you should die, they should weep for you, and if you live, they should long for you. [Ali radi Allah anhu]

Guidance of the Day:
Continually indulging into sin is a sign of having fallen in the sight of God and deserving of His displeasure. He who persists in this is detestable to the All-Merciful; he is the Devil's ally and the believers' object of disgust. So beware of exposing yourself to God's displeasure and chastisement by disobeying Him. Should your soul incite you to sin, remind it of God's absolute awareness and sight of you. Place fear into it by recalling God's warnings of the painful punishment that awaits those who disobey Him.

Had it been that the punishment for committing sins was merely debarred from the rank of the foremost (al-sabiqun)or being deprived of the reward of those most excellent in deeds (al muhsinun), this alone would have been sufficient (deterrance). What, then, when indulging in sin leads to shame, hellfire, and the wrath and displeasure of the Compeller, before which the heavens and the earth cannot stand? We ask God safety, by His grace. [ Mutual reminding--Good Manners]

Food for Thought:
Lasting peace, comes not from force. Peace cannot be achieved through violence, it can only be attained through understanding. Peace and justice are the two sides of the same coin.

LESSON OF THE DAY 137

Ayah of the Day:
Have they not seen how many generations We wiped out whom We had established on earth before them in a way We did not establish you? We sent (water down from) the sky upon them in torrents and let rivers flow beneath them; and yet We wiped them out because of their offenses and raised up other generations to succeed them. [5: 6]

Hadith of the Day:
Hurry to perform the Hajj, that is, the obligatory one, as none of you knows what may happen to him. [Ahmad]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Whoever truly follows the Prophet (peace be upon him) do not have their own choice in matters. Rather, nothing stirs in their hearts except that which Allah and His messenger love. [Sahl al Tustari]

Guidance of the Day:
Those possessed of sound hearts and upright minds know that they will be requited for what they do in this life, that they will reap what they sow, that they will be judged just as they judge others, and that they are heading toward that which they have forwarded for themselves.

How can such people not know this or fail to be certain of this when what they believe and trust in comes from what they hear in the perfect revelation of God and the utterances of his Prophet (peace be upon him)? They are sources that impart conviction and certitude in one's whose heart God illuminates and whose breast He dilates. So be present of heart and attentive of ear and listen to what may awaken you from your heedlessness and rouse you from your slumber.

Act well for your own good, and save yourself "On a day when no wealth shall avail, nor children, save those who come to God with a sound heart" (26:88,89) [Mutual Reminding--Good Manners]

Food for Thought:
The difficulty with a marriage is that we fall in love with a personality, but we live with a character. What counts in making a happy marriage is not so much as how compatible you are, but how you deal with incompatibility.

LESSON OF THE DAY 136

Ayahs of the Day:
And He is Allah in the heavens and on earth. He knows what you hide, and what you reveal, and He knows The (recompense) which you earn (by your deeds). But never did a single one of the signs of their Lord reach them, but they turned away therefrom. And now they reject the truth when it reaches them, but soon shall they learn the reality of what they used to mock at. [6: 3,4,5]

Hadith of the Day:
A people do not keep from giving the zakah on their wealth except that they will be kept from having rain falling from the sky. If it were not for the animals, it would not rain at all. [Ibn Majah]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Whoever holds themselves to the sunnah, shall speak with wisdom, and whoever holds to their whims shall speak with reprehensible innovations. [Ismail Haqqi]

Guidance of the Day:
The good of both this world and the next are promised by god to those who fear Him. There are other beautiful and good things, immense favors and generous gifts promised to God fearing. It is sufficient honor with regard to taqwa that God the Exalted mentions it more than ninety times in His Book.

The merits of taqwa and of those who possess it are beyond enumeration. Imam Ghazali has said, :"Taqwa in the Quran has three meanings. First is fear and a sense of awe. The second include obedience and worship. Third is freeing the heart from sins, which is the reality and essence of taqwa."

In summary, taqwa is a guard against the anger of God and His punishment by fulfilling His commandments and abstaining from what He has made prohibited. The reality of taqwa is that your lord never sees you where he has forbidden you to be, nor does he miss you where He has commanded you to be." [Mutual Reminding--Good Manners]

Food for Thought:
More marriages might survive if the partners realize that sometimes the better comes after the worse. Marriage, like money is still with us, and like money, progressively devalued. A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.

LESSON OF THE DAY 134

Ayahs of the Day:
And behold! Allah will say: O Jesus the son of Mary! Have you told people : "Take me and my mother as two Gods instead of God (Alone)?" He will say: Glory be to you! It is not my place what I have no right to (say). If I had said it, you would have known it already. You know what is on my mind, while I do not know anything that is on yours. You are the knower of unseen things. I have never told them anything except what you have ordered me to: Worship God as my Lord and your Lord." I was a witness for them so long as I was among them. When you did take me up, You were the watcher over them, and You are a Witness for everything. [5: 116,117]

Hadith of the Day:
Do not abandon an obligatory prayer intentionally, for the one who fails to perform it intentionally has made himself free of the protection of Allah and His messenger. [Ibn Majah & Ahmad]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Flouting the sacred law is a sign that Allah has abandoned one. [Hamza Karamali]

Guidance of the Day:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "God loathes those who are learned of the affairs of this world but are ignorant of the Hereafter." For it behooves those who have been gifted by God with intelligence and skills to apply these gifts toward what benefits them in the most profound way, to gain knowledge and insight about the Real and the purpose He has created us.

This is not to say one should abandon the world altogether; on the contrary, Islam encourages excellence in things of this world, but not at the expense of matters related to the Hereafter and religious conduct of one's life. Detachment from the world is a thing of the heart, a mental attitude, an objective view of prioritization, so that one does everything that is required to do so, but without inordinate preoccupation.

As for studying the sciences of religion, it is a duty that no Muslim can evade. "Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim man and woman," said the Prophet (peace be upon him). This goes side by side with learning a trade, a craft, or obtaining higher university degrees. [Mutual Reminding--Good Manners]

Food for Thought:
Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, loving someone deeply gives you courage. Love conquers all. Love is the triumph of imagination over intelligence. Sometimes heart sees what is invisible to the eye. The hearts of the people are made to incline towards love. Love is a metaphysical gravity.

LESSON OF THE DAY 133

Ayahs of the Day:
Whenever they are told: "Come to what God has sent down, and to (hear) the Messenger," they say: "We are satisfied with what we found our forefathers doing," even though their forefathers did not know anything and were not guided! O you who believe, your souls are in your own care. No one who goes astray will harm you, provided you are guided. Toward Allah will you all return together, and He will notify you about whatever you have been doing. [5:104,105]

Hadith of the Day:
Allah has obligated five prayers. Whoever excellently performs their ablutions, prays them in their proper times, completes their bows and Khushoo (i.e. where the person's heart is attuned to the prayer) has a promise from Allah that He will forgive him. And whoever does not do that has no promise from Allah. He may either forgive him or He may punish him. [Malik, Ahmad, AbuDaud]

Wise Quote of the Day:
If you do remember death and prepare for its coming, you will know endless joy when death arrives. Whereas if you are complacent and procrastinate, death will come to you at an unforeseen moment and you will know regrets without end. [Imam Ghazali]

Guidance of the Day:
Taqwa is the foundation of good manners and proper comportment that is becoming of a person who believes in God, the Messenger (peace be upon him), and the Hereafter. But before learning about good manners, one ought to give some thought to what are bad manners and their characteristics.

It is bad manners of the most severe degree to be informed that the Hereafter is immensely better than this world and is everlasting, yet prefer this world and concentrate all one's energy therein. It is bad manners to be informed that it is possible to draw near to God, yet decide that the effort required to do so is too troublesome and so settle for the minimum necessary to barely escape the Fire.

It is bad manners to be informed that some people ascertain profound knowledge of God through contemplation, yet decide that other things are more important as the objects of your concerns. It is bad manners to devote time and energy to studying the insignificant and ephemeral, yet neglect to devote equal time (at least) in studying that which helps deliver one from chastisement in the Hereafter and from moral indifference in this life. [Mutual Reminding -- Good Manners]

Food for Thought:
We waste time looking for the perfect lover, instead of creating perfect love. True love is like a ghost, which everyone talks about but few have seen. There is no disguise which can hide love for long where it exists, or simulate where it does not.

LESSON OF THE DAY 132

Ayahs of the Day:
Know that Allah is strict in punishment and that Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful. The Messenger's duty is to proclaim (the message), but Allah knows all that you reveal and you conceal. Say: Evil and good are not equal, even though the abundance of evil may fascinate you. So fear Allah, O people of understanding in order that you may prosper. [5: 98,99,100]

Hadith of the Day:
The first matter that the slave will be brought to account for on the Day of Judgment is the prayer. If it is sound, then the rest of his deeds will be sound. And if it is bad, then the rest of his deeds will be bad. [Al tabrani]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Know that the Quran is the ocean where from the jewels of knowledge and the treasures of understanding are extracted. [Ibn al Haddad]

Guidance of the Day:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "He who believes in God and the Last Day, let him speak words of goodness or else remain silent." In another tradition, we learn what is meant here by "words of goodness." He said, "The speech of the Son of Adam will be counted against him, not for him, except for enjoining good, forbidding evil, and remembering God." When a Muslim meets his brother, this should be the matter of their discourse.

Obviously, they must exchange greetings of peace, inquire about each other's health, family, and other affairs; for this keeps the bonds of brotherly affection alive. But having done so, they should turn to reminding each other of that which brings the fragrance of faith in their lives and renders, by God's will, their life-to-come successful. [Mutual Reminding--Good Manners by Imam Abdallah Ibn Alawi al Haddad]

Food for Thought:
Love is the divine vitality that everywhere produces and restores life. A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge. What we have truly lived are the moments when we have done things in the spirit of love. Love is all we have, the only way that each can help the other.

LESSON OF THE DAY 131

Ayahs of the Day:
Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and beware (of evil); If you do turn back, know that it is Our Messenger's duty to proclaim (the message) in the clearest manner. On those who believe and do deeds of righteousness there is no blame for what they ate (in the past), when they guard themselves from evil, and believe, and do deeds of righteousness again, guard themselves from evil and believe again, guard themselves from evil and do good, for Allah loves those who do good. [5: 92,93]

Hadith of the Day:
You do not spend anything for the sake of Allah's countenance except that you will be rewarded for it, even (the food) that you put in the mouth of your wife. [Bukhari & Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
How often is a small action made tremendous through its intention, and how often is a tremendous action rendered small through its intention. [Al Harith al Muhasabi]

Guidance of the Day:
It is said that whoever occupies himself with insignificant things, then important things will bypass him. When intelligence is complete, then speech becomes rare. Speech is a necessary evil, but silence is salvation. So when you have to talk, do not be prolific. You will never once regret of your silence, but oftentimes you will repent your speech.

Early rising is blessed since it increases all kinds of good things, especially sustenance. Yet the most influential factor in bringing about sustenance is the performance of prayer with reverence, humility, modesty and proper positioning of the body--as are the rest of the obligatory aspects pertaining to prayer. One should not engage in vain discourse that is of no benefit to one's religious or worldly affairs. [Instruction of the student---The method of learning]

Food for Thought:
Where there is love there is life. Life without love is like a tree without blossoms or fruits. The ultimate test of a relationship is to disagree but hold hands. If you judge people, you have no time to love them. Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look which becomes a habit.

LESSON OF THE DAY 130

Ayahs of the Day:
O you who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, idols and raffles are only the filthy work of Satan, turn aside from it so that you may prosper. Satan's plan is to excite enmity and hatred between you, with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah, and from prayer; will you not then abstain? [5: 90,91]

Hadith of the Day:
Whoever removes a difficulty from a Muslim in this world, Allah will remove for him a difficulty of the difficulties of the Day of Judgment. Allah is assisting the servant as long as he is assisting his brother. [Bukhari & Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Do not do anything for the sake of others, and do not abandon anything for their sake either. Do not cover anything for them, and do not reveal anything for them. [Al Sari]

Guidance of the Day:
The most influential factors in strengthening memory are industriousness and commitment. Reducing one's consumption, increasing prayer at night, and reading the Quran are also factors for improving one's memory. It is said that nothing increases memory retention more than reading the Quran.

Indeed memory is a favor from God, and a favor of God is not given to he who sins. Among those things that bring about forgetfulness are wrong doings, committing many sins, harboring worries and anxiety over worldly matters, and being distracted by many occupations and attachments.

It is not befitting for an intelligent person to overly concern himself with worldly matters since they are harmful and are of no real benefit. Worldly anxieties create darkness in the heart, but concern for the Hereafter brings light into the heart. This light becomes apparent through the prayer. Anxiety from worldly affairs impedes one from doing good, while concern for the Hereafter incites one to do good, as does occupying oneself with prayer in a spirit of humility and presence of mind. [Instruction of the student--The method of learning]

Food for Thought:
The only abnormality is the incapacity to love. Love is like war; easy to begin, very hard to stop. In true love the smallest distance is too great, and the greatest distance can be bridged.

LESSON OF THE DAY 129

Ayahs of the Day:
Allah will not call you to account for what is futile in your oaths, but He will call you to account for your deliberate oaths: for expiation, feed ten indigent persons, on a scale of the average of that with which you feed your own families; or clothe them; or free a slave. If that is beyond your means, fast for three days. That is the expiation for the oaths you have sworn. but protect your oaths. Thus Allah makes His signs clear to you, that you may be grateful. [5: 89]

Hadith of the Day:
The Muslim is one from whose tongue and hands all Muslims are safe, and an emigrant is the one who leaves those things which Allah has prohibited. [Bukhari & Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Renunciation is the means of traveling to Allah and reaching Him, for there is no spiritual traveling for a heart that is attached to anything other than the beloved. [Ibn Ajiba]

Guidance of the Day:
Ali (radi Allahu anhu) said, "If you are occupied with learning something, then concentrate on it wholeheartedly. To withdraw from the study of knowledge of God is shameful and a big loss; so seek refuge in God from this distraction both day and night.

It is essential for the student of knowledge to bear patiently with miseries and humiliation while seeking learning. It is said that knowledge is nobility without debasement. But no one reaches it except through debasement, in which there is no nobility. You will not attain nobility before you have humbled your soul. The more abstinent a seeker of knowledge is, the more useful his knowledge becomes. Moreover, his learning becomes easier and the acquisition of beneficial matters more expansive. [Instruction of the student--The method of learning]

Food for Thought:
A baby is born with a need to be loved and never outgrows it. We are all born for love, it is the principle of existence, and its only end. Love is the divine vitality that everywhere produces and restores life. The way to love anything is to realize that it may be lost.

LESSON OF THE DAY 128

Ayahs of the Day:
O you who believe! Make not unlawful any wholesome things which Allah has made lawful to you, and transgress not. Verily, Allah does not like the transgressors. And eat of the things which Allah has provided you, lawful and good, and fear Allah in Whom you believe. [5: 87,88]

Hadith of the Day:
The learned are heirs of the Prophets and the Prophets do not leave any inheritance in the form of dinars and dirhams (wealth), but they do leave knowledge as their legacy. As such a person who acquires knowledge, acquires his full share. [Abu Daud & Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Every attribute that appears in the heart leaves traces on the limbs until they do not move except in accordance with it, and every action of the limbs can leave traces in the heart, so the relationship is reciprocal. [Zafar Othmani}

Guidance of the Day:
Divine recompense is determined by the amount of toil and labor one exerts in seeking knowledge. So he who perseveres in this, will encounter such delight in gaining knowledge that it overcomes all other delights of the world. Indeed this trade of scholarship goes on from cradle to grave.

The best period in life for study is at the beginning of adolescence. The best period of the day is the time of dawn and that between the setting of the sun and the first prayer vigil of the night. It is necessary to fully immerse oneself in the study of knowledge. A person in pursuit of knowledge should seek it at all times, so that he may eventually attain excellence. One way to attain knowledge is to have a pen available at every occasion so that he can write down whatever knowledge he hears. It is said that knowledge is that which is taken from the lips of men, since they recall only the best of what they heard and mention only the best of what they recall.[ Instruction of the student--The method of learning]

Food for Thought:
Love does not dominate, it cultivates. Where there is love, there is life. People not only like to be loved, but to be told they are loved. Love is the beauty of the soul. The best proof of love is trust.

LESSON OF THE DAY 127

Ayahs of the Day:
Will they not turn with repentance to Allah and ask His Forgiveness? For Allah is Oft-Forgiving and Most Merciful. Jesus, son of Mary, was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They had both to eat their daily food. See how We make the signs clear for them. Yet look how they are deluded away (from the truth). [5: 74,75]

Hadith of the Day:
When the people gather in one of the houses of Allah to recite the Book of Allah and teach it to each other, tranquility and peace descend upon the gathering, (Allah's) mercy covers them, angels spread their wings over them and Allah mentions them among those who are around Him. [Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
The source of every obedience, vigilance, and virtue is dissatisfaction with one's self. The source of every disobedience, indifference, and passion is satisfaction with one self. [Ibn Ataillah]

Guidance of the Day:
It is said, "He who knows himself knows his Lord." For when one realizes his own limitations, he knows more of the power of God, and he learns not to rely on himself and his own intellect. Instead, he places his trust in God and seeks the truth from Him. And those who rely on God, He suffices them and will guide them along the straight way.

He who possesses wealth should not be miserly. In fact, it is necessary to seek refuge in God from miserliness. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "What affliction is worse than miserliness?" It is essential in the quest of knowledge that one pursue the highest aspiration without coveting the wealth of people. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Beware of being covetous, for it is ever-present poverty." It is said, "People are in poverty because they fear poverty. [Instruction of the student--The method of learning]

Food for Thought:
All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on. When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say; "I used everything You gave me."

LESSON OF THE DAY 126

Ayahs of the Day:
Surely they have disbelieved who say: " Allah is Jesus, son of Mary." But Jesus said; "O children of Israel! Worship Allah my Lord and your Lord." Verily whoever sets up partners with Allah, then Allah has forbidden paradise to him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the wrongdoers there are no helpers. Surely, disbelievers are those who said: "Allah is the third of the three (in a Trinity). But there is no God but one God--Allah. And if they cease not from what they say, verily a painful torment will befall on the disbelievers among them. [5:72,73]

Hadith of the Day:
My Ummah (followers) will be called on the Day of Judgment as a people with bright faces and limbs, this being the effect of their practice of ablution. Therefore any one of you who wish to increase his brightness, should do so (by making ablutions thoroughly). [Bukhari & Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Silence is wisdom, though few are silent. [Luqman radi Allahu anhu]

Guidance of the Day:
It is essential for believers not to hope for anything unless it comes from God and not to fear anything except from God Himself. In ignoring this, one violates the ordinances of the Law, since he who sins against God out of fear of human beings actually fears someone other than God. But if he does not sin against God out of fear of his fellow men, and thus observes the ordinances of sacred Law, then he fears no one other than God. The same principle applies to hope.

A person who devotes himself to learning God's religion, God Almighty gives him sufficient care and provides for him in unexpected ways. It is essential in the search for knowledge to reduce one's attachment to worldly affairs as much as one can. It is necessary for everyone to occupy himself with good deeds so that the soul does not concern itself with mundane desires. The intelligent man should not be eager for the affairs of this world, since this kind of anxiety and grief does not avert calamity and is really of no use. [Instruction of the student--The method of learning]

Food for Thought:
Life is half spent before we know what it is. Life is like a blanket too short, you pull it up and your toes rebel, you yank it down and your shoulders shiver, but cheerful folks manage to draw their knees up and pass a very comfortable night.

LESSON OF THE DAY 125

Ayahs of the Day:
Your (real) friends are Allah, His Messenger, and the Believers--those who establish regular prayers and regular charity, and they bow down humbly (in worship). As to those who turn (for friendship) to Allah, His Messenger, and the Believers--it is the fellowship of Allah that must certainly triumph. [5: 55,56]

Hadith of the Day:
The best among you are those who learn the Quran and teach it. [Bukhari]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Be a good man to Allah and a bad man to yourself (desires), and be one of the commoners among the people. [Ali radi Allahu anhu]

Guidance of the Day:
It is important to realize that understanding, knowledge, and good fortune come from God the Exalted, as well as from asking God for guidance by supplicating Him. For God the Exalted is the One who guides those who seek His guidance.

So the followers of truth--who are the followers of the Prophet's way (peace be upon him) and the community of believers---seek the truth from God the Exalted who Himself is the Truth, the Elucidator, the Guide, the Protector (against error). So God the Exalted leads the followers of truth and protects them from error.

However people of misguidance admire their own intelligence and their opinions. They seek the truth only from mortals who are weak and only have reasoning (without revelation from God). For human reasoning does not encompass everything in all aspects, just as vision does not reveal all things to the sight. These people are veiled from and incapable of the highest truth. Consequently, they stray from the path of god and cause others to stray with them. [Instruction of the student--The method of learning]

Food for Thought:
May we live every day of our lives. The price for anything is the amout of life we exchange it for. Life is like a coin, we can spend it any way we wish, but we can only spend it once.

LESSON OF THE DAY 124

Ayah of the Day:
O you who believe! Whoever from among you turns back from his religion (Islam), Allah will bring a people whom he will love and they will love Him; humble towards the believers, stern towards the disbelievers, fighting in the way of Allah, and never fear the blame of the blamers. That is the grace of Allah which He bestows on whom He wills. And Allah is All-Sufficient, All-Knower. [5: 54]

Hadith of the Day:
Allah will elevate some nations through His book (the Holy Quran) and degrade others through it. [Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day
Dhikr (remembrance) is the reason for the life of the heart and leaving it is the reason for its death. [Ibn Ajiba]

Guidance of the Day:
Under all circumstances and times (the student) should endeavor to profit from everybody present. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Wisdom is wandering beast of the believer, wherever he finds it, he should seize it." It is said, "Seize whatever is clear and discard whatever is turbid."

If seeker of knowledge must make a living to support his family and other dependents, then he should work for his livelihood and at the same time repeat and discuss his lessons. Gratitude for the blessing of intelligence and knowledge also increases one's knowledge. Abu Hanifa said, "I acquired knowledge by praising God and thanking Him. As often as I understood an item of learning and gained grasp of a point of law or a nugget of wisdom, I said Praise be to God! Thus my knowledge increased." As such, it is necessary in the quest for learning to occupy oneself with giving thanks by way of the tongue, the heart, the hands, and one's wealth. [Instruction of the student--The method of learning]

Food for Thought:
The purpose of life is a life of purpose. It is not the length of life, but the depth of life. It is not a sum of what we are but what we yearn to be, its what we do with our life counts. The great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.

LESSON OF THE DAY 123

Ayah of the Day:
And We ordained therein for them: Life for life, eye for eye, nose for nose, ear for ear, tooth for tooth, and wounds equal for equal. But if anyone remits retaliation by way of charity, it shall be for him an expiation. And whosoever does not judge by which Allah has revealed, such are the wrongdoers. [5: 45]

Hadith of the Day:
Study the Quran (regularly) for it will act as an intercessor and entreat for its readers on the Day of Judgment. [Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Had there not been five bad qualities, all the people would have been righteous: contentment with ignorance, love for worldly life, miserliness, ostentation in good deeds and pride in their intelligence. [Ali radi Allahu anhu]

Guidance of the Day:
It is incumbent upon the student that he ponder long and often on the more subtle matters of knowledge and that he accustom himself to this (habit of thinking); for only by reflection can subtle problems be solved. For this reason it is said, "Reflect and you will reach a solution." But it is essential to reflect before speaking in order to say what is correct.

Speech is like an arrow; it is necessary to aim it by way of reflection before uttering anything. This way one hits the target. It is a major axiom that the discourse of a jurist in debate be based on thorough reflection. It is said, moreover, that the first principle of intelligence is practicing discourse with consideration and circumspection. Do not neglect the purpose of the discourse, its time, its quality, its quantity, and its place. [Instruction of the student--The method of learning]

Food for Thought:
Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. Life is a long lesson in humility. Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well.

LESSON OF THE DAY 122

Ayah of the Day:
It was We who revealed The Law (to Moses); therein was guidance and light. By its standards have been judged the Jews, by the Prophets who bowed (as in Islam) to Allah's will, by the Rabbis and the Doctors of Law; For to them was entrusted the protection of Allah's Book, and they were witnesses thereto; Therefore fear not men, but fear Me, and sell not My signs for a miserable price. If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah has revealed, they are (no better than) Unbelievers. [ 5: 44]

Hadith of the Day:
Three kinds of prayers are to be granted without an iota of doubt: the prayer of an oppressed person, the prayer of a traveler and the prayer of a father for his son. [Abu Daud & Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:
The beginning of the knowledge is intention, then listening, then understanding, then action, then preservation and then spreading it. [Ibn al Mubarak]

Guidance of the Day:
Learning is the most precious thing you could store. He who takes up learning will never have his honor effaced. So acquire for yourself those matters of which you were once ignorant. For the beginning and the end of knowledge is happiness. The joys of knowledge, and insight are sufficient incentive for intelligent men to acquire knowledge.

Serve knowledge in a way useful to you and keep its lessons alive by praiseworthy actions. Discuss with people subjects of learning in order that you may live. Do not keep yourself away from the enlightened. If you conceal knowledge you will be forgotten. Knowledge has this condition of being contagious for the one who serves it, such that it should make all men the servants of knowledge. [Instruction of the student--The method of learning]

Food for Thought:
Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. The greater the difficulty, the more the glory in surmounting it. There are no extra ordinary men, just extra ordinary circumstances that ordinary men are forced to deal with.

LESSON OF THE DAY 121

Ayahs of the Day:
As to the thief, male or female, cut of his or her hands; a punishment by way of example, from Allah, for their crime, and Allah is Exalted in Power, Full of Wisdom. But if the thief repents after his crime, and amends his conduct, Allah turns to him in forgiveness; for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. [5:38,39]

Hadith of the Day:
After the death of a person his actions stop, except for three things (that he leaves behind): First continuos charity, second a knowledge from which some benefit may be obtained, and then a virtuous son who prays for him. [Muslim]

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

Guidance of the Day:
How much shame, weakness, and regret is born to men from laziness. Beware of laziness in investigating the doubtful and the exceptional that come to your knowledge. Laziness issues from the paucity of meditation on the virtues of knowledge and its merits.

Good renown derives from useful knowledge and lasts after one's death. Indeed this is life everlasting. The ignorant are dead before their death, while the learned live even though they are dead. A person who does not live by knowledge is dead. The master of knowledge lives on for ever after his death. The life of the heart is knowledge, so seek it, and the death of the heart is ignorance, so shun it. [Instruction of the student--The method of learning]

Food for Thought:
The past actually happened, but history is only what someone wrote down. History is a vast warning system, it is philosophy teaching by example. It is a sum of total of things that could have been avoided.

LESSON OF THE DAY 120

Ayahs of the Day:
O you who believe! Do your duty to Allah, seek the means of approach unto Him, and strive with might and main in His cause; that you may prosper. And to those who reject faith--if they had everything on earth, and twice repeated, to give as ransom for the penalty of the Day of judgment, it would never be accepted of them. Theirs would be a grievous penalty. [5: 35,36]

Hadith of the Day:
The person closest to Allah is one who precedes others in greeting. [Abu daud]

Wise Quote of the Day:
The wise person knows that the only fitting price for his soul is a place in Paradise. [Ibn Hazm]

Guidance of the Day:
In seeking knowledge, it is important to aspire to the highest level of learning, since man flies by his aspirations as a bird flies with its wings. The chief aids in the acquisition of things are industriousness and high ambition.

It is said "Do not make haste in your affairs but proceed slowly with them. But beware of laziness, for it is misfortune and a great calamity. For each one who does good deeds experiences happiness, while each one who acts in a lazy manner has afflictions and unhappiness. [Instruction of the student--The method of learning]

Food for Thought:
The good of anger lies in its suppression, and its expression in accordance with the dictates of wisdom. The good of passion lies in its being under the guidance of wisdom, the guidance of intellect and the sacred law.

LESSON OF THE DAY 119

Ayah of the Day:
O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety: and fear Allah, for Allah is well acquainted with all that you do. To those who believe and do deeds of righteousness has Allah promised forgiveness and a great reward. Those who reject faith and deny Our signs will be companions of the Hell fire. [5: 8,9,10]

Hadith of the Day:
The greatest lies are those that a person should claim a false paternity, or may claim to have seen something (a dream) with his eyes which he has not seen, or attribute to the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him), which he has not said. [Bukhari]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Absorption in the worldly affairs breeds darkness in the heart, and the absorption in the affairs of the Hereafter enkindles light in the heart. [Othman radi Allah anhu]

Guidance of the Day:
It is essential in the seeking of knowledge to maintain a vigil through the nights. It is said, "He who desires to carry out all his aspirations should use his nights as a camel on his road to reach them. He who keeps watch at night will rejoice in his heart during the day."

In the search for knowledge, it behooves one to persevere in study and repetition, both at the beginning of the night and at its end, for the time between dusk and the hour of dawn is a blessed time.

In the quest of learning, one must make use of the days of early youth and adolescence. It is said, "By the amount of work you do, will you obtain what you strive for. So he who strives for a goal stays up by night. Make use of the days of early youth for verily the period of youth does not remain with you." [Instruction of the student- The method of learning]

Food for Thought:
(A tombstone inscription from New York City)

Behold and see as you pass by----As you are now so once I was.

As I am now so you must be----Prepare for death and follow me.

LESSON OF THE DAY 118

Ayah of the Day:
Forbidden for you are dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which has been invoked the name other than Allah; that which has been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being gored to death; that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild animal, unless you are able to slaughter it, that which is sacrificed on Stone (Altars); (Forbidden) also is the division (of meat) by raffling with arrows; that is impiety. This day have those who reject faith given up all hope of your religion. yet fear them not but fear Me. This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. [5: 3]

Hadith of the Day:
If somebody from you left his seat for a while and returns after sometime, he is more entitled to take the seat he had left. [Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
What a difference between what He (Allah) brings to you and what you present to Him. [Ibn ataillah]

Guidance of the Day:
Earnestness, perseverance, and assiduity are indispensable in the quest for knowledge. It is said that he who seeks something and is industrious (in so doing) shall find it; and he who knocks at the door and is persistent shall enter.

It is said that you will reach what you desire only to the extent that you pursue it. The industriousness of three kinds of people is essential in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding: the student, the teacher, and the father, if he is among the living. [Instruction of the student--The method of learning]

Food for Thought:
It's not the voting that's democracy, it's the counting. Democracy gives every man the right to be his own oppressor.

LESSON OF THE DAY 117

Ayah of the Day:
O you who believe! violate not the sanctity of the symbols of Allah, nor of the sacred month, nor of animals brought for sacrifice, nor the garlands that mark out such animals, nor the people resorting to the sacred House, seeking the bounty and pleasure of their Lord. But when you are clear of the Sacred Precincts and of pilgrim garb, you may hunt, and let not the hatred of some people in (once) shutting you out of the Sacred mosque lead you to transgression. Help one another in righteousness and piety, but help not one another in sin and rancor; fear Allah; for Allah is strict in punishment. [5:2]

Hadith of the Day:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) took a piece of silk in his right hand and a piece of gold in his left hand and said: "These two things are unlawful for the males of my Ummah." [Abu daud]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Be joyous for an increase in knowledge or in good works, for they are your two companions who will accompany you in your grave when your family, wealth, children and friends stay behind. [Imam Ghazali]

Guidance of the Day:
In seeking knowledge, it is essential to listen to words of knowledge and wisdom with reverence, even if one hears the same question and same words a thousand times. It is necessary in the quest of knowledge to be on guard from shameful traits of character, for they are the howling dogs of the spirit.

It is said."Knowledge is hostile to the haughty youth, just as torrential rain is hostile to the highlands." It is also said, "All glory is attained by exertion, not by luck. Is luck without exertion any glory? How many a slave ranks with the free, and how many a freeborn ranks with the slave!" [Instruction of the student--The method of learning]

Food for Thought:
Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. If instead of a gem or even flowers, we cast the gift of a loving thought into the heart of a friend, that would be giving like the angels give.