Ayah of the Day:
So partake of what God has provided you as lawful and wholesome; and give thanks for the favor of God if it is God that you serve. [16: 114]
Hadith of the Day:
When a person dies, his deeds die with him, except for three: charitable endowments, beneficial knowledge, and righteous children who supplicate on his behalf. [Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Spend from what Allah has given you. Do not fear poverty. Allah will give you as He has promised. No one who has been generous has ever perished in destitution. [Ibn al Arabi]
Guidance of the Day:
The art of happiness. Also among the principles of the art of happiness is to value life on this earth according to its true merit and worth. This life is frivolous and does not warrant anything from you except that you turn away from it. This life is filled with calamities, aches, and wounds. If that is the description of this life, then how can one be unduly affected by its minor calamities, and how can one grieve over such material things as have passed him by? The best moments of life are tainted, its future promises are mere mirages, the successful ones in it are envied, the one who is blessed is constantly threatened, and lovers are struck by some unexpected misfortune.
Happiness is acquired by assuming it. It is acquired by constantly smiling, by hunting for the reasons that make one happy, and even by forcing it onto one's own self, however awkward that may seem. One does all these things until happiness becomes second nature. The truth of the matter is that you cannot remove from yourself all remnants of grief. And the reason for this is life was created as a test. But you should as much as possible, reduce the amount and intensity of your grief. As for being completely free from grief, this is for the inhabitants of Paradise in the Hereafter.
So when a person knows the nature of this world and its qualities, he comes to realize that it is dry, deceitful, and unworthy; and he comes to fully understand that that is its nature and its description. It is worthy of the intelligent person not to help in its onslaught, nor to surrender to depression and anxiety. What we should do is defend ourselves from all feelings that may spoil our lives, in a war that we must wage with all the strength that we have been endowed with. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
Do not be sad, because if you are, you disturb your soul and heart, and you prevent yourself from sleeping.
Friday, April 21, 2006
Thursday, April 20, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 529
Ayahs of the Day:
God has made an example of a city that was secure and peaceful, its provision coming to it abundantly from all quarters; yet it was ungrateful for the favors of God, so God enveloped them in hunger and fear because of what they were doing. A messenger from among them did come to them, but they called him a liar, so the penalty afflicted them as they were being oppressive.[16: 112,113]
Hadith of the Day:
Should any of you burp or sneeze, let him suppress the sound. [Bayhaqi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Put your hope in no one except your Lord. Have fear of nothing other than your sins. [Othman radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
The art of happiness. Among the greatest of blessings is to have a calm, stable, and happy heart. For in happiness the mind is clear, enabling one to be a productive person. It has been said that happiness is an art that needs to be learned. And if you learn it you will be blessed in this life. A basic principle of achieving happiness is having an ability to endure and to cope with any situation. Therefore you should neither be swayed nor governed by difficult circumstances, nor should you be annoyed by insignificant trifles. Based on the purity of the heart and its ability to endure, a person will shine. When you train yourself to be patient and forbearing, then hardship and calamity will be easy for you to bear.
The opposite of being content is being short sighted, being concerned for no one but one's own self and forgetting about the world and all that is in it. it is as if such people see themselves as being the whole universe, or atleast the center of it. They think not of others, nor do they live for anyone but themselves. It is incumbent upon you and I to take time out to be preoccupied with more than just us, and to sometimes distance ourselves from our own problems in order to forget our wounds and hurts. By doing this we gain two things: we make ourselves happy, and we bring joy to others.
Basic to the art of happiness is to bridle our thoughts and to restrain them, not allowing them to wander, stray, escape, or go wild. For if you were to leave your thoughts to wander as they wish, then they will run wild and control you. They will open the catalogue of your past woes. They will remind you of the history of your misfortunes. If your thoughts are left to roam, then they will bring to you images of a future that is frightening. These thoughts will shake your very being and will cause your feelings to flare. Therefore bridle them, and restrain them by directing them to the concentrated application of the kind of serious thought that begets fruitful and beneficial work. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
Each experience in your life was absolutely necessary in order to have gotten you to the next place, and the next, up until this moment.
God has made an example of a city that was secure and peaceful, its provision coming to it abundantly from all quarters; yet it was ungrateful for the favors of God, so God enveloped them in hunger and fear because of what they were doing. A messenger from among them did come to them, but they called him a liar, so the penalty afflicted them as they were being oppressive.[16: 112,113]
Hadith of the Day:
Should any of you burp or sneeze, let him suppress the sound. [Bayhaqi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Put your hope in no one except your Lord. Have fear of nothing other than your sins. [Othman radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
The art of happiness. Among the greatest of blessings is to have a calm, stable, and happy heart. For in happiness the mind is clear, enabling one to be a productive person. It has been said that happiness is an art that needs to be learned. And if you learn it you will be blessed in this life. A basic principle of achieving happiness is having an ability to endure and to cope with any situation. Therefore you should neither be swayed nor governed by difficult circumstances, nor should you be annoyed by insignificant trifles. Based on the purity of the heart and its ability to endure, a person will shine. When you train yourself to be patient and forbearing, then hardship and calamity will be easy for you to bear.
The opposite of being content is being short sighted, being concerned for no one but one's own self and forgetting about the world and all that is in it. it is as if such people see themselves as being the whole universe, or atleast the center of it. They think not of others, nor do they live for anyone but themselves. It is incumbent upon you and I to take time out to be preoccupied with more than just us, and to sometimes distance ourselves from our own problems in order to forget our wounds and hurts. By doing this we gain two things: we make ourselves happy, and we bring joy to others.
Basic to the art of happiness is to bridle our thoughts and to restrain them, not allowing them to wander, stray, escape, or go wild. For if you were to leave your thoughts to wander as they wish, then they will run wild and control you. They will open the catalogue of your past woes. They will remind you of the history of your misfortunes. If your thoughts are left to roam, then they will bring to you images of a future that is frightening. These thoughts will shake your very being and will cause your feelings to flare. Therefore bridle them, and restrain them by directing them to the concentrated application of the kind of serious thought that begets fruitful and beneficial work. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
Each experience in your life was absolutely necessary in order to have gotten you to the next place, and the next, up until this moment.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 528
Ayah of the Day:
One day every soul will come and debate about itself, and each soul will be paid in full for what it did; and they will not be wronged. [16: 111]
Hadith of the Day:
Should you wish to act, ponder well the consequences. If good carry on; if not desist. [Ibn al-Mubarak]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Those who rely and trust in Allah are given increase in their provision and the goodness of their nature. [Shaqeeq al Balkhi]
Guidance of the Day:
The blessing of Knowledge. Ignorance kill's one's conscience and soul. Knowledge is a light that leads to wisdom. It is life for one's soul and fuel for one's character. Happiness and high spiritedness come with enlightenment, because through knowledge, one may fulfill his goals and discover what was previously hidden from him. The soul by its very nature, longs for the acquisition of new knowledge to stimulate it and the mind.
Ignorance is boredom and grief, because the ignorant person leads a life that never offers anything new or mind provoking. Yesterday is like today, which in turn is like tomorrow. If you desire happiness, then seek out knowledge and enlightenment, and you will find that anxiety, depression, and grief will leave you. If someone is ignorant, let him not be proud of either his wealth or his status in society: his life is lacking in meaning and his achievements are woefully incomplete.
How noble is enlightenment! And through it, how happy is the soul! [Don't be Sad]
Du'a of the Week:
Allahumma Musarrifa 'l-qulub, sarrif qulubana 'ala ta'atik (O Allah, Turner of hearts, turn our hearts toward Your obedience).
Food for Thought:
Having an impact on another person, shaping his or her life in some small vital way, is one of the most enduring satisfactions we will know. We teach because we need to share.
One day every soul will come and debate about itself, and each soul will be paid in full for what it did; and they will not be wronged. [16: 111]
Hadith of the Day:
Should you wish to act, ponder well the consequences. If good carry on; if not desist. [Ibn al-Mubarak]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Those who rely and trust in Allah are given increase in their provision and the goodness of their nature. [Shaqeeq al Balkhi]
Guidance of the Day:
The blessing of Knowledge. Ignorance kill's one's conscience and soul. Knowledge is a light that leads to wisdom. It is life for one's soul and fuel for one's character. Happiness and high spiritedness come with enlightenment, because through knowledge, one may fulfill his goals and discover what was previously hidden from him. The soul by its very nature, longs for the acquisition of new knowledge to stimulate it and the mind.
Ignorance is boredom and grief, because the ignorant person leads a life that never offers anything new or mind provoking. Yesterday is like today, which in turn is like tomorrow. If you desire happiness, then seek out knowledge and enlightenment, and you will find that anxiety, depression, and grief will leave you. If someone is ignorant, let him not be proud of either his wealth or his status in society: his life is lacking in meaning and his achievements are woefully incomplete.
How noble is enlightenment! And through it, how happy is the soul! [Don't be Sad]
Du'a of the Week:
Allahumma Musarrifa 'l-qulub, sarrif qulubana 'ala ta'atik (O Allah, Turner of hearts, turn our hearts toward Your obedience).
Food for Thought:
Having an impact on another person, shaping his or her life in some small vital way, is one of the most enduring satisfactions we will know. We teach because we need to share.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 527
Ayah of the Day:
But then your Lord, to those who go into exile after being persecuted, then struggle and persevere, your Lord is thereafter surely most forgiving, most merciful. [16: 110]
Hadith of the Day:
Should you become eager to mention another's faults, recall your own. [Ar-Rafi'i]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The one who reckons his words as part of his actions speaks very little--only about those things that are of concern to him. [Omar ibn Abdul Azeez]
Guidance of the Day:
Find consolation by remembering the afflicted. Look around you, to the right and to the left. Do you not see the afflicted and the unfortunate? In every house there is mourning and upon every cheek run tears. How many tribulations and how many people persevere with patience. You are not alone in your troubles, which are few compared to those of others. How many sick people remain bedridden for years while suffering from unspeakable pain! How many have not seen the light of the sun for years due to their imprisonment, having knowledge of nothing but the four corners of their cell! How many men and women have lost their children in the prime of their youth! How many people are troubled or tormented!
Find consolation with those that are worse off than you; know that this life is like a prison for the believer, an abode of grief and sadness. You must adapt like the experienced camel, which manages, when necessary, to kneel upon a rock. You must also compare your difficulties of those around you, and with those that have come before you; you should realize that you are in good shape relative to them, and that you have merely been pricked by tiny difficulties. So praise Allah for His kindness, be thankful for what He has left for you, seek recompense from Him for what He has taken and seek consolation with those that are afflicted. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things which should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.
But then your Lord, to those who go into exile after being persecuted, then struggle and persevere, your Lord is thereafter surely most forgiving, most merciful. [16: 110]
Hadith of the Day:
Should you become eager to mention another's faults, recall your own. [Ar-Rafi'i]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The one who reckons his words as part of his actions speaks very little--only about those things that are of concern to him. [Omar ibn Abdul Azeez]
Guidance of the Day:
Find consolation by remembering the afflicted. Look around you, to the right and to the left. Do you not see the afflicted and the unfortunate? In every house there is mourning and upon every cheek run tears. How many tribulations and how many people persevere with patience. You are not alone in your troubles, which are few compared to those of others. How many sick people remain bedridden for years while suffering from unspeakable pain! How many have not seen the light of the sun for years due to their imprisonment, having knowledge of nothing but the four corners of their cell! How many men and women have lost their children in the prime of their youth! How many people are troubled or tormented!
Find consolation with those that are worse off than you; know that this life is like a prison for the believer, an abode of grief and sadness. You must adapt like the experienced camel, which manages, when necessary, to kneel upon a rock. You must also compare your difficulties of those around you, and with those that have come before you; you should realize that you are in good shape relative to them, and that you have merely been pricked by tiny difficulties. So praise Allah for His kindness, be thankful for what He has left for you, seek recompense from Him for what He has taken and seek consolation with those that are afflicted. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things which should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.
Monday, April 17, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 526
Ayahs of the Day:
They are those whose hearts God has sealed, and their ears and their eyes; and they are the heedless. there is no doubt that they will be the lost in the Hereafter. [16: 108,109]
Hadith of the Day:
After obligatory rites, the action most beloved to God is delighting other Muslims. [Tabarani]
Wise of the Day:
Even after burying your own parents you take no lesson; knowing with certainty that death is inevitable, you chose to remain heedless of it, and knowing full well that you have many faults, you actively seek out the faults of others. [Ibrahim bin Adham]
Guidance of the Day:
Or do they envy men for what Allah has given them of His bounty. Jealousy is a disease that wreaks havoc not only on the mind, but also on the body. It is said that there is no repose for the jealous one and that he is an enemy wearing the garb of a friend. In doing justice to the decease of jealousy, one can say that it is a fair one, for it begins with its bearer, killing him first.
I forbid both you and myself from jealousy, because before we can show mercy to others we must first show it to ourselves. By being jealous of others, we are feeding misery with our flesh and blood and we are giving our sound sleep to others. The jealous person lights a fire and then jumps into it. Jealousy begets grief, pain, and suffering, thus destroying what was once a calm and virtuous life. The curse of the jealous one is that he contests fate and contends that his Creator is unjust.
How like a disease is jealousy, yet unlike other diseases--the one afflicted by it receives no reward in the Hereafter. The jealous person shall remain in fury until the day he dies, or until the good fortune of others departs from them. Everyone can be reconciled except the jealous one, because reconciliation with him requires that the blessings of Allah are removed from you or that you give up your talents and good qualities. If you were to do this, then perhaps he would become happy despite himself. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil of the jealous one, a person who becomes like a black poisonous snake, finding no repose until it releases its venom into an innocent body.
So stay away from jealousy and seek refuge in Allah from the jealous person, because he is constantly watching you. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
I finally realized that other people are simply going to be exactly the way they are, independent of my opinion about them.
They are those whose hearts God has sealed, and their ears and their eyes; and they are the heedless. there is no doubt that they will be the lost in the Hereafter. [16: 108,109]
Hadith of the Day:
After obligatory rites, the action most beloved to God is delighting other Muslims. [Tabarani]
Wise of the Day:
Even after burying your own parents you take no lesson; knowing with certainty that death is inevitable, you chose to remain heedless of it, and knowing full well that you have many faults, you actively seek out the faults of others. [Ibrahim bin Adham]
Guidance of the Day:
Or do they envy men for what Allah has given them of His bounty. Jealousy is a disease that wreaks havoc not only on the mind, but also on the body. It is said that there is no repose for the jealous one and that he is an enemy wearing the garb of a friend. In doing justice to the decease of jealousy, one can say that it is a fair one, for it begins with its bearer, killing him first.
I forbid both you and myself from jealousy, because before we can show mercy to others we must first show it to ourselves. By being jealous of others, we are feeding misery with our flesh and blood and we are giving our sound sleep to others. The jealous person lights a fire and then jumps into it. Jealousy begets grief, pain, and suffering, thus destroying what was once a calm and virtuous life. The curse of the jealous one is that he contests fate and contends that his Creator is unjust.
How like a disease is jealousy, yet unlike other diseases--the one afflicted by it receives no reward in the Hereafter. The jealous person shall remain in fury until the day he dies, or until the good fortune of others departs from them. Everyone can be reconciled except the jealous one, because reconciliation with him requires that the blessings of Allah are removed from you or that you give up your talents and good qualities. If you were to do this, then perhaps he would become happy despite himself. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil of the jealous one, a person who becomes like a black poisonous snake, finding no repose until it releases its venom into an innocent body.
So stay away from jealousy and seek refuge in Allah from the jealous person, because he is constantly watching you. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
I finally realized that other people are simply going to be exactly the way they are, independent of my opinion about them.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 525
Ayah of the Day:
That is because they preferred the life of the world to the Hereafter; and because God does not guide the people who refuse. [16: 107]
Hadith of the Day:
Love for humanity what you love for yourself. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
There are four characteristics that if one possesses them, Allah protects him from Satan: the one who controls himself in a state of craving, fearing, desiring, and being angry. [Hasan al Basri]
Guidance of the Day:
Verily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest. Truthfulness is beloved by Allah and is purifying soap for the heart. And there is no deed that gives such pleasure to the heart, or has greater reward, than the remembrance of Allah. Remembrance of Allah is His Paradise on earth, and whoever does not enter it will not enter the Paradise of the Hereafter. Remembrance is not only a safe haven from the problems and worries of this world, but it is also the short and easy path to achieving ultimate success. When you remember Allah, clouds of worry and fear are driven away, and the mountains that make up your problems are blown away.
We should not be surprised when we hear that people who remember Allah are at peace. What is truly surprising is how the negligent and unmindful survive without remembering Him. To the degree that you remember Allah, your heart will be calm and cheerful. His remembrance carries with it the meaning of total dependence upon Him, of turning to Him for aid, of having good thoughts about him, and of waiting for victory from Him. Truly, He is near when supplicated: He hears when He is called and He answers when He is invoked, so humble yourself before Him and ask of Him sincerely. Repeat His beautiful blessed name, supplicate to Him, and ask forgiveness from Him: you will then find--by the will of Allah--happiness, peace, and illuminations. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
It's Allah's word's, not music, that bring peace to a person. Music is a cheap and forbidden substitute.
That is because they preferred the life of the world to the Hereafter; and because God does not guide the people who refuse. [16: 107]
Hadith of the Day:
Love for humanity what you love for yourself. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
There are four characteristics that if one possesses them, Allah protects him from Satan: the one who controls himself in a state of craving, fearing, desiring, and being angry. [Hasan al Basri]
Guidance of the Day:
Verily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest. Truthfulness is beloved by Allah and is purifying soap for the heart. And there is no deed that gives such pleasure to the heart, or has greater reward, than the remembrance of Allah. Remembrance of Allah is His Paradise on earth, and whoever does not enter it will not enter the Paradise of the Hereafter. Remembrance is not only a safe haven from the problems and worries of this world, but it is also the short and easy path to achieving ultimate success. When you remember Allah, clouds of worry and fear are driven away, and the mountains that make up your problems are blown away.
We should not be surprised when we hear that people who remember Allah are at peace. What is truly surprising is how the negligent and unmindful survive without remembering Him. To the degree that you remember Allah, your heart will be calm and cheerful. His remembrance carries with it the meaning of total dependence upon Him, of turning to Him for aid, of having good thoughts about him, and of waiting for victory from Him. Truly, He is near when supplicated: He hears when He is called and He answers when He is invoked, so humble yourself before Him and ask of Him sincerely. Repeat His beautiful blessed name, supplicate to Him, and ask forgiveness from Him: you will then find--by the will of Allah--happiness, peace, and illuminations. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
It's Allah's word's, not music, that bring peace to a person. Music is a cheap and forbidden substitute.
Friday, April 14, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 524
Ayah of the Day:
Those who repudiate God after having had faith--except one who is compelled, while his heart rests securely in faith--that is whoever opens his chest to atheism, wrath from God is upon them, and there is tremendous torment for them. [16: 106]
Hadith of the Day:
Among those not graced with God's glance on the Day of Judgment are a severer of bonds of kin and obnoxious neighbor. [Daylami]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Even if God did not threaten the disobedient, one would be obliged not to disobey God out of gratitude for the blessings of God. [Ali radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Extract the honey but do not break the hive. Everything that has gentleness in it is beautified, and whatever lacks it is spoiled. When you meet someone, giving him a bright smile and a kind word, you are displaying a characteristic of the truly successful man, a characteristic that even a bee exhibits. When a bee lands on a flower (doing so for a practical purpose) it does not destroy it, because Allah rewards gentleness with that which He does not give for harshness. There are certain people whose personalities are like magnets, attracting everyone who is nearby, simply because they are loved for their gentle talk, their good manners, and their noble deeds.
Winning the friendship of others is an art that is mastered by those that are noble and pious; a circle of people constantly surrounds them. There mere presence in a gathering is a blessing, and when they are absent they are missed and asked about. These blessed people have a code of conduct: They suck out malice from others with their sincerity, forgiveness, and gentleness. They forget evil that was enacted upon them and preserve the memory of kindnesses received. Biting, harsh words may be aimed at them, but such words pass by their ears without entering and continue on their path without ever returning. They are in a state of calmness. People in general, and Muslims in particular are safe from suffering any harm at their hands.
Give to such people glad tidings of an imminent reward in this world, in terms of peace and tranquility. Also give glad tidings to them of a great reward in the Hereafter, of Paradise, wherein they will be in close proximity to their forgiving Lord. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
The wise one is too judicious to waste his time in nonsense and to spend his money in something that will not bring him return.
Those who repudiate God after having had faith--except one who is compelled, while his heart rests securely in faith--that is whoever opens his chest to atheism, wrath from God is upon them, and there is tremendous torment for them. [16: 106]
Hadith of the Day:
Among those not graced with God's glance on the Day of Judgment are a severer of bonds of kin and obnoxious neighbor. [Daylami]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Even if God did not threaten the disobedient, one would be obliged not to disobey God out of gratitude for the blessings of God. [Ali radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Extract the honey but do not break the hive. Everything that has gentleness in it is beautified, and whatever lacks it is spoiled. When you meet someone, giving him a bright smile and a kind word, you are displaying a characteristic of the truly successful man, a characteristic that even a bee exhibits. When a bee lands on a flower (doing so for a practical purpose) it does not destroy it, because Allah rewards gentleness with that which He does not give for harshness. There are certain people whose personalities are like magnets, attracting everyone who is nearby, simply because they are loved for their gentle talk, their good manners, and their noble deeds.
Winning the friendship of others is an art that is mastered by those that are noble and pious; a circle of people constantly surrounds them. There mere presence in a gathering is a blessing, and when they are absent they are missed and asked about. These blessed people have a code of conduct: They suck out malice from others with their sincerity, forgiveness, and gentleness. They forget evil that was enacted upon them and preserve the memory of kindnesses received. Biting, harsh words may be aimed at them, but such words pass by their ears without entering and continue on their path without ever returning. They are in a state of calmness. People in general, and Muslims in particular are safe from suffering any harm at their hands.
Give to such people glad tidings of an imminent reward in this world, in terms of peace and tranquility. Also give glad tidings to them of a great reward in the Hereafter, of Paradise, wherein they will be in close proximity to their forgiving Lord. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
The wise one is too judicious to waste his time in nonsense and to spend his money in something that will not bring him return.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 523
Ayah of the Day:
The ones who forge falsehood are those who do not believe in the signs of God; they are the ones who are liars. [16: 105]
Hadith of the Day:
Keep God in mind wherever you are; follow a wrong with a right that offsets it; and treat people courteously. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The one who has not observed the rights of people cannot possibly observe the rights of God. [Othman radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Your recompense is with Allah. When Allah, the Exalted, takes something away from you, He compensates you with something better, but only if you are patient and seek your reward from Him. So do not feel excessive sorrow over some misfortune, because the One Who decreed it has with Him Paradise: recompense and a great reward. Those that are afflicted in this world and are close to Allah will be praised in the highest part of heaven. We must contemplate the reward one receives for forbearing hardship.
Truly, the life of this world is short and its treasures are few. The Hereafter is better and everlasting, and whosoever is afflicted here shall find his reward there. And whosoever works hard here shall find ease there. As for those who cling to this world, who are attached to it, and who are in love with it, the hardest thing for them to bear would be to lose the world's comforts and riches; they desire to enjoy this life alone. What they perceive around them is this life alone: they are blind to its impermanence and insignificance.
If you are patient you lose nothing; and though you may not perceive it, you are profiting. The person who is afflicted with hardship should reflect upon the outcome in the Hereafter, the outcome for those who are patient. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
If you wonder about the difference between attachment and enjoyment, ask yourself how you would react if suddenly an object you valued was gone.
The ones who forge falsehood are those who do not believe in the signs of God; they are the ones who are liars. [16: 105]
Hadith of the Day:
Keep God in mind wherever you are; follow a wrong with a right that offsets it; and treat people courteously. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The one who has not observed the rights of people cannot possibly observe the rights of God. [Othman radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Your recompense is with Allah. When Allah, the Exalted, takes something away from you, He compensates you with something better, but only if you are patient and seek your reward from Him. So do not feel excessive sorrow over some misfortune, because the One Who decreed it has with Him Paradise: recompense and a great reward. Those that are afflicted in this world and are close to Allah will be praised in the highest part of heaven. We must contemplate the reward one receives for forbearing hardship.
Truly, the life of this world is short and its treasures are few. The Hereafter is better and everlasting, and whosoever is afflicted here shall find his reward there. And whosoever works hard here shall find ease there. As for those who cling to this world, who are attached to it, and who are in love with it, the hardest thing for them to bear would be to lose the world's comforts and riches; they desire to enjoy this life alone. What they perceive around them is this life alone: they are blind to its impermanence and insignificance.
If you are patient you lose nothing; and though you may not perceive it, you are profiting. The person who is afflicted with hardship should reflect upon the outcome in the Hereafter, the outcome for those who are patient. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
If you wonder about the difference between attachment and enjoyment, ask yourself how you would react if suddenly an object you valued was gone.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 522
Ayah of the Day:
Those who do not believe in the signs of God, God does not guide; and their is a pAinful torment for them. [16: 104]
Hadith of the Day:
Consideration is from God, and haste is from the devil. [Al-Bayhaqi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Long for death and life will be granted. [Abu Bakr radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Accept life as it is. The pleasures of life are short lived, and more often than not, they are followed by sorrow. Life means responsibility, a journey wherein change is constant and difficulties are relentless in their onslaught. You will not find a father, a wife, or a friend who is free from problems. Allah has willed for this world to be filled with two opposites: good and evil, righteousness and corruption, happiness and misery. Thus goodness, uprightness, and happiness are for Paradise; evil, corruption, and misery are for the Fire.
So live according to your reality without always envisioning the ideal life, one that is free from worry and toil. Accept life as it is and adapt accordingly to all circumstances. You will not find in this world such things as the flawless companion or the perfect situation, because flawlessness and perfection are qualities that are foreign to this life. It is necessary for us to make amends; to take what is easy and leave what is difficult (within the limits of Shari'a); and very frequently, to overlook the faults and mistakes of others. [Don't be Sad]
Du'a of the Week:
Allahumma inni as'aluka 'l-huda wa'ttuqa wa'l-afafa wa'l-ghina. [O Allah, I ask of You guidance, piety, chastity, and independence (from your creation)]
Food for Thought:
The process of giving unconditional love nurtures us and fulfills our purpose in life. Whenever you are able to give of yourself without expecting anything in return, you become a bigger person.
Those who do not believe in the signs of God, God does not guide; and their is a pAinful torment for them. [16: 104]
Hadith of the Day:
Consideration is from God, and haste is from the devil. [Al-Bayhaqi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Long for death and life will be granted. [Abu Bakr radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Accept life as it is. The pleasures of life are short lived, and more often than not, they are followed by sorrow. Life means responsibility, a journey wherein change is constant and difficulties are relentless in their onslaught. You will not find a father, a wife, or a friend who is free from problems. Allah has willed for this world to be filled with two opposites: good and evil, righteousness and corruption, happiness and misery. Thus goodness, uprightness, and happiness are for Paradise; evil, corruption, and misery are for the Fire.
So live according to your reality without always envisioning the ideal life, one that is free from worry and toil. Accept life as it is and adapt accordingly to all circumstances. You will not find in this world such things as the flawless companion or the perfect situation, because flawlessness and perfection are qualities that are foreign to this life. It is necessary for us to make amends; to take what is easy and leave what is difficult (within the limits of Shari'a); and very frequently, to overlook the faults and mistakes of others. [Don't be Sad]
Du'a of the Week:
Allahumma inni as'aluka 'l-huda wa'ttuqa wa'l-afafa wa'l-ghina. [O Allah, I ask of You guidance, piety, chastity, and independence (from your creation)]
Food for Thought:
The process of giving unconditional love nurtures us and fulfills our purpose in life. Whenever you are able to give of yourself without expecting anything in return, you become a bigger person.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 521
Ayahs of the Day:
So when you read the Recital, take refuge in God from Satan the accursed: For he has no power over those who believe and trust in their Lord. His only power is over those who take to him, and those who are idolaters. [16: 98,99,100]
Hadith of the Day:
Islam is clean, so cleanse yourselves, for only the cleansed shall enter Paradise. [Al-Tabrani]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Erase old sins with new virtues. [Abu Bakr radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Enough for you is your home. The words 'isolation' and 'seclusion' have a special meaning in our religion: to stay away from evil and its perpetrators, and to keep those who are foolish at a distance. When you seclude yourself from evil in this manner, you will have an opportunity to reflect, to think, to graze in the meadows of enlightenment. When you isolate yourself from things that divert you from Allah's obedience, you are giving yourself a dose of medicine, one that doctor's of the heart have found to be a most potent cure. When you seclude yourself from idleness, your brain is stimulated into action. The results are increases in faith, repentance, and remembrance of Allah, the Merciful.
However, some gatherings are not only recommended, but necessary: the congregational prayer, circles of learning, and all gatherings of righteousness. As for gatherings wherein frivolity and shallowness prevail, be wary of them. Take flight from such gatherings, weep over your wrong doing, hold your tongue, and be content within the boundaries of your home. By mixing with others with foolish motives, you endanger the stability and soundness of your mind, for the people you indiscriminately mix with are likely to be experts at wasting time, masters at spreading lies, and skilled in spreading both trouble and mischief.
I advise you to fortify yourself to your purpose. When you apply this advice, you will find that your heart has returned to you. So use your time well and save your life from being wasted. Hold your tongue from backbiting, free your heart from anxiety, and preserve your ears from profanity. [Don't be Sad]
Food for thought:
You leave old habits behind by starting out with the thought, "I release the need for this in my life."
So when you read the Recital, take refuge in God from Satan the accursed: For he has no power over those who believe and trust in their Lord. His only power is over those who take to him, and those who are idolaters. [16: 98,99,100]
Hadith of the Day:
Islam is clean, so cleanse yourselves, for only the cleansed shall enter Paradise. [Al-Tabrani]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Erase old sins with new virtues. [Abu Bakr radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Enough for you is your home. The words 'isolation' and 'seclusion' have a special meaning in our religion: to stay away from evil and its perpetrators, and to keep those who are foolish at a distance. When you seclude yourself from evil in this manner, you will have an opportunity to reflect, to think, to graze in the meadows of enlightenment. When you isolate yourself from things that divert you from Allah's obedience, you are giving yourself a dose of medicine, one that doctor's of the heart have found to be a most potent cure. When you seclude yourself from idleness, your brain is stimulated into action. The results are increases in faith, repentance, and remembrance of Allah, the Merciful.
However, some gatherings are not only recommended, but necessary: the congregational prayer, circles of learning, and all gatherings of righteousness. As for gatherings wherein frivolity and shallowness prevail, be wary of them. Take flight from such gatherings, weep over your wrong doing, hold your tongue, and be content within the boundaries of your home. By mixing with others with foolish motives, you endanger the stability and soundness of your mind, for the people you indiscriminately mix with are likely to be experts at wasting time, masters at spreading lies, and skilled in spreading both trouble and mischief.
I advise you to fortify yourself to your purpose. When you apply this advice, you will find that your heart has returned to you. So use your time well and save your life from being wasted. Hold your tongue from backbiting, free your heart from anxiety, and preserve your ears from profanity. [Don't be Sad]
Food for thought:
You leave old habits behind by starting out with the thought, "I release the need for this in my life."
Monday, April 10, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 520
Ayah of the Day:
Whoever does right, male or female, and is a believer, We will revivify with a good life; and We will pay them their due according to the best of what they have done. [16: 97]
Hadith of the Day:
Make the use of medical treatment, for God has not made a disease without appointing a remedy for it, with the exception of one disease, namely old age. [Abu Dawood]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Decrease in one's speech brings wisdom, decrease in one's food brings health, decrease in one's sleep brings worship, and decrease in one's meeting with common folk brings safety. [Omar radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Verily, with hardship, their is relief. Eating follows hunger, drinking follows thirst, sleep comes after restlessness, and health takes the place of sickness. The lost will find their way, the one in difficulty will find relief, and the day will follow the night. Inform the night of a coming morning, the light of which will permeate the mountains and valleys. Give to the afflicted tidings of a sudden relief that will reach them with the speed of light or with the blinking of an eye.
If you see that the desert extends for miles and miles, then know that beyond that distance are green meadows with plentiful shade. If you see the rope tighten and tighten, know that it will snap. Tears are followed by a smile, fear is replaced by comfort, and anxiety is overthrown by serenity. Those that are slaves of the moment see only misery and wretchedness. This is because they look only at the wall and door of the room, whereas they should look beyond such barriers as are set before him.
Therefore do not be in despair: It is impossible for things to remain the same. The days and years rotate, the future is unseen, and everyday Allah has matters to bring forth. You know it not, but it may be that Allah will afterwards bring some new thing to pass. And verily, with hardship there is relief. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
Every day is my best day; this is my life; I am not going to have this moment again. If you watch how nature deals with adversity, continually renewing itself, you can't help but learn.
Whoever does right, male or female, and is a believer, We will revivify with a good life; and We will pay them their due according to the best of what they have done. [16: 97]
Hadith of the Day:
Make the use of medical treatment, for God has not made a disease without appointing a remedy for it, with the exception of one disease, namely old age. [Abu Dawood]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Decrease in one's speech brings wisdom, decrease in one's food brings health, decrease in one's sleep brings worship, and decrease in one's meeting with common folk brings safety. [Omar radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Verily, with hardship, their is relief. Eating follows hunger, drinking follows thirst, sleep comes after restlessness, and health takes the place of sickness. The lost will find their way, the one in difficulty will find relief, and the day will follow the night. Inform the night of a coming morning, the light of which will permeate the mountains and valleys. Give to the afflicted tidings of a sudden relief that will reach them with the speed of light or with the blinking of an eye.
If you see that the desert extends for miles and miles, then know that beyond that distance are green meadows with plentiful shade. If you see the rope tighten and tighten, know that it will snap. Tears are followed by a smile, fear is replaced by comfort, and anxiety is overthrown by serenity. Those that are slaves of the moment see only misery and wretchedness. This is because they look only at the wall and door of the room, whereas they should look beyond such barriers as are set before him.
Therefore do not be in despair: It is impossible for things to remain the same. The days and years rotate, the future is unseen, and everyday Allah has matters to bring forth. You know it not, but it may be that Allah will afterwards bring some new thing to pass. And verily, with hardship there is relief. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
Every day is my best day; this is my life; I am not going to have this moment again. If you watch how nature deals with adversity, continually renewing itself, you can't help but learn.
LESSON OF THE DAY 520
Ayah of the Day:
Whoever does right, male or female, and is a believer, We will revivify with a good life; and We will pay them their due according to the best of what they have done. [16: 97]
Hadith of the Day:
Make the use of medical treatment, for God has not made a disease without appointing a remedy for it, with the exception of one disease, namely old age. [Abu Dawood]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Decrease in one's speech brings wisdom, decrease in one's food brings health, decrease in one's sleep brings worship, and decrease in one's meeting with common folk brings safety. [Omar radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Verily, with hardship, their is relief. Eating follows hunger, drinking follows thirst, sleep comes after restlessness, and health takes the place of sickness. The lost will find their way, the one in difficulty will find relief, and the day will follow the night. Inform the night of a coming morning, the light of which will permeate the mountains and valleys. Give to the afflicted tidings of a sudden relief that will reach them with the speed of light or with the blinking of an eye.
If you see that the desert extends for miles and miles, then know that beyond that distance are green meadows with plentiful shade. If you see the rope tighten and tighten, know that it will snap. Tears are followed by a smile, fear is replaced by comfort, and anxiety is overthrown by serenity. Those that are slaves of the moment see only misery and wretchedness. This is because they look only at the wall and door of the room, whereas they should look beyond such barriers as are set before him.
Therefore do not be in despair: It is impossible for things to remain the same. The days and years rotate, the future is unseen, and everyday Allah has matters to bring forth. You know it not, but it may be that Allah will afterwards bring some new thing to pass. And verily, with hardship there is relief. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
Every day is my best day; this is my life; I am not going to have this moment again. If you watch how nature deals with adversity, continually renewing itself, you can't help but learn.
Whoever does right, male or female, and is a believer, We will revivify with a good life; and We will pay them their due according to the best of what they have done. [16: 97]
Hadith of the Day:
Make the use of medical treatment, for God has not made a disease without appointing a remedy for it, with the exception of one disease, namely old age. [Abu Dawood]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Decrease in one's speech brings wisdom, decrease in one's food brings health, decrease in one's sleep brings worship, and decrease in one's meeting with common folk brings safety. [Omar radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Verily, with hardship, their is relief. Eating follows hunger, drinking follows thirst, sleep comes after restlessness, and health takes the place of sickness. The lost will find their way, the one in difficulty will find relief, and the day will follow the night. Inform the night of a coming morning, the light of which will permeate the mountains and valleys. Give to the afflicted tidings of a sudden relief that will reach them with the speed of light or with the blinking of an eye.
If you see that the desert extends for miles and miles, then know that beyond that distance are green meadows with plentiful shade. If you see the rope tighten and tighten, know that it will snap. Tears are followed by a smile, fear is replaced by comfort, and anxiety is overthrown by serenity. Those that are slaves of the moment see only misery and wretchedness. This is because they look only at the wall and door of the room, whereas they should look beyond such barriers as are set before him.
Therefore do not be in despair: It is impossible for things to remain the same. The days and years rotate, the future is unseen, and everyday Allah has matters to bring forth. You know it not, but it may be that Allah will afterwards bring some new thing to pass. And verily, with hardship there is relief. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
Every day is my best day; this is my life; I am not going to have this moment again. If you watch how nature deals with adversity, continually renewing itself, you can't help but learn.
LESSON OF THE DAY 520
Ayah of the Day:
Whoever does right, male or female, and is a believer, We will revivify with a good life; and We will pay them their due according to the best of what they have done. [16: 97]
Hadith of the Day:
Make the use of medical treatment, for God has not made a disease without appointing a remedy for it, with the exception of one disease, namely old age. [Abu Dawood]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Decrease in one's speech brings wisdom, decrease in one's food brings health, decrease in one's sleep brings worship, and decrease in one's meeting with common folk brings safety. [Omar radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Verily, with hardship, their is relief. Eating follows hunger, drinking follows thirst, sleep comes after restlessness, and health takes the place of sickness. The lost will find their way, the one in difficulty will find relief, and the day will follow the night. Inform the night of a coming morning, the light of which will permeate the mountains and valleys. Give to the afflicted tidings of a sudden relief that will reach them with the speed of light or with the blinking of an eye.
If you see that the desert extends for miles and miles, then know that beyond that distance are green meadows with plentiful shade. If you see the rope tighten and tighten, know that it will snap. Tears are followed by a smile, fear is replaced by comfort, and anxiety is overthrown by serenity. Those that are slaves of the moment see only misery and wretchedness. This is because they look only at the wall and door of the room, whereas they should look beyond such barriers as are set before him.
Therefore do not be in despair: It is impossible for things to remain the same. The days and years rotate, the future is unseen, and everyday Allah has matters to bring forth. You know it not, but it may be that Allah will afterwards bring some new thing to pass. And verily, with hardship there is relief. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
Every day is my best day; this is my life; I am not going to have this moment again. If you watch how nature deals with adversity, continually renewing itself, you can't help but learn.
Whoever does right, male or female, and is a believer, We will revivify with a good life; and We will pay them their due according to the best of what they have done. [16: 97]
Hadith of the Day:
Make the use of medical treatment, for God has not made a disease without appointing a remedy for it, with the exception of one disease, namely old age. [Abu Dawood]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Decrease in one's speech brings wisdom, decrease in one's food brings health, decrease in one's sleep brings worship, and decrease in one's meeting with common folk brings safety. [Omar radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Verily, with hardship, their is relief. Eating follows hunger, drinking follows thirst, sleep comes after restlessness, and health takes the place of sickness. The lost will find their way, the one in difficulty will find relief, and the day will follow the night. Inform the night of a coming morning, the light of which will permeate the mountains and valleys. Give to the afflicted tidings of a sudden relief that will reach them with the speed of light or with the blinking of an eye.
If you see that the desert extends for miles and miles, then know that beyond that distance are green meadows with plentiful shade. If you see the rope tighten and tighten, know that it will snap. Tears are followed by a smile, fear is replaced by comfort, and anxiety is overthrown by serenity. Those that are slaves of the moment see only misery and wretchedness. This is because they look only at the wall and door of the room, whereas they should look beyond such barriers as are set before him.
Therefore do not be in despair: It is impossible for things to remain the same. The days and years rotate, the future is unseen, and everyday Allah has matters to bring forth. You know it not, but it may be that Allah will afterwards bring some new thing to pass. And verily, with hardship there is relief. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
Every day is my best day; this is my life; I am not going to have this moment again. If you watch how nature deals with adversity, continually renewing itself, you can't help but learn.
Sunday, April 09, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 519
Ayah of the Day:
What you have comes to an end, but what is with God is everlasting. And We will definitely pay those who were constant their reward for the best of what they did. [16: 96]
Hadith of the Day:
The marriage which is most blessed is the one which is lightest in burden and expense. [Bayhaqi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The surest way of achieving heaven on earth is contentment with His decree. [Othman radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Pre-ordainment. The pen has dried, the pages have been lifted: all the events that shall come to pass have already been written. Whatever has befallen you was not meant to escape you, and whatever has escaped you was not meant to befall you: If this belief were to be firmly ingrained in your heart, then all hardship and difficulty would become ease and comfort. Do not feel overly troubled if you are afflicted with sickness, the death of a son, or a loss in wealth. Allah has decreed these matters to occur and the decisions are His, and His alone. When we truly have this faith, we shall be rewarded well and our sins shall be atoned for.
For those that are afflicted with disaster, glad tidings await them: so remain patient and happy with your Lord. You will never completely feel ease until you firmly believe that Allah has already pre-ordained all matters. The pen has dried and with it has been written everything that will happen to you. Therefore do not feel remorse over that which is not in your hands. Do not think that you could have prevented the fence from falling, the water from flowing, the wind from blowing, or the glass from breaking. You could not have prevented these things, whether you wanted to or not. All that has been pre-ordained shall come to pass.
Surrender yourself: believe in pre-ordainment, before pangs of anger and regret overwhelm you. If you have done all that was in your power, and afterwards what you had been striving against still takes place, have firm faith that it was meant to be. Do not say, 'Had I done such-and-such, such-and-such would have happened'; rather say, 'This is the decree of Allah, and what He wishes He does.' [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
Be gentle with yourself and love yourself unconditionally, regardless of what comes your way. You cannot always control what goes on outside, but you can always control what goes on inside.
What you have comes to an end, but what is with God is everlasting. And We will definitely pay those who were constant their reward for the best of what they did. [16: 96]
Hadith of the Day:
The marriage which is most blessed is the one which is lightest in burden and expense. [Bayhaqi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The surest way of achieving heaven on earth is contentment with His decree. [Othman radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Pre-ordainment. The pen has dried, the pages have been lifted: all the events that shall come to pass have already been written. Whatever has befallen you was not meant to escape you, and whatever has escaped you was not meant to befall you: If this belief were to be firmly ingrained in your heart, then all hardship and difficulty would become ease and comfort. Do not feel overly troubled if you are afflicted with sickness, the death of a son, or a loss in wealth. Allah has decreed these matters to occur and the decisions are His, and His alone. When we truly have this faith, we shall be rewarded well and our sins shall be atoned for.
For those that are afflicted with disaster, glad tidings await them: so remain patient and happy with your Lord. You will never completely feel ease until you firmly believe that Allah has already pre-ordained all matters. The pen has dried and with it has been written everything that will happen to you. Therefore do not feel remorse over that which is not in your hands. Do not think that you could have prevented the fence from falling, the water from flowing, the wind from blowing, or the glass from breaking. You could not have prevented these things, whether you wanted to or not. All that has been pre-ordained shall come to pass.
Surrender yourself: believe in pre-ordainment, before pangs of anger and regret overwhelm you. If you have done all that was in your power, and afterwards what you had been striving against still takes place, have firm faith that it was meant to be. Do not say, 'Had I done such-and-such, such-and-such would have happened'; rather say, 'This is the decree of Allah, and what He wishes He does.' [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
Be gentle with yourself and love yourself unconditionally, regardless of what comes your way. You cannot always control what goes on outside, but you can always control what goes on inside.
Friday, April 07, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 518
Ayah of the Day:
And do not exchange the covenant of God for a small price: with God is what is best for you , if you knew. [16: 95]
Hadith of the Day:
The scholars are the heirs of the Prophets, and the prophets leave (no monetary inheritance), only knowledge, and he who takes it, takes an abundant portion. [Abu Dawud]
Wise quote of the Day:
The best of the youths among you are those who imitate those of mature age, while the worst of your elderly are those who imitate the young. [Imam Ghazali]
Guidance of the Day:
Repel boredom with work. Those who have nothing to do with their lives are the same people who spend most of their time spreading rumors and falsehood, mainly because their minds are devoid of beneficial thoughts. When you find yourself to be idle, prepare for depression and despair, because idleness allows your mind to wander in the past, the present, and the future, with all their difficulties. Therefore, my sincere advice to you is to perform fruitful acts instead of being idle, for idleness is a slow and veiled form of suicide.
Being inactive means being negligent of one's duties. Idleness is an expert thief and your mind is its victim. Therefore get up now and say a prayer or read a book; praise your Lord, study, write, organize your library, fix something in your house, or benefit others so that you can put an end to your inactivity. I say this because I sincerely wish for your betterment. Destroy boredom by working. When you apply this simple precept alone, you will have traveled atleast fifty percent of the way towards happiness. [Don't be Sad]
Du'a of the Week:
When one becomes angry: A-udhu bi 'Llahi mina 'sh-shaytani 'r-rajim. (I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the occursed.
Food for Thought:
If people would only hold their tongues on unpleasant topics, how the things themselves would improve. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself. Avoid trifling conversation.
And do not exchange the covenant of God for a small price: with God is what is best for you , if you knew. [16: 95]
Hadith of the Day:
The scholars are the heirs of the Prophets, and the prophets leave (no monetary inheritance), only knowledge, and he who takes it, takes an abundant portion. [Abu Dawud]
Wise quote of the Day:
The best of the youths among you are those who imitate those of mature age, while the worst of your elderly are those who imitate the young. [Imam Ghazali]
Guidance of the Day:
Repel boredom with work. Those who have nothing to do with their lives are the same people who spend most of their time spreading rumors and falsehood, mainly because their minds are devoid of beneficial thoughts. When you find yourself to be idle, prepare for depression and despair, because idleness allows your mind to wander in the past, the present, and the future, with all their difficulties. Therefore, my sincere advice to you is to perform fruitful acts instead of being idle, for idleness is a slow and veiled form of suicide.
Being inactive means being negligent of one's duties. Idleness is an expert thief and your mind is its victim. Therefore get up now and say a prayer or read a book; praise your Lord, study, write, organize your library, fix something in your house, or benefit others so that you can put an end to your inactivity. I say this because I sincerely wish for your betterment. Destroy boredom by working. When you apply this simple precept alone, you will have traveled atleast fifty percent of the way towards happiness. [Don't be Sad]
Du'a of the Week:
When one becomes angry: A-udhu bi 'Llahi mina 'sh-shaytani 'r-rajim. (I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the occursed.
Food for Thought:
If people would only hold their tongues on unpleasant topics, how the things themselves would improve. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself. Avoid trifling conversation.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 517
Ayah of the Day:
So do not pledge your trust falsely among you, such that the foot may slip after it is planted, and you taste misery for having hindered the cause of God, as you will have tremendous agony. [16: 94]
Hadith of the Day:
A nation that discards jihad, general calamities and hardships befall them. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The key to every good is desire of the Hereafter. The key to every evil is love of this world. [Imam al Mannawi]
Guidance of the Day:
Doing good to others gives comfort to the heart. The first person who benefits from the act of charity is the benefactor himself, by seeing changes in himself and in his manners, by finding peace, by watching a smile form on the lips of another person. If you find yourself to be in difficulty or distress, show kindness to others, and you will be the first to find solace and comfort. Give to the needy, defend the oppressed, help those in distress, and visit the sick: you will find that happiness surrounds you from all directions.
An act of charity is like perfume--it benefits the user, the seller, and the buyer. Further more, the psychological benefits that one receives from helping others are indeed great. If you suffer from depression,an act of charity will have a more potent effect on your sickness than will the best available medicine. Even when you smile upon meeting others, you are giving charity. On the other hand, when you frown upon meeting others, you are displaying a sign of enmity, an act that is so detrimental to brotherhood that only Allah knows the full extent of its evil effects.
O' you, who are threatened by misery, fear and grief, occupy yourself in the betterment of others. Help others in different ways--through charity, hospitality, sympathy, and support. And in doing so, you will find all of the happiness that your desire. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
We must, like a painter, take time to stand back from our work, to be still, and thus see what's what...True repose is standing back to survey the activities that fill our days.
So do not pledge your trust falsely among you, such that the foot may slip after it is planted, and you taste misery for having hindered the cause of God, as you will have tremendous agony. [16: 94]
Hadith of the Day:
A nation that discards jihad, general calamities and hardships befall them. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The key to every good is desire of the Hereafter. The key to every evil is love of this world. [Imam al Mannawi]
Guidance of the Day:
Doing good to others gives comfort to the heart. The first person who benefits from the act of charity is the benefactor himself, by seeing changes in himself and in his manners, by finding peace, by watching a smile form on the lips of another person. If you find yourself to be in difficulty or distress, show kindness to others, and you will be the first to find solace and comfort. Give to the needy, defend the oppressed, help those in distress, and visit the sick: you will find that happiness surrounds you from all directions.
An act of charity is like perfume--it benefits the user, the seller, and the buyer. Further more, the psychological benefits that one receives from helping others are indeed great. If you suffer from depression,an act of charity will have a more potent effect on your sickness than will the best available medicine. Even when you smile upon meeting others, you are giving charity. On the other hand, when you frown upon meeting others, you are displaying a sign of enmity, an act that is so detrimental to brotherhood that only Allah knows the full extent of its evil effects.
O' you, who are threatened by misery, fear and grief, occupy yourself in the betterment of others. Help others in different ways--through charity, hospitality, sympathy, and support. And in doing so, you will find all of the happiness that your desire. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
We must, like a painter, take time to stand back from our work, to be still, and thus see what's what...True repose is standing back to survey the activities that fill our days.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 516
Ayah of the Day:
And had God willed, God would have made you one people: but God leaves astray whom God will. And you will surely be questioned about what you have been doing. [16: 93]
Hadith of the Day:
A truthful and trustworthy merchant is associated with the Prophets, the upright, and the martyrs. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Ingratitude: Spending of Allah's bounty in ways which are inappropriate and unbefitting. [Othman radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Do not expect gratitude from anyone. Allah, the Almighty, created His slaves so that they may worship and remember Him, and He provided sustenance for them so that they may be grateful to Him. Nevertheless, many have worshipped other than Him and the masses are thankful not to Him, but to others, because the characteristic of ingratitude is widespread among human beings. So do not be dismayed when you find that others forget your favors or disregard your kind acts. Some people might even despise you and make you an enemy for no other reason than that you have shown them kindness.
From among the ever-repeating pages of history is a story of a father and his son: the former raised him, fed him, clothed him and taught him; he would stay up nights so that his son could sleep, stay hungry so that his son could eat, and he would toil so that his son could feel comfort. And when the son became older and stronger, he rewarded his father with disobedience, disrespect, and contempt.
So be at peace if you are requited with ungratefulness for the good you have done. Rejoice in your knowledge that you will be rewarded from the One Who has unlimited treasures at His disposal. This is not to say that you should refrain from performing acts of kindness to others: the point is that you should be mentally prepared for ingratitude. Perform acts of charity seeking Allah's pleasure, because with this attitude you will assuredly be successful. The ungrateful person cannot really harm you. Also, remember that the hand that gives is better than the hand that receives.
Hence do not be in a state of agitation if you give someone a pen as a gift and he uses it to satirize you, or if you give someone a walking stick to lean upon and he strikes you with it. As I pointed out earlier, most human beings are ungrateful to their Lord, so what treatment should you and I expect? [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
A purpose is not something that you're going to find. It's something that will find you. And it will find you only when you are ready and not before.
And had God willed, God would have made you one people: but God leaves astray whom God will. And you will surely be questioned about what you have been doing. [16: 93]
Hadith of the Day:
A truthful and trustworthy merchant is associated with the Prophets, the upright, and the martyrs. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Ingratitude: Spending of Allah's bounty in ways which are inappropriate and unbefitting. [Othman radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Do not expect gratitude from anyone. Allah, the Almighty, created His slaves so that they may worship and remember Him, and He provided sustenance for them so that they may be grateful to Him. Nevertheless, many have worshipped other than Him and the masses are thankful not to Him, but to others, because the characteristic of ingratitude is widespread among human beings. So do not be dismayed when you find that others forget your favors or disregard your kind acts. Some people might even despise you and make you an enemy for no other reason than that you have shown them kindness.
From among the ever-repeating pages of history is a story of a father and his son: the former raised him, fed him, clothed him and taught him; he would stay up nights so that his son could sleep, stay hungry so that his son could eat, and he would toil so that his son could feel comfort. And when the son became older and stronger, he rewarded his father with disobedience, disrespect, and contempt.
So be at peace if you are requited with ungratefulness for the good you have done. Rejoice in your knowledge that you will be rewarded from the One Who has unlimited treasures at His disposal. This is not to say that you should refrain from performing acts of kindness to others: the point is that you should be mentally prepared for ingratitude. Perform acts of charity seeking Allah's pleasure, because with this attitude you will assuredly be successful. The ungrateful person cannot really harm you. Also, remember that the hand that gives is better than the hand that receives.
Hence do not be in a state of agitation if you give someone a pen as a gift and he uses it to satirize you, or if you give someone a walking stick to lean upon and he strikes you with it. As I pointed out earlier, most human beings are ungrateful to their Lord, so what treatment should you and I expect? [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
A purpose is not something that you're going to find. It's something that will find you. And it will find you only when you are ready and not before.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 515
Ayah of the Day:
Do not be like she who breaks what she has spun, after it is strong, into untwisted strands. You exploit your trust to defraud each other, lest one people become more numerous than another. God is only testing you thereby, and will clarify for you on the day of resurrection what you differed about. [16: 92]
Hadith of the Day:
The (significance of) this world (in comparison) to the Hereafter is similar to one of you dipping his finger in the ocean and then seeing (the amount of water that) has stuck to it. [Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
A Muslims humiliation comes from his heedlessness of his religion, not in his lack of wealth or stature. [Othman radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
How to deal with criticism. You will always have to face criticism, which in its onslaught is like an interminable war: It shows no sign of ending. As long as you shine, give, produce, and have an effect upon others, then disapproval and condemnation will be your lot in life. Until you escape from people by finding a tunnel in the ground or a ladder leading to the sky, they will not desist from censuring you, from finding fault in your character. For that reason, as long as you are from the denizens of earth, expect to be hurt, to be insulted, to be criticized.
And here is something you should contemplate: a person who is sitting on the ground does not fall, and people do not kick a dead dog. Therefore their anger toward you can be attributed to you surpassing them in righteousness, knowledge, manners, or wealth. In their eyes you are a transgressor whose wrongs cannot be atoned for--unless you abandon your talents and strip yourself of all praiseworthy qualities, so that you become stupid, worthless, and to them, innocuous. This result is exactly they want for you.
So remain firm and patient when facing their insults and criticism. If you are wounded by their words and let them have an influence over you, you will have realized their hopes for them. Instead, forgive them by showing them the most beautiful of manners. Turn away from them and do not feel distressed by their schemes. Their disapproval of you only increases you in worth and merit. You will not be able to silence them, but you will be able to bury their criticism by turning away from them and dismissing what they have to say. In fact, you will be able to increase in their rage by increasing your merits and developing your talents. If you desire to be accepted by all and loved by all, you desire the unattainable. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
Everything in life is a paradox. The more you want approval, the more you become a person that other people don't want to approve of, the less you care about whether you get approval, the more you get.
Do not be like she who breaks what she has spun, after it is strong, into untwisted strands. You exploit your trust to defraud each other, lest one people become more numerous than another. God is only testing you thereby, and will clarify for you on the day of resurrection what you differed about. [16: 92]
Hadith of the Day:
The (significance of) this world (in comparison) to the Hereafter is similar to one of you dipping his finger in the ocean and then seeing (the amount of water that) has stuck to it. [Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
A Muslims humiliation comes from his heedlessness of his religion, not in his lack of wealth or stature. [Othman radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
How to deal with criticism. You will always have to face criticism, which in its onslaught is like an interminable war: It shows no sign of ending. As long as you shine, give, produce, and have an effect upon others, then disapproval and condemnation will be your lot in life. Until you escape from people by finding a tunnel in the ground or a ladder leading to the sky, they will not desist from censuring you, from finding fault in your character. For that reason, as long as you are from the denizens of earth, expect to be hurt, to be insulted, to be criticized.
And here is something you should contemplate: a person who is sitting on the ground does not fall, and people do not kick a dead dog. Therefore their anger toward you can be attributed to you surpassing them in righteousness, knowledge, manners, or wealth. In their eyes you are a transgressor whose wrongs cannot be atoned for--unless you abandon your talents and strip yourself of all praiseworthy qualities, so that you become stupid, worthless, and to them, innocuous. This result is exactly they want for you.
So remain firm and patient when facing their insults and criticism. If you are wounded by their words and let them have an influence over you, you will have realized their hopes for them. Instead, forgive them by showing them the most beautiful of manners. Turn away from them and do not feel distressed by their schemes. Their disapproval of you only increases you in worth and merit. You will not be able to silence them, but you will be able to bury their criticism by turning away from them and dismissing what they have to say. In fact, you will be able to increase in their rage by increasing your merits and developing your talents. If you desire to be accepted by all and loved by all, you desire the unattainable. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
Everything in life is a paradox. The more you want approval, the more you become a person that other people don't want to approve of, the less you care about whether you get approval, the more you get.
Monday, April 03, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 514
Ayah of the Day:
Fulfill the commitment to God when you promise, and do no break a trust after its confirmation. You have made God your surety, for God knows whatever you do. [16: 91]
Hadith of the Day:
The excellence of a person's Islam includes leaving out what does not concern him. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Beware of having long-term expectations (for this world), for verily it makes one forget his true purpose. [Ali radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Leave the future alone until it comes. Be not hasty and rushed for things that have yet to come to pass. Do you think it is wise to pick fruits before they become ripe? Tomorrow is non-existent, having no reality today, so why should you busy yourself with it? Why should you have apprehensions about future disasters? Why should you be engrossed by their thoughts, especially since you do not know whether you will even see tomorrow?
The important thing to know is that tomorrow is from the world of unseen, a bridge that we do not cross until it comes. Who knows, perhaps we might never reach the bridge, or the bridge might collapse before we reach it, or we may actually reach it and cross safely. For us to be engrossed in expectations about the future is looked down upon in our religion since it leads to our having a long-term attachment to this world, an attachment that the good believer shuns. Many people of this world are unduly fearful of future poverty, hunger, disease, and disaster: Such thinking is inspired by the Devil.
Many are those who cry because they see themselves starving tomorrow, falling sick after a month, or because they fear that the world will come to an end after a year. Someone who has no clue as to when he will die (which is all of us) should not busy himself with such thoughts. Since you are absorbed in the toils of today, leave tomorrow until it comes. Beware of becoming unduly attached to future prospects in this world. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
All of the "stuff" in your life has arrived to serve you, rather than to make you a servant of the stuff.
Fulfill the commitment to God when you promise, and do no break a trust after its confirmation. You have made God your surety, for God knows whatever you do. [16: 91]
Hadith of the Day:
The excellence of a person's Islam includes leaving out what does not concern him. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Beware of having long-term expectations (for this world), for verily it makes one forget his true purpose. [Ali radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Leave the future alone until it comes. Be not hasty and rushed for things that have yet to come to pass. Do you think it is wise to pick fruits before they become ripe? Tomorrow is non-existent, having no reality today, so why should you busy yourself with it? Why should you have apprehensions about future disasters? Why should you be engrossed by their thoughts, especially since you do not know whether you will even see tomorrow?
The important thing to know is that tomorrow is from the world of unseen, a bridge that we do not cross until it comes. Who knows, perhaps we might never reach the bridge, or the bridge might collapse before we reach it, or we may actually reach it and cross safely. For us to be engrossed in expectations about the future is looked down upon in our religion since it leads to our having a long-term attachment to this world, an attachment that the good believer shuns. Many people of this world are unduly fearful of future poverty, hunger, disease, and disaster: Such thinking is inspired by the Devil.
Many are those who cry because they see themselves starving tomorrow, falling sick after a month, or because they fear that the world will come to an end after a year. Someone who has no clue as to when he will die (which is all of us) should not busy himself with such thoughts. Since you are absorbed in the toils of today, leave tomorrow until it comes. Beware of becoming unduly attached to future prospects in this world. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
All of the "stuff" in your life has arrived to serve you, rather than to make you a servant of the stuff.
Sunday, April 02, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 513
Ayah of the Day:
God commands justice, and goodness, and giving to relatives; and forbids indecency, and abomination and injustice, cautioning you that you may be mindful. [16: 90]
Hadith od the Day:
There is no obedience to the created beings when it entails disobedience to the Creator. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote f the Day:
A person's observance of God's commands and prohibitions is only proportionate to the strength of his faith. [Imam al Haddad]
Guidance of the Day:
Today is all that you have. If you are truthful with yourself and have a firm, solid resolve, you will undoubtedly convince yourself of the following: Today is my last day to live. When you achieve this attitude, you will profit from every moment of your day, by developing your personality, expanding your abilities, and purifying your deeds. Then you say to yourself:
Today I shall be refined in my speech and will utter neither evil speech nor obscenity. Also I shall not backbite. Today I will strive to be obedient to my Lord, pray in the best manner possible, do more voluntary acts of righteousness, recite the Quran, and read beneficial books. I will plant goodness into my heart and extract from it the roots of evil--such as pride, jealousy , and hypocrisy. Today I will try to help others--to visit the sick, to feed the hungry, to stand side by side with the oppressed and weak. I will pay respect to the scholar, be merciful to the young, and reverent to the old.
O'past that has departed and is gone, I will not cry over you. You will not see me remembering you, because you have traveled away from me never to return. O' future, you are in the realm of the unseen, so I will not be obsessed by your dreams. I will not be preoccupied about what is to come because tomorrow is nothing and has not yet been created. 'Today is my only day' is one of the most important statements in the dictionary of happiness, for those who desire to live life in its fullest splendor and brilliance. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
Try to learn from the past, rather than repeating it and making references to it all the time.
God commands justice, and goodness, and giving to relatives; and forbids indecency, and abomination and injustice, cautioning you that you may be mindful. [16: 90]
Hadith od the Day:
There is no obedience to the created beings when it entails disobedience to the Creator. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote f the Day:
A person's observance of God's commands and prohibitions is only proportionate to the strength of his faith. [Imam al Haddad]
Guidance of the Day:
Today is all that you have. If you are truthful with yourself and have a firm, solid resolve, you will undoubtedly convince yourself of the following: Today is my last day to live. When you achieve this attitude, you will profit from every moment of your day, by developing your personality, expanding your abilities, and purifying your deeds. Then you say to yourself:
Today I shall be refined in my speech and will utter neither evil speech nor obscenity. Also I shall not backbite. Today I will strive to be obedient to my Lord, pray in the best manner possible, do more voluntary acts of righteousness, recite the Quran, and read beneficial books. I will plant goodness into my heart and extract from it the roots of evil--such as pride, jealousy , and hypocrisy. Today I will try to help others--to visit the sick, to feed the hungry, to stand side by side with the oppressed and weak. I will pay respect to the scholar, be merciful to the young, and reverent to the old.
O'past that has departed and is gone, I will not cry over you. You will not see me remembering you, because you have traveled away from me never to return. O' future, you are in the realm of the unseen, so I will not be obsessed by your dreams. I will not be preoccupied about what is to come because tomorrow is nothing and has not yet been created. 'Today is my only day' is one of the most important statements in the dictionary of happiness, for those who desire to live life in its fullest splendor and brilliance. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
Try to learn from the past, rather than repeating it and making references to it all the time.
Saturday, April 01, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 512
Ayah of the Day:
And the day We raise among them a witness from every people against them We will bring you as a witness against these. For We have revealed the Book to you, an explanation of all things, and guidance and mercy, and good news for those who are obedient. [16: 89]
Hadith of the Day:
Beware of wrong doing, for wrong doing becomes manifold darknesses on the Day of Judgment. [Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
A servant is never free of either blunders or shortcomings or lassitude. Therefore never be neglectful of repentance, and never turn away from the act of returning to God the Exalted, and never neglect acts that bring you closer to God the Exalted. [Ahmad al Zarruq]
Guidance of the Day:
Today is all that you have. When you wake up in the morning, do not expect to see the evening--live as though today is all that you have. Yesterday has passed with its good and evil, while tomorrow has not yet arrived. Your life's span is but one day, as if you were born in it and die at the end of it. With this attitude, you will not be caught between an obsession over the past, with all its anxieties, and the hopes of the future, with all its uncertainty. Live for today: During this day you should pray with a wakeful heart, recite the Qur'an with understanding, and remember Allah with sincerity. In this day you should be balanced in your affairs, satisfied with your allotted portion, concerned with your appearance and health.
Organize the hours of this day, so that you make years out of minutes, and months out of seconds. Seek forgiveness from your Lord, remember Him, prepare for the final parting from this world, and live today happily and at peace. Be content with your sustenance, your spouse, your children, your house and your station in life. Live today free of sorrow, bother, anger, jealousy, and malice. You must engrave into your heart one phrase: Today is my only day. If you have eaten warm, fresh bread today, then what do yesterday's dry, rotten bread and tomorrow's anticipated bread matter? [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
It's not what is available or unavailable that determines your level of success and happiness; it is what you convince yourself is true.
And the day We raise among them a witness from every people against them We will bring you as a witness against these. For We have revealed the Book to you, an explanation of all things, and guidance and mercy, and good news for those who are obedient. [16: 89]
Hadith of the Day:
Beware of wrong doing, for wrong doing becomes manifold darknesses on the Day of Judgment. [Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
A servant is never free of either blunders or shortcomings or lassitude. Therefore never be neglectful of repentance, and never turn away from the act of returning to God the Exalted, and never neglect acts that bring you closer to God the Exalted. [Ahmad al Zarruq]
Guidance of the Day:
Today is all that you have. When you wake up in the morning, do not expect to see the evening--live as though today is all that you have. Yesterday has passed with its good and evil, while tomorrow has not yet arrived. Your life's span is but one day, as if you were born in it and die at the end of it. With this attitude, you will not be caught between an obsession over the past, with all its anxieties, and the hopes of the future, with all its uncertainty. Live for today: During this day you should pray with a wakeful heart, recite the Qur'an with understanding, and remember Allah with sincerity. In this day you should be balanced in your affairs, satisfied with your allotted portion, concerned with your appearance and health.
Organize the hours of this day, so that you make years out of minutes, and months out of seconds. Seek forgiveness from your Lord, remember Him, prepare for the final parting from this world, and live today happily and at peace. Be content with your sustenance, your spouse, your children, your house and your station in life. Live today free of sorrow, bother, anger, jealousy, and malice. You must engrave into your heart one phrase: Today is my only day. If you have eaten warm, fresh bread today, then what do yesterday's dry, rotten bread and tomorrow's anticipated bread matter? [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
It's not what is available or unavailable that determines your level of success and happiness; it is what you convince yourself is true.
Friday, March 31, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 511
Ayah of the Day:
For those who rejected and impeded the cause of God, We will add a penalty, because they sowed dissension. [16: 88]
Hadith of the Day:
You will not believe as long as you do not love one another. [Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Let the believer get one of the three things from you: If you do not benefit him, atleast do not harm him; if you do not make him joyful, atleast do not make him grieve; and if you do not praise him, at least do not criticize/insult him. [Yahya ibn Mu'adh]
Guidance of the Day:
The past is gone forever. By brooding over the past and its tragedies, one exhibits a form of insanity--a kind of sickness that destroys resolve to live for the present moment. Those who have a firm purpose have filed away and forgotten occurrences of the past, which will never again see light, since they occupy such a dark place in the recesses of the mind. Episodes of the past are finished with; sadness cannot retrieve them, melancholy cannot make things right, and depression will never bring the past back to life. This is because past is non-existent.
Do not live in the nightmares of former times or under the shade of what you have missed. Save yourself from the ghostly apparition of the past. Do you think that you can return the sun to its place of rising, the baby to its mother's womb, milk to its udder, or tears to the eye? By constantly dwelling on the past and its happenings, you place yourself in a very frightful and tragic state of mind. Reading too much into the past is a waste of present. Former days are gone and done with, and you benefit nothing by carrying out an autopsy over them, by turning back the wheels of history.
The person who lives in the past is like someone who tries to saw sawdust. Of old, they used to say: "Do not remove the dead from their graves." Our tragedy is that we are incapable of dealing with the present: neglecting our beautiful castles, we wail over dilapidated buildings. If every man and every jinn were to try jointly to bring back the past, they would most certainly fail. Everything on earth marches forward, preparing for a new season--and should you. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
The past is over for all of us. The future is promised to none of us. All we get is this one. That's all we get.
For those who rejected and impeded the cause of God, We will add a penalty, because they sowed dissension. [16: 88]
Hadith of the Day:
You will not believe as long as you do not love one another. [Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Let the believer get one of the three things from you: If you do not benefit him, atleast do not harm him; if you do not make him joyful, atleast do not make him grieve; and if you do not praise him, at least do not criticize/insult him. [Yahya ibn Mu'adh]
Guidance of the Day:
The past is gone forever. By brooding over the past and its tragedies, one exhibits a form of insanity--a kind of sickness that destroys resolve to live for the present moment. Those who have a firm purpose have filed away and forgotten occurrences of the past, which will never again see light, since they occupy such a dark place in the recesses of the mind. Episodes of the past are finished with; sadness cannot retrieve them, melancholy cannot make things right, and depression will never bring the past back to life. This is because past is non-existent.
Do not live in the nightmares of former times or under the shade of what you have missed. Save yourself from the ghostly apparition of the past. Do you think that you can return the sun to its place of rising, the baby to its mother's womb, milk to its udder, or tears to the eye? By constantly dwelling on the past and its happenings, you place yourself in a very frightful and tragic state of mind. Reading too much into the past is a waste of present. Former days are gone and done with, and you benefit nothing by carrying out an autopsy over them, by turning back the wheels of history.
The person who lives in the past is like someone who tries to saw sawdust. Of old, they used to say: "Do not remove the dead from their graves." Our tragedy is that we are incapable of dealing with the present: neglecting our beautiful castles, we wail over dilapidated buildings. If every man and every jinn were to try jointly to bring back the past, they would most certainly fail. Everything on earth marches forward, preparing for a new season--and should you. [Don't be Sad]
Food for Thought:
The past is over for all of us. The future is promised to none of us. All we get is this one. That's all we get.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 510
Ayah of the Day:
And when those who went wrong see the penalty, it will not be lightened for them, and they will be granted no stay. [16: 85]
Hadith of the Day:
The best jihad is to speak a word of justice to an oppressive ruler. [Abu Dawud]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Between you and spiritual counsel is a veil of heedlessness. [Ali radi allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Contemplate and be thankful. Remember the favors of Allah upon you and how they surround you from above and below--indeed, from every direction. Health, safety, nourishment, clothing, air, and water--these all point to the world being yours, yet you do not realize it. You possess all that life has to offer, yet remain ignorant. You have at your disposal two eyes, a tongue, lips, two hands, and two legs.
Can you picture yourself walking without feet? should you take it lightly that you slumber soundly while misery hinders the sleep of many? Should you forget that you fill yourself with both delicious dishes and cool water while the pleasure of good food and drink is impossible for some, due to sickness and disease? Consider the faculties of hearing and seeing with which you have been endowed. Look at your healthy skin and be grateful that you have been saved from diseases that attack it. Reflect on your powers of reasoning and remember those that suffer from mental ailments.
Would you sell your ability to hear and see for the weight of mount uhud in gold, or your ability to speak for huge castles? You have been given abundant favors, yet you feign ignorance. You think about what you do not have and are ungrateful for what you have been given. You are troubled by a loss in wealth, yet you have the key to happiness and many blessings. Contemplate and be thankful. Reflect upon yourself, your family, your friends, and the entire world that is around you. [Don't be Sad by Aaidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni]
Du'a of the Week:
When something pleasing occurs: Al-hamdu li'Llahi bi ni'matihi tatimmu's-saalihaat. (Praise be to Allah, by whose grace all good things are perfected).
Food for Thought:
When you think positive, happy, loving thoughts, there's a different chemistry that goes into your body than when you think depressing, negative, anguished thoughts. The way you decide to think has a dramatic effect on your chemistry and on your physiology.
And when those who went wrong see the penalty, it will not be lightened for them, and they will be granted no stay. [16: 85]
Hadith of the Day:
The best jihad is to speak a word of justice to an oppressive ruler. [Abu Dawud]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Between you and spiritual counsel is a veil of heedlessness. [Ali radi allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Contemplate and be thankful. Remember the favors of Allah upon you and how they surround you from above and below--indeed, from every direction. Health, safety, nourishment, clothing, air, and water--these all point to the world being yours, yet you do not realize it. You possess all that life has to offer, yet remain ignorant. You have at your disposal two eyes, a tongue, lips, two hands, and two legs.
Can you picture yourself walking without feet? should you take it lightly that you slumber soundly while misery hinders the sleep of many? Should you forget that you fill yourself with both delicious dishes and cool water while the pleasure of good food and drink is impossible for some, due to sickness and disease? Consider the faculties of hearing and seeing with which you have been endowed. Look at your healthy skin and be grateful that you have been saved from diseases that attack it. Reflect on your powers of reasoning and remember those that suffer from mental ailments.
Would you sell your ability to hear and see for the weight of mount uhud in gold, or your ability to speak for huge castles? You have been given abundant favors, yet you feign ignorance. You think about what you do not have and are ungrateful for what you have been given. You are troubled by a loss in wealth, yet you have the key to happiness and many blessings. Contemplate and be thankful. Reflect upon yourself, your family, your friends, and the entire world that is around you. [Don't be Sad by Aaidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni]
Du'a of the Week:
When something pleasing occurs: Al-hamdu li'Llahi bi ni'matihi tatimmu's-saalihaat. (Praise be to Allah, by whose grace all good things are perfected).
Food for Thought:
When you think positive, happy, loving thoughts, there's a different chemistry that goes into your body than when you think depressing, negative, anguished thoughts. The way you decide to think has a dramatic effect on your chemistry and on your physiology.
LESSON OF THE DAY 510
Ayah of the Day:
And when those who went wrong see the penalty, it will not be lightened for them, and they will be granted no stay. [16: 85]
Hadith of the Day:
The best jihad is to speak a word of justice to an oppressive ruler. [Abu Dawud]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Between you and spiritual counsel is a veil of heedlessness. [Ali radi allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Contemplate and be thankful. Remember the favors of Allah upon you and how they surround you from above and below--indeed, from every direction. Health, safety, nourishment, clothing, air, and water--these all point to the world being yours, yet you do not realize it. You possess all that life has to offer, yet remain ignorant. You have at your disposal two eyes, a tongue, lips, two hands, and two legs.
Can you picture yourself walking without feet? should you take it lightly that you slumber soundly while misery hinders the sleep of many? Should you forget that you fill yourself with both delicious dishes and cool water while the pleasure of good food and drink is impossible for some, due to sickness and disease? Consider the faculties of hearing and seeing with which you have been endowed. Look at your healthy skin and be grateful that you have been saved from diseases that attack it. Reflect on your powers of reasoning and remember those that suffer from mental ailments.
Would you sell your ability to hear and see for the weight of mount uhud in gold, or your ability to speak for huge castles? You have been given abundant favors, yet you feign ignorance. You think about what you do not have and are ungrateful for what you have been given. You are troubled by a loss in wealth, yet you have the key to happiness and many blessings. Contemplate and be thankful. Reflect upon yourself, your family, your friends, and the entire world that is around you. [Don't be Sad by Aaidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni]
Du'a of the Week:
When something pleasing occurs: Al-hamdu li'Llahi bi ni'matihi tatimmu's-saalihaat. (Praise be to Allah, by whose grace all good things are perfected).
Food for Thought:
When you think positive, happy, loving thoughts, there's a different chemistry that goes into your body than when you think depressing, negative, anguished thoughts. The way you decide to think has a dramatic effect on your chemistry and on your physiology.
And when those who went wrong see the penalty, it will not be lightened for them, and they will be granted no stay. [16: 85]
Hadith of the Day:
The best jihad is to speak a word of justice to an oppressive ruler. [Abu Dawud]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Between you and spiritual counsel is a veil of heedlessness. [Ali radi allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Contemplate and be thankful. Remember the favors of Allah upon you and how they surround you from above and below--indeed, from every direction. Health, safety, nourishment, clothing, air, and water--these all point to the world being yours, yet you do not realize it. You possess all that life has to offer, yet remain ignorant. You have at your disposal two eyes, a tongue, lips, two hands, and two legs.
Can you picture yourself walking without feet? should you take it lightly that you slumber soundly while misery hinders the sleep of many? Should you forget that you fill yourself with both delicious dishes and cool water while the pleasure of good food and drink is impossible for some, due to sickness and disease? Consider the faculties of hearing and seeing with which you have been endowed. Look at your healthy skin and be grateful that you have been saved from diseases that attack it. Reflect on your powers of reasoning and remember those that suffer from mental ailments.
Would you sell your ability to hear and see for the weight of mount uhud in gold, or your ability to speak for huge castles? You have been given abundant favors, yet you feign ignorance. You think about what you do not have and are ungrateful for what you have been given. You are troubled by a loss in wealth, yet you have the key to happiness and many blessings. Contemplate and be thankful. Reflect upon yourself, your family, your friends, and the entire world that is around you. [Don't be Sad by Aaidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni]
Du'a of the Week:
When something pleasing occurs: Al-hamdu li'Llahi bi ni'matihi tatimmu's-saalihaat. (Praise be to Allah, by whose grace all good things are perfected).
Food for Thought:
When you think positive, happy, loving thoughts, there's a different chemistry that goes into your body than when you think depressing, negative, anguished thoughts. The way you decide to think has a dramatic effect on your chemistry and on your physiology.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 509
Ayah of the Day:
One day We will raise up a witness from every people; then those who were ungrateful will not be heard, and not regarded with favor. [16: 84]
Hadith of the Day:
The one who holds on to my sunna when corruption spreads in my community shall have the reward of a martyr. [Tabrani]
Wise Quote of the Day:
You are determined to lose yourself in the baggage of this world, while the world is equally determined to remove you from itself. [Abu Bakr radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Live This Day as if It Were Your Last. It Might Be! When are you going to die? In fifty years, twenty, ten, five, today? Last time I checked, no one had told me. I often wonder, when listening to the news, did the person who died in the auto accident on his way home from work remember to tell his family how much he loved them? Did he live well? Did he love well? Perhaps the only thing that is certain is that he still had things in his "in basket" that weren't yet done.
The truth is none of us has any idea how long we have to live. Sadly, however, we act as if we're going to live forever. We postpone the things that, deep down, we know we want to do--telling the people we love how we care, spending time alone, writing a heartfelt letter, learning to meditate, becoming a better listener, and on and on. We come up with elaborate and sophisticated rationales to justify our actions, and end up spending most of our time and energy doing things that aren't all that important. We argue for our limitations, and they become our limitations.
I felt it appropriate to end this book by suggesting that you live each day as if it were your last on this earth. I suggest this not as a prescription to be reckless or to abandon your responsibilities, but to remind you of how precious life really is. Please don't forget the most basic strategy of all, Don't sweat the small stuff...and it's all small stuff! [Don't Sweat the Small Stuff by Richard Carlson]
Food for Thought:
Our days are the precious currency of our lives. The more we let go of people and things, the fewer obstacles we will have on our life's journey.
One day We will raise up a witness from every people; then those who were ungrateful will not be heard, and not regarded with favor. [16: 84]
Hadith of the Day:
The one who holds on to my sunna when corruption spreads in my community shall have the reward of a martyr. [Tabrani]
Wise Quote of the Day:
You are determined to lose yourself in the baggage of this world, while the world is equally determined to remove you from itself. [Abu Bakr radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Live This Day as if It Were Your Last. It Might Be! When are you going to die? In fifty years, twenty, ten, five, today? Last time I checked, no one had told me. I often wonder, when listening to the news, did the person who died in the auto accident on his way home from work remember to tell his family how much he loved them? Did he live well? Did he love well? Perhaps the only thing that is certain is that he still had things in his "in basket" that weren't yet done.
The truth is none of us has any idea how long we have to live. Sadly, however, we act as if we're going to live forever. We postpone the things that, deep down, we know we want to do--telling the people we love how we care, spending time alone, writing a heartfelt letter, learning to meditate, becoming a better listener, and on and on. We come up with elaborate and sophisticated rationales to justify our actions, and end up spending most of our time and energy doing things that aren't all that important. We argue for our limitations, and they become our limitations.
I felt it appropriate to end this book by suggesting that you live each day as if it were your last on this earth. I suggest this not as a prescription to be reckless or to abandon your responsibilities, but to remind you of how precious life really is. Please don't forget the most basic strategy of all, Don't sweat the small stuff...and it's all small stuff! [Don't Sweat the Small Stuff by Richard Carlson]
Food for Thought:
Our days are the precious currency of our lives. The more we let go of people and things, the fewer obstacles we will have on our life's journey.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 508
Ayahs of the Day:
But if they turn away, your only obligation is clear communication. They recognize the kindness of God, but they deny it, as most of them are ingrates. [16: 82,83]
Hadith of the Day:
The best of you are those who, when you look at them, you remember Allah. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
How strange is the one who knows Satan to be his enemy and yet listens to him obediently. [Othman radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Schedule time for your inner work. In the field of financial planning there is a universally accepted principle that it's critical to pay yourself first, before you pay your other bills--to think of yourself as a creditor. The rationale for this wisdom is that if you wait to put money into savings until after everybody else is paid, there will be nothing left for you. The result is that you'll keep postponing your savings plan until it's too late to do anything about it. But, if you pay yourself first, somehow there will be just enough to pay everyone else too.
The identical principle is critical to implement into your program of spiritual practice. If you wait until all your chores, responsibilities, and everything else is done before you get started, it will never happen. Guaranteed. Scheduling a little time each day as if it were an actual appointment is the only way to ensure that you take some time for yourself. You might become an early riser, for example, and schedule one hour that is reserved for reading, praying, reflecting, meditating, exercise, or however you want to use the time. How you choose to use your time is up to you. The important thing is that you do schedule the time and that you stick to it. If you set your mind to it, you can find the time you need. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
When you truly know that your life has a grand and heroic mission, then you will realign yourself as a spiritual being.
But if they turn away, your only obligation is clear communication. They recognize the kindness of God, but they deny it, as most of them are ingrates. [16: 82,83]
Hadith of the Day:
The best of you are those who, when you look at them, you remember Allah. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
How strange is the one who knows Satan to be his enemy and yet listens to him obediently. [Othman radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Schedule time for your inner work. In the field of financial planning there is a universally accepted principle that it's critical to pay yourself first, before you pay your other bills--to think of yourself as a creditor. The rationale for this wisdom is that if you wait to put money into savings until after everybody else is paid, there will be nothing left for you. The result is that you'll keep postponing your savings plan until it's too late to do anything about it. But, if you pay yourself first, somehow there will be just enough to pay everyone else too.
The identical principle is critical to implement into your program of spiritual practice. If you wait until all your chores, responsibilities, and everything else is done before you get started, it will never happen. Guaranteed. Scheduling a little time each day as if it were an actual appointment is the only way to ensure that you take some time for yourself. You might become an early riser, for example, and schedule one hour that is reserved for reading, praying, reflecting, meditating, exercise, or however you want to use the time. How you choose to use your time is up to you. The important thing is that you do schedule the time and that you stick to it. If you set your mind to it, you can find the time you need. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
When you truly know that your life has a grand and heroic mission, then you will realign yourself as a spiritual being.
LESSON OF THE DAY 508
Ayahs of the Day:
But if they turn away, your only obligation is clear communication. They recognize the kindness of God, but they deny it, as most of them are ingrates. [16: 82,83]
Hadith of the Day:
The best of you are those who, when you look at them, you remember Allah. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
How strange is the one who knows Satan to be his enemy and yet listens to him obediently. [Othman radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Schedule time for your inner work. In the field of financial planning there is a universally accepted principle that it's critical to pay yourself first, before you pay your other bills--to think of yourself as a creditor. The rationale for this wisdom is that if you wait to put money into savings until after everybody else is paid, there will be nothing left for you. The result is that you'll keep postponing your savings plan until it's too late to do anything about it. But, if you pay yourself first, somehow there will be just enough to pay everyone else too.
The identical principle is critical to implement into your program of spiritual practice. If you wait until all your chores, responsibilities, and everything else is done before you get started, it will never happen. Guaranteed. Scheduling a little time each day as if it were an actual appointment is the only way to ensure that you take some time for yourself. You might become an early riser, for example, and schedule one hour that is reserved for reading, praying, reflecting, meditating, exercise, or however you want to use the time. How you choose to use your time is up to you. The important thing is that you do schedule the time and that you stick to it. If you set your mind to it, you can find the time you need. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
When you truly know that your life has a grand and heroic mission, then you will realign yourself as a spiritual being.
But if they turn away, your only obligation is clear communication. They recognize the kindness of God, but they deny it, as most of them are ingrates. [16: 82,83]
Hadith of the Day:
The best of you are those who, when you look at them, you remember Allah. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
How strange is the one who knows Satan to be his enemy and yet listens to him obediently. [Othman radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Schedule time for your inner work. In the field of financial planning there is a universally accepted principle that it's critical to pay yourself first, before you pay your other bills--to think of yourself as a creditor. The rationale for this wisdom is that if you wait to put money into savings until after everybody else is paid, there will be nothing left for you. The result is that you'll keep postponing your savings plan until it's too late to do anything about it. But, if you pay yourself first, somehow there will be just enough to pay everyone else too.
The identical principle is critical to implement into your program of spiritual practice. If you wait until all your chores, responsibilities, and everything else is done before you get started, it will never happen. Guaranteed. Scheduling a little time each day as if it were an actual appointment is the only way to ensure that you take some time for yourself. You might become an early riser, for example, and schedule one hour that is reserved for reading, praying, reflecting, meditating, exercise, or however you want to use the time. How you choose to use your time is up to you. The important thing is that you do schedule the time and that you stick to it. If you set your mind to it, you can find the time you need. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
When you truly know that your life has a grand and heroic mission, then you will realign yourself as a spiritual being.
Monday, March 27, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 507
Ayah of the Day:
And God made things that create shade for you, and made shelters of the mountains for you, and made you garments to protect you from the heat, and mail to protect you against your violence. Thus does God complete Divine favor to you, that you may acquiesce. [16: 81]
Hadith of the Day:
Make much remembrance of the destroyer of pleasures (i.e. death) [Tirmidhi & Ahmad]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The key to knowledge is intelligent questions and listening attentively. [Imam al Mannawi]
Guidance of the Day:
Look for Extraordinary in the Ordinary. I have heard a story about two workers who were approached by a reporter. The reporter asked the first worker, "What are you doing"? His response was to complain that he was virtually a slave, an underpaid bricklayer who spent his days wasting his time, placing bricks on top of one another. The reporter asked the second worker the same question. His response, however, was quite different. "I'm the luckiest person in the world," he said. "I get to be a part of important and beautiful pieces of architecture. I help turn simple pieces of brick into exquisite masterpieces.
They were both right. The truth is, we see in life what we want to see. If you search for ugliness you'll find plenty of it. If you want to find fault with other people, your career, or the world in general, you'll certainly be able to do so. But the opposite is also true. If you look for the extraordinary in the ordinary, you can train yourself to see it. This bricklayer sees cathedrals within pieces of brick. The question is can you? Can you see the extraordinary synchronicity that exists in our world; the perfection of the universe in action; the extraordinary beauty of nature; the incredible miracle of human life? To me, it's all a matter of intention. There is so much to be grateful for, so much to be in awe about. Life is precious and extraordinary. Put your attention on this fact and little, ordinary things will take on a whole new meaning. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
Looking into the mirror and disliking the self that you take with you everywhere you go is one of the most self-defeating things you can do.
And God made things that create shade for you, and made shelters of the mountains for you, and made you garments to protect you from the heat, and mail to protect you against your violence. Thus does God complete Divine favor to you, that you may acquiesce. [16: 81]
Hadith of the Day:
Make much remembrance of the destroyer of pleasures (i.e. death) [Tirmidhi & Ahmad]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The key to knowledge is intelligent questions and listening attentively. [Imam al Mannawi]
Guidance of the Day:
Look for Extraordinary in the Ordinary. I have heard a story about two workers who were approached by a reporter. The reporter asked the first worker, "What are you doing"? His response was to complain that he was virtually a slave, an underpaid bricklayer who spent his days wasting his time, placing bricks on top of one another. The reporter asked the second worker the same question. His response, however, was quite different. "I'm the luckiest person in the world," he said. "I get to be a part of important and beautiful pieces of architecture. I help turn simple pieces of brick into exquisite masterpieces.
They were both right. The truth is, we see in life what we want to see. If you search for ugliness you'll find plenty of it. If you want to find fault with other people, your career, or the world in general, you'll certainly be able to do so. But the opposite is also true. If you look for the extraordinary in the ordinary, you can train yourself to see it. This bricklayer sees cathedrals within pieces of brick. The question is can you? Can you see the extraordinary synchronicity that exists in our world; the perfection of the universe in action; the extraordinary beauty of nature; the incredible miracle of human life? To me, it's all a matter of intention. There is so much to be grateful for, so much to be in awe about. Life is precious and extraordinary. Put your attention on this fact and little, ordinary things will take on a whole new meaning. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
Looking into the mirror and disliking the self that you take with you everywhere you go is one of the most self-defeating things you can do.
Sunday, March 26, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 506
Ayah of the Day:
And God made your houses places of quiet for you, and made you tents of hides, which you find light on the day of your departure and on the day you pitch your camp; and, from their wool, fur, and hair, furnishings and goods for a while. [16: 80]
Hadith of the Day:
Do not gloat over your brother's misfortune, lest Allah gives him well-being and afflict you. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Faith is experience by the heart, avowal by the tongue, and action by the limbs. [Ali radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Mind Your Own Business. It's tough enough trying to create a life of serenity when dealing with your own mental tendencies, issues, real-life problems, habits, and the contradictions and complexities of life. But when you feel compelled to deal with other people's issues, your goal of becoming more peaceful becomes all but impossible. How often do you find yourself saying things like, "i wouldn't do that if I were him/her," or "I can't believe he did that," or "What is she/he thinking about?" How often are you frustrated, bothered, annoyed, or concerned about things that you not only cannot control or be of actual help with, but are also none of your business?
This is not a prescription to avoid being of help to people. Rather, it's about knowing when to help and when to leave something alone.Minding your own business goes far beyond simply avoiding the temptation to try to solve other people's problems. It also includes eavesdropping, gossiping, talking behind other people's backs, or analyzing or trying to figure out other people. One of the major reasons most of us focus on the shortcomings or problems of others is to avoid looking at ourselves.
When you catch yourself involved where you really don't belong, congratulate yourself for having the humility and wisdom to back off. In no time at all, you'll free up tons of extra energy to focus your attention where it's truly relevant or needed. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
With God, all things are possible. Now what does that leave out.
And God made your houses places of quiet for you, and made you tents of hides, which you find light on the day of your departure and on the day you pitch your camp; and, from their wool, fur, and hair, furnishings and goods for a while. [16: 80]
Hadith of the Day:
Do not gloat over your brother's misfortune, lest Allah gives him well-being and afflict you. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Faith is experience by the heart, avowal by the tongue, and action by the limbs. [Ali radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Mind Your Own Business. It's tough enough trying to create a life of serenity when dealing with your own mental tendencies, issues, real-life problems, habits, and the contradictions and complexities of life. But when you feel compelled to deal with other people's issues, your goal of becoming more peaceful becomes all but impossible. How often do you find yourself saying things like, "i wouldn't do that if I were him/her," or "I can't believe he did that," or "What is she/he thinking about?" How often are you frustrated, bothered, annoyed, or concerned about things that you not only cannot control or be of actual help with, but are also none of your business?
This is not a prescription to avoid being of help to people. Rather, it's about knowing when to help and when to leave something alone.Minding your own business goes far beyond simply avoiding the temptation to try to solve other people's problems. It also includes eavesdropping, gossiping, talking behind other people's backs, or analyzing or trying to figure out other people. One of the major reasons most of us focus on the shortcomings or problems of others is to avoid looking at ourselves.
When you catch yourself involved where you really don't belong, congratulate yourself for having the humility and wisdom to back off. In no time at all, you'll free up tons of extra energy to focus your attention where it's truly relevant or needed. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
With God, all things are possible. Now what does that leave out.
Friday, March 24, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 505
Ayah of the Day:
Don't they look at the birds, suspended in the air in the sky? Nothing holds them up except God. Surely there are signs in that for people who believe. [16: 79]
Hadith of the Day:
The believer's shade on the Day of Resurrection will be his sadaqa. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The strength in one's resolve is that one does not leave for tomorrow what one can do today. [Omar radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Be Open to "What Is". One of the most basic spiritual principles in many philosophies is the idea of opening your heart to "what is" insisting that life be a certain way. This idea is so important because much of our internal struggle stems from our desire to control life, to insist that it be different than it actually is. But life isn't always the way we would like it to be--it is simply the way it is. The greater our surrender to the truth of the moment, the greater will be our peace of mind. When we have preconceived ideas about the way life should be, they interfere with our opportunity to enjoy or learn from the present moment. This prevents us from honoring what we are going through, which may be an opportunity for great awakening.
Rather than reacting to a child's complaining or your spouse's disapproval, try opening your heart and accepting the moment for what is. Take a deep breath and soften your response. You open your heart in these ways, not to pretend that you enjoy complaints, disapproval, or failure, but to transcend them--to make it all right with you that life isn't performing the way you planned. If you can learn to open your heart in the midst of difficulties of daily life, you'll soon find that many of the things that have always bothered you will cease to be concerns. Your perspective will deepen.
When you fight that which you struggle with, life can be quite a battle, almost like a Ping-Pong game where you are the ball. But when you surrender to the moment, accept what is going on, make it okay, more peaceful feelings will begin to emerge. Try this technique on some of the little challenges you face. Gradually you will be able to extend the same awareness to bigger things. This is a truly powerful way to live. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
Life presents itself to you and asks nothing of you. You can take life and swim deliriously through it, or you can fight it. But when you elect to spend your time fighting it, you can't use the same time to enjoy it.
Don't they look at the birds, suspended in the air in the sky? Nothing holds them up except God. Surely there are signs in that for people who believe. [16: 79]
Hadith of the Day:
The believer's shade on the Day of Resurrection will be his sadaqa. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The strength in one's resolve is that one does not leave for tomorrow what one can do today. [Omar radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Be Open to "What Is". One of the most basic spiritual principles in many philosophies is the idea of opening your heart to "what is" insisting that life be a certain way. This idea is so important because much of our internal struggle stems from our desire to control life, to insist that it be different than it actually is. But life isn't always the way we would like it to be--it is simply the way it is. The greater our surrender to the truth of the moment, the greater will be our peace of mind. When we have preconceived ideas about the way life should be, they interfere with our opportunity to enjoy or learn from the present moment. This prevents us from honoring what we are going through, which may be an opportunity for great awakening.
Rather than reacting to a child's complaining or your spouse's disapproval, try opening your heart and accepting the moment for what is. Take a deep breath and soften your response. You open your heart in these ways, not to pretend that you enjoy complaints, disapproval, or failure, but to transcend them--to make it all right with you that life isn't performing the way you planned. If you can learn to open your heart in the midst of difficulties of daily life, you'll soon find that many of the things that have always bothered you will cease to be concerns. Your perspective will deepen.
When you fight that which you struggle with, life can be quite a battle, almost like a Ping-Pong game where you are the ball. But when you surrender to the moment, accept what is going on, make it okay, more peaceful feelings will begin to emerge. Try this technique on some of the little challenges you face. Gradually you will be able to extend the same awareness to bigger things. This is a truly powerful way to live. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
Life presents itself to you and asks nothing of you. You can take life and swim deliriously through it, or you can fight it. But when you elect to spend your time fighting it, you can't use the same time to enjoy it.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 504
Ayah of the Day:
And God brought you out of your mothers' insides while you knew nothing, and gave you hearing and eyesight and feelings, that you might be grateful. [16: 78]
Hadith of the Day:
Give the sadaqa without delay for it stands in the way of calamity. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
I wonder at the miser who hastens to poverty leaving behind the very wealth he seeks, for he lives in this world like a pauper but will have to settle his account in the Hereafter like the rich. [Ali radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Trust Your Intuitive Heart. How often have you said to yourself, after the fact, "I knew I should have done that"? How often do you intuitively know something but allow yourself to think yourself out of it? Trusting your intuitive heart means listening to and trusting that quiet inner voice that knows what it is you need to do, what actions need to be taken, or changes need to be made in your life. Many of us don't listen to our intuitive heart for fear that we couldn't possibly know something without thinking it through, or for fear that legitimate answers could possibly be so obvious.
If you can overcome your fear that your intuitive heart will give you incorrect answers, if you can learn to trust it, your life will become the magical adventure it was meant to be. Trusting your intuitive heart is like removing the barriers to enjoyment and wisdom. It's the way to open your eyes and your heart to your greatest source of wisdom and grace.
If you're unfamiliar with trusting your intuition, start by setting aside a little quiet time to clear your mind and listen. Ignore and dismiss any habitual, self-defeating thoughts that enter your mind and pay attention only to the calm thoughts that begin to surface. If you find that unusual yet loving thoughts are appearing in your mind, take note of them and take action. If, for example, you get the message to write or call someone you love, go ahead and do it. If your intuitive heart says you need to slow down or take more time for yourself, try to make it happen. If you're reminded of a habit that needs attention, pay attention. You'll find that when your intuition gives you messages and you respond with action, you'll often be rewarded with positive, loving experiences. Start trusting your intuitive heart today and you'll see a world of difference in your life. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Du'a of the Week:
When feeling helpless regarding a matter: Hasbiya 'Llahu wa ni'ma'l-wakil (Allah is my sufficiency, and how perfect a benefactor [is He] )
Food for Thought:
I can assure you that once you no longer need the lessons in your life that unpleasant events offer you, you will no longer have these events.
And God brought you out of your mothers' insides while you knew nothing, and gave you hearing and eyesight and feelings, that you might be grateful. [16: 78]
Hadith of the Day:
Give the sadaqa without delay for it stands in the way of calamity. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
I wonder at the miser who hastens to poverty leaving behind the very wealth he seeks, for he lives in this world like a pauper but will have to settle his account in the Hereafter like the rich. [Ali radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Trust Your Intuitive Heart. How often have you said to yourself, after the fact, "I knew I should have done that"? How often do you intuitively know something but allow yourself to think yourself out of it? Trusting your intuitive heart means listening to and trusting that quiet inner voice that knows what it is you need to do, what actions need to be taken, or changes need to be made in your life. Many of us don't listen to our intuitive heart for fear that we couldn't possibly know something without thinking it through, or for fear that legitimate answers could possibly be so obvious.
If you can overcome your fear that your intuitive heart will give you incorrect answers, if you can learn to trust it, your life will become the magical adventure it was meant to be. Trusting your intuitive heart is like removing the barriers to enjoyment and wisdom. It's the way to open your eyes and your heart to your greatest source of wisdom and grace.
If you're unfamiliar with trusting your intuition, start by setting aside a little quiet time to clear your mind and listen. Ignore and dismiss any habitual, self-defeating thoughts that enter your mind and pay attention only to the calm thoughts that begin to surface. If you find that unusual yet loving thoughts are appearing in your mind, take note of them and take action. If, for example, you get the message to write or call someone you love, go ahead and do it. If your intuitive heart says you need to slow down or take more time for yourself, try to make it happen. If you're reminded of a habit that needs attention, pay attention. You'll find that when your intuition gives you messages and you respond with action, you'll often be rewarded with positive, loving experiences. Start trusting your intuitive heart today and you'll see a world of difference in your life. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Du'a of the Week:
When feeling helpless regarding a matter: Hasbiya 'Llahu wa ni'ma'l-wakil (Allah is my sufficiency, and how perfect a benefactor [is He] )
Food for Thought:
I can assure you that once you no longer need the lessons in your life that unpleasant events offer you, you will no longer have these events.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 503
Ayah of the Day:
The secret of the heavens and the earth belongs to God. And the decree of the end of time is as the blink of an eye, or even quicker; for God has power over every thing. [16: 77]
Hadith of the Day:
Sadaqa appeases the Lord's anger and averts an evil death. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Your fear of Allah is commensurate of what you know of Him, and your lack of fear regarding Him is commensurate with your ignorance of Him. [Abu Bakr radi Allan anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Give up the idea that "more is better". We live in the most affluent culture the world has ever seen. Estimates are that although we have only 16 percent of the world's population in America, we use almost half of the natural resources. It seems to me that if more were actually better, we would live in the happiest, most satisfied culture of all time. But we don't. Not even close, we live in one of the most dissatisfied cultures on record. It's not that having a lot of things is bad, wrong or harmful in and of itself, only that the desire to have more and more and more is insatiable. As long as you think more is better, you'll never be satisfied.
As soon as we get something or achieve something, most of us simply go on to the next thing--immediately. this squelches our appreciation for life and for our many blessings. It seems that whatever we do--buy a home or a car, eat a meal, find a partner, purchase some clothes, even win a prestigious honor--it's never enough. The trick in overcoming this insidious tendency is to convince yourself that more isn't better and that the problem doesn't lie in what you don't have, but in longing for more.
Learning to be satisfied doesn't mean you can't, don,t or shouldn't ever want more than you have, only that your happiness isn't contingent on it. You can learn to be happy with what you have by becoming more present-moment oriented, but not focusing so much on what you want. As thoughts of what would make your life better enter your mind, gently remind yourself that, even if you got what you think you want, you wouldn't be one bit more satisfied, because the same mind-set that wants more now would want more then.
Develop a new appreciation for the blessings you already enjoy. See your life freshly, as if for the first time. As you develop this new awareness, you'll find that as new possessions or accomplishments enter your life, your level of appreciation will be heightened. An excellent measure of happiness is the differential between what you have and what you want. You can spend your lifetime wanting more, always chasing happiness--or you can simply decide to consciously want less. This latter strategy is infinitely easier and more fulfilling. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
No one, regardless of how much he or she wishes it, can put understanding into another human being. Understanding can only come from doing.
The secret of the heavens and the earth belongs to God. And the decree of the end of time is as the blink of an eye, or even quicker; for God has power over every thing. [16: 77]
Hadith of the Day:
Sadaqa appeases the Lord's anger and averts an evil death. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Your fear of Allah is commensurate of what you know of Him, and your lack of fear regarding Him is commensurate with your ignorance of Him. [Abu Bakr radi Allan anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Give up the idea that "more is better". We live in the most affluent culture the world has ever seen. Estimates are that although we have only 16 percent of the world's population in America, we use almost half of the natural resources. It seems to me that if more were actually better, we would live in the happiest, most satisfied culture of all time. But we don't. Not even close, we live in one of the most dissatisfied cultures on record. It's not that having a lot of things is bad, wrong or harmful in and of itself, only that the desire to have more and more and more is insatiable. As long as you think more is better, you'll never be satisfied.
As soon as we get something or achieve something, most of us simply go on to the next thing--immediately. this squelches our appreciation for life and for our many blessings. It seems that whatever we do--buy a home or a car, eat a meal, find a partner, purchase some clothes, even win a prestigious honor--it's never enough. The trick in overcoming this insidious tendency is to convince yourself that more isn't better and that the problem doesn't lie in what you don't have, but in longing for more.
Learning to be satisfied doesn't mean you can't, don,t or shouldn't ever want more than you have, only that your happiness isn't contingent on it. You can learn to be happy with what you have by becoming more present-moment oriented, but not focusing so much on what you want. As thoughts of what would make your life better enter your mind, gently remind yourself that, even if you got what you think you want, you wouldn't be one bit more satisfied, because the same mind-set that wants more now would want more then.
Develop a new appreciation for the blessings you already enjoy. See your life freshly, as if for the first time. As you develop this new awareness, you'll find that as new possessions or accomplishments enter your life, your level of appreciation will be heightened. An excellent measure of happiness is the differential between what you have and what you want. You can spend your lifetime wanting more, always chasing happiness--or you can simply decide to consciously want less. This latter strategy is infinitely easier and more fulfilling. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
No one, regardless of how much he or she wishes it, can put understanding into another human being. Understanding can only come from doing.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 502
Ayah of the Day:
And God has made an example of two men, one of whom is mute and has no power over anything, being entirely dependent on his guardian, bringing no good whichever way the latter directs him: is he equal to one who commends straightforwardness, and is himself on the straight path? [16: 76]
Hadith of the Day:
No one has superiority over another except by piety. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
How strange is the one who considers God to be the Ultimate Reality and yet relies on others exclusively. [Othman radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
One more passing show: It's a subtle reminder that everything--the good and bad, pleasure and pain, approval and disapproval, achievements and mistakes, fame and shame--all come and go. Everything has a beginning and an ending and that's the way it's supposed to be. Every experience you ever had is over. Every thought you've ever had started and finished. every emotion and mood you've experienced has been replaced by another. You've been happy, sad, jealous, depressed, angry, in love, shamed, proud, and every other conceivable human feeling. Where did they all go? The answer is no one really know. All we know is that eventually, everything disappears into nothingness. Welcoming this truth into your life is the beginning of a liberating adventure.
Our disappointment comes about in essentially two ways. When we're experiencing pleasure we want it to last for ever. It never does. Or, when we're experiencing pain, we want it to go away--now. It usually doesn't. Unhappiness is the result of struggling against the natural flow of experience. It's enormously helpful to experiment with the awareness that life is just one thing after another. One present moment followed by another present moment.
When something is happening that we enjoy, know that while it's wonderful to experience the happiness it brings, it will eventually be replaced by something else, a different type of moment. If that's okay with you you'll feel peace even when the moment changes. And if you're experiencing some type of pain or displeasure, know that this too will pass. Keeping this awareness close to your heart is a wonderful way to maintain your perspective, even in the face of adversity. It's not always easy, but it is usually helpful. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
Send out anger and impatience, and that's what you'll get. Send out love, and you'll get back love.
And God has made an example of two men, one of whom is mute and has no power over anything, being entirely dependent on his guardian, bringing no good whichever way the latter directs him: is he equal to one who commends straightforwardness, and is himself on the straight path? [16: 76]
Hadith of the Day:
No one has superiority over another except by piety. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
How strange is the one who considers God to be the Ultimate Reality and yet relies on others exclusively. [Othman radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
One more passing show: It's a subtle reminder that everything--the good and bad, pleasure and pain, approval and disapproval, achievements and mistakes, fame and shame--all come and go. Everything has a beginning and an ending and that's the way it's supposed to be. Every experience you ever had is over. Every thought you've ever had started and finished. every emotion and mood you've experienced has been replaced by another. You've been happy, sad, jealous, depressed, angry, in love, shamed, proud, and every other conceivable human feeling. Where did they all go? The answer is no one really know. All we know is that eventually, everything disappears into nothingness. Welcoming this truth into your life is the beginning of a liberating adventure.
Our disappointment comes about in essentially two ways. When we're experiencing pleasure we want it to last for ever. It never does. Or, when we're experiencing pain, we want it to go away--now. It usually doesn't. Unhappiness is the result of struggling against the natural flow of experience. It's enormously helpful to experiment with the awareness that life is just one thing after another. One present moment followed by another present moment.
When something is happening that we enjoy, know that while it's wonderful to experience the happiness it brings, it will eventually be replaced by something else, a different type of moment. If that's okay with you you'll feel peace even when the moment changes. And if you're experiencing some type of pain or displeasure, know that this too will pass. Keeping this awareness close to your heart is a wonderful way to maintain your perspective, even in the face of adversity. It's not always easy, but it is usually helpful. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
Send out anger and impatience, and that's what you'll get. Send out love, and you'll get back love.
Monday, March 20, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 501
Ayah of the Day:
God has made an example of a slave in bondage with no power over anything, and someone for whom We provide a fine provision from Us, and he gives of it secretly and openly--are the two equal? God be praised! But most of them do not know. [16: 75]
Hadith of the Day:
The most enviable of my friends is a believer who finds pleasure in prayer, who performs the worship of his Lord, well. Who obeys Him in secret, who is obscure among men, who is not pointed out by people, and whose provision is a bare sufficiency with which he is content. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of Day:
Whenever people omit any of their religious obligations to cultivate their worldly affairs, God inflicts something worse on them. [Ali radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Listen to your feelings (they are trying to tell you something. You have at your disposal a fool proof guidance system to navigate you through life. This system, which consists solely of your own feelings, lets you know whether you are off track and headed toward unhappiness and conflict--or on track, headed toward peace of mind. Your feelings act as a barometer, letting you know what your internal weather is like. When you are not caught up in your thinking, taking things too seriously, your feelings will be generally positive. They will be affirming that you are using your thinking to your advantage. No mental adjustment needs to be made.
When your experience of life is other than pleasant--when you are feeling angry, resentful, depressed, stressed out, frustrated, and so forth, your warning system of feelings kicks in like a red flag to remind you that you are off track, that it's time to ease up on your thinking, you've lost perspective. Mental adjustment does need to be made. You can think of your negative feelings in the same way as you think of the warning lights on the dashboard of your car. When flashing, they let you know that it's time to ease up. Contrary to popular belief, negative feelings don't need to be studied and analyzed. When you analyze your negative feelings, you'll usually end up with more of them to contend with.
The next time you are feeling bad, rather than getting stuck in "analysis paralysis," wondering why you feel the way you do, see if instead you can use your feelings to guide you back in the direction of serenity. Don't pretend that the negative feelings don't exist, but try to recognize that the reason you are feeling sad, angry, stressed, or whatever is that you are taking life too seriously--you are "sweating the small stuff." Instead of rolling up your sleeves and fighting life, back off, take a few deep breaths and relax. Remember, life isn't an emergency unless you make it so. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
Within you is the kingdom of serenity that can create all of the prosperity that you could ever want. When you know you are in charge of your intentions, then you will come to know that you are in charge of your entire world.
God has made an example of a slave in bondage with no power over anything, and someone for whom We provide a fine provision from Us, and he gives of it secretly and openly--are the two equal? God be praised! But most of them do not know. [16: 75]
Hadith of the Day:
The most enviable of my friends is a believer who finds pleasure in prayer, who performs the worship of his Lord, well. Who obeys Him in secret, who is obscure among men, who is not pointed out by people, and whose provision is a bare sufficiency with which he is content. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of Day:
Whenever people omit any of their religious obligations to cultivate their worldly affairs, God inflicts something worse on them. [Ali radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Listen to your feelings (they are trying to tell you something. You have at your disposal a fool proof guidance system to navigate you through life. This system, which consists solely of your own feelings, lets you know whether you are off track and headed toward unhappiness and conflict--or on track, headed toward peace of mind. Your feelings act as a barometer, letting you know what your internal weather is like. When you are not caught up in your thinking, taking things too seriously, your feelings will be generally positive. They will be affirming that you are using your thinking to your advantage. No mental adjustment needs to be made.
When your experience of life is other than pleasant--when you are feeling angry, resentful, depressed, stressed out, frustrated, and so forth, your warning system of feelings kicks in like a red flag to remind you that you are off track, that it's time to ease up on your thinking, you've lost perspective. Mental adjustment does need to be made. You can think of your negative feelings in the same way as you think of the warning lights on the dashboard of your car. When flashing, they let you know that it's time to ease up. Contrary to popular belief, negative feelings don't need to be studied and analyzed. When you analyze your negative feelings, you'll usually end up with more of them to contend with.
The next time you are feeling bad, rather than getting stuck in "analysis paralysis," wondering why you feel the way you do, see if instead you can use your feelings to guide you back in the direction of serenity. Don't pretend that the negative feelings don't exist, but try to recognize that the reason you are feeling sad, angry, stressed, or whatever is that you are taking life too seriously--you are "sweating the small stuff." Instead of rolling up your sleeves and fighting life, back off, take a few deep breaths and relax. Remember, life isn't an emergency unless you make it so. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
Within you is the kingdom of serenity that can create all of the prosperity that you could ever want. When you know you are in charge of your intentions, then you will come to know that you are in charge of your entire world.
Saturday, March 18, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 500
Ayah of the Day:
And God made you mates from yourselves, and made you children and grandchildren from your mates, and provided for you of the wholesome things. Will they then believe in falsehood, denying the kindness of God. [16: 72]
Hadith of the Day:
You are not better than people of (other races) unless you excel in piety. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
How strange is the one who knows the Hell Fire to be real And then sins knowingly. How strange is the one who believes in Paradise yet spends his days in the world leisurely. [Othman radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Redefine a "meaningful accomplishment." Sometimes it's easy to get carried away with our so-called accomplishments. We define our lifetimes collecting achievements, earning praise and recognition, and seeking approval--so much so that we lose sight of what is truly meaningful. If you ask the average person "What is a meaningful accomplishment?" the typical responses will be things like, "Achieving a long-term goal," "earning lots of money," "getting a promotion," "earning praise," and so forth. The emphasis is almost always on external aspects of life--things that happen outside of ourselves. Certainly, there is nothing wrong with these types of accomplishments--they are way of keeping score and improving our circumstances. They are not, however, the most important types of accomplishments if your primary goal is happiness and inner peace.
Seeing your photograph in the local newspaper may be a nice thing to achieve but isn't as meaningful as learning to stay centered in the face of adversity. Yet many people would point to their photo in the paper as being a great accomplishment, but wouldn't necessarily think of "staying centered" as an accomplishment at all. Where are our priorities? If being peaceful and loving are among your primary goals, then why not redefine your most meaningful accomplishments as being those that support and measure qualities such as kindness and happiness?
I think of my most meaningful accomplishments as stemming from inside myself: Was I kind to myself and others? Did I overreact to a challenge, or was I calm and collected? Am I happy? Did I hold on to anger or was I able to let go and move on? Was I too stubborn? Did I forgive? These questions, and others like them, remind us that the true measure of our success comes not from what we do, but from who we are and how much love we have in our hearts. Rather than being consumed exclusively with external accomplishment, try putting more emphasis on what's really important. When you redefine what it means to achieve a meaningful accomplishment, it helps you to stay on your path. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
To change yourself, look at what you fear and what you hate. Start there. There are limits to material growth, but there are no limits to inner enlightenment.
And God made you mates from yourselves, and made you children and grandchildren from your mates, and provided for you of the wholesome things. Will they then believe in falsehood, denying the kindness of God. [16: 72]
Hadith of the Day:
You are not better than people of (other races) unless you excel in piety. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
How strange is the one who knows the Hell Fire to be real And then sins knowingly. How strange is the one who believes in Paradise yet spends his days in the world leisurely. [Othman radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Redefine a "meaningful accomplishment." Sometimes it's easy to get carried away with our so-called accomplishments. We define our lifetimes collecting achievements, earning praise and recognition, and seeking approval--so much so that we lose sight of what is truly meaningful. If you ask the average person "What is a meaningful accomplishment?" the typical responses will be things like, "Achieving a long-term goal," "earning lots of money," "getting a promotion," "earning praise," and so forth. The emphasis is almost always on external aspects of life--things that happen outside of ourselves. Certainly, there is nothing wrong with these types of accomplishments--they are way of keeping score and improving our circumstances. They are not, however, the most important types of accomplishments if your primary goal is happiness and inner peace.
Seeing your photograph in the local newspaper may be a nice thing to achieve but isn't as meaningful as learning to stay centered in the face of adversity. Yet many people would point to their photo in the paper as being a great accomplishment, but wouldn't necessarily think of "staying centered" as an accomplishment at all. Where are our priorities? If being peaceful and loving are among your primary goals, then why not redefine your most meaningful accomplishments as being those that support and measure qualities such as kindness and happiness?
I think of my most meaningful accomplishments as stemming from inside myself: Was I kind to myself and others? Did I overreact to a challenge, or was I calm and collected? Am I happy? Did I hold on to anger or was I able to let go and move on? Was I too stubborn? Did I forgive? These questions, and others like them, remind us that the true measure of our success comes not from what we do, but from who we are and how much love we have in our hearts. Rather than being consumed exclusively with external accomplishment, try putting more emphasis on what's really important. When you redefine what it means to achieve a meaningful accomplishment, it helps you to stay on your path. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
To change yourself, look at what you fear and what you hate. Start there. There are limits to material growth, but there are no limits to inner enlightenment.
Friday, March 17, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 499
Ayah of the Day:
And God has favored some of you over others in substance; and those who have been favored are not about to turn their substance over to those who are under their control, such that they would be equal in that respect. Will they refuse the kindness of God? [16: 71]
Hadith of the Day:
Faith is known experientially by those who are content with God as their Sovereign, with Islam as their religion, and with Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) as their messenger. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The reward of every virtue has it's measure, yet the reward for patience has no measure, [Abu Bakr radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
The next time you find yourself in an argument, rather than defend your position, see if you can see the other point of view first. It's interesting to consider that when you disagree with someone, the person you are disagreeing with is every bit as certain of his or her position as you are of yours. Yet we always take sides--ours! This is our ego's way of refusing to learn anything new. It's also a habit that creates a lot of stress. Rather than automatically defending your own position, see if you can learn something new. Don't try to correct your friend see how he is wrong. Let your friend have the satisfaction of being right. Practice being a good listener.
Contrary to popular belief, this attitude does not make you weak. It doesn't mean you aren't passionate about your beliefs, or that you are admitting that you are wrong. You are simply trying to see another point of view--you're seeking first to understand. It takes enormous energy to constantly prove a rigid position. On the other hand, it takes no energy to allow someone else to be right. In fact, it's outright energizing.
When you understand other positions and points of view, several wonderful things begin to happen. First, you often learn something new. You expand your horizons. Second, when the person you are talking to feels listened to, he or she will appreciate and respect you far more than when you habitually jump in with your own position. Jumping in only makes him or her more defensive. Almost always, if you're softer, the other person will be softer too. It might not happen right away, but in time, it will. By seeking first to understand, you are putting your love and respect for the person to whom you are speaking above your need to be right. You are practicing a form of unconditional love. A side benefit is that the person you are speaking to may even listen to your point of view. While there is no guarantee that he will listen to you, one thing is guaranteed: If you don't listen, he or she won't. By being the first person to reach out and listen, you stop the spiral of stubbornness. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
The more you have a harmonious, loving, accepting approach, the more you will see the rest of the pieces all fitting nicely together.
And God has favored some of you over others in substance; and those who have been favored are not about to turn their substance over to those who are under their control, such that they would be equal in that respect. Will they refuse the kindness of God? [16: 71]
Hadith of the Day:
Faith is known experientially by those who are content with God as their Sovereign, with Islam as their religion, and with Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) as their messenger. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The reward of every virtue has it's measure, yet the reward for patience has no measure, [Abu Bakr radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
The next time you find yourself in an argument, rather than defend your position, see if you can see the other point of view first. It's interesting to consider that when you disagree with someone, the person you are disagreeing with is every bit as certain of his or her position as you are of yours. Yet we always take sides--ours! This is our ego's way of refusing to learn anything new. It's also a habit that creates a lot of stress. Rather than automatically defending your own position, see if you can learn something new. Don't try to correct your friend see how he is wrong. Let your friend have the satisfaction of being right. Practice being a good listener.
Contrary to popular belief, this attitude does not make you weak. It doesn't mean you aren't passionate about your beliefs, or that you are admitting that you are wrong. You are simply trying to see another point of view--you're seeking first to understand. It takes enormous energy to constantly prove a rigid position. On the other hand, it takes no energy to allow someone else to be right. In fact, it's outright energizing.
When you understand other positions and points of view, several wonderful things begin to happen. First, you often learn something new. You expand your horizons. Second, when the person you are talking to feels listened to, he or she will appreciate and respect you far more than when you habitually jump in with your own position. Jumping in only makes him or her more defensive. Almost always, if you're softer, the other person will be softer too. It might not happen right away, but in time, it will. By seeking first to understand, you are putting your love and respect for the person to whom you are speaking above your need to be right. You are practicing a form of unconditional love. A side benefit is that the person you are speaking to may even listen to your point of view. While there is no guarantee that he will listen to you, one thing is guaranteed: If you don't listen, he or she won't. By being the first person to reach out and listen, you stop the spiral of stubbornness. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
The more you have a harmonious, loving, accepting approach, the more you will see the rest of the pieces all fitting nicely together.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 498
Ayah of the Day:
God created you, and then will take your souls. And some of you are kept back to an old age, such that they know nothing they once knew. For God is Omniscient, Omnipotent. [16: 70]
Hadith of the Day:
Beware of the believer's insight, for he sees by the light of God. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
I know of nothing more useful to you than four matters: surrender to Allah, to humbly entreat Him, and to perpetually renew your repentance to Him, even if you should repeat a sin seventy times a day. [Ibn Ataillah]
Guidance of the Day:
Transform your relationship to your problems. Obstacles and problems are a part of life. True happiness comes not when we get rid of all of our problems, but when we change our relationships to them, when we see our problems as a potential source of awakening, opportunities to practice patience, and to learn. Perhaps the most basic principle of spiritual life is that our problems are the best places to practice keeping our hearts open.
Certainly some problems need to be solved. Many others, however, are problems we create for ourselves. By struggling to make our life different than it actually is. Inner peace is accomplished by understanding and accepting the inevitable contradictions of life--the pain and pleasure, success and failure, joy and sorrow, births and deaths. Problems can teach us to be gracious, humble, and patient. Difficulties are considered to be so important to a life of growth that it is felt that when life is too easy, there are fewer opportunities for genuine growth.
I wouldn't go so far as to recommend that you seek out problems. I would, however, suggest that if you spend less time running away from problems and trying to rid yourself of them--and more time accepting problems as an inevitable, natural, even important part of life--you will soon discover that life can be more of a dance and less of a battle. The philosophy of acceptance is the root of going with the flow. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
Create an inner harmony where your loving soul guides your physical behavior, rather than having your soul always come in second place.
God created you, and then will take your souls. And some of you are kept back to an old age, such that they know nothing they once knew. For God is Omniscient, Omnipotent. [16: 70]
Hadith of the Day:
Beware of the believer's insight, for he sees by the light of God. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
I know of nothing more useful to you than four matters: surrender to Allah, to humbly entreat Him, and to perpetually renew your repentance to Him, even if you should repeat a sin seventy times a day. [Ibn Ataillah]
Guidance of the Day:
Transform your relationship to your problems. Obstacles and problems are a part of life. True happiness comes not when we get rid of all of our problems, but when we change our relationships to them, when we see our problems as a potential source of awakening, opportunities to practice patience, and to learn. Perhaps the most basic principle of spiritual life is that our problems are the best places to practice keeping our hearts open.
Certainly some problems need to be solved. Many others, however, are problems we create for ourselves. By struggling to make our life different than it actually is. Inner peace is accomplished by understanding and accepting the inevitable contradictions of life--the pain and pleasure, success and failure, joy and sorrow, births and deaths. Problems can teach us to be gracious, humble, and patient. Difficulties are considered to be so important to a life of growth that it is felt that when life is too easy, there are fewer opportunities for genuine growth.
I wouldn't go so far as to recommend that you seek out problems. I would, however, suggest that if you spend less time running away from problems and trying to rid yourself of them--and more time accepting problems as an inevitable, natural, even important part of life--you will soon discover that life can be more of a dance and less of a battle. The philosophy of acceptance is the root of going with the flow. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
Create an inner harmony where your loving soul guides your physical behavior, rather than having your soul always come in second place.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 497
Ayahs of the Day:
And your Lord inspired the bee, "Make your homes in the mountains, in the trees and in the buildings they construct; then eat from all the fruits, gently walking the pathways of your Lord." From within them exudes a drink of various colors, in it healing for human kind. Surely in that is a sign for people who reflect. [16: 68,69]
Hadith of the Day:
A man has sinned enough if he neglected to feed those in need. [Fiqh us Sunnah]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Death: A single word which contains within it a goodly advice. [Omar radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Nurture a plant: At first glance this may seem like a strange or superficial suggestion. What good could it possibly do to nurture a plant? One of the goals of spiritual life and one of the requirements of inner peace is to learn to love unconditionally. The problem is, it's really hard to love a person, any person, unconditionally. The person we are trying to love inevitably says or does the wrong thing, or fails to meet our expectations in some way. So we get upset and put conditions on our love. "I'll love you, but you have to change. You must act the way I want you to act." Some people are better at loving their pets than the people in their lives. But to love a pet unconditionally is hard too. A plant, however , is easy to love just the way it is. Therefore, nurturing a plant offers us an excellent opportunity to practice unconditional love.
Why does virtually every spiritual tradition advocate unconditional love? Because love has such transformational power. Unconditional love brings forth peaceful feelings in both the giver and the receiver. Select a plant, indoor or outdoor, that you'll see every day. Practice taking care of and loving that plant as if it were your baby. Talk to your plant, tell it how much you love it. Love your plant whether it blooms or not, whether it lives or dies. Just love it. Notice how you feel as you offer this plant your unconditional love. When you offer this type of love you are never agitated, irritated, or hurried. You are simply in a loving space. Practice this type of love. Practice this type of love each time you see your plant, at least once a day.
After a short while, you'll be able to expend your loving-kindness beyond your plant as well. As you notice how good it feels to love, see if you can offer a similar love to the people in your life. Practice not needing them to change or be different to receive your love. Love them just the way they are. Your plant can be a wonderful teacher--showing you the power of love. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Du'a of the Week:
When becoming frustrated about paying a debt: Allahumma ikfini bi halalika an haramika wa aghnini bi fadlika amman siwaka. (O Allah, suffice me with what You have made lawful in place of what You have made unlawful, and by Your grace free me of the need for anyone besides You).
Food for Thought:
To accuse others for one's misfortunes is a sign of want of education. To accuse oneself shows that one's education has begun. To accuse neither oneself nor others shows one's education is complete.
And your Lord inspired the bee, "Make your homes in the mountains, in the trees and in the buildings they construct; then eat from all the fruits, gently walking the pathways of your Lord." From within them exudes a drink of various colors, in it healing for human kind. Surely in that is a sign for people who reflect. [16: 68,69]
Hadith of the Day:
A man has sinned enough if he neglected to feed those in need. [Fiqh us Sunnah]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Death: A single word which contains within it a goodly advice. [Omar radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Nurture a plant: At first glance this may seem like a strange or superficial suggestion. What good could it possibly do to nurture a plant? One of the goals of spiritual life and one of the requirements of inner peace is to learn to love unconditionally. The problem is, it's really hard to love a person, any person, unconditionally. The person we are trying to love inevitably says or does the wrong thing, or fails to meet our expectations in some way. So we get upset and put conditions on our love. "I'll love you, but you have to change. You must act the way I want you to act." Some people are better at loving their pets than the people in their lives. But to love a pet unconditionally is hard too. A plant, however , is easy to love just the way it is. Therefore, nurturing a plant offers us an excellent opportunity to practice unconditional love.
Why does virtually every spiritual tradition advocate unconditional love? Because love has such transformational power. Unconditional love brings forth peaceful feelings in both the giver and the receiver. Select a plant, indoor or outdoor, that you'll see every day. Practice taking care of and loving that plant as if it were your baby. Talk to your plant, tell it how much you love it. Love your plant whether it blooms or not, whether it lives or dies. Just love it. Notice how you feel as you offer this plant your unconditional love. When you offer this type of love you are never agitated, irritated, or hurried. You are simply in a loving space. Practice this type of love. Practice this type of love each time you see your plant, at least once a day.
After a short while, you'll be able to expend your loving-kindness beyond your plant as well. As you notice how good it feels to love, see if you can offer a similar love to the people in your life. Practice not needing them to change or be different to receive your love. Love them just the way they are. Your plant can be a wonderful teacher--showing you the power of love. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Du'a of the Week:
When becoming frustrated about paying a debt: Allahumma ikfini bi halalika an haramika wa aghnini bi fadlika amman siwaka. (O Allah, suffice me with what You have made lawful in place of what You have made unlawful, and by Your grace free me of the need for anyone besides You).
Food for Thought:
To accuse others for one's misfortunes is a sign of want of education. To accuse oneself shows that one's education has begun. To accuse neither oneself nor others shows one's education is complete.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 496
Ayahs of the Day:
And there is a lesson for you in cattle: We let you drink from what is inside them, between feces and blood, milk that is pure and palatable to those who drink. And from the fruits of the date palm and the grape you make wine and wholesome food; surely in that is a sign for people who understand. [16: 66,67]
Hadith of the Day:
O Allah! I seek refuge in you from knowledge which holds no benefit, from a heart which is not submissive and humble, from a soul which is never satisfied, and from a supplication which goes unanswered. [Ahmad]
Wise Quote of the Day:
How strange is the one who believes in destiny yet cries over the loss of that which is fleeting. How strange is the one who knows Reckoning to be true and yet goes on hoarding ceaselessly. [Othman radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Lighten up: These days, it seems that almost all of us are too serious. The root of being uptight is our unwillingness to accept life as being different, in any way, from our expectations. Very simply, we want things to be a certain way but they are not a certain way. Life is simply as it is. Our limited perspective, our hopes and fears become our measure of life, and when circumstances don't fit our ideas, they become our difficulties. We spend our lives wanting things, people, and events to be just as we want them to be--and when they are not, we fight and we suffer.
The first step in recovering from overseriousness is to admit that you have a problem. You have to want to change, to become more easy going. You have to see that your own uptightness is largely of your own creation--it's composed of the way you have set up your life and the way you react to it. The next step is to understand the link between your expectations and your frustration level. Whenever you expect something to be a certain way and it isn't, you're upset and you suffer. On the other hand, when you let go of your expectations, when you accept life as it is, you're free. To hold on is to be uptight. To let go is to lighten up.
A good exercise is to try to approach a single day without expectations. Don't expect people to be friendly. When they're not, you won't be surprised or bothered. If they are, you'll be delighted. Don't expect your day to be problem free. Instead, as problems come up, say to yourself, "Ah, another hurdle to overcome." As you approach your day in this manner you'll notice how graceful life can be. Pretty soon , with practice, you'll lighten up your entire life. And when you lighten up, life is a lot more fun. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
Instead of judging others as people who ought to be behaving in certain ways, see them as reflection a part of you, and ask yourself what it is you are ready to learn from them.
And there is a lesson for you in cattle: We let you drink from what is inside them, between feces and blood, milk that is pure and palatable to those who drink. And from the fruits of the date palm and the grape you make wine and wholesome food; surely in that is a sign for people who understand. [16: 66,67]
Hadith of the Day:
O Allah! I seek refuge in you from knowledge which holds no benefit, from a heart which is not submissive and humble, from a soul which is never satisfied, and from a supplication which goes unanswered. [Ahmad]
Wise Quote of the Day:
How strange is the one who believes in destiny yet cries over the loss of that which is fleeting. How strange is the one who knows Reckoning to be true and yet goes on hoarding ceaselessly. [Othman radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Lighten up: These days, it seems that almost all of us are too serious. The root of being uptight is our unwillingness to accept life as being different, in any way, from our expectations. Very simply, we want things to be a certain way but they are not a certain way. Life is simply as it is. Our limited perspective, our hopes and fears become our measure of life, and when circumstances don't fit our ideas, they become our difficulties. We spend our lives wanting things, people, and events to be just as we want them to be--and when they are not, we fight and we suffer.
The first step in recovering from overseriousness is to admit that you have a problem. You have to want to change, to become more easy going. You have to see that your own uptightness is largely of your own creation--it's composed of the way you have set up your life and the way you react to it. The next step is to understand the link between your expectations and your frustration level. Whenever you expect something to be a certain way and it isn't, you're upset and you suffer. On the other hand, when you let go of your expectations, when you accept life as it is, you're free. To hold on is to be uptight. To let go is to lighten up.
A good exercise is to try to approach a single day without expectations. Don't expect people to be friendly. When they're not, you won't be surprised or bothered. If they are, you'll be delighted. Don't expect your day to be problem free. Instead, as problems come up, say to yourself, "Ah, another hurdle to overcome." As you approach your day in this manner you'll notice how graceful life can be. Pretty soon , with practice, you'll lighten up your entire life. And when you lighten up, life is a lot more fun. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
Instead of judging others as people who ought to be behaving in certain ways, see them as reflection a part of you, and ask yourself what it is you are ready to learn from them.
Monday, March 13, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 495
Ayah of the Day:
By God, We have sent messengers to peoples before you, but Satan made the latter's acts seem pleasing to them, so he is their patron today; and there is a painful penalty is store for them. [16: 64]
Hadith of the Day:
Be keen to pursue that which is beneficial to you, rely upon God for aid, and be not helpless. [Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Silence: The best remedy for anger. [Othman radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
When trying to be helpful, focus on little things. Mother Teresa once said, "We cannot do great things on this earth. We can only do little things with great love." Sometimes our grandiose plans to do great things at some later time interfere with our chances to do little things right now. There are hungry people in the streets, elderly people who can use some company, mothers who need help with their children, people who can't read, people who need to be listened to, and thousands and thousands of other little things that need to be done.
We can't change the world, but to make the world a brighter place we don't need to. All we really have to do is focus on those little acts of kindness, things we can do right now. If we focus on how little difference our acts of kindness really make in the scheme of things, surely we will end up frustrated--and will probably use our helplessness as an excuse to do nothing. If, however, we take great care in doing something--anything--we will feel the joy of giving and will help to make our world just a little bit brighter. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
You are the creator of your thought, which means that in some metaphysical way, you're the creator of your life.
By God, We have sent messengers to peoples before you, but Satan made the latter's acts seem pleasing to them, so he is their patron today; and there is a painful penalty is store for them. [16: 64]
Hadith of the Day:
Be keen to pursue that which is beneficial to you, rely upon God for aid, and be not helpless. [Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Silence: The best remedy for anger. [Othman radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
When trying to be helpful, focus on little things. Mother Teresa once said, "We cannot do great things on this earth. We can only do little things with great love." Sometimes our grandiose plans to do great things at some later time interfere with our chances to do little things right now. There are hungry people in the streets, elderly people who can use some company, mothers who need help with their children, people who can't read, people who need to be listened to, and thousands and thousands of other little things that need to be done.
We can't change the world, but to make the world a brighter place we don't need to. All we really have to do is focus on those little acts of kindness, things we can do right now. If we focus on how little difference our acts of kindness really make in the scheme of things, surely we will end up frustrated--and will probably use our helplessness as an excuse to do nothing. If, however, we take great care in doing something--anything--we will feel the joy of giving and will help to make our world just a little bit brighter. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
You are the creator of your thought, which means that in some metaphysical way, you're the creator of your life.
Sunday, March 12, 2006
LESSON OF THE DAY 494
Ayahs of the Day:
And We only sent down the Book down to you so you may clarify for them what they differ on; and as guidance and mercy to a people who believe. And God sends down water down from the sky, enlivening the earth thereby after it has died. Surely in that is a sign for people who are listening. [16: 64,65]
Hadith of the Day:
Indeed the angels lower their wings before the seeker of knowledge. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Worldly honor may be through wealth, but heavenly honor is certainly through works. [Omar radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Remember, one hundred years from now, all new people. In the scheme of things, one hundred years isn't all that long a time. However one thing is for sure: A hundred years from now we will all be gone from this planet. And when kept in mind, this idea can fill us with needed perspective during times of perceived crisis or stress.
If you have a flat tire or lock yourself out of your house, what's it going to mean one hundred years from now? How about if someone acted unkindly toward you or if you had to stay up most of the night working? What if your house didn't get cleaned or your computer breaks down? Suppose you can't afford to go on a much needed vacation, buy a new car, or move to a larger apartment? All of these things and most others are brought into a deeper perspective when looked at with a hundred-year view. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
The antecedent to every action is a thought. It isn't the world that makes you unhappy, or the way people are in the world. It's how you process the people and events of our world.
And We only sent down the Book down to you so you may clarify for them what they differ on; and as guidance and mercy to a people who believe. And God sends down water down from the sky, enlivening the earth thereby after it has died. Surely in that is a sign for people who are listening. [16: 64,65]
Hadith of the Day:
Indeed the angels lower their wings before the seeker of knowledge. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Worldly honor may be through wealth, but heavenly honor is certainly through works. [Omar radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
Remember, one hundred years from now, all new people. In the scheme of things, one hundred years isn't all that long a time. However one thing is for sure: A hundred years from now we will all be gone from this planet. And when kept in mind, this idea can fill us with needed perspective during times of perceived crisis or stress.
If you have a flat tire or lock yourself out of your house, what's it going to mean one hundred years from now? How about if someone acted unkindly toward you or if you had to stay up most of the night working? What if your house didn't get cleaned or your computer breaks down? Suppose you can't afford to go on a much needed vacation, buy a new car, or move to a larger apartment? All of these things and most others are brought into a deeper perspective when looked at with a hundred-year view. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]
Food for Thought:
The antecedent to every action is a thought. It isn't the world that makes you unhappy, or the way people are in the world. It's how you process the people and events of our world.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)