The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Allah prepares a house in Paradise for every believer who offers twelve Raka'at of voluntary prayer everyday beyond that which is obligatory for him.” [Muslim]
Although this Hadith specifies voluntary prayer but our every act of obedience of Allah (Subhana wa ta’ala) is an act of workmanship towards the properties we are preparing for ourselves in Jannah.
A highly skilled carpenter who had grown old was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire.
The employer was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter agreed to this proposal but made sure that this would be his last project. Being in a mood to retire, the carpenter was not paying much attention to building this house. His heart was not in his work. He resorted to poor workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.
When the job was done, the carpenter called his employer and showed him the house. The employer handed over some papers and the front door key to the carpenter and said "This is your house, my gift to you."
The carpenter was in shock! What a shame! If he had only known that he was building his own house, he would have made it better than any other house that he had ever built!
Our situation can be compared to this carpenter. Allah (Subhana wa ta’ala) has sent us to this world to build our homes in Paradise by obeying His commands. Now, we have to decide how well we wish to build the homes in which we will live forever.
Every work can be our last; every Salah can be our last; let's pray and work with this realization.
Monday, October 28, 2013
Friday, October 25, 2013
Pearls of Wisdom 340
1. If you are sensible, count yourself among the people of the fire (of Hell), because this will encourage you to improve your conduct. If you are in fact one of the people of the Garden (of Paradise), you will have demonstrated your gratitude to Him.
2. Your ultimate destination is uncertain, so do not over estimate the purity of your spiritual state.
3. If you are still alive in the morning, do not take evening for granted, and if you are here when evening comes, do not take the next morning for granted.
4. Yesterday is past and gone with everything it contained, to be a witness for you or against you. As for tomorrow, you do not know whether you will survive till then or not. The proof of your heedlessness is your addiction to foolish company.
5. To deserve the company of your Lord, you must carry out His commandments, observe His prohibitions and comply with His wishes by accepting whatever has been decreed by Him.
6. In preserving the integrity of the heart there is indeed a job to keep one fully occupied.
7. One tiny fraction of the deeds of the heart is a thousand times better than all the deeds of the outer limbs.
8. How great is the loss of those who waste their time in the shops of greedy ambition, expectation and reputation! Your inner being will surely die, and your heart will turn dark.
9. If someone tries to worship Allah in a state of ignorance, he will do more harm than good. You must take along with you the lantern of your Lord's sacred law. By the light of law, you will enter into the domain of knowledge. [Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jillani]
2. Your ultimate destination is uncertain, so do not over estimate the purity of your spiritual state.
3. If you are still alive in the morning, do not take evening for granted, and if you are here when evening comes, do not take the next morning for granted.
4. Yesterday is past and gone with everything it contained, to be a witness for you or against you. As for tomorrow, you do not know whether you will survive till then or not. The proof of your heedlessness is your addiction to foolish company.
5. To deserve the company of your Lord, you must carry out His commandments, observe His prohibitions and comply with His wishes by accepting whatever has been decreed by Him.
6. In preserving the integrity of the heart there is indeed a job to keep one fully occupied.
7. One tiny fraction of the deeds of the heart is a thousand times better than all the deeds of the outer limbs.
8. How great is the loss of those who waste their time in the shops of greedy ambition, expectation and reputation! Your inner being will surely die, and your heart will turn dark.
9. If someone tries to worship Allah in a state of ignorance, he will do more harm than good. You must take along with you the lantern of your Lord's sacred law. By the light of law, you will enter into the domain of knowledge. [Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jillani]
Monday, October 21, 2013
Time to experience the effects of gratitude....
And your Lord had made the proclamation, "If you are grateful, I will grant you increase, but if you are ungrateful, My punishment is severe indeed." (14: 7)
1.Gratitude turns what we have into enough.
2.Gratitude turns denial into acceptance.
3. Gratitude turns chaos into order.
4. Gratitude turns confusion into clarity.
5. Gratitude turns a meal into a feast.
6. Gratitude turns a house into a home.
7. Gratitude turns a strangers into a friend.
8. Gratitude turns problems into gifts -- we discover our capacity to see the solutions, and strength to solve our problems.
9. Gratitude turns failures into successes.
10. Gratitude turns unexpected to perfect timing.
11. Gratitude turns mistakes into important events -- lessons learned.
12. Gratitude turns an existence into real life -- full of obedience to our Creator.
13. Gratitude turns disconnected situations into important and beneficial lessons.
14. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates vision for tomorrow.
15. Gratitude makes things right -- turns negative energy into positive.
16. Gratitude is the easiest way to defeat our sworn enemy Iblis.
17. Gratitude protects us from going into despair -- which may lead to going into deep depression.
18. Gratitude is susceptible to all situations and circumstances -- whether small or large. We can start with who we are and what we have right now.
When we say "thank You O' our Lord" long enough -- we will mean it and believe it -- that is when we will see the above mentioned effects of gratitude.
1.Gratitude turns what we have into enough.
2.Gratitude turns denial into acceptance.
3. Gratitude turns chaos into order.
4. Gratitude turns confusion into clarity.
5. Gratitude turns a meal into a feast.
6. Gratitude turns a house into a home.
7. Gratitude turns a strangers into a friend.
8. Gratitude turns problems into gifts -- we discover our capacity to see the solutions, and strength to solve our problems.
9. Gratitude turns failures into successes.
10. Gratitude turns unexpected to perfect timing.
11. Gratitude turns mistakes into important events -- lessons learned.
12. Gratitude turns an existence into real life -- full of obedience to our Creator.
13. Gratitude turns disconnected situations into important and beneficial lessons.
14. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates vision for tomorrow.
15. Gratitude makes things right -- turns negative energy into positive.
16. Gratitude is the easiest way to defeat our sworn enemy Iblis.
17. Gratitude protects us from going into despair -- which may lead to going into deep depression.
18. Gratitude is susceptible to all situations and circumstances -- whether small or large. We can start with who we are and what we have right now.
When we say "thank You O' our Lord" long enough -- we will mean it and believe it -- that is when we will see the above mentioned effects of gratitude.
Friday, October 18, 2013
Lesson of the day 1340
Ayahs of the day:
O believers, be constant, excel in patience, and be firm. Be conscious of God, so that you may thrive. [3: 200]
Hadith of the day:
When a man dies, all his good deeds come to an end except three: ongoing charity ( sadaqa jariyah), beneficial knowledge, or a righteous son who will pray for him. [Muslim]
Wise quote of the day:
O son of Adam, you are but a few days, whenever a day is gone, part of you is gone too. [Hasan al Basri]
Guidance of the day:
The ritual prayer has an outward form and an inward reality. No prayer can be perfect or complete without both being performed properly.
As for the outward form, it is its standing up, recitation, bowing down, prostrating, and other such components of outward prayer. As for the inward reality, it is humility, presence of heart, perfect sincerity, reflection, and understanding of the meanings of what is being recited, tasbih, and all other components of inward prayer.
The outward form of prayer thus belongs to the body and the senses, while inward belongs to the heart and the secret. The heart and secret are the location upon which falls the gaze of the Real (Al Haqq). [Counsels of Religion by Imam al Haddad]
Food for thought:
"Failures are divided into two classes -- those who thought and never did, and those who did and never thought." - John Charles Salak
"A failure is a man who has blundered but is not able to cash in the experience." - Elbert Hubbard
"A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame somebody else." - John Burroughs
O believers, be constant, excel in patience, and be firm. Be conscious of God, so that you may thrive. [3: 200]
Hadith of the day:
When a man dies, all his good deeds come to an end except three: ongoing charity ( sadaqa jariyah), beneficial knowledge, or a righteous son who will pray for him. [Muslim]
Wise quote of the day:
O son of Adam, you are but a few days, whenever a day is gone, part of you is gone too. [Hasan al Basri]
Guidance of the day:
The ritual prayer has an outward form and an inward reality. No prayer can be perfect or complete without both being performed properly.
As for the outward form, it is its standing up, recitation, bowing down, prostrating, and other such components of outward prayer. As for the inward reality, it is humility, presence of heart, perfect sincerity, reflection, and understanding of the meanings of what is being recited, tasbih, and all other components of inward prayer.
The outward form of prayer thus belongs to the body and the senses, while inward belongs to the heart and the secret. The heart and secret are the location upon which falls the gaze of the Real (Al Haqq). [Counsels of Religion by Imam al Haddad]
Food for thought:
"Failures are divided into two classes -- those who thought and never did, and those who did and never thought." - John Charles Salak
"A failure is a man who has blundered but is not able to cash in the experience." - Elbert Hubbard
"A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame somebody else." - John Burroughs
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Eid Mubarak!!!!
In the Company of Prophets.
"To have just met Adam, I would give sixty cubits of gold,
Again and again, and over again, many times, manifold.
To have just met Enoch (Idris), I would give silk to cover the heavens,
Spread out, draped through the trees and rivers, covering all seven.
To have just met Noah, I would give the seas and oceans,
With their powerful waves and endless motion.
To have just met Hud, I would give the grandest mansions and towers,
Of the finest design, surrounded by gardens and daintiest flowers.
To have just met Saleh, I would give jets, horses, cars, and camels,
The fastest, gaudiest, priciest, with seats and saddles enameled.
To have just met Abraham, I would give my intelligence, sanity,
For surely, thereafter, I would lose to insanity.
To have just met Lot, I would give salt, sugar, and spices,
Cinnamon, cloves, saffron: so much to exceed all prices.
To have just met Ishmael, I would build mosques truly grand,
To cover every inch of this Earth’s land.
To have just met Isaac, I would sacrifice every ram,
Goat, horse, elephant, cow, and even clam.
To have just met Jacob (Yaqub), I would give my sight,
For certainly, thereafter, I could see much more light.
To have just met Joseph, I would give the sun, moon, and stars,
And along with them the cycles of Nisan to Adar.
To have just met Job (Ayub), I would suffer the most terrible illness,
Waiting for God’s salvation in endless quiet stillness.
To have just met Jethro [Shu’aib], I would give all to charity,
From the smallest particle to the priciest rarity.
To have just met Aaron (Harun), I would abandon speech,
Yet turn to God, and in silence beseech.
To have just met Moses, I would give the mountains,
With gushing geysers, and sparkling fountains.
To have just met David, I would give the elements,
From the toughest diamond to the thinnest filament.
To have just met Solomon, I would give every bird,
Peacocks, parrots, falcons, and penguins, furred.
To have just met Elijah [Ilyas], I would preach the Way of God,
Night and day, so we could discard all frauds.
To have just met Elisha [Alyasa’], I would give the most exceptional art,
So that I could, then, return with a purer heart.
To have just met Jonah (Yunus), I would give every pearl,
From the depths of the sea, worthy of queens and earls.
To have just met Ezekiel [Dhulkifl], I would give the newer inventions,
Given us by God, for none is from apprehension.
To have just met Zechariah, I would fast year round,
Even if around me, there were delicacies abound.
To have just met John, I would purify myself completely,
So as to present myself purely and neatly.
To have just met Jesus, I would suffer great persecution,
So that, by God’s mercy I would not suffer devolution.
To have just met Muhammad, I would give the heavens and earth and that therein,
He marked the end of Revelation and marked where the end did begin.
To have met just one prophet, would be this world’s greatest blessing,
They were the same message spreading, the same belief professing. "
Malik
"To have just met Adam, I would give sixty cubits of gold,
Again and again, and over again, many times, manifold.
To have just met Enoch (Idris), I would give silk to cover the heavens,
Spread out, draped through the trees and rivers, covering all seven.
To have just met Noah, I would give the seas and oceans,
With their powerful waves and endless motion.
To have just met Hud, I would give the grandest mansions and towers,
Of the finest design, surrounded by gardens and daintiest flowers.
To have just met Saleh, I would give jets, horses, cars, and camels,
The fastest, gaudiest, priciest, with seats and saddles enameled.
To have just met Abraham, I would give my intelligence, sanity,
For surely, thereafter, I would lose to insanity.
To have just met Lot, I would give salt, sugar, and spices,
Cinnamon, cloves, saffron: so much to exceed all prices.
To have just met Ishmael, I would build mosques truly grand,
To cover every inch of this Earth’s land.
To have just met Isaac, I would sacrifice every ram,
Goat, horse, elephant, cow, and even clam.
To have just met Jacob (Yaqub), I would give my sight,
For certainly, thereafter, I could see much more light.
To have just met Joseph, I would give the sun, moon, and stars,
And along with them the cycles of Nisan to Adar.
To have just met Job (Ayub), I would suffer the most terrible illness,
Waiting for God’s salvation in endless quiet stillness.
To have just met Jethro [Shu’aib], I would give all to charity,
From the smallest particle to the priciest rarity.
To have just met Aaron (Harun), I would abandon speech,
Yet turn to God, and in silence beseech.
To have just met Moses, I would give the mountains,
With gushing geysers, and sparkling fountains.
To have just met David, I would give the elements,
From the toughest diamond to the thinnest filament.
To have just met Solomon, I would give every bird,
Peacocks, parrots, falcons, and penguins, furred.
To have just met Elijah [Ilyas], I would preach the Way of God,
Night and day, so we could discard all frauds.
To have just met Elisha [Alyasa’], I would give the most exceptional art,
So that I could, then, return with a purer heart.
To have just met Jonah (Yunus), I would give every pearl,
From the depths of the sea, worthy of queens and earls.
To have just met Ezekiel [Dhulkifl], I would give the newer inventions,
Given us by God, for none is from apprehension.
To have just met Zechariah, I would fast year round,
Even if around me, there were delicacies abound.
To have just met John, I would purify myself completely,
So as to present myself purely and neatly.
To have just met Jesus, I would suffer great persecution,
So that, by God’s mercy I would not suffer devolution.
To have just met Muhammad, I would give the heavens and earth and that therein,
He marked the end of Revelation and marked where the end did begin.
To have met just one prophet, would be this world’s greatest blessing,
They were the same message spreading, the same belief professing. "
Malik
Friday, October 11, 2013
Pearls of Wisdom 339
1. Do not exploit your religion for worldly gain, only the hereafter can be gained through religion.
2. Death will come to you inevitably, so work to be ready for it.
3. Just two steps and you would reach the All Merciful. The lower self (nafs) and creatures, are the two things you need to step away from. Just two steps and you will reach your goal both in this world and the hereafter.
4. If you stand in the presence of any creature, trying to obtain what he has at his disposal, Allah will despise you.
5. If someone devotes himself entirely to Allah Most High, He will provide him with everything he needs, and if a person devotes himself to this world, Allah will leave him in its care.
6. If you realized that this world was sure to leave you in the lurch, you would not ask so much of it.
7. When your inner (batin) becomes worthy to serve Allah, only then will this world become fit to serve you.
8. The wine of dunya is poison, it may taste sweet at first, but it soon turns bitter. Once it has filtered through your heart and you have come under its control, it converts into a poison and kills you.
9. The best piece of advice is concerning your lower self, if you can control it, well and good, otherwise it will control you.
10. As a general rule, your closeness to the sons of this world keeps you far away from Allah Almighty. The right course for you is to concentrate your attention on the hereafter and on worshipful obedience, then you may be saved, while your allotted shares will come to you even if they are unwelcome. [Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jillani]
2. Death will come to you inevitably, so work to be ready for it.
3. Just two steps and you would reach the All Merciful. The lower self (nafs) and creatures, are the two things you need to step away from. Just two steps and you will reach your goal both in this world and the hereafter.
4. If you stand in the presence of any creature, trying to obtain what he has at his disposal, Allah will despise you.
5. If someone devotes himself entirely to Allah Most High, He will provide him with everything he needs, and if a person devotes himself to this world, Allah will leave him in its care.
6. If you realized that this world was sure to leave you in the lurch, you would not ask so much of it.
7. When your inner (batin) becomes worthy to serve Allah, only then will this world become fit to serve you.
8. The wine of dunya is poison, it may taste sweet at first, but it soon turns bitter. Once it has filtered through your heart and you have come under its control, it converts into a poison and kills you.
9. The best piece of advice is concerning your lower self, if you can control it, well and good, otherwise it will control you.
10. As a general rule, your closeness to the sons of this world keeps you far away from Allah Almighty. The right course for you is to concentrate your attention on the hereafter and on worshipful obedience, then you may be saved, while your allotted shares will come to you even if they are unwelcome. [Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jillani]
Monday, October 07, 2013
The little girl and the plants.....
A little girl was enjoying the beauty of the garden in her home. Her father had a good collection of rare and exotic plants. He grew them with tender care.
The girl was fascinated by a plant full of fine and fragrant flowers. She went near the plant and enjoyed its beauty and the fragrance of its fine flowers. Suddenly she noted that the plant was growing in a heap of filth. She could not tolerate the presence of dirt at the bottom of the plant with such fantastic flowers.
She conceived a plan to clean the plant. She pulled the plant with all her might and uprooted it. She then carried it to the tap and washed the shoot and roots in running tap-water till all traces of dirt were washed away. She then placed the plant on a clean stone and went away, thinking that she had done a great deed indeed.
Later her father came to the garden and saw the uprooted plant. Its flowers and leaves had wilted and the plant had almost died in the scorching sun. His little daughter ran to him to exhibit her achievement. “I have cleaned it, Daddy”, she reported innocently. “It was placed in dirty soil. Now it is clean.”
The father showed her how her treatment had almost killed the plant. He told her that he had collected the filthy soil and placed it to cover the plant’s roots as it was the best medium to grow that plant. It could grow up healthily and produce fine flowers only if grown in filthy soil. She was sad that the plant had suffered and withered by her cleaning.
Flash:
Pain, poverty and illness may cause agony in our life. Sight of successful people may make us depressed and envious. A qualified gardener mixes the right soil for each plant. In the same way Allah (our Sustainer, the Knower of what is best for us) provides each of us with the best environment required for our optimum spiritual growth. Outwardly it may appear to be unpleasant, and we may even complain to God about our plight , with just a little bit of patience we will certainly see the need of all the negative things in our lives -- only the best possible results will be seen, inshaAllah.
Allah Almighty says "It may be that you dislike something that is good for you, and it may be that you like something that is bad for you. Allah knows and you do not know. [2: 216]
The girl was fascinated by a plant full of fine and fragrant flowers. She went near the plant and enjoyed its beauty and the fragrance of its fine flowers. Suddenly she noted that the plant was growing in a heap of filth. She could not tolerate the presence of dirt at the bottom of the plant with such fantastic flowers.
She conceived a plan to clean the plant. She pulled the plant with all her might and uprooted it. She then carried it to the tap and washed the shoot and roots in running tap-water till all traces of dirt were washed away. She then placed the plant on a clean stone and went away, thinking that she had done a great deed indeed.
Later her father came to the garden and saw the uprooted plant. Its flowers and leaves had wilted and the plant had almost died in the scorching sun. His little daughter ran to him to exhibit her achievement. “I have cleaned it, Daddy”, she reported innocently. “It was placed in dirty soil. Now it is clean.”
The father showed her how her treatment had almost killed the plant. He told her that he had collected the filthy soil and placed it to cover the plant’s roots as it was the best medium to grow that plant. It could grow up healthily and produce fine flowers only if grown in filthy soil. She was sad that the plant had suffered and withered by her cleaning.
Flash:
Pain, poverty and illness may cause agony in our life. Sight of successful people may make us depressed and envious. A qualified gardener mixes the right soil for each plant. In the same way Allah (our Sustainer, the Knower of what is best for us) provides each of us with the best environment required for our optimum spiritual growth. Outwardly it may appear to be unpleasant, and we may even complain to God about our plight , with just a little bit of patience we will certainly see the need of all the negative things in our lives -- only the best possible results will be seen, inshaAllah.
Allah Almighty says "It may be that you dislike something that is good for you, and it may be that you like something that is bad for you. Allah knows and you do not know. [2: 216]
Friday, October 04, 2013
Diffused Congruence Podcast: Usama Canon
Diffused Congruence is a new podcast celebrating the many facets of the American Muslim experience. For the first episode, hosts Parvez Ahmed and Zaki Hasan are joined by Usama Canon, founding director of the San Francisco Bay Area-based Ta'leef Collective, as he discusses his journey to Islam, the challenges facing young people in the 21st century, and what Ta'leef is all about. You can stream or download the episode below. Please send all questions and comments to DiffusedCongruence@gmail.com.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Lesson of the day 1339
Ayahs of the day:
Surely in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day, are signs for people of understanding -- those who remember God while standing, sitting, and on their sides, contemplating the creation of the heavens and the earth -- "Our Lord! You did not create this in vain! Glory to You! Keep us, then, from the torment of the fire! [3: 190, 191]
Hadith of the day:
Allah loves the slave who is pious, independent of means and hidden from the people. [Muslim]
Wise quote of the day:
How can the laws of nature be ruptured for you so that miracles result, while you, for your part, have yet to rupture your bad habits. [Ibn Ataillah]
Guidance of the day:
Prayer (Salaat) is to religion what the head is to the body -- just as there can be no life for a headless person, so there can be no religion for he who does not pray. Thus state many hadiths. He who establishes the prayer in the manner prescribed by God and His Messenger, his prayer rebukes him from doing anything that may displease God.
It is ugly of a believer, engaged in a worldly pursuit when the time for the prayer comes, not to abandon it and hasten to perform the duty that God has prescribed for him. This can be caused only by excessive heedlessness, lack of knowledge of God, or weakness in one's desire for the hereafter. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]
Food for thought:
Our real enemies are the people who make us feel so good that we are slowly, but inexorably, pulled down into the quicksand of smugness and self-satisfaction. Five great enemies to peace inhabit with us -- avarice, ambition, envy, anger and pride. If those enemies were to be banished, we should infallibly enjoy perpetual peace.
Surely in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day, are signs for people of understanding -- those who remember God while standing, sitting, and on their sides, contemplating the creation of the heavens and the earth -- "Our Lord! You did not create this in vain! Glory to You! Keep us, then, from the torment of the fire! [3: 190, 191]
Hadith of the day:
Allah loves the slave who is pious, independent of means and hidden from the people. [Muslim]
Wise quote of the day:
How can the laws of nature be ruptured for you so that miracles result, while you, for your part, have yet to rupture your bad habits. [Ibn Ataillah]
Guidance of the day:
Prayer (Salaat) is to religion what the head is to the body -- just as there can be no life for a headless person, so there can be no religion for he who does not pray. Thus state many hadiths. He who establishes the prayer in the manner prescribed by God and His Messenger, his prayer rebukes him from doing anything that may displease God.
It is ugly of a believer, engaged in a worldly pursuit when the time for the prayer comes, not to abandon it and hasten to perform the duty that God has prescribed for him. This can be caused only by excessive heedlessness, lack of knowledge of God, or weakness in one's desire for the hereafter. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]
Food for thought:
Our real enemies are the people who make us feel so good that we are slowly, but inexorably, pulled down into the quicksand of smugness and self-satisfaction. Five great enemies to peace inhabit with us -- avarice, ambition, envy, anger and pride. If those enemies were to be banished, we should infallibly enjoy perpetual peace.
Friday, September 27, 2013
Excellence of one's faith....
Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “It is the excellence of a man’s faith that he gives up meaningless work.” [Tirmidhi, Ahmad]
We need to check all our activities and label them to see which belong to the category of meaningless. If the activity is not taking us towards a meaningful goal for any of the roles that arise from our ideology (e.g. Muslim, parent, son/daughter, self, breadwinner, da'ee, etc), then it would be to our advantage to replace it with more meaningful activity.
Anything that does not bring us closer to Jannah and distance us from the Fire is meaningless in the long run, and will cause us to regret when it will be too late to realize why did we bother to waste your time with it.
Life is too precious to be wasted for worthless or meaningless matters. The best use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts life -- i.e. akhira. Life is like a cash register, in that every thought, every deed -- like every sale is registered and recorded.
Life is not lost by dying; rather life is lost minute by minute, day by day, in all the thousand small uncaring ways.
We are here to add what we can to life, not to get what we can from it.
We need to check all our activities and label them to see which belong to the category of meaningless. If the activity is not taking us towards a meaningful goal for any of the roles that arise from our ideology (e.g. Muslim, parent, son/daughter, self, breadwinner, da'ee, etc), then it would be to our advantage to replace it with more meaningful activity.
Anything that does not bring us closer to Jannah and distance us from the Fire is meaningless in the long run, and will cause us to regret when it will be too late to realize why did we bother to waste your time with it.
Life is too precious to be wasted for worthless or meaningless matters. The best use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts life -- i.e. akhira. Life is like a cash register, in that every thought, every deed -- like every sale is registered and recorded.
Life is not lost by dying; rather life is lost minute by minute, day by day, in all the thousand small uncaring ways.
We are here to add what we can to life, not to get what we can from it.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Pearls of Wisdom 338
1. Seekers of this world are many, but the seekers of the hereafter are few, and few indeed are those who seek the Lord of Truth.
2. You are caught up with this world of yours by night and day, it uses you and cuts you off.
3. You aspire to the heights, but you are struck in the mud, you aspire to the Garden (Paradise), but you are not doing the work that must be done in order to gain entry to it.
4. When the heart transcends this world and becomes the guest of the nearness of the Lord of Truth, it refuses to accept any kind of dependency on any creature.
5. The remedy to susceptibility to temptation (waswasa) is making sure to eat what is pure and uncontaminated by anything unlawful or dubious. The second is to refuse to let the lower self have its way, whenever it tries to make you do something that is forbidden.
6. When someone no longer has any need of creatures, he clings to the door of the Lord of Truth, who then enriches him with His nearness. When He has enriched him with His nearness, he becomes too preoccupied with remembering Him and thanking Him to consider asking Him for anything.
7. Creatures are the most powerful weapon Satan has against you. The whole distraction resides in the abode of creatures and their dwelling place.
8. Beautify your heart, then your external appearance.
9. When Allah wishes you well, He wakes you up and makes you aware of your own faults. [Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jillani]
2. You are caught up with this world of yours by night and day, it uses you and cuts you off.
3. You aspire to the heights, but you are struck in the mud, you aspire to the Garden (Paradise), but you are not doing the work that must be done in order to gain entry to it.
4. When the heart transcends this world and becomes the guest of the nearness of the Lord of Truth, it refuses to accept any kind of dependency on any creature.
5. The remedy to susceptibility to temptation (waswasa) is making sure to eat what is pure and uncontaminated by anything unlawful or dubious. The second is to refuse to let the lower self have its way, whenever it tries to make you do something that is forbidden.
6. When someone no longer has any need of creatures, he clings to the door of the Lord of Truth, who then enriches him with His nearness. When He has enriched him with His nearness, he becomes too preoccupied with remembering Him and thanking Him to consider asking Him for anything.
7. Creatures are the most powerful weapon Satan has against you. The whole distraction resides in the abode of creatures and their dwelling place.
8. Beautify your heart, then your external appearance.
9. When Allah wishes you well, He wakes you up and makes you aware of your own faults. [Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jillani]
Friday, September 20, 2013
Practical Parenting Advice
Spent a lovely afternoon getting parenting advice from Shaykh Faraz Rabbani (a father of 3 children himself, masha'Allah) at ILM Tree . Some of the nuggets I managed to gather from him:
You're not responsible for your children's actions, only for what you teach them (or don't teach them).
Focus on teaching your children adab and akhlaq (manners and etiquette); parents don't emphasize these enough any more. Have adab with yourself before you set out to teach adab -- that means "pausing". Be willing to pause before reacting.
Adab is the capacity to have the appropriate action, attitude, and response in any given situation.
Oftentimes we do more damage by how we react to our children's mishaps. When we lose our temper with our kids, we're still "teaching" them; we're just not teaching them the appropriate reaction to life's adversities and challenges. Our kids are always learning from us.
Criticizing your children is a bid'ah (a blameworthy innovation); it's not from the Sunnah (way of the Prophet). Don't criticize; don't nag. Nagging your children about everything is a good way to guarantee that they don't listen to you about anything. Nagging never works.
Sometimes the correct response is to not say anything.
If you want to know how to raise teenagers, look at the life of Anas (radiAllahu anhu); he lived in the house of the Prophet (salallaahu alaihi wasallam) from the age of 10 to 20. He broke things and made mistakes, but the Prophet (saw) never focused on whatever Allah had already destined; he never shamed Anas (rA) for his mistakes. He only focused on gentle teaching and gentle reminders. (i.e. "Did you take care of that task I asked you to do?" rather than "Why haven't you done what I asked you to do yet?! How many times do I have to remind you?!")
Children who have not yet attained the age of puberty are not held accountable by Allah (swt) even if they commit murder (God forbid), so who are we to freak out on our kids for "little things" like spilled milk?
When the Prophet (saw) saw another young sahabah (companion) eating greedily from all over a plate, he gently told him, "Say Allah's Name before eating; eat with your right hand; and eat from what is in front of you." He didn't criticize him for his (lack of) manners; he only told him the correct way to eat and then moved on.
We are not police officers or judges when it comes to our children; rather, we should be like shepherds -- we should try to gently guide them in the direction of where we want them to eventually end up.
Complaining about your children to friends is blameworthy; however, consulting with ppl who have wisdom and experience is praiseworthy. Don't talk to just anyone about you r concerns regarding your children.
When asked about getting kids to pray or to wear the hijab, he reminded us that Islam is not about do's and don'ts and a bunch of rules; it's about the heart. We need to teach kids to have hearts that are directed towards pleasing their Lord. They should desire on their own to live lives of taqwa (God-consciousness). We must model taqwa for them by how we live our own lives. Some children may need gentle nudges and reminders to do the right thing.
All virtues are virtuous; anything virtuous should be taught to and emphasized for BOTH genders (like modesty and lowering the gaze and gentleness). Boys should not be shamed for being shy. Shyness is praiseworthy.
Prayer should be a pleasant experience for the kids. He talked about his own children taking turns saying their personal duas aloud after prayer time; sometimes the kids would fall into hugging and wrestling on the prayer mat afterwards.
Teach kids about the Prophet Muhammad's (saw) life.
Remind yourself about what your parents did RIGHT.
Don't become self-satisfied and overly confident in your parenting.
Seek Allah's Pleasure through your own parenting, and facilitate for your children to seek Allah's Pleasure as well.
Aim high in both spiritual and worldly matters. Do dhikr (remembrance of Allah) and call on Allah for Help. Don't just ask that He make your kids into good Muslims; ask Him to make your kids from amongst the best and most virtuous of all Muslims ever. Trust in Him to answer your duas. Nothing is impossible for Allah.
Hina Mukhtar
You're not responsible for your children's actions, only for what you teach them (or don't teach them).
Focus on teaching your children adab and akhlaq (manners and etiquette); parents don't emphasize these enough any more. Have adab with yourself before you set out to teach adab -- that means "pausing". Be willing to pause before reacting.
Adab is the capacity to have the appropriate action, attitude, and response in any given situation.
Oftentimes we do more damage by how we react to our children's mishaps. When we lose our temper with our kids, we're still "teaching" them; we're just not teaching them the appropriate reaction to life's adversities and challenges. Our kids are always learning from us.
Criticizing your children is a bid'ah (a blameworthy innovation); it's not from the Sunnah (way of the Prophet). Don't criticize; don't nag. Nagging your children about everything is a good way to guarantee that they don't listen to you about anything. Nagging never works.
Sometimes the correct response is to not say anything.
If you want to know how to raise teenagers, look at the life of Anas (radiAllahu anhu); he lived in the house of the Prophet (salallaahu alaihi wasallam) from the age of 10 to 20. He broke things and made mistakes, but the Prophet (saw) never focused on whatever Allah had already destined; he never shamed Anas (rA) for his mistakes. He only focused on gentle teaching and gentle reminders. (i.e. "Did you take care of that task I asked you to do?" rather than "Why haven't you done what I asked you to do yet?! How many times do I have to remind you?!")
Children who have not yet attained the age of puberty are not held accountable by Allah (swt) even if they commit murder (God forbid), so who are we to freak out on our kids for "little things" like spilled milk?
When the Prophet (saw) saw another young sahabah (companion) eating greedily from all over a plate, he gently told him, "Say Allah's Name before eating; eat with your right hand; and eat from what is in front of you." He didn't criticize him for his (lack of) manners; he only told him the correct way to eat and then moved on.
We are not police officers or judges when it comes to our children; rather, we should be like shepherds -- we should try to gently guide them in the direction of where we want them to eventually end up.
Complaining about your children to friends is blameworthy; however, consulting with ppl who have wisdom and experience is praiseworthy. Don't talk to just anyone about you r concerns regarding your children.
When asked about getting kids to pray or to wear the hijab, he reminded us that Islam is not about do's and don'ts and a bunch of rules; it's about the heart. We need to teach kids to have hearts that are directed towards pleasing their Lord. They should desire on their own to live lives of taqwa (God-consciousness). We must model taqwa for them by how we live our own lives. Some children may need gentle nudges and reminders to do the right thing.
All virtues are virtuous; anything virtuous should be taught to and emphasized for BOTH genders (like modesty and lowering the gaze and gentleness). Boys should not be shamed for being shy. Shyness is praiseworthy.
Prayer should be a pleasant experience for the kids. He talked about his own children taking turns saying their personal duas aloud after prayer time; sometimes the kids would fall into hugging and wrestling on the prayer mat afterwards.
Teach kids about the Prophet Muhammad's (saw) life.
Remind yourself about what your parents did RIGHT.
Don't become self-satisfied and overly confident in your parenting.
Seek Allah's Pleasure through your own parenting, and facilitate for your children to seek Allah's Pleasure as well.
Aim high in both spiritual and worldly matters. Do dhikr (remembrance of Allah) and call on Allah for Help. Don't just ask that He make your kids into good Muslims; ask Him to make your kids from amongst the best and most virtuous of all Muslims ever. Trust in Him to answer your duas. Nothing is impossible for Allah.
Hina Mukhtar
Monday, September 16, 2013
Lesson of the day 1338
Ayahs of the day:
You will surely be tried in respect to your possessions and your selves. And you will surely hear much that is offensive from those whom scripture was given before you, and from idolaters. And if you are patient and conscientious, that is part of the order of things. [3 186]
Hadith of the day:
Frequently remember the destroyer of pleasures -- i.e. death. [Tirmidhi]
Wise quote of the day:
Wisdom is the fruit of following the Sunnah. Chaos is the fruit of following one's ego. [Othman al-Jabri]
Guidance of the day:
Among the signs of he who is counted among those who are learned in the sciences of the hereafter are that he is neither coarse, nor rude, neither argumentative, nor quarrelsome, neither harsh, intolerant, nor of bad character, neither hypocritical, nor deceitful. He does not prefer rich people to poor, is not frequent visitor of rulers, and does not refrain from rebuking them when capable of it.
He is not avid for power, wealth, or position, on the contrary he dislikes them all, does not engage in any of them, nor accept any of them except when for a dire need or necessity. In sum, he should be everything that his knowledge enjoins him to be in the way of virtuous character and good works and should avoid every bad character or deed that his knowledge enjoins him to avoid. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]
Food for thought:
It is never wise to slip the hands of discipline. To be in good moral condition requires at least as much training as to be in good physical condition. We can never be the person we should be if pressure, tension, and discipline are taken out of our life.
You will surely be tried in respect to your possessions and your selves. And you will surely hear much that is offensive from those whom scripture was given before you, and from idolaters. And if you are patient and conscientious, that is part of the order of things. [3 186]
Hadith of the day:
Frequently remember the destroyer of pleasures -- i.e. death. [Tirmidhi]
Wise quote of the day:
Wisdom is the fruit of following the Sunnah. Chaos is the fruit of following one's ego. [Othman al-Jabri]
Guidance of the day:
Among the signs of he who is counted among those who are learned in the sciences of the hereafter are that he is neither coarse, nor rude, neither argumentative, nor quarrelsome, neither harsh, intolerant, nor of bad character, neither hypocritical, nor deceitful. He does not prefer rich people to poor, is not frequent visitor of rulers, and does not refrain from rebuking them when capable of it.
He is not avid for power, wealth, or position, on the contrary he dislikes them all, does not engage in any of them, nor accept any of them except when for a dire need or necessity. In sum, he should be everything that his knowledge enjoins him to be in the way of virtuous character and good works and should avoid every bad character or deed that his knowledge enjoins him to avoid. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]
Food for thought:
It is never wise to slip the hands of discipline. To be in good moral condition requires at least as much training as to be in good physical condition. We can never be the person we should be if pressure, tension, and discipline are taken out of our life.
Friday, September 13, 2013
Points worth reflecting....
Life is an echo
What we send out -- comes back to us,
What we sow -- we reap,
What we give -- we get,
What we see in others -- exists in us,
Remember, life is an echo -- it always comes back to us.
When something bad happens
We have three choices:
We can either let it define us,
Let it destroy us or,
Let it strengthen us.
How do we feel
If we are depressed -- we are living in the past,
If we are anxious -- we are living in the future,
If we are at peace -- we are living in the present.
We should never feel bad if people remember us at a time of their need -- we should feel privileged that they think of us like a candle in the darkness of their life.
What we send out -- comes back to us,
What we sow -- we reap,
What we give -- we get,
What we see in others -- exists in us,
Remember, life is an echo -- it always comes back to us.
When something bad happens
We have three choices:
We can either let it define us,
Let it destroy us or,
Let it strengthen us.
How do we feel
If we are depressed -- we are living in the past,
If we are anxious -- we are living in the future,
If we are at peace -- we are living in the present.
We should never feel bad if people remember us at a time of their need -- we should feel privileged that they think of us like a candle in the darkness of their life.
Monday, September 09, 2013
Pearls of Wisdom 337
1. For its food and drink the heart is left with speaking confidentially (munajat) to Allah the Almighty, standing (Qiyam) and bowing (ruku) and making prostration (sujud) in His presence.
2. When will you isolate your heart from the creatures and seek the company of you Lord?
3. The heart of the son of Adam must continue to travel along the path of good and evil, honor and humiliation, wealth and poverty, until he finally acknowledges that all blessings are due to Allah -- this means gratitude -- and gratitude is an act of obedience.
4. When someone really knows Allah, his tongue falls silent; he is free from want because of Him, and Him alone he is in need of.
5. A loser is he who is absent today. You do not take the first step and the second cannot be taken. The first is leaving the house of your worldly existence, and the second is His blessing.
6. Four things are conducive to soundness of the heart: The first is checking to make sure one has something fit to eat. The second is undisturbed worshipful obedience. The third is the preservation of honorable dignity. The fourth is giving up everything that distracts you from Allah.
7. The people (of the Lord), although their hearts are in a state of calm reliance on their Lord Almighty, their physical limbs and organs are actively engaged in dealing with the material means.
8. When the servant's heart is pure, he is on intimate terms with the angels, and they will often speak to him in private.
9. There is no way of avoiding the encounter with Allah Most High. Meet Him now! Leave the creatures and the lower self behind, then you will meet your Lord of Truth. Apart from remembrance of Him, all is vain. Apart from knowledge of Him, all is vain. All dealings with others apart from Him must end in failure. [Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jillani]
2. When will you isolate your heart from the creatures and seek the company of you Lord?
3. The heart of the son of Adam must continue to travel along the path of good and evil, honor and humiliation, wealth and poverty, until he finally acknowledges that all blessings are due to Allah -- this means gratitude -- and gratitude is an act of obedience.
4. When someone really knows Allah, his tongue falls silent; he is free from want because of Him, and Him alone he is in need of.
5. A loser is he who is absent today. You do not take the first step and the second cannot be taken. The first is leaving the house of your worldly existence, and the second is His blessing.
6. Four things are conducive to soundness of the heart: The first is checking to make sure one has something fit to eat. The second is undisturbed worshipful obedience. The third is the preservation of honorable dignity. The fourth is giving up everything that distracts you from Allah.
7. The people (of the Lord), although their hearts are in a state of calm reliance on their Lord Almighty, their physical limbs and organs are actively engaged in dealing with the material means.
8. When the servant's heart is pure, he is on intimate terms with the angels, and they will often speak to him in private.
9. There is no way of avoiding the encounter with Allah Most High. Meet Him now! Leave the creatures and the lower self behind, then you will meet your Lord of Truth. Apart from remembrance of Him, all is vain. Apart from knowledge of Him, all is vain. All dealings with others apart from Him must end in failure. [Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jillani]
Friday, September 06, 2013
Employment Opportunity for everyone....
Needed: A Sincere Believer
Job Type: Sincere, Striving Muslim as an Educator and Inspirer to him/her self and the world.
Certificate Required: Minimum B.S. (basic skills) in Forbearance, Patience, Gentleness, Veracity, Wisdom and Obedience to Allah and His Messenger.
Salary: Verily those who give (in charity and efforts), men and women, and lend Allah a goodly loan - it shall be increased manifold to their credit! And theirs shall be an honorable, good reward (in this life and the next). Al-Qur'an 57:18
Full time: 24/7, Life long Commitment.
We need Honest, Sincere Believers in God who will dedicate their life to spreading the beautiful message of all that is good -- Islam.
We need people with.....
Eyes sparkling with kindness
Nose out of people's affairs
Mouth a messenger of honesty and a commander of good and forbidder of evil
Hands on honest grounds
Legs from walking to that which is not pure
When we become the embodiment of goodness, we have indeed lived the life of a true Believer!
Mothers & Daughters! You who hold the future of mankind in your arms, give us hope! The job is in demand, so raise for us competent beings who will work to bring success to mankind. O' Creator of all, make this possible. Ameen.
Job Type: Sincere, Striving Muslim as an Educator and Inspirer to him/her self and the world.
Certificate Required: Minimum B.S. (basic skills) in Forbearance, Patience, Gentleness, Veracity, Wisdom and Obedience to Allah and His Messenger.
Salary: Verily those who give (in charity and efforts), men and women, and lend Allah a goodly loan - it shall be increased manifold to their credit! And theirs shall be an honorable, good reward (in this life and the next). Al-Qur'an 57:18
Full time: 24/7, Life long Commitment.
We need Honest, Sincere Believers in God who will dedicate their life to spreading the beautiful message of all that is good -- Islam.
We need people with.....
Eyes sparkling with kindness
Nose out of people's affairs
Mouth a messenger of honesty and a commander of good and forbidder of evil
Hands on honest grounds
Legs from walking to that which is not pure
When we become the embodiment of goodness, we have indeed lived the life of a true Believer!
Mothers & Daughters! You who hold the future of mankind in your arms, give us hope! The job is in demand, so raise for us competent beings who will work to bring success to mankind. O' Creator of all, make this possible. Ameen.
Monday, September 02, 2013
Lesson of the day 1337
Ayahs of the day:
Every being experiences death. And you will only be paid your due on the day of resurrection. And whoever is kept away from the fire and admitted to the Garden has gained salvation. And the life of this world is but the stuff of vain hopes. [3: 185]
Hadith of the day:
Beware of injustice, for injustice will be darkness on the Day of Resurrection. [Muslim]
Wise quote of the day:
Wealth and poverty are both Divine gifts -- wealth is corrupted by forgetfulness, poverty by greed. [Al-Qushayri]
Guidance of the day:
Among the signs of he who is counted among those who are learned in the sciences of the hereafter are that he be humble, modest, fearful, anxious, in awe of God, detached from the world, content with a little of it, spending in charity whatever exceeds his needs, of good counsel to the servants of Allah All Mighty, solicitous to their welfare, compassionate, enjoining good and forbidding evil, swift to good works, constant in his devotions, guiding to good, inviting to right-guidance.
Also possessed of gravity and commanding respect, dignified, sedate, of good character, forbearing, gentle, affable with believers, neither arrogant nor overbearing, harboring no (worldly hopes) in people, not avid for worldly things, nor preferring this world to the hereafter, not given to amassing wealth, nor withholding it when it should rightfully be spent. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]
Food for thought:
Often times we miss the silver lining because we are expecting gold. If we expect perfection from people our whole life is a series of disappointments, grumblings and complaints. If, on the contrary, we pitch our expectations low, taking folks as the inefficient creatures -- which we all are, we are frequently surprised by having them perform better than we had hoped.
Every being experiences death. And you will only be paid your due on the day of resurrection. And whoever is kept away from the fire and admitted to the Garden has gained salvation. And the life of this world is but the stuff of vain hopes. [3: 185]
Hadith of the day:
Beware of injustice, for injustice will be darkness on the Day of Resurrection. [Muslim]
Wise quote of the day:
Wealth and poverty are both Divine gifts -- wealth is corrupted by forgetfulness, poverty by greed. [Al-Qushayri]
Guidance of the day:
Among the signs of he who is counted among those who are learned in the sciences of the hereafter are that he be humble, modest, fearful, anxious, in awe of God, detached from the world, content with a little of it, spending in charity whatever exceeds his needs, of good counsel to the servants of Allah All Mighty, solicitous to their welfare, compassionate, enjoining good and forbidding evil, swift to good works, constant in his devotions, guiding to good, inviting to right-guidance.
Also possessed of gravity and commanding respect, dignified, sedate, of good character, forbearing, gentle, affable with believers, neither arrogant nor overbearing, harboring no (worldly hopes) in people, not avid for worldly things, nor preferring this world to the hereafter, not given to amassing wealth, nor withholding it when it should rightfully be spent. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]
Food for thought:
Often times we miss the silver lining because we are expecting gold. If we expect perfection from people our whole life is a series of disappointments, grumblings and complaints. If, on the contrary, we pitch our expectations low, taking folks as the inefficient creatures -- which we all are, we are frequently surprised by having them perform better than we had hoped.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
The Triple Filter
Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Keep away from ill-thinking/suspicions because ill-thinking is the greatest falsehood.” [Sahih Bukhari]
During the Abbasid period one of the scholars in Baghdad was greeted by an acquaintance who said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"
Scholar: "Hold on a minute, before telling me anything I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."
The Man: "Triple Filter Test?"
Scholar: "That's right, before you talk to me about my friend it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say. That's why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"
The Man: "No, actually I just heard about it and ..."
Scholar: "All right, so you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"
The Man: "No, on the contrary..."
Scholar: "So, you want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left: The filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"
The Man: "No, not really."
Scholar: "Well, if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"
Allah (Subhana wa ta’ala) has said: "O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, indeed some suspicions are sins. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh (meat) of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting). And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful." [Qur'an 49:12]
Let's pass our intended speech through the triple filter test before we madly utter our every thought. And lets subject others to the triple filter test too before we hear any number of damaging things from them.
During the Abbasid period one of the scholars in Baghdad was greeted by an acquaintance who said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"
Scholar: "Hold on a minute, before telling me anything I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."
The Man: "Triple Filter Test?"
Scholar: "That's right, before you talk to me about my friend it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say. That's why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"
The Man: "No, actually I just heard about it and ..."
Scholar: "All right, so you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"
The Man: "No, on the contrary..."
Scholar: "So, you want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left: The filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"
The Man: "No, not really."
Scholar: "Well, if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"
Allah (Subhana wa ta’ala) has said: "O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, indeed some suspicions are sins. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh (meat) of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting). And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful." [Qur'an 49:12]
Let's pass our intended speech through the triple filter test before we madly utter our every thought. And lets subject others to the triple filter test too before we hear any number of damaging things from them.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Pearls of Wisom 336
1. Your acquisitions have been placed at your disposal as a trial and a test.
2. When the heart becomes sound and draws close to the nearness of the Lord of Truth, He causes rivers of wisdom to flow through it.
3. The people of the Lord are not attached to this world. This world offers itself to them but they reject it.
4. The Lord of Truth makes things difficult for His servant, in order to bring him back to Himself and so that he will not attach himself to the creatures.
5. When He draws you near and puts you to the test, you must accept His tribulation with good grace, otherwise He will keep you fully occupied with your suffering.
6. The craving for worldly things makes you too disturbed to experience your nearness to Allah and interferes with your patient endurance of misfortune.
7. Anyone who does not fear Allah must have no common sense. A town without a police force will go to ruins. Flocks without shepherd would be devoured.
8. Religion is fear. A person who is afraid will be on the move at night; he does not stay put in one place, but keeps moving.
9. When you are ready to abstain from the things of this world, it will be easy for you to give them away.
10. The goal of the travels of the people (of the Lord) is nearness of the Lord of Truth. The journey of their hearts, the journey of their inner most being. [Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jillani]
2. When the heart becomes sound and draws close to the nearness of the Lord of Truth, He causes rivers of wisdom to flow through it.
3. The people of the Lord are not attached to this world. This world offers itself to them but they reject it.
4. The Lord of Truth makes things difficult for His servant, in order to bring him back to Himself and so that he will not attach himself to the creatures.
5. When He draws you near and puts you to the test, you must accept His tribulation with good grace, otherwise He will keep you fully occupied with your suffering.
6. The craving for worldly things makes you too disturbed to experience your nearness to Allah and interferes with your patient endurance of misfortune.
7. Anyone who does not fear Allah must have no common sense. A town without a police force will go to ruins. Flocks without shepherd would be devoured.
8. Religion is fear. A person who is afraid will be on the move at night; he does not stay put in one place, but keeps moving.
9. When you are ready to abstain from the things of this world, it will be easy for you to give them away.
10. The goal of the travels of the people (of the Lord) is nearness of the Lord of Truth. The journey of their hearts, the journey of their inner most being. [Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jillani]
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Letting go of the 'ifs' -- best possible advice
Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "Seek out that which benefits you, seek help from Allah and never say you can't do it. If any adversity comes to you do not say: 'If I had only acted in such-and-such a way, it would have been such-and-such;' but instead, say: 'Allah has decreed (it) and what He willed, He has done,' for verily, (the word) ‘if’ opens the way for the work of Satan." [Sahih Muslim]
Through this hadith Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) tells us to:
1. Seek the beneficial.
2. Ask Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) for help.
3. Be optimistic. Nothing is impossible if Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) wills it for us.
4. We shouldn't cry over the spilt milk.
5. We need to trust Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) in what He has willed for us -- that there is only good in it, even though we may not understand it.
Time is like a river -- we cannot touch the same water twice, because the flow has passed and will never pass again. If there is something that will benefit us, we should make every effort and go after it and seek it out! There are no failures -- only lessons to be learned, for similar situations in the future.
Through this hadith Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) tells us to:
1. Seek the beneficial.
2. Ask Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) for help.
3. Be optimistic. Nothing is impossible if Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) wills it for us.
4. We shouldn't cry over the spilt milk.
5. We need to trust Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) in what He has willed for us -- that there is only good in it, even though we may not understand it.
Time is like a river -- we cannot touch the same water twice, because the flow has passed and will never pass again. If there is something that will benefit us, we should make every effort and go after it and seek it out! There are no failures -- only lessons to be learned, for similar situations in the future.
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