LESSON OF THE DAY 218

Ayahs of the Day:
Whenever We sent a Prophet to a town, We took up its people in suffering and adversity, in order that they might learn humility. Then We changed their suffering into prosperity, until they grew and multiplied, and began to say: "Our fathers (too) were touched by suffering and affluence." So We seized them suddenly while they did not even notice it. [7: 94,95]

Hadith of the Day:
No man forsakes a Muslim when his rights are being violated or his honor is belittled except that Allah will forsake him at a place in which he would love to have His help. [Abu Dawood & Ahmad]

Wise Quote of the Day:
There is nothing in this world except that its end is a cause for grief and regret. Ours is an age where action is abandoned and mere speech is celebrated, where action is left behind and mere information is exulted over. [Abu Hazim Makki]

Guidance of the Day:
Backbiting is to say things about a person, in his absence, which he would have resented had he been present, whether it be verbal, written, or indicated. The Prophet (may blessings and peace be upon him), has said: 'Every part of a Muslim is sacrosanct with regard to other Muslims: his blood, his wealth, and his honor.' And: 'Backbiting is worse than adultery.' God revealed to Moses, peace be upon him: 'The one who dies having repented of his backbiting will be the last to enter the Garden, and the one who dies persisting in it will be the first to enter the Fire'.

Beware of injustice, for it will be darkness on the Day of Rising, especially injustice to others, which is never left alone by God. Therefore, if you ever wrong anyone, hasten to emerge from the situation by submitting to punishment if it is a legal offense, asking to be absolved if it is a matter of honor, and returning to what you have taken if it is a financial injustice.

If you find yourself altogether unable to make reparations for some of your injustices, then seek refuge in God with sincerity, urgency, and an acknowledgment of your powerlessness, that He may get your adversary to accept you; also pray in abundance and ask for forgiveness for those whom you have wronged. [The Book of Assistance]


Food for Thought:
The trials and tests are mercy from Allah. This is why scholars do not see these situations as completely bad, the clouds of trial and difficulty are so often lined with the silver of turning to Allah, and themselves bring showers of subsequent ease.

LESSON OF THE DAY 217

Ayah of the Day:
From the land that is clean and good, by the will of its Cherisher, springs up produce, (rich) after its kind; but for the land that is bad, springs up nothing but that which is niggardly; thus do We explain the signs by various (symbols) to those who are grateful [7: 58]

Hadith of the Day:
May Allah have mercy on the one who is easy going and generous while buying, while selling and when demanding his rights. [Bukhari]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Allah has proclaimed in Torah: "My remembrance is a tremendous bounty in this world and in the Hereafter a tremendous reward will be attained thereby. The least of My displeasure with the one whose beloved is this world is that he will be deprived of the sweetness that comes from the zikr and intimate discourse with Me. [Malik bin Dinar]

Guidance of the Day:
Effect reconciliation between the hearts of the believers, and cause them to love each other by bringing to light their virtues and concealing their vices. Restore good relations between them, for such a thing is more meritorious than supererogatory prayers and fasts, especially when effected between a father and his son, or a man and his relatives.

Beware of sowing discord through slander, backbiting or anything else such as will result in antagonism and aversion; for this is considered an immense sin by God.

Slander is to report the words of one person to another with the intention of creating discord between them. The Prophet (may blessings and peace be upon him) has said: 'A slanderer cannot enter the Garden.' And: 'The most abhorrent amongst you are those who damage (relationships) between brothers by slander, and create rifts between brethren. [The Book of Assistance]

Food for Thought:
In happy moments, praise God.

In difficult moments, seek God.

In quiet moments, worship God.

In painful moments, trust God.

In every moment, thank God.

LESSON OF THE DAY 216

Ayah of the Day:
It is He who sends the winds like heralds of glad tidings, going before His Mercy: when they have carried the heavy laden clouds, We drive them to a land that is dead, make rain to descend thereon, and produce every kind of harvest therewith: thus shall We raise up the dead; perchance you may remember. [7: 57]

Hadith of the Day:
It is enough of evil for a person to hold his brother Muslim in contempt. All of a Muslim is inviolable to another Muslim; his blood, his wealth and his honor. [Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
The contented one is freed from dependence upon the creation. He who leaves his desires attains his freedom. [Hasan al Basri]

Guidance of the Day:
Show delight and pleasure when something good befalls the Muslims, such as the arrival of rains, lowering of prices, or victory over aggressors or disbelievers. Be sad and aggrieved when hardship befalls them such as epidemics, rising prices, and seditions. Entreat God to relieve them of such trials, yet you should accept His decree and ordinance. The Prophet (may blessings and peace be upon him) said: 'The one who is not interested in the affairs of the Muslims is not one of them.'

When a Muslim does you a favor you must accept it, and thank and reward him. If you cannot reward him or you fear to offend him, then pray for him. For the Prophet (may blessings and peace be upon him) said: 'When someone does you a favor reward him; if you are unable to then pray for him until you feel that you have rewarded him.' And: 'The one who says to someone who has done him a favor: "May God reward you with goodness!" has given him an exceedingly good prayer.' [The Book of Assistance]

Food for Thought:
Man was given two ears and one tongue, so that he may listen more than he speaks. If you think of yourself, you will not speak badly about others.

LESSON OF THE DAY 215

Ayahs of the Day:
Call on your Lord in humility and in private; for Allah loves not those who trespass beyond bounds. Do not make mischief on the earth, after it has been set in order, but call on Him with fear and longing (in your hearts); for the mercy of Allah is (always) near to those who do good. [7:55, 56]

Hadith of the Day:
A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He does not wrong him, he does not fail him (when he needs him), he does not lie to him, and he does not show contempt for him. [Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
When you are greeted, return an even nicer greeting, and when you are done a service, repay it with something even more, though the blessing is with the one who acted first. [Ali radi Allah anhu]

Guidance of the Day:
Always smile at believers, show them an engaging friendly face, speak well to them, be gentle and 'lower your wing' to them. The Prophet has said, (may peace be upon him): 'Do not disdain any act of goodness, even should this meeting your brother with a face friendly face.' And: 'A kind word is a charity.' It has been handed down that when two Muslims meet and shake hands a hundred mercies are divided between them, ninety-nine of which are for the friendlier of the two.

Beware of breaking off relations with a Muslim for the sake of yourself. If you need to leave him for a religious reason then do not do so for more than three days, for the Prophet has said, (may blessings and peace be upon him): 'The one who deserts his brother for more than three days will be driven by God into the Fire, unless God rescues him through Him mercy.' This relates to desertion for the purpose of discipline; but if it be done because a wrong is being committed or a right neglected, then there can be no restoration until one reverts to right conduct. [The Book of Assistance]

Food for Thought:
A smile is something nice to see, it does not cost a cent.

A smile is something all you own it, it never can be spent.

A smile is welcome everywhere, it does away with frowns.

A smile is good for everyone, to ease life's ups and down.

LESSON OF THE DAY 214

Ayah of the Day:
Your Guardian Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then He established Himself on the Throne (of authority): He draws the night as a veil over the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession; He created the sun, the moon, and the stars, (all) governed by laws under His command. Is it not His to create and govern? Blessed be Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds! [7: 54]

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

Wise Quote of the Day:
We need to remember what our scholars say: "What stems from the heart finds its way to the heart, yet what is delivered by the tongue will not go beyond the ear."

Guidance of the Day:
Relieve those in hardship, fulfill the needs of those in need, and keep the sinner's disgrace concealed. For the Prophet (may blessings and peace be upon him), has said: 'God shall grant ease to him who eases the hardship of another, and shall conceal, in this world and the hereafter, (the sins) of him who conceals (the disgrace of) a believer; and He shall relieve from one of the hardships of the Day of Rising the one who relieves a Muslim from one of the hardships of this world; He shall fulfill the need of the man who fulfills his brother's need. He assists His servants as long as he assists his brother.'

Try to gladden the hearts of believers in every possible way, as long as these ways are not sinful. Intercede for anyone who requests it of you with those with whom you are influential, for God will ask His servant to account for his influence just as He will ask him to account for his money. If, following an act of intercession, you receive a gift for it you should refuse it, for it is a form of usury. [The Book of Assistance]

Food for Thought:
Don't expect to enjoy the cream of life, if you keep your milk of human kindness all bottled up. You can never speak a kind word too soon, for you never know how soon is too late.

LESSON OF THE DAY 213

Ayahs of the Day:
For We had certainly sent unto them a Book, based on knowledge, which We explained in detail--a guide and a mercy to all who believe. Do they just wait for the final fulfillment of the event? On the day the event is finally fulfilled, those who disregarded it before will say: "The Messengers of our Lord did indeed bring true (tidings). Have we no intercessors now to intercede on our behalf? Or could we be sent back? Then should we behave differently from our behavior in the past." In fact they will have lost their souls, and the things they invented will leave them in the lurch. [7: 52,53]

Hadith of the Day:
There is no people among which evil is committed and they have the ability to change that but they do not change it except that Allah will soon afflict them with a punishment that will affect all of them. [Abu Dawood & Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:
The tongue is a wild beast; when it is let loose, it wounds. [Ali radi Allah anhu]

Guidance of the Day:
Comfort the brokenhearted, be gentle to the weak and the needy, console the poor, be lenient with the insolvent, and lend to those who ask you. 'The reward for a loan exceeds that for charity eight times.' (Hadith). This is because a loan is only taken by one who is in need of it. Console those who are stricken by adversity, for the prophet has said, (may blessings and peace be upon him): 'The one who consoles a man stricken by adversity, that is, helps him endure patiently, has a reward similar to his.'

Beware of gloating, which is to rejoice at another Muslim's misfortune, for the Prophet has said, (may blessings and peace be upon him): 'Do not show any gloating in regard to your brother, lest God release him and afflict you,'

Beware of openly reviling a Muslim for a sin he has fallen into, for the one who does so will be afflicted likewise before he dies. [The Book of Assistance]

Food for Thought:
Nothing is more beneficial that you benefit from yourself, than doing what is befitting for the time.

LESSON OF THE DAY 212

Ayahs of the Day:
The companions of the Fire will call to the companions of the Garden: "Pour down to us water or anything that Allah has provided for your sustenance." They will say: "Both these things Allah has forbidden to those who rejected Him--Such as took their religion to be mere amusement and play, and were deceived by the life of the world." That day shall We forget them as they forgot the meeting of this day of theirs, and as they rejected Our signs." [7: 50,51]

Hadith of the Day:
If a sin is committed on the earth, the one who witnessed it and hated it (rebukes it), is like one who was not present. And the one who was not present at the time of the sin but is pleased with the sin is like the one who was present (and did not repel it). [Abu Dawood & Tabraani]

Wise Quote of the Day:
The most difficult of matters is that a man watch over his tongue and speak ill of no one. [Mohammad Waase']

Guidance of the Day:
Be merciful to the servants of God and compassionate to His creatures, and be gentle and kind, and easy to approach. Beware of being callous, coarse, obscene, and difficult to approach. The Prophet has said, (may blessings and peace be upon him): 'God is only merciful to those of His servants who are merciful; those who show no mercy are shown no mercy.' And: 'A believer is affable and easy to approach; there is no good in anyone who is neither affable nor easy to approach.'

Teach the ignorant, guide those who stray, remind the distracted, and beware of neglecting any of these things. For teaching and reminding are part of practicing what one knows, and great men only become great by the grace of God and by their guiding God's servants to His path. If you are unworthy now (of teaching), then the only way you can become worthy is to do good and invite people to it. Evil lies only in making claims and leading others to other than the truth. [The Book of Assistance]

Food for Thought:
There are two types of ignorance: simple and compound. Simple ignorance is that the ignorant knows of his ignorance. Compound ignorance is that the ignorant thinks he knows, when in reality he is ignorant, and this is worse.

LESSON OF THE DAY 211

Ayahs of the Day:
The men on the Heights will call to certain men whom they will know from their marks, saying: "Of what profit to you were your hoards and your arrogant ways? Behold! are these not the men whom you swore that Allah with His Mercy would never bless? Enter the Garden: no fear shall be upon you, nor shall you grieve. [7: 48,49]

Hadith of the Day:
Be aloof from the world and Allah will love you. Be aloof from what people possess and the people will love you. [ibn Maajah & Tabraani]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Paradise is not attained through outward deeds alone, rather it is attained through sincerity and intention. [Hasan al Basri]

Guidance of the Day:
You must love and hate for the sake of God, for this is one of the firmest handholds of faith. When you love the servant who is obedient to God because of his obedience, and hate the one who is disobedient to God because of his disobedience, and not for any other reason, then you are the one who truly loves and hates for the sake of God. If you find in yourself no love for the people of goodness, because of their goodness, and no loathing for the people of evil, because of their evil, then know that your faith is weak.

Keep the company of the best people and avoid that of the worst; sit with the virtuous and avoid the unjust. Know that associating with people of goodness and keeping their company implant the love of goodness in the heart and help to practice it, while associating with the people of evil and keeping their company implant the love of evil in the heart and the love of practicing it. The one who associates closely with a particular group of people, inevitably ends up loving them, whether they are good or evil, and a man is with those he loves both in this world and in the hereafter. [The Book of Assistance]

Food for Thought:
Death has ten thousand several doors for men to take their exits. Unique circumstances of death will be granted to someone with a unique personality.

LESSON OF THE DAY 210

Ayahs of the Day:
Between them shall be a veil, and on the Heights will be men who would know everyone by his marks; they will call out to the Companions of the Garden, "Peace on you": They have not yet entered it even though they long to. When their sight is shifted towards the inmates of the Fire, they will say: "Our Lord, do not place us alongside such wrongdoing folk!" [7: 46,47]

Hadith of the Day:
Verily, Allah, the Exalted, has prescribed the obligatory deeds, so do not neglect them. He has set the limits, so do not go beyond them. He has forbidden some things, so do not violate them. And He has been silent about some things, out of mercy upon you and not out of forgetfulness, so do not seek after them. [Baihaqi & Haakim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
The heart which is free from rancor is pleased with its Lord. No happiness can be attained by the heart which is not happy with his Lord. [Habib Ajmi]

Guidance of the Day:
Be loyal to your parents, for this is a most certain duty. Beware of severing your ties with them, which is one of the greatest sins. You must, therefore seek to make them pleased with you, and obey them except in committing sinful things or omitting obligations. Prefer them to yourself and give their affairs priority over your own. Disloyalty includes withholding from them any good that you are able to bring them, as well as frowning and chiding.

Parents should help their children to be loyal to them by not insisting on every one of their rights, especially in these days when loyalty is scarce, evil rife. Respect your ties of kinship and start with the closest to you; give generously of the good things you have and start with the nearest. Maintaining ties of kinship and kind behavior towards neighbors will not be complete unless one refrains from harming them, endures the harming they do, and does good to them according to the means at one's disposal. [The Book of Guidance]

Food for Thought:
Remember that time waits for no one. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is mystery, today is a GIFT, that is why it is called "THE PRESENT".

LESSON OF THE DAY 209

Ayahs of the Day:
The inhabitants of the Garden will call out to the inmates of the Fire: "We have indeed found the promises of our Lord to us true: Have you also found your Lord's promises true? They will say: "Yes!" But an announcer among them will call out: "The curse of Allah is on the wrong doers--who obstruct God's path and try to make it crooked, and are disbelievers in the Hereafter. [7: 44,45]

Hadith of the Day:
Surely, if you abandon the jihad and spend all of your time with your agriculture you deal in al-eenah (a type of business deal that implicitly involves interest (riba), then Allah will make humiliation accompany you and not allow you to be rid of it until you repent to Allah. [Ahmad]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Satan needs not misguide the one who runs after the world, for he is already misguided. [Mohammad Waase']

Guidance of the Day:
As for your 'public charges', these are all people entrusted by God to your custody, such as children, wife, and slave, all of whom are part of your charge. It is your duty to guide them to the performance of that which God has made obligatory and the avoidance of that which He forbade. Beware of allowing them to neglect an obligatory or commit a forbidden act; summon them to that in which their salvation and happiness in the hereafter lies.

Teach them courtesy and do not plant in their hearts love of the world and its cravings, for you would thus have done them harm. It has been said that the wife and children of a man shall clutch him before God and say: 'O Lord! This one did not teach us Your rights upon us; therefore give us retaliation from him!'

You must treat them with justice and graciousness. Justice is to give them everything that God has made rightfully theirs in the way of expenditure, clothes, and living with them charitably. As for graciousness, this is to treat them gently, and not to be harsh in asking them for the rights assigned to you by God, and to treat them with nobility, and to laugh with them at times without falling into sin, in a manner that removes estrangement and repugnance but maintains reverence and respect. [The Book of Assistance]

Food for Thought:
One sincere criticism is worth a hundred praises. Beware of your ego, and trust not its mischief; the ego is worse than seventy Devils.

LESSON OF THE DAY 208

Ayahs of the Day:
And those who believe and work righteousness--no burden do We place on any soul, but that which it can bear--they will be Companions of the Garden, therein to dwell (for ever). We will strip away any rancor (that lingers) in their breasts. Rivers will flow beneath them and they will say; "Praise be to God Who led us to this! We would never have been guided if God had not led us. Our Lord's messengers have brought the Truth." They will hear someone call out: "Here is the Garden you have inherited because of what you have done." [7: 42,43]

Hadith of the Day:
The best among people is a believer who strives his utmost in Allah's cause with his life and property. [Bukhari]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Patience is of two kinds: first, patience with trials and calamities; second, patiently avoiding that which Allah has prohibited. [Hasan al Basri]

Guidance of the Day:
Deal justly with those in your charge, whether 'public' or 'personal'. Be altogether protecting and solicitous for them, for God will call you to account in their regard, and 'every shepherd will be asked to account for his flock.'

By your 'personal charges' I mean your seven organs, which are your tongue, ears, eyes, stomach, genitals, hands and feet. These are your charges which God has given you and a trust with which He has entrusted you, which you should restrain from sin and use in His obedience. For God the Exalted created them only that by means of them you might obey him; they are among His greatest of His favors, for which we should thank Him by using them to obey Him, and not in His disobedience.

If you do not do this you will be turning God's favor into ingratitude. Had God the Exalted not made these organs to be your servants and made them to obey you by disposition, you would not have been able to use them to disobey Him at all. You will one day stand before God and these organs will testify to every good deed or evil in which you used them. [The Book of Assistance]

Food for Thought:
Work is not man's punishment, it is his reward and his strength and his pleasure. The best prize life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing. Nothing ever comes to one that is worth having, except as a result of hardwork.

LESSON OF THE DAY 207

Ayahs of the Day:
To those who reject Our Signs and treat them with arrogance, no opening will there be of the gates of heaven, nor will they enter the Garden, until the camel can pass through the eye of the needle: such is Our reward for those in sin. For them there is Hell, as a couch (below) and folds and folds of covering above: such is Our requital of those who do wrong. [7: 40,41]

Hadith of the Day:
The prayer is the best matter. Whoever can increase (his prayers) should do so. [Al-Tabraani]

Wise Quote of the Day:
One who cautions you is as one who brings you good news. [Ali radi Allah anhu]

Guidance of the Day:
Beware of spying, which is seeking to know the private affairs of other Muslims and their hidden sins. The Prophet (may blessings and peace be upon him) has said: 'The one who seeks out the secrets of his brother Muslim will have God seeking out his secrets until He exposes him, even should he be in the depth of his house.

Know that a concealed sin harms only its doer, but when it becomes public and is not stopped its harm becomes general.

When sins and reprehensible things become obscenely in evidence where you live, and you despair of truth being accepted, then isolate yourself, for in this lies safety; or emigrate to another place, which action is better. For when chastisement falls on a place it includes both the wicked and the good; to a believer who was neglectful in supporting God's religion it is an expiation and mercy, but for others it is a chastisement and an affliction. And God knows best. [The Book of Assistance]

Food for Thought:
The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary. work is the true elixir of life. The busiest man is the happiest man. It is your work in life that is the ultimate seduction. Nobody can be successful unless he loves his work.

LESSON OF THE DAY 206

Ayahs of the Day:
He (Allah) will say: "Enter in the company of the peoples who passed away before you--men and Jinns--into the Fire." Everytime a new People enters, it curses its sister (nation) until, when they have caught up with one another, the last of them will say to the first: "Our Lord, these (people) have misled us, so give them double torment from the Fire!" He will say: "Each shall have double, eventhough you do not realize it." The first of them will tell the last: "What advantage have you over us? Taste torment because of what you have earned." [7: 38,39]

Hadith of the Day:
You should perform the late-night prayer for verily it was the custom of the pious people before you. Certainly, the late-night prayer is an act that brings one closer to Allah, keeps one away from sins, expiates for evil deeds and repels disease from the body. [Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Consider it near the day when this world will vanish and all that will remain will be the world to come. [Hasan al Basri]

Guidance of the Day:
Beware of dissimulation, for it is a crime. This is to remain silent for fear of losing a position, money, or any other benefit the source of which is the person committing the reprehensible act or any other depraved person.

Anyone who has true vigilance for God, reliance upon Him, and has acquired the attribute of mercy towards His servants, cannot prevent himself from removing every evil that he sees except when prevented from doing so by means which he cannot overcome. [The Book of Guidance]

Food for Thought:
To find out what one is fitted to do, and to secure an opportunity to do it, is the key to happiness. Opportunities are usually disguised as hardwork, so most people don't recognize them. Work is a necessity for man.

LESSON OF THE DAY 205

Ayahs of the Day:
And those who reject Our signs and treat them with arrogance--they are companions of the Fire, to dwell therein (forever). Who is more unjust than one who invents a lie against Allah or rejects His Signs? For such, their portion appointed must reach them from the Book (of Decrees): Until, when Our messengers (of death) arrive and take their souls, they say: "Where are the things that you used to invoke besides Allah?" They will reply, "They have left us in the lurch," and they will bear witness against themselves, that they had rejected Allah. [7: 36,37]

Hadith of the Day:
The best prayer after the obligatory prayer is that during the depths of the night. [Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
He who takes pride in his good deeds is in sin, and he who is ashamed of his evil deeds is in obedience. [Imam Ja'afar al Sadiq]

Guidance of the Day:
Whenever you enjoin good and forbid evil and are not listened to you must leave the place where evil is being committed and those who commit it until they return to God's ordinance. Likewise you must detest sins and those who persist in committing them, and abhor them for the sake of God; this being a duty for all Muslims.

When you become angry because you were wronged or insulted, and this shows on your face and you find that your loathing of that deed and the person who did it are more than your loathing of any evil that you see or hear about, then know for certain that your faith is weak, and your honor and wealth are dearer to you than your religion. [The Book of Assistance]

Food for Thought:
Great ideas originate in the muscles. The best preparation of good work tomorrow is good work today. All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.

LESSON OF THE DAY 204

Ayahs of the Day:
To every people is a term appointed, when their term is reached, not an hour can cause delay, nor (an hour) can they advance (it in application). O Children of Adam! Whenever there come to you Messengers from amongst you, rehearsing My signs unto you--those who are righteous and mend (their lives)--on them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve. [7: 34,35]

Hadith of the Day:
Whoever builds a mosque for the sake of Allah the size of a pigeon's nest or smaller, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise. [Ahmad & Ibn Maajah]

Food for Thought:
He who is pleased with the creator, depends not on the creation. [Abu Hazim Makki]

Guidance of the Day:
You must enjoin good and forbid evil, for this is the pivot around which religion revolves, and is the reason why God revealed His Books and sent His Messengers. It is considered a duty by the consensus of all Muslims, and a great many passages in the Book and the sunna enjoin it and warn about its neglect.

In many contexts has God attributed enjoining good and forbidding evil to the believers, on some occasions (even) before attributing faith to them, and on others, before mentioning the regular performance of prayers and giving of zakah . The Messenger of God (may blessings and peace be upon him) has said: 'By the One in Whose Hand lies my soul, you will enjoin good and forbid evil, or God will soon send His punishment upon you; whereupon you will pray and not be answered.' And: 'The one who is not compassionate to our young and respectful to our elders, and who does not enjoin good and forbid evil, is not one of us.

Know that enjoining the obligatory and forbidding prohibited things is itself an obligation. Enjoining recommended and forbidding disliked things is itself recommended. [The Book of Assistance]

Food for Thought:
The one thing that overcomes hard luck is hardwork. The harder I work the luckier I get. Life grants nothing to us mortals without hardwork.

LESSON OF THE DAY 203

Ayah of the Day:
Say: The things that my Lord has indeed forbidden are: shameful deeds, whether open or secret; sins and trespasses against truth or reason; assigning of partners to Allah, for which He has given no authority; and saying things about Allah of which you have no knowledge of. [7: 33]

Hadith of the Day:
I left you all on a clear matter, whose night is like its day (with respect to clarity). No one strays from it after me but the destroyed one. [Ahmad & ibn Maajah]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Triumph comes about through resoluteness, resoluteness comes through thinking ideas through, and ideas come from keeping inmost thoughts inaccessible. [Ali radi Allah anhu]

Guidance of the Day:
A man's scrupulousness is measured by his abstaining from anything suspect until its status is clarified. A servant (of God) does not become a true man of taqwa until he abstains from things which are undoubtedly licit for fear of that which may follow and be doubtful or illicit.

Scrupulousness is rendered easy for those who want only what is necessary from the world. When you have suspicions, then scrupulousness obliges you to abstain even though that thing may be, to all outward appearances, lawful. For sin is that which causes inward suspicion and hesitation. But this concerns those whose hearts are illuminated and who incline to the side of abstinence, and not that of indulgence.

Do not think that scrupulousness involves only food and clothes; rather it involves everything. However, if you are in possession of lawful and more purely lawful, or lawful and suspect things, then use the most lawful that you have in matters of food. For everything depends on food which, licit, has a great illuminating influence on the heart and gives the body energy for worship. One of our predecessors has said: "Eat what you will, for in the same wise your actions will be." [The Book of Guidance]

Food for Thought:
Being busy doesn't always mean real work. The object of all work is production and accomplishment. Seeming to do is not doing. Hard work spotlights the character of people. Laziness may appear attractive, but work gives satisfaction.

LESSON OF THE DAY 202

Ayah of the Day:
Say: Who has forbidden the beautiful (gifts) of Allah, which He has produced for His servants, and the things, clean and pure, (which He has provided) for sustenance? Say: They are, in the life of this world, for those who believe, (and) purely for them on the Day of Judgment. Thus do We explain the signs in detail for those who understand. [7: 32]

Hadith of the Day:
A person is on the religion of his close friend. Therefore, you should look to see who you take as a close friend. [Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Renew your wudu whenever you break it, for wudu is the weapon of the believer, and when the weapon is in evidence, the enemy does not approach. [Abdallah ibn Alawi al Haddad]

Guidance of the Day:
You must scrupulously avoid prohibited and suspect things. Scrupulousness (wara') is the pillar of religion and it is the pivot emphasized by the practicing scholars. The Prophet (may peace and blessings be upon him) has said: "the one who guards himself against suspect things has protected his religion and his honor, and the one who falls onto suspect things will fall into the prohibited."

Know that those who acquire prohibited and suspect things are seldom granted success in performing good deeds, and when they appear to be doing so, these are inevitably inwardly tarnished with hidden things which will spoil them, such as self-admiration and ostentation.

In any case, the works of those who subsist on illicit (resources) are rejected, for God is Good and accepts only that which is good. The explanation of this is that acts can only be performed by using the body, and the body can only move by the energy obtained from food. If that food is vile the energy it produces and the movements which result will also be vile. [The Book of Assistance]

Food for Thought:
Every noble work at first is impossible. Nothing will work until you do. There is no substitute for hardwork. Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.

LESSON OF THE DAY 201

Ayahs of the Day:
Some He has guided; others have (by their choice) deserved the loss of their way; they have adopted the devils as their patrons instead of God, and reckon they are guided! O Children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer; eat and drink; but waste not by excess, for Allah does not love the extravagant. [7: 31,32]

Hadith of the Day:
Righteousness is good character. A sin is that which wavers in your soul and which you dislike the people finding out about. [Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
A scrupulous person is most worshipful of people because those who eat things that are absolutely lawful (al halal al khalis) cease to tire from worship, and those who don't tire from worship are more worshipful than those who do. [Abdal Wahab al Sharani]

Guidance of the Day:
Try never to do anything habitual without first forming a good intention. When you put on your clothes intend to cover the parts that God has ordered you to cover. Put on the right sleeve of shirts and similar garments first, and take it off last.

Acquire only such clothes as you need to wear; do not seek to acquire the most luxurious or the coarsest of the clothes, but adhere to moderation. You must utter only words of goodness. Everything that it is forbidden to say is forbidden to listen to. Beware of delving into that which does not concern you or of swearing by God too frequently. Beware of all kinds of lying, because this is incompatible with faith.

Beware of backbiting and slander, and of excessive levity. Avoid all other kinds of ugly talk. Think about what you say before you say it. The Prophet has said (may blessings and peace be upon him): "May God have mercy on a man who said words of goodness and thus gained, or refrained from saying evil and thus was safe." [The Book of Assistance]

Food for Thought:
Never does nature say one thing and wisdom another. You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers, but you can tell whether a person is wise by his questions. Wisdom is knowing what to do next, virtue is doing it.

LESSON OF THE DAY 200

Ayah of the Day:
Say: "My Lord has commanded justice; and that you set your whole selves (to Him) at every time and place of prayer, and call upon Him, making your devotion sincere as in His sight; such as He created you in the beginning, so shall you return. [7: 29]

Hadith of the Day:
Whoever does not thank people, does not thank Allah. [Ahmah & Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:
The measure of a man depends on the scope of his resolution, and his sincerity depends on the degree of his chivalric virtues. His courage depends on the degree of honor he has, and his integrity is based on the degree of his sense of shame. [Ali radi Allah anhu]

Guidance of the Day:
Adhere to the good manners of the sunna outwardly and inwardly; make them habitual to you and you will have perfected your following and emulation of the Messenger of Mercy, the Prophet of Guidance. Know that the one who observes the Prophetic good manners in his everyday activities is preserved by God from trespassing into the base attributes and behavior that are outside them, and obtains the worldly benefits that God has set, through His wisdom, within them.

Anyone who would be pleased to become completely free and clean of impurities and human passions should make all his outward and inward motions and times of stillness conform to the Law, and follow the dictates of both Law and reason. Begin everything you do with the Name of God; if you forget the Name at the beginning, say when you remember: "In the Name of God at its beginning and its end." [The Book of Guidance]

Food for Thought:
Wisdom denotes the pursuing of the best ends by the best means. The art of wisdom is the art of knowing what to overlook. It requires wisdom to understand wisdom, music is nothing for the deaf audience.

LESSON OF THE DAY 199

Ayah of the Day:
O Children of Adam! Let not Satan seduce you, in the same manner as he got your parents out of the Garden, stripping them of their raiment, to expose their shame; for he and his tribe watch you from a position where you cannot see them; We made the evil ones friend (only) to those without faith. [7: 27]

Hadith of the Day:
No Muslim plants a plant or sows seeds and has a bird, human or animal eat from it except that it will be for him as a charitable act. [Bukhari & Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
The attentiveness of a servant is equal to his love for his Lord. Love is consequent upon knowledge, as much as one grows more knowledgeable of Him, so also shall love Him more and worship Him more abundantly. [Abdallah ibn al Alawi al Haddad]

Guidance of the Day:
You must take care of your outward and inward cleanliness, for the one who is completely clean becomes inwardly and in his spirit a spiritual angel, although in his body and outward form he remains a physical human being.

Inward cleanliness is achieved by purifying the soul from vile traits of character such as pride, ostentation, envy, love of the world, and other similar things, and by adorning it with noble traits of character such as humility, modesty, sincerity, generosity, and so forth.

As for the outward cleanliness, this depends on avoiding transgressions, and keeping to obedience. The one who adorns his outward with perseverance in good works, and his inward with taking on praiseworthy attributes, has completed his cleanliness. Otherwise, he would only have a share of it proportionate to his remoteness from reprehensible traits and acts, and nearness to good ones. [The Book of Assistance]

Food for Thought:
Wisdom out weighs any wealth. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom, turn your wounds into wisdom. Wisdom doesn't necessarily come with age, sometimes age just shows up all by itself.

LESSON OF THE DAY 198

Ayah of the Day:
"O children of Adam! We have sent you down clothing with which to cover your shame, as well as to be an adornment to you, Yet the clothing of righteousness is best!" Such are among the signs of Allah, that they may receive admonition. [7: 26]

Hadith of the Day:
Keep the evil away from the people and that will be a charitable act from yourself upon yourself. [Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Your time is your life, and your life is your capital, it is the basis of your transactions (with God), and the means to attain everlasting felicity, in the proximity of God the Exalted. [Imam Ghazali]

Guidance of the Day:
Know that you will never attain to the performing of obligations, the avoiding of the prohibited things, and the performance of supererogatory acts that He has laid down for you to draw nearer to Him, save through knowledge. Seek it then! Knowledge makes you aware of what is a duty, what is recommended, what is forbidden, how to perform your duties and recommended acts, and how to avoid what is prohibited.

Therefore, you must have knowledge and cannot dispense with it; for on the practice of it your happiness in this world and the Hereafter depends. How many a worshipper has tired himself out in worshipping while persistently committing a sin which he believed to be an act of obedience or (at any rate) not a sin! Those who want security and gain must not initiate any act or continue in something already initiated until they know God's ruling in this regard: whether it is obligatory, recommended, just licit, or prohibited. Everything will fall into one of those four groups. This must surely be a duty for every Muslim. [The Book of Assistance]

Food for Thought:
To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom. Wisdom is meaningless until your own experience has given it meaning and there is wisdom in the selection of wisdom.

LESSON OF THE DAY 197

Ayahs of the Day:
They said: "Our Lord! We have wronged our own souls; if You do not forgive us and grant us mercy, we will be losers." (Allah) said: "Get down, with enmity between yourselves, on earth will be your dwelling place and your means of lively hood for a time. He (further said): "Therein shall you live, and therein shall you die: and from it you will be brought forth (again)." [7: 23, 24, 25]

Hadith of the Day:
Your smiling at your brother is a charitable act for you. Your ordering good and eradicating evil is a charitable act. Your guiding a man in a land wherein he is lost is a charitable act. Your helping a man with bad eyesight to see is a charitable act. Your removing a stone, thorn or bone from the road is a charitable act. [Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Wealth I see adds to your longing

for the world as if you are to live forever

Is there a limit that you might reach,

Where you would say, "Enough! I am satisfied!? [A poet]

Guidance of the Day:
Know that God has put much good into supererogatory (nafl) devotions, through His grace, for many imperfections occur in obligatory worship. However, imperfection in an obligatory act can only be redeemed by an act of supererogation of the same kind: prayer by prayer, and fasting by fasting. Obligations are the basis and acts of supererogation are dependent upon them.

The one who performs the obligations, avoids the prohibited things, and does not add anything to this is better than him who performs acts of supererogation but neglects some obligations, Beware therefore, of neglecting any obligations while occupied with acts of supererogation, for you would thereby sin, and by abandoning your obligations your acts of supererogation will become unacceptable to God.

An example of this is the man who occupies himself with acquiring a kind of knowledge which is, for him, supererogatory, and neglects acquiring the kind which is, for him, obligatory, either outwardly or inwardly. Another is the man who is able to but neglects working for a livelihood and busies himself with supererogatory devotions, leaving his children to beg from others. [The Book of Assistance]

Food for Thought:
The wisdom of the wise and the experience of the aged are perpetuated by quotations, We are made wise not by the recollection of our past but by the responsibility of our future. Nine-tenths of wisdom is being wise in time.

LESSON OF THE DAY 196

Ayahs of the Day:
And he (Satan) swore to them both, that he was their sincere adviser. So by deceit he brought about their fall: when they tasted of the tree, their shame became manifest to them, and they began to sew together the leaves of the Garden over their bodies. And their Lord called unto them: "Did I not forbid you that tree, and tell you that Satan was an avowed enemy unto you?" [7: 21,22]

Hadith of the Day:
Every act of goodness is an act of charity. [Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Anyone who thinks that through his efforts he will arrive is tiring himself; and anyone who thinks that without effort he will arrive is indulging in wishful thinking. [ Abu Saeed al Karraz]

Guidance of the Day:
You must hold fast to the Book and the sunna. Take refuge in them, for they are the upright religion of God, and His straight path. Those who adhere to them find safety, profit, guidance and protection, while those who deviate from them go astray, grieve lose, and are broken. Let them govern you and control what you do, and consult them in your every affair, in obedience to the counsel of God and that of His Messenger.

If it pleases you to be well-guided along the white road in which there is neither crookedness nor curvature, then measure all your intentions, traits, acts, and words against the Book and sunna, then retain whatever conforms to them and abandon whatever does not. And always be cautious and follow the better alternative. never innovate in religion, nor follow the ways of the non-believers, or else you will lose both this world and the Hereafter. [The Book of Assistance]

Food for Thought:
There is a wisdom of the head and a wisdom of the heart. By three methods we may learn wisdom: first by reflection, which is noblest; second by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is bitterest.

LESSON OF THE DAY 195

Ayahs of the Day:
(Allah said): "O Adam! settle down in the garden, you and your wife. Eat wherever you wish; yet do not approach this tree lest either of you should become wrongdoers." Then Satan began to whisper suggestions to them, in order to reveal to them their shame, that was hidden from them (before): he said: "Your Lord only forbids you this tree so that you will not become angels, or lest you become immortal. [7: 19.20]

Hadith of the Day:
Whoever abstains from asking others for financial help, Allah will give him and save him from asking others. And whoever is satisfied with what Allah has given him, Allah will make him self sufficient. [Bukhari & Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
There is no helper save God, no guide save the Messenger of God (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), no provision save taqwa, and no work save patience. [Sahl al Tustari]

Guidance of the Day:
You must fill up your time with acts of worship so that no period of time lapses, whether by night or by day, without being used in some act of goodness. This is how the baraka within time is made manifest, the purpose of life fulfilled, and the approach to God the Exalted made constant.

Know that no state can be sound in the presence of neglect, and no wealth useful in the presence of heedlessness. Know that awrad have a great effect in illuminating the heart and controlling the senses, but these only appear and become established with perseverance and repetition, and their performance at specifically allocated times.

Assign to yourself some awrad to persevere with at specific times that you make up for it if missed, so that your soul becomes accustomed to keeping to them; when your soul despairs of your abandoning them altogether when you miss them, it will hasten to perform them in time. The arrival of blessings depends on the awrad; therefore, the man who outwardly has no wird has no inward aspect [of any consequence].

Food for Thought:
In seeking wisdom you are wise, in imagining that you have attained it, you are a fool. A prudent question is one-half of wisdom. The doors of wisdom are never shut.

LESSON OF THE DAY 194

Ayahs of the Day:
(Satan said): "Then I will come at them from in front of them, and from behind them, on their right and on their left. You will not find that most of them are grateful." (Allah) said: "Get out of here, despised, rejected! I will fill Hell with all of those who follow you."[7: 17,18]

Hadith of the Day:
By Allah, it is not poverty that I fear for you. But I fear that the world will be spread out before you as it was for the people before you. Then you shall compete in it as the people before you competed in it and it shall destroy you as it destroyed them. [Bukhari & Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
The one who adorns his inward with vigilance and sincerity, God adorns his outward with striving and following the sunnah. [Al Harith al Muhasibi]

Guidance of the Day:
Know that the one who claims to have a thriving inward but whose outward has been corrupted by his abandoning outward acts of obedience is a pretender and a liar.

The one who exerts himself in the reform of his outward aspect by caring about the way he dresses and appears, speaks, moves, sits, stands, and walks, but leaves his inward full of repellent attributes and vile traits, is one of the people of affection and ostentation, who have turned away from the Lord.

Beware, of doing in secret that which if seen by people would make you ashamed and worried about being censured. If you cannot make your inward better than your outward, the least that you can do is to make them equal, so that you behave equally well privately and publicly in obeying God's injunctions, avoiding his prohibitions, respecting what He has made sacred, and hastening to please Him. This is the first step a servant takes on the path of special knowledge. Success is from God. [The Book of Assistance]

Food for Thought:
Patience is the companion of wisdom. To be satisfied with a little, is the greatest wisdom and he who increases his riches increases his cares, but a contented mind is a treasure hidden.

LESSON OF THE DAY 193

Ayahs of the Day:
He (Iblis) said: "Give me respite till the day they are raised up." (Allah) said: "Be you among those who have respite. (Iblis) said: "Because You have sent me astray, I will lie in wait for them on Your straight Way. [7: 14,15,16]

Hadith of the Day:
Allah's hand is full. (its fullness) is not affected by continuous spending day and night. Do you not see what He spent since He created the Heavens and the Earth? All of it did not decrease what is in His hand. [Bukhari & Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Satisfaction is wealth that never runs out. [Ali radi Allah anhu]

Guidance of the Day:
You must, improve your inward aspect until it becomes better than your virtuous outward appearance, for the former is where the gaze of the Real obtains, while the latter is where the envious gaze of creation is to be found. God never mentioned the inward and the outward in His Book without beginning with the inward. And the Prophet used to pray, (may peace and blessings be upon him) "O God! Make my inward better than my outward, and make my outward virtuous."

When the inward is good the outward is inevitably so, for the outward always follows the inward, whether for good or evil. The Messenger of God, (may blessings and peace be upon him) has said: "In the body lies a small piece of flesh; when it is good the rest of the body is good also, and when it is corrupt the rest of the body becomes corrupt also; It is the heart." [The Book of Assistance]

Food for Thought:
The tragedy of war is that it uses man's best to do man's worst. War is only a cowardly escape from the problems of peace. It is a moral and political disaster, a terrible cancer eating away at the soul of our nation.

LESSON OF THE DAY 192

Ayahs of the Day:
(Allah) said (to Iblis): "What prevented you from bowing down when I commanded you?" He said: I am better than he; You created me from fire, and him from clay. (Allah) said: "Get down from this (paradise), it is not for you to be arrogant here, Get out, for you are of those humiliated and disgraced." [7: 12,13]

Hadith of the Day:
The just will be with Allah on pulpits of light on the right-hand of the Merciful---and both of His hands are right. Those are the ones who are just in their rulings, with their families and whatever they are incharge of. [Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
He who honors the world is abased and disgraced on the Day of judgment, but he who disdains it, will then find honor incomparable. [Bishr al Hafi]

Guidance of the Day:
If you find emerging in your heart, when you call to mind the fact that God observes you, a shyness that prevents you from disobeying Him and drives you to exert yourself in obeying Him, you are in possession of something of the realities of vigilance (muraqaba).

Know that vigilance is one of the most noble stations, high positions, and lofty degrees. It is the station of excellence (ihsan), excellence is to worship God as if you saw Him, for if you do not see Him, He sees you. Each believer has faith that nothing on earth or in the heaven is concealed from God, that God is with him wherever he is, and that none of His movements or times of stillness are concealed from Him.

But the important thing is that this awareness be permanent and that its results appear, the least of which is that he does nothing, when alone with God, that he would be ashamed of should a man of virtue see him. This is rare, and it eventually leads to that which is rarer still, whereby the servant is totally immersed in God. [The Book of Assistance]

Food for Thought:
There is nothing that war has ever achieved that could not have been achieved without it. There was never a good war and a bad peace.All wars are civil wars, because all men are brothers.

LESSON OF THE DAY 191

Ayahs of the Day:
It is We Who have placed you with authority on earth, and provided you therein with means for the fulfillment of your life; small are the thanks that you give! It is We Who created you and gave you shape; Then We bade the angels bow down to Adam, and they bowed down; not so Iblis; he refused to be of those who bow down. [7: 10,11]

Hadith of the Day:
Protect yourself from the supplication of the one who is wronged, even if he is a disbeliever, for there is no barrier for it (between it and Allah). [Ahmad]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Alive is the one who knows God the Exalted; astray is the one who loves the world. The intelligent watch themselves and the fools come and go empty handed. [Sari al saqti]

Guidance of the Day:
Be mindful of God in all your movements and times of stillness, at every moment, with every blink of the eye, with every thought, wish or any other state. Feel His nearness to you! Know that He looks and is aware of you, that nothing that you conceal is Hidden from Him. He is with you with His knowledge, awareness and power. If you are righteous, He will guide, assist and protect you.

Have modesty before your Lord as you should; make sure that He never sees you in a situation which He has forbidden you, and never misses you where He has commanded you to be; worship Him as if you saw Him, for even if you do not see Him, He sees you. Whenever you notice in your soul any laziness in His worship or inclination to disobedience, remind it that God hears and sees you and knows your secrets and secret conversation.

If this reminding does not benefit it because of the inadequacy of its knowledge of the Majesty of God, remind it of the two noble angels who record good and evil deeds. If this reminding does not influence it, remind it of the proximity of death, that it is the nearest of all hidden and awaited things; frighten it of its sudden pouncing, whereby if it does come when it is in an unsatisfactory state it will end up in endless perdition. If this threat is of no use, remind it of the immense reward which God has promised those who obey Him, and the painful torment with which He has threatened those who disobey Him. Endeavor to cure your soul with such reminders when it neglects obedience and inclines to rebellion, for they are useful medicines for the heart's diseases. [The Book of Assistance]

Food for Thought:
The basic problems facing the world today are not susceptible to military solution. One does not create a human society on mounds of corpses. The direct use of force is such a poor solution to any problem, it is generally employed only by small children and big nations.

LESSON OF THE DAY 190

Ayahs of the Day:
The balance that day will be true, those whose scale (of good) will be heavy, will prosper. Those whose scale will be light, will find their souls in perdition, for that they wrongfully treated Our Signs. [7: 8,9]

Hadith of the Day:
Allah gives respite to one who commits dhulm (injustice), but when He seizes him, He never releases him. [Bukhari]

Wise Quote of the Day:
To abandon action because of other people is ostentation; to act because of them is idolatry and sincerity is that God should save you from both. [Fudayl ibn al Iyaad]

Guidance of the Day:
Always strive to intend that your obedience be solely for the sake of god, and that whatever licit things you may use are only to help you to obey Him.

Know that many intentions can attach to a single act, and that each of them will attract its full reward. An example of this in devotional activities is when someone reads the Qur'an intending to commune with God (which thing he will indeed do) but also to extract from it different kinds of knowledge, (for the Qur'an is the very mine of knowledge), to profit those who listen or (just happen to) hear, or any good intention.

And an example in licit matters is to eat with the intention of obeying the command of your Lord in His saying (Exalted is He!): O you who believe! Eat of the good things with which We provided you, and give thanks to God. (2:172). Intend by so doing to acquire strength for devotion, and to put yourself in a situation where you must thank your Lord, for He says: Eat of your Lord's provisions and thank Him. (34:15) You can apply these two examples in an analogous fashion to all other devotional and licit activities; and always do your best to increase your intentions. [The Book of Assistance]

Food for Thought:
The first casualty of war is "the truth". The victor will never be asked if he told the truth. Mankind must put an end to war, before war puts an end to mankind. Older men declare war, but it is the youth that fight and die.

LESSON OF THE DAY 189

Ayahs of the Day:
Then shall We question those to whom Our Message was sent, and verily We shall recount their whole story with knowledge, for We were never absent (at any time or place). [7: 6,7]

Hadith of the Day:
Beware of dhulm (injustice), for dhulm is darkness on the Day of Resurrection. [Bukhari & Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Beware of hoping for forgiveness without working for it. Such hopes have deceived some people until they departed from the world bankrupt, and beware of these hopes, they are the valleys of the bankrupt. [Hasan al Basri]

Guidance of the Day:
It is a condition of the sincere intention that behavior does not belie it. For instance a man who seeks knowledge claiming that his intention is to practice and teach it will be proved insincere in his intention if, when he becomes able to, he does not do so. Or a man who pursues the world and claims that he is doing so only that he may be independent of other people and be able to give charity to the needy and help his relatives will be proved ineffectual in his intention should he not do so when able.

Intentions do not affect sins, just as purification does not affect that which is, by its very nature, impure. A man who goes along with another who is slandering a Muslim, then pretends that he only wanted to humor him, is himself a slanderer. Any one who refrains from the enjoining of good and the forbidding of the evil and pretends that he only did so to protect himself from the culprit, is his partner in evildoing. A malicious intention attached to a good deed spoils it and renders it malicious; like wise when one performs good deeds for the sake of wealth and prestige. [The Book of Assistance]

Food for Thought:
A riot is a spontaneous outburst, a war is subject to advance planning, it is a series of catastrophes which result in victory, it doesn't determine who is right, only who is LEFT.

LESSON OF THE DAY 188

Ayahs of the Day:
How many towns have We destroyed (for their sins)! Our punishment took them on a sudden by night or while they slept for their afternoon rest. When (thus) Our punishment took them, no cry did they utter but this: "Indeed we did wrong." [7: 4,5]

Hadith of the Day:
Whoever has wronged another concerning his reputation or anything else should beg him to forgive him before the Day of Resurrection when there will be no money (to compensate for wrong deeds), but, if he has good deeds, those good deeds will be taken from him according to the wrong he has done. And if he has no good deeds, the sins of the oppressed person will be loaded on him. [Bukhari]

Wise Quote of the Day:
The richest of riches is intelligence, and the greatest poverty is stupidity, the loneliest isolation is conceit, and the most noble value is goodness of character. [Ali radi Allah anhu]

Guidance of the Day:
Improve the soundness and sincerity of your intentions, examine them, and reflect well before embarking on your actions. For intentions are the bases of deeds; according to them your deeds will either be good or ugly, sound or unsound.

You must, therefore, utter no word, do no action, and decide no matter without the intention of drawing nearer thereby to God and seeking the reward He has assigned through his beneficence and grace, to the intended act. And know that drawing nearer to Him can only be done through the obligatory and supererogatory devotions that He has indicated through His Messenger, may blessings and peace be upon him.

A sincere intention may change the merely licit into the devotional, for means are judged according to their ends. For example, one may eat to get the strength to perform devotions, etc. [The Book of Assistance]

Food for Thought:
To be satisfied with a little, is the greatest wisdom, and he who increases his riches increases his cares, but a contented mind is a treasure hidden.