LESSON OF THE DAY 257

Ayahs of the Day:
If they turn away, know that God is your protector; an excellent protector, and an excellent savior. And know that a fifth of anything you gain as spoils is for God and the messenger, and for relatives, and orphans, and the poor, and the traveler, if you do believe in God and what We sent down to Our servant on the day of distinction, and the day of meeting of the two armies; for God has power over everything. [8: 40, 41]

Hadith of the Day:
Shake hands and rancor will disappear. Give presents to each other and love each other and enmity will disappear. [al Muwatta]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Signs of a person who really knows Allah are eight - his heart is in a state of fear and hope, his tongue is in a state of praise and gratitude, his eyes are in a state of shame and tears, and his will is in leaving the dunya and seeking the pleasure of his Lord. [Uthman radi Allah anhu]

Guidance of the Day:
When things go wrong in a relationship, people often ask, "Was it something I said?" Well, may be. But more often it's things that people don't say that harm their relationships. According to the psychologist Dan Wile, many arguments spring from issues that people need to discuss but never do. In the resulting tension and confusion, quarrels erupt, leading to hostility, defensiveness, and withdrawal.

Talking about your feelings doesn't make all your problems go away, nor does it solve conflicts. But it does create an opportunity to connect with other people. You're not attacking and you're not withdrawing. instead you're extending yourself and making a bid for understanding. If the other person can turn toward your bid, then you won't feel isolated anymore. You won't feel as if you're facing off at opposite ends of a boxing ring. You'll feel that you are together in a problem. You'll feel you can support one another emotionally as you work it out.

Improving your ability to bid and respond to bids is not going to solve all your problems. It will not banish all negative feelings. It will not solve all conflicts. But it will help you to get along better with people, to share life's burdens, and to build better connections with significant people in your life. [The Relationship Cure]

Du'a of the Week:
Allahumma aslih lee deeni wa dunyaaya (O Allah rectify my religion and my worldly affairs for me) ameen.

Food for Thought:
We die so that the world may continue to live. The tragedy of a single individual becomes, in the balance of natural things, the triumph of ongoing life. All of this makes more precious each hour we have been given, it demands that life must be useful and rewarding.