LESSON OF THE DAY 622

Ayahs of the Day:
(Abraham said to his father) "And I will keep away from you all and whatever you pray to instead of God; and I will pray to my Lord; perhaps I may not be disappointed by prayer to my Lord." Then when he had withdrawn from them and what they worshipped besides God, We gave him Isaac and Jacob; and We made each one a prophet. And We gave to them of Our mercy, and gave them a lofty reputation for truth. [19: 48, 49, 50]

Hadith of the Day:
The tooth-stick (miswaak) purifies the mouth and pleases the Lord. [Bukhari]

Wise Quote of the Day:
How can a sane person be conceited about the spiritual works, when his works are but a gift from Allah and a blessing from Him that he should thank Him for. [Abu Sulaiman al Darani]

Guidance of the Day:
Giving: Don't be afraid of giving. For a while, we may need to back off from giving as we learn to discern the difference between healthy giving and caretaking, which leaves us feeling victimized and others feeling resentful. This is a temporary spot. To be healthy to do our part in this spiritual way of life, to be part of the cycle of the universe, guided by our Creator, we need to give and receive. Both parts are important.

What is healthy giving? This is a fine lined behavior each of us must seek to understand for ourselves. It is giving that feels good and does not leave us feeling victimized. It is feeling that holds the giver and the receiver in high esteem. It is giving based on a desire to do it rather than from a sense of guilt, pity, shame, or obligation. It is giving with no strings attached. Or it is giving based on clean direct contract.

Whether it is giving of our time, efforts, energy, comfort, nurturing, money, or ourselves, it is giving that we can afford. Giving is part of chain of giving and receiving. We can learn to give in healthy ways; we can learn to give in love. We need to keep an eye on our giving, to make sure it has not crossed the line into caretaking. But we need to learn to give in ways that work for us and others. Ask God to guide you in your giving in healthy ways, what feels right, what feels good, what feels clean, and what you can afford. [The Language of Letting Go]

Food for Thought:
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.