LESSON OF THE DAY 679

Ayahs of the Day:
O humanity, be conscious of your Lord, for the shock of the end of time will be a tremendous thing: the day you see it, every nursing woman will forget the child she suckles, and every pregnant female will drop its fetus, and you will see the people intoxicated though they are not drunken: but the punishment of God is severe. [22: 1,2]

Hadith of the Day:
Allah has forbidden to you denying what you owe and demanding what you have no right to, and has disliked for you idle talk and gossip, excessive questioning, and squandering wealth. [Bukhari & Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Just like stagnant, standing water becomes a breeding ground for filth, an empty and carefree mind becomes a hive for useless and scorn thoughts. [Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad]

Guidance of the Day:
We should also suspect the existence of hypocrisy in our relations with our friends and acquaintances. Do we prefer one person over another because he is rich, famous, known and admired by others? Or do we care more about his righteousness, his knowledge and wisdom and good character----even if he is also rich and famous? If our preference is dependent on wealth and fame and the recognition of others, our care for that person is certainly hypocritical.

There are signs of hypocrisy particular to people who are put in the positions of teachers, preachers, mystical leaders, and the wise. One is a change of attitude and an affection in speech when talking to important people. However if spiritual teachers appear to be especially polite, caring, and generous to the rich and famous with the intention of correcting their wrong doings and leading them to repentance and to straight path, thus hoping to lead others to salvation through their influence, their actions are correct and not hypocritical.

Another sign of hypocrisy among such people is the expression of envy and disapproval, and the belittling of others in their position. Yet envying someone for his piety, righteousness, and religious knowledge is perfectly acceptable. [The Path of Muhammad]

Food for Thought:
Never spend your money before you have it. Debt is the worst poverty. Rather go to bed supperless than rise in debt. Do not accustom yourself to consider debt only as an inconvenience; you will find it a calamity. A man in debt is so far a slave.