Ayahs of the Day:
It will be but a single blast, and lo-----they will all be brought before Us. Then that day no soul will be wronged in respect to anything, as you will not be recompensed but for what you have done. [36: 53,54]
Hadith of the Day:
Greet people who greet you, lead people to right and prevent them from going astray. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The knowledge which results in renunciation consists of the realization that what is renounced is of little value in comparison with what is received. [Imam al Ghazali]
Guidance of the Day:
The time for all of us is of course, now. There is no need for anyone to wither in an unfulfilling and mechanical patterns of life. Routines cannot bind us unless we believe in them. Patterns were given to serve us------not for us to live for them.
Habits have been given for your strengthening, but they cease to be purposeful when you become subservient to them. Be masterful in approaching your activities. Consciously decide for free ways of being. No one is a master who is a slave to his own inventions. No more can you rely on forms for your strength. The time has come for you to rely on God and God alone. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude. The aim of life is appreciation, there is no sense in not appreciating things; and there is no sense in having more of them if you have less appreciation of them.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
LESSON OF THE DAY 956
Ayahs of the Day:
when they are told to mind what is before them and what is after them, so that they may receive mercy, still whenever a sign of their Lord comes to them, they turn away from it. [36: 45,46]
Hadith of the Day:
Avoid observing things that are unlawful and immoral. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The penalty of evil comes in many unexpected ways, for evil is against nature. [Abdullah Yusuf Ali]
Guidance of the Day:
To live------to really be alive-------we must allow ourselves to flow with the people and events around us. We cannot afford to confine ourselves to any rigid picture of who we are, or how things should be done. We stuff ourselves into little habitual ways of doing things in a certain way, and then if we do not get to do it our way, or if someone comes along who wants to do it a little differently, we get irritable and we become nuisance to ourselves and those around us.
The way to be really free is to find out what your molds are, and then break them, drive to work by way of a different street one day, wear a new hairstyle, rearrange the furniture in your room; do anything you can to keep from getting stagnant. We are all free spirits and we are bound to anything unless we think we are. We need to consider whether it is life that is penning us in, or we who confine ourselves with small thinking. Our happy realization is that we cannot be tied to anything, and that the only way we can be bound is with our own thoughts. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Who seeks a faultless friend remains friendless. The best rule of friendship is to keep your heart a little softer than your head. Two persons cannot long be friends if they cannot forgive each other's little failings. To be social is to be forgiving.
when they are told to mind what is before them and what is after them, so that they may receive mercy, still whenever a sign of their Lord comes to them, they turn away from it. [36: 45,46]
Hadith of the Day:
Avoid observing things that are unlawful and immoral. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The penalty of evil comes in many unexpected ways, for evil is against nature. [Abdullah Yusuf Ali]
Guidance of the Day:
To live------to really be alive-------we must allow ourselves to flow with the people and events around us. We cannot afford to confine ourselves to any rigid picture of who we are, or how things should be done. We stuff ourselves into little habitual ways of doing things in a certain way, and then if we do not get to do it our way, or if someone comes along who wants to do it a little differently, we get irritable and we become nuisance to ourselves and those around us.
The way to be really free is to find out what your molds are, and then break them, drive to work by way of a different street one day, wear a new hairstyle, rearrange the furniture in your room; do anything you can to keep from getting stagnant. We are all free spirits and we are bound to anything unless we think we are. We need to consider whether it is life that is penning us in, or we who confine ourselves with small thinking. Our happy realization is that we cannot be tied to anything, and that the only way we can be bound is with our own thoughts. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Who seeks a faultless friend remains friendless. The best rule of friendship is to keep your heart a little softer than your head. Two persons cannot long be friends if they cannot forgive each other's little failings. To be social is to be forgiving.
Monday, November 26, 2007
LESSON OF THE DAY 955
Ayahs of the Day:
And a sign for them is the fact that We carried their race on the loaded Ark; and WE made its like for them, in which they travel, though We could drown them if We wished, and they'd have no one to help them, and they would not be rescued, except as a mercy from Us, a temporary indulgence. [Surah Yaseen 36: 41 to 44]
Hadith of the Day:
Be friends with the faithful, share your food with the ones who love and fear God. [Abu Dawud]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Turn to God and seek forgiveness if you wish to prevail. Listen to your heart and not your ego. Your ego prompts you to boast of vain assertions to obtain the glory of this world. [Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani]
Guidance of the Day:
Live for all that you would live for. Search your hearts for your purest ideals, and set your life around your noblest vision. In the years to come, when the institutions that you know crumble around you, only your deepest aspirations will carry you through outer change. Live now for your heart's ambition.
Think, and think clearly. What do you truly want from your life? Why, in all earnestness, have you come to earth? Who do you now live for? Are you beholden to the misdirected vanities of the world, or do you respect your inclinations from a source resonating deep within your self? Answer these questions for yourself, and live the answers you find.
Time has been given you for a purpose. Learn to use it for your benefit, but do not be a slave to it. Make it work for you. In your awareness of the purpose of time is your mastery of it. Set your priorities. Do not delay that which is most important. You know God now, but you can never know Him tomorrow. Your enlightenment is the one thing that you cannot post pone. God is now. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
We, ignorant of ourselves, beg often our own harms, which the Wise Powerful denies us for our own good. God alone fully understands what each of us needs; we make mistakes continually and pray for things which would be harmful to us if we received them. Afterwards we see our mistakes and realize that God is good and wise in not giving us these things, even though we plead ever so earnestly for them.
And a sign for them is the fact that We carried their race on the loaded Ark; and WE made its like for them, in which they travel, though We could drown them if We wished, and they'd have no one to help them, and they would not be rescued, except as a mercy from Us, a temporary indulgence. [Surah Yaseen 36: 41 to 44]
Hadith of the Day:
Be friends with the faithful, share your food with the ones who love and fear God. [Abu Dawud]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Turn to God and seek forgiveness if you wish to prevail. Listen to your heart and not your ego. Your ego prompts you to boast of vain assertions to obtain the glory of this world. [Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani]
Guidance of the Day:
Live for all that you would live for. Search your hearts for your purest ideals, and set your life around your noblest vision. In the years to come, when the institutions that you know crumble around you, only your deepest aspirations will carry you through outer change. Live now for your heart's ambition.
Think, and think clearly. What do you truly want from your life? Why, in all earnestness, have you come to earth? Who do you now live for? Are you beholden to the misdirected vanities of the world, or do you respect your inclinations from a source resonating deep within your self? Answer these questions for yourself, and live the answers you find.
Time has been given you for a purpose. Learn to use it for your benefit, but do not be a slave to it. Make it work for you. In your awareness of the purpose of time is your mastery of it. Set your priorities. Do not delay that which is most important. You know God now, but you can never know Him tomorrow. Your enlightenment is the one thing that you cannot post pone. God is now. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
We, ignorant of ourselves, beg often our own harms, which the Wise Powerful denies us for our own good. God alone fully understands what each of us needs; we make mistakes continually and pray for things which would be harmful to us if we received them. Afterwards we see our mistakes and realize that God is good and wise in not giving us these things, even though we plead ever so earnestly for them.
Friday, November 23, 2007
LESSON OF THE DAY 954
Ayahs of the Day:
Glory to the One who created mates, all of them, from what the earth produces, and from their own selves, and from what they don't know. And a sign for them is the night; We end the day with it, and lo----they steeped in darkness. And the sun runs its course, that is determined by the Almighty, the Omniscient; and for the moon We have determined phases, until it returns to a tiny crescent. The sun is not to overtake the moon, and the night does not outstrip the day, and each swims in an orbit. [36: 36 to 40]
Hadith of the Day:
Beware of company you keep, because a person is considered to be of the same belief and religion as the company he keeps. [Abu Dawud]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Although today, we find ourselves without a Khalifah, this is not the cause of our troubles; rather we as an Umma have become neglectful of our Din and have become preoccupied with this life. [Aftab Ahmad Malik]
Guidance of the Day:
Every moment of life is precious. We never really know how much time we have to do what we want to do. We act as if we have a hundred years, when we may have but a minute. If we ponder on these sobering thoughts, they must lead us to but one conclusion: Now is our only moment to live.
If God takes care of the grass, which is here one day and gone the next, will He not all the more care for you. Just do what you need to do for today, and tomorrow will take care of itself. Too many dreams are cast by the wayside in deference to opinions and tradition. Too many ambitions have been postponed for the wrong reasons. Too many lives have been lived for a tomorrow which never came. Ask yourself now, "If I had only a few months to live, what would I be doing?" Do not dwell on fear, but consider your opportunities! Then do it. Can any of us afford to throw away one moment of life? [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Death sets a limit on our time in this life and urges us to do what we need to do in the time we are given. Death is a friendly but invisible companion, reminding us to live our lives and not just exist. Awareness of our mortality will facilitate important shifts in our priorities and values.
Glory to the One who created mates, all of them, from what the earth produces, and from their own selves, and from what they don't know. And a sign for them is the night; We end the day with it, and lo----they steeped in darkness. And the sun runs its course, that is determined by the Almighty, the Omniscient; and for the moon We have determined phases, until it returns to a tiny crescent. The sun is not to overtake the moon, and the night does not outstrip the day, and each swims in an orbit. [36: 36 to 40]
Hadith of the Day:
Beware of company you keep, because a person is considered to be of the same belief and religion as the company he keeps. [Abu Dawud]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Although today, we find ourselves without a Khalifah, this is not the cause of our troubles; rather we as an Umma have become neglectful of our Din and have become preoccupied with this life. [Aftab Ahmad Malik]
Guidance of the Day:
Every moment of life is precious. We never really know how much time we have to do what we want to do. We act as if we have a hundred years, when we may have but a minute. If we ponder on these sobering thoughts, they must lead us to but one conclusion: Now is our only moment to live.
If God takes care of the grass, which is here one day and gone the next, will He not all the more care for you. Just do what you need to do for today, and tomorrow will take care of itself. Too many dreams are cast by the wayside in deference to opinions and tradition. Too many ambitions have been postponed for the wrong reasons. Too many lives have been lived for a tomorrow which never came. Ask yourself now, "If I had only a few months to live, what would I be doing?" Do not dwell on fear, but consider your opportunities! Then do it. Can any of us afford to throw away one moment of life? [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Death sets a limit on our time in this life and urges us to do what we need to do in the time we are given. Death is a friendly but invisible companion, reminding us to live our lives and not just exist. Awareness of our mortality will facilitate important shifts in our priorities and values.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
LESSON OF THE DAY 953
Ayahs of the Day:
A sign for them is the earth when dead; We revive it, and produce grain from it, of which they partake. And We have put orchards of dates and grapes thereon, and caused springs to flow on it, that they may eat of its fruit, though they did not make it themselves; so will they not be grateful? [36: 33,34,35]
Hadith of the Day:
A bad friend is like someone who is stoking a fire. If you come close to someone who is stoking a fire, you may get burned; at least you will get on you the bad smell of smoke. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The heart has four defenses against evil: binding the heart to God; renouncing what is other than God; looking not with your eyes upon what God has forbidden; and moving not your feet where you do not expect God's reward. [Shaykh Abul Hasan Al Shadhili]
Guidance of the Day:
You are heirs to the riches of the universe. It is God's good pleasure to give you His good gifts. Thoughts of lack are empty musings, expressive not of the Truth, but of a limited consciousness which you have outgrown. Hold fearlessly to thoughts of fullness, and so shall your experience be confirmed as whole. Take care of God's business and He will take care of yours.
Remember that you are worthy of abundance. Know your spiritual riches, and material good shall be yours as well. There is a right amount for you. Trust the Creator to uphold and support you in your material life. He will not abandon you. This is the promise proven by your willingness to trust. Stand with open arms to receive His riches. Extend you hands, as well, to allow blessings to flow forth in service to a waiting world. Be a comforter to your brethren. Uphold your thoughts of emptiness, but hold fast to your meditation upon the source of all. When you see all as full, you see all as God created it. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Happiness is not a possession to be prized, it is a quality of thought, a state of mind. The measure of a happy life is not from the fewer or more suns we behold, the fewer or more breaths we draw, or meals we repeat, but from having once lived well, acted our part handsomely, and made our exit cheerfully.
A sign for them is the earth when dead; We revive it, and produce grain from it, of which they partake. And We have put orchards of dates and grapes thereon, and caused springs to flow on it, that they may eat of its fruit, though they did not make it themselves; so will they not be grateful? [36: 33,34,35]
Hadith of the Day:
A bad friend is like someone who is stoking a fire. If you come close to someone who is stoking a fire, you may get burned; at least you will get on you the bad smell of smoke. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The heart has four defenses against evil: binding the heart to God; renouncing what is other than God; looking not with your eyes upon what God has forbidden; and moving not your feet where you do not expect God's reward. [Shaykh Abul Hasan Al Shadhili]
Guidance of the Day:
You are heirs to the riches of the universe. It is God's good pleasure to give you His good gifts. Thoughts of lack are empty musings, expressive not of the Truth, but of a limited consciousness which you have outgrown. Hold fearlessly to thoughts of fullness, and so shall your experience be confirmed as whole. Take care of God's business and He will take care of yours.
Remember that you are worthy of abundance. Know your spiritual riches, and material good shall be yours as well. There is a right amount for you. Trust the Creator to uphold and support you in your material life. He will not abandon you. This is the promise proven by your willingness to trust. Stand with open arms to receive His riches. Extend you hands, as well, to allow blessings to flow forth in service to a waiting world. Be a comforter to your brethren. Uphold your thoughts of emptiness, but hold fast to your meditation upon the source of all. When you see all as full, you see all as God created it. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Happiness is not a possession to be prized, it is a quality of thought, a state of mind. The measure of a happy life is not from the fewer or more suns we behold, the fewer or more breaths we draw, or meals we repeat, but from having once lived well, acted our part handsomely, and made our exit cheerfully.
Monday, November 19, 2007
LESSON OF THE DAY 952
Ayahs of the Day:
Alas for mortals----no messenger ever comes to them but they ridicule him. Haven't they seen how many generations We destroyed before them, that they won't return to them? But every one will be brought before Us when all are gathered together. [36: 30,31,32]
Hadith of the Day:
A good friend is like someone who is carrying a load of musk, if you are close to the one who is carrying the load of musk, he may give you or sell you musk; or at least you will smell the perfume coming from him. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
He who knows God comtemplates Him in everything. He who is extenguished by Him is absent from everything. He who loves Him prefers nothing to Him. [Ibn Ata'Illah]
Guidance of the Day:
When we see life in clear focus, it is always giving us enough. We have to get our minds tuned into contentment, even work at it a little bit, to win at the game of living. It's not so much what we do counts, but what we think about what we do. We can take any seeming failure, and find some way to turn it into success. When we dig deeply enough into our own lot, we find that we are well taken care of. We must learn to distinguish between needs and desires. Our needs are so simple. How free are the birds who need so little and yet soar so high. It is only when we think that we need more than we do that we lose sight of our aspirations.
We have ideas, concepts, and opinions about how things would be better if we had this or that, or if we were there instead of here. Often, however, our ticket to satisfaction is in mastering the job at hand. If we do well with what we have, we do not need to figure out how to advance; God, the best manager of all, will take care of us. It does not matter what you do. What does matter is that you do it the best. If you are a street sweeper, then be the best street sweeper that there ever was. Do your work with pride, and do it with dignity, and in so doing it, you will be doing it with greatness! [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Sometimes we have guides and teachers that help keep us on the path. At other times people and events lead us astray. But ultimately we all need to live like the horse and know our own way home. Where is your home? If you were a horse, and someone let go of your reins, where would you head?
Alas for mortals----no messenger ever comes to them but they ridicule him. Haven't they seen how many generations We destroyed before them, that they won't return to them? But every one will be brought before Us when all are gathered together. [36: 30,31,32]
Hadith of the Day:
A good friend is like someone who is carrying a load of musk, if you are close to the one who is carrying the load of musk, he may give you or sell you musk; or at least you will smell the perfume coming from him. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
He who knows God comtemplates Him in everything. He who is extenguished by Him is absent from everything. He who loves Him prefers nothing to Him. [Ibn Ata'Illah]
Guidance of the Day:
When we see life in clear focus, it is always giving us enough. We have to get our minds tuned into contentment, even work at it a little bit, to win at the game of living. It's not so much what we do counts, but what we think about what we do. We can take any seeming failure, and find some way to turn it into success. When we dig deeply enough into our own lot, we find that we are well taken care of. We must learn to distinguish between needs and desires. Our needs are so simple. How free are the birds who need so little and yet soar so high. It is only when we think that we need more than we do that we lose sight of our aspirations.
We have ideas, concepts, and opinions about how things would be better if we had this or that, or if we were there instead of here. Often, however, our ticket to satisfaction is in mastering the job at hand. If we do well with what we have, we do not need to figure out how to advance; God, the best manager of all, will take care of us. It does not matter what you do. What does matter is that you do it the best. If you are a street sweeper, then be the best street sweeper that there ever was. Do your work with pride, and do it with dignity, and in so doing it, you will be doing it with greatness! [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Sometimes we have guides and teachers that help keep us on the path. At other times people and events lead us astray. But ultimately we all need to live like the horse and know our own way home. Where is your home? If you were a horse, and someone let go of your reins, where would you head?
Friday, November 16, 2007
LESSON OF THE DAY 951
Ayahs of the Day:
You can only warn those who follow the Reminder and fear the Benevolent One, albeit unseen: so give them good news of forgiveness, and a generous reward. For We will revive the dead, and We record what they have sent before and what they have left after them; and We have accounted for everything in an illustrative book of examples. [36: 11,12]
Hadith of the Day:
Whoever believes in God and the Judgment Day cannot cause pain to his neighbor. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
There is no nourishment in food for the spirit, for it sustains physical forms. But the sustenance of the spirit and the heart is the remembrance of God, the Knower of the Invisible. [Ibn Ata'Allah]
Guidance of the Day:
There are two groups of people-----those who practice contentment, and those who do not. Contentment is an experience that we can cultivate through practice. Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be. Like gratefulness and positivity, contentment is not usually handed to us as a gift, although it is always ours for the asking. We need only to align our thoughts with appreciation, for contentment is not much a state of affairs as it is a state of mind.
If money could make us happy, millionaires would rest complete after their first million. If power were the source of peace, heads of state would be the happiest people in the world. But we all know that persons with much money, or power are not the happiest; in fact they are often among the most unhappy. Why? Because anyone in a state of seeking can never be happy. Only those who are constantly finding are fulfilled. And finding is not something that happens to us-------it is something we do. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
There is only one person with whom you can profitably compare yourself; and this person is your yesterday self; YOU. Every day is a new beginning. Without change, we could not exist.
You can only warn those who follow the Reminder and fear the Benevolent One, albeit unseen: so give them good news of forgiveness, and a generous reward. For We will revive the dead, and We record what they have sent before and what they have left after them; and We have accounted for everything in an illustrative book of examples. [36: 11,12]
Hadith of the Day:
Whoever believes in God and the Judgment Day cannot cause pain to his neighbor. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
There is no nourishment in food for the spirit, for it sustains physical forms. But the sustenance of the spirit and the heart is the remembrance of God, the Knower of the Invisible. [Ibn Ata'Allah]
Guidance of the Day:
There are two groups of people-----those who practice contentment, and those who do not. Contentment is an experience that we can cultivate through practice. Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be. Like gratefulness and positivity, contentment is not usually handed to us as a gift, although it is always ours for the asking. We need only to align our thoughts with appreciation, for contentment is not much a state of affairs as it is a state of mind.
If money could make us happy, millionaires would rest complete after their first million. If power were the source of peace, heads of state would be the happiest people in the world. But we all know that persons with much money, or power are not the happiest; in fact they are often among the most unhappy. Why? Because anyone in a state of seeking can never be happy. Only those who are constantly finding are fulfilled. And finding is not something that happens to us-------it is something we do. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
There is only one person with whom you can profitably compare yourself; and this person is your yesterday self; YOU. Every day is a new beginning. Without change, we could not exist.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
LESSON OF THE DAY 950
Ayah of the Day:
If God punished people as they deserved, that would not leave a single living creature in its wake; however, God lets them stay for a certain term. Then when their term is up, it turns out God has been watching all creatures. [35: 45]
Hadith of the Day:
The ones who will enter the Paradise first are the workers who were loyal and obedient to God and their employers. [Tabarani]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Look at this: Inspite of all the word's bitterness, you are passionately and shamelessly attached to it. Know that bitter tribulation is a mercy! [Mawlana Rumi]
Guidance of the Day:
Genius is God's gift to all, though it is accepted by few. Within you lie riches and talents for greater than you have recognized and expressed. The ackowledgement of your capabilities bears a double blessing. As you grow into your own evolution, you serve the world. There is no limitation upon what you can do.
Look at your lives with open eyes. If you see closed avenues, it is because you are looking with closed eyes. Do not be distracted by the small-mindedness of men. The child of man sees mountains where the child of God sees skies. Choose your goal, and allow God to succeed through you. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore}
Food for Thought:
Real joy comes not from ease or riches or from the praise of men, but from doing something worth while. It is a tremendous joy in giving. It is a very important part of the joy of living. To pursue joy is to lose it. The only way to get it is to follow steadily the path of duty without thinking of joy, and then, it comes most surely.
If God punished people as they deserved, that would not leave a single living creature in its wake; however, God lets them stay for a certain term. Then when their term is up, it turns out God has been watching all creatures. [35: 45]
Hadith of the Day:
The ones who will enter the Paradise first are the workers who were loyal and obedient to God and their employers. [Tabarani]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Look at this: Inspite of all the word's bitterness, you are passionately and shamelessly attached to it. Know that bitter tribulation is a mercy! [Mawlana Rumi]
Guidance of the Day:
Genius is God's gift to all, though it is accepted by few. Within you lie riches and talents for greater than you have recognized and expressed. The ackowledgement of your capabilities bears a double blessing. As you grow into your own evolution, you serve the world. There is no limitation upon what you can do.
Look at your lives with open eyes. If you see closed avenues, it is because you are looking with closed eyes. Do not be distracted by the small-mindedness of men. The child of man sees mountains where the child of God sees skies. Choose your goal, and allow God to succeed through you. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore}
Food for Thought:
Real joy comes not from ease or riches or from the praise of men, but from doing something worth while. It is a tremendous joy in giving. It is a very important part of the joy of living. To pursue joy is to lose it. The only way to get it is to follow steadily the path of duty without thinking of joy, and then, it comes most surely.
Monday, November 12, 2007
LESSON OF THE DAY 949
Ayah of the Day:
Haven't they traveled on earth and seen how those before them ended up, even though they had been more powerful than they are? God is not to be thwarted by anything in the heavens or on earth, for God is omniscient, all-powerful. [35: 44]
Hadith of the Day:
God's compassion does not descend upon a people among whom there are persons who have cut their connections with their relations. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Rely on the All-Merciful in all your affairs; One who relies on Him is never at loss. [Shihab]
Guidance of the Day:
The aspect of human beings that sets us off from all other creatures is that of imaginative wisdom. Animals see things as they are, but we see them as they can be. We have been given the Divine ability to transform. Nothing gives a person more energy as he or she is working to bring a vision into reality. People forsake their sleep, food, and comfort for the sake of a project that they love. There is something holy about a human being dedicated to a purpose, something more precious than I can attempt to put into words. It is the miracle of creation.
It is exactly this miracle which enables us to transcend circumstances. Any circumstance is a good starting point for God. The alchemical power to activate Divinity is always speaking to us, if we are but willing to listen and do. It is none other than the Voice of God, beckoning to us to acknowledge the Divine Spark and to draw it into expression, that it may be shared by all. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
The best way to cheer yourself is to try to cheer somebody else up. Happiness is the by-product of an effort to make someone else happy. In about the same degree as you are helpful, you will be happy. Only a life lived for others is a life worth while. When you live for others they will live for you.
Haven't they traveled on earth and seen how those before them ended up, even though they had been more powerful than they are? God is not to be thwarted by anything in the heavens or on earth, for God is omniscient, all-powerful. [35: 44]
Hadith of the Day:
God's compassion does not descend upon a people among whom there are persons who have cut their connections with their relations. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Rely on the All-Merciful in all your affairs; One who relies on Him is never at loss. [Shihab]
Guidance of the Day:
The aspect of human beings that sets us off from all other creatures is that of imaginative wisdom. Animals see things as they are, but we see them as they can be. We have been given the Divine ability to transform. Nothing gives a person more energy as he or she is working to bring a vision into reality. People forsake their sleep, food, and comfort for the sake of a project that they love. There is something holy about a human being dedicated to a purpose, something more precious than I can attempt to put into words. It is the miracle of creation.
It is exactly this miracle which enables us to transcend circumstances. Any circumstance is a good starting point for God. The alchemical power to activate Divinity is always speaking to us, if we are but willing to listen and do. It is none other than the Voice of God, beckoning to us to acknowledge the Divine Spark and to draw it into expression, that it may be shared by all. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
The best way to cheer yourself is to try to cheer somebody else up. Happiness is the by-product of an effort to make someone else happy. In about the same degree as you are helpful, you will be happy. Only a life lived for others is a life worth while. When you live for others they will live for you.
Friday, November 09, 2007
LESSON OF THE DAY 948
Ayah of the Day:
God holds up the skies and the earth lest they fail; and if they should fail, no one else will hold them up: God is indeed most clement, most forgiving. [35: 41]
Hadith of the Day:
God may delay the punishment of some major sins until Judgment Day, but not the punishment of one's sins against one's parents. People will suffer for those very quickly, and in this life. [Tabarani]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Be so tolerant that your chest becomes wide like the ocean. [Fethullan Gulen]
Guidance of the Day:
You are holding a passport in your hands right now, with valid visas to higher levels of consciousness and more abundant living. But it is not enough just to have a passport. You must make the journey. Be confident. Do not be afraid. Have courage. Take it one step at a time. Make the journey. A life well invested has few regrets. A life lived richly has few apologies to make. Find the rhythm in life. As you begin to experience the power of the rhythm of life----help others discover the rhythm of life.
"Let your light shine." The legends, heroes, leaders, champions, and saints, who fill the pages of our history books, are just symbols of the goodness and greatness within us all. Do not let your life be like a shooting star that lights up the sky for only a brief moment. Let your life be like the sun, which always burns brightly in the heavens, bringing light and warmth to all those on earth. Live the life you were born to live! Let your light shine! [Kelly, The Rhythm of Life]
Food for Thought:
People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. LOVE THEM ANYWAY.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. DO GOOD ANYWAY.
If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies. SUCCEED ANYWAY.
The good you do will be forgotten tomorrow. DO GOOD ANYWAY.
God holds up the skies and the earth lest they fail; and if they should fail, no one else will hold them up: God is indeed most clement, most forgiving. [35: 41]
Hadith of the Day:
God may delay the punishment of some major sins until Judgment Day, but not the punishment of one's sins against one's parents. People will suffer for those very quickly, and in this life. [Tabarani]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Be so tolerant that your chest becomes wide like the ocean. [Fethullan Gulen]
Guidance of the Day:
You are holding a passport in your hands right now, with valid visas to higher levels of consciousness and more abundant living. But it is not enough just to have a passport. You must make the journey. Be confident. Do not be afraid. Have courage. Take it one step at a time. Make the journey. A life well invested has few regrets. A life lived richly has few apologies to make. Find the rhythm in life. As you begin to experience the power of the rhythm of life----help others discover the rhythm of life.
"Let your light shine." The legends, heroes, leaders, champions, and saints, who fill the pages of our history books, are just symbols of the goodness and greatness within us all. Do not let your life be like a shooting star that lights up the sky for only a brief moment. Let your life be like the sun, which always burns brightly in the heavens, bringing light and warmth to all those on earth. Live the life you were born to live! Let your light shine! [Kelly, The Rhythm of Life]
Food for Thought:
People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. LOVE THEM ANYWAY.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. DO GOOD ANYWAY.
If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies. SUCCEED ANYWAY.
The good you do will be forgotten tomorrow. DO GOOD ANYWAY.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
LESSON OF THE DAY 947
Ayahs of the Day:
God is the one who knows the secret of the heavens and the earth, thoroughly knowing what is in hearts. God is the one who made you deputies on earth; so whoever scoffs is responsible for his own ingratitude; and the ingratitude of the scoffers only makes them more odious to their Lord; and the ingratitude of the scoffers only increases their loss. [35: 38,39]
Hadith of the Day:
Give the sadaqa without delay for it stands in the way of calamity. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Treat miserliness by realizing that those who achieved affluence did so only by exhausting themselves over long periods of time, thus finally accumulating what they sought. Meanwhile, just as they approach the height of (earthly) splendor, death suddenly assails them. [Imam al Muwlud]
Guidance of the Day:
So what are we waiting for? We get only one shot at life. Isn't it time for a little soul-searching? Visit a quiet place. Take a walk in the park. Turn off the television and talk to your children. Keep a promise. Tell your mom you love her. Make friends with your neighbors. Say yes instead of maybe. Watch a sunset. Say sorry. Make peace with God.
Do not waste your life, because life is there------all you have to do is reach out and embrace it. Anything is possible. Whatever your dream is, make it happen. Have courage. Start today. You will be amazed what life will give you in return for a little bit of courage. Courage is choice. Be certain of one thing: The measure of your life will be the measure of your courage. [Kelly, The Rhythm of Life]
Food for Thought:
Good temper, like a sunny day, sheds a ray of brightness over everything! We cannot control the tongues of others, but a good life enables us to disregard them.
God is the one who knows the secret of the heavens and the earth, thoroughly knowing what is in hearts. God is the one who made you deputies on earth; so whoever scoffs is responsible for his own ingratitude; and the ingratitude of the scoffers only makes them more odious to their Lord; and the ingratitude of the scoffers only increases their loss. [35: 38,39]
Hadith of the Day:
Give the sadaqa without delay for it stands in the way of calamity. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Treat miserliness by realizing that those who achieved affluence did so only by exhausting themselves over long periods of time, thus finally accumulating what they sought. Meanwhile, just as they approach the height of (earthly) splendor, death suddenly assails them. [Imam al Muwlud]
Guidance of the Day:
So what are we waiting for? We get only one shot at life. Isn't it time for a little soul-searching? Visit a quiet place. Take a walk in the park. Turn off the television and talk to your children. Keep a promise. Tell your mom you love her. Make friends with your neighbors. Say yes instead of maybe. Watch a sunset. Say sorry. Make peace with God.
Do not waste your life, because life is there------all you have to do is reach out and embrace it. Anything is possible. Whatever your dream is, make it happen. Have courage. Start today. You will be amazed what life will give you in return for a little bit of courage. Courage is choice. Be certain of one thing: The measure of your life will be the measure of your courage. [Kelly, The Rhythm of Life]
Food for Thought:
Good temper, like a sunny day, sheds a ray of brightness over everything! We cannot control the tongues of others, but a good life enables us to disregard them.
Monday, November 05, 2007
LESSON OF THE DAY 946
Ayahs of the Day:
And for those who scoffed, they will have fire of hell, without it ever being decreed that they should pass away, and without its agony ever being lightened for them. Thus do We repay every ingrate. And they will beg for help in there: "Our Lord, release us, and we will do right, not what we used to do." But didn't We Grant you long enough life for those who were receptive to take a lesson, especially since a warner came to you? So suffer, for there is no savior for those who do wrong. [35:36,37]
Hadith of the Day:
Keep yourself clean from urine, much of the suffering of the grave falls upon people who were unclean. [Bazzar]
Wise Quote of the Day:
He who guides you to this world has cheated you; but he who guides you to Allah has truly counseled you. [Shykh Abul Hasan al Shadhili]
Guidance of the Day
Have you ever been awakened in the morning by the alarm clock in the middle of a wonderful dream? What happens? You try to go back to sleep, but what doesn't happen? The dream doesn't return. Life is that dream. If you knew you were going to die one year from today, what would you do with the next year of your life? Do those things. Go home tonight and make a list. Then set about making those things happen. Revisit that list every day, check on your progress, and renew your resolution. Because life is short and you are dead an awful long time. Live life passionately. Laugh often, love always, cultivate soul, don't be afraid to dream big dreams, embrace your God.
Our world is changing so quickly. It can be a little frightening at times. It is easy to become so busy worrying about the future that we forget to live our dreams. There is something wonderful about a dream. It is not the achievement of the dream that matters most, but rather the pursuit of those dreams that are born from deep within us. The pursuit of the dream is life; it does something mysterious to us, fills us with hope, passion, and enthusiasm, and expands our capacities as a human person in every way. [Kelly, The Rhythm of Life]
Food for Thought:
Everything is predictable. Yet, we have no idea what will happen. That is the curious paradox of our world. We all know we are going to die, but none of us knows just how or when or where.
And for those who scoffed, they will have fire of hell, without it ever being decreed that they should pass away, and without its agony ever being lightened for them. Thus do We repay every ingrate. And they will beg for help in there: "Our Lord, release us, and we will do right, not what we used to do." But didn't We Grant you long enough life for those who were receptive to take a lesson, especially since a warner came to you? So suffer, for there is no savior for those who do wrong. [35:36,37]
Hadith of the Day:
Keep yourself clean from urine, much of the suffering of the grave falls upon people who were unclean. [Bazzar]
Wise Quote of the Day:
He who guides you to this world has cheated you; but he who guides you to Allah has truly counseled you. [Shykh Abul Hasan al Shadhili]
Guidance of the Day
Have you ever been awakened in the morning by the alarm clock in the middle of a wonderful dream? What happens? You try to go back to sleep, but what doesn't happen? The dream doesn't return. Life is that dream. If you knew you were going to die one year from today, what would you do with the next year of your life? Do those things. Go home tonight and make a list. Then set about making those things happen. Revisit that list every day, check on your progress, and renew your resolution. Because life is short and you are dead an awful long time. Live life passionately. Laugh often, love always, cultivate soul, don't be afraid to dream big dreams, embrace your God.
Our world is changing so quickly. It can be a little frightening at times. It is easy to become so busy worrying about the future that we forget to live our dreams. There is something wonderful about a dream. It is not the achievement of the dream that matters most, but rather the pursuit of those dreams that are born from deep within us. The pursuit of the dream is life; it does something mysterious to us, fills us with hope, passion, and enthusiasm, and expands our capacities as a human person in every way. [Kelly, The Rhythm of Life]
Food for Thought:
Everything is predictable. Yet, we have no idea what will happen. That is the curious paradox of our world. We all know we are going to die, but none of us knows just how or when or where.
Friday, November 02, 2007
LESSON OF THE DAY 945
Ayahs of the Day:
There are gardens of eternity they will enter, wearing there bracelets of gold and pearls, their clothes therein of silk: And they will say, "Praise God, who has caused sorrow to leave us; for our Lord is indeed most forgiving, most appreciative, the One who has permitted us the abode of the resurrection, out of divine grace, where hardship will not touch us and weariness will not afflict us." [35: 33,34,35]
Hadith of the Day:
Do not drink water in one breath like a camel. Recite the Name of God, breathe in and out to take three sips, and thank God. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
If you intend to reach Him, see yourself as insignificant at the door of God and be sincere in your deeds. [Bayazid al Bustami]
Guidance of the Day:
Take a moment to wander through the pages of history--------your family's history, your nation's history, human history------and extract from those pages the men and women you most admire. What would they be without courage? Nothing worthwhile in history has been achieved without courage. Courage is the father of every great moment and movement in history. Courage is learning to recognize and master that single moment. That moment is a prelude-----a prelude to courage or a prelude to fear. So much can be accomplished in one moment of courage. And so much can be lost to one moment of fear.
No one is born with courage. It is an acquired virtue. You learn to ride a bicycle by riding a bicycle. You learn to play football by playing football. Courage is acquired by practicing courage. And like most qualities of character, with practice our courage becomes stronger and more readily accessible with every passing day. [Kelly, The Rhythm of Life]
Food for Thought:
No one is happy or free who lives only for himself. Joy in living comes from immersion in something one recognizes to be bigger, better, worthier, more enduring than he himself is. True happiness and true freedom come from squandering one's self for a purpose.
There are gardens of eternity they will enter, wearing there bracelets of gold and pearls, their clothes therein of silk: And they will say, "Praise God, who has caused sorrow to leave us; for our Lord is indeed most forgiving, most appreciative, the One who has permitted us the abode of the resurrection, out of divine grace, where hardship will not touch us and weariness will not afflict us." [35: 33,34,35]
Hadith of the Day:
Do not drink water in one breath like a camel. Recite the Name of God, breathe in and out to take three sips, and thank God. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
If you intend to reach Him, see yourself as insignificant at the door of God and be sincere in your deeds. [Bayazid al Bustami]
Guidance of the Day:
Take a moment to wander through the pages of history--------your family's history, your nation's history, human history------and extract from those pages the men and women you most admire. What would they be without courage? Nothing worthwhile in history has been achieved without courage. Courage is the father of every great moment and movement in history. Courage is learning to recognize and master that single moment. That moment is a prelude-----a prelude to courage or a prelude to fear. So much can be accomplished in one moment of courage. And so much can be lost to one moment of fear.
No one is born with courage. It is an acquired virtue. You learn to ride a bicycle by riding a bicycle. You learn to play football by playing football. Courage is acquired by practicing courage. And like most qualities of character, with practice our courage becomes stronger and more readily accessible with every passing day. [Kelly, The Rhythm of Life]
Food for Thought:
No one is happy or free who lives only for himself. Joy in living comes from immersion in something one recognizes to be bigger, better, worthier, more enduring than he himself is. True happiness and true freedom come from squandering one's self for a purpose.
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