Ayahs of the Day:
The constitution of the heavens and the earth is certainly greater than the constitution of humanity, and yet most people do not realize. The blind and the seeing are not the same, nor are those who believe and do good works and those who do harm. Little do they heed. For the end of time is surely coming, without a doubt, and yet most people do not believe. Your Lord says, "Call on me, and I will answer you. As for those too self-important to serve Me, they will enter hell abjectly." [40: 57 to 60]
Hadith of the Day:
If this worldly life were equivalent in Allah's sight to even a wing of a mosquito, He would not have given a disbeliever even drink of water in it. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The Qur'an guides you to the recognition of your illness and their remedies. Your illness are your sins, and your medicine is seeking Allah's forgiveness. [Qatadah radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the Day:
All the lessons of the living are about allowing healing to take place. Health is the easiest thing in the world, and disease the hardest. We do not need to add anything to our lives to be healed. We need only to tune into our own flow------the very flow that God is always whispering in our ear. Health is our natural condition, and it will always manifest itself when we attune our thoughts, and actions to the guidance of our still, small voice, ever calling us to our own Peace.
The physical body speaks to us, if we are willing to listen to its messages, we can avoid disease. If we experience illness or its warning signs, it is God's way of showing us-----through the physical body------that we need to make a course correction in something that we were doing and a way that we are thinking. Illness is not a punishment, but a message to us from a loving God, telling us that what we need to do to stay healthy and happy, which is exactly the way He like to see us. It is only out of loving compassion that He sometimes jolts us a bit to head us away from a way of living that we will not admit is not working for us. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Accumulating belongings is not what makes life satisfying. It may make the neighbors jealous, but it won't make your life meaningful or joyful. It is not about getting acknowledgment or thanks, but the inherent joy that comes from doing for others. Find your way of serving the world and giving it your love, and watch what it does for your life. Serve those in need, and receive the gift of love.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....45
1. There are two ways to see things------either everything is a miracle or nothing is a miracle. Miracles happen to those who believe in them.
2.. Step up and repeat your request so it gets heard and recorded on God's answering machine. How God answers and who God uses to answer may surprise you.
3. Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.
4. Serve others, and you will find the eternal message about how to have a satisfying life. It is not about getting acknowledgment or thanks, but the inheritent joy that comes from doing for others.
5. The ability to wait patiently for something is a valuable character trait. It is our impatience that spoils everything.
6. Rather than becoming tangled up in all of the disturbances which endlessly and infinitely present themselves in the field of our worldly life, let's consider the preciousness of this life.
7. The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance, the wise grows it under his feet. When we live with determination, we will springforth and find the light.
8. A life spent in making mistakes and learning from them is more honorable and more useful than a life spent doing nothing.
9. The perfection of character consists in passing every day as the last, live with the knowledge of mortality. You act as if you have time for everything, but actually you may find you have missed out on the most important things.
10. It is not an accident that the word compassion is 70 percent compass. When we let compassion be our guide, we will be serving ourselves as well as those who need to be served. Let compassion direct you. It will also direct others to you when you encounter a time of need.
2.. Step up and repeat your request so it gets heard and recorded on God's answering machine. How God answers and who God uses to answer may surprise you.
3. Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.
4. Serve others, and you will find the eternal message about how to have a satisfying life. It is not about getting acknowledgment or thanks, but the inheritent joy that comes from doing for others.
5. The ability to wait patiently for something is a valuable character trait. It is our impatience that spoils everything.
6. Rather than becoming tangled up in all of the disturbances which endlessly and infinitely present themselves in the field of our worldly life, let's consider the preciousness of this life.
7. The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance, the wise grows it under his feet. When we live with determination, we will springforth and find the light.
8. A life spent in making mistakes and learning from them is more honorable and more useful than a life spent doing nothing.
9. The perfection of character consists in passing every day as the last, live with the knowledge of mortality. You act as if you have time for everything, but actually you may find you have missed out on the most important things.
10. It is not an accident that the word compassion is 70 percent compass. When we let compassion be our guide, we will be serving ourselves as well as those who need to be served. Let compassion direct you. It will also direct others to you when you encounter a time of need.
Monday, April 28, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1007
Ayahs of the Day:
We will help our messengers and those who believe, to be sure, in the life of the world and on the day the witnesses stand, the day when the excuse of tyrants will be of no avail to them, and they will be accursed and have a miserable abode. [40: 51,52]
Hadith of the Day:
If you survive till the late afternoon, do not expect (to be alive in) the morning. If you survive till the morning, do not expect (to be alive in ) the late afternoon. Take from your health for your sickness and from your life for your death. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
If you want to know your standing with Him, look at where He has made you abide now. [Ibn Ata'Allah]
Guidance of the Day:
It is now for you to reevaluate your emotions and come to a new understanding of the nature and the purpose of the energies that you experience. Love is your key to finding peace. As you remain calm and quiet, God instantly fills your heart. His willingness to abide with you is constant. It is only emotional turbulence that stands between you and your knowledge of His gentle Presence.
There is infallible guidance available to you through the door of purified emotion. You are most certainly able to control your emotional energies to a degree of quietude beyond your current expectation. In such serenity, you here His simple bidding. You are the master of your destiny. As you claim this identity, your effort is rewarded with the vision of Truth. Enjoy life while you are learning. All of the elements of your self are created for the expression of Divine Love. Learn to raise your emotions to this Holy end. Nothing more is required of you than the Peace that your seek. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
There is much truth in the observation that charity eases the conscience of the rich more often than it eases the condition of the poor. Charity is the spice of riches. Charity is the sterilized milk of human kindness. It is charity which makes the man.
We will help our messengers and those who believe, to be sure, in the life of the world and on the day the witnesses stand, the day when the excuse of tyrants will be of no avail to them, and they will be accursed and have a miserable abode. [40: 51,52]
Hadith of the Day:
If you survive till the late afternoon, do not expect (to be alive in) the morning. If you survive till the morning, do not expect (to be alive in ) the late afternoon. Take from your health for your sickness and from your life for your death. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
If you want to know your standing with Him, look at where He has made you abide now. [Ibn Ata'Allah]
Guidance of the Day:
It is now for you to reevaluate your emotions and come to a new understanding of the nature and the purpose of the energies that you experience. Love is your key to finding peace. As you remain calm and quiet, God instantly fills your heart. His willingness to abide with you is constant. It is only emotional turbulence that stands between you and your knowledge of His gentle Presence.
There is infallible guidance available to you through the door of purified emotion. You are most certainly able to control your emotional energies to a degree of quietude beyond your current expectation. In such serenity, you here His simple bidding. You are the master of your destiny. As you claim this identity, your effort is rewarded with the vision of Truth. Enjoy life while you are learning. All of the elements of your self are created for the expression of Divine Love. Learn to raise your emotions to this Holy end. Nothing more is required of you than the Peace that your seek. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
There is much truth in the observation that charity eases the conscience of the rich more often than it eases the condition of the poor. Charity is the spice of riches. Charity is the sterilized milk of human kindness. It is charity which makes the man.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....44
1. Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you react to it.
2. Attitudes are more important than facts. Your attitude determines what you see, so always look on the bright side. The choice is yours.
3. What matters is not spectacular actions, but the love you put into each action. If your actions are full of love for God, then you will do everything well.
4. If the battery is not connected to the motor the car will not start. It is the same for us, if we are not connected to our Source i.e. God, we cannot make our true journey.
5. By the time we hit fifty, we should have learned that only a few things are really important. We should have learned to take life seriously, but never ourselves.
6. You can do nothing to change the decisions you made in your past, but the future holds many opportunities.
7. What if you gave someone a gift, and they neglected to thank you for it-----would you be likely to give them another? Life is the same way. In order to attract more of the blessings that life has to offer, you must truly appreciate what you already have.
8. Don't wait for a disaster to awaken you to the things that you can be grateful for today.
9. It is easier to blame the past than to create your future. Where do you want to live; in the past or in the now, creating a better future?
10. You don't want to live in such a way that when your life is over you are left thinking more about what you didn't do. Think about how you would feel on your death bed if you were wishing you had done that one special thing or taken that change that you let pass by.
2. Attitudes are more important than facts. Your attitude determines what you see, so always look on the bright side. The choice is yours.
3. What matters is not spectacular actions, but the love you put into each action. If your actions are full of love for God, then you will do everything well.
4. If the battery is not connected to the motor the car will not start. It is the same for us, if we are not connected to our Source i.e. God, we cannot make our true journey.
5. By the time we hit fifty, we should have learned that only a few things are really important. We should have learned to take life seriously, but never ourselves.
6. You can do nothing to change the decisions you made in your past, but the future holds many opportunities.
7. What if you gave someone a gift, and they neglected to thank you for it-----would you be likely to give them another? Life is the same way. In order to attract more of the blessings that life has to offer, you must truly appreciate what you already have.
8. Don't wait for a disaster to awaken you to the things that you can be grateful for today.
9. It is easier to blame the past than to create your future. Where do you want to live; in the past or in the now, creating a better future?
10. You don't want to live in such a way that when your life is over you are left thinking more about what you didn't do. Think about how you would feel on your death bed if you were wishing you had done that one special thing or taken that change that you let pass by.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1006
Ayahs of the Day:
Haven't they traveled on earth and seen how those who were before them ended up? They were more powerful than they in strength and in effect on the earth, but God punished them for their sins, and there was no one to shelter them from God. That is because their messengers had come to them with clarifications but they scoffed; so God took them to task, being powerful, severe in punishment. [40: 21,22]
Hadith of the Day:
Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveler along a path. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
If the seeker wants to work toward the next life in order to put an end to his sorrows and cares in this world, he must put his life in order here and now as a servant of his Lord, may he be exalted and glorified. [Ibn Abbad]
Guidance of the Day:
When we cultivate the higher emotions of joy, peacefulness, appreciation, devotion, and enthusiasm, we lift ourselves up on the magic carpet of the accumulated thoughts and deeds of all who have ever loved goodness and loving kindness. As we open our arms in appreciation, we are blessed by a power greater than that of our seemingly small action.
Every act of love is infinitely powerful, and so is every thought of feeling that we cultivate in Love's name. The world is in the sorry state that it is because we have underestimated the tremendous significance of what we think and feel. And the salvation of the world will come through the acceptance of every tiny deed as a way to see and express God. Because our emotions are simply gross extensions of our thoughts, the secrets of emotional transformation are the same in nature as those of thought. Destiny is consistently in our hands. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Your morning thoughts will determine you conduct for the day. Optimistic thoughts will make your day bright and productive, while pessimistic thinking will make it dull and wasteful. Face each day cheerfully, smiling and courageously, and it will naturally follow that your work will be a real pleasure and progress will be a delightful accomplishment.
Haven't they traveled on earth and seen how those who were before them ended up? They were more powerful than they in strength and in effect on the earth, but God punished them for their sins, and there was no one to shelter them from God. That is because their messengers had come to them with clarifications but they scoffed; so God took them to task, being powerful, severe in punishment. [40: 21,22]
Hadith of the Day:
Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveler along a path. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
If the seeker wants to work toward the next life in order to put an end to his sorrows and cares in this world, he must put his life in order here and now as a servant of his Lord, may he be exalted and glorified. [Ibn Abbad]
Guidance of the Day:
When we cultivate the higher emotions of joy, peacefulness, appreciation, devotion, and enthusiasm, we lift ourselves up on the magic carpet of the accumulated thoughts and deeds of all who have ever loved goodness and loving kindness. As we open our arms in appreciation, we are blessed by a power greater than that of our seemingly small action.
Every act of love is infinitely powerful, and so is every thought of feeling that we cultivate in Love's name. The world is in the sorry state that it is because we have underestimated the tremendous significance of what we think and feel. And the salvation of the world will come through the acceptance of every tiny deed as a way to see and express God. Because our emotions are simply gross extensions of our thoughts, the secrets of emotional transformation are the same in nature as those of thought. Destiny is consistently in our hands. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Your morning thoughts will determine you conduct for the day. Optimistic thoughts will make your day bright and productive, while pessimistic thinking will make it dull and wasteful. Face each day cheerfully, smiling and courageously, and it will naturally follow that your work will be a real pleasure and progress will be a delightful accomplishment.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....43
1. The important thing is this------to be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become.
2. You don't get to choose how you are going to die, or when. You can only decide how you are going to live now-------the way we live is how we die.
3. Too often it takes a direct confrontation with one's mortality to learn the value of the time we have on earth, sometimes it takes a disaster to wake us up and make us realize the blessings we have--------why wait for a wake-up call, why not realize it now!
4. Many of us believe that time is money. Time isn't money; time is everything. The way we spend our time is what our life is all about------in this and the next world.
5. If we spend our time paying attention to the wisdom of our heart rather than the wisdom of our head, we will benefit greatly.
6. Love is always the answer to every question and problem. We are here to love and be loved and learn a few things in the process.
7. To begin anew, we must say goodbye to who we once were. Life is a series of beginnings. The changes, losses, illnesses, and afflictions are not endings, but beginnings. We are changed and have to start a new improved life each time.
8. Have the courage to begin the new life that each day brings you. No matter what changes or losses you have experienced, step back and see where you need to begin.
9. What activities do you do over and over? When was the last time you checked to see if they are serving any good purpose? How long has it been since you asked yourself if that time could be better spent elsewhere?
10. Everything we do and say contributes to what we become. Every kindness done to others, every prejudice overcome, every difficulty subdued, every temptation trampled underfoot, every step forward in the cause of what is good is a step nearer to the goal of being the person we have the potential to be.
2. You don't get to choose how you are going to die, or when. You can only decide how you are going to live now-------the way we live is how we die.
3. Too often it takes a direct confrontation with one's mortality to learn the value of the time we have on earth, sometimes it takes a disaster to wake us up and make us realize the blessings we have--------why wait for a wake-up call, why not realize it now!
4. Many of us believe that time is money. Time isn't money; time is everything. The way we spend our time is what our life is all about------in this and the next world.
5. If we spend our time paying attention to the wisdom of our heart rather than the wisdom of our head, we will benefit greatly.
6. Love is always the answer to every question and problem. We are here to love and be loved and learn a few things in the process.
7. To begin anew, we must say goodbye to who we once were. Life is a series of beginnings. The changes, losses, illnesses, and afflictions are not endings, but beginnings. We are changed and have to start a new improved life each time.
8. Have the courage to begin the new life that each day brings you. No matter what changes or losses you have experienced, step back and see where you need to begin.
9. What activities do you do over and over? When was the last time you checked to see if they are serving any good purpose? How long has it been since you asked yourself if that time could be better spent elsewhere?
10. Everything we do and say contributes to what we become. Every kindness done to others, every prejudice overcome, every difficulty subdued, every temptation trampled underfoot, every step forward in the cause of what is good is a step nearer to the goal of being the person we have the potential to be.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1005
Ayahs of the Day:
God knows deception of the eyes, and what the hearts conceal. And God judges by truth, while those others they pray to don't determine anything. It is God who is the all-hearing, the all-seeing. [40: 19,20]
Hadith of the Day:
Allah has revealed to me that you must be humble, so that no one boasts over another. [Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Know that the form of any kind of worship is a means to find the Truth. If Truth is not found through it, form has no meaning or purpose by itself. [Imam Birgivi]
Guidance of the Day:
At some point in our personal growth, we realize that the counterproductive emotions do not really serve a life of harmony and inner peace, nor do they help us to make the kind of contribution we would like to offer to the world. It becomes clear that loving and calm words and actions work, and chaotic ones do not. At that point, the old binding emotions begin to drop away by themselves because we no longer believe in their usefulness.
The best way we can serve the world is by starting from our calm center. When we make contact with the Peace within ourselves and we find our Inner Source, we are then in a perfect position to go out and make change; until then, we only contribute to confusion. Meditation without action is a cop-out, but action without meditation is fruitless. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
We are taught you must blame you father, your sisters, your brothers, the school, the teachers-----but never blame yourself. It's never your fault. But it's always your fault, because if you wanted to change, you are the one who has got to change. Hate and fear destroy life and keep us holding on to pain. Instead use the pain in your life to create something meaningful.
God knows deception of the eyes, and what the hearts conceal. And God judges by truth, while those others they pray to don't determine anything. It is God who is the all-hearing, the all-seeing. [40: 19,20]
Hadith of the Day:
Allah has revealed to me that you must be humble, so that no one boasts over another. [Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Know that the form of any kind of worship is a means to find the Truth. If Truth is not found through it, form has no meaning or purpose by itself. [Imam Birgivi]
Guidance of the Day:
At some point in our personal growth, we realize that the counterproductive emotions do not really serve a life of harmony and inner peace, nor do they help us to make the kind of contribution we would like to offer to the world. It becomes clear that loving and calm words and actions work, and chaotic ones do not. At that point, the old binding emotions begin to drop away by themselves because we no longer believe in their usefulness.
The best way we can serve the world is by starting from our calm center. When we make contact with the Peace within ourselves and we find our Inner Source, we are then in a perfect position to go out and make change; until then, we only contribute to confusion. Meditation without action is a cop-out, but action without meditation is fruitless. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
We are taught you must blame you father, your sisters, your brothers, the school, the teachers-----but never blame yourself. It's never your fault. But it's always your fault, because if you wanted to change, you are the one who has got to change. Hate and fear destroy life and keep us holding on to pain. Instead use the pain in your life to create something meaningful.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....42
1. In influencing others, example is not the main thing, it's the only thing.
2. Children have never been good at listening to their parents, but they have never failed to imitate them. A good example is the best sermon.
3. Cheerfulness keeps up a kind of daylight in the mind, and fills it with a steady and perpetual serenity.
4. When we look for the best in others, we find it in ourselves.
5. Character is how we act when we think no one is looking, or doing the right thing when no one will know the difference.
6. Gratitude is not only the greatest of all the virtues, but the parent of all the others.
7. One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.
8. There is no education like adversity. We can transcend adversity and turn trials into triumphs if we resolve to act with character in times of crises.
9. The second half of a man's life is made up of nothing but the habits he accumulated during the first half. What habits did you form in the first half of your life?
10. What matters is not whether other people are acting in the same way or whether they notice, approve, or agree with what we do; it's that we have the courage, character, and confidence to do what we're supposed to do when we're supposed to do it.
2. Children have never been good at listening to their parents, but they have never failed to imitate them. A good example is the best sermon.
3. Cheerfulness keeps up a kind of daylight in the mind, and fills it with a steady and perpetual serenity.
4. When we look for the best in others, we find it in ourselves.
5. Character is how we act when we think no one is looking, or doing the right thing when no one will know the difference.
6. Gratitude is not only the greatest of all the virtues, but the parent of all the others.
7. One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.
8. There is no education like adversity. We can transcend adversity and turn trials into triumphs if we resolve to act with character in times of crises.
9. The second half of a man's life is made up of nothing but the habits he accumulated during the first half. What habits did you form in the first half of your life?
10. What matters is not whether other people are acting in the same way or whether they notice, approve, or agree with what we do; it's that we have the courage, character, and confidence to do what we're supposed to do when we're supposed to do it.
Friday, April 18, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1004
Ayahs of the Day:
On That Day each soul will be recompensed for what it earned. There will be no injustice on that day; for God will quickly settle accounts. So warn them of a day that is coming, when hearts will be in throats, choking: the unjust will have no friend, and no intercessor who would be heeded. [40: 17,18]
Hadith of the Day:
Nothing repels the decree except supplications and nothing increases one's life except righteousness. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Your life should become a beacon of guidance and it should become a means for Dawah. [Shaykh Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi]
Guidance of the Day:
Our emotions can take us to God or they can take us to hell. They can save us or drown us. As the popular slogan reminded us, we can make love or we can make war. It's all in how we use our energies. The "binding," or counterproductive emotions are fear, anger, guilt, worry, resentment, jealousy, pity, loneliness, lust , envy, pride, unworthiness, hatred, and all the other variations on these themes. They do not feel good, they make our life energy go haywire, and they release a huge amount of physical poisons into the body.
Beyond the physical damage these emotions do, they distort our perception and disturb our ability to enjoy loving, fulfilling relationships. In addition, uncontrolled emotions stir up a smog of confusion around us that tends to muddy the clarity of persons mere us who are susceptible. In short, they do not serve us or the world. [Cohen, The Devil Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
This only is charity, to do all, all that we can. Never to judge rashly; never to interpret the actions of others in an ill-sense, but to compassionate their infirmities, bear their burdens, excuse their weaknesses, and make up for their defects------to hate their imperfections, but love themselves, this is the true spirit of charity.
On That Day each soul will be recompensed for what it earned. There will be no injustice on that day; for God will quickly settle accounts. So warn them of a day that is coming, when hearts will be in throats, choking: the unjust will have no friend, and no intercessor who would be heeded. [40: 17,18]
Hadith of the Day:
Nothing repels the decree except supplications and nothing increases one's life except righteousness. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Your life should become a beacon of guidance and it should become a means for Dawah. [Shaykh Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi]
Guidance of the Day:
Our emotions can take us to God or they can take us to hell. They can save us or drown us. As the popular slogan reminded us, we can make love or we can make war. It's all in how we use our energies. The "binding," or counterproductive emotions are fear, anger, guilt, worry, resentment, jealousy, pity, loneliness, lust , envy, pride, unworthiness, hatred, and all the other variations on these themes. They do not feel good, they make our life energy go haywire, and they release a huge amount of physical poisons into the body.
Beyond the physical damage these emotions do, they distort our perception and disturb our ability to enjoy loving, fulfilling relationships. In addition, uncontrolled emotions stir up a smog of confusion around us that tends to muddy the clarity of persons mere us who are susceptible. In short, they do not serve us or the world. [Cohen, The Devil Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
This only is charity, to do all, all that we can. Never to judge rashly; never to interpret the actions of others in an ill-sense, but to compassionate their infirmities, bear their burdens, excuse their weaknesses, and make up for their defects------to hate their imperfections, but love themselves, this is the true spirit of charity.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....41
1. There is nothing in feeling superior to another person. True nobility is in being superior to your former self.
2. Jealousy is ..... a tiger that tears not only its prey but also its own raging heart.
3. Every man in the world is better than someone else. And not as good as someone else.
4. The most powerful thing you can do to change the world is to change your own beliefs about the nature of life, people, and reality to something more positive.....and begin to act accordingly.
4. The most powerful agent of growth and transformation is something much more basic than any technique; a change of heart.
5. You don't always get what you want----but you always get what you need.
6. When champions get knocked down, they don't make excuses. They extract the lesson that will enable them to do better next time and move on.
7. Real joy comes not from ease or riches or from the praise of men, but from doing something worthwhile.
8. The purpose of life------is a life of purpose.
9. The service we render others is the rent we pay for our room on earth. When we cease to make a contribution, we begin to die.
10. What is the use of living if it not be to strive for noble causes and to make this muddled world a better place for those who will live in it after we are gone?
2. Jealousy is ..... a tiger that tears not only its prey but also its own raging heart.
3. Every man in the world is better than someone else. And not as good as someone else.
4. The most powerful thing you can do to change the world is to change your own beliefs about the nature of life, people, and reality to something more positive.....and begin to act accordingly.
4. The most powerful agent of growth and transformation is something much more basic than any technique; a change of heart.
5. You don't always get what you want----but you always get what you need.
6. When champions get knocked down, they don't make excuses. They extract the lesson that will enable them to do better next time and move on.
7. Real joy comes not from ease or riches or from the praise of men, but from doing something worthwhile.
8. The purpose of life------is a life of purpose.
9. The service we render others is the rent we pay for our room on earth. When we cease to make a contribution, we begin to die.
10. What is the use of living if it not be to strive for noble causes and to make this muddled world a better place for those who will live in it after we are gone?
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1003
Ayahs of the Day:
He shows you signs of the divine, sending down provision for you from the sky; yet no one takes need except the repentant. So pray to God with sincere devotion, even though the unbelievers, may not like it. [40: 13,14]
Hadith of the Day:
Leave what makes you doubt for what does not make you doubt. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Patience is adherence to the ordinances to the Book and the sunna. [Al Khawwas]
Guidance of the Day:
It is very difficult to get the mind to be quiet. As long as we are thinking most of the time, we might as well put into our mind the kind of thoughts that will lead to joy and freedom, and avoid those which lead to confusion. The world of thoughts is similar to that of emotions--------there are thoughts that bring liberation, and thoughts that bring bondage. Whenever we read something, for example, we are making a deposit into the bank of our consciousness. We can choose which thoughts will think.
The energies of inner awakening must be channeled productively, and not dissipated through purposeless thoughts and emotional indulgence. These matters are vital to your progress, and your progress is of the greatest concern. We urge you to use common sense in your upward journey. Temper your lofty ideals with practicality and wisdom. Wisdom shall be given to you to deal with matters on which you seek guidance with earnestness and sincerity. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
The more you depend on the forces outside yourself, the more you are dominated by them. When our focus is constantly aimed at our outer world, it prevents us from spending time cultivating that which nurtures our essence. Notice how much time you spend doing things that support your essence.
He shows you signs of the divine, sending down provision for you from the sky; yet no one takes need except the repentant. So pray to God with sincere devotion, even though the unbelievers, may not like it. [40: 13,14]
Hadith of the Day:
Leave what makes you doubt for what does not make you doubt. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Patience is adherence to the ordinances to the Book and the sunna. [Al Khawwas]
Guidance of the Day:
It is very difficult to get the mind to be quiet. As long as we are thinking most of the time, we might as well put into our mind the kind of thoughts that will lead to joy and freedom, and avoid those which lead to confusion. The world of thoughts is similar to that of emotions--------there are thoughts that bring liberation, and thoughts that bring bondage. Whenever we read something, for example, we are making a deposit into the bank of our consciousness. We can choose which thoughts will think.
The energies of inner awakening must be channeled productively, and not dissipated through purposeless thoughts and emotional indulgence. These matters are vital to your progress, and your progress is of the greatest concern. We urge you to use common sense in your upward journey. Temper your lofty ideals with practicality and wisdom. Wisdom shall be given to you to deal with matters on which you seek guidance with earnestness and sincerity. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
The more you depend on the forces outside yourself, the more you are dominated by them. When our focus is constantly aimed at our outer world, it prevents us from spending time cultivating that which nurtures our essence. Notice how much time you spend doing things that support your essence.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....40
1. Silence at the right time is the proper attribute for men, just as speaking on the right occasion is among the noblest of qualities.
2. Learn silence just as you learned speech. If speech used to guide you, silence will protect you.
3. Satan is terrified by the shadow of the one who conquers the passions of the world.
4. Honor lies in submissiveness (to the commands of Allah Most High), dignity lies in piety, and freedom lies in contentment.
5. The intelligent one is the one who arranges the affairs of the world with contentment and at a low pace, the concerns of the after life with greed and haste, and the concerns of the religion with knowledge and striving.
6. The life of the heart is knowledge of the Divine, so seek it, and the death of the heart is ignorance, so shun it.
7. Writing things down is the best secret of a good memory.
8. Every time you make an ethical decision, offer your support, choose honesty, or lend a helping hand, you make a difference.
9. That is the happiest conversation where there is no competition, no vanity, but a calm, quiet interchange of sentiments.
10. Forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits.
2. Learn silence just as you learned speech. If speech used to guide you, silence will protect you.
3. Satan is terrified by the shadow of the one who conquers the passions of the world.
4. Honor lies in submissiveness (to the commands of Allah Most High), dignity lies in piety, and freedom lies in contentment.
5. The intelligent one is the one who arranges the affairs of the world with contentment and at a low pace, the concerns of the after life with greed and haste, and the concerns of the religion with knowledge and striving.
6. The life of the heart is knowledge of the Divine, so seek it, and the death of the heart is ignorance, so shun it.
7. Writing things down is the best secret of a good memory.
8. Every time you make an ethical decision, offer your support, choose honesty, or lend a helping hand, you make a difference.
9. That is the happiest conversation where there is no competition, no vanity, but a calm, quiet interchange of sentiments.
10. Forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits.
Monday, April 14, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1002
Ayahs of the Day:
Those who hold the Throne and those who surround it extol praises of their Lord, believing in God and asking forgiveness for those who believe: "Our Lord, You encompass all things by mercy and knowledge; so forgive those who repent and follow Your way; and shelter them from the torment of the blaze. And admit them, Lord, to the gardens of eternity You promised them, along with those of their parents who were righteous, and their wives and their progeny; for You are the Almighty, Supremely Wise. And shelter them from evils. And anyone You shelter from evils on that day, You have granted mercy. And that is the great escape." [40: 7,8,9]
Hadith of the Day:
For whoever Allah desires good, He gives him understanding of the religion. And, verily, knowledge comes through learning. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Let the Lord be your shepherd, allow Him to attend to all your cares, and do not allow temptations to entice you. [Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani]
Guidance of the Day:
It is really true that the mind is like a thought junkie. It is addicted to thinking. The rational mind, if allowed to run unbridled, will indulge itself to a ridiculous extreme. Thinking is great, but, like all other activities, it is best used in moderation.
Sleep is such a marvelous gift because, for a number of hours, we get our mind to shut up! Just think of how wonderful we feel after a good night's sleep. Our body is refreshed; healing has taken place; our emotions are smooth, and our thoughts are clear. This is only because we have escaped the tyranny of the mind! [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
On earth we have nothing to do with success or results, but only with being true to God, and for God. Defeat in doing right is nevertheless victory. The man who has done his level best, and who is conscious that he has done his best, is a success, even though the world may writ him down a failure.
Those who hold the Throne and those who surround it extol praises of their Lord, believing in God and asking forgiveness for those who believe: "Our Lord, You encompass all things by mercy and knowledge; so forgive those who repent and follow Your way; and shelter them from the torment of the blaze. And admit them, Lord, to the gardens of eternity You promised them, along with those of their parents who were righteous, and their wives and their progeny; for You are the Almighty, Supremely Wise. And shelter them from evils. And anyone You shelter from evils on that day, You have granted mercy. And that is the great escape." [40: 7,8,9]
Hadith of the Day:
For whoever Allah desires good, He gives him understanding of the religion. And, verily, knowledge comes through learning. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Let the Lord be your shepherd, allow Him to attend to all your cares, and do not allow temptations to entice you. [Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani]
Guidance of the Day:
It is really true that the mind is like a thought junkie. It is addicted to thinking. The rational mind, if allowed to run unbridled, will indulge itself to a ridiculous extreme. Thinking is great, but, like all other activities, it is best used in moderation.
Sleep is such a marvelous gift because, for a number of hours, we get our mind to shut up! Just think of how wonderful we feel after a good night's sleep. Our body is refreshed; healing has taken place; our emotions are smooth, and our thoughts are clear. This is only because we have escaped the tyranny of the mind! [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
On earth we have nothing to do with success or results, but only with being true to God, and for God. Defeat in doing right is nevertheless victory. The man who has done his level best, and who is conscious that he has done his best, is a success, even though the world may writ him down a failure.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....39
1. Taqwa is protecting one's self from God's punishment by means of obedience to Him.
2. Taqwa is wariness of shirk, then wariness of evil things and sins, then dubious things. After that he leaves off all that is of no true concern.
3. Taqwa is that Allah be obeyed and not disobeyed, remembered and not forgotten, and thanked and not be the object of ingratitude.
4. There is no provision other than taqwa, and there is no work other than perseverance in taqwa.
5. Taqwa is shunning whatever makes one distant from God. Whoever desires sound taqwa let him abandon all sin.
6. The exterior of taqwa is preservation of the boundaries, and its interior aspect is intention and striving.
7. Taqwa is restricting oneself to the indubitably permissible, and that is all.
8. He whose greatest property is taqwa gains a profit, tongues are unable to describe.
9. Taqwa is that one shun his taqwa, which is to say, avoid awareness of his own taqwa.
10. The taqwa of a person is indicated by three things------good trust with respect to what he has not been granted, good contentment with what he has been granted, and good patience in the face of what he has lost.
2. Taqwa is wariness of shirk, then wariness of evil things and sins, then dubious things. After that he leaves off all that is of no true concern.
3. Taqwa is that Allah be obeyed and not disobeyed, remembered and not forgotten, and thanked and not be the object of ingratitude.
4. There is no provision other than taqwa, and there is no work other than perseverance in taqwa.
5. Taqwa is shunning whatever makes one distant from God. Whoever desires sound taqwa let him abandon all sin.
6. The exterior of taqwa is preservation of the boundaries, and its interior aspect is intention and striving.
7. Taqwa is restricting oneself to the indubitably permissible, and that is all.
8. He whose greatest property is taqwa gains a profit, tongues are unable to describe.
9. Taqwa is that one shun his taqwa, which is to say, avoid awareness of his own taqwa.
10. The taqwa of a person is indicated by three things------good trust with respect to what he has not been granted, good contentment with what he has been granted, and good patience in the face of what he has lost.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1001
Ayahs of the Day:
The people of Noah rejected truth before them, and did parties after them. And every people plotted against their messenger, in order to stop him; and they strove to nullify the truth with falsehood. But I stopped them; and how was My chastisement! Thus the sentence of your Lord against the ingrates has been justified, that they are to be inmates of hell. [40: 5,6]
Hadith of the Day:
Overlook the slips of the righteous and pious people, except in matters concerning which there is a prescribed penalty. [Ahmad & Abu Dawud]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Every drop of sweat and every breath we take in life, if not taken for the sake of Allah, will lead to regret and sorrow on the Day of Judgment. [Ibn al Qayyim]
Guidance of the Day:
In this world, we are bound to be subject to upset. If we do not create it ourselves, we can pick it up from others. The trick is to let it go in forgiveness the moment we become aware of it. In this way, we can keep our emotional self in healthy shape. The mental body works on the same principle as the physical and emotional bodies, and we must keep in balance, as well.
The mental body just loves to think. It does not care what it thinks, as long as it is thinking something. It is really quite indiscriminate. It is we, the master of the bodies, who must control and decide what we want to feed to our mental body. Just as we would not put poison into our physical form, we would also not want to feed our mind with garbage. Most people, however, do not realize that thoughts are things, and they will digest thoughts that result in a mental stomachache, also known as a "headache." [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
There are simply no answers to some of the great pressing questions. You continue to live them out, making your life a worthy expression of leaning into the light. We are here to work at creating a world where life takes on meaning because we are showing love and compassion as an act of free will. Seek the answer through the creation of meaningful works.
The people of Noah rejected truth before them, and did parties after them. And every people plotted against their messenger, in order to stop him; and they strove to nullify the truth with falsehood. But I stopped them; and how was My chastisement! Thus the sentence of your Lord against the ingrates has been justified, that they are to be inmates of hell. [40: 5,6]
Hadith of the Day:
Overlook the slips of the righteous and pious people, except in matters concerning which there is a prescribed penalty. [Ahmad & Abu Dawud]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Every drop of sweat and every breath we take in life, if not taken for the sake of Allah, will lead to regret and sorrow on the Day of Judgment. [Ibn al Qayyim]
Guidance of the Day:
In this world, we are bound to be subject to upset. If we do not create it ourselves, we can pick it up from others. The trick is to let it go in forgiveness the moment we become aware of it. In this way, we can keep our emotional self in healthy shape. The mental body works on the same principle as the physical and emotional bodies, and we must keep in balance, as well.
The mental body just loves to think. It does not care what it thinks, as long as it is thinking something. It is really quite indiscriminate. It is we, the master of the bodies, who must control and decide what we want to feed to our mental body. Just as we would not put poison into our physical form, we would also not want to feed our mind with garbage. Most people, however, do not realize that thoughts are things, and they will digest thoughts that result in a mental stomachache, also known as a "headache." [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
There are simply no answers to some of the great pressing questions. You continue to live them out, making your life a worthy expression of leaning into the light. We are here to work at creating a world where life takes on meaning because we are showing love and compassion as an act of free will. Seek the answer through the creation of meaningful works.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....38
1. Children will not remember you for the material things you provided but for the feeling that you cherished them.
2. Death is a challenge. It tells us not to waste time.......it tells us to tell each other right now that we love each other.
3. What really counts is not how long a person lives, but how well he uses the time allotted to him to prepare for the eternal life.
4. Human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind. Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.
5. Good deed begets good results, and evil deed begets bad results. Every good deed will come back to you someday, and every bad thing you do will also come back to you, now it's your choice.
5. Once the toothpaste is out of the of the tube, it's hard to get it back in----------think before you speak.
6. Judge your worth in the Creator's sight by how much space He occupies in your heart, and your worth in people's eyes by how you treat them.
7. There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. Miracles happen to those who believe in them.
8. When good deeds become a source of pleasure for you and an evil deed becomes a source of disgust, then you are a true believer.
9. This is your world! And you are able to make changes! Hasten to do good work! Think of it!
10. Tell the truth and you don't have to remember anything.
2. Death is a challenge. It tells us not to waste time.......it tells us to tell each other right now that we love each other.
3. What really counts is not how long a person lives, but how well he uses the time allotted to him to prepare for the eternal life.
4. Human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind. Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.
5. Good deed begets good results, and evil deed begets bad results. Every good deed will come back to you someday, and every bad thing you do will also come back to you, now it's your choice.
5. Once the toothpaste is out of the of the tube, it's hard to get it back in----------think before you speak.
6. Judge your worth in the Creator's sight by how much space He occupies in your heart, and your worth in people's eyes by how you treat them.
7. There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. Miracles happen to those who believe in them.
8. When good deeds become a source of pleasure for you and an evil deed becomes a source of disgust, then you are a true believer.
9. This is your world! And you are able to make changes! Hasten to do good work! Think of it!
10. Tell the truth and you don't have to remember anything.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1000
Ayahs of the Day:
The revelation of the Book is from God the Almighty, the Omniscient, Who forgives sins and accepts repentance, is severe in punishment and possessor of power. There is no other deity; that is where destiny leads. No one disputes the signs of God but those who are ungrateful; so don't be fooled by their comings and goings in town and country. [40: 2,3,4]
Hadith of the Day:
Whoever is slowed by his deeds will not be hastened forward by his lineage. [Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The one who does not base his practice of religion on renunciation cannot hope to make any progress therein, for the love of this world leads to all sin, and the renunciation of it leads to all good deeds and to obedience to the will of God. [Abu Nasr al Sarraj]
Guidance of the Day:
We cannot overstate the importance of right thinking. It is your key to abundance and strength. Your habit of erroneous thought can be reforged into a powerful tool for the benefit of all humankind. Make your life a pillar of positive being. You have the opportunity to see the Light in all things, for, in Truth, the Light is in all things.
What we call "negative" thinking, we do not call it bad or evil, but a blockage, or obstruction to the outpressing of Truth. It is simply distorted view of reality, and it is corrected only by a clear vision of what it is. When the Truth is seen, ignorance can hold no power over your life. Your responsibility to the expression of Truth in the times to come is great. Think in harmony of God, and the secrets of creation. Align your thoughts and actions with wakefulness. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
The trouble is that too often charity not only begins but ends at home. Giving until it hurts is not the true measure of charity------some are more easily hurt than others. Charity is a virtue of the heart, and not of the hands. The poor man's charity is to wish the rich man well.
The revelation of the Book is from God the Almighty, the Omniscient, Who forgives sins and accepts repentance, is severe in punishment and possessor of power. There is no other deity; that is where destiny leads. No one disputes the signs of God but those who are ungrateful; so don't be fooled by their comings and goings in town and country. [40: 2,3,4]
Hadith of the Day:
Whoever is slowed by his deeds will not be hastened forward by his lineage. [Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The one who does not base his practice of religion on renunciation cannot hope to make any progress therein, for the love of this world leads to all sin, and the renunciation of it leads to all good deeds and to obedience to the will of God. [Abu Nasr al Sarraj]
Guidance of the Day:
We cannot overstate the importance of right thinking. It is your key to abundance and strength. Your habit of erroneous thought can be reforged into a powerful tool for the benefit of all humankind. Make your life a pillar of positive being. You have the opportunity to see the Light in all things, for, in Truth, the Light is in all things.
What we call "negative" thinking, we do not call it bad or evil, but a blockage, or obstruction to the outpressing of Truth. It is simply distorted view of reality, and it is corrected only by a clear vision of what it is. When the Truth is seen, ignorance can hold no power over your life. Your responsibility to the expression of Truth in the times to come is great. Think in harmony of God, and the secrets of creation. Align your thoughts and actions with wakefulness. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
The trouble is that too often charity not only begins but ends at home. Giving until it hurts is not the true measure of charity------some are more easily hurt than others. Charity is a virtue of the heart, and not of the hands. The poor man's charity is to wish the rich man well.
Monday, April 07, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....37
1. One who controls the nafs, controls the universe, and the one who is controlled by the nafs is controlled by the universe.
2. Contentment is an inexhaustible treasure.
3. Wisdom is knowing what to do next, skill is knowing how to do it and virtue is doing it.
4. A normal person knows right from wrong, a good person admits when he is wrong.
5. There is none so blind as those who refuse to see. Just because you have the gift of sight doesn't mean that you are able to see.
6. Cheerfulness is the offshoot of goodness.
7. He who asks a question may be a fool for five minutes, he who never asks a question remains a fool for ever.
8. Hatred is the coward's revenge for being intimidated.
9. Your character is what you have left when you have lost everything you can lose.
10. Preconceived notions are the locks on the door to wisdom.
2. Contentment is an inexhaustible treasure.
3. Wisdom is knowing what to do next, skill is knowing how to do it and virtue is doing it.
4. A normal person knows right from wrong, a good person admits when he is wrong.
5. There is none so blind as those who refuse to see. Just because you have the gift of sight doesn't mean that you are able to see.
6. Cheerfulness is the offshoot of goodness.
7. He who asks a question may be a fool for five minutes, he who never asks a question remains a fool for ever.
8. Hatred is the coward's revenge for being intimidated.
9. Your character is what you have left when you have lost everything you can lose.
10. Preconceived notions are the locks on the door to wisdom.
Friday, April 04, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 999
Ayahs of the Day:
But those who were conscious of their Lord will be conveyed in crowds to the garden: when they arrive, its gates will be opened and its keepers will say to them, "Peace upon you. You have been good, so enter herein to abide." And they will say, "Praise be to God, who has fulfilled the divine promise to us, giving us the earth as an inheritance; we can live in the garden wherever we wish." And how excellent the reward for worker! [39: 73,74]
Hadith of the Day:
Whoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults in this life and the Hereafter. [Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The spiritual warrior is the one who breaks an idol, and the idol of each person is his ego. [Al-Qushayri]
Guidance of the Day:
Life is showering its gifts upon us at this very moment. There is a force of love and light that is streaming, rushing, pouring toward us from all angles at all times. All we have to do is to let it in. Blessings are being offered to all of us without condition or limit. The keys to the kingdom are our whenever we are willing to accept them. What we have to lose is fear, lack, limitation, and sorrow. What we need to gain is peace of mind, success, health, and love. We do not need to become anything that we are not already. We need only to say "Yes!" to what God would just love to give us.
Positive thinking is the acceptance of Truth. When you open your mind to the possibility of the goodness of God, it allows Him the opportunity to pour blessings of Love and Light into the chalice of your life. When you align the thinking mind with the Creative Mind, you make available to yourself a power which you do not completely understand, but are fully capable of using for the upliftment of all. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Sometimes it is the struggle and the inherent growth in the process that propel us to where we need to be. If we avoid the struggles, we may be doing ourselves more harm than good. We may never give birth to our true self. Asking for help can be appropriate at times, but some things we must do for ourselves. If the butterfly is helped out of the cocoon it will not acquire enough strength to fly. Perhaps we too need the strength in order to spread our wings and be transformed.
But those who were conscious of their Lord will be conveyed in crowds to the garden: when they arrive, its gates will be opened and its keepers will say to them, "Peace upon you. You have been good, so enter herein to abide." And they will say, "Praise be to God, who has fulfilled the divine promise to us, giving us the earth as an inheritance; we can live in the garden wherever we wish." And how excellent the reward for worker! [39: 73,74]
Hadith of the Day:
Whoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults in this life and the Hereafter. [Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The spiritual warrior is the one who breaks an idol, and the idol of each person is his ego. [Al-Qushayri]
Guidance of the Day:
Life is showering its gifts upon us at this very moment. There is a force of love and light that is streaming, rushing, pouring toward us from all angles at all times. All we have to do is to let it in. Blessings are being offered to all of us without condition or limit. The keys to the kingdom are our whenever we are willing to accept them. What we have to lose is fear, lack, limitation, and sorrow. What we need to gain is peace of mind, success, health, and love. We do not need to become anything that we are not already. We need only to say "Yes!" to what God would just love to give us.
Positive thinking is the acceptance of Truth. When you open your mind to the possibility of the goodness of God, it allows Him the opportunity to pour blessings of Love and Light into the chalice of your life. When you align the thinking mind with the Creative Mind, you make available to yourself a power which you do not completely understand, but are fully capable of using for the upliftment of all. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Sometimes it is the struggle and the inherent growth in the process that propel us to where we need to be. If we avoid the struggles, we may be doing ourselves more harm than good. We may never give birth to our true self. Asking for help can be appropriate at times, but some things we must do for ourselves. If the butterfly is helped out of the cocoon it will not acquire enough strength to fly. Perhaps we too need the strength in order to spread our wings and be transformed.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....36
1. Jihad is the struggle to remove all those things from one's life that incur Allah's displeasure, and to replace them with those things that will gain His acceptance.
2. Jihad is the struggle against one's inner self and it's bestial inclinations. It is this struggle, in fact, which the Prophet of Islam (Allah's blessings and peace upon him) dubbed "the greater jihad."
3. Jihad is the struggles against the villains in our hearts which include: arrogance, avarice, pettiness, selfishness, jealousy, greed, self-delusions, and vain passions.
4. Jihad is the struggle to replace the villains in our hearts with goodly traits, such as mercy, honor, humbleness, generosity, gentleness, dignity, love, and other qualities that are aptly described as "heavenly."
5. Jihad is the struggle to fulfill the rights and responsibilities of one's family as well as those who are close, such as neighbors and relatives, to make sure that one does not harm them either with his hand or tongue.
6. Jihad is the struggle to forgive the wrongs of others, to overlook their misgivings, and hide their faults.
7. Jihad is the struggle to help the needy, the orphan, the widow, and the homeless by sacrificing our wealth.
8. Jihad is to show love and gentleness to our young ones, and respect and dignity to our elders.
9. Jihad is to protect the honor and property of every single member of society, whether man or woman.
10. Jihad is the struggle to speak out against injustice, to help the victims of oppressions, to ensure that everyone is given just measure, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or religion.
11. Jihad is to submit our will to Our Creator, thereby achieving peace and unity with the rest of the cosmos in celebrating His Majesty and Glory.
12. Jihad is ultimately that struggle in which we are willing to give our lives in the name of Allah so that these ideals will endure and bring peace and justice to countless others, thus truly bringing the harmony of the heavens down the earth.
2. Jihad is the struggle against one's inner self and it's bestial inclinations. It is this struggle, in fact, which the Prophet of Islam (Allah's blessings and peace upon him) dubbed "the greater jihad."
3. Jihad is the struggles against the villains in our hearts which include: arrogance, avarice, pettiness, selfishness, jealousy, greed, self-delusions, and vain passions.
4. Jihad is the struggle to replace the villains in our hearts with goodly traits, such as mercy, honor, humbleness, generosity, gentleness, dignity, love, and other qualities that are aptly described as "heavenly."
5. Jihad is the struggle to fulfill the rights and responsibilities of one's family as well as those who are close, such as neighbors and relatives, to make sure that one does not harm them either with his hand or tongue.
6. Jihad is the struggle to forgive the wrongs of others, to overlook their misgivings, and hide their faults.
7. Jihad is the struggle to help the needy, the orphan, the widow, and the homeless by sacrificing our wealth.
8. Jihad is to show love and gentleness to our young ones, and respect and dignity to our elders.
9. Jihad is to protect the honor and property of every single member of society, whether man or woman.
10. Jihad is the struggle to speak out against injustice, to help the victims of oppressions, to ensure that everyone is given just measure, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or religion.
11. Jihad is to submit our will to Our Creator, thereby achieving peace and unity with the rest of the cosmos in celebrating His Majesty and Glory.
12. Jihad is ultimately that struggle in which we are willing to give our lives in the name of Allah so that these ideals will endure and bring peace and justice to countless others, thus truly bringing the harmony of the heavens down the earth.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 998
Ayahs of the Day:
Those who scoffed will be driven to hell in crowds; then when they get there, its gates will be opened, and its keepers will say to them, "Didn't messengers from among you come to you and recite to you the signs of your Lord, and warn you of the meeting of this day of yours?" They will say, "Yes, but the sentence of the punishment is justified against the unbelievers." They will be told, "Enter the gates of hell, to abide therein." And how miserable the abode of the self-important! [39: 71,72]
Hadith of the Day:
Whoever relieves a believer's stress of the distressful aspects of this world, Allah will rescue him from a difficulty of the difficulties of the Hereafter. [Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Overcome your egos that you may be saved from the snares that devoured kings and paupers alike. Liberate yourself from the fretters of the ego and surrender yourself before God. [Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani]
Guidance of the Day:
Overcoming negation with love is a matter of attunement. We must concentrate on that which is Good, Beautiful, and True. If there seem to be 999 negative attributes of a situation, and one positive aspect, we must seize on that one good thing, bless it, hold to it with determination, meditate on it, be grateful for it, exaggerate it, and glorify it. We will find that our tiny trickle of goodness has opened into a rushing stream, and then into a mighty river which pours into the ocean of God's storehouse abundant.
We can let go of any notion that we have that God wants us to suffer. Our potential for happiness is unbounded, and that we can all go beyond our limited notions of how good it can be. Every one of us has a great deal to offer, and that we too often sell ourselves short. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Our error is in making ourselves our own center and thinking more of our claims on others than of our obligations to them. That which of all things unfits man is self-complacency, fatal self-righteousness, and self-sufficiency. We are too much haunted by ourselves, projecting the shadow of self on everything around us. Redemption is this, to forget self in God.
Those who scoffed will be driven to hell in crowds; then when they get there, its gates will be opened, and its keepers will say to them, "Didn't messengers from among you come to you and recite to you the signs of your Lord, and warn you of the meeting of this day of yours?" They will say, "Yes, but the sentence of the punishment is justified against the unbelievers." They will be told, "Enter the gates of hell, to abide therein." And how miserable the abode of the self-important! [39: 71,72]
Hadith of the Day:
Whoever relieves a believer's stress of the distressful aspects of this world, Allah will rescue him from a difficulty of the difficulties of the Hereafter. [Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Overcome your egos that you may be saved from the snares that devoured kings and paupers alike. Liberate yourself from the fretters of the ego and surrender yourself before God. [Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani]
Guidance of the Day:
Overcoming negation with love is a matter of attunement. We must concentrate on that which is Good, Beautiful, and True. If there seem to be 999 negative attributes of a situation, and one positive aspect, we must seize on that one good thing, bless it, hold to it with determination, meditate on it, be grateful for it, exaggerate it, and glorify it. We will find that our tiny trickle of goodness has opened into a rushing stream, and then into a mighty river which pours into the ocean of God's storehouse abundant.
We can let go of any notion that we have that God wants us to suffer. Our potential for happiness is unbounded, and that we can all go beyond our limited notions of how good it can be. Every one of us has a great deal to offer, and that we too often sell ourselves short. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Our error is in making ourselves our own center and thinking more of our claims on others than of our obligations to them. That which of all things unfits man is self-complacency, fatal self-righteousness, and self-sufficiency. We are too much haunted by ourselves, projecting the shadow of self on everything around us. Redemption is this, to forget self in God.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....35
1. The strength of a believer is one's determination and ability in matters of the next life.
2. The good and bad are not determined by reason, but by revelation------therefore only through Shariah.
3. The mind's role is not to determine what is good and bad or right and wrong, but, rather to understand and implement the ruling of Allah Most High.
4. In an argument the best weapon to hold is the tongue.
5. Reform that which remains to you, and that which is past will be forgiven.
6. Nothing is more beneficial than that you benefit for yourself, by doing what is befitting for the time.
7. The fool in his haste says things, that which the wise man dare not think.
8. The secret of happy living is not to do what you like, but to do what you should and like what you do.
9. One who makes a mistake and doesn't correct it, is making another mistake.
10.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 downs.
2. The good and bad are not determined by reason, but by revelation------therefore only through Shariah.
3. The mind's role is not to determine what is good and bad or right and wrong, but, rather to understand and implement the ruling of Allah Most High.
4. In an argument the best weapon to hold is the tongue.
5. Reform that which remains to you, and that which is past will be forgiven.
6. Nothing is more beneficial than that you benefit for yourself, by doing what is befitting for the time.
7. The fool in his haste says things, that which the wise man dare not think.
8. The secret of happy living is not to do what you like, but to do what you should and like what you do.
9. One who makes a mistake and doesn't correct it, is making another mistake.
10.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 downs.
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