Ayahs of the Day:
Man never tires of asking for good, but if misfortune afflicts him he gives up hope, despairing. Even if We let him taste mercy from Us after the hardships that have afflicted him, he is sure to say, "This is my due, and I don't think the end of time is ever going to occur. And even if I'm returned to my Lord, there will surely be a happy ending for me there. But We will tell the scoffers what they did, and will have them taste a terrible torment. [41: 49,50]
Hadith of the Day:
Someone who strives on behalf of widows and the poor is like someone who fights in the way of Allah, and like someone who continually stands at night in prayer and like someone who continually fasts. [Bukhari & Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
He who is hungry arrives and he who is satiated is cut off. He who remembers (God) is moved to meditate, while he who forgets is himself forgotten. [Shaykh Abu Madyan]
Guidance of the Day:
The will of God is the most wonderful thing that could ever happen to anyone. It is not to be feared, but embraced. If we begin to think about the things in our lives that we were resisting, one by one if we analyze them, we will see that the plan for our evolution was one of great Love and Beauty. In fighting the Will of God, we are really fighting our own best interest.
Life is supposed to go right. Prayers are supposed to be answered and miracles are supposed to happen. The most amazing thing would be if miracles didn't happen. God is real and His love is true. There is no need for things to go wrong. If we are living in the flow of God, things go right. Mishaps occur only when we step out of flow, and healing is natural when we once again find it. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Lord make me a channel of thy peace
That where there is doubt I may bring faith,
That where there is despair I may bring hope,
That where there are shadows I may bring thy light,
That where there is sadness I may bring joy.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....62
1. Do not look back in anger,or forward in fear, but around in awareness.
2. The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor. The one who kneels to God can stand up to anything.
3. The wise parent realizes that everyday the building blocks are being laid for the child's future. Let's be wise builders and role models.
4. Making a "living" is not the same as making a "life." Life is about people connecting with people, and making a positive difference.
5. If you pursue happiness, it will elude you. But, if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others, your work and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you.
6. Life is for living, caring, hoping, and sharing with the people we love. Sometimes those lives are very short.
7. There is no such thing as a self-made man. You will reach your goals only with the help of others.
8. "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you." We have committed the Golden Rule to memory, now let us commit it to life.
9. It's the action, not the fruit of the action, that's important. You have to do the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.
10. There is only one thing more painful than learning from experience and that is not learning from experience.
2. The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor. The one who kneels to God can stand up to anything.
3. The wise parent realizes that everyday the building blocks are being laid for the child's future. Let's be wise builders and role models.
4. Making a "living" is not the same as making a "life." Life is about people connecting with people, and making a positive difference.
5. If you pursue happiness, it will elude you. But, if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others, your work and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you.
6. Life is for living, caring, hoping, and sharing with the people we love. Sometimes those lives are very short.
7. There is no such thing as a self-made man. You will reach your goals only with the help of others.
8. "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you." We have committed the Golden Rule to memory, now let us commit it to life.
9. It's the action, not the fruit of the action, that's important. You have to do the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.
10. There is only one thing more painful than learning from experience and that is not learning from experience.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1024
Ayahs of the Day:
If anyone acts with integrity, that is for the benefit of his own soul; and if anyone does evil, that is to its own detriment. And your Lord never treats servants unjustly. Knowledge of the end time is reserved for God; and not a fruit comes forth from its calyx, and no female conceives or gives birth, but by God's knowledge. And the day they are summoned-----"Where are My supposed partners?"-----they will say, "We declare to You that none of us are witnesses." And what they used to pray to before will have forsaken them, and they will think there's no refuge for them. [41: 46,47,48]
Hadith of the Day:
Paradise is closer to one of you than his own shoe lace. And the Fire is like that. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The sign that an act meets with the pleasure of the Lord is the ease of its cause and its means, and the beneficence of its effect. No action is proposed to a created being by its Lord which is not within its power. [Imam Birgivi]
Guidance of the Day:
You who would find your place and your purpose under Heaven, accept your goodness in His eyes. See the perfection of all things, and know that all in creation has a right and good purpose. There must be balance-------hold love in one hand and wisdom in the other, and so you have the tools with which to build a new age.
Your work is that of attunement. You can no longer depend on your form and imitation for your livelihood, for these would only serve to weaken you. In meekness there is mastery. This great truth was the cornerstone of the ancients, but ignorance of it is the fault of the present civilization. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Lord, make me a channel of thy peace
That where there is hatred I may bring love,
That where there is wrong I may bring the spirit of forgiveness,
That where there is discord I may bring harmony,
That where there is error I may bring truth.
If anyone acts with integrity, that is for the benefit of his own soul; and if anyone does evil, that is to its own detriment. And your Lord never treats servants unjustly. Knowledge of the end time is reserved for God; and not a fruit comes forth from its calyx, and no female conceives or gives birth, but by God's knowledge. And the day they are summoned-----"Where are My supposed partners?"-----they will say, "We declare to You that none of us are witnesses." And what they used to pray to before will have forsaken them, and they will think there's no refuge for them. [41: 46,47,48]
Hadith of the Day:
Paradise is closer to one of you than his own shoe lace. And the Fire is like that. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The sign that an act meets with the pleasure of the Lord is the ease of its cause and its means, and the beneficence of its effect. No action is proposed to a created being by its Lord which is not within its power. [Imam Birgivi]
Guidance of the Day:
You who would find your place and your purpose under Heaven, accept your goodness in His eyes. See the perfection of all things, and know that all in creation has a right and good purpose. There must be balance-------hold love in one hand and wisdom in the other, and so you have the tools with which to build a new age.
Your work is that of attunement. You can no longer depend on your form and imitation for your livelihood, for these would only serve to weaken you. In meekness there is mastery. This great truth was the cornerstone of the ancients, but ignorance of it is the fault of the present civilization. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Lord, make me a channel of thy peace
That where there is hatred I may bring love,
That where there is wrong I may bring the spirit of forgiveness,
That where there is discord I may bring harmony,
That where there is error I may bring truth.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....61
1. We do have power-------not to change or control others, but to solve the problems that are ours to solve.
2. Don't use your lot in life as a parking lot, cultivate it. Our best preparation for tomorrow is the proper use of today.
3. Invite change in your life, wonderful surprises await you. Make every day a new beginning.
4. Plan your future (for the next world) carefully; you are going to spend the rest of your life their.
5. Carve your name on the hearts and not on marble. A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots are withered.
6. A sure cure for arrogance, and heedlessness is a visit to the cemetery, everyone gets equal billing.
7. A person who refuses to admit his mistakes can never be successful.
8. Kindness can build on itself as much as violence can. The great acts of kindness are done by those who are habitually performing small acts of kindness.
9. One of these days is none of these days. Don't wait to do the things you know need to be done. Take the time to do what you need to do and do it now!
10. To be yourself, to use your own God given talent, and to stand up for what is right even in the midst of uncertainty, pain, fear, and persecution is the only true way to live.
2. Don't use your lot in life as a parking lot, cultivate it. Our best preparation for tomorrow is the proper use of today.
3. Invite change in your life, wonderful surprises await you. Make every day a new beginning.
4. Plan your future (for the next world) carefully; you are going to spend the rest of your life their.
5. Carve your name on the hearts and not on marble. A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots are withered.
6. A sure cure for arrogance, and heedlessness is a visit to the cemetery, everyone gets equal billing.
7. A person who refuses to admit his mistakes can never be successful.
8. Kindness can build on itself as much as violence can. The great acts of kindness are done by those who are habitually performing small acts of kindness.
9. One of these days is none of these days. Don't wait to do the things you know need to be done. Take the time to do what you need to do and do it now!
10. To be yourself, to use your own God given talent, and to stand up for what is right even in the midst of uncertainty, pain, fear, and persecution is the only true way to live.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1023
Ayahs of the Day:
Nothing is said to you but what was said to the messengers before you: your Lord has forgiveness and painful punishment too. Yet if We had made it a foreign recital, they surely would have said, "Why haven't it's verses been organized logically? Eh? Non-Arabic and an Arab?" Say, "It is for those who believe, for guidance, and a medicine. " As for those who don't believe, there is deafness in their ears, and it is blindness to them. They are called from a far away place. [41: 43,44]
Hadith of the Day:
If the believer knew what Allah has with Him of punishment, no one would ever hope to achieve His Paradise. And if a disbeliever knew what Allah has with Him of mercy, no one would ever despair of achieving His Paradise. [Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
A person who discourses on religion without remembering that he will be questioned by God on what he says knows the value of neither religion nor his own mind. [Imam Abu Hanifa]
Guidance of the Day:
There is no such thing as falling outside of God, for this would mean that there is somewhere that God is not. The only place we can fall is in consciousness, and as soon as we rise back into God-consciousness, we see that He was with us always; we were just not looking at Him.
There are lessons, in fact, to be learned in every place. The mark of spiritual mastery is the ability to remember God wherever we go, and through whatever we experience. We are living in a world of permanent change. Everything changes, and the more firmly we have this understanding imbedded in our consciousness, the easier it is to remember God as we go through all of the transformations that are necessary for our total evolution. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore. As soon as there is life, there is danger. He that is not in the war is not out of danger. One never finds anything perfectly pure and.....exempt from danger. Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid.
Nothing is said to you but what was said to the messengers before you: your Lord has forgiveness and painful punishment too. Yet if We had made it a foreign recital, they surely would have said, "Why haven't it's verses been organized logically? Eh? Non-Arabic and an Arab?" Say, "It is for those who believe, for guidance, and a medicine. " As for those who don't believe, there is deafness in their ears, and it is blindness to them. They are called from a far away place. [41: 43,44]
Hadith of the Day:
If the believer knew what Allah has with Him of punishment, no one would ever hope to achieve His Paradise. And if a disbeliever knew what Allah has with Him of mercy, no one would ever despair of achieving His Paradise. [Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
A person who discourses on religion without remembering that he will be questioned by God on what he says knows the value of neither religion nor his own mind. [Imam Abu Hanifa]
Guidance of the Day:
There is no such thing as falling outside of God, for this would mean that there is somewhere that God is not. The only place we can fall is in consciousness, and as soon as we rise back into God-consciousness, we see that He was with us always; we were just not looking at Him.
There are lessons, in fact, to be learned in every place. The mark of spiritual mastery is the ability to remember God wherever we go, and through whatever we experience. We are living in a world of permanent change. Everything changes, and the more firmly we have this understanding imbedded in our consciousness, the easier it is to remember God as we go through all of the transformations that are necessary for our total evolution. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore. As soon as there is life, there is danger. He that is not in the war is not out of danger. One never finds anything perfectly pure and.....exempt from danger. Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....60
1. A promise made is a debt unpaid.
2. In helping others, we shall help ourselves, for whatever good we give out completes the circle and comes back to us.
3. People who give freely to others get back more than they give.
4. What we do today, right now, will have an accumulated effect on all our tomorrows.
5. A mirror reflects a person's face, but what a person is really like is shown by the kind of friends they choose.
6. Anyone willing to be corrected is on the pathway to life. Anyone refusing has lost his chance.
7. We are each in our present circumstances for a reason. There is a lesson, a valuable lesson, that must be learned before we can move forward.
8. We can trust that when things don't work out the way we want, God has something planned.
9. It's okay to be angry, but it isn't healthy to be resentful. We can learn to deal with our anger in ways that are healthy for us and for those around us.
10. Faith is like a muscle. It must be exercised to grow strong. Repeated experiences of having to trust what we can't see and repeated experiences of learning to trust that things will work out, are what makes our faith muscles grow strong.
2. In helping others, we shall help ourselves, for whatever good we give out completes the circle and comes back to us.
3. People who give freely to others get back more than they give.
4. What we do today, right now, will have an accumulated effect on all our tomorrows.
5. A mirror reflects a person's face, but what a person is really like is shown by the kind of friends they choose.
6. Anyone willing to be corrected is on the pathway to life. Anyone refusing has lost his chance.
7. We are each in our present circumstances for a reason. There is a lesson, a valuable lesson, that must be learned before we can move forward.
8. We can trust that when things don't work out the way we want, God has something planned.
9. It's okay to be angry, but it isn't healthy to be resentful. We can learn to deal with our anger in ways that are healthy for us and for those around us.
10. Faith is like a muscle. It must be exercised to grow strong. Repeated experiences of having to trust what we can't see and repeated experiences of learning to trust that things will work out, are what makes our faith muscles grow strong.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1022
Ayahs of the Day:
Those who despise Our signs are not concealed from Us: is the one cast into the fire better, or the one who arrives safely on the day of resurrection? Do what you will------God sees what you do, including those who scoff at the Reminder when it comes to them, since it is a mighty Book indeed; falsehood cannot reach it, from before it or behind it, as it is a revelation from One most wise, most praiseworthy. [41: 40,41,42]
Hadith of the Day:
Allah said: "Whoever comes close to Me by the span of a hand, I come closer to Him by a cubit. And whoever comes closer to Me by a cubit, I come closer to him by an arms length. And if he walks toward Me, I rush toward him. [Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
It is a mark of sainthood to show compassion to all God's servants, to be pitiful towards them, and to fight for them, and with them, against the forces of evil. [Imam Ghazali]
Guidance of the Day:
The greatness that you are promised is not the grandeur that you have been taught to value by the world. The guide offers you the Kingdom of Heaven, which is already yours, though you remember it only faintly. The world offers you itself, which you know well, but not well enough to know that its end is emptiness.
We show you the end of your strivings. Your attempts to find a resting place in the world has come to naught. This you can now see, and you are nearly ready to admit. Your growing inclination to turn about to your Father's House is the yearning which will surely bring you Peace. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
If you don't change you don't grow. If you don't grow, you aren't really living. You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you. Escape from the cage you have built around yourself. Look inward for the answer and make the necessary changes in your life to find your freedom.
Those who despise Our signs are not concealed from Us: is the one cast into the fire better, or the one who arrives safely on the day of resurrection? Do what you will------God sees what you do, including those who scoff at the Reminder when it comes to them, since it is a mighty Book indeed; falsehood cannot reach it, from before it or behind it, as it is a revelation from One most wise, most praiseworthy. [41: 40,41,42]
Hadith of the Day:
Allah said: "Whoever comes close to Me by the span of a hand, I come closer to Him by a cubit. And whoever comes closer to Me by a cubit, I come closer to him by an arms length. And if he walks toward Me, I rush toward him. [Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
It is a mark of sainthood to show compassion to all God's servants, to be pitiful towards them, and to fight for them, and with them, against the forces of evil. [Imam Ghazali]
Guidance of the Day:
The greatness that you are promised is not the grandeur that you have been taught to value by the world. The guide offers you the Kingdom of Heaven, which is already yours, though you remember it only faintly. The world offers you itself, which you know well, but not well enough to know that its end is emptiness.
We show you the end of your strivings. Your attempts to find a resting place in the world has come to naught. This you can now see, and you are nearly ready to admit. Your growing inclination to turn about to your Father's House is the yearning which will surely bring you Peace. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
If you don't change you don't grow. If you don't grow, you aren't really living. You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you. Escape from the cage you have built around yourself. Look inward for the answer and make the necessary changes in your life to find your freedom.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....59
1. When your faith and trust in God is total, and when prayer plays an essential role in your life, peace and clarity come into your thinking.
2. To have inner peace we need to learn to see the value of forgiveness. Unforgiving thoughts do not really bring us the peace of mind that we inwardly seek.
3. Those who are helping others and are concerned about the larger issues seem happier, more content than those who are just seeking their own selfish pleasures.
4. Who we are does not depend on what others think, but on the values and thoughts we have about ourselves.
5. Things change, not because we are controlling others, but because we change. Each day is an opportunity for growth and renewal.
6. Prayer is the real action in the full sense of the word, because prayer is the only thing that changes one's character. A change in character, or a change in soul, is a real change.
7. Force gratitude until it becomes habitual. Gratitude is the alchemy that turns problems into blessings, and the unexpected into gifts.
8. Our past is a series of lessons that advance us to higher levels of living and loving.
9. One of the greatest gifts we can give is an open, loving heart. And holding on to negative feelings from past relationships is our greatest barrier to that gift.
10. We need to teach the children to make it a better world. We need to teach truth, honesty, kindness, tolerance, humility, and the Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
2. To have inner peace we need to learn to see the value of forgiveness. Unforgiving thoughts do not really bring us the peace of mind that we inwardly seek.
3. Those who are helping others and are concerned about the larger issues seem happier, more content than those who are just seeking their own selfish pleasures.
4. Who we are does not depend on what others think, but on the values and thoughts we have about ourselves.
5. Things change, not because we are controlling others, but because we change. Each day is an opportunity for growth and renewal.
6. Prayer is the real action in the full sense of the word, because prayer is the only thing that changes one's character. A change in character, or a change in soul, is a real change.
7. Force gratitude until it becomes habitual. Gratitude is the alchemy that turns problems into blessings, and the unexpected into gifts.
8. Our past is a series of lessons that advance us to higher levels of living and loving.
9. One of the greatest gifts we can give is an open, loving heart. And holding on to negative feelings from past relationships is our greatest barrier to that gift.
10. We need to teach the children to make it a better world. We need to teach truth, honesty, kindness, tolerance, humility, and the Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
Friday, June 13, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1021
Ayah of the Day:
Among the signs of God is that you see the earth faded away, then We shower water on it, and it stirs and grows: the one who enlivens it is the One who gives life to the dead, having power over all things. [41: 39]
Hadith of the Day:
By Allah, Allah has more joy due to the repentance of His servant than one of you has when he finds his lost provisions in an open land. [Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
As you recollect all that God has granted you which you have desired for yourself, so you should endure patiently with God in that through which God desires to try you. [Ibn Ata'Allah]
Guidance of the Day:
Adapting, adjusting, and accommodating are qualities that we in western culture sometimes have a hard time understanding or putting into action. There is a great respect for working with the seasons, never against them. Life in the flow does not guarantee any recipes; there are no cut and dried, pre-packaged rules of thumb. Sometimes the answer is in one principle; sometimes it is the opposite.
Each challenge requires a unique solution. We have to feel our way through life. We must be flexible enough to know what needs to be done in the moment, even if it was not needed to be done a moment ago. If we have faith that God is guiding us, He will lead us to where we can serve in our own way-----which is His own way. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
We are rich only through what we give and poor only through what we refuse. A cheerful giver does not count the cost of what he gives. His heart is set on pleasing and cheering him to whom the gift is given.
Among the signs of God is that you see the earth faded away, then We shower water on it, and it stirs and grows: the one who enlivens it is the One who gives life to the dead, having power over all things. [41: 39]
Hadith of the Day:
By Allah, Allah has more joy due to the repentance of His servant than one of you has when he finds his lost provisions in an open land. [Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
As you recollect all that God has granted you which you have desired for yourself, so you should endure patiently with God in that through which God desires to try you. [Ibn Ata'Allah]
Guidance of the Day:
Adapting, adjusting, and accommodating are qualities that we in western culture sometimes have a hard time understanding or putting into action. There is a great respect for working with the seasons, never against them. Life in the flow does not guarantee any recipes; there are no cut and dried, pre-packaged rules of thumb. Sometimes the answer is in one principle; sometimes it is the opposite.
Each challenge requires a unique solution. We have to feel our way through life. We must be flexible enough to know what needs to be done in the moment, even if it was not needed to be done a moment ago. If we have faith that God is guiding us, He will lead us to where we can serve in our own way-----which is His own way. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
We are rich only through what we give and poor only through what we refuse. A cheerful giver does not count the cost of what he gives. His heart is set on pleasing and cheering him to whom the gift is given.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....58
1. The main reason people get angry is because they are filled with themselves, their egos get in the way.
2. One can control anger by recognizing that nothing takes place without God's leave; there is no power or might except God.
3. If your actions hold you back, your lineage will not speed you up.
4. To speak about death is to speak about the urgency to live a faithful and wholesome life before death over takes.
5. The often remembrance of death gives one energy to achieve good deeds, and engenders seeking repentance right away when one slips or errs.
6. Laughter and amusement at the expense of the dignity of others is wholly inappropriate.
7. Never mock any creature of God, for it might be beloved to He who created it.
8. Those who mock people in this life shall be mocked in the Hereafter, for it is a Divine law that God recompenses people with the like of what they have done.
9. It is easy to say something that brings ruins upon its speaker. Learning how to control the tongue is an enormous discipline.
10. Time is a gift that God has given us, and what we do with it is the most important challenge. Once we realize we are accountable for our time, then every minute becomes vital.
2. One can control anger by recognizing that nothing takes place without God's leave; there is no power or might except God.
3. If your actions hold you back, your lineage will not speed you up.
4. To speak about death is to speak about the urgency to live a faithful and wholesome life before death over takes.
5. The often remembrance of death gives one energy to achieve good deeds, and engenders seeking repentance right away when one slips or errs.
6. Laughter and amusement at the expense of the dignity of others is wholly inappropriate.
7. Never mock any creature of God, for it might be beloved to He who created it.
8. Those who mock people in this life shall be mocked in the Hereafter, for it is a Divine law that God recompenses people with the like of what they have done.
9. It is easy to say something that brings ruins upon its speaker. Learning how to control the tongue is an enormous discipline.
10. Time is a gift that God has given us, and what we do with it is the most important challenge. Once we realize we are accountable for our time, then every minute becomes vital.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1020
Ayahs of the Day:
If any evil suggestion from Satan should be suggested to you, then take refuge in God, for God is the all-hearing, the all-knowing. Among the signs of God are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Don't bow to the sun or to the moon, but bow to God, who created them, if that is who you worship and serve. Even if others are too arrogant for it, those who are in the presence of your Lord bow to God night and day, and they never weary. [41: 36,37,38]
Hadith of the Day:
Supplicate Allah while you are certain of a response, and know that Allah does not respond to a supplication from a heart that is heedless and inattentive. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Aspirations of this world are the cause of all concern. Aspire to God and obtain freedom. [Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani]
Guidance of the Day:
If we can just let go and trust in the process of our advancement, we can appreciate the miracle of the flow of life. If, during our turbulent periods, we keep ourselves dynamically balanced like a skilled surfer, the waves of our experience will guide us smoothly to the shore. We may fear that the waves will drown us, but it is actually the waves that move us.
Yielding is more powerful than the resistant is a fact known by all and practiced by none. To change one's mind or humble one's self is considered by many to be a sign of weakness, although the most humble among men are the most exalted. We are taught to subjugate, manhandle, and mold the world to conform to our expectations. But power is a word that very few people understand. The power that we gain in the world is like a bubble on the ocean of God. Sooner or later it pops and we once again find ourselves to be the ocean. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
It is not faith and works; it is not faith or works; it is faith that works. He who is small in faith will never be great in anything but failure. Faith is the heart of the mind. Faith is the wire that connects you to grace, and over which grace comes streaming from God.
If any evil suggestion from Satan should be suggested to you, then take refuge in God, for God is the all-hearing, the all-knowing. Among the signs of God are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Don't bow to the sun or to the moon, but bow to God, who created them, if that is who you worship and serve. Even if others are too arrogant for it, those who are in the presence of your Lord bow to God night and day, and they never weary. [41: 36,37,38]
Hadith of the Day:
Supplicate Allah while you are certain of a response, and know that Allah does not respond to a supplication from a heart that is heedless and inattentive. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Aspirations of this world are the cause of all concern. Aspire to God and obtain freedom. [Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani]
Guidance of the Day:
If we can just let go and trust in the process of our advancement, we can appreciate the miracle of the flow of life. If, during our turbulent periods, we keep ourselves dynamically balanced like a skilled surfer, the waves of our experience will guide us smoothly to the shore. We may fear that the waves will drown us, but it is actually the waves that move us.
Yielding is more powerful than the resistant is a fact known by all and practiced by none. To change one's mind or humble one's self is considered by many to be a sign of weakness, although the most humble among men are the most exalted. We are taught to subjugate, manhandle, and mold the world to conform to our expectations. But power is a word that very few people understand. The power that we gain in the world is like a bubble on the ocean of God. Sooner or later it pops and we once again find ourselves to be the ocean. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
It is not faith and works; it is not faith or works; it is faith that works. He who is small in faith will never be great in anything but failure. Faith is the heart of the mind. Faith is the wire that connects you to grace, and over which grace comes streaming from God.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....57
1. Our knowledge is wasted by not acting upon it.
2. Our actions are wasted by committing them without sincerity.
3. Our wealth is wasted for being spent on that which will not bring us any reward,
4. Our hearts are wasted for being empty of the love of Allah Most High, and empty of longing to go to Him, and empty of peace and contentment.
5. Our bodies are wasted for not being used mainly for Ibadah and service of Allah Most High.
6. Our love is wasted for being directed towards something or someone and not towards Allah Most High.
7. Our dhikr (remembrance of Allah Most High) is wasted for our hearts and lives not being effected by it.
8. Our time is wasted for not being used properly--------to compensate for that which has passed, by doing what is righteous to make up for the past deeds.
9. Our intellect is wasted for being used for things that are not beneficial, instead of in contemplation or reflection.
10. Our service is wasted for being at the service of someone who will not bring us close to Allah Most High. [Ibn Qayyim al Jawziya]
2. Our actions are wasted by committing them without sincerity.
3. Our wealth is wasted for being spent on that which will not bring us any reward,
4. Our hearts are wasted for being empty of the love of Allah Most High, and empty of longing to go to Him, and empty of peace and contentment.
5. Our bodies are wasted for not being used mainly for Ibadah and service of Allah Most High.
6. Our love is wasted for being directed towards something or someone and not towards Allah Most High.
7. Our dhikr (remembrance of Allah Most High) is wasted for our hearts and lives not being effected by it.
8. Our time is wasted for not being used properly--------to compensate for that which has passed, by doing what is righteous to make up for the past deeds.
9. Our intellect is wasted for being used for things that are not beneficial, instead of in contemplation or reflection.
10. Our service is wasted for being at the service of someone who will not bring us close to Allah Most High. [Ibn Qayyim al Jawziya]
Monday, June 09, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1019
Ayahs of the Day:
Who is more eloquent than one who invites to God and acts with integrity, saying, "I am one of those who acquiesce to God"? For good and evil are not equal: promote what is better, and then one between you and whom there was enmity will be as a friend, a relative. But no one will be offered that but those who have been constant; and no one will be offered that but one of great good fortune. [41: 33,34,35]
Hadith of the Day:
Three things follow the deceased (to his grave), two of them return and one remains with him; His family, wealth, and deeds follow him while his family and wealth return and only his deeds remain with him. [Bukhari & Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Don't be self-satisfied with fulfilling only the acts of worship that God has made obligatory for you. Rather, give rise to love by committing yourself to interacting with God in everything you do beyond obligatory acts of worship. [Ibn Ata'Allah]
Guidance of the Day:
There is a freedom that befalls you who are willing to trust in God. You once attempted to gain security, power, and life through fearful clinging, yet to what avail? Your observances of those in your midst who are at peace with themselves has revealed that sharing is the very source of joy.
Because the values of the world are founded on distorted perception, you have taught to believe that accumulation is success. Fulfillment cannot be found in things, but only in selfless sharing. Your happiness is completely dependent on your confidence in God's ability to give you that which you cannot give yourself. Release the goals that you have made for yourself and allow them to be replaced by the Goal that God has always had for you. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought. As is our confidence, so is our capacity. The more we do, the more we can do; the more busy we are, the more leisure we have. To every disadvantage there is a corresponding advantage.
Who is more eloquent than one who invites to God and acts with integrity, saying, "I am one of those who acquiesce to God"? For good and evil are not equal: promote what is better, and then one between you and whom there was enmity will be as a friend, a relative. But no one will be offered that but those who have been constant; and no one will be offered that but one of great good fortune. [41: 33,34,35]
Hadith of the Day:
Three things follow the deceased (to his grave), two of them return and one remains with him; His family, wealth, and deeds follow him while his family and wealth return and only his deeds remain with him. [Bukhari & Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Don't be self-satisfied with fulfilling only the acts of worship that God has made obligatory for you. Rather, give rise to love by committing yourself to interacting with God in everything you do beyond obligatory acts of worship. [Ibn Ata'Allah]
Guidance of the Day:
There is a freedom that befalls you who are willing to trust in God. You once attempted to gain security, power, and life through fearful clinging, yet to what avail? Your observances of those in your midst who are at peace with themselves has revealed that sharing is the very source of joy.
Because the values of the world are founded on distorted perception, you have taught to believe that accumulation is success. Fulfillment cannot be found in things, but only in selfless sharing. Your happiness is completely dependent on your confidence in God's ability to give you that which you cannot give yourself. Release the goals that you have made for yourself and allow them to be replaced by the Goal that God has always had for you. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought. As is our confidence, so is our capacity. The more we do, the more we can do; the more busy we are, the more leisure we have. To every disadvantage there is a corresponding advantage.
Friday, June 06, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....56
1. Watch yourself about complaining. What you are supposed to do when you don't like a thing is change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think about it. Don't complain.
2. The true meaning of life is to plant a tree under whose shade you do not expect to sit.
3. Life is a movement, activity, striving, fighting against baser things. We have too much to do, too little time.
4. Not a day passes which does not say, "so be careful of what you do during my stay." When the day has passed, it is folded up and sealed.
5. 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. A person without a goal is like a ship without a rudder which runs on the mercy of wind and waves.
6. We do things which make us feel good but self-care also means not doing certain things that make us feel bad.
7. Each of us can make a difference. We can each choose to live a life in which we can say, when we die, that the world is a better place for our having been here. Our goal should be to live and not just to survive.
8. We are our own teachers and disciplinarian. Through practice we learn to surrender ourselves to good.
9. Loving and forgiving is what life is all about. It is something to do, not something to try to do.
10. People may seem to be perfectly impossible. They may seem to be mean and small and sly. But if we will take ten paces to the left and look again with the light falling at a different angle, very likely we will see that they are generally generous and warm and kind. It all depends on the point from which we are seeing them.
2. The true meaning of life is to plant a tree under whose shade you do not expect to sit.
3. Life is a movement, activity, striving, fighting against baser things. We have too much to do, too little time.
4. Not a day passes which does not say, "so be careful of what you do during my stay." When the day has passed, it is folded up and sealed.
5. 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. A person without a goal is like a ship without a rudder which runs on the mercy of wind and waves.
6. We do things which make us feel good but self-care also means not doing certain things that make us feel bad.
7. Each of us can make a difference. We can each choose to live a life in which we can say, when we die, that the world is a better place for our having been here. Our goal should be to live and not just to survive.
8. We are our own teachers and disciplinarian. Through practice we learn to surrender ourselves to good.
9. Loving and forgiving is what life is all about. It is something to do, not something to try to do.
10. People may seem to be perfectly impossible. They may seem to be mean and small and sly. But if we will take ten paces to the left and look again with the light falling at a different angle, very likely we will see that they are generally generous and warm and kind. It all depends on the point from which we are seeing them.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1018
Ayahs of the Day:
As for those who say 'Our Lord is God' and are upright, the angels will descend on them: "Do not fear, but rejoice in the garden that you have been promised. We are your helpers in the life of the world and in the hereafter, where you will have whatever your souls desire, and you will have whatever you ask for, as hospitality from One most forgiving, most merciful. [41: 30,31,32]
Hadith of the Day:
Verily, those who have the most (wealth) will be the ones with least of the Day of Resurrection, except for the one who says, "This is for that, this is for that, and this is for that, (in other words, he gives the wealth away for good causes). [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
A reward is not a payment but a gift, a sign of Allah's generosity. Punishment is not a necessity, but a manifestation of justice. Allah is not obliged either to reward or to punish His creation,, which has no right to demand anything from Him. [Imam Birgivi]
Guidance of the Day:
When I leave this world, I do not want to be bound to anything--------not to any object, any person, any philosophy, any unfulfilled desire. I want to head straight for the Light, with no delays on the local track. My prayer is to drop all my luggage and to leave my arms free to embrace God and God alone. I don't want to have to come back for anything, unless I am to serve. I have never found any real or lasting pleasure in any physical object or person. Ironically, the more I have given up attachments to things and people, the more I am able to love and enjoy them.
As long as we see God, Peace, or Consciousness as outside of ourselves, we shall never know Him completely. The moment we find God within, our searching comes to an end, for we realize that He has been within us all along, and ever shall there remain. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Nothing more detestable does the earth produce than an ungrateful man. A proud man is seldom a grateful man, for he never thinks he gets as much as he deserves.
As for those who say 'Our Lord is God' and are upright, the angels will descend on them: "Do not fear, but rejoice in the garden that you have been promised. We are your helpers in the life of the world and in the hereafter, where you will have whatever your souls desire, and you will have whatever you ask for, as hospitality from One most forgiving, most merciful. [41: 30,31,32]
Hadith of the Day:
Verily, those who have the most (wealth) will be the ones with least of the Day of Resurrection, except for the one who says, "This is for that, this is for that, and this is for that, (in other words, he gives the wealth away for good causes). [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
A reward is not a payment but a gift, a sign of Allah's generosity. Punishment is not a necessity, but a manifestation of justice. Allah is not obliged either to reward or to punish His creation,, which has no right to demand anything from Him. [Imam Birgivi]
Guidance of the Day:
When I leave this world, I do not want to be bound to anything--------not to any object, any person, any philosophy, any unfulfilled desire. I want to head straight for the Light, with no delays on the local track. My prayer is to drop all my luggage and to leave my arms free to embrace God and God alone. I don't want to have to come back for anything, unless I am to serve. I have never found any real or lasting pleasure in any physical object or person. Ironically, the more I have given up attachments to things and people, the more I am able to love and enjoy them.
As long as we see God, Peace, or Consciousness as outside of ourselves, we shall never know Him completely. The moment we find God within, our searching comes to an end, for we realize that He has been within us all along, and ever shall there remain. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Nothing more detestable does the earth produce than an ungrateful man. A proud man is seldom a grateful man, for he never thinks he gets as much as he deserves.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....55
1. Knowledge is the only instrument of production that is not subject to diminishing returns.
2. It's not our position but our disposition that makes us happy.
3. A discussion seeks what is right; and an argument seeks who is right.
4. Proud people end in shame, but the meek become wise------Be humble, take advice, and become wise.
5. The test of generosity is not how much you give, but how much you have left.
6. You should always look at the level of hardship you are bearing and appreciate that things could have been worse.
7. Everything happens according to a Divine decree, and in the deaths of others are morals and lessons.
8. We are successful to the degree that we are dutiful to Allah, and after that how we interact with His slaves-------We need to deal with others as we would have them deal with us.
9. Contentment enhances our spiritual life. When we feel genuinely contented with our life, we will be able to solve any problem more easily and efficiently than we ever thought possible.
10. We don't always have power over other people and events, but we do have tremendous power to feel happy and contented with our life.
2. It's not our position but our disposition that makes us happy.
3. A discussion seeks what is right; and an argument seeks who is right.
4. Proud people end in shame, but the meek become wise------Be humble, take advice, and become wise.
5. The test of generosity is not how much you give, but how much you have left.
6. You should always look at the level of hardship you are bearing and appreciate that things could have been worse.
7. Everything happens according to a Divine decree, and in the deaths of others are morals and lessons.
8. We are successful to the degree that we are dutiful to Allah, and after that how we interact with His slaves-------We need to deal with others as we would have them deal with us.
9. Contentment enhances our spiritual life. When we feel genuinely contented with our life, we will be able to solve any problem more easily and efficiently than we ever thought possible.
10. We don't always have power over other people and events, but we do have tremendous power to feel happy and contented with our life.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1017
Ayahs of the Day:
"And you could not hide from your hearing, your seeing, and your skins testifying against you, but you supposed that God does not know much of what you do. But this supposition of yours about your Lord has brought you to the destruction, so you have become losers." So if they wait, the fire will be their abode; and if they apologize, they will not be pardoned. [41: 22,23,24]
Hadith of the Day:
Verily for every nation there is a trial. And the trial of my nation is wealth! [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The sign of the love and attachment to Allah Most High is to follow Muhammad, the Beloved of Allah (peace and blessings upon him), in one's morals, character, behavior, state, and actions. [Dhul-Nun al-Misri]
Guidance of the Day:
When we surrender all to God, we are not failing, or being weak, or losing anything. To the contrary, we are making ourselves available to be filled with all the Love that we ever wanted. We eventually see that it is not the things that we must let go of, but our attachment to them. We can remove ourselves from things, but if we keep mental ties to them, we might as well be with them; in fact, we would probably do better to be with them, for then we could learn to let them go.
Attachment takes the form of thoughts of "mine." A mine is something that blows up when you step on it. All of our troubles are in the mind. That is where our problems start and that is where they end. There are no physical chains binding us to anything; the chains are forged in our minds and the lock is fastened with the thoughts. The key to freedom is in the thoughts, as well. If a thought can bind, a thought can free. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
A rich man without charity is a rogue; and perhaps it would be no difficult matter to prove that he is also a fool. True virtue has no limits, but goes on and on, and especially holy charity, which is the virtue of virtues, and which, being an infinite object, would become infinite if it could meet with a heart capable of infinity.
"And you could not hide from your hearing, your seeing, and your skins testifying against you, but you supposed that God does not know much of what you do. But this supposition of yours about your Lord has brought you to the destruction, so you have become losers." So if they wait, the fire will be their abode; and if they apologize, they will not be pardoned. [41: 22,23,24]
Hadith of the Day:
Verily for every nation there is a trial. And the trial of my nation is wealth! [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The sign of the love and attachment to Allah Most High is to follow Muhammad, the Beloved of Allah (peace and blessings upon him), in one's morals, character, behavior, state, and actions. [Dhul-Nun al-Misri]
Guidance of the Day:
When we surrender all to God, we are not failing, or being weak, or losing anything. To the contrary, we are making ourselves available to be filled with all the Love that we ever wanted. We eventually see that it is not the things that we must let go of, but our attachment to them. We can remove ourselves from things, but if we keep mental ties to them, we might as well be with them; in fact, we would probably do better to be with them, for then we could learn to let them go.
Attachment takes the form of thoughts of "mine." A mine is something that blows up when you step on it. All of our troubles are in the mind. That is where our problems start and that is where they end. There are no physical chains binding us to anything; the chains are forged in our minds and the lock is fastened with the thoughts. The key to freedom is in the thoughts, as well. If a thought can bind, a thought can free. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
A rich man without charity is a rogue; and perhaps it would be no difficult matter to prove that he is also a fool. True virtue has no limits, but goes on and on, and especially holy charity, which is the virtue of virtues, and which, being an infinite object, would become infinite if it could meet with a heart capable of infinity.
Pearls of Wisdom....54
1. Whether you have a little or a lot, learn to be thankful.
2. Deeds of charity protect one from the vicissitudes of life.
3. Your value is determined by your faith and character.
4. The happy family is replete with love, contentment, and fear of Allah.
5. To speak in a friendly tone breeds understanding with everyone.
6. Minor and trifling matters are the causes of most domestic problems.
7. An obsession for revenge and unforgivenss is poison that flows through the diseased soul.
8. The seeker of revenge will always feel more pain and misery than the object of his revenge because he has lost both peace and serenity.
9. Who is the one who has never erred? And who is the possessor of pure good?
10. When the believer is overcome by misfortune, only by repenting can he truly find a way out of his difficulties.
2. Deeds of charity protect one from the vicissitudes of life.
3. Your value is determined by your faith and character.
4. The happy family is replete with love, contentment, and fear of Allah.
5. To speak in a friendly tone breeds understanding with everyone.
6. Minor and trifling matters are the causes of most domestic problems.
7. An obsession for revenge and unforgivenss is poison that flows through the diseased soul.
8. The seeker of revenge will always feel more pain and misery than the object of his revenge because he has lost both peace and serenity.
9. Who is the one who has never erred? And who is the possessor of pure good?
10. When the believer is overcome by misfortune, only by repenting can he truly find a way out of his difficulties.
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