Ayahs of the Day:
You will see the wrongdoers in fear on account of what they have earned, which is falling upon them. But those who believe and do good works they will have what they wish in the presence of their Lord. That is the great blessing. That is the glad news God gives to faithful servants who do good works. Say, "I do not ask you any compensation for this, except affection among near of kin." And for anyone who brings about good, We will add goodness to it, for God is forgiving, appreciative. [42: 22,23]
Hadith of the Day:
The greatness of reward goes with the greatness of the trial. Verily, if Allah loves a people, He tries them. Whoever is pleased, shall have Allah's pleasure. And whoever is angered, shall have Allah's anger. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Do not fix your hopes on your health, and do not laugh away life. Remember how they walked and now their joints lie separated and the tongue with which they talked is eaten away by the worms. [Imam Ghazali]
Guidance of the Day:
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. All of life's experiences are to be either enjoyed or learned from. This is a different perspective than we usually hold; we have been conditioned to believe that life is a combination of good and bad, and that the price we pay for the good is the bad. Yet there is another way of looking at our experiences.
The hurts and sorrows that we feel in life are not punishments from God; they are messages given to us by a loving God who is showing us exactly where we need to change in order to grow into serenity that is our nature. Understanding this truth entirely changes the way we look at our difficulties. Seen in this light, troubles turn into lessons, and grudges into Grace. Simply, it makes all of life good. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
A man has made at least a start on discovering the meaning of human life when he plants shade trees under which he knows full well he will never sit. Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....73
1. The one who overcomes his desires is braver than him who conquers his enemies, for the hardest victory is self.
2. You will find rest from vain fancies if you do every act in life as though it were your last.
3. Never take anything for granted, but rather take everything with gratitude.
4. Next to knowing when to seize an opportunity, the most important thing in life is to know when to forgo an advantage.
5. Having been poor is no shame, but being ashamed of it is.
6. He that can have patience can have what he wills.
7. He that composes himself is wiser than he that composes a book.
8. He that is of the opinion "money will do anything" may well be suspected of doing anything for money.
9. He that won't be counseled can't be helped.
10. If passion drives you, let reason hold your reign.
2. You will find rest from vain fancies if you do every act in life as though it were your last.
3. Never take anything for granted, but rather take everything with gratitude.
4. Next to knowing when to seize an opportunity, the most important thing in life is to know when to forgo an advantage.
5. Having been poor is no shame, but being ashamed of it is.
6. He that can have patience can have what he wills.
7. He that composes himself is wiser than he that composes a book.
8. He that is of the opinion "money will do anything" may well be suspected of doing anything for money.
9. He that won't be counseled can't be helped.
10. If passion drives you, let reason hold your reign.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1035
Ayahs of the Day:
God is kind to mortals, providing at will for anyone; being the Almighty, the All-capable. Whoever desires the fruit of the Hereafter, We increase his fruit for him; and whoever desires the fruit of this world, We give him some, but he has no share of the Hereafter. [42: 19,20]
Hadith of the Day:
The one who is happy to have Allah respond to him during hardships and difficulties should increase his supplications during times of ease. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
A man while he is alive, needs a decent house to live in respectfully. If he has such a house, he should be grateful and endeavor for a house in the next world. [Imam Abu Hanifa]
Guidance of the Day:
Seek not to become good through future actions, for this would create an evil of the old, a creation of fantasy, and not of fact. Work, rather, to transmute, or refine your understanding of your work. In so doing, you raise your deeds to the highest, a position which they have always merited, but which you have not always accepted.
It is of the utmost importance to relieve yourself of the judgment of the activities of your sisters and brothers. In so doing, you free yourself as well as them. We do not judge any soul, for we lose not sight of Divinity. It is very difficult for you to know the purpose of another's work. The mind must be made to function for you as an instrument of blessing. All that you see is a matter of interpretation. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
People are lucky and unlucky.....according to the ratio between what they get and what they have been led to expect. Happy the man who early learns the wide chasm that lies between his wishes and his powers. We must like what we have when we don't have what we like.
God is kind to mortals, providing at will for anyone; being the Almighty, the All-capable. Whoever desires the fruit of the Hereafter, We increase his fruit for him; and whoever desires the fruit of this world, We give him some, but he has no share of the Hereafter. [42: 19,20]
Hadith of the Day:
The one who is happy to have Allah respond to him during hardships and difficulties should increase his supplications during times of ease. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
A man while he is alive, needs a decent house to live in respectfully. If he has such a house, he should be grateful and endeavor for a house in the next world. [Imam Abu Hanifa]
Guidance of the Day:
Seek not to become good through future actions, for this would create an evil of the old, a creation of fantasy, and not of fact. Work, rather, to transmute, or refine your understanding of your work. In so doing, you raise your deeds to the highest, a position which they have always merited, but which you have not always accepted.
It is of the utmost importance to relieve yourself of the judgment of the activities of your sisters and brothers. In so doing, you free yourself as well as them. We do not judge any soul, for we lose not sight of Divinity. It is very difficult for you to know the purpose of another's work. The mind must be made to function for you as an instrument of blessing. All that you see is a matter of interpretation. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
People are lucky and unlucky.....according to the ratio between what they get and what they have been led to expect. Happy the man who early learns the wide chasm that lies between his wishes and his powers. We must like what we have when we don't have what we like.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....72
1. Each of us fails from time to time. If we are wise, we accept these failures as a necessary part of learning.
2. Experience is the name given to our mistakes and failures. It's all right to make a mistake so long as we erase them and try again.
3. Don't worry about failure. Worry about the chances you miss when you don't even try.
4. Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is best.
5. We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.
6. Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends with them?
7. In the end it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years that really counts.
8. We should be too big to take offense and too noble to give it.
9. Anger and grudge dwell in the chests of fools.
10. A penny saved is a penny earned. Beware of little expenses, a small leak can sink a great ship.
2. Experience is the name given to our mistakes and failures. It's all right to make a mistake so long as we erase them and try again.
3. Don't worry about failure. Worry about the chances you miss when you don't even try.
4. Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is best.
5. We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.
6. Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends with them?
7. In the end it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years that really counts.
8. We should be too big to take offense and too noble to give it.
9. Anger and grudge dwell in the chests of fools.
10. A penny saved is a penny earned. Beware of little expenses, a small leak can sink a great ship.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1034
Ayahs of the Day:
And as for those who dispute about God after God has been accepted, their argument is invalid with their Lord; and they are deserving of wrath, and there is intense agony in store for them. God is the one who sent down the Book in truth, and the balance. And what will make you understand the end of time may be near? [42: 16,17]
Hadith of the Day:
Everything has a reality to it. The servant does not reach the reality of faith until he knows that what reached him was not going to miss him and what missed him was not going to reach him. [Ahmad]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Take revenge on your greed with contentment, just as you take revenge on your enemy with retribution. [Ibrahim al Maristani]
Guidance of the Day:
Our lives are transformed not through becoming Divine, but through realizing that all of our experiences have served a Godly purpose. We cannot deny any element of our personal history, for each experience has played a vital role in our training as master souls. The world is more of a school than a playground.
We must learn to walk before we can run. We would certainly not return to grade school now, but neither would we throw away what we learned, for it has brought us to where we are now. The flower does not find itself unworthy because it was once a seed, nor does it judge other flowers in seed form. Are we not all flowers in various stages of opening? [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Lord, grant that I may seek rather
To comfort----than to be comforted;
To understand----than to be understood;
To love----than to be loved;
For it is by giving that one receives;
It is by self-forgetting that one finds;
It is by forgiving that one is forgiven;
It is by dying that one awakens to
eternal life.
And as for those who dispute about God after God has been accepted, their argument is invalid with their Lord; and they are deserving of wrath, and there is intense agony in store for them. God is the one who sent down the Book in truth, and the balance. And what will make you understand the end of time may be near? [42: 16,17]
Hadith of the Day:
Everything has a reality to it. The servant does not reach the reality of faith until he knows that what reached him was not going to miss him and what missed him was not going to reach him. [Ahmad]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Take revenge on your greed with contentment, just as you take revenge on your enemy with retribution. [Ibrahim al Maristani]
Guidance of the Day:
Our lives are transformed not through becoming Divine, but through realizing that all of our experiences have served a Godly purpose. We cannot deny any element of our personal history, for each experience has played a vital role in our training as master souls. The world is more of a school than a playground.
We must learn to walk before we can run. We would certainly not return to grade school now, but neither would we throw away what we learned, for it has brought us to where we are now. The flower does not find itself unworthy because it was once a seed, nor does it judge other flowers in seed form. Are we not all flowers in various stages of opening? [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Lord, grant that I may seek rather
To comfort----than to be comforted;
To understand----than to be understood;
To love----than to be loved;
For it is by giving that one receives;
It is by self-forgetting that one finds;
It is by forgiving that one is forgiven;
It is by dying that one awakens to
eternal life.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....71
1. The one who does not read good books has no advantage over the one who cannot read them.
2. Whatever is begun in anger ends in shame.
3. The shortest distance between a problem and its solution is the distance between your knees and the floor. The one who kneels to Allah can stand up to anything.
4. The road to knowledge begins with the turn of a page.
5. Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.
6. The steps we take today create the path we'll use tomorrow.
7. If you dream long enough-----and work hard enough-----the good Lord will help your dream come true.
8. Knowledge is learning something everyday. Wisdom is letting go of something everyday.
9. The great thing in this life is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving.
10. We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.
2. Whatever is begun in anger ends in shame.
3. The shortest distance between a problem and its solution is the distance between your knees and the floor. The one who kneels to Allah can stand up to anything.
4. The road to knowledge begins with the turn of a page.
5. Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.
6. The steps we take today create the path we'll use tomorrow.
7. If you dream long enough-----and work hard enough-----the good Lord will help your dream come true.
8. Knowledge is learning something everyday. Wisdom is letting go of something everyday.
9. The great thing in this life is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving.
10. We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1033
Ayah of the Day:
So then give the call, and be upright as you have been commanded, not following their wishes. And say, "I believe in any scripture that God has revealed. And I have been commanded to treat you all fairly. God is our Lord and your Lord too. We are responsible for our acts, and you are responsible for your acts. Let there be no argument between us, and the journey is to God." [41: 15]
Hadith of the Day:
No one guards his ablution except the true believer. [Ahmad]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The life of this world is ephemeral, and its gains will not last. Good deeds are the best of possessions in Allah's sight. [Abdullah Yusuf Ali]
Guidance of the Day:
Our hidden goodness and talents are released when we are willing to play the game of owning them, even if we are not fully convinced that they are ours. Our strength lie within us, it is only our permission that can activate their expression. Our problem is not that we are weak, but that we do not believe that we are strong. Although love is the only thing that is real, we have believed in negation for so long that we thought it to be genuine, when it is but an offshoot of a mistaken thought.
You have been conditioned to accept an identity which is not true. To supercede that conditioning, you must accept a new image of yourself--------one of Godliness and Beauty. You prove that image by your purposeful action. Use your "ordinary" actions to release into expression your purest thoughts, that the world may be uplifted. Renounce the patterns of a painful past, and come of age as a being of Golden Light. Know that you are supported in your efforts. Every act of harmony with your good nature brings you closer to your goal of true self expression. Be not confused by the ways of the world. They are the ways of ignorance. The ways of Spirit are those of joy and bounty. They lead to life and happiness. Choose the force with which you would align yourself. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
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. If that doesn't work try complaining all the time. It's only 40 percent compass, but it's your choice.
So then give the call, and be upright as you have been commanded, not following their wishes. And say, "I believe in any scripture that God has revealed. And I have been commanded to treat you all fairly. God is our Lord and your Lord too. We are responsible for our acts, and you are responsible for your acts. Let there be no argument between us, and the journey is to God." [41: 15]
Hadith of the Day:
No one guards his ablution except the true believer. [Ahmad]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The life of this world is ephemeral, and its gains will not last. Good deeds are the best of possessions in Allah's sight. [Abdullah Yusuf Ali]
Guidance of the Day:
Our hidden goodness and talents are released when we are willing to play the game of owning them, even if we are not fully convinced that they are ours. Our strength lie within us, it is only our permission that can activate their expression. Our problem is not that we are weak, but that we do not believe that we are strong. Although love is the only thing that is real, we have believed in negation for so long that we thought it to be genuine, when it is but an offshoot of a mistaken thought.
You have been conditioned to accept an identity which is not true. To supercede that conditioning, you must accept a new image of yourself--------one of Godliness and Beauty. You prove that image by your purposeful action. Use your "ordinary" actions to release into expression your purest thoughts, that the world may be uplifted. Renounce the patterns of a painful past, and come of age as a being of Golden Light. Know that you are supported in your efforts. Every act of harmony with your good nature brings you closer to your goal of true self expression. Be not confused by the ways of the world. They are the ways of ignorance. The ways of Spirit are those of joy and bounty. They lead to life and happiness. Choose the force with which you would align yourself. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
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. If that doesn't work try complaining all the time. It's only 40 percent compass, but it's your choice.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....70
1. Live simply, so that others may simply live.
2. He who loses money loses much. He who loses a friend loses much more. He who loses faith loses all.
3. Whoever does not endure a difficult beginning, does not have a bright ending. Without a struggle, there can be no progress.
4. People who know little are usually great talkers, while men who know much say little.
5. Don't limit a challenge, challenge a limit. Without faith nothing is possible, with it nothing is impossible.
6. Patience is not passive; on the contrary, it is active; it is concentrated strength.
7. No legacy is so rich as honesty. If once you forfeit the confidence of your fellow citizen, you can never regain their respect and esteem.
8. Those who are full of themselves, are likely to be quite empty. The greatest truths are the simplest; and so are the greatest people.
9. Love is patient; Love is kind. It does not envy; it does not boast. It is not proud, it is not rude. It is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered.
10. Love is giving freely, expecting nothing in return. It keeps no record of wrongs, It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
2. He who loses money loses much. He who loses a friend loses much more. He who loses faith loses all.
3. Whoever does not endure a difficult beginning, does not have a bright ending. Without a struggle, there can be no progress.
4. People who know little are usually great talkers, while men who know much say little.
5. Don't limit a challenge, challenge a limit. Without faith nothing is possible, with it nothing is impossible.
6. Patience is not passive; on the contrary, it is active; it is concentrated strength.
7. No legacy is so rich as honesty. If once you forfeit the confidence of your fellow citizen, you can never regain their respect and esteem.
8. Those who are full of themselves, are likely to be quite empty. The greatest truths are the simplest; and so are the greatest people.
9. Love is patient; Love is kind. It does not envy; it does not boast. It is not proud, it is not rude. It is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered.
10. Love is giving freely, expecting nothing in return. It keeps no record of wrongs, It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1032
Ayah of the Day:
God has prescribed for you what God enjoined on Noah, by which We inspired you, and what We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, that you be steadfast in faith and not be disunited in it. What you call them to is too much for idolaters. God chooses for God whomever God wants, and guides to the divine whoever turns to God. [42: 13]
Hadith of the Day:
Allah gives respite to one who commits dhulm, but when He seizes him, He never releases him. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The one who knows reaches the level of the service of God, which is the highest level to which anyone can aspire in this world or the Hereafter. To teach is better than praying. Knowledge brings people together. Action depends on knowledge. Those who are blessed are inspired by it. Those who disobey God are punished by the lack of it. [Imam Birgivi]
Guidance of the Day:
To wear a "magic mask" of loving words and deeds is to act in accord with our real nature. Once we begin to reap the benefits of our given love, we discover that it is our goodness that was real all along, and negation an imposter. We are like an actor who has played his role for so long that he forgot who he was before he began to play. Before we got used to the world's norm of defensiveness, it was very natural for us to be innocent and happy. As children,we lived in a blissful state, shining our light and love on all, regardless of their age, sex, or color. This is why even the hardest person melts in the presence of an innocent child, for children awaken our memory of the purity within ourselves which we long to once again express.
By God's loving Grace, the purity was never lost------it just became veiled by a smoggy layer of erroneous beliefs that we could be something less than divine. Our happy surprise is that all of the ideals that we cherish-----love, wisdom, kindness, compassion, and beauty------we already are; we seek after them only because they are the original aspects of ourselves that we came into life to express. Our purposeful positivity is the key to that expression. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
There is no situation that is not transformable. There is no person who is hopeless. There is no set of circumstances that cannot be turned about by ordinary human beings and their natural capacity for love of the deepest sort.
God has prescribed for you what God enjoined on Noah, by which We inspired you, and what We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, that you be steadfast in faith and not be disunited in it. What you call them to is too much for idolaters. God chooses for God whomever God wants, and guides to the divine whoever turns to God. [42: 13]
Hadith of the Day:
Allah gives respite to one who commits dhulm, but when He seizes him, He never releases him. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The one who knows reaches the level of the service of God, which is the highest level to which anyone can aspire in this world or the Hereafter. To teach is better than praying. Knowledge brings people together. Action depends on knowledge. Those who are blessed are inspired by it. Those who disobey God are punished by the lack of it. [Imam Birgivi]
Guidance of the Day:
To wear a "magic mask" of loving words and deeds is to act in accord with our real nature. Once we begin to reap the benefits of our given love, we discover that it is our goodness that was real all along, and negation an imposter. We are like an actor who has played his role for so long that he forgot who he was before he began to play. Before we got used to the world's norm of defensiveness, it was very natural for us to be innocent and happy. As children,we lived in a blissful state, shining our light and love on all, regardless of their age, sex, or color. This is why even the hardest person melts in the presence of an innocent child, for children awaken our memory of the purity within ourselves which we long to once again express.
By God's loving Grace, the purity was never lost------it just became veiled by a smoggy layer of erroneous beliefs that we could be something less than divine. Our happy surprise is that all of the ideals that we cherish-----love, wisdom, kindness, compassion, and beauty------we already are; we seek after them only because they are the original aspects of ourselves that we came into life to express. Our purposeful positivity is the key to that expression. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
There is no situation that is not transformable. There is no person who is hopeless. There is no set of circumstances that cannot be turned about by ordinary human beings and their natural capacity for love of the deepest sort.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....69
1. Do a good deed, throw it into the sea; If the fish don't know. The Creator does.
2. Man's way leads to a hopeless end; Allah's way leads to an endless hope.
3. The one who correctly praises you is your friend. The one who criticizes you is your teacher. The one who flatters you is your enemy.
4. To read without reflecting is like eating without digesting.
5. Treat your friends and relatives as you do with your pictures------place them in their best light.
6. People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
7. Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid of standing still.
8. As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so life well used brings happy death.
9. There is nothing that impairs one's religion, diminishes one's respectability, ends one's happiness or preoccupies one's heart like arguing.
10. Learn; for man is not born knowledgeable and know that the one who possesses knowledge resembles not the ignorant; since he practices what he learns.
2. Man's way leads to a hopeless end; Allah's way leads to an endless hope.
3. The one who correctly praises you is your friend. The one who criticizes you is your teacher. The one who flatters you is your enemy.
4. To read without reflecting is like eating without digesting.
5. Treat your friends and relatives as you do with your pictures------place them in their best light.
6. People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
7. Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid of standing still.
8. As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so life well used brings happy death.
9. There is nothing that impairs one's religion, diminishes one's respectability, ends one's happiness or preoccupies one's heart like arguing.
10. Learn; for man is not born knowledgeable and know that the one who possesses knowledge resembles not the ignorant; since he practices what he learns.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1031
Ayahs of the Day:
Whatever it is you differ on, it is God to judge; that is God, my Lord, in whom I trust, and to whom I turn; creator of the heavens and the earth, God has made for you mates from yourselves, and pairs of pasturing animals, creating you in this way. There is nothing like God, the Hearing, the Seeing; the keys to heavens and earth are God's, who expands the provision of anyone at will, and sets limits; for God knows every thing. [42: 10,11,12]
Hadith of the Day:
All humans are sinners, and the best of sinners are those who repent much. [Tirmidhi & Abu Dawud]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The duration of life is one breath. Take care that you master it and that it does not master you. [Shaykh Abu Madyan]
Guidance of the Day:
When we summon the courage to have a clear look at our hidden selves, we see how flimsily they were constructed, and we can enjoy the best kind of laugh as we watch them disintegrate. Real growth comes only through self-acceptance. As long as we deny any aspect of our being, we make believe that something could be outside of God. Approval by others is a limited acceptance; it is not self-acceptance. Approval by others may bring encouragement, but acceptance by my self brings freedom. In the long run, acceptance by others does not solve the problem of leaning outward for validation.
If we allowed social approval to make us happy, we are making ourselves vulnerable to social rejection making us unhappy. In other words, we are giving the power of our happiness to other people, which is never a wise investment. We need to clear ourselves with God, which is the only clearing that is really valuable. God's love is the surest thing in the universe. We cannot fool God; we can only try to fool our little selves. There is no reason to hide and no place to run. When we offer our lives to Him, He assumes full responsibility for our well-being. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Acts of kindness positively affect not only the immune system of the recipient but, almost unbelievably, that of the doer as well! When you are kind, you become stronger and healthier. People who are kind and compassionate tend to sleep better and have pleasant dreams, love themselves and are loved by others, and feel peaceful most of the time. It shows that kindness is one of our most natural states and a trait we were born to express.
Whatever it is you differ on, it is God to judge; that is God, my Lord, in whom I trust, and to whom I turn; creator of the heavens and the earth, God has made for you mates from yourselves, and pairs of pasturing animals, creating you in this way. There is nothing like God, the Hearing, the Seeing; the keys to heavens and earth are God's, who expands the provision of anyone at will, and sets limits; for God knows every thing. [42: 10,11,12]
Hadith of the Day:
All humans are sinners, and the best of sinners are those who repent much. [Tirmidhi & Abu Dawud]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The duration of life is one breath. Take care that you master it and that it does not master you. [Shaykh Abu Madyan]
Guidance of the Day:
When we summon the courage to have a clear look at our hidden selves, we see how flimsily they were constructed, and we can enjoy the best kind of laugh as we watch them disintegrate. Real growth comes only through self-acceptance. As long as we deny any aspect of our being, we make believe that something could be outside of God. Approval by others is a limited acceptance; it is not self-acceptance. Approval by others may bring encouragement, but acceptance by my self brings freedom. In the long run, acceptance by others does not solve the problem of leaning outward for validation.
If we allowed social approval to make us happy, we are making ourselves vulnerable to social rejection making us unhappy. In other words, we are giving the power of our happiness to other people, which is never a wise investment. We need to clear ourselves with God, which is the only clearing that is really valuable. God's love is the surest thing in the universe. We cannot fool God; we can only try to fool our little selves. There is no reason to hide and no place to run. When we offer our lives to Him, He assumes full responsibility for our well-being. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Acts of kindness positively affect not only the immune system of the recipient but, almost unbelievably, that of the doer as well! When you are kind, you become stronger and healthier. People who are kind and compassionate tend to sleep better and have pleasant dreams, love themselves and are loved by others, and feel peaceful most of the time. It shows that kindness is one of our most natural states and a trait we were born to express.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....68
1. Success is a state of mind; when you believe you can-----you can.
2. Life's battles don't always go to the stronger or the faster man; but sooner or later the man who wins is the man who thinks he can.
3. Fortunate is the one who has developed self-control to steer a straight course toward one's objective in life, without being swayed by commendation or condemnation.
4. Whatever life may take from you, it will never be able to deplete the good and valuable things you have to give.
5. What you have lost you can afford to lose. What you have gained is something you cannot do without------be grateful.
6. The secret of abundance is to stop focussing on what you do not have, and shift your consciousness to an appreciation to all that you are and all that you have.
7. When the mind is ready, the teacher appears. Knowledge is the beginning of practice, doing is the completion of knowing.
8. In nine out of ten, the slanderous tongue belongs to a disappointed person.
9. Success in marriage does not come merely through finding the right mate, but through being the right mate.
10. You can't always have everything, but you can make the best of what you have.
2. Life's battles don't always go to the stronger or the faster man; but sooner or later the man who wins is the man who thinks he can.
3. Fortunate is the one who has developed self-control to steer a straight course toward one's objective in life, without being swayed by commendation or condemnation.
4. Whatever life may take from you, it will never be able to deplete the good and valuable things you have to give.
5. What you have lost you can afford to lose. What you have gained is something you cannot do without------be grateful.
6. The secret of abundance is to stop focussing on what you do not have, and shift your consciousness to an appreciation to all that you are and all that you have.
7. When the mind is ready, the teacher appears. Knowledge is the beginning of practice, doing is the completion of knowing.
8. In nine out of ten, the slanderous tongue belongs to a disappointed person.
9. Success in marriage does not come merely through finding the right mate, but through being the right mate.
10. You can't always have everything, but you can make the best of what you have.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1030
Ayahs of the Day:
And if God willed, God would have made them one people; but God admits to Divine mercy whomsoever God will; and the unjust have no protector and savior. Have they adopted protectors other than God? But it is God who is the protector, who gives life to the dead, and who has power over all things. [42: 8,9]
Hadith of the Day:
Allah's hand is full. (It's fullness) is not affected by continuous spending. [Bukhari & Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The thing that will aid one in learning fiqh (Divine Law) is peace of mind, which is acquired by reducing the attachments by taking what is essential and leaving what is not. [Imam Abu Hanifa]
Guidance of the Day:
Behind the outer masks of suits, make-up, smiles, and properness, we have all done rather sordid things, and behind all of our seemingly evil selves, we are wonderful, loving, and loveable people. After all the results are in, we are all pretty much equally horrible in the realm of horror, and equally loveable in the realm of love, which is the only realm that really counts, anyway. It is necessary to realize our errors. As soon as we realize or admit to ourselves that we have made a mistake, however, we decide not to repeat it, we have experienced an awakening, which is a cause for joy.
If we think about it clearly, it makes all the sense in the world for us to be useful and beautiful. Every element and every living thing has a meaning and a purpose. Every human being is unique and special. Surely we come into this world for a special function------one that each of us, as an individual, can fulfill. The fulfillment is made easy by our willingness to forgive ourselves. How much time we waste on holding ourselves to blame for past mistakes! The purpose of life is education--------not punishment. Once the lesson is learned, further education is no longer necessary. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
To have grown wise and kind is real success. If you wish to succeed in life, make perseverance your bosom friend, experience your wise counselor, caution your elder brother, and hope your guardian genius. They never fail who die in a great cause.
And if God willed, God would have made them one people; but God admits to Divine mercy whomsoever God will; and the unjust have no protector and savior. Have they adopted protectors other than God? But it is God who is the protector, who gives life to the dead, and who has power over all things. [42: 8,9]
Hadith of the Day:
Allah's hand is full. (It's fullness) is not affected by continuous spending. [Bukhari & Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The thing that will aid one in learning fiqh (Divine Law) is peace of mind, which is acquired by reducing the attachments by taking what is essential and leaving what is not. [Imam Abu Hanifa]
Guidance of the Day:
Behind the outer masks of suits, make-up, smiles, and properness, we have all done rather sordid things, and behind all of our seemingly evil selves, we are wonderful, loving, and loveable people. After all the results are in, we are all pretty much equally horrible in the realm of horror, and equally loveable in the realm of love, which is the only realm that really counts, anyway. It is necessary to realize our errors. As soon as we realize or admit to ourselves that we have made a mistake, however, we decide not to repeat it, we have experienced an awakening, which is a cause for joy.
If we think about it clearly, it makes all the sense in the world for us to be useful and beautiful. Every element and every living thing has a meaning and a purpose. Every human being is unique and special. Surely we come into this world for a special function------one that each of us, as an individual, can fulfill. The fulfillment is made easy by our willingness to forgive ourselves. How much time we waste on holding ourselves to blame for past mistakes! The purpose of life is education--------not punishment. Once the lesson is learned, further education is no longer necessary. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
To have grown wise and kind is real success. If you wish to succeed in life, make perseverance your bosom friend, experience your wise counselor, caution your elder brother, and hope your guardian genius. They never fail who die in a great cause.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....67
1. Bitterness and grudge are heavy burden; Forgiveness and mercy are double blessed---------they bless the one who receives and the one who gives.
2. Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.
3. Ethics are simple matters of right and wrong. It is only the practice of ethics that is difficult.
4. The decision to do right lives fresh and fragrant in our memory. It is a story we will be proud to tell our friends and grandchildren.
5. Pain and suffering is inevitable, being miserable is optional. Patience is a bitter plant, but it has sweet fruit.
6. Family means sharing inadequacies, imperfections and feelings with each other and still loving each other.
7. When you are not perfect, forgiveness for yourself and others becomes important.
8. Kind words do not cost much--------yet they accomplish much.
9. You have to have faith that there is a reason you go through certain things. In the middle of every difficulty lies an opportunity.
10. Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world, indeed it's the only thing that ever has.
2. Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.
3. Ethics are simple matters of right and wrong. It is only the practice of ethics that is difficult.
4. The decision to do right lives fresh and fragrant in our memory. It is a story we will be proud to tell our friends and grandchildren.
5. Pain and suffering is inevitable, being miserable is optional. Patience is a bitter plant, but it has sweet fruit.
6. Family means sharing inadequacies, imperfections and feelings with each other and still loving each other.
7. When you are not perfect, forgiveness for yourself and others becomes important.
8. Kind words do not cost much--------yet they accomplish much.
9. You have to have faith that there is a reason you go through certain things. In the middle of every difficulty lies an opportunity.
10. Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world, indeed it's the only thing that ever has.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1029
Ayahs of the Day:
Even those who adopt other protectors, God is watching over them, and you are not in charge of them. And so We have inspired you, with an Arabic Recital, that you may warn the Mother of cities and those around her, and that you may warn of the day of assembly, in which there is no doubt; some will be in the garden, and some in the inferno. [42: 6,7]
Hadith of the Day:
Remorse is (the main part of ) repentance. [Ahmad]
Wise Quote of the Day:
God formally appeals to man in the revelation in three different ways-----threat, promise and the gentleness of Divine Love. Man's response to God's call is also of three kinds-------through hope, fear, and Love. [John Ahmad Herlihy]
Guidance of the Day:
The miracle of life is that the instant we realize that we can choose self-worth, purposefulness, and appreciation, the power of our love begins to shine a light of forgiveness on us that dissolves all of our hurts and make us whole as ever we were. We begin to see through unworthiness as if it were an amateur magician.
We can refuse to be abducted down the dark alley of negative thinking; we have walked down that path, and we know it leads to nowhere. Instead, we begin to acknowledge the deep compassion of the God within us, a sweet and merciful kindness that lies patiently awaiting its full expression through the door of an open heart. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
It is only possible to live happily-ever-after on a day-to-day basis. Happiness is produced not so much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen, as by little advantages that occur everyday. The best way to secure future happiness is to be as happy as is rightfully possible today.
Even those who adopt other protectors, God is watching over them, and you are not in charge of them. And so We have inspired you, with an Arabic Recital, that you may warn the Mother of cities and those around her, and that you may warn of the day of assembly, in which there is no doubt; some will be in the garden, and some in the inferno. [42: 6,7]
Hadith of the Day:
Remorse is (the main part of ) repentance. [Ahmad]
Wise Quote of the Day:
God formally appeals to man in the revelation in three different ways-----threat, promise and the gentleness of Divine Love. Man's response to God's call is also of three kinds-------through hope, fear, and Love. [John Ahmad Herlihy]
Guidance of the Day:
The miracle of life is that the instant we realize that we can choose self-worth, purposefulness, and appreciation, the power of our love begins to shine a light of forgiveness on us that dissolves all of our hurts and make us whole as ever we were. We begin to see through unworthiness as if it were an amateur magician.
We can refuse to be abducted down the dark alley of negative thinking; we have walked down that path, and we know it leads to nowhere. Instead, we begin to acknowledge the deep compassion of the God within us, a sweet and merciful kindness that lies patiently awaiting its full expression through the door of an open heart. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
It is only possible to live happily-ever-after on a day-to-day basis. Happiness is produced not so much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen, as by little advantages that occur everyday. The best way to secure future happiness is to be as happy as is rightfully possible today.
Pearls of Wisdom....66
1. Experience is not what happens to man. It is what a man does with that what happens to him.
2. Sometimes the battle is fought with fists and guns, but more often the most effective weapon is a simple act of love and courage.
3. Love is a wonderful thing. You never have to take it away from one person to give it to another. There's always more than enough to go around.
4. What you keep for yourself, you lose; what you give away, you keep for ever. The capacity to care is the thing that gives life its deepest meaning and significance.
5. The test of courage comes when we are in minority. You never really lose until you quit trying.
6. You have not lived a perfect day, even though you have earned your money, unless you have done something for someone who will never be able to repay you.
7. It is more blessed to give than to receive. Men are rich only as they give. He who gives great services gets great returns.
8. It is one of the beautiful compensations of this life that no one can sincerely try to help one another without helping oneself.
9. Blessed are those that can give without remembering and take without forgetting.
10. Great people will share, they will tell you their secrets. Look for them, call them on the phone or buy their books. Go where they are, get around them talk to them. It is easy to be great when you are around great people.
2. Sometimes the battle is fought with fists and guns, but more often the most effective weapon is a simple act of love and courage.
3. Love is a wonderful thing. You never have to take it away from one person to give it to another. There's always more than enough to go around.
4. What you keep for yourself, you lose; what you give away, you keep for ever. The capacity to care is the thing that gives life its deepest meaning and significance.
5. The test of courage comes when we are in minority. You never really lose until you quit trying.
6. You have not lived a perfect day, even though you have earned your money, unless you have done something for someone who will never be able to repay you.
7. It is more blessed to give than to receive. Men are rich only as they give. He who gives great services gets great returns.
8. It is one of the beautiful compensations of this life that no one can sincerely try to help one another without helping oneself.
9. Blessed are those that can give without remembering and take without forgetting.
10. Great people will share, they will tell you their secrets. Look for them, call them on the phone or buy their books. Go where they are, get around them talk to them. It is easy to be great when you are around great people.
Friday, July 11, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1028
Ayahs of the Day:
Thus does God inspire you, and those before you, God the Mighty, the Wise; to whom belongs what is in the heavens and what is in the earth, and who is the Exalted and Sublime. The heavens are nearly cleft from above, and the angels praise their Lord, and ask forgiveness for those on earth. God is indeed the Forgiving, the Merciful.[42: 3,4,5]
Hadith of the Day:
By Allah it is not poverty that I fear for you. But I fear that the world will be spread out before you as it was for the people before you. Then you shall compete in it as the people before you competed in it, and it shall destroy you as it destroyed them. [Bukhari & Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The devil does not come near to one whose heart is humble. [Sahl bin Abdullah]
Guidance of the Day:
There is a story of a woman who sold fish all her life and knew little else. One spring she was invited to the king's palace for a royal festival. When she was shown to her room, she found it filled with colorful flowers and sweet incense. She was repulsed. "How disgusting!" she complained; "please let me go back to sleep near my pile of fish." She chose the foulness of her fish, solely out of familiarity.
We, too, cling to our hurts, our grudges, our illnesses, our sorrows, and our angers as if they offered us comfort or serenity. In truth, all they offer us is the solace of familiarity and the surety of a self-image that we can hold onto in the face of the insincerity of a changing world. We accept the meager rewards of sympathy, agreement, self-righteousness, and attention, which are not really rewards, but snares. The clear price we pay is that of inner tranquility, joy, and freedom. The tragedy of life is that we do not believe that we have a choice. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Live in the moment and love with every breath. Your life will have meaning, and you'll help lead the way for others. So become a luminary and light the way. There are no limits to the effects your enlightened behavior will have. By shining your light you can help others to heal as individuals and as inhabitants of this planet.
Thus does God inspire you, and those before you, God the Mighty, the Wise; to whom belongs what is in the heavens and what is in the earth, and who is the Exalted and Sublime. The heavens are nearly cleft from above, and the angels praise their Lord, and ask forgiveness for those on earth. God is indeed the Forgiving, the Merciful.[42: 3,4,5]
Hadith of the Day:
By Allah it is not poverty that I fear for you. But I fear that the world will be spread out before you as it was for the people before you. Then you shall compete in it as the people before you competed in it, and it shall destroy you as it destroyed them. [Bukhari & Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The devil does not come near to one whose heart is humble. [Sahl bin Abdullah]
Guidance of the Day:
There is a story of a woman who sold fish all her life and knew little else. One spring she was invited to the king's palace for a royal festival. When she was shown to her room, she found it filled with colorful flowers and sweet incense. She was repulsed. "How disgusting!" she complained; "please let me go back to sleep near my pile of fish." She chose the foulness of her fish, solely out of familiarity.
We, too, cling to our hurts, our grudges, our illnesses, our sorrows, and our angers as if they offered us comfort or serenity. In truth, all they offer us is the solace of familiarity and the surety of a self-image that we can hold onto in the face of the insincerity of a changing world. We accept the meager rewards of sympathy, agreement, self-righteousness, and attention, which are not really rewards, but snares. The clear price we pay is that of inner tranquility, joy, and freedom. The tragedy of life is that we do not believe that we have a choice. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Live in the moment and love with every breath. Your life will have meaning, and you'll help lead the way for others. So become a luminary and light the way. There are no limits to the effects your enlightened behavior will have. By shining your light you can help others to heal as individuals and as inhabitants of this planet.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....65
1. Good temper, like a sunny day, sheds a ray of brightness over everything.
2. We cannot control the tongues of others, but a good life enables us to disregard them.
3. Your own soul is nourished when you are kind; it is destroyed when you are cruel.
4. Our wisdom usually comes from our experience, and our experience largely from our foolishness.
5. One reason experience is such a good teacher is that it doesn't allow any dropouts.
6. We can trust that when things don't work out the way we want, God has something better planned.
7. A fool does in the end what a wise person does in the beginning. Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do.
8. Wise people think without talking; fools talk without thinking.
9. Wealth from gambling quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows. Ill-gotten gain brings no lasting happiness; right living does.
10. When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it.
2. We cannot control the tongues of others, but a good life enables us to disregard them.
3. Your own soul is nourished when you are kind; it is destroyed when you are cruel.
4. Our wisdom usually comes from our experience, and our experience largely from our foolishness.
5. One reason experience is such a good teacher is that it doesn't allow any dropouts.
6. We can trust that when things don't work out the way we want, God has something better planned.
7. A fool does in the end what a wise person does in the beginning. Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do.
8. Wise people think without talking; fools talk without thinking.
9. Wealth from gambling quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows. Ill-gotten gain brings no lasting happiness; right living does.
10. When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it.
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1027
Ayahs of the Day:
We will show them Our signs throughout the regions of the earth and in themselves, until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth. Is it not enough that your Lord is witness to all things? They are indeed in doubt about the meeting with their Lord, Who nevertheless does in fact encompass everything. [41: 53,54]
Hadith of the Day:
A person's feet will not move away on the Day of Judgment until he is asked about his life and how he spent it, about his knowledge and how he acted upon it, and his wealth and how he earned and spend it, and about his body and how he used it. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Practice patience; it is the essence of praise.
Have patience, for that is true worship.
No other worship is worth as much,
Have patience; patience is the key to all relief. [Mawlana Rumi]
Guidance of the Day:
It is time for you to understand the purpose of your life. You are a chalice for God's love and a vehicle for Him to bless the world. Realize your Divine purpose and your will is aligned with His. Goodness is the theme of all life. See the perfection in your life. As you give up patterns of evaluation and cynicism, you accept the benevolence of God. Pain is born of resistance, and joy is a function of the acceptance of God's whole and Holy Love for you.
As you release your fears, you are free to embrace the whole of the cosmos. If there is any reason for sadness, it is the erroneous thought that the Father would work against the needs of His children. This idea is inconceivable to God and to those who know Him. If a man's son asks for a loaf of bread, would he give him a stone? [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
If you think of fulfillment as coming from impressing others, making money, seeing your name in the papers, or showing your parents that you are not a failure, you will be disappointed because it will not bring you happiness. Self-admiration and glory-seeking serve as signs that you are not truly enlightened.
We will show them Our signs throughout the regions of the earth and in themselves, until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth. Is it not enough that your Lord is witness to all things? They are indeed in doubt about the meeting with their Lord, Who nevertheless does in fact encompass everything. [41: 53,54]
Hadith of the Day:
A person's feet will not move away on the Day of Judgment until he is asked about his life and how he spent it, about his knowledge and how he acted upon it, and his wealth and how he earned and spend it, and about his body and how he used it. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Practice patience; it is the essence of praise.
Have patience, for that is true worship.
No other worship is worth as much,
Have patience; patience is the key to all relief. [Mawlana Rumi]
Guidance of the Day:
It is time for you to understand the purpose of your life. You are a chalice for God's love and a vehicle for Him to bless the world. Realize your Divine purpose and your will is aligned with His. Goodness is the theme of all life. See the perfection in your life. As you give up patterns of evaluation and cynicism, you accept the benevolence of God. Pain is born of resistance, and joy is a function of the acceptance of God's whole and Holy Love for you.
As you release your fears, you are free to embrace the whole of the cosmos. If there is any reason for sadness, it is the erroneous thought that the Father would work against the needs of His children. This idea is inconceivable to God and to those who know Him. If a man's son asks for a loaf of bread, would he give him a stone? [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
If you think of fulfillment as coming from impressing others, making money, seeing your name in the papers, or showing your parents that you are not a failure, you will be disappointed because it will not bring you happiness. Self-admiration and glory-seeking serve as signs that you are not truly enlightened.
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....64
1. When you are down to nothing---------Allah is up to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible, and receives the impossible.
2. There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situation.We cannot hold a torch for another person's path without brightening our own.
3. If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy.
4. True love is that which can give the most without asking or demanding anything in return.
5. Three things in life are important------the first thing is to be kind, the second thing is to be kind, and the third thing is to be kind.
6. Wise sayings often fall on a barren ground, but a kind word is never thrown away.
7. Laziness may look attractive, but work gives satisfaction.
8. Time is a miracle and the right to live is a gift. Celebrate being alive by doing the best for every moment which is granted.
9. One who is too deeply in love with oneself ought to get a divorce.
10. We should speak only after our words have managed to pass through four gates: at the first gate we should ask ourselves, "are these words true?" At the second gate we ask, "are they necessary?" At the third gate we ask, "are they beneficial?" And at the fourth gate we ask, "Are they kind?" If the answer to any of these is no, then what we are about to say should be left unsaid.
2. There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situation.We cannot hold a torch for another person's path without brightening our own.
3. If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy.
4. True love is that which can give the most without asking or demanding anything in return.
5. Three things in life are important------the first thing is to be kind, the second thing is to be kind, and the third thing is to be kind.
6. Wise sayings often fall on a barren ground, but a kind word is never thrown away.
7. Laziness may look attractive, but work gives satisfaction.
8. Time is a miracle and the right to live is a gift. Celebrate being alive by doing the best for every moment which is granted.
9. One who is too deeply in love with oneself ought to get a divorce.
10. We should speak only after our words have managed to pass through four gates: at the first gate we should ask ourselves, "are these words true?" At the second gate we ask, "are they necessary?" At the third gate we ask, "are they beneficial?" And at the fourth gate we ask, "Are they kind?" If the answer to any of these is no, then what we are about to say should be left unsaid.
Monday, July 07, 2008
LESSON OF THE DAY 1026
Ayahs of the Day:
Whenever We provide comfort for man, he turns away and withdraws in his own partiality; and calamity befalls him, then he becomes prayerful. Say, "Do you see if it is from God, and then reject it? Who is more astray than he who remains cut off, alienated?" [41: 51,52]
Hadith of the Day:
You are not better than people (of other races) unless you excel in piety (taqwa). [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Moral character consists of thinking little of whatever comes from you to God and regarding great whatever comes to you from Him. [Abdullah bin Muhammad al Razi]
Guidance of the Day:
As we begin to see that God is really working for us, we see that His only purpose is our happiness. His commitment to our well-being is so unconditional that if we veer from that purpose and step out of the flow, He is right there to guide us back into it. We must know that for every brake about to wear out, it is God's will to flash that little red light. But it is we who must mobilize our will to follow up the guidance with action. We must "pray with our feet moving." This is the alignment of the Will of God and the will of man. This is when my will becomes Thy will, and the two are one
Life is easy. Love is easy. God is easy. It is we who make them complicated. When our intentions are attuned with the Will of God, we experience life as smooth sailing. Somehow our ship is guided around the reefs, and our course is straight for the port. When our seeing is out of focus with God's vision of Perfection, we experience conflict and turbulent waters. We cannot buck God. We can try, but as the popular play affirms, "Your arms are too short to box with God." Actually, if we really knew that God is always working for our happiness and peace, why would we want to box with Him in the first place? If we quit trying to grab His arms, we might just find Him hugging us. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Charity is never lost: it may meet with ingratitude, or be of no service to those on whom it was bestowed, yet it ever does a work of beauty and grace upon the heart of the giver. True charity is the desire to be useful to others without thought of recompense.
If you desire light, be ready to receive light. Nurture vainglory and become separated from light. If you long for a way out of this prison, bow down in worship and draw near. [Mawlana Rumi]
Whenever We provide comfort for man, he turns away and withdraws in his own partiality; and calamity befalls him, then he becomes prayerful. Say, "Do you see if it is from God, and then reject it? Who is more astray than he who remains cut off, alienated?" [41: 51,52]
Hadith of the Day:
You are not better than people (of other races) unless you excel in piety (taqwa). [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Moral character consists of thinking little of whatever comes from you to God and regarding great whatever comes to you from Him. [Abdullah bin Muhammad al Razi]
Guidance of the Day:
As we begin to see that God is really working for us, we see that His only purpose is our happiness. His commitment to our well-being is so unconditional that if we veer from that purpose and step out of the flow, He is right there to guide us back into it. We must know that for every brake about to wear out, it is God's will to flash that little red light. But it is we who must mobilize our will to follow up the guidance with action. We must "pray with our feet moving." This is the alignment of the Will of God and the will of man. This is when my will becomes Thy will, and the two are one
Life is easy. Love is easy. God is easy. It is we who make them complicated. When our intentions are attuned with the Will of God, we experience life as smooth sailing. Somehow our ship is guided around the reefs, and our course is straight for the port. When our seeing is out of focus with God's vision of Perfection, we experience conflict and turbulent waters. We cannot buck God. We can try, but as the popular play affirms, "Your arms are too short to box with God." Actually, if we really knew that God is always working for our happiness and peace, why would we want to box with Him in the first place? If we quit trying to grab His arms, we might just find Him hugging us. [Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Food for Thought:
Charity is never lost: it may meet with ingratitude, or be of no service to those on whom it was bestowed, yet it ever does a work of beauty and grace upon the heart of the giver. True charity is the desire to be useful to others without thought of recompense.
If you desire light, be ready to receive light. Nurture vainglory and become separated from light. If you long for a way out of this prison, bow down in worship and draw near. [Mawlana Rumi]
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom....63
1. If anyone speaks badly about you; live so none will believe it.
2. Live your life so that there will be those who will thank God that you lived.
3. Form good habits; they are just as hard to break as bad ones.
4. The real measure of your wealth is what you have invested in eternity.
5. It is in giving, not in seeking gifts, the heart is blessed.
6. He dies not who gives life to learning.
7. Who are learned? They who practice what they know.
8. Anger is a condition in which the tongue works faster than the mind.
9. Freedom is not the right to do as you please, but the liberty to do as you should.
10. Do not be sad about the things you want and you don't get. Think of the things you don't want and you don't get.
2. Live your life so that there will be those who will thank God that you lived.
3. Form good habits; they are just as hard to break as bad ones.
4. The real measure of your wealth is what you have invested in eternity.
5. It is in giving, not in seeking gifts, the heart is blessed.
6. He dies not who gives life to learning.
7. Who are learned? They who practice what they know.
8. Anger is a condition in which the tongue works faster than the mind.
9. Freedom is not the right to do as you please, but the liberty to do as you should.
10. Do not be sad about the things you want and you don't get. Think of the things you don't want and you don't get.
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