Ayahs of the Day:
Believers, shall I guide you to a trade that will save you from intense agony-----you believe in God and the messenger of God and strive for the cause of God with your properties and your persons------that is best for you, if you knew: God will forgive you your sins and admit you to gardens with streams flowing below, pleasant abodes in gardens of eternity-------that is the great success. And another you will like----help from God, and victory close at hand; so give the good news to the believers. [61: 10 to13]
Hadith of the Day:
The best (act of worship) in the sight of God is that which is done regularly. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
He is not a person of intelligence who does not strengthen himself by the strength of God. [Ibn Ata'Allah]
Guidance of the Day:
Know that one who claims to have a thriving inward but whose outward has been corrupted by his abandoning outward acts of obedience is a pretender and a liar. The one who exerts himself in the reform of his outward aspect by caring about the way he dresses and appears, speaks, moves, sits, stands, and walks, but leaves his inward full of repellent attributes and vile traits, is one of the people of affectation and ostentation, who have turned away from the Lord.
Beware, O brother, of doing in secret that which if seen by people would make you ashamed and worried about being censured. If you cannot make your inward better than your outward, the least that you can do is to make them equal, so that you behave equally well privately and publicly in obeying God's injunctions, avoiding His prohibitions, respecting what He has made sacred, and hastening to please Him. This is the first step a servant takes on the path of special knowledge. Know this! Success is from God. [Al-Haddad, The Book of Assistance]
Food for Thought:
Never forget the three powerful resources you always have available to you----love, prayer and forgiveness. As long as you don't forgive, who and whatever will occupy rent free space in your mind. Resentment is one burden that is incompatible with your success, always be the first to forgive.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Pearls of Wisdom....201
1. Take to yourself for armor ritual purification, fasting, worship, patience, performance of the dhikr, recitation of the Qur'an, and disclaiming the strength and power of God, and you will be in safety.
2. The increased blessings are actually the increases of religious knowledge, certainty, and intuitional knowledge (ma'rifa).
3. Every desire that summons you to long for the thing represented in the mind is the tool and weapon of Satan; and every desire that summons you to obey God and long to perform good deeds is praise worthy.
4. So long as your heart is attached to your knowledge and your striving, you are not as one going toward God, and you will not be such until you despair of everything, cleaving to hope in God with every breath---------then you will find help from God.
5. Whenever God honors a servant in his activities and moments of rest, He assigns to him service to perform (ubudiya) and conceals from him his personal gratifications.
6. Steadfastness before God with a clear consciousness of Him is the fairest of obedient acts.
7. He is described as niggardly and blame worthy who holds back his possessions on account of fear of poverty, wrong conjecture about God, contempt for the respect due to the believers.
8. Whenever you find pleasure in your outer or inner states, say: 'Whatever God wills, there is no force except with God.'
9. If we fear God with a fear that makes us secure from everything, then there is no sense at all in having fear of anything, since He is by everything, with everything, above everything, below everything, near everything, enveloping everything.
10. May your servant ship consist in resignation, contentment, acceptance of what is sent, good opinion of God in whatever you encounter, and being occupied with what is most worthy. [Above quotes by Shaykh Abul Hasan al Shadhili]
2. The increased blessings are actually the increases of religious knowledge, certainty, and intuitional knowledge (ma'rifa).
3. Every desire that summons you to long for the thing represented in the mind is the tool and weapon of Satan; and every desire that summons you to obey God and long to perform good deeds is praise worthy.
4. So long as your heart is attached to your knowledge and your striving, you are not as one going toward God, and you will not be such until you despair of everything, cleaving to hope in God with every breath---------then you will find help from God.
5. Whenever God honors a servant in his activities and moments of rest, He assigns to him service to perform (ubudiya) and conceals from him his personal gratifications.
6. Steadfastness before God with a clear consciousness of Him is the fairest of obedient acts.
7. He is described as niggardly and blame worthy who holds back his possessions on account of fear of poverty, wrong conjecture about God, contempt for the respect due to the believers.
8. Whenever you find pleasure in your outer or inner states, say: 'Whatever God wills, there is no force except with God.'
9. If we fear God with a fear that makes us secure from everything, then there is no sense at all in having fear of anything, since He is by everything, with everything, above everything, below everything, near everything, enveloping everything.
10. May your servant ship consist in resignation, contentment, acceptance of what is sent, good opinion of God in whatever you encounter, and being occupied with what is most worthy. [Above quotes by Shaykh Abul Hasan al Shadhili]
Monday, October 26, 2009
LESSON OF THE DAY 1160
Ayahs of the Day:
They want to extinguish the light of God with their mouths, but God will complete the divine illumination in spite of the hatred of the unbelievers. God is the one who sent the messenger with the guidance and the religion of truth, to reveal it to all religion, even if polytheists object. [61: 8,9]
Hadith of the Day:
The onus of proof is upon the one who makes the claim. [Bayhaqi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Abstaining from the unlawful is the beginning of renunciation of the world, just as contentment with one's lot is a branch of satisfaction with the will of God. [Abul Qasim al-Qushayri]
Guidance of the Day:
You must, O my brother, improve your inward aspect until it becomes better than your virtuous outer appearance, for the former is the where the gaze of the Real obtains, while the latter is where the envious gaze of creation is to be found. God never mentioned the inward and the outward in His Book without beginning with the inward. And the Prophet used to pray, may blessings and peace be upon him: 'O God! Make my inward better than my outward, and make my outward virtuous.'
When the inward is good the outward is also inevitably so, for the outward always follows the inward, whether for good or evil. The Messenger of God, may blessings and peace be upon him, has said: 'In the body there lies a small piece of flesh; when it is good the rest of the body is good also, and when it is corrupt the rest of the body becomes corrupt also: it is the heart.' [Al-Haddad, The Book of Assistance]
Food for Thought:
If we make religion our business, God will make it our blessedness. Nobody is anything except as he joins himself to something. You cannot be a whole unless you join a whole. This is religion. Religion-----that voice of the deepest human experience.
They want to extinguish the light of God with their mouths, but God will complete the divine illumination in spite of the hatred of the unbelievers. God is the one who sent the messenger with the guidance and the religion of truth, to reveal it to all religion, even if polytheists object. [61: 8,9]
Hadith of the Day:
The onus of proof is upon the one who makes the claim. [Bayhaqi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Abstaining from the unlawful is the beginning of renunciation of the world, just as contentment with one's lot is a branch of satisfaction with the will of God. [Abul Qasim al-Qushayri]
Guidance of the Day:
You must, O my brother, improve your inward aspect until it becomes better than your virtuous outer appearance, for the former is the where the gaze of the Real obtains, while the latter is where the envious gaze of creation is to be found. God never mentioned the inward and the outward in His Book without beginning with the inward. And the Prophet used to pray, may blessings and peace be upon him: 'O God! Make my inward better than my outward, and make my outward virtuous.'
When the inward is good the outward is also inevitably so, for the outward always follows the inward, whether for good or evil. The Messenger of God, may blessings and peace be upon him, has said: 'In the body there lies a small piece of flesh; when it is good the rest of the body is good also, and when it is corrupt the rest of the body becomes corrupt also: it is the heart.' [Al-Haddad, The Book of Assistance]
Food for Thought:
If we make religion our business, God will make it our blessedness. Nobody is anything except as he joins himself to something. You cannot be a whole unless you join a whole. This is religion. Religion-----that voice of the deepest human experience.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Pearls of Wisdom....200
1. Some of the most sublime bestowals of God are contentment with the reliance upon God in hardships, and recourse to Him in reverses of fortune.
2. Love is a seizure that God grants to the heart of His servant and that distracts him from seeing everything save Him, so that you can see the soul inclining to obey Him.
3. If anyone would abide strictly by the command of God, let him do it by remembrance, reflection, promptness, and submission to the command of God.
4. Allow not your soul to be attached to anything, and you will be one of those well rooted in religious knowledge from whom no secret or knowledge is hidden.
5. If thoughts of disobedience and the world occur to your heart, caste them under your feet with disdain and indifference, and your heart will be filled with knowledge and the right guidance.
6. There is no guidance at all except for one who fears God, and there is no fear of God (taqwa) except who shuns the world.
7. He who neglects his heart despises his religion, and he who is preoccupied with his outer behavior is taking his religion as a jest.
8. The grace of God in the matter of contentment with His decree is that it causes you to forget your misfortunes by looking forward to the Day of Rendezvous.
9. Good intention in relation to matters between God and you means turning the heart respectfully toward God, with respect for the commanding of God, and with respect to what He has commanded.
10. The understanding man is one who has an understanding from God of His signs and whose occupation is dhikr and reflection upon His favors, taking refuge in and avowing dire need of Him, and seeking protection with Him. He appeals to God, and so God responds to him. [Above quotes by Shaykh Abul Hasan al Shadhili]
2. Love is a seizure that God grants to the heart of His servant and that distracts him from seeing everything save Him, so that you can see the soul inclining to obey Him.
3. If anyone would abide strictly by the command of God, let him do it by remembrance, reflection, promptness, and submission to the command of God.
4. Allow not your soul to be attached to anything, and you will be one of those well rooted in religious knowledge from whom no secret or knowledge is hidden.
5. If thoughts of disobedience and the world occur to your heart, caste them under your feet with disdain and indifference, and your heart will be filled with knowledge and the right guidance.
6. There is no guidance at all except for one who fears God, and there is no fear of God (taqwa) except who shuns the world.
7. He who neglects his heart despises his religion, and he who is preoccupied with his outer behavior is taking his religion as a jest.
8. The grace of God in the matter of contentment with His decree is that it causes you to forget your misfortunes by looking forward to the Day of Rendezvous.
9. Good intention in relation to matters between God and you means turning the heart respectfully toward God, with respect for the commanding of God, and with respect to what He has commanded.
10. The understanding man is one who has an understanding from God of His signs and whose occupation is dhikr and reflection upon His favors, taking refuge in and avowing dire need of Him, and seeking protection with Him. He appeals to God, and so God responds to him. [Above quotes by Shaykh Abul Hasan al Shadhili]
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
LESSON OF THE DAY 1159
Ayahs of the Day:
God has not forbidden you to be charitable and just to those who have not fought you over religion or driven you from your homes, for God loves the just. God only forbids you to befriend those who fight you over religion and drive you from your homes, and back your expulsion; and any who befriend them are themselves wrongdoers. [60: 8,9]
Hadith of the Day:
Let your tongue never cease to be moist with the remembrance of God. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The gates of salvation are only reached through struggle. [Imam Birgivi]
Guidance of the Day:
Whenever you notice in your soul any laziness in His worship or inclination to disobedience, remind it that God hears and sees you and knows your secrets and secret conversation. If this reminding does not benefit it because of inadequacy of its knowledge of the Majesty of God, remind it of the two noble angels who record good and evil deeds. If this reminding does not influence it, remind it of the proximity of death, that it is the nearest of all hidden and awaited things; frighten it of its sudden pouncing, whereby if it does come when it is in an unsatisfactory state it will end up in endless perdition.
If this threat is of no use, remind it of the immense reward which God has promised those who obey Him, and the painful torment with which He has threatened those who disobey Him. Say to it: 'O soul! After death there will be no opportunity to repent, and there will be, after this life, only the Garden or the Fire. Choose, if you will, obedience, the consequence of which is triumph, contentment, immortality in vast gardens, and looking at the Face of God, the Generous, the Beneficent; or else disobedience, the consequence of which is degradation, humiliation, mockery, deprivation, and imprisonment between layers of fire.' Endeavor to cure your soul through such reminders when it neglects obedience and inclines to rebellion, for they are useful medicines for the heart's diseases. [Al-Haddad, The Book of Assistance]
Food for Thought:
Motherhood: all love begins and ends there.
Thank her for it
And live your life with the love she bestowed on you, then share that love with all,
The gift of love is a mother's greatest gift.
Appreciate, respect, and acknowledge this.
God has not forbidden you to be charitable and just to those who have not fought you over religion or driven you from your homes, for God loves the just. God only forbids you to befriend those who fight you over religion and drive you from your homes, and back your expulsion; and any who befriend them are themselves wrongdoers. [60: 8,9]
Hadith of the Day:
Let your tongue never cease to be moist with the remembrance of God. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The gates of salvation are only reached through struggle. [Imam Birgivi]
Guidance of the Day:
Whenever you notice in your soul any laziness in His worship or inclination to disobedience, remind it that God hears and sees you and knows your secrets and secret conversation. If this reminding does not benefit it because of inadequacy of its knowledge of the Majesty of God, remind it of the two noble angels who record good and evil deeds. If this reminding does not influence it, remind it of the proximity of death, that it is the nearest of all hidden and awaited things; frighten it of its sudden pouncing, whereby if it does come when it is in an unsatisfactory state it will end up in endless perdition.
If this threat is of no use, remind it of the immense reward which God has promised those who obey Him, and the painful torment with which He has threatened those who disobey Him. Say to it: 'O soul! After death there will be no opportunity to repent, and there will be, after this life, only the Garden or the Fire. Choose, if you will, obedience, the consequence of which is triumph, contentment, immortality in vast gardens, and looking at the Face of God, the Generous, the Beneficent; or else disobedience, the consequence of which is degradation, humiliation, mockery, deprivation, and imprisonment between layers of fire.' Endeavor to cure your soul through such reminders when it neglects obedience and inclines to rebellion, for they are useful medicines for the heart's diseases. [Al-Haddad, The Book of Assistance]
Food for Thought:
Motherhood: all love begins and ends there.
Thank her for it
And live your life with the love she bestowed on you, then share that love with all,
The gift of love is a mother's greatest gift.
Appreciate, respect, and acknowledge this.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Pearls of Wisdom....199
1. Mystical knowledge is that which has severed from everything except God and brought you back to Him.
2. Whenever He hinders you from attaining what you desire and makes you resort to what He desires, it is a sign of His love for you.
3. Serving God consists in reflecting upon God's commands and studying thoroughly the religion of God.
4. If anyone is entirely satisfied with his good works, he is bankrupt. But if anyone is completely satisfied with God, he has true satisfaction.
5. The sign of commitment (tafwid) to God is the lack of distress when distasteful things befall.
6. Whenever you come to see that in everything that exists you have no benefactor except Him, then you will be a thankful slave.
7. May your main concern be three things-------repentance, piety, and vigilance.
8. The work most indicative of love to Him is disdain of the world and despair of its people through living in harmony with them.
9. The Divine ordinances (fara'id) are well known, and the acts of disobedience are common knowledge, keep the Divine ordinances and shun the acts of disobedience.
10. Guard you heart from worldly desire, the love of high repute. In all of these, be content with what God has allotted to you. [Above quotes by Shaykh Abul Hasan al Shadhili]
2. Whenever He hinders you from attaining what you desire and makes you resort to what He desires, it is a sign of His love for you.
3. Serving God consists in reflecting upon God's commands and studying thoroughly the religion of God.
4. If anyone is entirely satisfied with his good works, he is bankrupt. But if anyone is completely satisfied with God, he has true satisfaction.
5. The sign of commitment (tafwid) to God is the lack of distress when distasteful things befall.
6. Whenever you come to see that in everything that exists you have no benefactor except Him, then you will be a thankful slave.
7. May your main concern be three things-------repentance, piety, and vigilance.
8. The work most indicative of love to Him is disdain of the world and despair of its people through living in harmony with them.
9. The Divine ordinances (fara'id) are well known, and the acts of disobedience are common knowledge, keep the Divine ordinances and shun the acts of disobedience.
10. Guard you heart from worldly desire, the love of high repute. In all of these, be content with what God has allotted to you. [Above quotes by Shaykh Abul Hasan al Shadhili]
Monday, October 19, 2009
LESSON OF THE DAY 1158
Ayahs of the Day:
Everything in the heavens and everything on the earth praises God, who is the almighty, the supremely wise. Believers, why do you say what you do not do? It is tremendously hateful to God that you say what you do not do. God loves those who fight for the sake of God in a battle line as though they were a solid building. [61: 1 to 4]
Hadith of the Day:
Truthfulness leads to righteousness and righteousness leads to Paradise. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Invocations are a barrier between the servant and hellfire. If the remembrance is continuous and permanent, then the barrier is good and solid, if not, it is fragile and torn. [Ibn Ata'Allah]
Guidance of the Day:
If you find emerging in your heart, when you call to mind the fact that God observes you, a shyness that prevents you from disobeying Him and drives you to exert yourself in obeying Him, you are in possession of something of the realities of vigilance (muraqaba). Know that vigilance is one of the most noble stations, high positions, and lofty degrees. It is the station of excellence (ihsan).
Each believer has faith that nothing on earth or in heaven is concealed from God, that God is with him wherever he is, and that none of his movements or times of stillness are concealed from Him. But the important thing is that this awareness be permanent and that its results appear, the least of which is that he does nothing, when alone with God, that he would be ashamed of should a man of virtue see him. This is rare, and it eventually leads to that which is rarer still, whereby the servant is totally immersed in God, annihilated in Him and thus rendered unaware of all else, absent from creation through his contemplation of the True King. [Al-Haddad, The Book of Assistance]
Food for Thought:
No matter how big or soft or warm your bed is, you still have to get out of it. Do not shorten the morning by getting up late; look upon it as the quintessence of life, and to a certain extent sacred. If God added another day to our life, let us receive it gladly. Wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of living.
Everything in the heavens and everything on the earth praises God, who is the almighty, the supremely wise. Believers, why do you say what you do not do? It is tremendously hateful to God that you say what you do not do. God loves those who fight for the sake of God in a battle line as though they were a solid building. [61: 1 to 4]
Hadith of the Day:
Truthfulness leads to righteousness and righteousness leads to Paradise. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Invocations are a barrier between the servant and hellfire. If the remembrance is continuous and permanent, then the barrier is good and solid, if not, it is fragile and torn. [Ibn Ata'Allah]
Guidance of the Day:
If you find emerging in your heart, when you call to mind the fact that God observes you, a shyness that prevents you from disobeying Him and drives you to exert yourself in obeying Him, you are in possession of something of the realities of vigilance (muraqaba). Know that vigilance is one of the most noble stations, high positions, and lofty degrees. It is the station of excellence (ihsan).
Each believer has faith that nothing on earth or in heaven is concealed from God, that God is with him wherever he is, and that none of his movements or times of stillness are concealed from Him. But the important thing is that this awareness be permanent and that its results appear, the least of which is that he does nothing, when alone with God, that he would be ashamed of should a man of virtue see him. This is rare, and it eventually leads to that which is rarer still, whereby the servant is totally immersed in God, annihilated in Him and thus rendered unaware of all else, absent from creation through his contemplation of the True King. [Al-Haddad, The Book of Assistance]
Food for Thought:
No matter how big or soft or warm your bed is, you still have to get out of it. Do not shorten the morning by getting up late; look upon it as the quintessence of life, and to a certain extent sacred. If God added another day to our life, let us receive it gladly. Wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of living.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Pearls of Wisdom....198
1. If anyone knows God, everything becomes of little importance for him.
2. If anyone loves God, everything becomes contemptible to him.
3. If anyone asserts the unity of God, he associates nothing with him.
4. If anyone has faith in God, he is safe from everything.
5. If anyone is resigned to God, rarely does he disobey Him.
6. If he does disobey Him, he begs Him to be excused; if he begs Him to be excused, his excuse is accepted.
7. If anyone has faith in the Divine apportionment, he should not dispute the Divine wisdom.
8. God does not afflict punishment for ease accompanied by humility, but He does inflict punishment for toil accompanied by pride.
9. Love is a fundamental principle for enabling one to understand. So, if anyone loves God, he has from Him an understanding of everything.
10. There are two virtues that facilitate the way to God------mystical knowledge and love. Your love for the material things renders you blind and deaf. [Above quotes by Shaykh Abul Hasan al Shadhili]
2. If anyone loves God, everything becomes contemptible to him.
3. If anyone asserts the unity of God, he associates nothing with him.
4. If anyone has faith in God, he is safe from everything.
5. If anyone is resigned to God, rarely does he disobey Him.
6. If he does disobey Him, he begs Him to be excused; if he begs Him to be excused, his excuse is accepted.
7. If anyone has faith in the Divine apportionment, he should not dispute the Divine wisdom.
8. God does not afflict punishment for ease accompanied by humility, but He does inflict punishment for toil accompanied by pride.
9. Love is a fundamental principle for enabling one to understand. So, if anyone loves God, he has from Him an understanding of everything.
10. There are two virtues that facilitate the way to God------mystical knowledge and love. Your love for the material things renders you blind and deaf. [Above quotes by Shaykh Abul Hasan al Shadhili]
Thursday, October 15, 2009
LESSON OF THE DAY 1157
Ayahs of the Day:
God has not forbidden you to be charitable and just to those who have not fought you over religion or driven you from your homes, for God loves the just. God only forbids you to befriend those who fight you over religion and drive you from your homes, and back your expulsion; and any who befriend them are themselves wrongdoers. [60: 8,9]
Hadith of the Day:
Let your tongue never cease to be moist with the remembrance of God. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The gates of salvation are only reached through struggle. [Imam Birgivi]
Guidance of the Day:
Whenever you notice in your soul any laziness in His worship or inclination to disobedience, remind it that God hears and sees you and knows your secrets and secret conversation. If this reminding does not benefit it because of inadequacy of its knowledge of the Majesty of God, remind it of the two noble angels who record good and evil deeds. If this reminding does not influence it, remind it of the proximity of death, that it is the nearest of all hidden and awaited things; frighten it of its sudden pouncing, whereby if it does come when it is in an unsatisfactory state it will end up in endless perdition.
If this threat is of no use, remind it of the immense reward which God has promised those who obey Him, and the painful torment with which He has threatened those who disobey Him. Say to it: 'O soul! After death there will be no opportunity to repent, and there will be, after this life, only the Garden or the Fire. Choose, if you will, obedience, the consequence of which is triumph, contentment, immortality in vast gardens, and looking at the Face of God, the Generous, the Beneficent; or else disobedience, the consequence of which is degradation, humiliation, mockery, deprivation, and imprisonment between layers of fire.' Endeavor to cure your soul through such reminders when it neglects obedience and inclines to rebellion, for they are useful medicines for the heart's diseases. [Al-Haddad, The Book of Assistance]
Food for Thought:
Motherhood: all love begins and ends there.
Thank her for it
And live your life with the love she bestowed on you, then share that love with all,
The gift of love is a mother's greatest gift.
Appreciate, respect, and acknowledge this.
God has not forbidden you to be charitable and just to those who have not fought you over religion or driven you from your homes, for God loves the just. God only forbids you to befriend those who fight you over religion and drive you from your homes, and back your expulsion; and any who befriend them are themselves wrongdoers. [60: 8,9]
Hadith of the Day:
Let your tongue never cease to be moist with the remembrance of God. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
The gates of salvation are only reached through struggle. [Imam Birgivi]
Guidance of the Day:
Whenever you notice in your soul any laziness in His worship or inclination to disobedience, remind it that God hears and sees you and knows your secrets and secret conversation. If this reminding does not benefit it because of inadequacy of its knowledge of the Majesty of God, remind it of the two noble angels who record good and evil deeds. If this reminding does not influence it, remind it of the proximity of death, that it is the nearest of all hidden and awaited things; frighten it of its sudden pouncing, whereby if it does come when it is in an unsatisfactory state it will end up in endless perdition.
If this threat is of no use, remind it of the immense reward which God has promised those who obey Him, and the painful torment with which He has threatened those who disobey Him. Say to it: 'O soul! After death there will be no opportunity to repent, and there will be, after this life, only the Garden or the Fire. Choose, if you will, obedience, the consequence of which is triumph, contentment, immortality in vast gardens, and looking at the Face of God, the Generous, the Beneficent; or else disobedience, the consequence of which is degradation, humiliation, mockery, deprivation, and imprisonment between layers of fire.' Endeavor to cure your soul through such reminders when it neglects obedience and inclines to rebellion, for they are useful medicines for the heart's diseases. [Al-Haddad, The Book of Assistance]
Food for Thought:
Motherhood: all love begins and ends there.
Thank her for it
And live your life with the love she bestowed on you, then share that love with all,
The gift of love is a mother's greatest gift.
Appreciate, respect, and acknowledge this.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Pearls of Wisdom....197
1. There are two evils, having which, an abundance of good works is seldom profitable-----discontentment with God's decree and wronging God's servants.
2. Remembrance of God is the light of the heart, and His presence is the key to the invisible.
3. May God be your aim and death your desire, and indulge not in a long future hope.
4. Real asceticism (zuhd) is emptying the heart of whatever is other than the Lord.
5. Real prostration (sujud) is the yielding of the heart to the ordinance (ahkaam) of the Lord.
6. The perfect man is not one who lives in himself. The perfect man is only one through whom others live.
7. Sufism (tasawwuf) is training the self in servant hood and restoring it to the rules of Lordship.
8. The true Muslim is one who does not turn his attention to mankind, and who has relied on nothing except the promises of the True One.
9. There is no great sin greater than-------love of the world, and remaining in a state of ignorance with contentment.
10. Love of the world is the apex of all inequity, and remaining in ignorance is the root of every act of disobedience. [Above quotes by Shaykh Abul Hasan al Shadhili]
2. Remembrance of God is the light of the heart, and His presence is the key to the invisible.
3. May God be your aim and death your desire, and indulge not in a long future hope.
4. Real asceticism (zuhd) is emptying the heart of whatever is other than the Lord.
5. Real prostration (sujud) is the yielding of the heart to the ordinance (ahkaam) of the Lord.
6. The perfect man is not one who lives in himself. The perfect man is only one through whom others live.
7. Sufism (tasawwuf) is training the self in servant hood and restoring it to the rules of Lordship.
8. The true Muslim is one who does not turn his attention to mankind, and who has relied on nothing except the promises of the True One.
9. There is no great sin greater than-------love of the world, and remaining in a state of ignorance with contentment.
10. Love of the world is the apex of all inequity, and remaining in ignorance is the root of every act of disobedience. [Above quotes by Shaykh Abul Hasan al Shadhili]
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
LESSON OF THE DAY 1156
Ayahs of the Day:
Perhaps God may establish friendship between you and those of them you regard as enemies: and God is able; and God is most forgiving, most merciful. [60: 7]
Hadith of the Day:
Procrastination in repaying debt by a wealthy person is oppression. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
With both eyes, see the beginning and the end!
Be not one eyed, like the accursed Iblis!
Close your Iblis-like eye for a moment.
After all how long will you gaze upon form?
How long? How long? [Mawlana Rumi]
Guidance of the Day:
You must, O my brother, be mindful of God in all your movements and times of stillness, at every moment, with every blink of the eye, with every thought, wish or any other state. Feel His nearness to you! Know that He looks and is Aware of you, that nothing that you conceal is hidden from Him. He is with you wherever you are, with His knowledge, awareness and power. If you are righteous, He will guide, assist and protect you.
Have modesty before your Lord as you should; make sure that He never sees you in a situation which He has forbidden you, and never misses you where He has commanded you to be; worship Him as if you saw Him, for even if you do not see Him, He sees you. [Al-Haddad, The Book of Assistance]
Food for Thought:
Maturity is humility. A mature person is able to say, "I was wrong." And when he is proved right, he does not have to say, "I told you so." Maturity means dependability, integrity, keeping one's word. Maturity is the ability to live in peace with things we cannot change.
Perhaps God may establish friendship between you and those of them you regard as enemies: and God is able; and God is most forgiving, most merciful. [60: 7]
Hadith of the Day:
Procrastination in repaying debt by a wealthy person is oppression. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
With both eyes, see the beginning and the end!
Be not one eyed, like the accursed Iblis!
Close your Iblis-like eye for a moment.
After all how long will you gaze upon form?
How long? How long? [Mawlana Rumi]
Guidance of the Day:
You must, O my brother, be mindful of God in all your movements and times of stillness, at every moment, with every blink of the eye, with every thought, wish or any other state. Feel His nearness to you! Know that He looks and is Aware of you, that nothing that you conceal is hidden from Him. He is with you wherever you are, with His knowledge, awareness and power. If you are righteous, He will guide, assist and protect you.
Have modesty before your Lord as you should; make sure that He never sees you in a situation which He has forbidden you, and never misses you where He has commanded you to be; worship Him as if you saw Him, for even if you do not see Him, He sees you. [Al-Haddad, The Book of Assistance]
Food for Thought:
Maturity is humility. A mature person is able to say, "I was wrong." And when he is proved right, he does not have to say, "I told you so." Maturity means dependability, integrity, keeping one's word. Maturity is the ability to live in peace with things we cannot change.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Pearls of Wisdom....196
1. Do not stir your feet except where you expect the reward of Allah.
2. Do not sit except where you are likely to be safe from disobeying Allah.
3. Do not keep the company except of him you seek help from in obeying Allah.
4. Do not take as your friend except him through whom your certainty increases.
5. He who guides you to this world has cheated you; he who guides you to works has tired you; but he who guides you to Allah has truly counseled you.
6. To turn to people's acceptance is to turn away from Allah.
7. Faith is strengthened by thanksgiving for graces, endurance under trial, and contentment with the Divine decree.
8. Trust is strengthened by parting company with the lower self, forgetting men, depending on the True One, and persistence in invoking God in dhikr.
9. Servant ship is strengthened by persisting in neediness, impotence, weakness and lowliness before God.
10. The heart has four defenses against evil----------binding the heart to God; renouncing what is other than God; looking not with your eyes upon what God has forbidden; and moving not your feet where you do not expect God's reward. [Above quotes by Shaykh Abul Hasan al Shadhili]
2. Do not sit except where you are likely to be safe from disobeying Allah.
3. Do not keep the company except of him you seek help from in obeying Allah.
4. Do not take as your friend except him through whom your certainty increases.
5. He who guides you to this world has cheated you; he who guides you to works has tired you; but he who guides you to Allah has truly counseled you.
6. To turn to people's acceptance is to turn away from Allah.
7. Faith is strengthened by thanksgiving for graces, endurance under trial, and contentment with the Divine decree.
8. Trust is strengthened by parting company with the lower self, forgetting men, depending on the True One, and persistence in invoking God in dhikr.
9. Servant ship is strengthened by persisting in neediness, impotence, weakness and lowliness before God.
10. The heart has four defenses against evil----------binding the heart to God; renouncing what is other than God; looking not with your eyes upon what God has forbidden; and moving not your feet where you do not expect God's reward. [Above quotes by Shaykh Abul Hasan al Shadhili]
Friday, October 09, 2009
LESSON OF THE DAY 1156
Ayah of the Day:
Our Lord, don't make us a test for those who scoff; and forgive us, our Lord, for You are the epitome of power and wisdom. [60: 5]
Hadith of the Day:
Every sin of a martyr is forgiven except debt. [Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Do not lose hope in adversity and complain that God singled you out for punishment, remitting others guilty of worse sins. Your present state could very well be His intent to elevate your spiritual station; or He could just be testing your faith. Everyday that you persevere, you grow closer to perfection. Thus your present despair may be beginning of an infinite blessing. [shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani]
Guidance of the Day:
Intentions do not affect sins, just as purification does not affect that which is, by it very nature, impure. A man who goes along with another who is slandering a Muslim, then pretends that he only wanted to humor him, is himself a slanderer. A malicious intention attached to a good deed spoils it and renders it malicious; likewise when one performs good deeds for the sake of wealth and prestige. Strive always to intend that your obedience be solely for the sake of God, and that whatever licit things you may use are only to help you obey Him.
Know that many intentions can attach to a single act, and that each of them will attract its full reward. An example of this in devotional activities is when someone reads the Qur'an intending to commune with God, but also to extract from it different kinds of knowledge, to profit those who listen or just happen to hear, or any other good intention. And an example in licit matters is to eat with the intention of obeying the command of your Lord in His saying (Exalted is He!): O you who believe! Eat of the good things with which We have provided you, and give thanks to God. (2: 172) Intend by doing so to acquire strength for devotion, and to put yourself in a situation where you must thank your Lord. You can apply these two examples in an analogous fashion to all other devotional and licit activities. [Al-Haddad, The Book of Assistance]
Food for Thought:
Maturity is the ability to control anger, and settle differences without violence or destruction. Maturity is patience, the willingness to give up immediate pleasure in favor of the long-term gain. Maturity is perseverance, sweating out a project despite setbacks. Maturity is the capacity to face unpleasantness and disappointment without becoming bitter.
Our Lord, don't make us a test for those who scoff; and forgive us, our Lord, for You are the epitome of power and wisdom. [60: 5]
Hadith of the Day:
Every sin of a martyr is forgiven except debt. [Muslim]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Do not lose hope in adversity and complain that God singled you out for punishment, remitting others guilty of worse sins. Your present state could very well be His intent to elevate your spiritual station; or He could just be testing your faith. Everyday that you persevere, you grow closer to perfection. Thus your present despair may be beginning of an infinite blessing. [shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani]
Guidance of the Day:
Intentions do not affect sins, just as purification does not affect that which is, by it very nature, impure. A man who goes along with another who is slandering a Muslim, then pretends that he only wanted to humor him, is himself a slanderer. A malicious intention attached to a good deed spoils it and renders it malicious; likewise when one performs good deeds for the sake of wealth and prestige. Strive always to intend that your obedience be solely for the sake of God, and that whatever licit things you may use are only to help you obey Him.
Know that many intentions can attach to a single act, and that each of them will attract its full reward. An example of this in devotional activities is when someone reads the Qur'an intending to commune with God, but also to extract from it different kinds of knowledge, to profit those who listen or just happen to hear, or any other good intention. And an example in licit matters is to eat with the intention of obeying the command of your Lord in His saying (Exalted is He!): O you who believe! Eat of the good things with which We have provided you, and give thanks to God. (2: 172) Intend by doing so to acquire strength for devotion, and to put yourself in a situation where you must thank your Lord. You can apply these two examples in an analogous fashion to all other devotional and licit activities. [Al-Haddad, The Book of Assistance]
Food for Thought:
Maturity is the ability to control anger, and settle differences without violence or destruction. Maturity is patience, the willingness to give up immediate pleasure in favor of the long-term gain. Maturity is perseverance, sweating out a project despite setbacks. Maturity is the capacity to face unpleasantness and disappointment without becoming bitter.
Thursday, October 08, 2009
Pearls of Wisdom....195
1. Following the sunna is attained by caution and good character.
2. Indifference to others' acceptance or rejection is attained by patience and trust in Allah.
3. Satisfaction in Allah is attained by contentment with what one has and submission to the will of Allah.
4. Turning to Allah Most High is attained by praise and thanks to Him in happiness and taking refuge in Him in affliction.
5. Whoever's aspiration is high, his rank rises.
6. Whoever maintains respect for what Allah honors, his own respect is upheld.
7. Whoever gives goodly service is necessarily shown generosity.
8. Whoever carries out his spiritual resolutions continues to have guidance.
9. Whoever sees Allah's blessings as great gives thanks for them, and whoever gives thanks for them has necessitated their increase from the Bestower of Blessings, by virtue of His true promise. [Above quotes by Shaykh Ahmad al Zarruq]
2. Indifference to others' acceptance or rejection is attained by patience and trust in Allah.
3. Satisfaction in Allah is attained by contentment with what one has and submission to the will of Allah.
4. Turning to Allah Most High is attained by praise and thanks to Him in happiness and taking refuge in Him in affliction.
5. Whoever's aspiration is high, his rank rises.
6. Whoever maintains respect for what Allah honors, his own respect is upheld.
7. Whoever gives goodly service is necessarily shown generosity.
8. Whoever carries out his spiritual resolutions continues to have guidance.
9. Whoever sees Allah's blessings as great gives thanks for them, and whoever gives thanks for them has necessitated their increase from the Bestower of Blessings, by virtue of His true promise. [Above quotes by Shaykh Ahmad al Zarruq]
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
LESSON OF THE DAY 1155
Ayahs of the Day:
Neither your relatives nor your children will be of any avail to you on the day of resurrection. God will judge between you, seeing whatever you do. [60: 3]
Hadith of the Day:
Someone who sets forth in search of knowledge is busy in the cause of Allah until he returns from his quest. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Do not dispute with anyone in any matter as far as possible. For in argument lies much harm and its evil is greater than its benefit. [Imam Ghazali]
Guidance of the Day:
You must improve the soundness and sincerity of your intentions, examine them, and reflect well before embarking on your actions. For intentions are the bases of deeds; according to them your deeds will either be good or ugly, sound or unsound. You must, therefore, utter no word, do no action, and decide no matter without the intention of drawing nearer thereby to God and seeking the reward He has assigned, through his beneficence and grace, to the intended act.
And know that drawing nearer to Him can only be done through the obligatory and supererogatory devotions that He has indicated through His Messenger, may blessings and peace be upon him. A sincere intention may change the merely licit into the devotional, for means are judged according to their ends. For example, one may eat to get strength to perform devotions. It is a condition of the sincere intention that behavior does not belie it. For instance, a man who seeks knowledge claiming that his intention is to practice and teach it will be proved insincere in his intention if, when he becomes able to, he does not do so. [Al-Haddad, The Book of Assistance]
Food for Thought:
When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the air plane takes off against the wind, not with it. Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict.
Neither your relatives nor your children will be of any avail to you on the day of resurrection. God will judge between you, seeing whatever you do. [60: 3]
Hadith of the Day:
Someone who sets forth in search of knowledge is busy in the cause of Allah until he returns from his quest. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Do not dispute with anyone in any matter as far as possible. For in argument lies much harm and its evil is greater than its benefit. [Imam Ghazali]
Guidance of the Day:
You must improve the soundness and sincerity of your intentions, examine them, and reflect well before embarking on your actions. For intentions are the bases of deeds; according to them your deeds will either be good or ugly, sound or unsound. You must, therefore, utter no word, do no action, and decide no matter without the intention of drawing nearer thereby to God and seeking the reward He has assigned, through his beneficence and grace, to the intended act.
And know that drawing nearer to Him can only be done through the obligatory and supererogatory devotions that He has indicated through His Messenger, may blessings and peace be upon him. A sincere intention may change the merely licit into the devotional, for means are judged according to their ends. For example, one may eat to get strength to perform devotions. It is a condition of the sincere intention that behavior does not belie it. For instance, a man who seeks knowledge claiming that his intention is to practice and teach it will be proved insincere in his intention if, when he becomes able to, he does not do so. [Al-Haddad, The Book of Assistance]
Food for Thought:
When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the air plane takes off against the wind, not with it. Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict.
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Pearls of Wisdom....194
1. The lovers of God derive their strength and spiritual energy from dhikr. They find happiness and glory in this world and in the Hereafter.
2. Lovers of God should be righteous, they must guard their hands, tongues, and loins from every act forbidden by their Beloved Lord.
3. Lovers should obey the Beloved and fulfill the demands of His obedience with affection, sincerity, and obedience.
4. Lovers strive to ensure that no harm comes to anyone as a result of what they do or say.
5. Lovers of Truth do not notice people's faults, for their own failings blind them to those of others.
6. Lovers of Truth do not curse nor do they wish harm to anyone at all.
7. Affection for those who love God, is in fact affection for God Himself.
8. Anyone who hopes to be together with those loved by God, and His faithful lovers, on the Day of Resurrection, should nourish love and affection toward them.
9. A heart without love for the Truth is the house of Satan.
10. A heart that is enlivened by the love of God, enlightened by the love of the Prophet (peace and blessings by upon him), polished and cleansed by ardent remembrance-------such is the heart called 'qalb saleem'. [Above quotes by Shaykh Muzaffar Ozak]
2. Lovers of God should be righteous, they must guard their hands, tongues, and loins from every act forbidden by their Beloved Lord.
3. Lovers should obey the Beloved and fulfill the demands of His obedience with affection, sincerity, and obedience.
4. Lovers strive to ensure that no harm comes to anyone as a result of what they do or say.
5. Lovers of Truth do not notice people's faults, for their own failings blind them to those of others.
6. Lovers of Truth do not curse nor do they wish harm to anyone at all.
7. Affection for those who love God, is in fact affection for God Himself.
8. Anyone who hopes to be together with those loved by God, and His faithful lovers, on the Day of Resurrection, should nourish love and affection toward them.
9. A heart without love for the Truth is the house of Satan.
10. A heart that is enlivened by the love of God, enlightened by the love of the Prophet (peace and blessings by upon him), polished and cleansed by ardent remembrance-------such is the heart called 'qalb saleem'. [Above quotes by Shaykh Muzaffar Ozak]
Monday, October 05, 2009
LESSON OF THE DAY 1154
Ayahs of the Day:
This is the God, other than which there is no deity: knower of the invisible and the evident, the Benevolent, the Merciful. This is the God,other than which there is no deity: the Sovereign, the Holy, Peace, the Giver of Safety, the Protector, the Almighty, the Omnipotent, the Overwhelming; glory to God, beyond any association they attribute. This is God, the Originator, the Creator, the Shaper, to whom refer the most beautiful names, celebrated by everything in the heavens and on earth, being the Almighty, the Perfectly Wise. [59: 22,23,24]
Hadith of the Day:
The first to be summoned to Paradise on the Day of Judgment will be those who praise God (both) in prosperity and adversity. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Put your trust in God, the Truth;
And commit to Him all your affairs
So that you may find peace. [Ibrahim Haqqi]
Guidance of the Day:
Certainty derives its power and excellence from many things. The first, most essential and pivotal of these is that the servant listen attentively with his heart as well as his ears to verses and hadiths relating to God, His Majesty, Perfection, Magnitude, and Grandeur, His Uniqueness in creating and deciding, ruling and compelling: likewise to the truthfulness and perfection of the Messengers, the miracles they were aided with, and the sundry chastisements which befell those who opposed them.
The second is to learn from looking at the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and the wondrous and astounding creatures that God made them teem with. The third is to behave according to what one believes, outwardly and inwardly, zealously, and to the limit of one's resources. [Al-Haddad, The Book of Assistance]
Food for Thought:
The only sure way to take fear out of living is to keep a respectful fear of God in our lives, which means to maintain a reverent attitude toward His place and influence in the scheme of things. This brand of fear is a healthy ingredient, a deterrent to want, a spur to courage and confidence, an insurance against loss, a source of comfort and understanding at any age.
This is the God, other than which there is no deity: knower of the invisible and the evident, the Benevolent, the Merciful. This is the God,other than which there is no deity: the Sovereign, the Holy, Peace, the Giver of Safety, the Protector, the Almighty, the Omnipotent, the Overwhelming; glory to God, beyond any association they attribute. This is God, the Originator, the Creator, the Shaper, to whom refer the most beautiful names, celebrated by everything in the heavens and on earth, being the Almighty, the Perfectly Wise. [59: 22,23,24]
Hadith of the Day:
The first to be summoned to Paradise on the Day of Judgment will be those who praise God (both) in prosperity and adversity. [Tirmidhi]
Wise Quote of the Day:
Put your trust in God, the Truth;
And commit to Him all your affairs
So that you may find peace. [Ibrahim Haqqi]
Guidance of the Day:
Certainty derives its power and excellence from many things. The first, most essential and pivotal of these is that the servant listen attentively with his heart as well as his ears to verses and hadiths relating to God, His Majesty, Perfection, Magnitude, and Grandeur, His Uniqueness in creating and deciding, ruling and compelling: likewise to the truthfulness and perfection of the Messengers, the miracles they were aided with, and the sundry chastisements which befell those who opposed them.
The second is to learn from looking at the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and the wondrous and astounding creatures that God made them teem with. The third is to behave according to what one believes, outwardly and inwardly, zealously, and to the limit of one's resources. [Al-Haddad, The Book of Assistance]
Food for Thought:
The only sure way to take fear out of living is to keep a respectful fear of God in our lives, which means to maintain a reverent attitude toward His place and influence in the scheme of things. This brand of fear is a healthy ingredient, a deterrent to want, a spur to courage and confidence, an insurance against loss, a source of comfort and understanding at any age.
Friday, October 02, 2009
Pearls of Wisdom....193
1. Love brings the servant near to God, Glorified and Exalted is He.
2. Love reminds the slave of his servitude and increases his devotion.
3. Love removes vanity and hypocrisy, increases truthfulness and sincerity.
4. Love solves all problems, opens all closed doors.
5. Love illumines the heart and delights the mind.
6. Love causes neither sleep nor hunger nor thirst.
7. Love makes us weep.
8. Love makes us speak.
9. Love makes us hear.
10. One who is a lover of God, Exalted is He, also remembers Him, always and everywhere. This is the duty and proof of love, this much does love demand. [Above quotes by Shaykh Muzaffar Ozak]
2. Love reminds the slave of his servitude and increases his devotion.
3. Love removes vanity and hypocrisy, increases truthfulness and sincerity.
4. Love solves all problems, opens all closed doors.
5. Love illumines the heart and delights the mind.
6. Love causes neither sleep nor hunger nor thirst.
7. Love makes us weep.
8. Love makes us speak.
9. Love makes us hear.
10. One who is a lover of God, Exalted is He, also remembers Him, always and everywhere. This is the duty and proof of love, this much does love demand. [Above quotes by Shaykh Muzaffar Ozak]
Thursday, October 01, 2009
LESSON OF THE DAY 1153
Ayahs of the Day:
The inmates of the fire and the inhabitants of the garden are not equal; the inhabitants of the garden are the ones who are triumphant. Had We sent this Recital down on a mountain, you would see it humbled, cracking in awe of God. And those are the examples We set forth to humanity, so that they might reflect. [59: 20,21]
Hadith of the Day:
A woman is married for her wealth, her reputation, her beauty, or her religion. Choose the religious one or you may be ruined. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
To advise is an easy matter, the difficulty is accepting advice, since it is bitter for those who follow their own inclinations and desires. [Imam Ghazali]
Guidance of the Day:
You must strengthen and improve your certainty. For when certainty prevails in the heart and establishes itself therein the unseen becomes as if seen and the man aided by providence says, as Ali, may God ennoble his face, said: "Were the cover to be removed, I would not increase in certainty."
Certainty is power, firmness and stability of faith so great that it becomes as a towering mountain which no doubts can shake and no illusions rock. Rather, doubts and illusions disappear completely, and when they come from outside are neither listened to by the ear nor heeded by the heart. The Devil cannot approach the possessor of such certainty; he flees from him, fears from his shadow, and is content to keep at a safe distance. [Al-Haddad, The Book of Assistance]
Food for Thought:
Be charitable in your thoughts, in your speech, and in your actions. Give what you have to give. Small acts of care and grace can mean more than you ever dare to think. There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situation.
The inmates of the fire and the inhabitants of the garden are not equal; the inhabitants of the garden are the ones who are triumphant. Had We sent this Recital down on a mountain, you would see it humbled, cracking in awe of God. And those are the examples We set forth to humanity, so that they might reflect. [59: 20,21]
Hadith of the Day:
A woman is married for her wealth, her reputation, her beauty, or her religion. Choose the religious one or you may be ruined. [Bukhari]
Wise Quote of the Day:
To advise is an easy matter, the difficulty is accepting advice, since it is bitter for those who follow their own inclinations and desires. [Imam Ghazali]
Guidance of the Day:
You must strengthen and improve your certainty. For when certainty prevails in the heart and establishes itself therein the unseen becomes as if seen and the man aided by providence says, as Ali, may God ennoble his face, said: "Were the cover to be removed, I would not increase in certainty."
Certainty is power, firmness and stability of faith so great that it becomes as a towering mountain which no doubts can shake and no illusions rock. Rather, doubts and illusions disappear completely, and when they come from outside are neither listened to by the ear nor heeded by the heart. The Devil cannot approach the possessor of such certainty; he flees from him, fears from his shadow, and is content to keep at a safe distance. [Al-Haddad, The Book of Assistance]
Food for Thought:
Be charitable in your thoughts, in your speech, and in your actions. Give what you have to give. Small acts of care and grace can mean more than you ever dare to think. There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situation.
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