Pearls of wisdom 268

1. It is your duty to be thankful, to practice patience and compliance.

2. It is your duty to give up resentment, distrust, and indulgence in folly and passion of the self.

3. It is your duty to persist in supplication, to be sincere in seeking refuge.

4. It is your duty to think well of your Lord, to await relief from Him, to believe His promise.

5. It is your duty to be modest toward Him, to comply with his commandment.

6. It is your duty to keep up the affirmation of His Oneness, to be quick to carry out His orders.

7. It is your duty to ask Allah for forgiveness of previous sins, protection from sins in the coming days ahead.

8. It is your duty to ask Allah's help to succeed in goodly obedience and following orders.

9. It is your duty to ask Allah's help for readiness to accept the bitterness of destiny's decree, for patience in bearing hardships of misfortune.

10. It is your duty to ask Allah's help for gratitude for the abundance of blessings and gifts, and finally, to die with a good ending and then be united with the best company. [Above quotes by Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani]

LESSON OF THE DAY 1231

Ayahs of the Day:

As for the righteous, they will be in happiness, while the deviants will be in a blaze, where they will roast on the day of requital, unable to hide from it. And what will let you know what the day of requital is? Again, what will let you know what the day of requital is? The day no soul can do anything for another; for the matter that day is up to God. [82: 13 to 19]

Hadith of the Day:

The one who obeys me will enter Paradise. The one who refuses to obey me has refused to enter Paradise. [Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:

The one who truly knows Allah fills all his moments seeking meaning from everything through reflection and contemplation, while occupying himself in praise and glorification and perpetually increasing in obedience. [Ibrahim ibn al-Adham]

Guidance of the Day:

Ask yourself the question "What messages am I really sending to my children?" One of my favorite parenting books is Dr. Wane Dyer's book What Do You Really Want for Your Children? In it, he encourages parents to ask themselves what they really want to teach their kids and to examine the hidden messages we are sending them. He suggests that some of the most important and valued human qualities -- self reliance, risk taking, patience, independence -- can be hampered by the invisible ways we communicate with our kids.

Sometimes, for example, we demand that our children relax, or quiet down, but do so by raising our own voices in frustration. Or, we want our kids to grow up being independent, yet we clean their rooms out of personal frustration, or fail to allow our children to take appropriate risks. Perhaps we say we want our children to be calm, yet we are hyper, even frantic, ourselves. Perhaps we want our children to grow up being cooperative, yet we have a tendency to argue too often. There are many examples where we want to encourage a certain type of behavior yet we are sending a message that suggests otherwise. [Carlson, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff -- with your family]

Food for Thought:

So often we look at a calendar of days as merely a symbol of the passage of time. We forget why we are on this earth. We forget that there is a reason for all of the pain and all of the struggles. We forget that we were put on earth to learn something. Appreciate the journey, the passages, the twists and the turns; they are all the stages of your life.

Pearls of wisdom 267

1. The things that bring a servant close to Allah Most High are -- pious caution, contentment, submission, and absolute trust.

2. The servant should behave correctly when misfortune befalls him -- he should examine his sinfulness in omitting commandments, committing things forbidden, outwardly and inwardly, and disputing with destiny.

3. Ask Allah for contentment, because it is the major gateway of Allah, and the reason for Allah's love for His believing servant.

4. All acts of worshipful service are a blessing from Allah and a favor from Him to His servant, for it is Him who helps him/her to perform them and enables him/her to accomplish them.

5. Have mercy on your own self and do it no wrong -- do not cast it into the darkness of your ignorance and folly.

6. The believer is a thorough investigator -- he will pause when presented with any opportunity to partake of whatever may open up for him.

7. Notice Him who notices you, attend to Him who attends to you.

8. Love Him who loves you, answer Him who summons you.

9. Give your hand to Him who holds you tight from falling, who brings you out of the darkness of you ignorance.

10. Give your hand to Him who saves you from destruction, washes away all your dirt, cleans up all your filth, and releases you from your devils and your ignorant friends. [Above quotes by Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani]

LESSON OF THE DAY 1230

Ayahs of the Day:

O human being, what has seduced you from your generous Lord who created you, proportioned you, and balanced you, constructing you in any form at will? No, instead you deny requital though there are guardians over you, honorable, keeping records, who know what you do. [82: 6 to 12]

Hadith of the Day:

The one who cheats is not one of us. [Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:

Ritual prayer is a purification for hearts and an opening-up of the door of the invisible domains. He knew of the existence of weakness in you, so He made the number of ritual prayers small; and He knew of your need of His grace, so He multiplied their fruitful results. [Ibn Ata'Allah]

Guidance of the Day:

A great deal of potential enlightenment can be found by reminding yourself how short and fragile life really is and how quickly things can change -- one minute you have a spouse or a child, the next you don't. One minute you think you're going to live forever -- the next you discover you will not. One day you enjoy your daily walk -- the next you have an accident that makes walking impossible. One day you have a home -- the next it's lost in a fire. You get the picture. Obviously there are two distinct ways to look at the uncertainty and fragility of life. One is to feel defeated and frightened over the inevitability of change, including painful changes. The other, more positive, take on the same set of facts is to use this uncertainty as a constant reminder to be grateful.

Because we are so familiar with, and spend so much time at, our homes, it's easy to take for granted our families, possessions, environment, privacy, safety, comfort, and all the other things our homes provide us with. Because of this tendency, it's critical to constantly remind ourselves how fortunate we are to have a home, however humble it may be. We need to take actual time (perhaps a few minutes) every day to think about and express, if possible, gratitude for the important role our homes play in our lives. Instead of waiting for bad news to make you treasure the gift of your life, if you begin to make it an integral part of your life right now, your will experience more joy around the home than you ever felt possible. Give it a try. I'll bet you have a lot more to be grateful for than you realized. [Carlson, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff -- with your family]

Food for Thought:

A woman without religion is as a flower without scent. A beautiful chaste woman is perfect workmanship of God, and the true glory of the angels, the rare miracle of earth, and the sole wonder of the world. Earth has nothing more tender than a woman's heart when it is the abode of piety.

Pearls of wisdom 266

1. The servant who is blessed with good fortune must never feel secure from the cunning tests of Allah Most High, deluding himself into believing that his prosperity is bound to last for ever, forgetting to be thankful for it, and letting it slip loose by omitting that gratitude.

2. Thanks for the blessing of wealth are offered by acknowledging the Gracious Benefactor, by recognizing His favor and grace.

3. Gratitude is observed by neither transgressing the limits He imposes, nor failing to observe His commandments in all matters.

4. Gratitude is shown by discharging one's duties in respect of the alms-due, expiation, votive offerings and charitable donations.

5. Gratitude is shown by helping the distressed, visiting the needy and those who are in dire straits through the vicissitudes of circumstance.

6. Gratitude for good health in the limbs and organs or the body is shown by enlisting their aid for works of obedience, and refraining from unlawful actions, bad deeds, sins and offenses.

7. For the one who suffers tribulation, he will sometimes be tried as a punishment and retribution for an offense or a sin he has committed, at another time as an expiation and purification, and finally, for the sake of elevation in spiritual degrees and advancement to high stages.

8. The sign that trials are being afflicted as retribution and punishment is lack of patience while they last, as well as anxiety and complaining to people.

9. The sign that the tribulation is for expiation and purification of sins, is the presence of beautiful patience, without complaint or expression of anxiety to friends and neighbors, and without irritation with the performance of commandments and acts of obedience.

10. The sign that the trials are for the sake of spiritual progress is the presence of contentment, harmony, self-composure, quiet trust in the working of the God of the earth and heavens, and annihilation within them until their eventual removal with the passage of time. [Above quotes by Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani]

LESSON OF THE DAY 1229

Ayahs of the Day:

When the sky splits and when the stars are scattered and when the oceans are drained and when the tombs are upset, each soul will know what it produced and what it left undone. [82: 1 to 5]

Hadith of the Day:

The best a man can do is love for God's sake and hate for God's sake. [Abu Dawud]

Wise Quote of the Day:

If you wish to shine like the daylight, burn up the night of self-importance. Dissolve the self like copper in the elixir; dissolve in Him who fosters all existence. But you are bound by the discord of "I" and "We." The cause of your ruin in this sad dualism. [Mawlana Rumi]

Guidance of the Day:

Don't wait for bad news to appreciate your life. Eventually, many of us will receive a much-dreaded terminal diagnosis. And besides the shock that we will undoubtedly experience, one other thing is certain to occur: Our ordinary life will be experienced with heightened appreciation. The things we sometimes take for granted -- laughter, beauty, friendships, nature, family and loved ones, our home -- will all seem more important and special than ever before. Each day will be experienced as a gift and as a cherished miracle.

What's more, all the "small stuff" that tends to bother us so much won't seem at all important or worthy of so much attention. The little aggravations that we tend to focus on will fade in significance. Our attention will be on the tremendous gift of life. Because we know, with relative certainty, that this will be our reaction to bad news, as it has been for so many before us, what possible value could there be in waiting to appreciate your life? Instead of postponing your experience of gratitude until you are forced to do so by some form of bad news, why not instead begin to treasure your life right now? Life itself is a miracle, and we are truly blessed to be here. [Carlson, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff -- with your family]

Food for Thought:

Minutes! Count them by sensation, and not by calendars and each moment is a day. Let him know who would enjoy a good future, waste none of his present. Men talk of killing time, while time is quietly killing them. Much can be done with those little shreds and patches of time which every day produces, and which most men throw away.

Pearls of wisdom 265

1. You are commanded to discipline and train your lower self, and to use it to carry you along the path of safety, the way of the hereafter and of obedience to your Lord.

2. When someone relates to his Lord with honesty and sincerity, he feels aversion for all besides Him by night and by day.

3. Anyone who wishes for safety in this world and the hereafter must cultivate patience and contentment.

4. Anyone who wishes for safety in this world and the hereafter must give up complaining to people, and submit his needs to his Lord.

5. Anyone who wishes for safety in this world and the hereafter must practice obedience to his Lord, and wait for happiness to come from Him.

6. Anyone who wishes for safety in this world and the hereafter must know that His deprivation is actually a gift, and His punishment a blessing.

7. Anyone who wishes for safety in this world and the hereafter must know that His trial is a remedy, His promise is ready cash, His word is a deed, and His will a state of being.

8. Anyone who wishes for safety in this world and the hereafter must know that all His deeds are good and wise and beneficial, although He keeps knowledge of the benefits concealed from His servants and reserves it to Himself alone.

9. Anyone who wishes for safety in this world and the hereafter must know that it is most fitting and proper for His servants to be in a state of contentment and submission, to be dedicated to servant hood by fulfilling commandments, observing prohibitions, and submitting to the decree destiny.

10. Anyone who wishes for safety in this world and the hereafter must abandon preoccupation and combat with Lordship, be silent on questions of why and how and when, and to give up suspicion of the Lord of Truth in all his phases of movement and repose. [Above quotes by Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani]

LESSON OF THE DAY 1228

Ayahs of the Day:

And this isn't the word of an accursed devil. So where are you going? This is a message to all peoples, for any of you who want to be upright. But you won't want to unless it is the will of God, Lord of the universe. [81: 25 to 29]

Hadith of the Day:

The one who does not show concern and compassion for other people will not receive care and compassion. [Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:

One's worldly abstinence is commensurate with one's longing for the world to come. The abstinent and contented one is only he who is contented and thankful with the divine degree. [Fudhail ibn Iyad]

Guidance of the Day:

It's also important to keep your more subtle or implied promises. If, for example, you tell your mother, "I will give you a call tomorrow," make every attempt to do so. So often we will say things----make subtle promises-----because it makes the moment a little easier or makes someone feel special for the time being, but we fail to deliver, thus more than erasing the positive effects of our good intentions. We'll say things like "I will swing by later this afternoon" or "I will be there no later than six o'clock." But, time and time again, we don't actually come through. We rationalize not keeping our promises by saying things like "I tried, but I'm really busy," but that is of little consolation to someone who is on the receiving end. To most people, a broken promise is more evidence that promises don't mean much.

I have found that it is much better not to make a promise, even if you want to, unless you are relatively certain you'll be able to keep it. If you're not certain you're going to actually do something for someone, don't say you are going to. Make it a surprise instead. Or if you're not sure you're going to call, don't say you are going to call, and so forth. By keeping our promises, we do our little part in helping our loved ones keep their cynicism to a minimum. We teach them that some people can be trusted and are trustworthy. You may be pleasantly surprised at how much people will appreciate you when you do what you say you are going to do, when you keep your promises. Your life at home and around your family will be greatly enhanced. [Carlson, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff------with your family]

Food for Thought:

Most things we worry about never happen. How much pain they have cost us, the evils which have never happened. We poison our lives with fear of burglary and shipwreck, and the house is never burgled, and the ship never goes down. If you see ten troubles coming down the road, you can be sure that nine will run into the ditch before they reach you.

Pearls of wisdom 264

1. Allah Most High commands you to be patient, to remain steadfast, to stay on guard and persevere.

2. When you observe your duty to Allah Most High, He maintains you in patience and respect for His limits, and grants you fulfillment of what He has promised you in His Book.

3. Patience is the source of all goodness and safety in this world and the hereafter -- beware of giving it up, lest it disappoint you in this world and the hereafter and you miss the blessings in both.

4. When you find in your heart either hatred or love for a person, review his behavior in the light of the Book and Sunnah -- if his behavior is pleasing according to their standards, then love him, but if it is hateful, then hate him -- so that you do not love or hate a person because of your passion.

5. Every term has a prescribed duration, and for every increase in trouble there is an end, which can neither be brought forward nor deferred.

6. Be well-behaved, practice patience, contentment and harmony with you Lord, and repent for your resentment against Him.

7. Know that there is no inconsistency in what He does -- He does nothing uselessly and creates nothing as a futile game.

8. Do not become suspicious of Him when He delays the response, and do not be weary of making supplication to Him, for while you may not be gaining, neither are you losing. If He does not respond to you immediately He will reward you later on.

9. Treat you life of hereafter as your capital and your worldly life as the profit therefrom.

10. You are commanded to ride your lower self, to discipline and train it, and use it to carry you along the path of safety, the way of hereafter and of obedience to our Almighty Lord. [Above quotes by Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani]

LESSON OF THE DAY 1227

Ayahs of the Day:

Yes, I swear by the planets that recede, run, and disappear, and the night as it darkens and the dawn as it breaks that this is the word of a noble messenger, endowed with power, his rank established in the presence of the Lord of the Throne, obeyed and faithful there, so your companion is not insane. [81: 15 to 22]

Hadith of the Day:

The destruction that worldly fortune and fame, or the ambition for them, inflicts upon one's faith, is worse than what a pack of wolves could do to a flock of sheep. [Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:

Better to look for the defects in you, than to look for the unseen worlds that are veiled from you. [Ibn Ata'Allah]

Guidance of the Day:

No book on improving family life would be complete without a few words on keeping your promises. This is an extremely powerful, long-term strategy to keep you permanently bonded with those you love. You can do a lot of things wrong, but if you keep your promises, you will be richly rewarded in terms of the quality of your relationships and the integrity that others will have. On the other hand, if you fail to keep your promises, those around you -- your own family -- will take your words less seriously, or even worse, learn to distrust you altogether.

Obviously, no one is perfect, and there will be times when you fail to keep a promise for a variety of reasons -- you will forget, or something "pressing" will come up. In most cases this isn't a problem because keeping your promises isn't an all-or-nothing proposition but a life-time process. In other words, your goal isn't to be perfect but to strive to keep as many of your promises as possible. [Carlson, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff------with your family]

Food for Thought:

You are incharge of your life and your attitude. Change one or the other according to your needs and desires, and you too can be happy. If you don't want to be happy you can make that choice too. No one can force you to be happy if you would rather whine and complain. As you play the game of your life, remember that it's your attitude and choices that determine the outcome.

Pearls of wisdom 263

1. Do not look forward greedily to what will be yours, and do not hanker after that which belongs to another.

2. What ever is meant for you will be coming your way, while you are led and directed toward it.

3. As for that which is not meant for you, you will be deflected from it as it is turned aside from you.

4. Devote yourself to well-mannered behavior in every aspect of your obedient service to your Master.

5. Do not hold your head high and do not bow your neck to anything apart from Him.

6. He has equipped you for His obedient service -- and given you some of His sustenance and His bounty.

7. Cheerful acceptance of your lot is better for you, more lasting, more blessed, more worthy and more appropriate.

8. Become servant of the Lord and His command, and not the servant of creatures and their opinions.

9. Regard good and evil as two fruits from two branches of a single tree -- stick to the side of the branch bearing sweet fruit.

10. Avoid going to the side of the branch bearing bitter fruit -- if you make this your regular habit, you will live in tranquility, security, comfort and safety. [Above quotes by Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani]