Pearls of wisdom 303

1. Renunciation of the world is reduction of hope for worldly gain -- it is not eating coarse foods or wearing a rough cloak.

2. Flesh eaters are those who backbite -- they eat human flesh.

3. Certainty is that every affliction be considered sent by Allah.

4. Be warned of being envious of the higher rank of any Muslim -- for it is a sign of ingratitude to Allah.

5. Be warned of ignoring warnings of God Most High and express dejection of His promises -- for it causes infidelity.

6. Sell not the friendship of the Lord for the friendship of the world and its possessions.

7. Worse than sin against God is sin against man.

8. For the people of the world sleep is more profitable than keeping awake -- for then they keep off worldly discourses during sleep. [Above quotes by Sufyan al Thawri radi Allah anhu]

LESSON OF THE DAY 1271

Ayahs of the Day:

Woe to every backbiting critic who gathers money and multiplies it, assuming his money will make him last. But no -- he will be flung into destruction. And what will convey to you what destruction is? The fire of God alight, which rises to the hearts, indeed closed over them, in distended columns. [104: 1 to 9]

Hadith of the Day:

A Muslim is the one who avoids harming Muslims with his tongue and hands. And an emigrant (Muhajir) is the one who gives up (abandons) all what Allah has forbidden. [Bukhari]

Wise Quote of the Day:

The total and lasting mistake is to have free time and not betake yourself to Him or for the obstacles to be few and not journey to Him. [Ibn Ata'Allah]

Guidance of the Day:

Express Gratitude for Your Home: Think about your home for a minute. Whether you live in a tiny apartment, a room in someone else's house, or your own home, it's yours to use. It's your space. What in the world would you do without it? How would you survive? It's remarkable to reflect on how fortunate your are to have a home, a place to rest, a haven of potential peace. When was the last time you consciously expressed gratitude for your home?

Take a deep breath and express gratitude for your lovely home. Despite its imperfections, it's yours. You live in your home. It protects you from the elements of hot and cold, and against everything from insects to strangers. It helps keep you alive and comfortable. Yet, for the most part, it is taken entirely for granted. I'm asking you to take a few moments every day, for the rest of your life, to quietly reflect on the joy of having a home -- whatever it looks like and however hard you work to maintain it. Taking part in the expression of gratitude does many things. It puts your attention on how lucky you are instead of all that needs to be done. It helps to keep things in perspective.

When times are difficult, it reminds you that, despite the difficulty, you are indeed fortunate to be alive and to have a home. When you are overwhelmed by the work involved in having a home, or by the cost or all that goes along with it, gratitude will help keep you pointed in the right direction. Gratitude is a very powerful emotion. It brings forth the best in you and helps you maintain your emotional bearings. It helps you be happy. Enjoy the feelings of gratitude and, perhaps for the first time, really enjoy the privilege of having a home. [Carlson, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff -- with your family]

Food for Thought:

Religion is the dominion of the soul. It is the hope of life, the anchor of safety, the deliverance of soul. Religion is the fear and love of God; its demonstration is good works; and faith is the root of both, for without faith we cannot please God; nor can we fear and love what we do not believe. Religion is not an escape from life; it is life. It is not an abstraction; it is a career. It is the metaphysics of people.

Pearls of wisdom 302

1. A grain of genuine piety (taqwa) is better than a thousand fold weight of (nafl) fasting and prayer.

2. Meditation is a mirror which reveals you your virtues and vices.

3. How excellent is he who takes no thought of his own interest so that his patience is for God's sake -- this is the mark of true sincerity.

4. He who attains contentment requires nothing.

5. He who seeks retirement from the world finds peace.

6. He who rids himself of jealousy attains friendship.

7. He who lives with patience for a little while, gains an eternal abode.

8. Humility is constant fear accompanying the heart.

9. Seek sweetness in three things -- prayer, making remembrance of God, and reciting the Holy Qur'an.

10. Correct behavior is -- learning religion, moderation in the world, and knowledge of what constitutes your duty toward God Most High. [Above quotes by Shaykh Hasan al Basri]

LESSON OF THE DAY 1270

Ayahs of the Day:

By the age, man is indeed at loss, except those who have faith and do good works and (join together) in the mutual teaching of truth, and of patience and perseverance. [103: 1,2,3]

Hadith of the Day:

A prudent man subdues his passions and works for what comes after death, but an imprudent man follows his passions and puts his hope in God (for forgiveness). [Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:

Had there not been five bad qualities, all the people would have been righteous -- contentment with ignorance, love for worldly life, miserliness, ostentation in good deeds, and pride in their own intelligence. [Ali radi Allah anhu]

Guidance of the Day:

Be an example of peace: The old saying "Do as I say, not as I do" doesn't work very well at home! What does work, however, is the reverse, or "Do as I do, not as I say." Whether you live alone, with one other person or with many, the most effective way to create a more peaceful home is for you to become an example of peace. The emotional climate you live in begins with you. If you are agitated, nervous, frantic, and frustrated, it's unrealistic to expect that the people in your home are going to thrive.

If you wait for others to set the example you'd like to see, you're going to have a long wait! However, when you are calm, patient, and loving, you bring out the best in those around you. By being an example of peace, you open the door for others to be more patient, accepting and gracious. By being peaceful, you eliminate many of the mental distractions that interfere with your wisdom and common sense, thus making it easier to see solutions instead of problems.

The first step in becoming calmer yourself is to acknowledge this goal as a priority in your life. Instead of waiting for others to step forward and blaming them for the chaos in your home, make the decision to have peace as your priority -- decide it's a goal worth striving toward. When peace is your primary goal most everything else will fall into place and will be much easier to deal with. In addition, you'll be setting the stage for others to live a more peaceful life, which, in turn, further reduces the chaos you must live with. Becoming more peaceful might not happen over night, but it is certainly a goal worth striving for. Beginning now, you can make choices that lead you in this direction. [Carlson, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff -- with your family]

Food for Thought:

The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary. Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits. There is no substitute for hard work. The best prize life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing. Work is not man's punishment, it is his reward and his strength and his pleasure. Nothing ever comes to one that is worth having, except as a result of hard work.

Pearls of wisdom 301

1. On the day of judgment you shall not be asked about your wealth or honor, or your ancestry and acquisitions, but for the spiritual practices undergone and the worship you have performed.

2. God is not met until you are extremely distressed for Him, and seek Him as a drowning person calls for help.

3. He who does not bridle his tongue is abashed.

4. Seek counsel from such people who are well-versed in His obedience.

5. He who seeks company of everyone is not safe, he who treads wrong path is calumniated.

6. His worship without repentance is not right, since Allah Most High has preferred repentance over His adoration.

7. Islam is entirely discipline, he who is not conscious of it, is unfortunate.

8. Afflictions descend not for perdition but for trial and probation.

9. Sin is like cancer -- if it is not given up, it keeps growing.

10. Whoever does not behave toward his brethren as he behaves toward himself is not paying brotherhood its due. [Above quotes by Imam Ja'far Sadiq]

LESSON OF THE DAY 1269

Ayahs of the Day:
The rivalry among yourselves for piling up diverts you. Until you go to the graves. But no, you soon shall know (the reality). Again, you soon shall know! No, if you were to certainly know within the mind (you'd be aware!) You shall certainly see the fire of Hell! Again you shall see it with the certainty of sight! Then, shall you be questioned concerning bliss on that day. [102: 1 to 8]

Hadith of the Day:
Whenever kindness is in a thing it adorns it, whenever it is removed from anything it disfigures it. [Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Do not lose hope in Allah, for He is the Creator. He will create another way for you. Do not flee from your trials; patience and adversity is the foundation of all virtue, of compassion and sainthood. Patience is the foundation, and without a sound foundation you cannot build a monument. [Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani]

Guidance of the Day:
Speak softly: There is something nurturing and calming about someone who speaks softly. Speaking softly is a quality you can develop. If you do, the rewards are tremendous and measurable. These rewards will have a positive effect on the love in your family and in your home. If you make a gentle effort to speak a little more softly you might discover some surprising, almost instant, changes in the feelings around your home. You, for example will feel calmer and less stressed. As you quiet down your voice, you will actually relax the rest of your body, as well as your mind. Next, you'll discover that as you quiet down, everyone around you will quickly follow suit. This latter benefit happens almost like magic and is a welcome relief in any home.

Often, calming down starts with the voice, which leads to calmer feelings and behavior. If you think about it, it makes sense that if you want others to behave in a relatively calm manner, the worst thing you could do is be yelling and acting crazy yourself. The truth is, if you really want someone to listen to you the best thing you could possibly do is to soften your voice. You'll be surprised at how attentive and respectful your audience will become. If you give this strategy a fair chance, if you make an honest attempt to soften your voice, however slightly, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at the calming effect it will have on your family and on your life at home. [Carlson, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff -- with your family]

Food for Thought:
We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about. First say to yourself what you would be, and then do what you have to do. The aim of life is self-development, to realize one's nature perfectly. Concentrate on finding your goal, then concentrate on reaching it.

Pearls of wisdom 300

1. Anxiety does not avert Divine destiny but wastes recompense and requital.

2. He who hears backbiting is counted with the backbiter and he who endorses evil acts is considered an evil-doer.

3. Obedience to Allah Most High is not attainable without self restraint.

4. One cannot taste the relish of blessedness prior to tasting pangs of misfortune.

5. Sign of satisfaction with God is that the servant resigns to Divine destiny.

6. For the people of spiritual insight, there is admonition in every glance and lesson in every experience.

7. The best gratefulness is that you share others in the bounties and blessings of God conferred on you.

8. Contentment is a treasure which will never exhaust.

9. People in this world are like travelers whose journey continues even though they are asleep.

10. Acquire patience and endurance, because their relation with true faith is that of a head to the body -- a body is of no use without the head, similarly true faith can be of no use without attributes of resignation, endurance and patience. [Above quotes by Ali radi Allah anhu]

LESSON OF THE DAY 1268

Ayahs of the Day:
The catastrophe: What is the catastrophe, and what will convey to you what the catastrophe is? A day when humanity will be like scattered moths and the mountains like fluffed wool. Then those whose balance is heavy will be in a pleasant life, while those whose balance is slight wind up in an abyss. And what will convey to you what this is? Raging fire. [101: 1 to 11]

Hadith of the Day:
Allah is kind and loves kindness in every matter. [Bukhari & Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Hoping for Paradise without good works, hoping for the intercession (of the Prophet, may blessings and peace be upon him) without embodying the sunna, and hoping for mercy while constantly in sin, are nothing but absurdities. [Ma'ruf al Kharkhi]

Guidance of the Day:
Don't read between the lines: This is a common problem -- especially at home. When we know someone really well there is an almost insidious tendency to think that we know what that person is thinking and/or how he or she is going to behave. You can probably see that this tendency greatly contributes to sweating the small stuff at home. When you read between the lines, it's almost as though you're actively looking for things that bother and annoy you. And when you're looking for something, especially when you assume you're going to find it, you rarely disappoint yourself.

Obviously, an occasional assumption isn't going to ruin a relationship and is no big deal. However, this tendency is rarely occasional. Instead, it becomes a way of life -- a habit, something we do a great deal of the time, often without even knowing we are doing so. Our mind works so quickly in its assumptions -- what it thinks it knows -- that it prejudges without any awareness on our part.

The solution is simple -- but not easy. You must have the humility to admit that you don't know what someone is going to do or what he or she is thinking -- you only think you do. It's important to take each day, each individual circumstance, as it comes. Don't assume that simply because something has always been a certain way there is no room for change. When you do, you show a subtle form of disrespect. After all, you probably don't appreciate it when someone you love reads your mind and predicts your behavior. When you make a shift from predicting behavior to responding to it, you'll find yourself being annoyed far less. In many cases, this slight shift can make a world of a difference in the feelings of mutual respect in a family. [Carlson, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff -- with your family]

Food for Thought:
No man can tell whether he is rich or poor by turning to his ledger. It is the heart that makes a man rich. He is rich according to what he is, not according to what he has. Wealth consists not in having great possessions but in having few wants. Riches are not an end of life, but an instrument of life. A man's true wealth is the good he does in this world.

Pearls of wisdom 299

1. Do not consider admitting ignorance as a necessarily bad thing, for saying, "I don't know" is itself half of knowledge.

2. Agreeing with everything one hears is from the habits of hypocrites and disputing with everything one hears is the breeding ground of enmity.

3. The sign that Allah is pleased with His servant is that His servant is pleased with His decree.

4. For those of spiritual insight, every thing they lay lies upon have within it a lofty message and a gentle reminder.

5. Slay your lowly desires with the sword of knowledge (ilm), and your anger with the sword of forbearance (hilm).

6. Go not near places of wickedness and indecency, for they are epicenters of Allah's wrath, and punishment.

7. The best of the words is that which is confirmed by the best of the actions.

8. When a man's character becomes goodly, his words become lofty.

9. What a tremendous gift has been given to the one who finds acts of disobedience difficult.

10. Perfecting one's intellect causes one to speak less, and those words spoken will be adorned with wisdom.

11. The noble scholar becomes humble in gaining knowledge, while the ignoble matches his increase in knowledge with an equal share of arrogance. [Above quotes by Ali radi Allah anhu]

LESSON OF THE DAY 1267

Ayahs of the Day:
Man is indeed ungrateful to his Lord, and he bears witness to that, for he is sure violent in love of goods. Doesn't he know that when what is in the graves is scattered and what is in the hearts is found out -- that their Lord had been well aware of them (even to) that Day? [100: 6 to 11]

Hadith of the Day:
Whoever travels a path seeking (sacred) knowledge, Allah eases for them a path to Paradise. [Abu Dawud & Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Keep the company of the scholars; love them; benefit from them; be humble before them; and make you children accustomed to that as well, for the scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets. [Shaykh Bayanuni]

Guidance of the Day:
Remind yourself that you can't take it with you: Unless you know something I don't, when you die you will leave behind your home and all possessions behind. Despite this rather obvious observation, many of us fail to live as if this were true. Instead, we spend a huge amount of our time and energy tending to -- purchasing, insuring, protecting, taking care of, showing off -- our stuff, as if it had some lasting value.

It's incredibly important to remind yourself that you can't take any of it with you! This doesn't suggest that you shouldn't enjoy your things while you are here -- you most certainly should. Instead, it's a gentle reminder to keep things in perspective and ask yourself, "What's really most important here?" Your things and your home are here to enjoy and to make your life easier and more comfortable. But don't give them the authority to overwhelm you. By reminding yourself that you can't take any of it with you, you open a door of acceptance and freedom.

I can almost guarantee you that someday, as you look back on your life, you'll be less interested in how many items and achievements you were able to collect than in how much you were able to express love, spend time with the people you care most about, and contribute to the world you live in. Acknowledging this truth right now can help you prioritize your goals and your time in a way that nurtures your spirit. It can be the difference between a superficial life and a life of substance. [Carlson, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff -- with your family]

Food for Thought:
Life needs to be appreciated more than it needs to be understood. The best day of your life, and everyone's life, is today. Don't forget that and live it. It is the only day you have. Lighten up and have your best day ever, daily.

Pearls of wisdom 298

1. The excellence of knowledge lies in its practice; and the excellence of kindness to others lies in mentioning it not.

2. Friendship with the ignorant and heedless are as fickle as the changing times and as quick to disappear as the setting sun.

3. Consider not a man worthless until you have had a chance to converse with him.

4. Health and well being on one hand and gluttony on the other are mutually exclusive.

5. Face off your difficulties with patience; and fence in your blessings with thankfulness.

6. A man's intellect becomes apparent from his speech; as does his character from the goodness of his action.

7. Always consider your intellect to be lacking -- otherwise too much faith in it surely leads to error.

8. Seek Allah's refuge from the heedlessness which comes from prosperity -- so deep it is that it will take one very long to climb out of it.

9. It is not in the make-up of a noble person to delay in rewarding nor is it that of a generous one to exact revenge.

10. Even if Allah had not decreed to abstain from the foul and impure the man of intellect would still surely do so. [Above quotes by Ali radi Allah anhu]