LESSON OF THE DAY 1278

Ayahs of the Day:

Ruined are the hands of the one who flares up, and ruined is he: His wealth is no avail to him, nor what he's acquired: He will roast in a flaming fire, his wife carrying the fuel, with a rope around her neck. [111: 1 TO 5]

Hadith of the Day:

Whoever is slowed by his deeds, will not be hastened by his lineage. [Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:

The night is long, so do not shorten it by sleeping, and the day is brilliant, so do not obscure it with your sins. [Yahya ibn Mu'adh]

Guidance of the Day:

While we cannot count our blessings, we are charged to be grateful for having them. The fact that the Quran has been revealed to us to reflect on these blessings is in itself a great blessing, for the human being cannot on his own figure out how to live with guidance. To deny God's blessings can lead to outright disbelief and denial of God the Exalted. God will not take away a blessing unless people show ingratitude. A poet said, "If you are in a blessing, guard it, for disobedience shall snatch away." Gratitude to God protects one from having blessings removed.

There is an interesting concept called istidraj, in which God allows an ingrate to flaunt his blessings, while God does not diminish the ingrate's blessings in the least. In fact, He may increase it. The person will then begin to think that God really loves him, and the only thing worse than a person who is misguided is the person who is stray but believes himself to be favored by God. [Hamza Yusuf, Purification of Heart]

Food for Thought:

The world hates change, yet it is the only thing that has brought progress. We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise we harden. Readjusting is a painful process, but most of us need it at one point or another. Change the fabric of your soul and your own visions, and you will change all. He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils.

Pearls of wisdom 309

1. The sign of hope is goodly obedience to God Most High.

2. Insight is granted to the one who lowers his gaze from illicit things.

3. Insight is granted to the one who restrains his soul from passionate longings.

4. Insight is granted to the one who cultivates his inner being with constant vigilant awareness.

5. Insight is granted to the one who lives in conformity to the Sunna.

6. Insight is granted to the one who accustoms himself to eating only the licit.

7. As long as they do not see their merit, the possessors of merit are virtuous.

8. Patience has three signs: not to complain, surrender to His will, and acceptance of Divine decree. [Above quotes by Shaykh Shuja Kirmani]

LESSON OF THE DAY 1277

Ayahs of the Day:

When God's help has arrived, and victory, and you have seen people entering the religion of God in crowds, then praise your Lord and seek Divine forgiveness, for God is merciful. [110: 1,2,3]

Hadith of the Day:

Whoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults in this life and the Hereafter. Allah is helping the servant as long as the servant is helping his brother. [Muslim]

Wise Quote of the Day:

Be with people in such a way that if you should die, they should weep for you, and if you live, they should long for you. [Ali radi Allah anhu]

Guidance of the Day:

Obliviousness to blessings is a disease, it's a lack of acknowledgement, a noxious disregard that whatever blessing you have, it is from God. The blessings that come to us, night and day, are beyond numeration, as the Qur'an reminds. These blessings come in all forms -- what we can see and touch (by way of material good: food, clothing, shelter, wealth, and the like), as well as what we cannot see (like safety, friendship, love health, and protection from harm and calamity).

The Qur'an begins with the phrase translated as, In the name of God, the Merciful, the Mercy-Giving. Some Scholars have said that "Merciful" (Rahman) implies the giver of the major blessings, while "Mercy-Giving" (Rahim) implies the giver of subtle blessings that are not perceived until they are removed. We blink, for example, thousands of times a day without thought. There are people, however, who require artificial lubricants because their tear glands do not function.

There are countless blessings related to the eye, let alone other aspects of our lives, like our ability to walk in balance without needing to consciously stimulate dozens of muscles required to take one step. Our thumbs permit us to do with our hands what most creatures cannot attempt. God has made food delicious instead of bland. And He has given us dignity in our nutrition, which is a tremendous blessing, especially when one considers the way carnivores devour their prey. [Translation by Hamza Yusuf, Purification of the Heart]

Food for Thought:

Character is the real foundation of all worthwhile success. Try not to become a man of success, but rather a man of value. Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved. If a man is self-controlled, truthful, wise, and resolute, is there aught that can stay out of reach of such a man?

Pearls of wisdom 308

1. The self is complete darkness -- the lamp of self is its striving for God Most High.

2. Servitude is the beautiful adornment of the servant -- whoever abandons servitude is shut off from beauty.

3. Moral character consists of what God chose for His Prophet (peace be upon him) when He commanded: "Hold to forgiveness and command what is right."

4. The best means for the slave to reach his Master is by being constantly in need of Him in all states, adhering to the Sunna in all deeds, and seeking his sustenance in a lawful manner.

5. Poverty/neediness is a state that leads to the nearness to God.

6. Depend not on your devotions and spiritual exercises but His grace.

7. Turn to God, as the poor beggar turns to the rich for alms.

8. When you sit instructing the people be a preacher to your heart and soul and do not allow their gathering around you to beguile you for they are attentive to your external being, while God is attentive to your inner being. [ Shaykh Abu Hafs al Haddad]

LESSON OF THE DAY 1276

Ayahs of the Day:

Say, "O disbelievers, I don't serve what you serve, and you don't serve what I serve. And I won't serve what you serve, and you won't serve what I serve. You have your way, and I have my way." [109: 1 to 60

Hadith of the Day:

No man helps a Muslim at a time when his honor is being belittled or his rights are violated except that Allah will help him in a place in which he loves to have His help. [Abu Dawud & Ahmad]

Wise Quote of the Day:

Be joyous only for an increase in your good works, for they are your companions who will accompany you in your grave when your family, wealth, children and friends stay behind. [Imam al-Haddad]

Guidance of the Day:

Remind others to treasure life: Too often we take this incredible gift of life too much for granted. We rush around as if we have forever, respond out of habit instead of out of wisdom, and fail to attend to our highest stated priorities. We often fail to recognize and acknowledge not only what we have -- a home, family, friends, possessions, and health -- but life itself. Treasure life -- In fact, gratitude is one of, if not the most important, tool for living a peaceful life. Gratitude has a way of putting almost anything into its proper perspective.

I have found that when I do acknowledge the gift of life, much of the "small stuff" that used to bother me takes on far less relevance and significance. Appreciation puts things in perspective and allows me to be less uptight and reactive. In face, when I'm feeling really grateful, virtually nothing seems to get to me. Sometimes I can even see the humor in all the chaos.

When you remind others to treasure life, you can't help but do so yourself. Try it sometime. Remind your spouse or child, a friend, parent, neighbor, or someone else to treasure life, and observer what happens to you. You'll probably connect with the feeling of gratitude, of feeling blessed. The quality of your day -- and of your life -- will improve, as will the quality of life of those around you. Appreciation of life reminds you to be kind, humble, and generous and to take moments, frequently, to stop and smell the roses.

I encourage you to take this strategy to heart and implement it in your daily life. Remind others frequently to treasure life. Doing so will be a tremendous service to mankind and will help you as well. [Carlson, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff -- with your family]

Food for Thought:

Doing our duty and pursuing goals leads to happiness. Human happiness and moral duty are inseparably connected. When we devote ourselves to the strict and unsparing performance of duty, then happiness comes of itself. He who never sacrificed a present to a future good, or a personal to a general one, can speak of happiness only as the blind speak of color.