INTRODUCTION TO THE FIRST EDITION (OF THE ARABIC VERSION)
All praise is for Allah, the Almighty, and may He send peace and blessings on Muhammad, on his family, and on his Companions. It is my sincere hope that readers will benefit from this book. Before reading it, you might – after only a perfunctory glance – pass some kind of judgment, but let sound logic and precepts taken from revelation arbitrate that judgment. Also, bear in mind that it is indeed a culpable offence for one to judge a work before having tasted it or at least hearing what it is about. So here I present to you a synopsis of this book.
I wrote this book for anyone who is living through pain and grief or who has been afflicted with a hardship, a hardship that results in sadness and restless nights. For the cure, I have filled the pages of this book with dosages taken from various sources – the Qur’an, the Sunnah, poetry, poignant anecdotes, parables, and true stories.
This book says the following: Rejoice and be happy; remain positive and at peace. Indeed it says this as well: Live life as it should be lived – wholesomely, happily, and productively. This book diagnoses those mistakes we make that go against the intrinsic logic that we – as human beings – have been endowed with (but which we are made to forget when we do not follow correct guidance), whether those mistakes are in our thinking or in our dealings.
This book forbids you from persisting in ways that are in conflict with the realities of life and with what Allah, the Exalted, has preordained. It calls you not from without, but from within, from what your soul already knows – that you should trust your talents, that you should develop them, that you should forget the troubles and vicissitudes of life, while concentrating on the positive and on the good destination that a positive attitude leads to.
There are some important issues regarding this book that I now want to clarify:
A reminder of Allah’s mercy and forgiveness, sincere faith in Him, belief in preordainment and decree, a life that is lived within the boundaries of today, and a reminder of Allah`s countless favors – these are some of the more important themes of this book.
With its ideas and cures, this book strives to help banish worry, sadness, grief sense of failure, and hopelessness.
I gleaned whatever found to be pertinent to the topic of the book from these sources: Verses of the Qur’an, sayings of the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him), stories, parables, poems, and sayings of the wise. This book is no mere sermon, idle exercise in thought, or invitation to a political ideology. Rather, this book is an earnest invitation to your happiness.
This book is not only for Muslims; rather, it is suitable for all readers. While writing it, I took into consideration feelings and emotions that are common to everyone. Nevertheless, I wrote it based on the true Religion (whether we deviate from it or not) that is intrinsic to us all.
You will find sayings of Eastern and Western writers and philosophers. I do not think that I should be held blameworthy because of that, for wisdom is the goal of every believer; wherever he finds, he is most deserving of it.
I did not add any footnotes to the book, thus making it easier for the reader to peruse without interruption. The source of a quote is mentioned within the text of the book.
Imitating those before me (i.e. Islamic writers from centuries ago), I did not mention page or volume numbers of sources, deeming that to be more beneficial for this particular book. Sometimes I directly quoted a passage; other times I summarized its main idea.
I did not organize this book according to chapters; rather, I varied the content, inserting topics that may not be directly related to the ones before or after. I moved quickly from one topic to another, sometimes returning to a previous topic in order to make the perusal of this book more enjoyable.
I did not mention the numbers of verses, nor did I mention the sources for the Prophet’s sayings. If a hadith is weak, l pointed that out. If it is authentic or hasan, I either pointed that out or said nothing. All of this I have done for the purpose of concision.
I0. The reader will notice that some meanings and topics are repeated (though in varying style) throughout the book. This I have done on purpose, so that a given meaning may attach itself to the reader’s mind through repetition. Whoever reflects on how recurring themes are found in the Qur’an should appreciate the benefits of following this methodology.
These are ten points to keep in mind while you are reading this book. I do hope, though, that you will be just in your judgment and that your bias will be toward true and correct knowledge. Finally, this book is not written for a specific group of people; rather, it is for anyone who wants to live a happy life.
‘Alaidh ibn ‘Abdullah al-Qarnee
O’ ALLAH!
(Whosoever is in the heavens and on earth begs of Him. Every day He has a matter to bring forth [such as giving honor to some, disgrace to some, disgrace to some, death to some, etc.]!)
(Qur’an 55: 29)
When there is a violent storm and the seas are turbulent, the occupants of the boat call out, ‘O’ Allah!’
When the camel-driver and the caravan are lost in the desert, they call out, ‘O’ Allah!’
When disaster and calamity occur, the afflicted call out, ‘O’Allah!’
When doors are shut before those who seek to enter through them and barriers are placed before those who are in need W- they all cry out, ‘O’ Allah!’
When all plans end in failure, all hope is lost, and the path becomes constricted, ‘O’ Allah,’ is called out.
When the earth, vast and wide though it is, is straitened for you, causing your soul to feel constricted, call out, ‘O’ Allah!’
To Allah ascend all good words, the sincere supplication, the tears of the innocent, and the invocations of the afflicted. Hands and eyes are extended to Him in times of hardship and misfortune. The tongue chants, cries out, and mentions His name. The heart finds peace, the soul finds rest, the nerves are relaxed, and the intellect is awakened – these are all achieved when we remember Allah, Subhaahnahu wa Ta âalaa – ‘How perfect He is, the Exalted’
(Allah is very Gracious and Kind to His slaves) (Qur’an 42: 19)
Allah: the most beautiful of names, the truest combination of letters, and the most precious of words.
(Do you know of any that is similar to Him? [There is nothing like unto Him and He is the All-Hearer the All-Seer])
(Qur’an 19; 65)
Allah: He is thought of when absolute richness, strength, glory and wisdom come to mind.
(Whose is the kingdom this Day? [Allah Himself will reply to His question]: lt is Allah’s – the One, the irresistible!)
(Qur’an 40: 16)
Allah: He is thought of when kindness, care, relief, affection, and mercy come to mind.
(And whatever of blessings and good things you have, it is from Allah.) (Quran 16: 53)
O` Allah, Possessor of Majesty, Magnificence, and Might, let comfort take the place of sorrow, make happiness come after sadness, and let safety take the place of fear.
O’ Allah: Soothe burning hearts with the coolness of faith.
O’ our Lord: Give peaceful slumber to the restless and serenity to disturbed souls.
O’ our Lord: Guide the confused ones to your light and those that are astray to your guidance.
O’ Allah: Remove evil whispers from our hearts and replace them with light, destroy falsehood with truth, and crush the evil plots of the Devil with your army of Angels.
O’ Allah: Remove from us misery, affliction, and anxiety.
We seek refuge in you from fearing anything except You, from depending upon anyone except upon You, from putting our full trust in any one except in You, and from invoking anyone other than You.
You are the Supreme Patron and an excellent Protector.
CONTEMPLATE AND BE THANKFUL
Remember the favors of Allah upon you and how they surround you from above and below – indeed, from every direction.
(And if you would count the graces of Allah, never could you be able to count them) (Quran 14: 34)
Health, safety, nourishment, clothing, air, and water – these all point to the world being yours, yet you do not realize it. You possess all that life has to offer, yet remain ignorant.
(He has completed and perfected His Graces upon you, [both] apparent [i.e. Islamic Monotheism, and the lawful pleasures of this world, including health, good looks, etc.] and hidden [i.e. one’s faith in Allah, guidance for doing righteous deeds and also the pleasures and delights of the Hereafter in Paradise, etc.) (Qur’an 31: 20)
You have at your disposal two eyes, a tongue, lips, two hands, and two legs.
Then which of the blessings of your Lord will you both [jinns and men] deny? (Qur’an 55: 13)
Can you picture yourself walking without feet? Should you take it lightly that you slumber soundly while misery hinders the sleep of many? Should you forget that you fill yourself with both delicious dishes and cool water while the pleasure of good food and drink is impossible for some, due to sickness and disease? Consider the faculties of hearing and seeing with which you have been endowed.
Look at your healthy skin and be grateful that you have been saved from diseases that attack it. Reflect on your powers of reasoning and remember those that suffer from mental ailments.
Would you sell your ability to hear and see for the weight of Mount Uhud in gold, or your ability to speak for huge castles? You have been given abundant favors, yet you feign ignorance.
Notwithstanding warm bread, cool water, easy sleep, and good health, you remain despondent and depressed. You think about what you do not have and are ungrateful for what you have been given.
You are troubled by a loss in wealth, yet you have the key to happiness and many blessings. Contemplate and be thankful.
(And also in your own selves [are signs], will you not then see? (Qur’an 51: 2)
Reflect upon yourself your family, your friends, and the entire world that is around you.
(They recognize the grace of AIIah, yet they deny it.) (Qur’an 16: 83)
THE PAST IS GONE FOREVER
By brooding over the past and its tragedies, one exhibits a form of insanity – a kind of sickness that destroys resolve to live for the present moment. Those who have a firm purpose have filed away and forgotten occurrences of the past, which will never again see light, since they occupy such a dark place in the recesses of the mind.
Episodes of the past are finished with; sadness cannot retrieve them, melancholy cannot make things right, and depression will never bring the past back to life. This is because the past is non-existent.
Do not live in the nightmares of former times or under the shade of what you have missed. Save yourself from the ghostly apparition of the past. Do you think that you can return the sun to its place of rising, the baby to its mother’s womb, milk to the udder, or tears to the eye? By constantly dwelling on the past and its happenings, you place yourself in a very frightful and tragic state of mind.
Reading too much into the past is a waste of the present. When Allah mentioned the affairs of the previous nations, He, the Exalted, said:
(That was a nation who has passed away.) (Qur’an 2: 134)
Former days are gone and done with, and you benefit nothing by carrying out an autopsy over them, by turning back the wheels of history.
The person who lives in the past is like someone who tries to saw sawdust. Of old, they used to say: “Do not remove the dead from their graves.”
Our tragedy is that we are incapable of dealing with the present: neglecting our beautiful castles, we wail over dilapidated buildings. lf every man and every jinn were to try jointly to bring back the past, they would most certainly fail. Everything on earth marches forward, preparing for a new season – and so should you.
TODAY IS ALL THAT YOU HAVE
When you wake up in the morning, do not expect to see the evening – live as though today is all that you have. Yesterday has passed with its good and evil, while tomorrow has not yet arrived. Your life’s span is but one day, as if you were born in it and will die at the end of it. With this attitude, you will not be caught between an obsession over the past, with all its anxieties, and the hopes of the future, with all its uncertainty. Live for today: During this day you should pray with a wakeful heart, recite the Qur’an with understanding, and remember Allah with sincerity. In this day you should be balanced in your affairs, satisfied with your allotted portion, concerned with your appearance and health.
Organize the hours of this day, so that you make years out of minutes and months out of seconds. Seek forgiveness from your Lord, remember Him, prepare for the final parting from this world, and live today happily and at peace. Be content with your sustenance, your wife, your children, your work, your house and your station in life.
So hold that which I have given you and be of the grateful.} (Quran 7: 144)
Live today free from sorrow, bother, anger, jealousy, and malice.
You must engrave onto your heart one phrase: Today is my only day. If you have eaten warm, fresh bread today, then what do yesterday’s dry, rotten bread and tomorrow’s anticipated bread matter?
If you are truthful with yourself and have a firm, solid resolve, you will undoubtedly convince yourself of the following: Today is my last day to live. When you achieve this attitude, you will profit from every moment of your day, by developing your personality, expanding your abilities, and purifying your deeds. Then you say to yourself:
Today I shall be refined in my speech and will utter neither evil speech nor obscenity. Also, I shall not backbite.
Today I shall organize my house and my office. They will not be disorderly and chaotic, but organized and neat.
Today I will be particular about my bodily cleanliness and appearance. I will be meticulous in my neatness and balanced in my walk, talk, and actions.
Today I will strive to be obedient to my Lord, pray in the best manner possible, do more voluntary acts of righteousness, recite the Qur’an, and read beneficial books. I will plant goodness into my heart and extract from it the roots of evil – such as pride, jealousy, and hypocrisy.
Today I will try to help others – to visit the sick, to attend a funeral, to guide the one who is lost, and to feed the hungry. I will stand side by side with the oppressed and the weak. I will pay respect to the scholar, be merciful to the young, and reverent to the old.
O’ past that has departed and is gone, I will not cry over you. You will not see me remembering you, not even for a moment, because you have traveled away from me never to return.
O’ future, you are in the realm of the unseen, so I will not be obsessed by your dreams. I will not be preoccupied about what is to come because tomorrow is nothing and has not yet been created.
‘Today is my only day’ is one of the most important statements in the dictionary of happiness, for those who desire to live life in its fullest splendor and brilliance.
LEAVE THE FUTURE ALONE UNTIL IT COMES
(The Event [the Hour or the punishment of disbelievers and polytheists or the Islamic laws or commandments], ordained by Allah will come to pass, so seek not to hasten it.) (Qur’an 16: 1)
Be not hasty and rushed for things that have yet to come to pass.
Do you think it is wise to pick fruits before they become ripe? Tomorrow is non-existent, having no reality today, so why should you busy yourself with it? Why should you have apprehensions about future disasters? Why should you be engrossed by their thoughts, especially since you do not know whether you will even see tomorrow?
The important thing to know is that tomorrow is from the world of the unseen, a bridge that we do not cross until it comes. Who knows, perhaps we might never reach the bridge, or the bridge might collapse before we reach it, or we may actually reach it and cross safely.
For us to be engrossed in expectations about the future is looked down upon in our religion since it leads to our having a long-term attachment to this world, an attachment that the good believer shuns.
Many people of this world are unduly fearful of future poverty, hunger, disease, and disaster: such thinking is inspired by the Devil.
(Satan threatens you with poverty and orders you to commit Fahsha [evil deeds, illegal sexual intercourse, sins etc.], whereas Allah promises you Forgiveness from Himself and Bounty.)
(Qur’an 2: 268)
Many are those who cry because they see themselves starving tomorrow, falling sick after a month, or because they fear that the world will come to an end after a year. Someone who has no clue as to when he will die (which is all of us) should not busy himself with such thoughts.
Since you ire absorbed in the toils of today, leave tomorrow until it comes. Beware of becoming unduly attached to future prospects in this world.
Source: Islam Basics By Aaidh ibn Abdullah Al-Qarnee
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