KNOWLEDGE
Ibn Hazm mentioned that from the benefits of knowledge is that it repels evil whispers from the soul and that it rids one of worries and troubles.
This is especially true for the one who loves knowledge, who studies constantly, and who applies in practice what he learned. The student of knowledge should distribute his time between memorizing, reading, revising, researching, and reflecting.
HAPPINESS IS A DIVINE GIFT THAT DOES NOT DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE RICH AND THE POOR
It is not uncommon to see laborers who are so poor that whatever they earn on any given day is spent on that same day. Yet many of them are happy, peaceful, with strong hearts and tranquil souls. This is because they are too busy to think about yesterday or tomorrow.
Their life-style has given them an appreciation of today since they have not been afforded the opportunity of thinking about anything else.
Compare these to those who live in mansions. Inactivity and free time have afforded them with plentiful time to think about their problems and their lack of purpose in life. Thus misery and worry afflict many of them day and night.
BEING REMEMBERED AFTER DEATH IS A SECOND LIFE
Being given a second life is a great blessing. Many are those who have purchased this life not with wealth or position, but with deeds. Ibraheem (Abraham) supplicated to His Lord to be remembered well by others and to be prayed for. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the children of Harim ibn Sinaan, “What has Zuhayr given you, and what have you given him?” They said,
“He complimented us well and we gave him wealth.” ‘Umar said, “By Allah, what you have given him has perished, and what he has given you has remained.”
INVOKE ALLAH WITH THE FOLLOWING
“O’ Allah, give as a good share of piety for you serve as a barrier between as and between our disobeying You, Give as that share of obedience to You with which You make as enter Paradise, and a share of the faith that serves to make the calamities of this world seem easy for us. Make as enjoy the blessings of our hearing, sight, and strength as long as you give as [Jen. Grant as revenge against those who have wronged as and help as against those who have transgressed against as. And do not make our calamity to be in our religion; do not make the world to be the most important matter with as, nor make it the extent of our knowledge. And on account of our sins, do not give those who show as no mercy the power to sabjugate as. “
A LORD WHO WRONGS NOT
You should feel reassured in that you have a Lord who is just. Allah, the Exalted, admitted a woman into Paradise because of a dog and another into the Hellfire because of a cat. The first was a prostitute from the children of Israel; because she once gave drink to a thirsty dog, Allah forgave her and admitted her into Paradise. This was a just recompense for her sincerity in doing a good deed, for her sincerity to Allah. The second was a woman who confined a cat to a room. She neither fed it nor gave it drink; by confining the cat, she prevented it from eating insects in the fields, and so Allah made her enter the Hellfire.
The story of the first woman is one that brings coolness to the heart, because it makes one know that Allah gives great rewards for small deeds.
(So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom [or a small and shall see it. And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom [or a small ant] shall see it.) (Qur’an 99: 7-8)
(Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds [i.e. small sins].)
(Qur’an 11: 114)
So help the grief-stricken, give to the poor, aid the oppressed, visit the sick, pray over the dead, guide the blind, give comfort to the afflicted, guide the misguided, and be generous to both guest and neighbor. All of these are deeds of charity, deeds that not only help the receiver of your kind acts, but that also help you by giving you comfort and peace.
WRITE YOUR OWN HISTORY
One day, I was sitting in the Haram in Makkah; it was a sultry day and the noon prayer was about to begin, when I noticed an old man distributing Zamzam water. He would fill a few cups, give them out to people, and then he would return and repeat the process. He continued doing so for some time until he became soaked in sweat. I was amazed at the fortitude of this old man and at his love for doing kind deeds. He would give a smile and a cup of water to as many people as he was able to serve. It made me appreciate that, if Allah guides one to doing a good deed, one will do it with a smile, even when it involves hard work.
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) put his own life at risk on the road to Madeenah in order to protect the Messenger of Allah (bpuh).
In order to feed his guests, Hatim would sleep on a hungry stomach. Abu ‘Ubaydah would stand guard at night in order to give rest to the Muslim army.
‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) would walk through the streets at night while people were asleep in order to ensure their safety. And in the year of the great famine he would go hungry in order to feed the people.
Abu Talha (may Allah be pleased with him) used his body as a shield, protecting the Prophet (bpuh) from arrows during the battle of Uhud.
Ibn Mubarak would distribute food while he himself was fasting.
(And they give food, in spite of their love for it [or for the love of Him], to the Miskeen [poor], the orphan, and the captive.) (Qur’an 76: 8)
LISTEN ATTENTIVELY TO THE WORDS OF ALLAH
Recite the Qur’an and listen to it being recited Y in doing so, you will find happiness, peace, and tranquility. The Messenger of Allah (Blessings and Peace be upon him) used to love to hear the Qur’an being recited by one of his noble Companions.
You should allot a few minutes of every day to listen to a tape of Qur’anic recitation. The noise you hear in the streets, at work, or in the office are sure to cause you vexation, so take time out to give yourself comfort by reading your Lord’s Book:
(Those who believe [in the Oneness of Allah — Islamic Monotheism], and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, verily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.) (Qur’an 13: 28)
The following is related in an authentic hadith:
“The Messenger of Allah (bpuh) ordered Ibn Mas’ood to read The Chapter of Women from the Qur’an. He read it until the Prophet’s tears began rolling down his cheeks; the Prophet then said: ‘This is sufficient for you (i.e., you can stop reading now).”‘
(Say: If mankind and the jinns were together to produce the like of this Qur’an, they could not produce the like thereof even if they helped one another) (Quran 17: 88)
(Had we sent down this Qur’an on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rending asunder by the fear of Allah.) (Qur’an 59: 21)
The everyday routine of life often leads one to the road of apathy, whereby one cares for nothing but eating and sleeping, thus bringing one down to the level of animals. But when one returns to the words of his Lord, one feels comfort and peace.
It is important to note here that it is Allah’s words, not music, that bring peace to a person. Music is a cheap and forbidden substitute. We have with us something better, that with which the Messenger of Allah (Blessings and Peace be upon him) came:
(Falsehood cannot come to it from before it or behind it [it is] sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise [Allah].)
(Qur’an 41: 42)
(…..you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of the truth they have recognized.) (Qur’an 5: 83)
As for music, only fools find peace in it:
(And of mankind is he who purchases idle talks [i.e. music, singing, etc.] to mislead (men) from the Path of Allah without knowledge…) (Quran 31: 16)
EVERYONE IS SEARCHING FOR HAPPINESS, BUT….
Few are those who are guided to the path that truly leads to happiness. Regarding that and other paths, here are three points for you to reflect upon:
Whoever does not make the pleasure of Allah to be his main concern in life will end up losing in the end:
(We shall gradually seize them with punishment in ways they perceive not.) (Qur’an 7: 182)
In order to achieve happiness, people attempt to follow many complicated and tricky paths. Little do they know that an easier path is ready for them in the religion of Islam — a path that will bring them the best of this life and the Hereafter.
(….but if they had done what they were told, it would have been better for them, and would have strengthened their [Faith].) (Qur’an 4: 66)
There are too many people in this world who think they are doing well, but who, in reality, are losing out on this life and the Hereafter, simply because they turn their backs to the true Religion.
(And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice.) (Qur’an 6: 115)
PREPARE FOR BAD TIMES BY BEING THANKFUL WHEN ALL IS WELL
Supplicate often in times of comfort, peace, and well-being. Among the characteristics of the believer is that he is thankful and resolute: he sharpens the arrow before releasing it from the bow, and he turns to Allah before he is afflicted. The opposites of the believer in this regard are both the vile disbeliever and the injudicious Muslim.
(And when some hurt touches man, he cries to his Lord [Allah Alone], turning to Him: in repentance, but when He bestows a favor upon him from Himself he forgets that for which he cried for before, and he sets up rivals to Allah…) (Qur’an 39: 8)
Therefore if we truly want to be saved, we must remain steadfast in supplicating and praising Allah. The purpose of supplicating to Allah during times of ease, as has been mentioned by Imam Al- Haleemee, is to praise Allah, to thank Him, and to recognize His many favors; and at the same time, to ask for guidance and help. It is also important to seek forgiveness for your shortcomings: no matter how hard you try, you cannot completely fulfill the rights that Allah has upon you. When one remains heedless of those rights at a time when he has no worries or when he feels secure, he falls under the category of those mentioned in the verse:
(And when they embark on a ship, they invoke Allah, making their Faith pure for Him only but when He brings them safely to land, behold, they give a share of their worship to others.)
(Qur’an 29: 65)
BLISS VERSUS THE FIRE
News agencies around the world reported the suicidal death of a French minister during the rule of mitterand. The reason behind the suicide was that French newspapers waged an unmitigated war against the minister by besmirching his name and reputation. Having found no faith or sanctuary to resort to, or in which to seek support, he destroyed his own life.
This wretched man, who sought refuge in self-destruction, was not guided by the divine guidance that is epitomized in the following verses:
(And be not distressed because of what they plot.) (Qur’an 16: 127)
(They will do you no harm, barring a trying annoyance) (Quran 3: 111)
(And be patient with what they say and keep away from them in a good way.) (Qur’an 73: 10)
It was because he was lost and was far away from the path of truth.
(Whosoever Allah sends astray none can guide him…) (Qur’an 7: IS6)
There are some who suggest that every person who is downtrodden or who is in a hapless situation should go on a nature expedition, listen to music, go skiing, or play chess or backgammon.
But the adherents of Islam lay claim to a cure that is more effective: it is to sit in the Mosque between the call to prayer and the actual commencement of prayer in order to remember Allah and to submit to and be contented with the divine decree. And it is of equal importance that one places his total trust in Allah.
Source: Islam Basics By Aaidh ibn Abdullah Al-Qarnee
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