PAUSE TO REFLECT
When the believer is overcome by misfortune, only by repenting can he truly find a way out of his difficulties. Rather than looking outward, at extrinsic influences, the believer should search inward and see that he is blameworthy and deserves what has befallen him. Only when he reaches this level of consciousness can he begin the process of correcting, or in some cases redressing, his errors, and repenting to Allah for past mistakes. And when he takes care of these inner affairs of his, Allah will take care of his outer ones. These words might sound simple, but they are very few who apply them in practice.
DO NOT MELT INTO SOMEONE ELSE’S PERSONALITY
Man passes through three stages: l) imitation, 2) selection and choice, 3) invention and creativeness. Imitation, the act of copying someone else’s personality and mannerisms, is either resorted to because of a strong liking for, or an extreme attachment to, the person being copied. When practiced in extremes, when an imitator copies someone else even in his tone of voice or bodily gestures, what he is really doing is burying his own personality. Though this might seem absurd to some, one need only look at the younger generation of today: you will find some teens imitating famous people in their walk, talk, and movements. All of their idiosyncrasies are abandoned for the sake of copying their idols. Had they been imitating noble traits and noble personalities, I would commend them, since imitating someone in seeking knowledge, in being generous, or in having good manners, is a truly noble action.
I feel compelled here to reiterate what I have said before: you are a unique entity, and since Allah created Adam (may peace be upon him), no two people are exactly alike in appearance.
(…and the difference of your languages and colors.) (Qur’an 30: 22)
Why then, do we wish to be exactly alike in other matters, such as characteristics and talents?
The beauty of your voice is in its uniqueness and the beauty of your appearance is in its being specific to you.
(….and among the mountains are streaks white and red, of varying colors and [others] very black.) (Qur’an 35: 27)
WAITING FOR RELIEF FROM ALLAH
Thaabit ibn Qays (may Allah be pleased with him) was an eloquent orator who spoke on behalf of the Messenger of Allah (bpuh) and Islam. However, he would often raise his voice while giving a sermon, and sometimes this occurred in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (bpuh).
(O’ you who believe! Raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet, nor speak aloud to him in talk as you speak to one another: lest your deeds may be rendered fruitless while you perceive not.)
(Quran 49: 2)
When this verse was revealed, Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him) thought that he was being referred to, and so he isolated himself in his home and wept continuously. In a gathering, the Messenger of Allah (Blessings and Peace be upon him) noticed the absence of Thaabit and inquired about him. The Companions informed him of what occurred, and the Messenger of Allah (bpuh) replied:
“Never! But he is from the inhabitants of Paradise.”
ln this way, the warning — in Thaabit’s case it was merely a perceived warning — became transformed into a glad tiding.
‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) cried continuously for one month, day and night, because she was falsely accused of wrongdoing. She became wan and pale because of the serious nature of the accusations. Then, suddenly, relief came from Allah, and the Qur’an established her innocence:
(Verily, those who accuse chaste women, who never even think of anything touching their chastity and are good believers, are cursed in this life and in the Hereafter) (Qur’an 24: 23)
She praised Allah, her ranking was restored, and the believers rejoiced with her.
When the call was made for the battle of Tabuk, three of the believers lagged behind. Allah, the Almighty, revealed verses in which those who remained behind were warned about an impending punishment. The three believers referred to above became miserable for what they did and they made a sincere repentance. They believed that there was no sanctuary from Allah except with Him, and after a short period that seemed interminable to them, the verses of forgiveness were revealed.
Pursue work that you enjoy
Ibn Taymiyah said:
“l once became ill and the physician told me that reading and giving talks on knowledge would only exacerbate my condition. I told him that I couldn’t abandon these pursuits, and that I would, if possible, like to make his own knowledge a judge between us. Isn’t it the case, I asked him, that if the soul feels happy and joyful, the body becomes stronger and sickness is repelled? The doctor replied in the affirmative. ‘Therefore,’ I said to him, ‘my soul finds joy, comfort, and strength in knowledge.’ The doctor yielded and admitted that my situation was outside the pale of his science of medicine.”
(Consider it not a bad thing for you. Nay, it is good for you.) (Quran 24: 11)
PAUSE TO REFLECT
Az-Zarkalee’s Al-‘Aylaam contains the biographies of eastern and western politicians, scholars, writers, and doctors. The common factor between them all — and why they were written about in the first place — is of course that each one of them had a profound effect upon others. After reading their biographies I began to appreciate the promise and way of Allah: whoever strives for something in this world will get his fair share of it by becoming famous, popular, powerful, or rich, depending in each case on what one’s goals are. And whoever strives for the Hereafter will find the results both here and there, by benefiting others, and by receiving rewards from Allah.
(To each — these as well as those —We bestow from the Bounties of your Lord. And the Bounties of your Lord cur: never he forbidden.) (Qur’an 17: 20)
As I read Az-Zarkalee’s book, 1 noticed that the non-Muslim figures that contributed to mankind — especially those that strove in the arts — gave happiness to others instead of to themselves. Some of them led miserable personal lives, others were always unsatisfied, while some even went to the extreme of committing suicide.
I asked myself this: what is the benefit of pleasing others while being miserable oneself?
“You gave happiness to many and you are miserable, you made people laugh and you yourself cry!”
I found that Allah gave to each one of them according to what he wanted, in realization of His promise. Some of them won the Nobel Prize, because that is what they wanted and strived for; others became famous because that was their higher goal; others became wealthy because of their love of money and comfort. However, there were also those pious slaves of Allah who achieved their reward in this life and the reward of the Hereafter: people who strived to seek the favor and pleasure of Allah.
A simple shepherd in the Arabian Peninsula was happier 0n the inside than was Tolstoy. Why? The first led a simple unaffected life, knowing where he was going in this life and in the Hereafter. The second never satisfied his desires fully and had no idea of where he was going.
Muslims have what is the greatest remedy that mankind has ever known: it is the belief in what has been divinely preordained, a belief that I have discussed often throughout this book, and for a purpose. I know that I, and others who are similar to me, believe in the Islamic concept of preordainment when things go according to our liking, but we tend to complain when things go against our inclinations. This is why an article and condition of our faith is: “To believe in preordainment, the good of it, and the bad of it — when it is sweet and when it is bitter.”
GUIDANCE: A NATURAL CONSEQUENCE OF BELIEF
Here are some stories that pertain to pre-ordainment.
Bodlee authored many books including The Messenger. In 1918 he settled in Northwest Africa among a group of nomadic desert people. These were Muslims who prayed, fasted, and remembered Allah. He later wrote about some of his experiences with them. This is how he begins one particular narrative:
“One day, a strong sand storm began gathering force. The vicious winds destroyed much and the heat was so intense that I felt the roots of my scalp burning. During this experience I felt that I was on the brink of madness. To my astonishment, though, the Arabs did not complain at all. They shook their shoulders with resignation and said that it was something that was written for them and preordained. Forthwith, they returned to their daily labor with vigor. The head of the tribe said, ‘We didn’t lose much if you consider that we deserved to lose everything. But all praise and thanks are for Allah; we still have forty percent of our livestock and we are capable of starting afresh.”’
He related the following about another incident,
“As we were traveling through the desert in a car, we had a flat tire, and to make things worse, the driver had forgotten to take along a spare one. I was overcome with both anger and worry. I asked my Arab companions what we were going to do. They calmly reminded me that anger was not going to help the situation, but rather was more likely to aggravate it. We were moving at an excruciatingly slow pace on three good tires and on one flat; it wasn’t long before the car stopped altogether, and not because of the tire situation, but because we had also run out of fuel. Even when this happened, my traveling companions remained undisturbed. Furthermore, they cheerfully recommenced the journey on foot while singing in unison. After spending seven years in the desert with the Arab nomads, I became thoroughly convinced that the widespread European and American problems of drunkenness, mental sickness, and depression were the results of a fast- paced city life.”
He also said,
“I never felt any stress at all while l was living in the desert. I felt that I was in God’s paradise. I felt that I had discovered peace, tranquility, and contentment. Many people scoff at the fatalistic beliefs of the Arabs. But who knows? Maybe the Arabs have with them the truth after all, for as I reminisce about the past, it becomes clear to me that my life was composed of disjointed periods that were the results of events or happenings that were pushed onto me without my having any choice. The Arabs refer to these events as being ‘Allah’s Preordainment and Decree.’ In summary, seventeen years have elapsed since I left the desert, and I still take the stance of the Arabs regarding `Allah’s Preordainment and Decree} I respond to events that are out of my control with serenity, calmness, and composure. This quality that I learned from the Arabs has done more to calm my nerves and lower my level of stress than thousands of prescription sedative pills can do.”
To comment on the words of Bodlee, I would first like to mention that the source of truth with the Desert Arabs was the Messenger of Allah. Muhammad (bpuh). The substance of his message was to save people from hopeless wandering — to take them out of darkness and bring them into light. His noble message contained the secret to peace and salvation: namely, to recognize that Allah predestined everything while at the same time every person must work and do their best to reach their desired goals. The noble message of Islam came to show you your place in the Universe, so that you can be the ideal person who knows the secret and purpose of human existence.
THE MIDDLE COURSE
(Thus we have made you [true believers], a just [and the best] nation) (Qur’an 2: 143)
Happiness is found between two extremes: excess and negligence. The middle course is the divinely prescribed way that saves us from the clear falsehood of two extremes — for instance, the extremes of Judaism and Christianity. Jews had with them knowledge, but they discarded action; Christians worshipped excessively, but they abandoned the divine knowledge that was revealed to them. Islam came with both knowledge and action; it cared for the body and for the soul; and it recognized both revelation and the mind, with each given its rightful place.
When you are moderate in worship, you are following the middle path. What this means is that you should not be so excessive in performing acts of voluntary worship that you hurt and weaken your body. Nor should you abandon voluntary deeds of worship altogether. In spending, you should not be extravagant; squandering away your resources, but neither should you be miserly. Moderation in character means finding a level between being harsh and overly lenient, between constantly frowning and constantly laughing, and between lonely isolation and excessive socializing.
Islam provides a middle and just way in all affairs.
(Then Allah by His Leave guided those who believed to the truth of that wherein they differed. And Allah guides whom He wills to a Straight Path.) (Quran 2: 213)
AVOIDING EXTREMES
Mutarrif ibn ‘Abdullah said, “The worst journey is the Haqhaqah.” Haqhaqah is a journey wherein the traveler is rash and hurried, exhausting both himself and his mount. ln a hadith, the Messenger of Allah (bpuh) said that the worst leaders are the ones that are too severe with those who are under their authority.
Keep in mind that generosity comes between extravagance and meanness, and that courage comes between cowardliness and recklessness. A smile is between a frown and a laugh. Patience is between hardiness and squeamishness. Extravagance has a remedy: it is to put out a part of the flame. Meanwhile, the cure for negligence is to whip oneself into shape by developing a stronger level of determination.
(Guide us to the Straight Way. The Way of those on whom you have bestowed Your Grace, not [the way] of those who earned Your Auger [such as the Jews], nor of those who went astray (such as the Christians).) (Qur’an I: 6-7)
PAUSE TO REFLECT
There is no quality that is harder to adopt than patience, regardless of whether patience is required after separation from a loved one or when unfavorable events occur. It is most difficult to be patient when the period of waiting is prolonged or when hopelessness takes over. During this period, one needs provisions, provisions that vary according to the situation:
Sometimes you should look at the level of hardship you are bearing and appreciate that things could have been worse.
Hope from Allah that He recompenses you for your sufferings in this world.
Keep in mind the reward of the Hereafter.
Know that anxiety and restlessness are of no use.
Add to this list anything else that may help you be patient during a period of hardship.
WHO ARE THE RIGHTEOUS ONES?
Waiting eagerly for the call to prayer, arriving at the mosque before the commencement of prayer, bearing no personal grudges against others, leaving alone other people’s private affairs, being content with the basic necessities of life, studying the Qur’an and the Sunnah, feeling concern for the pains of other Muslims, and being charitable with one’s wealth — these are all qualities of a righteous person.
A middle path with regards to wealth is highly recommended. Therefore you should seek neither the level of affluence that can entice you towards evil (unless, of course, you use your wealth wisely and spend it generously in the way of Allah), nor the level of poverty that causes you to forget about the Hereafter. The best situation for many believers is to have just enough wealth to fulfill all of their needs in a lawful manner — not much more and not any less.
Basic needs may differ slightly from person to person, but in general it is a house to live in, a wife to seek comfort with, a suitable vehicle to move about in, and an amount of money that is enough to buy necessary provisions.
ALLAH IS MOST KIND TO HIS SLAVES
A high-ranking member of the Riyadh community related to me that in 1376 Hijri, a group of fishermen from the town of Jubayl set out for the ocean, and after spending three days and three nights fishing, they did not manage to catch even a single fish. Meanwhile, a group of nearby fishermen caught many fish. They were surprised, not merely from the disparity between their failure and the other group’s success, but because they were performing the five daily prayers and failed while the other group was not praying and succeeded. One of them said, “How perfect is Allah! We prayed to Allah every single prayer and we didn’t get anything; the other group did not prostrate to Allah even once over the last few days and look at all that they managed to get!” In this way, the Shaytaan (Devil) whispered evil suggestions to them and advised them to abandon the prayer. The next morning, they did not wake up for the Morning Prayer. They also neglected to perform the Noon and Afternoon Prayers. Before nightfall, they set out for the ocean; they caught a fish and upon slitting it open they found a pearl in its stomach ~ a very expensive pearl. One of them took the pearl in his hand, stared at it, and said, after reflecting, “How perfect is Allah! When we obeyed Him we got nothing, and when we disobeyed Him this is what we got! Indeed, this sustenance before us is of a doubtful nature.” Then he took hold of the pearl and hurled it into the ocean, saying immediately afterwards, “Allah will recompense us with better than this. By Allah, I will not take it, for we acquired it after abandoning the prayer. Come with me, and let us leave this place wherein we disobeyed Allah.” They traveled three miles before camping for the night. Shortly afterwards they went fishing again, and they caught a fair-sized fish. When they slit it open, they found the same valuable pearl inside its stomach. They said, “All praise is due to Allah, Who has provided us with good sustenance? They caught the fish after praying, remembering Allah, and asking for His forgiveness, so this time they kept it.
You should notice one important difference: the object was one and the same, but it was filthy when they acquired it while they were disobeying Allah, and it was pure when they acquired it while obeying Him.
(Would that they were contented with what Allah and His Messenger gave them and had said: Allah is Sufficient for us. Allah will give us of His Bounty, and [also] His Messenger [from alms, etc]. We implore Allah [to enrich us].) (Quran 9: 59)
Verily, it is Allah’s kindness. So whenever somebody abandons something for Allah, Allah provides him with something that is better.
This reminds me of a story of ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). One morning, he entered Masjid al-Koofa to pray two voluntary units of prayer. Before entering, he found a boy standing at the door. He said to him, “O’ boy, restrain for me my mule until I finish praying.” As ‘Ali was entering the Mosque, he made an intention to reward the boy with a dirham for his services. Meanwhile, the boy removed the noseband from the mule and rushed off to the marketplace to sell it. When ‘Ali came out of the Masjid, he found no boy, but only his mule without its noseband. He commissioned a man to go after the boy and ordered him to go to the marketplace since it was more than likely that the boy would go there to sell the noseband. The man found the boy auctioning it in the market and he bought it from him for a dirham. He returned to ‘Ali and informed him of what happened. After hearing what occurred, ‘Ali said, “How perfect Allah is! By Allah, l intended to give him a lawful dirham, but he refused to take it other than in an unlawful way.”
(Whatever you [O’ Muhammad] may be doing, and whatever portion you may be reciting from the Qur’an, —- and whatever deed you [mankind] may be doing [good or evil], we are Witness thereof when you are doing it. And nothing is hidden from your Lord [So much as] the weight of an atom [or small ant] on the earth or in the heaven.) (Qur’an I0: 61)
Source: Islam Basics By Aaidh ibn Abdullah Al-Qarnee
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