PLAN YOUR AFFAIRS AND TAKE PROPER PRECAUTIONS
When a Muslim sets out to do something, he must do the following: he must plan with caution, and he must put his trust in Allah. The Prophet (bpuh), who was protected by Allah and who had stronger trust in Allah than anyone else, wore armor in battle. A man asked the Prophet (bpuh), “Should I tie my camel to the post or should I put my trust in Allah?”
The Prophet (bpuh) said,
“Tie it up and put your trust in Allah.”
When you take appropriate steps to reach your goal, and when at he same time you put your trust in Allah, you have implemented two important principles of Islamic Monotheism. To trust in Allah without taking appropriate measures — i.e. without making an effort o achieve one’s goals — is a contemptible misunderstanding of the religion. And to take appropriate measures without trusting in Allah means that there is a defect in one’s faith in Allah.
An Arab poet said:
“The slow cautious person will achieve part of his goals, While the impetuous hasty one will often fail.”
By being circumspect in your affairs, you will not have acted contrary to your belief in pre-ordainment; but rather, you will have implemented a fundamental part of it.
(And let him be careful….) (Quran 18: 19)
(To protect you from the heat [and cold], and coats of mail to protect you from your [mutual] violence.) (Qur’an 16: 81)
WINNING PEOPLE OVER
An indication of one’s prosperity is the ability to gain people’s love, respect and sympathy. Prophet lbraheem (Abraham) said:
(And grant me an honorable mention in later generations.) (Qur’an 26: 84)
Allah said of Moosa (Moses):
(And I endued you with love from Me…) (Qur’an 20: 39)
The following two ahaadeeth (hadiths) are both authentic:
“You are Allah’s witnesses on this earth.”
“Jibraeel calls to the inhabitants of the heavens: Indeed, Allah loves so and so, so love him. The inhabitants of heaven then love him and an acceptance of him permeates the earth.”
A pleasant face, kind words, and good manners are the most powerful ways to ingratiate yourself into the hearts of people. And yet even more powerful is gentleness. That is why the Prophet said:
“Anything that has gentleness in it is beautified by it, and anything that is bereft of it, is stained.”
He (bpuh) also said:
“Whoever is bereft of gentleness has been precluded from a great deal of good.”
A wise man said:
“Gentleness extricates a snake from its hole.”
And they say in the west:
“Gather the honey, but don’t break the hive.”
The Prophet (bpuh) said in an authentic hadith:
“The believer is like a bee that eats what is wholesome
and produces what is wholesome. And when it lands on a (small) branch, it doesn’t break it.”
TRAVEL TO DIFFERENT LANDS
As I mentioned in an earlier chapter, traveling and visiting various lands brings happiness to the soul.
(Say: ‘Behold all that is in the heavens and the earth.) (Quran 10: 101)
(Have they not traveled through the earth and seen..) (Qur’an 12: 109)
(Say: ‘Travel in the land and see…) (Quran 29: 20)
Whoever reads Ibn Batoota’s book of travels—- exaggerations notwithstanding — will be amazed with Allah’s creation. Traveling and reading the open book of creation are means by which the believer grasps many morals and lessons.
(So travel freely…..) (Quran 9: 2)
(Until, when he reached the setting place of the sun…) (Quran 18: 86)
(‘I will not give up [traveling] until i reach the junction of the two seas or [until] i spend years and years in traveling.) (Qur’an 18: 60)
PERFORM THE LATE-NIGHT VOLUNTARY PRAYERS
To stand for prayer late at night, when no human can see you, gives tranquility and serenity to the heart. In an authentic hadith, the Prophet (bpuh) said that waking up late at night, remembering Allah, making ablution, and then standing for prayer makes one active and joyful.
(They used to sleep but little by night [invoking their Lord and praying, with fear and hope].)
(Quran 51 : 17)
(And in some parts of the night [also] offer the prayer with it [i.e. recite the Qur’an in the prayer], as an additional prayer [Tahajjud: optional prayer]…) (Qur’an 17: 79)
An authentic hadith in Abu Dawood indicates that performing the late-night prayer removes sickness from the body. The Prophet (bpuh) said:
“Don’t be like so and so. He used to stand at night (for prayer), and then he abandoned doing so.”
The following is related in a narration from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
“Abdullah is a good man, but would that he stood at night (for prayer).”
Don’t grieve over things that are fleeting: everything in this universe will perish except Allah.
Everything will perish save His Face. (Quran 28: 88)
(Whatsoever is on it [the earth] will perish. And the Face of your Lord full of Majesty and Honor will abide forever) (Qur’an 55: 26-27)
YOUR REWARD IS PARADISE
“My soul that owns things is itself departing, then why should I cry when something leaves me.”
The whole world, with all its gold, silver, positions, and mansions does not deserve even a teardrop. ln a hadith related by Tirmidhi, the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) said:
“The world is cursed, and what is in it is cursed, except the remembrance of Allah, that which follows it (i.e. other good deeds that Allah loves), the scholar, and the student.”
An Arab poet said:
“Wealth and family are only a loan, And the day must come when the loan is returned.”
All of the wealth in the world cannot postpone death when its appointed time comes.
(And this life of the world is only amusement and play!) (Qur’an 29: 64)
Hasan al-Basri said, “Do not seek any remuneration other than Paradise, especially since the value of a believer’s soul is so expensive.” Yet some people sell theirs for a base value. Those who mourn over bankruptcy and destruction of house or car, and do not grieve over a low-level of faith and over their sins will soon come to realize the absurdity of their outlook on life. And the realization thereof] teemed with regret, will be augmented for an individual according to the degree of his particular delusions. lt is an issue that strikes deep because it is one of values, morals, and priorities.
(Verily! These [disbelievers] love the present life of this world, and put behind them a heavy Day [that will be hard].) (Qur’an 76: 27)
TRUE LOVE
To find true happiness, you must be from those who love Allah. The most prosperous person is the one whose mission in life is to achieve the love of Allah, a love that Allah refers to in this verse:
(Allah will bring a people whom He will love and they will love Him) (Qur’an 5; 54)
(Say [O’ Muhammad to mankind]: ‘If you [really] love Allah then follow me [i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah], Allah it will love you and forgive you of your sins.)
(Quran 3: 31)
The Prophet (bpuh) announced for all to know a superior merit of ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) — a merit that was like a crown upon his head: the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him)
Described him as a man,
“Who loved Allah and His Messenger, and whom Allah and His Messenger loved.”
One of the Prophet’s Companions loved the following chapter of the Qur’an:
(Say [O` Muhammad]: ‘He is Allah, [the] One. (Qur’an 112: I)
He would repeat it in each unit of the prayer, and he would constantly read it at other times as well to give solace to his heart and spirit. The Prophet (bpuh) said to him:
“Your love for it is what has made you to enter Paradise.”
I found the following lines in a biography of a Muslim scholar:
“lf the love of the roaming one for Sulma And Laila, takes away one’s mind and one’s faculty of reasoning, Then what do you suppose will be the case for he Whose heart throbs for the higher world.”
(And [both] the Jews and the Christians say: ‘We are the children of Allah and His loved ones ‘. Say: ‘Why then does He punish you for your sins?) (Qur’an 5: 18)
The story of Majnoon’s love for Laila is well known. His extreme love for her killed him; whereas for Qaroon (Korah) it was the love of wealth; and for Fir’aun (Pharaoh) it was the love of position and power. On the other hand, there is Hamza, Ja’afar, and Hanzala (may Allah be pleased with them all), who all died for their love of Allah and His Messenger. Vast is the distance that separates these three noble Companions in their love — and those believers who are like them — from the rest.
THE SHARI’AH IS MADE EASY FOR YOU
Ease and facilitation — these are two qualities of the Shari’ah that give comfort to the believer.
(We have not sent down the Qur’an unto you [O’ Muhammad] to cause you distress) (Qur’an 20: 1)
(And We shall make easy for you [O’ Muhammad] the easy way [i.e. the doing of righteous deeds].) (Qur’an 87: 8)
(Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope.) (Qur’an 2: 286)
(Allah puts no burden on any person beyond what He has given him.) (Qur’an 65: 7)
(And He has not laid upon you in religion any hardship…)
(Qur’an 22: 78)
(He releases them from their heavy burdens [of Allah s Covenant] and from the fetters [bindings] that were upon them.) (Qur’an 7: 157)
(So verily, with the hardship, there is relief verily, with the hardship, there is relief [i.e. there is one hardship with two reliefs, so one hardship cannot overcome two reliefs].) (Qur’an 94: 5-6)
( ‘Our Lord.! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error; Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which you did lay on those before us [Jews and Christians]; our Lord! Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear Pardon us and grant us Forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Maula [Patron, Supporter and Protector; etc.] and give us victory over the disbelieving people.) (Qur’an 2: 286)
The Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) said:
“My nation will not be held accountable for mistakes, for forgetfulness, and for what they were forced to do (i.e. sins that were committed under duress).”
He (bpuh) also said:
(Verily, this religion is easy; and when one makes the religion too harsh, one will become overcome by it.”
TRANQUILITY AND PEACE
ln a 1994 issue of the magazine Ahlan was-Sahalan, an article by Dr. Hassan Shamsi Basha was printed, entitled, Twenty ways to avoid anxiety. The following points are summarized from the article:
1. The length of your life has already been decided upon, for everything takes place according to preordainment and decree. So there is no need to feel anxious in that regard.
2. The decision of how much sustenance any one of us receives is with Allah alone: no one else owns that sustenance or has the power to take it from you.
3. The past is gone and has taken with it its woes and miseries. It cannot return even if the whole of mankind worked as one unit to bring it back.
4. The future is from the unseen world and has not yet arrived. It brings with it matters, showing no regard to your permission or feelings, so do not call it forth until it actually arrives.
5. Doing good to others brings happiness to both the heart and the soul. A good deed provides greater benefits to the benefactor — in tenns of blessings and recompense and peace — than it does to the receiver.
6. Among the noble qualities of the believer is that he doesn’t concern himself with spurious criticism. No one has been saved from curses and criticism, not even Allah, the Lord of all that exists, who is perfect and Exalted.
BEWARE OF ARDENT LOVE
Beware of falling in love with appearances; such love is beset with anxiety and perpetual misery. It is a blessing for a Muslim that he stays away from messages found in lyrics and music, messages about ardent love, unrequited love, or separation from one’s object of love.
(Have you seen him who takes his own lust [vain desires] as his [god], and Allah knowing [him as such], left him astray and sealed his hearing and his heart, and put a cover on his sight.) (Qur’an 45: 23)
In reproaching himself, an Arab poet wrote the following:
“l am the one who has brought death a knocking, Then who is to blame when the murdered is the murderer.”
He is blaming himself for the perpetual pain and misery that he experienced, finally recognizing that by falling in passionate love — and then by not being able to fall out of it — he alone was to blame for his woes.
(And if an evil whisper comes to you from Satan then seek refuge with Allah.) (Qur’an 7: 200)
(Verily, those who are Al-Muttaqo0n [the pious], when an evil thought comes to them from Satan, they remember [Allah], and [indeed] they then see [aright].) (Qur’an 7: 201)
Ibn al-Qayyim expounded on this topic in his book The Disease and the Cure. He mentioned a number of factors that contribute to one falling hopelessly and uncontrollably in love. Among them are the following:
An empty heart that is bereft of love for Allah, remembrance of Him, and fear of Him.
Allowing one’s eyes to wander and stare. The eye is a scout that can bring back misery to the heart.
(Tell the believing men to lower their gaze from looking at forbidden things].) (Quran 24: 30)
A look is an arrow from the arrows of the Devil. An Arab poet said:
“When you allow your eyes to wander ahead as a scout, Looking at all eyes and stares will then follow, Seeing that which you are not capable of embracing completely, While not being patient for getting something partially.”
being negligent in worship — especially in remembrance, supplication, and prayer.
(Verily, As-Salaat (the prayer) prevents from Al-Fahsha [i.e. great sins of every kind, unlawjul sexual intercourse, etc] and Al-Munkar [i.e. disbelief polytheism, and every kind of evil wicked deed, etc.)
(Quran 29: 45)
SOME CURES FOR ARDENT, UNBRIDLED LOVE
(Thus it was that we might turn away from him evil and illegal sexual intercourse. Surely he was one of our chosen, guided slaves.)
(Quran 12: 24)
Strive to improve your worship — by being more sincere — and invoke Allah to cure you.
Lower your gaze.
(And protect their private parts from illegal sexual acts, etc.)
(Quran 24: 30)
(And those who guard their chastity [i.e. private parts, from illegal sexual acts].) (Quran 23: 5)
Travel away from the object of your passion.
Keep yourself busy in doing good deeds.
(Verily they used to hasten on to do good deeds, and they used to call on Us with hope and fear.) (Quran 21: 90)
Many lawfully, i.e. in accordance with the Shari’ah.
(……then marry women of your choices….) (Quran 4: 3)
(And among His Signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them…..) (Quran 30: 21)
The Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) said:
“O’ group of young men, whoever from you is capable of (paying) the dowry (and taking care of all necessary expenses related to marriage), then let him many.”
Source: Islam Basics By Aaidh ibn Abdullah Al-Qarnee
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