YOUR BEST COMPANION IS A BOOK
An activity that brings about joy is for you to read a book and develop your mind through the acquisition of knowledge.
Al-Jaahiz, an Arab writer from centuries ago, advised one to repel anxiety through the reading of books:
“The book is a companion that does not praise you and does not entice you to evil. It is a friend that does not bore you, and it is a neighbor that causes you no harm. lt is an acquaintance that desires not to extract from you favors through flattery, and it does not deceive you with duplicity and lies. When you are poring through the pages of a book, your senses are stimulated and your intellect sharpens… Through reading the biographies of others, you gain an appreciation of common people while learning the ways of kings. It can even be said that you sometimes learn from the pages of a book in a month, that which you do not learn from the tongues of men in a century. All this benefit, yet no loss in wealth and no need to stand at the door of the teacher who is waiting for his fees or to learn from someone who is lower than you in manners. The book obeys you by night as it does by day, both when you are traveling and when you are at home. A book is not impaired by sleep nor does it tire in the late hours of the night. lt is the teacher who is there for you whenever you are in need of it, and it is the teacher who, if you refuse to give to it, does not refuse to give to you. lf you abandon it, it does not decrease in obedience. And when all turn against you, showing you enmity, it remains by your side. As long as you are remotely attached to a book, it suffices you from having to keep company with those that are idle. It prevents you from sitting on your doorstep and watching those who pass by. It saves you from mixing with those that are frivolous in their character, foul in their speech, and woeful in their ignorance. If the only benefit of a book was that it keeps you from foolish daydreaming and prevents you from frivolity, it would certainly be considered a true friend who has given you a great favor.”
Sayings that deal with the virtues of books
Abu ‘Ubaydah said:
“Al-Muhallab gave his son the following advice: ‘O’ son, do not linger in the marketplace unless you are visiting the maker of armor or the book vendor.”’
Al-Hasan al-Lulu’ee said:
“Forty years have passed, and I have not dozed off in the day or in the night… except that a book was resting on my chest.”
Ibn al-Jahm said:
“If I feel drowsy when it is time to sleep —– and wasteful is the sleep that exceeds one’s needs —- I take up a book from the books of wisdom and I find bliss in coming across a pearl (of wisdom) …. I am more alert when I am happily engaged in reading and learning than I am when I hear the braying of the donkey or the shrill noise of something breaking.”
He also said:
“If I find a book to be agreeable and enjoyable, and if I deem it to be beneficial- you will see me hour after hour checking how many pages are left, from fear of being close to the end. And if it is many volumes with a great number of pages, my life and my happiness are complete.”
And the best, highest, and worthiest of books is:
([This is the] Book [the Qur’an] sent down unto you [O’ Muhammad], so let not your breast be narrow there from, that you warn thereby, and a reminder unto the believers) (Qur’an 7: 2)
THE BENEFITS OF READING
Reading repels anxiety and grief.
While busy reading, one is prevented from delving into falsehood.
Habitual reading makes one too busy to keep company with the idle and the inactive.
By reading often, one develops eloquence and clarity in speech.
Reading helps to develop the mind and purify its thoughts.
Reading increases one in knowledge and improves both memory and understanding.
By reading, one benefits from the experiences of others: the wisdom of the wise and the understanding of scholars.
By reading often, one develops the ability to both acquire and process knowledge and to learn about the different fields of knowledge and their applications to life.
One’s faith will increase when one reads beneficial books, especially books written by practicing Muslim writers. The book is the best giver of sermons and it has a forceful effect in guiding one towards goodness and away from evil.
Reading helps to relax one’s mind from distraction and to save one’s time from being wasted.
By reading often, one gains a mastery over many words and learns the different constructions of sentences; moreover, one improves his ability to grasp concepts and to understand what is written between the lines}
“Nourishment of the soul is in concepts and meanings, And not in food and drink.”
PAUSE TO REJECT
‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“We have found that the best life is that which is accompanied by patience.”
He also said:
“The best life that we have experienced, is that of patience, and if patience were a man, he would be most generous.”
‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“Truly, patience is to faith as the head is to the body. lf the head is severed, the body becomes wasted.”
Then, he raised his voice and said:
“Verily, there is no faith in the man who has no patience.”
He also said:
“Patience is a mount that does not stumble or trip.”
Al-Hasan said:
“Patience is a treasure from the treasures of goodness, a treasure that Allah does not give away except to a slave (of His) whom He regards as being worthy.”
‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul آ°Aziz said:
“Whenever Allah gives a blessing to one of His slaves and then removes it from him and supplants it with patience, then that which replaces is invariably better than that which is being replaced.”
Sulayman ibn al-Qaasim said:
“The reward for every deed other than patience is known.”
Allah, the Exalted, said:
Only those who are patient shall receive their rewards in fall, without reckoning) (Qur’an 39: 10)
DO NOT GRIEVE —- THERE IS ANOTHER LIFE TO COME
The day will come when Allah will gather together the first of the creation and the last of it. The knowledge of this occurrence alone should reassure you of Allah’s justice. So whoever’s money is usurped here shall find it there; whoever is oppressed here shall find justice carried out there; and whoever oppresses here shall find his punishment there.
Immanuel Kant, the German philosopher, said,
“The drama of this life is not complete; there must be a second scene to it, for we see the tyrant and his victims without seeing justice being executed. We see the conqueror and the subjugated, without the latter finding any revenge. Therefore there must be another world, where justice will be carried out.”
Ash-Shaykh ‘Ali at-Tantawi, commenting on this, said:
“This statement suggests a confession from this foreigner (to Islam), of the existence of a hereafter where judgment will take place.”
An Arab poet said:
“If the minister and his delegates rule despotically,
And the judge on earth is unjust in his judgments,
Then woe, followed by woe after woe
Upon the judge of the earth from the judge who is above.”
(This Day shall every person be recompensed for what he earned. No injustice [shall be done to anybody]. truly, Allah is Swift in reckoning) (Qur’an 40: I7)
DO NOT FEEL OVERLY STRESSED WHEN WORK PILES UP
Robert Louis Stevenson said;
“Every person is capable of performing his daily tasks, no matter how difficult they are, and every person is capable of living happily during his day until the sun sets: and this is the meaning of life.”
Stephen Leacock said:
“The young child says: when I will become a bigger boy. The boy says: when I become a teenager, and when that time comes, he says: when I will many. What about after marriage? And what comes after all of these stages? One’s thoughts constantly follow the tune of the following: when I will be able to retire. But when one actually reaches old age and looks back, he is scorched by a cold wind. He lost out on his whole life that dwindled away without ever living inside of it. And thus we learn, only when it is too late, that life is to be lived in every breathing minute and hour.”
Such is the state of those who put off repenting from their sins.
One of our pious predecessors said:
“I warn you of delaying and saying that I will do it later, for this is a phrase that prevents one from doing good and causes one to fall behind in deeds of righteousness?
(Leave them to eat and enjoy and let them be preoccupied with (false) hope. They will come to know!) (Qur’an 15: 3)
The French philosopher, Montaigne, said:
“My life was filled with bad luck that never showed mercy.”
I assert that despite their knowledge and intelligence, many famous thinkers knew nothing of the wisdom behind their own creation. They were not guided by the teachings that Allah sent through His Messenger, Muhammad (bpuh).
(And he for whom Allah has not appointed light, for him there is no light.)
(Qur’an 24: 40)
(Verily, We showed him the way, whether he be grateful or ungrateful.)
(Qur’an 76: 3)
Dante said:
“Consider that this day will not occur again.”
Better and more beautiful and complete is the hadith:
“Pray as if it is your farewell prayer.”
Whoever puts it into his mind that today is his last day, will make a fresh repentance, will do good deeds, and will strive to be obedient to his Lord, the Almighty and His Messenger (bpuh).
GRIEVE NOT AND ASK YOURSELF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS
Do I put off living in the present because of fears and apprehensions about the future or because of hopes of the magical garden beyond the horizon?
Do I embitter my present life by mulling over events that occurred in the past?
Do I wake up in the morning with an intention of spending my day usefully?
Do I find that I am benefiting from my life when I try to concentrate on a present situation or task?
When will I begin to live in the present moment, without worrying too much about the past and future? Next week? Tomorrow? Or today?
DO NOT DESPAIR WHEN YOU FACE A DIFFICULT SITUATION
If you find yourself in a tough situation, do the following:
Ask yourself, what is the worst that can happen?
Prepare yourself to cope and deal with that worst-case scenario.
lf something bad does occur, meet it with calm nerves in order to deal with the situation better.
(Those [i.e. believers] unto whom the people [hypocrites] said: ‘Verily, the people [pagans] have gathered against you [a great army], therefore, fear them. But it [only] increased them in Faith, and they said: ‘Allah [Alone] is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs [for us].)
(Qur’an 3: I 73)
CONTEMPLATE THESE VERSES
(And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty) and He will provide him from [sources] he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him) (Qur’an 65: 2-3)
(Allah will grant after hardship, ease.) (Qur’an 65: 7)
The Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) said:
“And know that victory comes with patience, and with hardship there is a way out, and with difficulty comes ease.”
ln another hadith, the Prophet (bpuh) related that Allah said:
“I am with my slave’s thoughts about me, so let him think of me as he chooses.”
(Allah will suffice you against them. And He is the All-Hearer; the All-Knower) (Qur’an 2: 137)
(And put your trust in the Ever Living One Who dies not…..)
(Qur’an 25: 58)
(Perhaps Allah may bring a victory or a decision according to His will)
(Qur’an 5: 52)
(None besides Allah can avert it, [or advance it, or delay it].)
(Qur’an 53: 58)
DEPRESSION WEAKENS THE BODY AND THE SOUL
Dr. Alexis Carlyle, a Nobel-laureate in medicine, said:
“Working people who do not know how to deal with anxiety and stress are more prone than others are to a premature death. “
Indeed, everything that takes place occurs according to a divine decree. A person must nonetheless take the necessary steps to avoid difficulties, and so Carlyle rightly points out that anxiety is one of the factors that lead to the body being damaged.
DEPRESSION: A CAUSE OF ULCERS
“You will not be afflicted by an ulcer by virtue of what you eat, but instead by virtue of what eats you.” This is a quote taken from Dr. Joseph F. Mantagno’s book, The Problem of Nervousness.
The renowned Arab poet Al-Mutanabbi said:
“And stress transforms obesity into scrawniness, It whitens the hair of the young man and makes him a mess.” And according to Lyle magazine, ulcers rank tenth in the list of deadly diseases.
Source: Islam Basics By Aaidh ibn Abdullah Al-Qarnee
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