Happiness and Faith (hell, prophet, blessing, God, Lord)

[Cordoba]

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 occurence 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."

(Source: Don't be Sad, by Sheikh 'Aaidh al-Qarni)

It's interesting to note that Kant recognizes the existence of a Hereafter where justice will take place based on logic alone!

[ayani]

Cordoba-

i am really enjoying this! thank you for these wise, compassionate words.

[Cordoba]

Thank you Gracie for your kind comment.


Pause to reflect

"Loving Allah, knowing Him, remembering Him, seeking peace in Him, singling Him out for complete love, fear, hope, and dependence - these are qualities that, when combined in a person, constitute a sort of heaven on earth.

These are qualities that bring peace to those who love Allah, a sort of peace that has no comparison in this world.

If the heart is content and has a strong attachment to Allah, anxiety and grief will be removed from it."

(Source: Don't be Sad, by Sheikh al-Qarni)

All the best.

[Cordoba]

Convert a lemon into a sweet drink

"An intelligent and skillful person transforms losses into profits; whereas the unskilled person aggravates his own predicament, often making two disasters out of one.

If you are aflicted with misfortune, look on the bright side. If someone were to hand you a glass full of squeezed lemons, add to it a handful of sugar.

Before its violent revolution, France imprisoned two brilliant poets: one an optimist, the other a pessimist. They both squeezed their heads through the bars of their cell windows. The optimist then stared at the stars and laughed, while the pessimist looked at the dirt of a neighboring road and wept.

Look at the other side of a tragedy, a circumstance of pure evil does not exist, and in all circumstances one can find goodness and profit and rewards from Allah."

(Source: Don't be Sad, by Sheikh al-Qarni)

[Cordoba]

Happiness and the Basics of Life

A beautiful Hadith by the prophet, peace be upon him, which reminds us to take one day at a time, not to worry too much about the future and to be grateful for the blessings we have:

The Prophet (peace be upon him said):

"Whoever spends his night safely in his home, with a healthy body and enough provision for his day, it is as if he has gained the world in its entirety."

Elaborating on this hadith, the author says:

"Security of the heart is the faith and sureness of knowing the truth. Security of the home is its freedom from shame and deviation and its being replete with tranquility and Divine guidance. Security of our nation is being united with love and being founded upon justice."

Having safety, good health and sufficient provision for the day makes a believer concentrate on the aspects of faith and good deeds which bring happiness and tranquility to the soul.

(Source: Don't be Sad, by Sheikh al-Qarni)

[Cordoba]

The Art of Happiness

"Among the greatest of blessings is to have a calm, stable and happy heart.

For in happiness the mind is clear, enabling one to be a productive person. It has been said that happiness is an art that needs to be learned. And if you learn it, you will be blessed in this life. But how does one learn it?

A basic principle of achieving happiness is having an ability to endure and to cope with any situation. Based on the purity of heart and the ability to endure, a person will shine.

When you train yourself to be patient and forbearing, then hardship and calamity will be easy for you to bear."

And after hardships and times of difficulty always comes ease and times of tranquility. As God repeated this twice in the Qur'an in the same chapter:

"For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease [i.e. relief]. Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease." (94:5-6)

(Source: Don't be Sad, by Sheikh al-Qarni)

All the best.

[Cordoba]

Avoiding Extremes

"Keep in mind that generosity comes between extravagance and meanness, and that courage comes between cowerdliness and recklessness.

A smile is between a frown and a laugh.

Patience is between hardiness and squeamishness."

Avoiding extremes was the advice given by Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, to his followers. He used to say to them that a small good deed which one performs on a regular basis is better than performing good deeds for a short duration but not maintaining them.

Also his advice concerning religion, especially to the youth, was to take one step at a time, and not to go to extremes.

One of his companions did not take this advice, and chose to fast many days each month (optional fast). When he grew older and weaker, this optional fast became too difficult for him, and he regreted not having taken the prophet's advice for moderation.

A middle path is important for a balanced and happy life.

All the best.

[Cordoba]

Asking Allah for forgiveness opens locked doors

A famous Muslim scholar (Ibn Taymiyah) once said:

"When I am confused in my understanding of an issue in religion, I forthwith beseech Allah to forgive me one thousand times - maybe a little more or a little less. Then Allah opens what was closed for me and I come to understand."

One way of finding inner peace is to constantly seek forgiveness from Allah. Even a sin can be a blessing if it causes the believer to turn to his Lord in repentance. In Al-Musnad, the following is related:

"Allah does not make a decree for His slave except that it is better for him."

In regards to this hadith, Ibn Taymiyah was asked, "Even the sin?" He replied, "Yes, if it is followed by repentance, regret, asking for forgiveness, and a sincere feeling of remorse for having transgressed."

(Source: Don't be Sad, by Sheikh al-Qarni)