Monthly Archives: June 2014

Extinguish the fire of enmity before it spreads

Throughout my life, I found that whenever I defended myself against defamatory comments, loss and regret were the main results. At first I would think it wise that I should set things straight when some person criticized me, regardless of whether the criticism was verbal or written. In the end, however, I found the opposite to be true. By defending myself, more enmity resulted, and instead of the restoration of good ties between my critic and me, he would attempt to malign me even further. Eventually I would wish that I had never confronted him in the first place. It would have been better to forgive, forbear, show patience, turn away, and ignore the defamatory remarks. After all, this is what the Qur’an teaches us: Read more…

Gentleness helps you achieve your goals

In previous chapters, I quoted revealed texts to illustrate the importance of being gentle; here we expand on the same theme by mentioning some examples. Imagine yourself driving a car on an extremely narrow road that is enclosed on either side by a wall. There is no way for a car to pass except with a great deal of care, gentleness, and caution. However, if a driver attempted to go through this street at a high speed, he would constantly crash into the wall on the right, and then into the one on the left, eventually causing his car to break down. In both of these instances ___________that of driving carefully and that of driving recklessly at a high speed – the street is the same and the car is the same, but the way of driving is different. Read more…

Dissatisfaction is the door to doubt

Dissatisfaction opens the door that leads to doubt in Allah: in His Decree, in His Wisdom, and in His Knowledge. Rarely is the complainer free from these accompanying doubts that mix within his heart and permeate his being. If he were to delve deep into his self with honest introspection, he would find his faith to be infirm and questionable. Contentment and faith are like brothers that accompany one another; meanwhile, doubt and discontentment have a similar fraternal relationship. Tirmidhi related that the Prophet (bpuh) said: Read more…

Your reward is Paradise…

“My soul that owns things is itself departing, Then why should I cry when something leaves me.”MYF

The whole world, with all its gold, silver, positions, and mansions does not deserve even a teardrop. In 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.” Read more…