Spiritual Health and Purification of the Soul

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Real Freedom[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]We sometimes spend our whole lives struggling with the weight of this baggage and never manage to break free of it. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The idols in our hearts are like this, they drag us down, destroying our real humanity, which is given to us by Allah alone. The idols that seem to please us and bring us fleeting happiness cannot answer the deepest need of our heart — the need for Allah alone.[/FONT]
http://www.islamonline.net/English/Family/GenderIssues/Emotions/2006/06/02.shtml
http://www.islamonline.net/English/Family/GenderIssues/Emotions/2006/06/02.shtml

 

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Allah allows those who do good to have a good life

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Apart from His promise that we will have happiness and peace of mind if we surrender to Him and to the fate that He has determined for us, Allah also promises us that He will allow those who have faith and trust in Him and perform good actions to have a good life in this world:[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Anyone who acts rightly, male or female, being a believer, We will give them a good life and We will recompense them according to the best of what they did. (Surat an-Nahl: 97)[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]... There is good in this world for those who do good, and the abode of the hereafter is even better. How wonderful is the abode of those who guard against evil… (Surat an-Nahl: 30)[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]There are many good things in this world. In order to have a good life, one thing we need is friends we can trust and with whom we can enjoy a relationship of mutual affection and real intimacy. Allah lends His support to His servants who have sincere faith in Him and who trust Him by giving them friends who are good Muslims like themselves-trustworthy, honourable people who are friends of Allah. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]That is why a Muslim is never lonely. One of Allah's greatest gifts to the faithful is to ensure that they always have friends with them - fellow-Muslims whom they can trust, whom they love and respect and whom they hold in greater honour than they hold themselves. [/FONT]

http://www.islamandkarma.com/contentment.html

 

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Scoring Goals and Setting Goals[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Allah wants us to enjoy the fruits of our hard work. He wants us to work hard to enjoy a nice car and a nice home in a nice neighborhood, but not so much as to distract us from worshiping Him. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Some religions teach that in order to grow spiritually, you must deny yourself the pleasures of this world. You may have to spend time in a monastery or become an ascetic. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Islam is unique among all religions in that it teaches life fulfillment, not life denial. Islam teaches that the worlds of the body and the spirit should live in harmony, not in conflict. In our daily prayers, we supplicate Allah saying, "Our Lord! Give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and save us from the torment of the Fire."[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]We have to get the balance between our work, family, home, community, and leisure right. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman,Times,Serif]http://www.islamonline.net/English/Living_Shariah/RefinementOfTheHeart/advice/2006/07/01.shtml[/FONT]

 

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]There Is Good in Every Event [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]People should seek goodness and beauty not only in ordeals, but also in daily routines. For example, burning the food one has painstakingly prepared may lead one to take numerous measures that would, by the will of Allah, prevent a more serious accident in the future. A young person might fail the college admission test on which all hopes for the future had been pinned.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]People should, however, know that there is goodness in their failure, too; they should be able to think that Allah might have willed them to avoid some adverse circumstances or people and thereby feel pleased with the result. Alternatively, by thinking that Allah has placed in every event many other blessings that are either obvious or beyond the imagination, believers see the beauty of full submission to the guidance of Allah.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]People may not always see the goodness and divine purpose behind every incident. Even if this is the case, they know for certain that there is goodness in all events. They offer prayers for Allah to discover the goodness and divine purpose hidden behind everything that happens.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Those who are aware that everything has a purpose in Allah's creation never use phrases such as "I wish I had not done this" or "I wish I had not said that" and so on. Mistakes, defects, or seemingly unfortunate events essentially include blessings, and each one of them is the trial of destiny. Allah gives important lessons and reminders to humans in the destiny He creates individually for each person.[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman,Times,Serif]http://www.islamonline.net/English/Living_Shariah/RefinementOfTheHeart/advice/2006/06/02.shtml[/FONT]

 

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The Process of Self-Development[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The path to God is only illuminated when a person recognises the central place of God in his life and strives to develop his self accordingly. The Messenger of God said:[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]If someone wants to know what position he enjoys in the eyes of God, he has only to look at what place he gives to God (in his heart and life.) [/FONT]
​

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The term nearest in meaning to self development in the Quranic vocabulary is tazkiya. Tazkiya means purification and refers to the cleansing of the human self from all that is unwholesome, undesirable and unwelcome.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]It also refers to the nurturing and strengthening of all the qualities within the human self that are essential for growth and development, for blossoming and flowering.[/FONT]

 

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THE GOAL IN LIFE


[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Success and happiness in this world and the Hereafter depend on tazkiya, the purification and nurturing of our personality. The Quran states that true success is only reserved for those who seek to purify themselves:[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Successful indeed is the one who purifies his whole self [ash-Shams 91:9][/FONT]

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Our personality comprises not only the physical body but also the mind and the heart, feelings and attitudes, character and behaviour. Proper nurturing and development of these elements of the personality will achieve desirable goals. When goals are desirable, the process of aspiring to, working towards and achieving them also become desirable. This is part of human nature. It is critical, therefore, that we recognise and understand the true nature of our ultimate goal in life.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]For the Believer, the most coveted goal in life is to seek the good pleasure of Allah and Janna or Paradise. Our Creator has set this goal for us: And surely Paradise - it is the goal [an-Naziat 79: 41]; Indeed the Next abode - it is truly the life! [al-Ankabut 29: 64]; The companions of Paradise - they are the triumphant ones [/FONT][FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif][al-Hashr 59: 20].[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]You will only be rewarded fully for all your good deeds on the Day of Resurrection, and [on that Day] whoever will be drawn away from Hellfire, and admitted into Paradise, will indeed have triumphed [Ali Imran 3:185.][/FONT]

 

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Towards Spiritual Health (Tazkiya)[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Tazkiya or this new programme for self-improvement that you now find yourself in, is a process that unfolds itself step by step. You cannot expect to change all at once. This is against the laws of nature. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The Prophet was always aware of this when he was dealing with his Companions. Whenever someone embraced Islam, the Prophet would not ask that person to do everything immediately. Instead, he would teach and expect that person to start fulfilling his obligations only as much as he could bear at a time. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]This gradual process of change is also clearly reflected in the manner in which the Quran was revealed over a period of 23 years. In all your efforts towards becoming a better Believer, you must bear in mind this principle of gradualism, otherwise you may try to attain the impossible, and when you do not achieve it, you may become frustrated. [/FONT]

 

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]PREREQUISITES OF TAZKIYA[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]As you proceed on your journey along the new path, in quest of the ultimate goal of Paradise, you will encounter difficulties and hardships. These may often seem insurmountable. Overcoming them may be made easier by a good early grasp of the prerequisites of tazkiya. These are as follows:[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]1. Tazkiya -Your Personal Responsibility [/FONT]


[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]You must accept that tazkiya is a highly personal process and that it demands taking personal responsibility for carrying it forward. You can only see the results of tazkiya through your own realisation, your own personal efforts and your own exertions. No one else can perform tazkiya for you. No organisation, no leader and no teacher can replace your own responsibility.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]God says: And no bearer of burdens shall be made to bear another's burden; and if one weighed down by his load calls upon [another] to help bear carry it nothing thereof may be carried [by that other], even if it be one's near of kin. [35:18 ] [/FONT]

 

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]2. Genuine Effort [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]In order to succeed, you must have a deep desire to make a genuine effort to fulfill your obligations as a Muslim:[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]But as for those who strive hard in Our cause - We shall most certainly guide them onto paths that lead unto Us: for, behold God is indeed with the doers of good. [/FONT]
​

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif][The Qur'an, 29: 69.][/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]With desire, of course, come actions. But know that it is not solely the results of your endeavours that count; what matters most is that you made your best effort. This is a very important point to appreciate because without genuine effort nothing can happen. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Those who think that Prayer alone can work miracles are not living in a realistic world. Prayers are part of the effort, but Prayers are not the whole answer. If you pray, `Allah! Guide me and make me good', it is not going to bring you any benefit unless you are also determined to become good and make an effort towards becoming good. Once you have done the latter two things, then, of course, Prayer will be a source of baraka or Divine grace that will further inspire and strengthen your efforts. [/FONT]

 

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]3. Sustaining Willpower [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]To achieve the ultimate goal in life requires a sustained determination to do so, a willpower that is forever responsive and strong. In Quranic terminology this is called irada. Irada is basic to all our efforts. Without willing to do something you cannot do anything.[/FONT]

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Irada[/FONT][FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif] is very different from desire. You always hear people reflecting upon unfulfilled aspirations. One of the main reasons why aspirations and dreams remain unfulfilled is that they are no more than desires which faded to assume the status of irada.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The Quran explains that one of the basic weaknesses in human nature which impedes self development is the weakness of will. While narrating the story of Adam, Allah informs:[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]And, indeed, long ago We made Our covenant with Adam; but he forgot and We found no firmness of purpose in him. [/FONT]
​

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif][Ta Ha 20:115][/FONT]

 

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]4. Reliance on Allah [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Self-confidence is borne from the Believer's intimate knowledge and understanding that Allah is ever ready to assist those who strive and struggle in His way. Self-confidence comes from depending upon Allah and knowing that He is there to help you, protect you and shower His mercies upon you:[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]So he who gives [/FONT]​

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif][in charity] and fears [Allah] and [in all sincerity] testifies to the best- We will indeed make smooth for him the path to Bliss. [al-Layl 92: 5-7.][/FONT]

​

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Self-confidence also emanates from knowing that Allah in His infinite mercy has equipped you with all that you require to undertake the tasks set before you. It is not characteristic of the One that is Most Just and Most Merciful to prepare you for a duel without equipping you with the necessary tools.[/FONT]

 

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Self Confidence & Hope[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Self-confidence is thus borne of total reliance and trust in Allah. It is knowing that at every step of your journey Allah is there assisting you. If you constantly hold yourself back believing that you are weak and incapable and blame your incompetence on minor inadequacies, then you are bound to fail. You must never allow yourself to believe or feel that Allah has treated you unfairly or that He has placed upon you a burden you cannot shoulder for on no soul does Allah place a burden greater than it can bear. [al-Baqara 2:286.][/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Likewise, hope is central to your efforts and your success. You must sincerely hope and believe that everything you do to earn the pleasure of Allah will lead you to fulfillment. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]A superiority complex negates the task of self development. An inferiority complex is derived from a lack of confidence in Allah and oneself. You should never allow yourself to believe that you cannot fulfill your obligations nor should you despair of the mercy of Allah. Confidence, hope and determination are all important ingredients for your success.[/FONT]

 

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]5. The Best Use of Time [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Time is not money or gold; it is life and it is limited. You must begin to appreciate every moment of your life and always strive to make the best use of it. With all the demands of worldly life on your time, you will yet need to find time for self-development and maximise its potential. The better route towards self-development is, of course, to integrate all your efforts into a structured daily life. Imam al-Ghazali, may God have mercy on him, in his great work, Ihya Ulum ad Din, gives the following advice: [/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]"You should structure your time, arrange your regular devotions and assign to each function a set period of time during which it is given first priority but which it does not overstep. For if you abandon yourself to neglect and purposelessness, as cattle do, and just do anything that may occur to you at any time it happens to occur to you, most of your time will be wasted. Your time is your life, and your life is your capital; it is the basis of your transactions [with God], and the means to attain to everlasting felicity, in the proximity of God the Exalted. Each of your breaths is a priceless jewel, and when it passes away it never returns."[/FONT]

 

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]6. Tazkiya -All-embracing Process. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Islam does not subscribe to the type of asceticism where we purify our hearts and yet remain immersed in political, economic or social corruption. Tazkiya must encompass our entire life - the privacy of our thoughts as well as their social manifestations in our daily life. Everything must be in conformity with Allah's will.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]This will of God also requires you to seek and maintain a delicate balance between the various obligations that demand your attention; between your obligations to Allah, your obligations towards others and your obligations towards yourself The Prophet advised us against extremism of any kind. It is reported that he said to Abdullah ibn Amr:[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]`Have I heard right that you fast everyday and stand in prayer all night?' Abdullah replied, `Yes, O Messenger of God.' The Prophet said, `Do not do that. Fast, as well as eat and drink. Stand in prayer, as well as sleep. For your body has a right upon you, your eyes have a right upon you, your wife has a right upon you, and your guest has a right upon you.' (Bukhari, Muslim.)[/FONT]

 

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A Life of Remembrance In a verse of the Quran, Allah, Most Gracious and Loving, commends:

Remember Me and I shall remember you. Be grateful unto Me and deny Me not. ​

​

[al-Baqara 2:152.]

Can you imagine a more gratifying state than this, where, when you remember Allah, the Creator, Sustainer and Lord of the Universe, He remembers you in return? The same exhortation has been beautifully conveyed in a hadith qudsi:

I treat My servant as he hopes that I would treat him. I am with him whenever he remembers Me: if he remembers Me in his heart, I remember him in My `heart'; if he remembers Me in a gathering, I remember him in a gathering far better than that gathering; if he draws near to Me a hand's span, I draw near to him an arm's length; if he draws near to Me an arm's length, I draw near to him a fathom's length; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running. (Bukhari, Muslim)

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif][SIZE=+0]Remembering Allah at All Times[/FONT][/SIZE]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Those who remember Allah standing, sitting and reclining and who reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth are highly commended in the Noble Quran. They are wise in that they fill their hearts with the remembrance of God in every, moment, in every circumstance and in every posture of their lives. [The Qur'an, 3: 191][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The exhortation to remember Allah at all times is a reflection of Allah's all-embracing and overwhelming love for us. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The door to Allah is always open to us: Remember Me and I will remember you. We need only find our way to and through that door.[/FONT]

 

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]1. Sustained Awareness of Allah [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Let us begin with a discussion of the first form and its methods. How can you remember Allah throughout the normal course of your day without withdrawing from the routine of your daily worldly life? [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]How can you ensure that your personal life, family life, professional life and other activities all continue in full swing, and yet, at the same time, ensure that your life as a whole - every moment of it - is permeated with remembrance of Allah? [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Such an all-pervading dhikr (remembrance) can be an onerous task, but one you can accomplish - with some ease. Let me remind you of four states of consciousness that you must strive to develop by remembering certain things, absorbing them and reminding yourself of them often.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]ONE: Say to yourself: I am in Allah's presence; He is watching me: [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]If ever you are alone, He is the second and that if you are two, He is the third. He is with you wherever you are. [al-Mujadala 58: 7.] He is nearer to you than your-jugular vein. [Qaf 50: 16-18.] [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]He is watching everything that you do and hearing everything that you say. He is ever present and His knowledge is all encompassing. Remind yourself of this as often as you can, and throughout the day- every time you begin a new task, and every time you speak. Indeed, your aim should be to impress this on your heart in such a way that it ultimately becomes your very breath. When the Prophet was asked by a Companion about the best method of purifying himself, he replied: `[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]You should always remember that Allah is with you wherever you are.' (Hadith in Al-Tirmidhi.)[/FONT]

 

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]TWO: Say to yourself: Everything I have has been given to me by Allah.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]All that there is - surrounding you, on you and in you - comes from Allah alone. There is none that creates or gives anything but Allah. [an-Nahl 16:78; Ya Sin 36:33-35.] [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Therefore, reflect upon all the blessing that He has created you with and be thankful to Him. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]If ever you appear to be short of things to be thankful for, recall the hadith of the Prophet: `There are 360 joints in the body and for each joint you must give a sadaqa [thanks or charity] each day.' (Bukhari.) [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]You must give a sadaqa for each one of them because without any one of them you will be incomplete and handicapped. You must do this on a daily basis for should any one of them become damaged one day, you will similarly become incapacitated.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Additionally, you may remind yourself that, as we now know from our knowledge of human physiology, your heart beats 72 times a minute. Every time it beats, it does so with the permission of Allah. The moment He withdraws that permission, the heart will stop beating and your life will certainly come to an end. If you feel that there is nothing else to thank Allah for, then thank him for the life that He has given you - for, so long as there is life, there is hope.[/FONT]

 

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]THREE: Say to yourself: Nothing in this world can happen without His permission.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Everything lies in the hands of Allah. No harm can befall you and no benefit can reach you except as Allah ordains. It is as the Qur'an informs us: [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]If God should touch you with misfortune, none can remove it but He, and if He should touch you with good fortune, He has power over all things. He alone holds sway over His creatures; He is the All-wise, the All-aware. [al-Anam 6: 17-18.][/FONT]


[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Prophet Muhammad would supplicate to Allah after each Prayer:[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]O Allah, whatever You want to give me, no one can stop it from coming to me and whatever You want to prevent from coming to me, nobody can give to me.[/FONT]

​

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Prayer after Prayer, you should recite these beautiful words. And beyond that, remind yourself as much as you can and throughout the day, especially as you expect something to happen, or not to happen, that everything happens only as He commands, and by His permission.[/FONT]

 

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]FOUR: Say to yourself: I am going to return to Allah one day and that day could be today.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]You do not know when you will leave this world. It may be that the coming morning is your last morning, or perhaps the coming evening is your last evening. Indeed, it may be that this hour is your last hour, or even, that this moment is your last moment. Such an uncertainty does not, of course, justify a complete withdrawal from this life so as to prepare for the Next in some monastic fashion. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]It is important, however, that you are always conscious of this uncertainty, to the extent that it motivates you to spend every moment of your remaining life seriously, considering it as a gift from Allah and spending the resources He has blessed you with - time, ability and energy - as He has advised. Then, and only then, will your life have achieved what is required of it, and your return will achieve what is required of it.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif] [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]To help you attain this state of consciousness, recall and reflect upon the following Quranic verse as much as you can and throughout the day: from Allah we came and to Him we shall return. [al-Baqara 2:156][/FONT]