Spiritual Health and Purification of the Soul

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Be Just[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif](Thus We made you a just nation) (2:143)[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Both your conscience and your Religion demand that you be just, which means you should neither exaggerate nor understate, neither go into excess nor do too little. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Whoever seeks happiness should be just, regardless of whether he is in an angry, a sad or a joyful mood. Exaggeration in our dealings with others is unacceptable. The best course is the middle course. Whoever follows his desires will likely magnify the importance of any given situation, always making a big deal out of nothing. ...[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]More often than not, what you feel will happen in the future does not end up taking place. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Here is something you should try: when you fear something, immagine that the worst possible outcome takes place, and then train yourself to feel prepared and contented with that outcome. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]If you do this, you will find that you have saved yourself from apprehensions and superstitions that would otherwise have caused you much grief.[/FONT]

(Source: Book titled "Don't be Sad")

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Be content with that which Allah has given you and you will be the richest of people[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Wealth, appearance, children, house, and talents - you must be content with your share in these things[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Allah says in The Qur'an:[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif](So hold that which I have given you and be of the grateful) (7:144)[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Most Islamic scholars and pious Muslims of the early generations of Islam were poor; needless it is to say that they did not have beautiful houses or nice cars. Yet, despite these disadvantages, they led fruitful lives, and they benefited mankind, not by some miracle, but because they used all that they were given, and spent their time in the correct way. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Hence they were blessed in their lives, their time and their talents. ...[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]If you are a seeker of happiness, be satisfied with the looks Allah has favored you with, with your family situation, with the sound of your voice, with the level of your understanding, and with the amount of your salary. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Certain educators go further than this by saying you should imagine being contented with even less than you actually have now.[/FONT]

(Source: Book titled "Don't be Sad")

So be content, and don't be sad!

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Be Patient[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]If you or I will not be patient, then what else is there for us to do?[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Do you have an alternative solution? Do you know of any provision that is better than patience? ...[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Be patient, and know that your patience is only through Allah. Have the patience of one who is confident of forthcoming ease, of one who knows that there will be a good ending, and of one who seeks reward from his Lord.[/FONT]

(Source: Book titled "Don't be Sad")

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Travel in the Land[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]There is one activity worthy of mention here, because it both gives pleasure and removes dark clouds that may hang over you, namely for you to travel through the lands, observe the open book of creation, and appreciate all of its wonders ...[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Leave your home and contemplate that which surrounds you. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Climb mountains, traverse valleys, ascend trees, and drink sweet pure spring water. Thereupon you will find your soul to be free like the bird that sings and swims in the sky in perfect rapture. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Leave your home and remove the black blindfold from your eyes, and then travel through the spacious lands of Allah, remembering and glorifying Him.[/FONT]

(Source: Book titled "Don't be Sad")

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Allah [Alone] is Sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]By Leaving your affairs to Allah, depending upon Him, by trusting in His promise, by being pleased with His decree, by thinking favorably of Him, and by waiting patiently for His help, you reap some of the greater fruits of faith and display the more prominent characteristics of the believer.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]When you incorporate these qualities into your character, you will be at peace concerning the future, because you will depend on your Lord for everything. As a result, you will find care, help and protection.[/FONT]

(Source: Book titled "Don't be Sad")

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The prayer ... the prayer[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif](O you who believe! Seek help in patience and the Prayer) (2:153)[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]If you are beset with fear and anxieties, stand up right now and pray: your soul will find comfort and solace. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The prayer - as long as you perform it sincerely with a wakeful heart - is guaranteed to have this effect for you.[/FONT]

(Source: Book titled "Don't be Sad")

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Accept Life As It Is[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The pleasures of life are short-lived, and more often than not they are followed by sorrow. Life means responsibility, a journey wherein change is constant and difficulties are relentless in their onslaught.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]You will not find a father, a wife, or a friend who is free from problems. Allah has willed for this world to be filled with two opposites: good and evil, righteousness and corruption, happiness and misery. Thus goodness, uprightness and happiness are for Paradise; evil, corruption and misery are for the Fire. ...[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]So live according to your reality without always envisioning the ideal life, one that is free from worry and toil. Accept life as it is and adapt accordingly to all circumstances. You will not find in this world such things as the flawless companion or the perfect situation, because flawlessness and perfection are qualities that are foreign to this life. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]It is necessary for us to make amends; to take what is easy and leave what is dificult; and very frequently to overlook the faults and mistakes of others[/FONT]

(Source: Book titled "Don't be Sad")

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Verily, in the Remembrance of Allah do Hearts Find Rest[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The Remembrance of Allah is His paradise on earth, and whoever does not enetr it will not enter the Paradise of the Hereafter ...[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]When you remember Allah, clouds of worry and fear are driven away, and the mountains that make up your problems are blown away. ...[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]To the degree that you remember Allah, your heart will be calm and cheerful. His remembrance carries with it the meaning of total dependence upon Him and of turning to Him ... [/FONT]

(Source: Book titled "Don't be Sad")

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The Importance of a Positive Attitude [/FONT]​

A writer justly said:

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]“Verily, hope encourages and steers one towards patience; hope arises from having a good opinion of Allah; hope in Allah precludes the possibility of failure. ...[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]A person who finds no way out of a difficult situation illustrates the most poignant example of Allah’s generosity and guidance for one of His slaves. After losing all hope in everyone that he turned to for help, he is forced to remember that there is one door that remains open and that he should hope in no one save in Allah, the Exalted. At that point, he feels the chastisement for not having hoped from Allah in the first place, and at that point, aid and relief arrive. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]“Verily, those whom you call upon besides Allah are slaves like you. So call upon them and let them answer you if you are truthful.” (7:194) [/FONT]

(Source: Book titled "Don't be Sad")

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The Key To Happiness [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]If you know Allah and worship Him, you will have found happiness and peace, even if you are living in a hut made of mud. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]But if you deviate from the true path, your life will truly be wretched, even if you are living a life of luxury and comfort in a large mansion. If this latter case applies to you, then you do not have with you the key to happiness. ...[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Pause to reflect: [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]“Truly Allah defends those who believe.” Surah Al-Hajj – Ayah 38. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]In other words, He protects them from evil, both in this world and in the Hereafter. In this verse, Allah enlightens us, warns us, and gives us glad tidings. He repels evil from the believers in proportion to their faith. The evil of the disbelievers, the evil whispers of the devil, the evil in their own selves, and the evil of their deeds all of these does Allah ward off from the true believers. When calamity falls, its burden will be lightened from them. Every believer has a share in this divine protection. Yet it varies according to one’s level of faith: some will receive less, others more. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Among the fruits of faith is that it gives solace to the believer in times of hardship: [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]“... and whosoever believes in Allah, He guides his heart.” Surah At-Taghabun – Ayah 11. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]This refers to the believer who is afflicted with hardship, who knows that it is from Allah and that it was written for him. He is satisfied and submits his will to what has been predestined for him. Thus, the fatal blow of hardship will lose its effect on him because he knows that it came from Allah and that he will be rewarded for his patience. [/FONT]

Source: Book titled “Don’t Be Sad”

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Remember That You Are Dealing With The Most Merciful[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]“Leaning on a cane, an old man came to the Prophet peace be upon him and said, ‘O’ Messenger of Allah, I have perpetrated treacherous and wicked deeds. Will I be forgiven?’ The Messenger of Allah said, ‘Do you bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah?’ The man said, ‘Yes, O’ Messenger of Allah.’ [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The Prophet SAW said: ‘Verily, Allah has forgiven you for your treacherous and wicked deeds.’ The man departed and said, ‘Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest.” [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]There are certain conclusions, or facts if you will, that one should take away from this hadith. One of them is the vastness of Allah’s Mercy. Another is that accepting Islam or making repentance wipes out past sins. Yet another is that mountains of sins are nothing compared to the forgiveness of the One Who knows everything. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]And finally, it is imperative for you to have a good opinion of your Lord along with being hopeful of His comprehensive generosity and His far-reaching mercy.[/FONT]

(Source: Book titled "Don't be Sad")

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Don't Be Shaken By Hardships [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Hardship strengthens your heart, atones for your sins, and suppresses all inclination towards pride and haughtiness. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]In times of distress, you might remember (Allah), you abandon senseless folly and you remember Allah. When you were afflicted, others extended brotherly compassion and you became the fortunate recipient of the supplications of the righteous. At such times, you wilfully and humbly surrendered yourself to Allah’s Will and resigned yourself to His decree. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Affliction begets circumspection and provides the afflicted with an early warning against following the path of evil. The one upon whom calamity has fallen can display courage with patience; and his circumstances, unlike the one who is drunk with worldly pleasures, permit him to solemnly prepare for a meeting with his Lord. He is able to pass ruling on this world with an impartial judgment, and thus he will come to know it as something that is not worth pining for. Other points associated with the wisdom and expediency of sometimes facing hardship, though they might escape our comprehension, are definitely present and known to the Lord of all that exists. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Stop and reflect on hardships:[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Do not be sad, for you have with you the Qur’an, supplication, remembrance, and prayer. You can lighten the load of your anxiety by giving others, doing well, and being productive. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Do not be sad, and do not surrender to sadness by taking the easy path of idleness and inactivity, but pray, glorify your Lord, read, write, work, visit relatives and friends, and reflect. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Allah, the Exalted asks of us: [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]“Invoke Me [ask in for anything] I will respond to your [invocations].” [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Surah Ghafir – Ayah 60. [/FONT]


(Source: Book titled "Don't be Sad")

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The fundamentals of happiness: Verses to reflect upon[/FONT]​

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]'And never give up hope of Allah's Mercy. Certainly no one despairs of Allah's mercy, except the people who disbelieve' [Qur'an 12:87][/FONT]​

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]'And who despairs of the Mercy of his Lord except those who are astray?' [Qur'an 15:56][/FONT]​

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]'Surely, Allah's Mercy is (ever) near unto the good-doers' [Qur'an 7:56][/FONT]​

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]'You know not, it may be that Allah afterward bring some new thing to pass' [Qur'an 65:1][/FONT]​

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]'It may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know'[/FONT][FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif] [Qur'an2:216][/FONT]​

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]'Allah is very Gracious and Kind to His slaves' [Qur'an 42:19][/FONT]​

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]'..And My Mercy embraces all things' [7:156][/FONT]​

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]'Be not sad (or afraid), surely Allah is with us' [Qur'an 9:40][/FONT]​

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]'(Remember) when you sought help fo your Lord and he answered you' [Qur'an 8:9][/FONT]​

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]'And He it is Who sends down the rain after they have despaired, and spreads about his Mercy' [Qur'an 42:28][/FONT]​

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]'And they used to call on Us with hope and fear, and used to humble themselves before Us' [/FONT][FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif][Qur'an 21:90][/FONT]
​

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Much of what you think is harmful, is in fact a blessing[/FONT]​

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]William James said:[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]‘Our handicaps help us to an extent that we never expected. If Dostoyveski and Tolstoy had not lived painful lives, they would not have been capable of writing their ageless journals. So being an orphan, blind, poor, or away from home and comfort are all conditions that may lead you to accomplishment and distinction, to advancement and contribution’[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]‘It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allah’[/FONT][FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif] [Qur’an 35:28][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]‘Verily, those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah and in His Messenger (Muhammad))and work deeds of righteousness, the Most Beneficient will bestow love for them (in the hearts of the believers)’ [Qur’an 19:96][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]‘Whoever works righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a true believer verily, to him We will give a good life, and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do’ [Qur’an 16:97][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]‘And verily, Allah is the guide of those who believe, to the straight path’ [/FONT][FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif][Qur’an 22:54][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif](Source: Book titled "Don't be Sad")[/FONT]

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]

Do not lose HOPE​

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]‘And when they embark on a ship, they invoke Allah, making their faith pure for him only, but when he brings them safely to land, behold, they give a share of their worship to others’ [Qur’an 29:65]

‘Is not He (better than your gods) Who responds to the distressed one, when he calls Him, and Who removes the evil, and makes you inheritors of the earth, generations after generations. Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Little is that you remember!’ [Qur’an 27:62]

‘And they think that they are encircled therein, they invoke Allah making their faith pure for Him Alone, saying: ‘If you (Allah) deliver us from this, we shall truly be of the grateful’ [Qur’an 210:22]

‘But those who believe and do righteous deeds, and believe in that which is sent own to Muhammad, for it is the truth from their Lord, He will expiate from their sins, and will make good their state’ [Qur’an 47:2]

[/FONT](Source: Book titled "Don't be Sad")

Hope is very important for inner peace

Hope in Allah's Mercy, in His support and in that today will be a better day In-Shaa-Allah, and tomorrow will also be better.

Be optimistic !
[/FONT]

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Short story:[/FONT]


[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]A famous caller to Islam settled down in Germany some years ago. When he reached the entrance of the city of Munich, he noticed a large sign. The sign had ‘You don’t know Yokohama Tires’ written upon it.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]He later put up a sign just as large beside it. He wrote on it, ‘You don’t know Islam. If you wish to know about it, call us at this number’. There were a flood of calls from native Germans and in one year alone, [/FONT][FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]thousands of people accepted Islam.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]'Wherewith Allah guides all those who seek His Good Pleasure to ways of peace, and He brings them out of darkness by his will unto light and guides them to a straight way (Islamic Monotheism)' [/FONT][Qur’an 5:16]

(Source: Book titled "Don't be Sad")

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Contentment is the Antidote to Anxiety [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Psychologists trace the best part of worries and anxieties we sustain to lack of contentment. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Triggers of this contentment deficiency syndrome are infinite-one may not always get what he wants, and even if he gets it, he still might not feel the satisfaction he anticipates. Not only that, even when one gets what he wants, he continues to harbor feelings of fear and worry that these gains might slip away from his hand. So anxiety, whether natural or pathological, is a fact of life. ...[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Now, what should a Muslim do in the face of all this? [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]"Do not allow worldly concerns to tyrannize over you, for whoever makes this life his major concern, Allah will increase him in worries and place poverty before his eyes; and whoever makes the Hereafter his utmost concern, Allah will set his affairs aright for him and plant content in his heart. And whoever turns to Allah wholeheartedly, Allah will turn the hearts of His servants toward him (with love and compassion)." (Baihaqi) [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]This Prophetic directive is meant to impart tranquility in one's heart and to root out from it covetousness and desire for things material. [/FONT]

http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=JM0708-3344

 

[Cordoba]

Enhancing Zuhd in Ramadan

Let us welcome the blessed month of Ramadhaan this time with a fresh commitment to our Merciful Creator and Sustainer to reorient our lives in His way.

The most salient lesson of this month of divine training for the believers is self-restraint and abstinence.

As we train ourselves in abstinence from the necessities of life for part of a day through the month, we consequently strengthen our physical as well as mental abilities to abstain from not only what is illicit (haraam), but also from all that distracts us from the pursuit of Allaah's pleasure. This mental and spiritual attitude –zuhd - is a necessary weapon for us to fight off the onslaughts of materialism and snares of Satan

What is Zuhd?

Zuhd in this world is not achieved by prohibiting the permissible, nor by giving away all of one's wealth. Rather, it means being more certain in what Allaah has in His hands than about what one has in his hands."

Full Article:
http://www.islamweb.net/ver2/archive/article.php?lang=E&id=135776

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Spiritual Refinement (Tazkiyah)[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The path to take for the human soul to progress till reaching the state of a soul at peace (Nafs Mutma'inah) is the path of spiritual refinement, called Tazkiyah [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Here are a few points to consider:[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Preliminaries of Tazkiyah [/FONT]


[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Good intentions: Tazkiyah is not accidental. It is a pro-active process. It must be based on the good and sincere intention to please Allah and draw near to Him. The process of Tazkiyah can not be sustained if done for other reasons. [/FONT]


[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Commitment: Tazkiyah can be a difficult process especially at the start. Some may try and think of giving up. Continuing commitment is needed to be able to travel all the way to the end of the process. [/FONT]


[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Being true: The person undertaking Tazkiyah must be true to self, to others and to Allah. True to self means understanding and accepting yourself as you are with all the negatives and positives such that the negatives can be suppressed while the positives can be enhanced. Being true to others is saying and acting according to the truth and never deceiving or giving the wrong impressions. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Earnest entreaty to Allah: Tazkiyah requires that a very strong desire and longing to turn to Allah and get closer to Him. This gives a sense of direction and a sense of purpose to the Tazkiyah efforts. [/FONT]


http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503545500

 

[Cordoba]

A Story About Gentleness

The Prophet said,"He who is deprived of gentleness is deprived of good." (Muslim)

That is so scary. A person deprived of gentleness is deprived of good? Who in their right mind would want to be deprived of good?

I also remembered reading the Qur'anic verse that has become one of my compasses in dealing with others:

[And speak to him [Pharaoh] mildly, perhaps he may accept admonition or fear Allah.] (Ta-Ha20:44)

When I first read this verse, it truly surprised me.

What did Allah tell us to do? Even with a dictator like Pharaoh, we are asked to speak gently. You know Pharaoh? Yes, the Pharaoh who chased Prophet Musa (Moses), the one who had wronged Prophet Musa's people and killed male babies. Yes, that one! And how was Prophet Musa ordered to deal with such a person? With gentle speech! Can you believe that? Even to a person with a history like Pharaoh's we are asked to deal gently; subhan Allah!

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1188044022866&pagename=Zone-English-Living_Shariah%2FLSELayout