Spiritual Health and Purification of the Soul

[Cordoba]

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

Heedlessness is being careless concerning what God has commanded one to do and has prohibited

Definition

Heedlessness (ghafla) is a terrible lack of attention to what is infinitely more important in one's life than material goods....

The Arabic word for a simpleton is mughaffal, a person who is easily fooled. In our context, it is a person who is diverted away from what is essential and consequential toward what is ephemeral and ultimately pointless. ...
(Heedlessness here is) being heedless of divine purpose, accountability and the resurrection, ultimate standing, and judgment in the Hereafter. ...

In the Qur'an, you will find ghafla mentioned several times in different forms, but almost invariably referring to unawareness. ...

The ultimate trauma of heedlessness is not seeing things the way they truly are. It is choosing a way of living that allows divine signs to pass one up without notice. The Prophet, peace be upon him, supplicated that God the Exalted show him things in thir reality, distinguished and clear: "Show me the truth as truth and give me the ability to follow it; and show me falsehood as falsehood and give me the ability to avoid it." ...

One the cures of heedlessness is keeping good and sincere company. It is recognized in virtually all traditions and cultures that the company one keeps has inroads to one's heart and morality. When someone is surrounded by people who are sincere and trustworthy, he only stands to benefit from them. Even when a person errs, good companions remind the person and set him right.

Treatment

The cure is in fours things that possess authentic rectifying qualities. The first is repentance and seeking forgiveness. As a matter of regular worship, one should ask for forgiveness (istighfar) at least 70 or 100 times a day, according to the Prophet's teachings, which were closely followed by our righteous forebears (salaf). ...

Second is visiting righteous people

The third cure is to invoke benedictions on the Prophet, peace be upon him.

The fourth cure for heedlessness is the recitation of the Qur'an. Reciting it with tadabur (reflection) awakens the heart. But plain recitation is beneficial as well. Learned Muslims have recommended that a person ecite one-thirtieth of the Qur'an (juz') every day ....

(Source: Book titled "Purification of the Heart", by Hamza Yusuf)

 

[Cordoba]

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

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Definition and Treatment[/FONT]

Ghil is a malady of the herat that is closely related to rancor, extreme anger, and malice. ...

Rancor is a pungent emotion that is rooted in being extremely angry at a person to the point that one wishes harm to come to him. But the ultimate victim of rancor is its carrier.

If a person feels rancor toward a particular person, he should show that person goodwill. By nature, people are naturally inclined to love those who do good to them. And if one shows a person good, feelings of rancor will fall to the way-side. ....

There is an authentic hadith about Mondays and Thursdays being special days on which God forgives people. When angels come to God and say that two believers are wrangling with one another, God The Exalted says, "Leave them until they set things aright between themselves."

The implication is that if a person has rancor toward another believer, God shall not forgive that person untill he forgives his brother, for rancor is a serious affliction that festers in one's heart and blocks good things from coming to one.

(Source: Book titled "Purification of the Heart", by Hamza Yusuf)

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Boasting & Arrogance[/FONT]

Exceptionally odious is the practice of bragging about what one has not done or exerted any effort toward, like bragging about one's ancestry and borrowing from past nobility.

Boasting (fakhr) is a problematic behavior that universally evokes objection and is considered a spiritual disease. No one likes a boaster, the person who walks with a swank and swagger, the person who cannot be in the company of others without speaking about himself or drawing attention to what he has done.
God Himself reveals His dislike of bragging:

(God does not love the arrogant and boastig ones) (Qur'an, 31:18, 57:23)

Imam Mawlud mentions the force behind the culture of boasting, namely arrogance (kibr). ...

There are different qualities and kinds of arrogance.

The first type is when a person deems himself superior to others. Imam Al-Ghazali said: "People of knowledge are in greater danger of arrogance than anyone else" because the knowledge they have attained may lead them to feelings of superiority.

The second type is arrogance displayed in a person who shows contempt and scorn to others. ...

The third type of arrogance is related to lineage. ....

Treatment
As for the cure forarrogance, there are several aspects. First, we should remember our humble organic oigins. As the Qur'an reminds us, we are created from a drop of semen (75:37) .... so what (then) is the source of a person's arrogance?

The fourth aspect is arrogance owing to beauty. The cure is to realize that beauty can be the most illusory of things .... why should beauty ever be a cause of arrogance, that obnoxious sense of superiority for something he had nothing to do with? First of all, God is The Fashioner; it is He who gives all things their shapes and forms. Second, beauty wanes, as the pressures of age and stress tear down flesh, and what we are left with is what we shoud have focused on in the first place, the content of our character, our beliefs and our deeds.

The fifth is arrogance due to wealth. The affluent are notorious for showing contempt to those of lesser means. ...

The sixth is arrogance based on strength. ...

The seventh is arrogance for having a lot of something, like a teacher having many students and then seeing himself as being better than another teacher. The same is true for those who boast for having many friends, especially those in so called high places.

The eighth is arrogance for having knowedge. ....

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The key to avoiding or removing this disease is to know yourself, your origins, and your ultimate return. ... Whoever is humbled for the sake of God, God elevates in rank. Haughtiness and gratitude cannot coexist in one vessel. Those who are grateful, God increases in goodness. The station of arrogance only invites humiliation. ... Humility by nature leads to gratitude, for when one is humble before God the Exalted, then does one see the vast mercy God bestows upon His creation, even upon liars and disbelievers. [/FONT]

Having humbleness is one of the secrets of success, although it is hard on the soul.

It is said, "Among the most noble things of this word is a rich man who is humble."

(Source: Book titled "Purification of the Heart", by Hamza Yusuf)

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Displeasure with Blame[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The next disease is the displeasure with blame. Blame is not something that we would naturally embrace. It runs against human nature to love it. But the problem is when the fear of blame is coupled with the urgent desire for praise and approval by others, which is often the case.[/FONT]

Being concerned with "creation's opinion" places a barrier between a person and the station of ihsan, excellence in worship (Creation here simply means other people, as opposed to being concerned with God's pleasure). This is considered a disease because the result is guiding one's actions in deference to the praise of people or in an attempt to avoid their blame or disapproval, irrespective of the integrity and soundness of one's actions. ...

(Thus We have made you a middle nation, so that you would be witnesses for humankind) (The Qur'an, 2:143), a nation that enjoins justice and reminds humanity of God's rights. When people give up enjoining what is right or even admitting that there are absolute and objective values that are not subject to the whims of mankind, then evil spreads. ....

Imam Mawlud says that overcoming this fear of blame is through the realization that there is no benefit or harm except by God's permission and plan. This sounds familiar, since it is the recommended cure for many of the diseases discussed so far... It is only God who can benefit and only He who can permit harm. If a person is worried about how others receive him, then he or she is not aligned with reality. ...

The fear of blame interferes with faith. Deeds that are done for the sake of God cannot share other intentions, namely, pleasing people or seeking their favor. Doing something for the sake of God is the manifestation of strong faith. Whether someone praises you or not is entirely inconsequential.

(Source: Book titled "Purification of the Heart", by Hamza Yusuf)

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Obliviousness to Blessings[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Definition and Treatment[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The next disease is obliviousness to blessings, a lack of understanding and acknowledgement, a noxious disregard that "whatever blessing you have, it is from God" (The Qur'an, 16:53) [/FONT]

The blessings that come to us, night and day, are beyond numeration, as the Qur'an reminds. These blessings come in all forms - what we can see and touch (by way of material goods: food, clothing, shelter, wealth, and the like), as well as what we cannot see (like safety, friendship, love, health, and protection from harm and calamity). ....

While we cannot count our blessings, we are charged to be grateful for having them ....

Things may be beneficial in the long term but somewhat uncomfortable in the short. It may be difficult for a person to stop himself from eating until he is filled, but the long term benefits are obvious. This is also true with sexual intimicy: being patient until marriage may be uncomfortable and even frustrating but its benefit is far greater than any temporary pleasure attained in falling into sin.

Ignorance urges people to see only short-term relief as a blessing and to ignore the benefits of patience and temporary discomfort. Knowledge opens the eyes to long-term benefit, which last forever.

In a study on children, researchers left cookies out on a table and told the children they can have either one cookie now or two later. Consistently the children who scored better on intelligence tests waited for the two-cookie option. After following these children for 30 years, those who opted for the long-term gain were better adjusted, better educated, and more successful in their marriages.

There is a necessary link between intelligence and morality, the willingness to put off a short-term gain for a long-term benefit that ultimately is greater and everlasting. This kind of intelligence is conditioned by Islam.

(Source: Book titled "Purification of the Heart", by Hamza Yusuf)

 

[Cordoba]

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

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The next disease is derision, ridiculing people, making jest at their expense. ....[/FONT]

Mocking is a form of ignorance, whether it is lampooning, caricaturing, or name calling. Humor and levity are important in human life. But levity as a way of life harms the spiritual heart. And laughter and amusement at the expense of the dignity of others is wholly inappropriate, although it is the staple of the comedians of our day.

Imam Mawlud says that the cure for the psychology and practice of mockery is similar to that of arrogance, since a person who mocks another most likely sees himself as superior to his victim.

(Source: Book titled "Purification of the Heart", by Hamza Yusuf)

 

[Cordoba]

How to Keep Away From Pride

By Shaikh Ahmad Kutty​

Kibr or false pride is undoubtedly one of the most heinous of all sins, for it is not becoming of man, who is a servant of Allah, to act proudly. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “No one who harbors an iota of pride in his heart can enter Paradise.” Allah has warned those who act proudly of terrible chastisements in the Hereafter.​

The opposite of pride is humility. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) acted as a perfect role model of humility for us. Thus, he was never tired of reminding himself that he was a servant of Allah. He said, “I eat like a servant and sit like a servant for I am only a servant (of Allah).” He also said, “Whoever humbles himself for the sake of Allah, Allah will exalt him and enhance his honor and dignity.” It is, therefore, imperative that we develop the attitude of humility.​

How do we develop humility? As Imam Aal-Ghazali stated, the only way one who is guilty of pride (kibr) can condition himself to be humble is by using both cognitive and practical resources and using them to acquire the habit of humility.​

1. The cognitive steps involve knowing first why you are acting so proudly and then convincing yourself to be against it. For instance, if you are proud because of the wealth you possess, then you should think of what became of those who were wealthy and acted proudly. Think of the terrible fate of Pharaoh, Nimrod, and Qarun. Think of those rich people who never benefited from their riches, rather their riches became a source of doom and gloom for them.​

2. You should also remind yourself of your true status as a creature of Allah. You were born of a despicable drop of semen; that was your beginning. As for your end, you will be reduced after death to a rotten corpse eaten by worms and finally disintegrating into the earth. How can anyone who is aware of his true nature act so proudly?​

On the other hand, think of the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) who, in spite of being the chosen servant of Allah, was always so humble that he never set himself apart from his people in any way. Thanks to his humility, Allah has exalted his status. As opposed to this, the status of those who acted proudly became diminished in the sight of Allah as well as in the sight of people. People today only remember them with the utmost contempt and derision.​

3. To reinforce this concept further, list as many verses and hadiths as you can find that speak about the terrible punishment or fate awaiting those who are proud.​

Now, we come to the practical tips to counter pride and learn humility. We cannot break any bad habit unless we acquire the opposite habit. So, if you wish to break the habit of pride, you should do what the humble people do, consistently, until humility becomes second nature to you. This will be easy if you use every opportunity to be humble when you meet people. You should be consistent in this behavior until humility is acquired as a habit, just as you acquired the habit of being proud.​

http://www.islam.ca/documents/akutty-how%20to%20keep%20away%20from%20pride.pdf​

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Comprehensive Treatment for the Heart[/FONT]

A comprehensive treatment plan for the heart's disease is to deny the self of its desires, enjoin hunger, keep worship vigilance in the night, silence and meditation in private

Also keeping company with good people who possess sincerity, those who are emulated in their states and statements

And finally, taking refuge in the One unto whom all affairs return. That is the most beneficial treatment for all of the previous diseases.

This must be the point in which you are like a man drowning or someone lost in a barren desert and sees no souce of succor except from the Guardian, possessor of the greatest power. He is the One who responds to the call of the distressed.

(Source: Book titled "Purification of the Heart", by Hamza Yusuf)

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Beneficial Actions for Purifying the Heart[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]When speaking of the purification of the heart, it is important to know that "purification" is not a state, but an on-going process. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Just as we go through a day careful about our bodily cleanliness, we must similarly rend to our spiritual purity, for purification and sincerity do not survive a passive relationship. They are not qualities that are ignited and glow on without attendance. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]For this reason Imam Mawlud states that what is most beneficial for the purification of the heart are those acts that are done with consistency, even if they are small. This is based on the statement of the Prophet:[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]"The best actions are continuous ones, even if they are slight"[/FONT]

It's like silverware: one may polish it with a few hard strokes and then put it down; or one may gently polish it regularly so that its shimmer is maintained. Left unattended, the heart becomes encrusted. Unwholesome deeds accumulate and take away its purity. But with consistnt work on self-purification, the heart becomes cleansed and is kept that way.

(Source: Book titled "Purification of the Heart", by Hamza Yusuf)

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The Root of All Diseases of The Heart[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The comprehensive root of the heart's diseases, according to Imam Mawlud, is the love for the temporal world ...[/FONT]

(According to Imam Ibn 'Ata'illah) "The source of every disobedience, indifference and passion is self-satisfaction. The source of every obedience, vigilance and virtue is dissatisfaction with one's self. It is better for you to keep company with an ignorant man dissatisfied with himself than to keep company with a learned man satisfied with himself. For what knowledge is there in a self-satisfied scholar? ...

Imam Mawlud says that dissatisfaction is a motivator to seek out better character. A human being is spiritually stalled as long as he is content and smug with his state. The basis of achieving good is knowing yourself. When this happens, a person becomes aware of his imperfections, minor and major, and ashamed of them to the point he strives to replace them with generosity, agreeableness, honesty, reliability, and other noble traits. ....

Treatments

Imam Mawlud speaks next of the importance of dhikr, the remembrance of Allah, which is vital to the cure of each disease of the heart (and society). He mentions the exceptional excellence of reciting The Qur'an. ...

The Messenger of God (peace be upon him) said:

"The likeness of the one who remembers his Lord and one who doesn't remember his Lord is like the living and the dead."

Here we end the translation and commentary of the portion of Imam Mawlud's poem that deals with various diseases of the heart. ....

(Source: Book titled "Purification of the Heart", by Hamza Yusuf)

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Contentment: The Secret to Happiness in Life[/FONT]

Greed for More: A Fact of Human Nature

Contentment is one of the most important prerequisites for happiness in life, and, unfortunately, many of us don't have it. We have a good car that meets our needs, but we always want a nicer, more expensive one---a Mercedes or a Jaguar perhaps. We have a nice house, but we always want a bigger, fancier, more expensive one. More jewelry, fancier clothes, a boat. The list goes on. We always think about more rather than saying, "Alhamdulillah," for what we already have.

Things that Lure us Out of Contentment

A good rule for developing contentment is to always look at the people who have less than us, not the ones who have more. In America, this is difficult because almost all advertising is geared toward showing us people who have more than us and enticing us to want it. They show us beautiful cars, beautiful houses, handsome men, and beautiful women. And we can get it all with a credit card. If our lives don't match the ad, we should make a change --- buy a new car, get a new wife or girlfriend, give her a bigger diamond

http://www.soundvision.com/Info/parenting/parent.contentment.asp

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Bygones Are Bygones...Today Is All You Have [/FONT]​

[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica]Be not hasty and rushed for things that have not yet come to pass. Do you think it is wise to pick fruits before they ripen? Although you should plant them. Tomorrow is non-existent, so why should you have apprehensions about prospective disasters? Why should you be engrossed by them, although you do not know whether you will even live until tomorrow or not?[/FONT]​

[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica]The important thing to know is that tomorrow is unseen, it is like a bridge that we should not cross until we reach it. Who knows, perhaps we might never reach it, it might collapse before we reach it, or we may actually reach it and cross safely.[/FONT]​

[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica]For us, as Muslims, to be engrossed in fears, sorrows or expectations about the future is looked down upon in Islam, since it leads to a long-term attachment to this world; an attachment that a good believer shuns.[/FONT]​

[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica]Many people in this world are unduly fearful of future poverty, hunger, disease, and disasters. Such thinking is inspired by Satan, Almighty Allah says,[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica](The devil promiseth you destitution and enjoineth on you lewdness. But Allah promiseth you forgiveness from Himself with bounty.) (Al-Baqarah 2: 268)[/FONT]​

[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica]Many are those who cry because they expect starvation tomorrow, fear to fall sick after a month or panic that the world will come to an end in a year.[/FONT]​

[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica]Someone who does not know at all when he will die, (all humans are of this kind) should not bother himself with such thoughts.[/FONT]​

Since you are absorbed in the toils of today, leave tomorrow until it comes. Beware of becoming unduly attached to future prospects in this world.​

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1239888235235&pagename=Zone-English-Living_Shariah%2FLSELayout​

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Positive Thinking During Hardships[/FONT]

Those who have a positive way of thinking are happier, livelier and more active. They get things done and make them work. They might make many mistakes, but then they have the perspicacity to acknowledge their mistakes and correct them. They have the determination to start all over again. They don't waste time worrying or getting upset over something that will never happen.

In every twenty-four hours about more than twenty million meteorites enter the earth's atmosphere. But there is no reliable record of any person getting killed anywhere due to the falling of any of these meteors.

Mark Twain said, "I am an old man and I know many calamities and misfortunes. But most of them have never happened." ....

One who does not possess the asset of faith is quite vulnerable against the unfavourable forces of nature. He considers himself a victim of its overwhelming and tyrannical forces. Even if he does not make a retreat in the first encounter with afflictions and hardships, ultimately, at some fearsome moment, the violent waves of events will drive him into a deep whirlpool.

But one who relies on the logic of religion and does not consider anything except the will of God as being effective in the order of creation, believes that the unavoidable sufferings of life have been decreed by a beneficent creator for the purification of his heart and the disciplining of his soul. Therefore he does not allow hardship and affliction to paralyze his spiritual power. Rather, he maintains his serenity under all circumstances and in every eventuality steers the ship of his existence with the help of God's eternal power to the shores of purity, success, and felicity and even his spiritual joys and pleasures increase despite the burden of suffering.

http://home.swipnet.se/islam/articles/InnerPeace.htm

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Trusting in Allah[/FONT]

The case of a person with a legal problem

This person will hire a lawyer to defend him. He will trust the lawyer because he knows the legal system much better than he himself does. As long as he continues to trust in the lawyer's abilities and feel confidence in him, he will feel relaxed and confident about everything to do with the lawsuit. But if he does not entrust his business to a lawyer in spite of the fact that he himself has no knowledge of legal matters, and take the entire responsibility upon himself, he will meet with many unnecessary worries and difficulties.

Or let us consider the case of a person who is ill and who willingly entrusts himself to the care of his doctor, doing everything he says and following his advice. As long as he has confidence in the doctor's professional abilities, he will not search for different medicines and different treatments for himself.

Both these examples show how we place confidence in other people and surrender ourselves to them because of their special abilities. Being able to rely on someone we trust gives us a welcome feeling of peace of mind and confidence. However, trusting in Allah and surrendering ourselves to Him is an incomparably greater and more significant matter than this

If we surrender ourselves to Allah, we willingly accept everything He sends us throughout our lives-every event, every image, every conversation. No matter what happens, we never ask, "What's going on?" When we have experienced difficulty, we never say, "If only this or that had not happened", because we know that everything that happens to us has been sent to us by our Lord Allah, to Whom we have confidently surrendered ourselves and in Whose justice, kindness and mercy we have absolute faith ....

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

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Get Rid of Sorrow [/FONT]

If you spend your life blaming yourself for everything that happens, you are guilty of denying the role of destiny in your life; you are also guilty of blaming your Lord for creating certain circumstances! Do we, tiny creatures that we are, possibly comprehend the wisdom of the Creator? Mankind sees through a narrow vision of life: we cannot perceive what others perceive; we cannot see life in its overall beauty. So why do we complain, blame, and feel hopeless?

Overwhelming sorrow is destructive, and uncontrollable sadness is disastrous. These things are tools in the hands of Satan to control mankind and lead him, unawares, to his destruction. Happiness, on the other hand, is distributed by the angels, so take your share and give it to others—then indeed, it will again be returned to you

http://www.islamonline.net/english/OnthePathofReturn/articles/2005/03/02.shtml​

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Another word on contentment[/FONT]

The desires of one who is contented are subservient to what his Lord wants from him, meaning that which Allah loves and that with which He is pleased. Hence, contentment and the blind following of one's own desires can never coexist in the same heart. And if one has a share of the former and a share of the latter, his heart will be conquered by the stronger of the two.

And I hastened to Thu, O' my Lord, that you might be pleased. (Qur'an 20: 84)

Contemplate this hadith:

"Become acquainted with Allah in good times, He will know you in harsh (times)."

"Become acquainted with Allah," means that you should seek closeness to Him by being obedient to Him, by being thankful to Him for His blessings, and by turning to Him sincerely before hardship befalls you.

"In good times," refers to times of peace, safety, blessings, and good health. "He will know you in harsh (times)," by alleviating your hardship and by giving you an exit from every difficult situation.

It is very important that a special relationship exists in the heart between the slave and his Lord, a relationship that allows the slave to feel so close to his Lord that he requires no other. Thus, he finds company when he is alone, and he tastes the sweetness of remembering Him and supplicating to Him. Allah's slave will continually face hardship and difficulty until he dies, but if he has a special relationship with his Lord that of being an obedient slave all of the hardships of life will become easy for him.

http://www.dont-be-sad-alqarni.com/

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Anxiety does not help[/FONT]

The point of the following anecdote is to illustrate that one should not worry excessively, but should instead surrender his will to the decree of Allah without feeling the slightest degree of regret.

When I was in school I would study diligently to be first among my classmates. After handing in my examination paper, I would fall into a state of worry, fear, and anxiety. I would go home, check the answers from the book, give myself a grade, and then repeat the process all over again.

It is obvious now, in retrospect, that not once did my nervousness raise my grades by a single percentage point.

http://www.dont-be-sad-alqarni.com/Anxiety-does-not-help.htm

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Satisfaction is richness and safety[/FONT]

Whoever fills his heart with satisfaction regarding the Divine Decree, Allah fills his heart with richness, safety, and comfort. And whoever becomes dissatisfied, then his heart will be filled with the opposite, and his heart will be preoccupied with matters that clash with happiness and success.

Therefore contentment empties the heart of all superfluous carriage, thus leaving it entirely for Allah. Discontent removes from the heart all thought of Allah. And so there is no real life for the resentful, complaining person who always feels that he is shifting from one problem to the next. He feels his sustenance to be insufficient, his luck poor, his problems manifold, and above all, he feels that he is deserving of more.

Basically, he is discontented with what Allah decreed for him. How then can such a person find comfort, peace, and a good life?

That is because they followed that which angered Allah, and hated that which pleased Him. So He made their deeds fruitless. (Qur'an 47: 28)

http://www.dont-be-sad-alqarni.com/Satisfaction-is-richness-and-safety.htm

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Knowledge is the key to serenity and ease[/FONT]

Knowledge and an easy-going nature are like two inseparable companions: if the first is present, the other can be counted upon to accompany it.

If you study the lives of Islam's greatest scholars, you will find that they led simple lives and that they were easy to deal with. They understood the purpose of life and knew which issues were paramount and which were less important. Meanwhile, you will find that the most obstinate of people are those who, without having knowledge, are ascetics. ............

http://www.dont-be-sad-alqarni.com/Knowledge-is-the-key-to-serenity-and-ease.htm

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]If one has inner beauty, he will discern beauty in the universe[/FONT]

To be truly happy, one should enjoy the beauty and splendor of life, an enjoyment that is limited only by the boundaries set forth by Islam. Allah has created for us beautiful gardens because He is Beautiful and He loves beauty, and in order for us to study His signs that are present in His wonderful creation.

He it is who created for you all that is on the earth. (Qur'an 2: 29)

The sweet-smelling odor, the delicious meal, and the awe-inspiring vista these all bring lightness and happiness to the soul.

Eat of that which is lawful and good on the earth... (Qur'an 2: 168)

http://www.dont-be-sad-alqarni.com/If-one-has-inner-beauty-he-will-discern-beauty-in-the-universe.htm