Spiritual Health and Purification of the Soul

[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]
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[/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. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]So anxiety, whether natural or pathological, is a fact of life. Natural anxiety, also called healthy anxiety, is essential for life, or, to be specific, life is meaningless without it, for when we lack this type of anxiety, we succumb to spiritual and emotional dullness.[/FONT]
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[/FONT][FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]And life, to be sure, is rife with concerns ...[/FONT]
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[/FONT][FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Now, what should a Muslim do in the face of all this?

The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, [/FONT]
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[/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. [/FONT]
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[/FONT][FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]And whoever turns to Allah wholeheartedly, Allah will turn the hearts of His servants toward him (with love and compassion)." (Baihaqi) [/FONT]
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[/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]

IslamiCity.com - Contentment is the Antidote to Anxiety*

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The Soul Between the Enchantment of this World and that of the Hereafter[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]When listening to a sermon or preaching, one's heart may become vigilant but once one has left the gathering where Allaah is being mentioned, hardness and inattentiveness returns! [/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Reflecting upon the reason for this sudden change, I realised what it was. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]I noticed that people vary when it comes to this (i.e. the effect of preaching on them). Generally speaking the heart does not assume the same level of alertness during the preaching and after for two reasons: Firstly: Preaching is like whipping which leaves no pain, but it hurts only while being whipped. Secondly: During the sermon, the listener normally has nothing to distract his attention. Mentally and physically setting aside worldly matters and listening whole heartedly. Then once back to the worldly life, he will be attracted by its allurements. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]How then could one remain in the same state as prior to the sermon? [/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]This state of affairs happens to all humanity. However, this affect does vary with those who listen with their hearts. Some of them are unhesitatingly callous to what goes on around them. If they are visited by life's hustle and bustle, they become self conscious, as Handhalah (the companion, radiya Allahu 'anh) said about himself: "Handhalah is a hypocrite..." [in a Hadeeth related by Muslim] [/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Some others tend to be of a more forgetful character. Sometimes though they excel (in good deeds) after listening to a sermon. In fact, such people are like stalks that sway with the wind! Others are but little affected; the effect on their hearts lasts only for the period of the sermon. It soon disappears, just like water when poured on a smooth rock! [/FONT]

http://islaam.com/Article.aspx?id=92

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Staying Focused in Times of Crisis[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]As Muslim youth, we often look back to the examples of the heroes that treaded the earth before us – the Prophets, the companions, and all the other righteous individuals. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]What kept them going? They were incessantly tested. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Many of us are going through very difficult economic times; parents are losing jobs, the government is cutting scholarships, tuition and food prices are increasing, and gas is not getting cheaper. But sometimes we forget that those before us went through even harder times. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Before the Prophet salla Allahu `alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings be upon him) left Makkah for Madinah, the Muslims were boycotted for three years! They were not allowed to trade or interact with the society, or even to stay at home: they were forced into one location. There was no backup plan, no secret stash of food they could rely on, no 7-Eleven, no internet to help or loan they could take; they had to simply have patience and make do with what was provided by Allah `azza wa jal in the desert. ...[/FONT]

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/relationships/staying-focused-in-times-of-crisis/

 

[Cordoba]

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

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]We need inner peace and the whole humanity needs it. Inner peace is always important but it is most needed now. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]It is the peace of heart and mind. Inner peace makes people steadfast, strong and capable to face the problems. If there is no inner peace people lose courage and strength to face the difficulties. People become sick and develop many other physical, emotional or psychological problems. They would certainly have spiritual problems. Those who do not have inner peace become irritable, angry, have difficulty to maintain their daily work, good family relations or other commitments and responsibilities. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Inner peace on the other hand makes people optimistic, friendly and productive. Inner peace makes people strong to deal with their personal, family, local as well as national and international problems ...[/FONT]

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar%2FFatwaE%2FFatwaEAskTheScholar&cid=1119503545394

 

[Cordoba]

Seeking inner peace through prayers

Prayer is a connection between man and God. Every religion in the world has emphasized on prayer as a means of communication and a way to contact God. Prayer holds a very important place in Islam, through prayer one can find peace because it gives one a feeling of connection with the supreme force which is in control of the destiny of the universe.

In Islam prayers are of two kinds, formal and informal.

Formally every Muslim is bound to bow before God and pray five times a day. Every Muslim understands how spiritually satisfying and invigorating it is to start a day by praying to God. Throughout the day one feels Divine presence helping, supporting and standing beside one. This not only ensures inner peace and tranquility but also reinforces reform.

A basic concept in Islam is that God is watching you every second of the day and prayer is a means which makes you feel that God is on your side and such a feeling of support translates to a state of inner peace with yourself and with the world. ...

http://www.helium.com/items/1524492-inner-peace-through-prayer-in-islam

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Contentment in Islam: Secret of true Happiness[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]As we all pass through life looking at people and materialistic things around us, we often tend to look at people above us and desire to be like them. But Islam advises us to look at those below us and feel contempt at what Allah (SWT) has provided us. Listed below would be some practical suggestions on achieving this contentment and repelling the greed of want of more.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Note: [/FONT][FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Contentment is the neuro-physiological experience of satisfaction and being at ease in one's situation. It is said that a man complained about his old shoes until he saw a man who had no feet.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]"Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have."[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Greed for More: A Fact of Human Nature[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Contentment is one of the most important prerequisites for happiness[/FONT][FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif] 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.[/FONT]

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Convert a Lemon Into a Sweet Drink[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]... if you are afflicted with a misfortune, look on the bright side.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif] If someone were to hand you a glass full of squeezed lemons, add to it a handful of sugar. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]And if someone gives you a snake as a gift, keep its precious skin and leave the rest ...[/FONT]

http://islaam.com/Article.aspx?id=621

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The Search for Inner Peace [/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]We are living in a world of toil and struggle, but yet within ourselves it is possible to attain inner peace, peace with the environment, with the world in which we live.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Obviously there are some obstacles which prevent us from attaining peace. So first we have to identify the obstacles in our lives which prevent us from achieving maximum inner peace and develop some kind of strategy to remove them. The obstacles will not be removed just by thinking that we need to remove them; we have to develop some steps to achieve this. So how do we go about removing these obstacles so that we can achieve what is possible of inner peace?[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The first step is to identify the obstacles themselves. We have to be aware of them, because if we cannot identify them then we cannot remove them[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The second step is to accept them as obstacles within ourselves. For example anger is one of the biggest obstacles to inner peace, for example. If a person is angry worked up and has blown a fuse, how can he or she have inner peace in that circumstance? It is not possible. So the person needs to recognise that anger is an obstacle to inner peace.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]However, if a person states that, “Yes, it is an obstacle but I do not get angry”, then such a person has a problem. He has not accepted that obstacle as a problem and is in a state of self denial. As such he cannot remove it.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]If we look at the obstacles in life we can put them under a variety of headings: personal problems, family issues, financial dilemmas, work pressures and spiritual confusion. And there are many issues under these headings.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]We have so many problems, so many obstacles that they are like illnesses. If we try to deal with them one by one we will never get through them. We need to identify them, put them in some general categories and tackle them as a group as opposed to trying to tackle each individual obstacle and problem.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]To do this we have to first of all remove obstacles that are beyond our control...[/FONT]

http://muslimoutreach.org.uk/understanding-islam/muhammad/79-muhammad/108-the-search-for-inner-peace-.html

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Peace on a Rooftop![/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]We’ve all had intense moments. For me, one such moment happened while standing on the rooftop of Masjid al-Haram. Above me was only sky, below me, the most beautiful view of the Kaba’a and an acute sign of Allah, this life, and the life to come. I was surrounded by an overwhelming crowd – that exists nowhere else on this earth – but, for me, it could have been that I was standing completely alone. With Allah. ...

I brought with me to that rooftop so much heartache, confusion, and doubt. I came with so much weakness, human frailty, and pain. Standing at a crossroads in my life, I brought with me fear of what was to come, and hope in what could be.
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]For those who make Allah their primary concern, there is only peace, because whatever happens to them in this life it is good and accepted as the will of Allah. Imagine having only good in your life. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]That is the state of this type of believer, as the Prophet says: [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]“Wondrous are the believer’s affairs. For him there is good in all his affairs, and this is so only for the believer. When something pleasing happens to him, he is grateful, and that is good for him; and when something displeasing happens to him, he is enduring (has sabr), and that is good for him.” [Muslim][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]And so in the heart of such a believer is a sort of paradise. That is the paradise that Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on his soul, spoke of when he said: ‘Truly, there is a Heaven in this world, [and] whoever does not enter it, will not enter the Heaven of the next world.’[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]And in that heaven, complete peace is not something of a moment. It is a state, eternal.[/FONT]

Peace on a Rooftop » Suhaib Webb - audio, discussions, translations and musings

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]A Good Night's Sleep [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]It is a mistake to dismiss the importance of sleep. We all need it, and we all get our daily quota of sleep. Therefore, it is wrong that we make light of the subject of sleep and disdain reading or speaking about it, as if it were something superfluous. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]In order to sleep better, we should first relax a bit. We need to unwind from the pressures, worries, and distresses of the day. We need to end the day on a note of forgiveness and with a few moments of tenderness with our families. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]We need to recite our remembrances of Allah and rid our hearts of all our animosities. We should not lay our heads down on our pillows with resentfulness in our hearts and angry thoughts in our minds. We should make our last thoughts of the day positive ones. [/FONT]

http://islamtoday.com/artshow-242-545.htm

 

[Cordoba]

The Station of Tuma'aneenah (Tranquillity)
Ibn Qayyim al Jawziyyah

Toma'aneenah is tranquillity. Allah says,

"Those who believe and whose hearts find toma'aneenah in the remembrance of Allah. Verily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find toma'aneenah." [13:28]

Toma'aneenah is the satisfaction of the heart with circumstances without any sense of anxiety or restlessness. It was mentioned in one narration that:

"Truthfulness is a cause of toma'aneenah and lying is a cause of suspicion and doubt."

This suggests that one who hears the truth will have toma'aneenah and satisfaction within his heart as a result, whereas lying causes disturbance and doubt within the heart. This meaning is also seen in the hadeeth which states: "Righteousness is what the heart has toma'aneenah with." This shows that the heart feels satisfied with truth and has no anxiety or sense of unease because of it. ...

Allah deposits toma'aneenah in the hearts and souls of the believers. He will then grant the joy, delight and good news of admission into Paradise to those with toma'aneenah. As a result, for these people there is great happiness and a beautiful place for the final return. The verse "O you with toma'aneenah! Come back to your Lord...," indicates that the soul will not return to Allah unless it is characterized by toma'aneenah. Then it will return to Him, be from among His honored slaves and be allowed to enter His Paradise.

Toma'aneenah's final product is tranquillity. At that final stage the heart will have tranquillity with a sense of sound security. There is a difference between a sense of sound security and a deceitful sense of security. It is possible that the heart may have a feeling of satisfaction caused by a deceitful sense of security, but this satisfaction and peace do not endure. Besides the sound security because of the tranquillity produced by toma'aneenah, there is an atmosphere of joy and attachment.

Toma'aneenah is something more than tranquillity. It includes knowledge, faith and the attainment of what is known. The example of this is the toma'aneenah the hearts find with the Qur'an. When hearts believe in it and attain knowledge of its guidance, it is sufficient for them. Their total loyalty is to the Qur'an. They rule their lives with it and go to it when they have a dispute. ...

IslamicAwakening.Com: The Station of Tuma'aneenah (Tranquillity)

 

[Cordoba]

Having "Rida" (Contentment) and Accepting Allah's Decree

An important source of inner peace comes through a strong faith, and one of the six articles of faith in Islam is belief in Qadar, which can translated as measured destiny.

Knowing that God has pre-ordained certain matters before we came into this world is an important belief which makes a believer calmer when faced with hardships. One should do his best, but at the end of the day accept the final outcome decreed by God, trusting that He knows what is better for us, and that after hardship comes ease.

Too much anxiety and worry does not help reach an inner balance, and peace comes through wisdom and contentment

 

[Cordoba]

Contemplating the Beauties of God's Creation

Why is it we always long to go away on a weekend or on holiday to places where we can be close to nature?

Being in a beautiful natural environment brings peace to the soul when we look at the oceans, mountains, open fields, and when we look up to the sky and contemplate this amazing universe

Even looking out of the window and seeing birds fly or sing on a tree brings comfort to the soul.

That is all part of God's wonderful creation, Subhan Allah, and this brings a feeling of peace and serenity to the heart and comfort to the soul

 

[Cordoba]

Reading and Thinking about the Abode of Peace

The Qur'an describes the Abode of Peace, and the life of believers in the Hereafter whom God has admitted to Paradise

After the hardships of this life will come a day when believers who did good in the world will be rewarded with an eternal happy life in Paradise (Jannah), where there will be no worries, no pain, no illness.

A life of peace and serenity, close to God, with those we love.

May Allah admit us to Jannah

Ameen

 

[Cordoba]

Contentment

The concept of being content is a very important asset in our daily life. If one is content, he will live in peace, harmony and happiness. These qualities can't be purchased or acquired through wealth or fame. ...

In order to live in peace and harmony, in order not to be deceived with worldly entertainment, and not to be distracted with what others may have and in order to be content and satisfied with what you have: our Prophet, peace be upon him, advised us to look at those who are lower than us.

By looking at the situations of those who have a lesser wage/salary, less position, less property or less wealth, we should be grateful to Allah for all the blessings we have in life.

To avoid anxiety and to avoid worries and uneasiness, one has to be content and satisfied with what he has. To fulfil your needs, desires and your worldly requirements, one has to look at the situation of those who are less fortunate ...

http://www.inter-islam.org/Lifestyle/contentment.htm

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Contentment

A wise person once said:

“Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want,
but the realization of how much you already have.”

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[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Contentment: The Secret to Happiness in Life

As we all pass through life looking at people and materialistic things around us, we often tend to look at people above us and desire to be like them.

But Islam advises us to look at those below us and feel contempt at what Allah has provided us. Listed below would be some practical suggestions on achieving this contentment and repelling the greed of want of more.

It is said that a man complained about his old shoes until he saw a man who had no feet. ...
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Parenting: Secret of Happiness

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Wise Sayings: Food for Thought
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The alternative to pride is prayer
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Ritual is nothing but thankfulness, or it is nothing

We have too many things and too little gratitude
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Abdal-Hakim Murad - Contentions 14
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[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]How Islam Deals With Sadness and Worry: Gratitude

As fragile human beings, we are often swamped by fears and anxiety. At times sadness and worry threaten to take over our lives. These emotions can become so consuming that we forget our primary purpose in life, which is to worship God. When pleasing God is at the centre of all our thoughts, actions and deeds, then sadness and worry can have no place in our lives. ...

When we bear witness that, there is no god worthy of worship but Allah and that Muhammad is His final messenger we are being grateful for being blessed with Islam. When a believer prostrates before God in quiet, joyful prayer, we are expressing gratitude. During the fast of Ramadan, we become thankful for food and water by realizing that God provides our sustenance. If a believer is able to make the pilgrimage to the House of God in Mecca, it is indeed a cause for thankfulness. The Hajj journey can be long, difficult, and expensive.

The believer also expresses gratitude by giving charity. Prophet Muhammad, may God praise him, advised his followers to give charity everyday to express gratitude to God for every single joint or faculty in his body ...
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How Islam Deals With Sadness and Worry (part 3 of 4): Gratitude - The Religion of Islam

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Inner Peace is reached by submitting to God

We have to keep in mind that people will not get from this world except what God has already written for them, this is the bottom line. After all that running around, staying up late at night, being a workaholic a person will only get that which God has already destined for him or her. The Prophet, may God raise his name, said:

“Whoever sets the Hereafter as his goal, God gathers his affairs for him, gives him richness of (faith in) the heart and the world will come to him grudgingly and submissively.” (Ibn Maajah, Ibn Hibbaan)

Such a person attains richness of the heart. Richness is not about having a lot of wealth, but richness is having wealth of the heart, and what is wealth of the heart? It is contentment, and this is where the peace comes from, when a person submits themselves to God, and this is Islam.

The inner peace is accepting Islam in our hearts and living by the principles of Islam. So God will put richness in a person’s heart and this world will come to him submissively, on its knees and humbled. Such a person will not have to chase it. ...[/FONT]

The Search for Inner Peace (part 4 of 4): Inner Peace is reached by submitting to God - The Religion of Islam