Spiritual Health and Purification of the Soul

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Fruits of Belief in Divine Decree and Predestination[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
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1- Peace of mind: A Muslim who believes in divine decree and predestination will have his mind at ease when he knows for certain that what befell him could not have missed him and what missed him could not have reached him.[/FONT]
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2- Contentment: It doesn't make him grieve about anything because he doesn't say things that reflect discontent like "if I did such and such then such and such would have happened".
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Also, he doesn't worry too much about the future because he believes that everything is already written. What he should worry about is his deeds and doing good...[/FONT]

http://www.onislam.net/english/read...772-belief-in-destiny-and-predestination.html

 

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Sincerity and Trust

A sincere relation with God in what we do and say is an important path towards inner peace. Make sure that your intentions are always pure, and that what you do is for His sake, not for your personal ego or wishes

After that do your best, then trust God to guide you to what is best for you in this world and in the Hereafter

This approach will lead to a feeling of confidence and contentment with whatever outcome you get as we are certain that this life is a mere transition not the final destination, and this will eventually result in a feeling of inner peace

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Don't Worry About Tomorrow

Worry about the future is one of the factors which takes away part of one's peace of mind

But should one really worry too much about what will happen tomorrow, next year or 40 years from now?

On a personal level, keeping the right balance is important. One needs to plan ahead and do one's best to achieve one's goals, but from a believer's perspective that's where it ends. What happens next is in God's knowledge and He decides what's best

Trust in God and patience when faced with hardships helps reduce anxiety, and prayers are always an important key to finding tranquility[/FONT]

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]True Richness

True success and wealth is found in the peace and satisfaction which results from sincerity in faith and practice. The contentment of the heart is what makes a person realize and appreciate this true richness...

Contentment with God’s provision, whether large or small, is contentment with life, and hence, the best wealth that a person can have...
[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Those who are content with their own provision and lot in life will lose concern over the wealth and status of others. Such people have no concern as to how much money others have, what types of cars they drive, or the size of the houses they live in.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Real Wealth[/FONT]
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Those with pure hearts in this respect love God, and are grateful to Him, knowing that the goods of this world cannot buy happiness, or the blessings of faith and contentment. In return, they are loved by God, and by fellow men and women.This principle is so clearly outlined in the noble Prophetic tradition:[/FONT]
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“Give up (hope of attaining) this world, God will love you. And give up (hope of) whatever is in the possession of other people, and the people will love you.”...
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True Richness (Part 2) - Growing in Faith - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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Helping Others Brings Peace to the Heart

Going out of your way to help others who need help has an important impact on the spiritual heart, as it makes a person get rid of selfishness, which is an attribute most people have: putting one's interests first

When the intention in helping others is to please God, knowing that He is The Most Merciful and that He loves that people deal with each other in kindness and mercy, one grows in faith and spirituality, and this leads to an increase in peace

There is a sense of joy in giving so give time and effort for others, and you will feel happy

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Living one's destiny is a source of peace and comfort for believers[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The way that Muslims encounter various difficulties and troubles in their daily lives is both a test and also a means of happiness in contrast with the life of Paradise they hope to enjoy in the Hereafter.
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]It is a source of pleasure coming from contrasting trouble with ease, comfort and well-being. It is a blessing from the Compassionate, that increases believers’ respect and love for such people in this world, that allows them to take them as role models and that causes them to have a positive influence on others, and that has many benefits and beauties.[/FONT]
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The way that a person may sometimes imagine or forget that a trivial seeming matter is outside the destiny, compassion and knowledge of Allah, as a result of the whispering of the satan, is a disease. The believer must be careful to receive treatment for this malady and must avoid falling into the clutches of this terrible disease...[/FONT]
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Everything that befalls one, great or small, is part of one’s destiny. Believers must always be on their guard against the whispering of the satan to the effect that “these have nothing to do with destiny.” Fully understanding this and never forgetting it for a moment, looking for the wisdom and goodness in all events and regarding everything that happens as part of Allah’s wondrous plan is a great blessing both in this world and for the Hereafter.

For the believer, this truth leads to reason and free will, peace and comfort.

[/FONT] Harun Yahya - Living one?s destiny is a source of peace and comfort for believers - Download Page

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Contentment (Reda)[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]

Remember that God is in control of everything and that He decides our present and our future, as He decided our past

With this reminder, a believer must be content and relaxed

Do your best in a way that pleases God, then relax and allow inner peace to replace worry and anxiety[/FONT]

 

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Resignation to Destiny

A very important secret underlies the testing that takes place in the world.

Believers who possess this secret confront everything that befalls them with great patience, joy and enthusiasm.

The fact of “destiny” lies at the heart of this secret.
Muslims know that Allah has created all things within destiny and that what befalls them does so solely because He so wishes...

Resignation to Destiny: A Test of Faith - Fate & Destiny - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Contemplating this Beautiful Universe

Enjoying the beauty of nature brings peace to the soul

Contemplating this amazing universe makes one remember how vast it is, and how small we are in comparison

Life is a transition and a life of faith and god deeds is one which lead to an eternal happy life in the Hereafter

So anytime you feel a bit down, take a day out in the countryside, the mountains or near the ocean, and enjoy God's lovely creation and praise Him[/FONT]

 

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Take Care of Your Intentions

Some believers do good deeds, but don't find peace, despite the fact that good deeds should make the light of guidance increase in the heart

Why?

They may read a lot of Qur'an each day, and pray extra prayers over and above the five daily prayers, but they do that in an automatic way

One of the reasons for that is that the right intentions are not always present before doing these good deeds, and in some cases the wrong feelings enter the heart after performing these deeds

Intentions are very important in Islam, and God rewards or punishes people according to their intentions. It is therefore very important to remember one's real intention before starting something new to make sure that it is a sincere intention which God would want us to have.

And after doing something "good", don't feel superior to others or think you are better because you read Qur'an or prayed Fajr in the mosque, as this feeling could lead to arrogance which God dislikes

Be humble, and thank God that He has made it possible for you to do this good deed, so that He accepts it from you and that light and inner peace increase in your heart

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Contentment and Inner Peace

From a talk on Contentment (Rida) by a leading contemporary scholar:

To be content is to accept whatever God has decreed for you:

- If He gives you what you want, or if He withholds it from you

- If He gives you strength, or if He makes you weak

- If He makes you wealthy or poor

- If He gives you a long life, or if He makes your life short

God knows what is best for you at each stage in your life. If He withholds from you something you want, there is a wisdom behind it which you may or may not understand, as maybe what you want today is not good for you now, but will be good for you sometime in the future

Example:

You want $10,000 this month, but God does not give you all that income now, because if He does give it to you you may not use it wisely.

So He gives you $2,000 instead, to keep you going for now, and say next year, when you are a wiser person, He will grant you the full amount, as He knows that next year you will spend it in a wise way.

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What is important is to be content with whatever God has decreed. Be thankful when the times are good, and be patient when the times are hard.

As Prophet Muhammad said:

[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"How wonderful is the situation of the believer, for all his affairs are good.[/FONT]
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If something good happens to him, he gives thanks for it and that is good for him; if something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience, and that is good for him.
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]This does not apply to anyone but the believer".[/FONT]

(Sahih Muslim)
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So be thankful in good times, and be patient when faced with hardships, if you want to be content

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Living a Good Life

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Where does life's hardship come from? [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The answer to this question I heard from a leading scholar is ignorance[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]But is there a law for living a good life?[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The answer from the Qur'an is [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]1) Belief in Allah [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]2) Doing good deeds[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]If you reflect on the creation of this universe and reflect on the verses of the Qur'an, you will realize that God created this universe and made earth for us to live a happy life and to worship Him. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]This is the purpose of our creation[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif], to get to know our Creator, and to worship Him alone, and to look forward to being with Him in an eternal happy life in the Hereafter.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The closer a person is to the purpose of creation, he/she would be on the right track, which would lead to a good life.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]And the opposite is true[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]This life is not about making a lot of money. This is not the main purpose of life, and if you make it your main objective, you will never find inner peace.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]A good life is a life of happiness, joy, contentment, optimism, trust in God, feeling secure, wisdom, family peace, ...[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]And above all being close to Allah, the source of peace [/FONT]

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Remembering God: Your Way to a Happy Life[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]One of the righteous men who used to constantly remember the Lord, Most Gracious, said:

“There come upon me times (of utmost happiness) wherein I say, “If people of Paradise enjoy such happy times, they will certainly be in a really happy life.” ...

[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Al-Hassan Al-Basri said: “Seek sweet happiness in three things: performing prayer, Remembering Allah, and reading the Holy Quran. If you find (delight in those three things), it is alright. But if you do not, it means that the door (to Allah’s Love and Mercy) is closed; so search for the reason.”[/FONT]
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Remembering Allah is conducive to His generous donation. This is because Allah, Most Generous, grants those who remember Him much more than those who ask Him. In a Divine Hadith narrated by Umar ibn Al-Khattab on authority of the Prophet, peace be upon him, God said:[/FONT]
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“Whosoever is distracted by My Remembrance from asking Me, I grant him more than that which I grant to those who ask.”[/FONT]

Remembering God: Your Way to a Happy Life (Part 1) - Growing in Faith - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Hope in the Hereafter

[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Hope in living this life and forgetting the Hereafter is one of the obstacles for finding inner peace

[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Seeking wealth and other worldly pleasures only makes a believer forget God, whereas having one's focus on the Hereafter and the love of God is what makes faith and inner peace grow

Hope in the Hereafter makes a believer patient when faced with problems or hardships in this life, because he knows that after hardships come times of ease, and that at the end this life is only a brief transition to an eternal happy life which God has promised believers in Paradise.

So always keep alive in your heart your hope in God's Mercy and reward, and always be at peace knowing that the near and distant future will be better than today[/FONT]

 

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Going Back to Allah

Repentance is to return. It is not simply to repent after committing a hideous sin, although that is a big part of it. He is also talking to those of us who wonder if we can ever recover or achieve that zeal and energy and purpose. We need to return.

Don't Give Up

So don’t give up. Don’t give in to that feeling that tells you to do the bare minimum. God would not create you to be a useless addition to this world. You can be something special—something special to Him—if you don’t give up, if you take that step.

Why are we reminded by the Prophet in so many sayings that God accepts the servant who returns?

Why are we told when we come one step closer to God, He comes to us at speed?

It is to remind us that God wants us to reach our potential, to take that first step despite the fact that the first step might be the hardest...

Going Back to Allah - Growing in Faith - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

The path of inner peace is the path of return to God

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Letting Go (Of Worries, Grief, Sadness and Fear)[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Letting go does not mean giving up or justifying wrongs. It means you are willing to continue the race with all the lessons learned, without carrying the emotional load with you.
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In place of bitterness and feeling victimized, you allow yourself to feel free, and even grateful for the wisdom and reward attained. Experiencing negative emotions is not wrong, rather very normal and human, and it can even be a blessing that reminds us to turn to Allah.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]But after we have turned to Him, we go back to being content with Him and His decree. We let go of the attachments of needing sadness, of needing anxiety and fear to protect us and help us, because we have God to do those things and we have been given power over our own immediate choices to work for them...[/FONT]

Letting Go - Growing in Faith - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Patience and Inner Peace[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]

From a talk on Patience (Sabr) by a leading contemporary scholar:[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]It is said that half of faith is patience and the other half is thankfulness

God gave humans desires, and He showed us the lawful way of satisfying these desires.

Faith in God and following His Guidance gives patience to believers to satisfy their desires in an organized way, and by doing so we please God, as He knows and wants what is best for us, and this leads to a feeling of inner peace

Two Examples

- Human beings love wealth, and there are 2 main ways of obtaining money, either through lawful or unlawful ways. By being patient when for example having a chance to obtain money through gambling, and seeking lawful earnings through work or trade, one would obey God

- The second example is a young man who has an opportunity to satisfy his sexual desire with a girl friend, but is patient and waits till he finds a suitable wife and can afford to get married

[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Believers who are patient and obey God are rewarded with peace in this world and an eternal life of peace in the Hereafter[/FONT]

 

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How to Find Inner Peace

Resignation: A Sign of True Belief

For ordinary people, rida or resignation means not objecting to what God has willed for them.

For those with a deeper spiritual knowledge of God, resignation means welcoming their individual destinies.

For those who live a life of profound spirituality, resignation means that, without paying attention to their own considerations, they are always attentive to what He wants them to do and how He wants them to be...

Resignation: A Sign of True Belief - Growing in Faith - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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How To Let Go of The Past

What's Done is Done

What’s done is done. It is time to move on. Now don’t get me wrong. I am not propagating a carefree existence in which we shovel obliviousness into every recess of our mistakes, effectively burying them under a bed of thorn-less roses and skipping off into an ideal sunset.

What I mean is what the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, taught us:

“Seek help from Allah, the Most High, and do not lose heart, and if anything (in the form of trouble) comes to you, don’t say: If I had not done that, it would not have happened so and so, but say: Allah did that what He had ordained to do and you saying “if” opens the (gate) for the Satan.” (Muslim)

By moving on, what I mean is that don’t waste your life away in grim contemplation and exhaustion of a million different outcomes of what could have happened...

Accept and Appreciate

Firstly, keep in mind that nothing comes to pass except by the Decree of God, the Most Kind. If it happened, then it happened. Nothing could have averted it, nothing could have changed it, and that “anything other” never had a chance to begin with. It came to pass and happen it did. Accept it.

Secondly, know that Allah loves you. More than what the mind can comprehend and what the heart can ponder upon. I mean: this is my Lord and your Lord who has promised us that He will reward us for even the prick of a thorn! Do you think that Allah will not reward you if you persevere in patience?...

What's Done is Done - Growing in Faith - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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Goodness in All

All things are created with wisdom and with an ulterior purpose. In consort with this ulterior purpose, there are benefits for the believers in all happenings. This is because Allah is on the believers' side and does not let them down.

Encounters in life may at first seem unfavorable for the believers. However, one should understand that even seemingly bad events, for example, a plot hatched against them by the unbelievers, will ultimately turn out well for the believers. Allah will sooner or later let them savor His beneficence, so believers should be completely sure.

There are many examples of this kind of situation in the Qur'an; the life of Yusuf (Joseph) is one of the most remarkable. In his childhood, Yusuf had been thrown down to the bottom of a well by his brothers. He was later rescued and then accused and imprisoned, even though he was innocent. For a person without faith, these incidents may be thought of as the greatest misfortunes.

Nevertheless, Yusuf always kept in mind that these could only happen with Allah's permission, and that all would certainly turn out for the better. And this proved to be true. Allah turned the "disasters" to good account; Yusuf was released from prison, and in time became one of the governors of that land...

Goodness in All - Growing in Faith - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net