Spiritual Health and Purification of the Soul

[Cordoba]

Always Be Positive and Optimistic

With each new morning there is hope for a better day

When one wakes up in the morning and feels that today will be a better day with God's help and guidance, this gives a positive start and new hope.

What happened yesterday is part of the past, which you can't change.

What will happen tomorrow or next month is unknown, so there in no point worrying about it.

Our main focus should therefore be on today, and doing our best to making it a better day which brings us closer to God.

If you are really searching for peace, be positive and ask God for His guidance each morning for making it a better day that brings you closer to Him

 

[Cordoba]

Connect With God & Heel Your Heart

If you want to speak to God, pray

And if you want God to speak to you, read the Qur'an

When you feel a void in your life, when you need company, someone to talk to you, read the Qur'an

The Qur'an are God's Words, and they are the best healing for the heart. It is said for example that anyone who feels sad, if they read Chapter 12 of the Qur'an (Surah Yusuf) their sadness will go away.

All the 114 chapters of the Qur'an have something special to offer the reader, so if you are searching for peace find it in reading the Qur'an and pondering on its deep meanings.

 

[Cordoba]

Peace on the Days of Eid

The days of Eid are days of peace, days of reflection, days to come closer to God

Yesterday, the Day of Arafah, God has forgiven, the pilgrims and millions of believers around the world

We have a fresh start, a golden opportunity to resume our journey to Allah with more momentum, more hope and more determination

If you are really searching for peace, take advantage of the days of Eid to increase in faith and peace.

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Never Despair - Don't Give Up

We all have days when all things around us seem to be going in the wrong direction.

We sometimes suffer a decrease in faith, impatience, and for some a loss of hope.

God tells us in the Qur'an never to despair and never to lose hope. Keep going and don't deviate from God's Path.

We ask Him each day at least 17 times to keep us on the Straight Path, so keep going and don't look back.

What happened yesterday is part of the past, so focus on today, and making it a better day to come closer to Allah (SWT)

If you are really searching for peace, always keep hope, and never give up your struggle to remain on the Straight Path[/FONT]

 

[Cordoba]

Remember the Hereafter

When a believer reflects on the verses of the Qur'an which describe the Hereafter, two feelings normally occur.

The first is a reminder that disobeying God leads to severe consequences. This is an important deterrent against committing sins, and results in an increase of faith, as a believer becomes more conscious that God is watching him

The second feeling is one of peace, when thinking of the Abode of Peace.

This world with all its problems and its challengers is not the final destination. Our final eternal location will be there, not here.

If you are really searching for peace, never forget the Hereafter and do your best to earn God's Mercy.

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Recharge Your Spiritual Heart at the Mosque

The House of God is where a believer prays in congregation, searches for peace, gains more knowledge and gets involved with the community for doing good deeds and social life.

It is very important to keep regular contact with God not only in the five daily prayers, but also through regularly visiting a nearby mosque to pray and to increase in knowledge and peace

Away from the problems of daily life, take time out during the weekend, or whenever you have time, to meditate, read the Qur'an and to be closer to God in His House

If you are really searching for peace, stay connected to the mosque

[/FONT]

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Find Peace in Nature
[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
God created so much beauty in nature for us to contemplate and enjoy

Being close to nature is one of the keys of a happy life, as one feels close to God's creation (mountains, oceans, lakes, rivers, green fields, ... etc.)

When a believer sees such beauty, he or she praises God who created all this beauty. It is an automatic reaction for a Muslim to say "Allah" when seeing a beautiful natural scene, as if answering a question which says who created all this beauty?

Allah did ...

And He has done that for us to contemplate and reflect ...

If you are really searching for peace, enjoy the beauty of nature and come closer to the Creator[/FONT]

 

[Cordoba]

Never Be Arrogant - Always Remember God and Be Humble

God tells us in the Qur'an that He does not like those who are arrogant

If at any time you feel that some arrogance has entered your heart for any reason, look up at the sky and contemplate this immense universe. We are nothing in comparison to this massive universe, so on what basis can one be arrogant?

Also, we are so dependent on our Creator, as all bounties and blessings we have are from Him. So if one feels "superior" compared to others due to wealth, strength, beauty or status, remember that all these are temporary traits which don't last.

Be humble, and remember that God does not differentiate between people on the basis of their wealth or color, but on the basis of their level of taqwa, i.e. God-consciousness

Take therefore the path of humbleness in your relation with God, and you will come closer to Him and find peace

 

[Cordoba]

Seek Knowledge to Get Closer to God

Seeking knowledge is highly praised in Islam for many reasons

First, it helps a believer get to know God better: what He likes and what He dislikes

Second: Knowledge of our religion makes us learn what God wants us to do, what the order of priorities in the life of a Muslim is and how to stay on the Right Path

Third: Knowledge makes us overcome the trials we go through in life, including overcoming the tricks of Satan, and his constant attempt to deviate us from the Straight Path of Allah

Fourth: Gaining more knowledge helps us better understand the Qur'an, and enjoy reading it, as it is God's Guidance for us to live a happy life here and in the Hereafter

Fifth: Gaining more knowledge helps us purify our souls, which leads to a higher level of spirituality and inner peace

If you are really searching for peace, seek more knowledge, put it into practice and grow in faith and peace.

 

[Cordoba]

Take Care of Your Spiritual Heart - 1

There are many things that can have a negative impact on a believer's spiritual heart which should be avoided in order to grow in faith and inner peace

One of the most serious obstacles to finding peace is too much attachment to this worldly life.

The person whose heart is full with the love of this life will have little room left for the love of God.

This does not mean that a Muslim should be a poor person with no money, but it means that any wealth one has should not be in the heart, but controlled in one's hand. That way, the heart can remain free and receptive to spiritual attachment to God.

If you are really searching for peace, get the love of this world out of your heart, and make room for the love of God

 

[Cordoba]

Take Care of Your Spiritual Heart - 2

One of the reasons that makes the spiritual heart lose its light is committing sins and not repenting from these sins.

To clean the negative impact of these sins on a regular basis, Allah has commanded us to pray 5 times a day, and each prayer erases the minor sins committed since the prayer before.

God has also commanded us to pray a special weekly prayer on Friday, and again the Friday prayer erases the sins committed since the previous Friday

The same applies to fasting Ramadan, all past sins are forgiven

Hajj and Umrah have the same purpose: to erase past sins and to keep the spiritual heart pure so that a believer can come closer to God, increase in faith and in peace.

If you are really searching for inner peace, beware of sins, and ask God to forgive after each sin.

 

[Cordoba]

Take Care of Your Spiritual Heart - 3

Never be arrogant

Arrogance was the reason Satan was cursed and expelled from God Mercy, as he thought he was better than Adam, more "superior", because God created him from fire and created Adam from clay.

This arrogance made him disobey God's command to prostrate to Adam, and as a consequence cursed by God.

This story is a powerful reminder for a believer never to be arrogant, and always be humble, as God hates those who are arrogant.

If you are really searching for inner peace, beware of arrogance and be humble.

 

[Cordoba]

Take Care of Your Spiritual Heart - 4

Don't be Impatient

It is part of human nature to be anxious and impatient

God says in the Qur'an:

"Indeed, mankind was created anxious: When evil touches him, impatient, And when good touches him, withholding [of it], Except the observers of prayer" (70:19-22)

Believers on the Path of God know that God loves those who are patient, as it is a reflection of their belief in Qadar (measured destiny).

What does impatience do to the spiritual heart?

It makes the heart lose peace

It means that the impatient person does not accept destiny which God has decided, and it is a type of rebellion

Impatience leads to anxiety, and anxiety leads to being nervous, worried, unhappy, and eventually a loss of contentment

If you are really searching for peace, protect your spiritual from impatience by reminding yourself that God loves the patient

 

[Cordoba]

Take Care of Your Spiritual Heart - 5

Don't Lose Hope

One of the tricks of Satan is to make a believer lose hope that things will get better in the near future.

The feeling of "there is no hope, I can't do it" goes against trust in God

If you believe in God, then you must trust that He wants what is best for you, and that at any time He can open closed doors for you which you think they would never open

If you are really searching for peace, stay optimistic and never lose hope

 

[Cordoba]

After Istikharah, Accept God's Choice for You

When a Muslim has to choose between several alternatives, Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, advised us to take the opinion of other people on the matter, and to make a special prayer, called Istikharah prayer (seeking God's Guidance).

After reflection and deep thinking, a believer chooses the alternative they believe is best for them in this life and in the Hereafter.

After doing that, never feel regret, and accept God's Choice for you, even if the final outcome looks a bit difficult.

This acceptance of God's Choice leads to rida (contentment) and this leads to inner peace.

If you are really searching for peace, accept God's choices for you and be content.

 

[Cordoba]

Look at the Bright Side of Life

When faced with difficult moments, a hardship or a problem, we often tend to focus on the negative side of the situation at hand, and forget to look at the positive side.

To keep your hope and optimism, always remember the bright side, and look at some of the positive results and implications of the situation.

God has a wisdom in each event which happens in our lives, and He says in the Qur'an "... perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not." (2:216)

So be patient and be positive, and always look at the bright side of life, if you are really searching for peace

 

[Cordoba]

Don't Worry About The Future: It Will Sort Out

Worry is one of our worst enemies, as it can deprive people of sleep at night, and can lead to the disappearance of the peace of mind, which is very important for inner peace.

After doing your best as far as planning for the future and implementing your plan, all what you need after that is to remember God, and to ask Him to guide you to the best outcome and results.

Let Him choose for you, relax and be calm

Destiny is already decided and there are many things which we simply can't change in life

If you are really searching for peace, don't worry about the future, it will all sort out as per God's Plan

 

[Cordoba]

Be Positive to Become Grateful & Content

When a person has a positive attitude in lilfe, he or she will often look more on the many bounties they have, and this leads to contentment which comes from being grateful to Allah

Don't complain about what you don't have but rather be thankful for what you have, if you want to find inner peace

Islam is all about thanking God, our Creator, and the first word we say in our five daily prayers after the introduction is Al-Hamdulel-Allah, All praise and thanks are due to Allah

If you are really searching for peace be positive and thankful

 

[Cordoba]

Take One Day at a Time

When one has many problems, some today, some next week and other next month, one can get nervous thinking about them all at the same time.

It is good to plan ahead, but it is also important to take one day at a time. The proverb says you cross your bridges when you get there, so don't be impatient

By the time you reach the next "river", maybe God will show you a way how to cross that obstacle, which you had not thought of before

Do your best, make the best plans for the future, but at the end of the day you will have to wait till this future arrives, so don't be impatient

If you are really searching for peace, take one day at a time. Each problem has a solution In-Shaa-Allah

 

[Cordoba]

The Benefits of Thanking God

There are many benefits in thanking Allah in the five daily prayers and throughout the day.

One of them is to remember the many bounties and blessings God has bestowed upon us, to look at the full half of the glass instead of looking at the empty half.

This feeling of gratefulness leads to a positive outlook on life and to inner peace, and when we also remember those who have less and those who are facing more challenges and hardships in life than ourselves we come to realize that we are very fortunate to have what we have.

Another benefit of thanking God is mentioned in the Qur'an, as God says:

"And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, 'If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; ..." (14:7)

So just by being grateful and by thanking God, He will increase us with more blessings

Finally, in this life human beings get attached to those who are kind to them and those who do them favors. When a believer remembers that God is the source of all bounties he or she has, the level of love for God increases in the heart.

If you are really searching for peace, always be grateful and thankful to your Creator.