The Islamic Bulletin Volume X IX No. 24 Page 9 grievance seep through your blood. Forgive people, for your own happiness is on the line. Do you ever get frustrated or stressed? Is it because, perhaps, you are focused on yourself at the moment? Probably. Focusing on oneself = stinginess = frustration = ingratitude to Allah. Instead of focusing on ourselves today, why don’t we focus on others? How is their health? How long have ‘they’ been waiting in line? Maybe their perspective is something valid that I haven’t considered before? Whatever it is, stress comes from focusing on ourselves. Happiness, on the other hand, comes from upright righteous character. Whenever there is a feeling of abundance, it tends to bring out the best in people to share. When one feels like there isn’t enough of something, it tends to bring out the miser within. Ask yourself today, hasn’t Allah given me total abundance? What can I share today? When the issue of ‘sharing’ comes up, just like when we were in grade school, when we were told to share, the fear of there not being enough would cause us to hold tightly. Not so with Sadaqah. The more we give, the more we shall receive. That’s Allah’s promise! Just as Allah is the most Merciful, He is also the most severe in punishment. This is not something that people like to focus on, but in order for a person to be saved, the hope in Allah’s Mercy must go hand and hand with massive fear of Allah’s punishment. How many nations before us were destroyed by that which their own hands reaped? How many arrogant tyrants had their thrones taken away from them because of their decision to turn their backs on Allah? Almost everywhere one goes these days, there is some sort of attack on our soul’s chastity. It might be a lewd magazine at the market, or not averting one’s gaze in public or it might be an internet banner ad. One must be extra vigilant to protect their heart. Cupid is not a chubby angel that strikes the hearts of men. That is the Shaytaan. Our glances are direct connections to our heart. Avert the glance, and you’ve just supported a tree of Eman in your heart. Indulge the glance and you are speared by Iblees. Our choice. The bigger the mission, the more one will have to prepare and train for it. So if the biggest mission of our lives is to worship Allah, then how do we train? How did Allah’s Messenger, SAW, train when Angel Jibreel came to him? The answer: with prayers in the night, Qiyam ul-Layl. There are few things on earth more valuable then to get up during the night, make wudu while others are sleeping, raise your hands, and begin worshipping your Creator. The purpose of Islam is to raise the human being to become the most noblest creation of Allah. Nobility comes from Taqwa and upright character. Allah’s Messenger, SAW, lived the Qur’an every single day through his actions. How much of the character taught in the Quran do we know? And how much of that are we living on a daily and hourly basis? The beautiful thing is that there is so much happiness that awaits in taking this path. When one thinks ‘charity’, what automatically comes to the mind is giving money. While money is a fundamental part of charity, it is not the end all. Charity is a much larger term that includes visiting the sick, speaking kind words to people, smiling to others, and so much more. There are two weapons, if you use them, no one and nothing can harm your emotions. They are: thankfulness and patience. Patience, true patience, is that time, as soon as the calamity befalls, that someone holds back, and praises Allah. Immediately they are blessed with a calm that carries them through the calamity, a gift from Allah. Not only is that moment blessed, but that which comes after it becomes even more blessed because of the patience. Imagine life as a truly patient servant of Allah. How do you take a good thing and make it better? Answer: by being thankful to Allah for it. Thankfulness is the secret ingredient to happiness on earth and in the hereafter. If you want to enjoy it all, be thankful. Thankfulness isn’t only an action of the tongue. Thankfulness is done in action as well: by following the commandments of Allah, desiring nearness to Him, and keeping far away from that which Allah forbade. Kufr, in its root meaning, means ungratefulness. It’s the root of disbelief. When people attempt to listen to music or watch TV, they are actually searching for one thing: peace of heart. The music and watching TV produces emotions that they wish to achieve and cannot in the everyday trials of the world. True peace of heart is found in a beautiful book sitting on your shelf: the Qur’an. In it are the stories of perished nations and prophecy of what is to come in the future. In it is hope for paradise and warning from hellfire. In it is contemplation of the heavens and earth, and all in between. You are searching for peace, right? It’s right here. Just when you thought it was over, it’s just begun. Worship of Allah does not end after 30 days. The Lord of Ramadan is the Lord of all months. Worship of Allah only ends at death. What awaits after that is the trial: is Allah pleased with me so that I may rejoice like no human has ever rejoiced? Or should I regret like no human has regretted, perhaps Allah is displeased with me? Perhaps my intentions weren’t for Him alone? It is with constant fear and hope, that we’ll find our way back to Allah! May Allah accept our noble work this month!
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