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on 03-09-2002 20:47
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Praise be to Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful.
By Huma Iram (Qatar)
I’ve had an eyesight problem. Things started looking much clearer and closer when I started wearing spectacles. I’ve had a faith problem. It became much clearer and stronger when I started observing God in my life; when I started learning more and more about my religion, when I started learning more and more about the obligations upon my soul. I proudly carry the word ‘human being’ upon my body and soul and now I know the implications of this wonderful word. I now know my place in the design of the universe, God’s creations and the entire system. I now know the purpose of my being. I now know the might of my Creator. I now understand why it’s better to be human than to be an angel. I can now see my destination. Alhamdulillah.
It’s really strange that most of the time in our lives we do not realize the number and magnitude of Allah’s blessings around us. Many people realize this vital fact over and over again in life. The fact that every now and then we all feel some sense of loss in our lives which makes us realize how much of Allah’s blessings we possessed earlier. How much we need them now. It’s true, most of us learn the hard way. Its true, we realize the worth of a thing when we lose it. I know the thankful, faithful old Muslim that I am…every time I pay a visit to my homeland I start noticing the lack of facilities, lack of privac,y and the abundance of mosquitoes there. Yes, the unending mosquito bites that irk me to no end. And when living back home with my parents, in a dustless, private, insect-less home, I never realize the amount of blessings I enjoy all free of cost. Yes, it’s all-free of cost. We take pride in that we ‘earn’ these facilities, but we forget that there is a Sustainer who gives us the wealth we earn and above all “parents” to whom we owe almost everything! We forget that if we were born in a poor, old drought-afflicted village, our pride, our brilliance, would long have been tarnished by the hunger pangs. We forget that the money we have is useful only when it can be spent on things and resources, to be used. What if there is no clean water in the taps to be used, no easy fuel to run the car, no clean air to breathe from, no fresh food to eat, no raw materials of nature to manufacture things of need? What good might it be? We forget that a hospital charges tens of thousands of dollars to keep a patient alive on a heart-lung machine for a few hours and there’s our Creator who keeps the entire population of the planet Earth, alive and stable throughout life, free of cost. Not just the humans, but also each and every creature, including plants and trees. Look in the mirror. Smile. See? Who created that face? The wonderfully complex genetic make-up, that body, those hands!
It’s sad that we take so less time to appreciate the blessings and so much more to groan about the things we’re deprived of. We take so less time to look at the distresses our neighbors might be in, and a whole day long to keep brooding over our own miseries.
“So which of the favors of your Lord will you deny?” (Surah Rahman)
Life is short, hard, swift, and only once given, on Earth. According to a hadith, the companions of Prophet (PBUH) requested him to sit upon soft mattresses and live in a comfortable home. He replied saying, “My life in this world is like a traveler, who rests in this world for a little while only.” Imagine. In the long course of life, this earthly life is such a short one in which we all live in temporary motels and then move on. Yes, all the lovely homes that we build for ourselves and live in are no more than motels for a temporary stay.
Look, see, observe, feel, think, and do that which is righteous. Abandon, condemn, denounce, and punish that which is ill and wrong. Praise be to the One, all thanks to Him that we have a single, stable life and a brain to think and decide. Thank Him for He keeps us in our place, that He tests not beyond our patience. Be appreciative for the things you can see and hear and enjoy, as a simple matter of fact. Live life beautifully. A dollar spent on cosmetics will not make you more beautiful than a dollar spent in a noble cause will. It’s hot outside; thank Him for keeping warmth there for us, thank Him for maintaining it everyday, throughout the year. It’s in His hands alone and He knows the warmth and intensity of Light reaching our heads by every micron, so worry not. Allah says Himself at one place in Quran: “If the water of all the oceans of the earth were ink to write in praise of your Lord, the ink would ! finish but the things of your Lord would not.” No doubt, Quran is the most authentic course of guidance for man, the most wonderful book, reading a single letter of which records 10 rewards for the reader! A book revealed more than 14 centuries ago that has dazzled scientists for it tells such minute details as the leech-like shape of embryo in a human womb, accurately. Allah(SWT) challenges man to challenge Quran! Because the word of Allah is a truth that cannot be denied. And anyone who has not read it, remains in ignorance.
Read the Quran and reflect. When alone, pray, fast. For the best use of loneliness is to concentrate on the soul and its pleasures. Something that is surely more fulfilling than physical workout or a piece of entertainment. Don’t waste time. When in company, learn and help others learn the little secrets of Allah, broaden the minds, and share useful knowledge. The limitless knowledge that He has set out there for us to learn. When among family, learn the power of love and its lovely bondage. And above every thing, praise Him, love Him, fear Him, worship Him. There’s every word to describe a human feeling but there’s no word to describe the feeling that closeness to Allah brings. I call it the greatest pleasure. The one of paradises.
True, life has its share of miseries too. But Allah (SWT) is there to help. We forget Him for months and years, before misery knocks at the door, yet He calls upon us to offer help and return prayers, five times, every day!
He calls upon us and “When man walks one step towards Allah, Allah walks towards him ten steps.”
Life is a test and He is there to help. Take it as a short test. You know all the answers. Just keep your calm and think; you’ll succeed through it. Want guidance? Read the Holy Quran. Don’t kill. As long a there’s life, there’s hope. Be practical in faith. But not as practical as the world of today. Today, being practical has become almost synonymous with being thoughtless. Perhaps it’s time we need to think. Before we complain, criticize, or change the curtains. There might be a better use of money in Zakat or paying a poor neighbor’s school fee, or helping someone perform Hajj. Relax, God will not call us misers. He knows the unfortunate far better than we do. He has concerns for all. And what better use of money might there be than to serve the concern of Allah (SWT)!
Care for others and you shall be cared for. Love and you shall be loved. Hope and your hopes shall be returned.
Dear Muslim brothers and sisters, let us help each other and spread the Light.
Last update : 03-09-2002 20:47
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