Every creature has a heart. In reality though they are two hearts, a heart that is alive and pulsating with the light of faith. It is filled with intense conviction and God-consciousness. The other is a dead heart, covered and diseased with every wreckage and rubbish.
Allah Almighty says concerning the hearts of the foolish folk:'In their hearts is disease, and so God lets their disease increase' (2:10).'
But they say, "Our hearts are already full of knowledge." Nay, but God has rejected them because of their refusal to acknowledge the truth: for, few are the things in which they believe' (2:88).
Allah also says:'Will they not, then, ponder over this Quran? - or are there locks upon their hearts?' (47:24).'
And so they say, [as it were:] "Our hearts are veiled from whatever thou callest us to, [O Muhammad,] and in our ears is deafness"' (41:5).
From all these verses we learn that the hearts can become ill, they can be covered, locked and they die. The enemies of Allah have hearts in their bosoms but they do not perceive with these hearts. Hence the Prophet saws used to say:'O dispenser of hearts make my heart firm in Your religion.'
The heart of the believer fasts during Ramadan and outside of Ramadan. The fasting of the heart is done by emptying it of all corrupt material such as destructive forms of polytheism, false beliefs, evil suggestions, filthy intentions and degenerate thoughts. The heart of the believer is adorned with the love of Allah. It knows its Lord by His names and His qualities as He has described Himself. This heart explores with a discerning eye the lines of His names and qualities and the pages of Allah's making in the universe and the books of His creations.
The believer's heart is filled with a brilliant light which does not allow any darkness to remain with it. It is the light of the eternal message, the divine teachings, and the omnipotent laws. To it is added the natural light upon which the servants of Allah were created. Thus two great lights come together.'
Light upon light! God guides unto His light him that wills [to be guided]; and [to this end] God propounds parables unto men, since God [alone] has full knowledge of all things' (24:36).
The believer's heart glows like a lamp, shines like the sun and sparkles like the morning light. It increases in faith whenever the believer listens to the verses of the Quran, it grows in conviction when it contemplates, and increases in guidance when it reflects. The believer's heart abstains from pride because it breaks its fast. Pride does not reside in the heart of a believer because it is unlawful. The abode and dwelling place of pride is the heart. Hence, if it enters any heart, that person will become afflicted, foolish, arrogant and frivolous.
Allah says in a hadith Qudsi: 'Pride is my upper garment and grandeur is my lower one, whoever contests with me for them I will punish him.'
The Prophet(pbuh) himself said:'Whoever shows arrogance to Allah, He will humble him, and whoever is humble to Allah, He will raise him in station.
'The heart of the believer fasts and abstains from egotism. Egotism is when the individual sees himself as perfect, better than others and in possession of good qualities that are not found in anyone else. This is destruction in its most naked form.
The Prophet(pbuh) said:'Three things which are totally destructive: a person's self-centredness and conceit, his reluctance to obey and his following of his desires.'
The cure for this self-importance is to look at one's own faults, one's many shortcomings, thousands of sins and misdeeds that one has committed, wrongs that one has done and forgotten but the knowledge of which are with Allah in a book. For Allah is not led astray nor does He forget.
The cure for this self-importance is to look at one's own faults, one's many shortcomings, thousands of sins and misdeeds that one has committed, wrongs that one has done and forgotten but the knowledge of which are with Allah in a book. For Allah is not led astray nor does He forget.
The heart of the believer fasts and abstains from envy because it lowers righteous deeds, puts out the light of the heart and stops its progress toward Allah the Most High. Allah says in the Glorious Quran:'Do they, perchance, envy other people for what God has granted them out of his bounty? (4:54).And the Prophet(pbuh) said:'Do not envy one another; do not inflate prices one to another; do not hate one another; do not turn away from one another; and do not undercut one another.'
The Prophet(pbuh) informed one of his companions three times that he would be among the people of Paradise. When he was asked about what was it that earned him a place in Paradise, the man said:'I do not sleep with envy, grudge or deceit in my heart for any Muslim.'Are there any hearts that would, therefore, fast like the learned.
The fast of the learned has a yearning for the Most Merciful Lord of the worlds. Their hearts fast at all times and in the early hours of morning they seek forgiveness.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
the value of time...
Islam is a religion based on revelation that deems the human being nothing less than the vicegerent of God. The work of the world never ends, and one’s obligations are greater than the time allotted to fulfil them. For this reason, Muslim jurists hesitated to condone anything that wasted one’s time without benefit, other than acts that the Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) had clearly said are useful: playing with one’s spouse, spending time with one’s children and family, and engaging in sports that displayed martial valour and character, such as horsemanship, archery, swimming, and swordplay.
Nevertheless, the Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) enjoyed life and encouraged others to do so. During festive times, such as holidays and wedding ceremonies, he (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) encouraged entertainment, including singing. According to Imam al-Bukhari (ra) in his al-Tareekh, the Prophet’s (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) companions (ra) once had a food-fight with the leftover rinds of watermelon. The Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) also witnessed a food-fight among the womenfolk of his household and laughed heartily. He (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) listened to his companions talk about their silliness before Islam and to their stories about the foolish things they did without reason and would laugh until his molars showed. He (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) joked but always told the truth. He (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) was not a prude, nor was he a puritan who did not appreciate human weakness and folly. Far from fanaticism, he (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) despised extremism and zealotry, and loved gentleness and compassion, even with his enemies.
He (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) was a lion on the battlefield, but once the battle was over and the day won, he showed immense magnanimity that overwhelmed even his worst enemies. He (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) took life seriously and warned us not to spend our lives in vain pursuits. He reminded us that while laughter has its place, it should not become such a central part of our lives that we fail to recognize the gravity of life and the misery in which many less fortunate people live. He (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) smiled much of the time and hence was called “the smiling one”. He (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) said, “To smile in the face of your brother is charity.”
The Prophet’s (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) statements about such things as playing backgammon reflect his seriousness and concern for his community. He (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) reminded us that, “Most of humanity cheat themselves of two precious things: good health and leisure.” Leisure in Arabic is faragh, which means “emptiness.” It is the time one is free of preoccupation. Most of us fill that time with trivial pursuits, such as watching television, listening to music, playing games, and engaging in empty chatter. Before we know it, our lives are gone. Our seconds become minutes, our minute’s hours, our hour’s days, and our day’s years, until suddenly we find that our lives are over, and what have we accomplished?
“By time, surely humanity is in loss except those who believe and do good works, and enjoin each other to the truth and to patience.”
This Surah reminds us that time is our treasure - each minute is irreplaceable, and either we invest it in the next life or squander it here in an inevitable progression toward spiritual bankruptcy. The scholars of the past, more than others, understood the precious value of time.
Islam is not a harsh religion, nor a religion that deprives people of enjoyment, but it is a religion that demands a level of seriousness, commitment, and concern with the human condition. We should use our time to better ourselves and improve conditions for others, and this does not exclude utilizing our time for recreation and renewal. We all need “downtime time” to relax and restore ourselves for the challenges of life and the preparation for the next life. Games, recreation, fun, folly, silliness, and vacations all have their place in our lives, but the tragedy occurs when those activities become the purpose of our lives, and the true purpose of life is entirely missed. Our efforts are directed towards recreation: we work to play, believing that the week is only an excuse for the weekend.
The world is filled with people who are “killing time,” completely unaware that time is actually killing us. One day, we will wake up and have to face our lives in their entirety. According to Imam al-Awzai (d. 157/774), everyone will watch their lives from start to finish on the Day of Judgment. No one will be allowed to interrupt to edit or to explain. What we watch will simply be a rerun of our entire lives, yet this time around, we will be painfully aware of the meaning that eluded us the first time because we were not paying attention.
If playing chess once concerned the scholars of Islam, what would they say to us today about our habits of watching television, channel hopping and films and cinema and playing videogames, about our endless conversations on mobile phones and on-line chatting, or about the hours that we spend surfing the net and reading empty blogs written by people with little to say and less to do? Our scholars’ concern was our salvation and well-being, and while Muslims today may see them as zealous or fanatics, on the Day the Debts fall due and we are taken to account for every moment of our lives, those scholars will be seen for the giants they were, and their counsel to us will be a bitter taste of remorse in our mouths.
Nevertheless, the Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) enjoyed life and encouraged others to do so. During festive times, such as holidays and wedding ceremonies, he (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) encouraged entertainment, including singing. According to Imam al-Bukhari (ra) in his al-Tareekh, the Prophet’s (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) companions (ra) once had a food-fight with the leftover rinds of watermelon. The Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) also witnessed a food-fight among the womenfolk of his household and laughed heartily. He (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) listened to his companions talk about their silliness before Islam and to their stories about the foolish things they did without reason and would laugh until his molars showed. He (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) joked but always told the truth. He (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) was not a prude, nor was he a puritan who did not appreciate human weakness and folly. Far from fanaticism, he (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) despised extremism and zealotry, and loved gentleness and compassion, even with his enemies.
He (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) was a lion on the battlefield, but once the battle was over and the day won, he showed immense magnanimity that overwhelmed even his worst enemies. He (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) took life seriously and warned us not to spend our lives in vain pursuits. He reminded us that while laughter has its place, it should not become such a central part of our lives that we fail to recognize the gravity of life and the misery in which many less fortunate people live. He (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) smiled much of the time and hence was called “the smiling one”. He (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) said, “To smile in the face of your brother is charity.”
The Prophet’s (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) statements about such things as playing backgammon reflect his seriousness and concern for his community. He (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) reminded us that, “Most of humanity cheat themselves of two precious things: good health and leisure.” Leisure in Arabic is faragh, which means “emptiness.” It is the time one is free of preoccupation. Most of us fill that time with trivial pursuits, such as watching television, listening to music, playing games, and engaging in empty chatter. Before we know it, our lives are gone. Our seconds become minutes, our minute’s hours, our hour’s days, and our day’s years, until suddenly we find that our lives are over, and what have we accomplished?
“By time, surely humanity is in loss except those who believe and do good works, and enjoin each other to the truth and to patience.”
This Surah reminds us that time is our treasure - each minute is irreplaceable, and either we invest it in the next life or squander it here in an inevitable progression toward spiritual bankruptcy. The scholars of the past, more than others, understood the precious value of time.
Islam is not a harsh religion, nor a religion that deprives people of enjoyment, but it is a religion that demands a level of seriousness, commitment, and concern with the human condition. We should use our time to better ourselves and improve conditions for others, and this does not exclude utilizing our time for recreation and renewal. We all need “downtime time” to relax and restore ourselves for the challenges of life and the preparation for the next life. Games, recreation, fun, folly, silliness, and vacations all have their place in our lives, but the tragedy occurs when those activities become the purpose of our lives, and the true purpose of life is entirely missed. Our efforts are directed towards recreation: we work to play, believing that the week is only an excuse for the weekend.
The world is filled with people who are “killing time,” completely unaware that time is actually killing us. One day, we will wake up and have to face our lives in their entirety. According to Imam al-Awzai (d. 157/774), everyone will watch their lives from start to finish on the Day of Judgment. No one will be allowed to interrupt to edit or to explain. What we watch will simply be a rerun of our entire lives, yet this time around, we will be painfully aware of the meaning that eluded us the first time because we were not paying attention.
If playing chess once concerned the scholars of Islam, what would they say to us today about our habits of watching television, channel hopping and films and cinema and playing videogames, about our endless conversations on mobile phones and on-line chatting, or about the hours that we spend surfing the net and reading empty blogs written by people with little to say and less to do? Our scholars’ concern was our salvation and well-being, and while Muslims today may see them as zealous or fanatics, on the Day the Debts fall due and we are taken to account for every moment of our lives, those scholars will be seen for the giants they were, and their counsel to us will be a bitter taste of remorse in our mouths.
Friday, May 22, 2009
who are you...
Truth,lies
Thoughts, tears.
Scares, fears.
All revealed.
I can't believe you're doing this to me,
Throwing me out on the streets,
Ridding me of the only home I've ever know;
You're not the One I once knew.
I will miss you,
I will cry,
And I'll even wish I was home,
But I'll never look back.
You marked the line,
And then you crossed it.
You even walked a mile passed it;
You broke the rules.
Who's left for me now,
Who do I turn to?
Who'll take me in,
And shelter me from the storm?
The storm you put over me,
The one that ruined me.
Yeah
I'm gone, I'm dead.
Have been gone & dead for years.
But of course,
Who are you to even notice?
Thoughts, tears.
Scares, fears.
All revealed.
I can't believe you're doing this to me,
Throwing me out on the streets,
Ridding me of the only home I've ever know;
You're not the One I once knew.
I will miss you,
I will cry,
And I'll even wish I was home,
But I'll never look back.
You marked the line,
And then you crossed it.
You even walked a mile passed it;
You broke the rules.
Who's left for me now,
Who do I turn to?
Who'll take me in,
And shelter me from the storm?
The storm you put over me,
The one that ruined me.
Yeah
I'm gone, I'm dead.
Have been gone & dead for years.
But of course,
Who are you to even notice?
Thursday, May 21, 2009
10 Rules for Being Human
by Cherie Carter-Scott
1. You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it’s yours to keep for the entire period.
2. You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called, “life.”
3. There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial, error, and experimentation. The “failed” experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiments that ultimately “work.”
4. Lessons are repeated until they are learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can go on to the next lesson.
5. Learning lessons does not end. There’s no part of life that doesn’t contain its lessons. If you’re alive, that means there are still lessons to be learned.
6. “There” is no better a place than “here.” When your “there” has become a “here”, you will simply obtain another “there” that will again look better than “here.”
7. Other people are merely mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects to you something you love or hate about yourself.
8. What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.
9. Your answers lie within you. The answers to life’s questions lie within you. All you need to do is look, listen, and trust.
10. You will forget all this.
by Cherie Carter-Scott
1. You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it’s yours to keep for the entire period.
2. You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called, “life.”
3. There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial, error, and experimentation. The “failed” experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiments that ultimately “work.”
4. Lessons are repeated until they are learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can go on to the next lesson.
5. Learning lessons does not end. There’s no part of life that doesn’t contain its lessons. If you’re alive, that means there are still lessons to be learned.
6. “There” is no better a place than “here.” When your “there” has become a “here”, you will simply obtain another “there” that will again look better than “here.”
7. Other people are merely mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects to you something you love or hate about yourself.
8. What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.
9. Your answers lie within you. The answers to life’s questions lie within you. All you need to do is look, listen, and trust.
10. You will forget all this.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Introduction...
Asalamoalikum,
wel i am a man of imagination because my mind is hungry to know more and more , me myself not burdened by the idea of failure or impossibility. i am someone who cares about the inward more than the outward but realizes that what is percieved is a reflection of that which is imperceptible. I'm relatively crazy and love crazy people.
That having been said there is nothing or very very little in this world that is mundane. I always seek people who transcend their own limitations and attain to greatness yet know that sometimes dwelling in the situation that fate/destiny/karma has put one in is itself a means of transcendence.
wel i am a man of imagination because my mind is hungry to know more and more , me myself not burdened by the idea of failure or impossibility. i am someone who cares about the inward more than the outward but realizes that what is percieved is a reflection of that which is imperceptible. I'm relatively crazy and love crazy people.
That having been said there is nothing or very very little in this world that is mundane. I always seek people who transcend their own limitations and attain to greatness yet know that sometimes dwelling in the situation that fate/destiny/karma has put one in is itself a means of transcendence.
Transcendence = Trance + Dance
Who I'd like to meet: People who are intelligent and perceptive. People with hearts of gold and intellects of mercury. Im tired of people who have mediocre spirits. Everyone has an amazing potential and its time we realize what our destinies are.
within myself i roamed in a whole universe from east to west but could not find a place to rest nor did i find any human being i perturbed with neither any being who would hearken to my mind.
I always try to find the true revelation and for that must be choose reason, because its a doorway to revelation , man must open his mind and his intellect to find higher truth.
Have a thought that God shows himself to man through ideas. As thr same time when i got or blessed with these feelings , me became speechless and struck and filled with euphoria to hear this wisdom and truth, whenever i met to light of truth, the shadow of my being follows me but the shadow of my spirit precedes me and lead the way to unknown places seeking things beyond my understanding and grasping objects that are meaning less to me.i used to talk less or avoiding idle talking but most of time people consider these idle words being part of relationships way.
I am stranger until white and friendly wings of death carry me home into my beautiful abode, where light and peace and understanding abide and will wait for friends who are also be able to rescued by friendly trap of time from the narrow , dark world , the world off all the deception and illusion.
YA Rabb cheen ley muj sey meri soochein mery khayal
Ya muj kou zinda rehney ki itni bari saza na dey
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