Thursday 30 November 2017

HOW TO GAIN INNER PEACE? 27

HAVING SET EXPECTATIONS FROM LIFE

Life does some time look difficult to us. The most common reason for this is that we have a set template in our minds about how our lives should be. We have decided that me must have a big house, we must have so much wealth, we must have so much earning, we must have a certain standard of living, a certain lifestyle, we should have so many children, so much bank balance, and if the reality falls short on any of these expectations then we forgot all that we have been blessed with, and start being ungrateful for what has not been given to us, and start complaining about how unfulfilled and miserable our lives are.


In the Hadith above the Holy Prophet has brought our attention to the point that it is a big mistake to have such set expectations of life in advance. Because if we have these three blessings, that we are safe in our homes, that our body is healthy, and that we have enough food to sustain us and our families for one day, then we have been blessed with the whole world. If a person has an expectation that these three things are all the worldly blessings he is going to get, then if he gets more he will be grateful to Allah Ta’alah for giving him more than he deserved, and if he doesn’t get any more than this then he will not be ungrateful and will think that this was the share of the world he was going to get anyway and has got it now.

SURAH AL-AN'AAM (CATTLE): 52-53


[6:52]
Do not expel those who call out to their Lord morning and evening seeking His pleasure. You are not responsible for anything in their account, and they are not responsible for anything in your account, that you should expel them, and thus become one of the unjust.

[6:53]
Thus We have tested some of them through others, so that they should say, .Are these the ones among all of us whom Allah has chosen for His favour?. Yes, does Allah not know well who are the grateful? 

Wednesday 29 November 2017

HOW TO GAIN INNER PEACE? 26

 DOING ALLAH TA’ALAH’S SHUKR

In this Hadith, the Holy Prophet has advised us to do two things, to keep doing Shukr (thanks) to Allah Ta’alah, and to avoid being ungrateful. We keep being showered in blessings from Allah Ta’alah the whole day. We have a roof over our heads, we have plenty of food on our tables, we have been blessed with good health, we have been blessed with loving families, wonderful children, good jobs, good incomes, but it hardly ever occurs to us to do Allah Ta’alah’s Shukr for all that he has blessed us with. And yet when the smallest of things happens against our wishes we ignore all these blessings, and start being ungrateful to Allah Ta’alah for that one thing that is wrong in our lives.


When someone asks us, “How are you? or how is your life?”, how many of us stop to think about all the blessings that Allah Ta’alah has showered upon us, which we are enjoying every moment, and then say that I am grateful to Allah Ta’alah for all his blessings that he has granted me. When we are in some difficulty do we ever say to Allah Ta’alah that “O’ Allah! I am grateful for all the good things you have given me. And I know that this difficulty that I am going through is also a blessing from you, but I am weak, it is difficult for me to bear it. Can you please remove this difficulty from me?” Are we ever mindful that even at that moment we are facing some difficulty in life, how many blessings from Allah Ta’alah we are enjoying at the same time?

SURAH AL-MAI'DAH (THE TABaLE SPREAD): 105


[5:105]
O you who believe, take care of your own selves. The one who has gone astray cannot harm you, if you are on the right path. To Allah all of you have to return. Then He will tell you what you have been doing. 

Tuesday 28 November 2017

HOW TO GAIN INNER PEACE? 25

A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN GIVEN THE WHOLE WORLD


In another Hadith, the Holy Prophet said, “On waking up in the morning, if a person has these three things, that he is unafraid in his abode (meaning he is safe in his home and has no fear of any enemies or cruel people in power), that there is nothing wrong with his body (in that he has no illnesses and is healthy), and that he has enough food to sustain him for one day, then it is as if he has been blessed with the whole world with all its material wealth.” If a person has these three blessings, then all his physical needs have been met, and he should be grateful to Allah Ta’alah.