Islam

Today I have learned a valuable lesson, and I believe its a lesson that all of you readers can benefit from. The lesson itself is very simple, but realizing the importance and understanding the implications it may have in one’s life is what matters the most. The lesson is: you can‘t please everyone. Sounds so simple, right? Many of us are reading this and saying, well duh! So then, if its so obvious why do we keep persisting in our efforts to doing so?

Anytime Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), or the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) mention Paradise for an action, it means that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) holds that action in high regard. So perform these activities regularly, and with ihsaan! Inshallah in the coming days, we will expound and narrate some instances where Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), or His messenger (صلي الله عليه وسلم), promised paradise — keys that we can use to unlock the doors and, inshallah, enter!

We feel the pain. We are hurting. We are crying. Reality has kicked in. Up until a month ago, everything was just a blur, didn’t know the effect and seriousness of the situations around the world. Up until a month ago, don’t even know if I felt for those around the world. However, when it creeps up into your own country, your own city, your own community, your own _family_–you feel everything.

We all are sitting in a world in which the value of knowledge is at its all-time high. Many of us, or our parents, invest a good amount of income towards this so-called “educational system” entitled “University” or “College”. Many of us invest hours upon hours, days upon days, week after week indulged in books and lectures learning about Limits, Laws of Neutrality, Psychological Human Behaviour, or, my favourite, Pareto Optimal (:S).

Truth is one and falsehood is many. How do we know? Just look at the Qur’an! Allah makes a simile of truth as a singular light (noor), and falsehood as a plural of darkness (dhulumaat — multiple). What’s more, the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) once drew a stick in the dirt and said “this is the Straight Path.” He then drew lines that grew away from it, left and right, and said “these are the paths of misguidance, and at the top of every one of these paths is a devil calling the people.

Why is emphasis important? It proves truthfulness. For example, if you says “Khalid stopped by today” and your friend says “Khalid didn’t stop by today,” and you say “I swear by Allah that he stopped by today,” that proves your truthfulness. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) doesn’t need any emphasis–what He says is always true! Yet He still emphasizes. Whenever He emphasizes something, pay close attention, and realize that what He says immediately afterward is very important.

Want to appreciate your parents more? Maybe give them the respect and honour they really deserve? Here’s an easy way to do it! Have you ever been in a position where someone did you a really big favour–big to you, anyway–and you really, really appreciated it? Think back in your life. Chances are you thanked the person a lot for days after it–and, what’s more, you changed the way you treated them.

Taqwa: To be aware of Allah. To obey him and do those things that earn His pleasure and mercy, and avoid disobeying him and doing those things that earn His punishment and wrath. Ali ibn Abu Talib (رضي الله عنه), fourth khalifa of Islam and amazing companion of the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم), said: Taqwa is three things: To fear Allah, the almighty. To follow the revelation (i.e. the Qur’an and the Sunnah).

Now that Ramadan’s over, many of us feel sad–we miss the spirituality, the eman rush, the amazing strength that we all demonstrate in Ramadan. So what can you do to bring those feelings back? One thing is to keep performing the deeds you performed in Ramadan–and this is one of the signs that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) accepted your deeds. Another act you can perform is to fast six days of Shawwal, the month right after Ramadan.

Abdullah ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنه) was a great companion and a great scholar. In fact, the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) made du’a for him, that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) grants him knowledge of the deen. Even more amazing then this, Ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) once made du’a and said, “O Allah! teach him wisdom (i.e. the understanding of the knowledge of Qur’an).” [Bukhari 5/57/100] This is why his tafseer carries a heavy weight, even today, more then a millenium after his death.