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These days I have been listening to a series of lectures based on the topic of how to become an excellent teacher of Quran.
Surprisingly I have learned things which I had not even expected. For
example, the concept that external problems or hurdles are not the real
obstacle in the way of success . Rather it is our sins which have the
most damaging effect on our lives.
This reminded me of the countless times I have told others that I
could not do such and such thing or could not complete the target I had
in mind because of this problem or that hurdle. Sometimes blaming
people, other times crying over health problems, always a string of
excuses which are nothing more than that excuses! Because If I had
truly wanted to do something and sincerely asked Allah (SWT), then why
would he not let me do things which I want to do only for his sake?
Surely there must be something wrong inside my own self?
I remember a few years ago I had gone to visit my parents. The next
morning there was no water in the taps ... very strange! Because the
night before they had got the water tank refilled ... so where did
those gallons of water disappear? Plumbers were called and they began
digging to find the leakage ... the whole house was in an uproar, with
people coming in and out ... nothing else could be done because
everything depends on water. Finally the broken pipe was discovered and
repaired, the tank was filled again and life restored back to normal.
But when the same story happens with our tank of faith and
knowledge; it never becomes an issue of concern. We fill our hearts and
minds with the knowledge of Quran and Hadith ... but the next day when
we face any situation and open the tap, nothing comes out ... no
patience, no gratitude, no kindness with others ... where did all the
faith and knowledge go? No body is worried ... no one tries to find the
leakage of the heart ...
But we must realize that just as life stops if there is no water,
similarly the soul dies if there is no faith ... our very survival
depends on it ... so if the faith and knowledge is not coming out in
deeds then it means that there is some serious leakage problem.
For me it remained a mystery for many years but Alhamdulillah (All
praise is due to Allah), I just found out that every sin for which we
do not feel guilty nor do Taubah (Seeking Forgiveness) nor correct it ... then it creates a crack in our heart from where faith keeps dripping out and we don't even realize it.
So whenever we feel lack of motivation, lack of energy, then
immediately we should pray to Allah (SWT) to show us where we went
wrong and then honestly and sincerely ask Allah (SWT) for forgiveness.
So as to mend the crack and ensure that our tank of faith remains full.
May Allah protect us from our self conceit and give us insight with
which we might realize our mistakes and correct our ways. Because no
one else can do it for us. Each one of us has to be responsible for his
own life.
Moral of the Will Power Story: Knowledge and actions are the two
arms of Islam. Just as a bird cannot fly without two wings the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (saw) has said: Knowledge without action is a curse and action without knowledge is deviation. |
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 When
we build a house, we take so much care to have a strong foundation so
that it can stand the test of weather and time or that we could build
more above it in course of time.
Do we take care to build our lives too on a strong faith foundation to courageously face the storms and challenges in life?
To stress the need to have strong faith, Prophet Jesus (pbuh)
told of a parable of a wise man and foolish man who ventured to build a
house. The wise man built his house upon the rock. The foolish man
built his house upon the sand. The rains came down, the floods rose and
gales and storms beat against the houses. The foolish man's house
crashed to the ground while the wise man's house stood firm. (Matthew
7:24-27)
Most of us have experiences of facing storms. There could be
financial storms, relationship storms, emotional storms, physical
storms (health problems). People who build there lives on a strong
faith foundation are those who will look at the storm calmly and
courageously say "Oh Storm, God is great." But people who do not have a
strong faith foundation will look at the storm and cry out "Oh God! I
have a big storm."
We love our children so much that we give them the best of
education, food, clothing, entertainment. But the most beautiful love
gift we can give our children is the gift of a strong faith foundation
in Allah (SWT). When we can give them this, they will be able to stand
the challenges and storms of life courageously even when we are not
around anymore.
A story is told of a shipwreck where everyone was swimming to
safety. One sailor was struggling to make it to the shore when he
suddenly saw a small rock protruding above the tide. He gripped to it
tightly till the storm receded. When he reached the shore, people asked
him "Did you not shake with fear when you held that small rock?" He
quipped "Yes, I shook with fear, but the Rock did not shake and that's
why I am safe."
Let us give ourselves and our children that rock to hold on to. When
a pious man was on his deathbed he called all his children around him
and said, "My children, if I leave all my wealth and property for you
but do not leave you with a strong faith in Allah (SWT),
you will be poor, very poor. But If I do not leave you any wealth or
property but leave you with a strong faith in Allah (SWT), you will be
rich, very rich indeed." |
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One
day a young lady was driving along with her father. They came upon a
storm and the young lady asked her father, "What should I do?"
Father said, "Keep driving." Cars began to pull over to the side, the storm was getting worse.
"What should I do?" The young lady asked?
"Keep driving," her father replied.
On up a few feet, she noticed that eighteen wheelers were also
pulling over. She told her father, "I must pull over, I can barely see
ahead. It is terrible and everyone is pulling over!"
Her father told her, "Don't give up, just keep driving!"
Now the storm was terrible, but she never stopped driving and soon
she could see a little more clearly. After a couple of miles she was
again on dry land and the sun came out.
Her father said, "Now you can pull over and get out."
Young Lady said, "But why now?"
Father said, "When you get out, look back at all the people that
gave up and are still in the storm, because you never gave up your
storm is now over."
This is a testimony for anyone who is going through "hard times."
Just because everyone else, even the strongest, gives up. You don't
have to ... if you keep going, soon your storm will be over and the Sun
will shine upon your face again.
Imam Ali (as): "The endure does not miss success although it may take a long time." |
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An
old man lived alone in home. He wanted to spade his potato garden, but
it was very hard work. His only son, who would have helped him, was in
prison.
The old man wrote a letter to his son and told his situation.
"Dear Son, I am feeling pretty bad because it looks like I won't be
able to plant my potato garden this year. I hate to miss doing the
garden, because your mother always loved planting time. I'm just
getting too old to be digging up a garden plot.
If you were here, all my troubles would be over. I know you would
dig the plot for me, if you weren't in prison ... Your Father."
Shortly, the old man received the reply from his son: "For heaven's
sake, Dad, don't dig up the garden! That's where I buried the Guns!"
The next morning, A dozen FBI agents and local police officers showed up and dug up the entire garden without finding any guns.
Confused old man wrote another note to his son telling him what have happened, and asked him what to do next.
His son's reply was: "Go ahead and plant your potatoes, Dad, It's the best I could do for you from here."
Moral of the Will Power Story: No matter where you are in the world,
if you have decided to do something deep from your heart, you can do it! |
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