Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Quote by Mufti Menk Ismail
Life was not given to us to be perfect. Every single person will go
through tests & hardships. Nobody will have a perfect life.
Life must have it's ups and downs.
Those who resign to the Decree of the Almighty & are pleased with it, lead the happiest lives. Try ur best & leave the rest in His Hands.
Paradise would lose it's value if life was to be perfect!
Life is also too short to be lead in the disobedience of the One we will very soon return to.
We get so caught up in this material world and before we know it, we have returned to the Almighty unprepared.
Prepare for the inevitable too.
When our pleasure is sought through His displeasure, we stand to lose much. It is definitely not worth the deal.
Life must have it's ups and downs.
Those who resign to the Decree of the Almighty & are pleased with it, lead the happiest lives. Try ur best & leave the rest in His Hands.
Paradise would lose it's value if life was to be perfect!
Life is also too short to be lead in the disobedience of the One we will very soon return to.
We get so caught up in this material world and before we know it, we have returned to the Almighty unprepared.
Prepare for the inevitable too.
When our pleasure is sought through His displeasure, we stand to lose much. It is definitely not worth the deal.
Quote by Mufti Menk Ismail
When our hearts are hardened, no sign sent to us by the Almighty will make us take heed, mend our ways or incline towards Him.
The Almighty sends regular signs of varying magnitudes to each one of us, as gentle reminders to soften our hearts towards His obedience.
If nothing at all serves as a warning to us, then we need urgent help to remedy our spiritual paralysis before it is too late.
"Has the time not come for the believers to humble their hearts to the reminder of the Almighty and the Divine Revelation..?" 57:16
May the Almighty protect our hearts from becoming hardened, and may He instead soften them to incline towards His obedience at all times. Aameen
Mufti Ismail Menk
The Almighty sends regular signs of varying magnitudes to each one of us, as gentle reminders to soften our hearts towards His obedience.
If nothing at all serves as a warning to us, then we need urgent help to remedy our spiritual paralysis before it is too late.
"Has the time not come for the believers to humble their hearts to the reminder of the Almighty and the Divine Revelation..?" 57:16
May the Almighty protect our hearts from becoming hardened, and may He instead soften them to incline towards His obedience at all times. Aameen
Mufti Ismail Menk
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Donating what one loves
Giving from one's wealth with a sincere heart in order to earn the good pleasure of Allah is a mark of faith. Believers who spend generously are praised and given good tidings in many verses. Allah mentions a subtle aspect of spending—that by the giving away of what one loves, he will attain righteousness:
You will not attain true goodness until you give of what you love. Whatever you give away, Allah knows it. (Surah Al ‘Imran; 92)
The importance attached to something is linked to how much one sacrifices in order to attain it. Reluctance to give up particular things means that those things are thought to be dearer. Since nothing is more precious than the approval and mercy of Allah, a true believer can give away anything he owns in an instant. A contrary attitude would mean that worldly things are dearer than the good pleasure of Allah, so he would not attain the state of righteousness mentioned in the Qur'an.
It may be that a person donates much, renders important services for the cause of religion, and performs his acts of worship regularly. He may also have religious knowledge. Yet, his failure to let go of something he loves and contribute it for the cause of Allah when necessary shows weakness of faith and failure to grasp the essence of religion. Because this would mean that he prefers that thing to the good pleasure of Allah. In this sense this would put all his good deeds at risk, even if he thinks what he had done is good.
A Muslim should love Allah above all else and love created things only because they are manifestations of Allah's creative artistry or because Allah loves them too. In Allah's sight, this is the only legitimate way of love. This perception will allow a person to part with anything he loves at any time. Because his love is primarily for Allah, he loses nothing. For Allah pervades and embraces everything. He is closer to him than his jugular vein. In fact, he attains greater love and blessing because he has acted in compliance with Allah's will. He does not regret what he gave; on the contrary, he feels pleased. This is the attitude of a true Muslim.
But if a person loves something or someone as autonomous and independent of Allah, he ascribes it as an associate to Allah (Allah is Surely Beyond That) and becomes an idolater. If he must possess something but, at the same time, does so in accordance with Allah's commands, Allah may will to purify him from the "association" he fell into through his ignorant desires. Finally he will attain goodness and enjoy Allah's mercy.
You will not attain true goodness until you give of what you love. Whatever you give away, Allah knows it. (Surah Al ‘Imran; 92)
The importance attached to something is linked to how much one sacrifices in order to attain it. Reluctance to give up particular things means that those things are thought to be dearer. Since nothing is more precious than the approval and mercy of Allah, a true believer can give away anything he owns in an instant. A contrary attitude would mean that worldly things are dearer than the good pleasure of Allah, so he would not attain the state of righteousness mentioned in the Qur'an.
It may be that a person donates much, renders important services for the cause of religion, and performs his acts of worship regularly. He may also have religious knowledge. Yet, his failure to let go of something he loves and contribute it for the cause of Allah when necessary shows weakness of faith and failure to grasp the essence of religion. Because this would mean that he prefers that thing to the good pleasure of Allah. In this sense this would put all his good deeds at risk, even if he thinks what he had done is good.
A Muslim should love Allah above all else and love created things only because they are manifestations of Allah's creative artistry or because Allah loves them too. In Allah's sight, this is the only legitimate way of love. This perception will allow a person to part with anything he loves at any time. Because his love is primarily for Allah, he loses nothing. For Allah pervades and embraces everything. He is closer to him than his jugular vein. In fact, he attains greater love and blessing because he has acted in compliance with Allah's will. He does not regret what he gave; on the contrary, he feels pleased. This is the attitude of a true Muslim.
But if a person loves something or someone as autonomous and independent of Allah, he ascribes it as an associate to Allah (Allah is Surely Beyond That) and becomes an idolater. If he must possess something but, at the same time, does so in accordance with Allah's commands, Allah may will to purify him from the "association" he fell into through his ignorant desires. Finally he will attain goodness and enjoy Allah's mercy.
Surat an Nahl
To the righteous (when) it is said, "What is it that your Lord has revealed?" they say, "All that is good." To those who do good, there is good in this world, and the home of the hereafter is even better and excellent indeed is the home of the righteous. (Surat an-Nahl: 30-31)
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