Friday Nasiha

Living The Quran

Vital Communication
Maryam (Mary) Chapter 19: Verse 59

"But the generations who succeeded them neglected their prayers and succumbed to their desires. These shall certainly meet with doom and loss"

As generations succeed one another, faith in God and adherence to His message become progressively diluted, and people become more vulnerable to deviating from His true path.

Salah is a form of worship which represents a direct link between man and God. It lifts man's spiritual awareness, cleanses his soul, and gives him the necessary immunity against evil and temptation. Abandoning this vital means of communication with God opens the door for Satan to creep in and sow his insidious seeds of corruption. Corrupt and depraved behaviour in humankind inevitably leads to a gross distortion in man's understanding of the meaning and purpose of God's message to him.

Compiled From:
"A Thematic Commentary on the Quran" - Muhammad al-Ghazali, p. 329

From Issue: 717 [Read original issue]

Understanding The Prophet's Life

God's Presence

When we study the Prophet's (peace be upon him) life, we find him glorifying God and praising Him at every moment of his life. He would wake up before dawn, leaving his bed when the dark curtain of the night still covers everything. He then says: "Praise be to God who has returned my spirit to me, given me physical strength and permitted me to glorify Him." [Tirmidhi] Consider how he welcomes life, full of optimism: "Praise be to God who has returned my spirit to me." Life is a gift from God and we are able to do many good things in a day. The Prophet expresses his gratitude for his well-being. We may reflect long on the last part of this supplication, which mentions God's permission to glorify Him. That is an expression of complete devotion that words can hardly describe.

The Prophet's awareness of God's presence never left him for a moment, and He praised Him at every juncture and before every action. The Prophet is therefore the perfect role model for all believers. Some of us may wonder whether we have to repeat all these supplications all the time. Scholars rightly make clear that although they are all recommended, none is obligatory.

Compiled From:
"Muhammad: His Character and Conduct" - Adil Salahi

From Issue: 957 [Read original issue]

Cool Tips!

The Most Important Words

When it comes to getting along with your parents, the single most important word is please. The two most important words are thank you. The three most important words are I love you. The four most important words are How can I help? There is power and magic in each.

Saying please is polite and shows respect. The same goes for thank you. Nothing perturbs parents more than ingratitude. So look for ways to say thank you, whenever you can.

"Thanks Mom. Dinner was yummy."
"Dad thanks a lot for letting me use the car last night. I had a great time."

I love you is the next most important phrase. In some homes, hugs and sure love yas are passed around freely. In others, it's not so warm and fuzzy. If that's your lot, try being a cycle breaker and starting a new trend in your home, where you express love and affection in one way or another. It only takes one person to get started.

How can I help? is the next most important phrase. Caution: Make sure your parents are sitting down when you try this out on them because it might give 'em a stroke.

"Mom, I know you're totally stressed right now. How can I help?"
"Oh, no! Look at the garage. It looks like a tornado hit it," says your dad.
"How can I help, Dad?" you say back.

Compiled From:
"The 6 Most Important Decisions You'll Ever Make" - Sean Covey, pp. 135, 136

From Issue: 575 [Read original issue]