[IslamCity] LESSONS FROM LIFE (9)

Thu, 15 Dec 2005 21:54:17 -0800

 LESSONS FROM LIFE (9)
Tolerance
One day the Prophet of Islam (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam),  seated himself in a mosque in Medina, along with some companions. Shortly thereafter, a Bedouin entered the mosque and began urinating. The Prophet’s (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam), Companions rose with the intention of beating the Bedouin. But the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam), forbade them to do so, asking them to let him be. When the man had finished urinating, the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam), asked the Companions to fetch a bucket of water and wash the place clean.
Afterwards he explained to his Companions: You are sent to make things easy and not to make things difficult (Fathul Bari, 1/386).
This illustrates for us an unwavering principle of Islam, that is, in social life when any unpleasant incident takes place, the believers should concentrate on finding a solution to the problem and not just think in terms of what punishment to mete out to the problem-maker. On all such occasions the urge to reform should be engendered within the believers instead of a desire to exact revenge. Such methods should be adopted as alleviate rather than aggravate the problem. Just as when some building is set on fire, the most natural impulse is to immediately extinguish it, rather than fan the flames to make it flare up even more.
A lesson from a Frog Tale...
A group of frogs were hopping contentedly through the woods, going about their froggy business, when two of them fell into a deep pit. All of the other frogs gathered around the pit to see what could be done to help their companions. When they saw how deep the pit was, the rest of the dismayed group agreed that it was hopeless and told the two frogs in the pit that they should prepare themselves for their fate, because they were as good as dead.
Unwilling to accept this terrible fate, the two frogs began to jump with all of their might. Some of the frogs shouted into the pit that it was hopeless,and that the two frogs wouldn't be in that situation if they had been more careful, more obedient to the froggy rules, and more responsible.
The other frogs continued sorrowfully shouting that they should save their energy and give up, since they were already as good as dead. The two frogs continued jumping as hard as they could, and after several hours of desperate effort were quite weary.
Finally, one of the frogs took heed to the calls of his fellows. Spent and disheartened, he quietly resolved himself to his fate, lay down at the bottom of the pit, and died as the others looked on in helpless grief. The other frog continued to jump with every ounce of energy he had, although his body was wracked with pain and he was completely exhausted.
His companions began anew, yelling for him to accept his fate, stop the pain and just die. The weary frog jumped harder and harder and -- wonder of wonders! Finally leapt so high that he sprang from the pit. Amazed, the other frogs celebrated his miraculous freedom and then gathering around him asked, "Why did you continue jumping when we told you it was impossible?" Reading their lips, the astonished frog explained to them that he was deaf, and that when he saw their gestures and shouting, he thought they were cheering him on. What he had perceived as encouragement inspired him to try harder and to succeed against all odds.
This simple story contains a powerful lesson. Your encouraging words can lift someone up and help them make it through the day. Your destructive words can cause deep wounds; they may be the weapons that destroy someone's desire to continue trying -- or even their life. Your destructive, careless word can diminish someone in the eyes of others, destroy their influence and have a lasting impact on the way others respond to them.
Author: Unknown
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Hazrat Abu Musa(radhiyallahu anhu) enquired from the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam), "Which of the Muslims are best ?" The Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said that, those who do not cause troubles and injuries through their actions and words to anyone. (Bukhari, Muslim)
"Each person's every joint must perform a charity every day the Sun comes up : to act justly between two people is a charity; to help a man with his mount, lifting him onto it or hoisting up his belongings onto it is a charity: a good word is a charity, every step you take to prayers is a charity and removing a harmful thing from the road is a charity." (Bukhari, Muslim)
He who believes in God and the Last Day should honour his guest; he who believes in God and the Last Day should not annoy his neighbours; and he who believes in God and the Last Day should say what is good or keep silent. (Bukhari, Muslim)
A good word is charity. (Bukhari, Muslim)
Think Twice
One night there was a woman at the airport who had to wait for several hours before catching her next flight. While she waited she bought a book and a pack of biscuits to spend the time. She looked for a place to sit and wait.

She was deep into her book, when suddenly she realized that there was a young man sitting next to her who was stretching his hand, with no concern whatsoever, and grabbing the pack of cookies lying between them. He started to eat them one by one.
Not wanting to make a fuss about it she decided to ignore him. The woman, slightly bothered, ate the cookies and watched the clock, while the young and shameless thief of biscuits was also finishing them. The woman started to get really angry at this point and thought "If I wasn't such a good and educated person, I would have given this daring man a black eye by now."

Every time she ate a biscuit, he had one too. The dialogue between their eyes continued and when only one biscuit was left, she wondered what was he going to do. Softly and with a nervous smile, the young man grabbed the last biscuit and broke it in two. He offered one half to the woman while he ate the other half.

Briskly she took the biscuit and thought, "What an insolent man! How uneducated! He didn't even thank me!" She had never met anybody so fresh and sighed relieved to hear her flight announced. She grabbed her bags and went towards the boarding gate refusing to look back to where that insolent thief was seated.

After boarding the plane and nicely seated, she looked for her book which was nearly finished by now. While looking into her bag she was totally surprised to find her pack of biscuits nearly intact. "If my biscuits are here", she thought feeling terribly, "those others were his and he tried to share them with me." Too late to apologize to the young man, she realized with pain, that it was her who had been insolent, uneducated and a thief, and not him.

How many times in our lives, had we know with certainty that something happened in a certain way, only to discover later that it wasn't true?

How many times has our lack of trust within us made us judge other people unfairly with our conceited ideas, often far away from reality.
 
Abdullah bin Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) reported that the Prophet(sallAllahu alaiyhi wassallam) said:
Do not be envious of one another; do not artificially inflate prices against one another; do not hate one another; do not shun one another; and do not undercut one another in business transactions; and be as fellow-brothers and servants of Allah. A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He neither oppresses him nor humiliates him nor looks down upon him. Piety is here - and he pointed to his chest three times. It is evil enough for a Muslim to hold his brother Muslim in contempt. All things of a Muslim are inviolable for another Muslim: his blood, his property and his honour. [Muslim, Imam An-Nawawi's 40 hadith]
Guidance for this Life & the Hereafter
 
Khalid ibn al Walîd radhiallah anhu narrates:

A Bedouin came one day to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam and said to him, 'O, Messenger of Allah! I've come to ask you a few questions about the affairs of this life and the hereafter.'
"Ask what you wish," he replied sallallahu alayhi wasallam.
Q: I'd like to be the most learned of men.
A: Fear Allah, and you will be the most learned of men.
Q: I wish to be the richest man in the world.
A: Be contented, and you will be the richest man in the world.
Q: I'd like to be the most just man.
A: Desire for others what you desire for yourself, and you will be the most just of men.
Q: I want to be the best of men.
A: Do good to others and you will be the best of men.
Q: I wish to be the most favoured by Allah.
A: Engage much in Allah's praise, and you will be most favoured by Him.
Q: I'd like to complete my faith.
A: If you have good manners you will complete your faith
Q: I wish to be among those who do good.
A: Adore Allah as if you see Him. If you don 't see Him, He sees you. In this way you will be among those who do good.
Q: I wish to be obedient to Allah.
A: If you observe Allah's commands you will be obedient.
Q: I'd like to be free from all sins.
A: Bathe yourself from impurities and you will be free from all sins.
Q: I'd like to be raised on the Day of Judgment in the light.
A: Don't wrong yourself or any other creature, and you will be raised on the Day of Judgment in the light.
Q: I'd like Allah to bestow His mercy on me.
A: If you have mercy on yourself and others, Allah will grant you mercy on the Day of Judgment.
Q: I'd like my sins to be very few.
A: If you seek the forgiveness Allah as much as you can, your sins will be very few.
Q: I'd like to be the most honourable man.
A: If you do not complain to any fellow creature, you will be the most honourable of men.
Q: I'd like to be the strongest of men.
A: If you put your trust in Allah, you will be the strongest of men.
Q: I'd like to enlarge my provision.
A: If you keep yourself pure, Allah will enlarge your provision.
Q: I'd like to be loved by Allah and His messenger.
A: If you love what Allah and Him messenger love, you will be among their beloved ones.
Q: I wish to be safe from Allah's wrath on the Day of Judgment.
A: If you do not lose your temper with any of your fellow creatures, you will be safe from the wrath of Allah on the Day of Judgment.
Q: I'd like my prayers to be answered.
A: If you avoid forbidden actions, your prayers will be answered.
Q: I'd like Allah not to disgrace me on the Day of Judgment.
A: If you guard your chastity, Allah will not disgrace you on the Day of Judgment.
Q: I'd like Allah to provide me with a protective covering on the Day of Judgment.
A: Do not uncover your fellow creatures faults, and Allah will provide you with a covering protection on the Day of Judgment.
Q: What will save me from sins?
A: Tears, humility and illness.
Q: What are the best deeds in the eyes of Allah?
A: Gentle manners, modesty and patience.
Q: What are the worst evils in the eyes of Allah?
A: Hot temper and miserliness.
Q: What assuages the wrath of Allah in this life and in the Hereafter?
A: Concealed charity and kindness to relatives.
Q: What extinguishes hell's fires on the Day of Judgment?
A: Patience in adversity and misfortunes.
(Related by Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal rahmatullah alayhi)
Why I chose Islam
I was raised in a house where we prayed every night and morning. We were not taught set prayers but to pray from the heart. We went to church every Sunday and were active participants in the activities held there.....

By the time I was in my late teens I was a missionary.

I always felt close to ‘God' and prayer was a way of life for me. Deep in my mind, for I could never voice any doubts, I had some misgivings; some things that didn't make sense to me but as a missionary I felt I was calling to God, not to that particular church. I knew God, to be the Infinitely Powerful Being Who had created all there is. I could recognize a harmony and structure in all the nature around me, yet I found an absence of order wherever I looked around people. I learned to love Jesus as a messenger of God but it seemed strange to me, that God would require a sacrifice in order to forgive us. I believed that God was above having any need. I felt I could communicate with God as I was, without the necessity of an intermediary because, again, God didn't need any help to hear what I said.

One day I moved into a flat and met my neighbors who were Muslims. I thought I would try out some missionary work on them. They listened to me patiently and then I too, listened to them . They didn't try to explain any complicated issues, they just read to me from the Qu'ran. First they read in Arabic, then in English. It was Sura (Chapter) Maryam. I listened in silence. The beautiful sound of the Arabic recitation touched my heart and then the plain and direct language of the English translation struck a chord within. The beautiful story of Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) and his miracle birth to the virgin Mary was a marvel of simplicity. God, or as I learned to call Him, Allah s.w.t. had provided mankind with Prophets and Messengers since the beginning of time. From Prophet Adam (peace be upon him), Prophet Abraham, Prophet Moses, Prophet Jesus and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon them all) and many others. They were all sent with God's message to disdain all worship except, worship of the One True God and to submit to His Will. Such is the meaning of Islam. A Muslim is one who bows to the will of Allah s.w.t. refusing the worship of anyone or anything else and seeking to establish piety on earth.

Author : Velma Cook
http://english.islamway.com
Difference in Life style 
Aa’isha (Radhiallahu Anha), Muhammad’s  wife, said, “O my nephew, we would sight three new moons in two months without lighting a fire (to cook a meal) in the Prophet’s  houses.”  Her nephew asked, “O Aunt, what sustained you?”  She said, “The two black things, dates and water, but the Prophet  had some Ansar neighbors who had milk-giving she-camels and they used to send the Prophet  some of its milk.”
 Sahl Ibn Sa’ad, one of Muhammad’s  companions, said, “The Prophet of God  did not see bread made from fine flour from the time God sent him (as a prophet) until he died.”
Aa’isha(Radhiallahu Anha), , Muhammad’s  wife, said, “The mattress of the Prophet , on which he slept, was made of leather stuffed with the fiber of the date-palm tree.”
Amr Ibn Al-Hareth, one of Muhammad’s  companions, said that when the Prophet  died, he left neither money nor anything else except his white riding mule, his arms, and a piece of land which he left to charity.Muhammad  lived this hard life till he died although the Muslim treasury was at his disposal, the greater part of the Arabian Peninsula was Muslim before he died, and the Muslims were victorious after eighteen years of his mission.
Is it possible that Muhammad  might have claimed prophethood in order to attain status, greatness, and power?  The desire to enjoy status and power is usually associated with good food, fancy clothing, monumental palaces, colorful guards, and indisputable authority.  Do any of these indicators apply to Muhammad ? 
Despite his responsibilities as a prophet, a teacher, a statesman, and a judge, Muhammad  used to milk his goat, mend his clothes, repair his shoes, help with the household work, and visit poor people when they got sick.  He also helped his companions in digging a trench by moving sand with them.  His life was an amazing model of simplicity and humbleness (Narrated in Saheeh Muslim & Saheeh Bukhari)
Now campare our life style with the life style of our beloved Prophet  ? Ya Allah ! How ungrateful we are ? Our heart and tongue are full of complaints ! Ya Allah 1 Make us amongst Shakireen !
Doctor Dies, Patient Lives
The following incident was narrated by a well known preacher of this age known as Colonel Sayed Amir Uddin, currently a Canadian resident. Over 6,000 Non-Muslims have accepted Islam through him.

He narrates: I visited a friend in a hospital who had severe cancer. While I was there, a doctor came and gave him the bad news that he will live for only one more week. Then the doctor left to get some medicines for him. As the doctor was going down the stairs, he slipped and fell down the stairs. He was seriously injured and died on that day. On the other hand, my friend who was suppose to die in one week lived for three more years!

This incident shows that death is unpredictable. Today we hear about hundreds of people dieing around us but Satan tells you and me that let them die, you have a long way to go.
A day from the life of Prophet SAW.
One day, Abu Bakr, (radi Allahu anhu), left his house in the burning heat of the midday sun and went to the mosque. 'Umar (radi Allahu anhu)saw him and asked, "Abu Bakr, what has brought you out at this hour?" Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu)said he had left his house because he was terribly hungry and 'Umar (radi Allahu anhu)said that he had left his house for the same reason. The Prophet (sallAllahu alaiyhi wassallam)came up to them and asked, "What has brought the two of you out at this hour?" They told him and he said, "By Him in Whose hands is my soul, only hunger has caused me to come out also. But come with me." ..

They went to the house of Abu Ayyub Al Ansari. His wife opened the door and said, "Welcome to the Prophet and whoever is with him."
"Where is Abu Ayyub?" asked the Prophet. Abu Ayyub, who was working in a nearby palm grove, heard the Prophet's voice and came hurriedly. "Welcome to the Prophet and whoever is with him," he said and went on, "O Prophet of Allah, this is not the time that you usually come." (Abu Ayyub used to keep some food for the Prophet every day. When the Prophet did not come for it by a certain time, Abu Ayyub would give it to his family.) "You are right," the Prophet agreed.
Abu Ayyub went out and cut a cluster of dates in which there were ripe and half-ripe dates.
"I did not want you to cut this," said the Prophet. "Could you not have brought only the ripe dates?"
"O Prophet of Allah, please eat from both the ripe dates (rutab) and the half ripe (busr). I shall slaughter an animal for you also."
"If you are going to, then do not kill one that gives milk," cautioned the Prophet.
Abu Ayyub killed a young goat, cooked half and grilled the other half. He also asked his wife to bake, because she baked better, he said.
When the food was ready, it was placed before the Prophet (sallAllahu alaiyhi wassallam)and his two companions. The Prophet took a piece of meat and placed it in a loaf and said, "Abu Ayyub, take this to Fatimah. She has not tasted the like of this for many days."
When they had eaten and were satisfied, the Prophet (sallAllahu alaiyhi wassallam) said reflectively: "Bread and meat and busr and rutab!" Tears began to flow from his eyes as he continued:
"This is a bountiful blessing about which you will be asked on the Day of Judgment. If such comes your way, put your hands to it and say, 'Bismillah' (In the name of Allah) and when you have finished say, 'Al hamdu lillah alladhee huwa ashba'na wa an'ama 'alayna (Praise be to Allah Who has given us enough and Who has bestowed his bounty on us). This is best."
Source: Taken from "Companions of The Prophet", Vol. 1, by Abdul Wahid Hamid-
Compare the bounties Allah swt have given to us and look at our ingratitude towards Allah swt , It is very difficult for us these days to start with Bismillah and end up with Dua.
May Allah swt guide us on the true foot prints of Huzoor (sallAllahu alaiyhi wassallam)
 BROTHER IN ISLAM
 KHALID BIN UMAR     
 


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{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.}
(Holy Quran-16:125)

{And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33)

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)  also said, "Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all."
[Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah]
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