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Be not Sad, surely Allah is with us

Don't be Sad, surely Allah is with Us

Shaykh Aaidh al-Qarni

Laughing moderately can act as a cure or therapy for depression and sadness. It has a strong influence on keeping the soul light and the heart clear. Abu Darda said, "I make it a practice to laugh in order to give rest and comfort to my heart. And the noblest of people, Muhammad(sallalahu 'alayhi wa sallam)would laugh, sometimes until his molars became visible."

Laughing is an efficacious way to achieve comfort and light heartedness, but keep in mind that, as in other things, you should
not be immoderate. The Prophet(sallalahu 'alayhi wa sallam) Said:

"Do not laugh excessively, for verily, excessive laughter kills the
heart."


What is called for is moderation.

He(sallalahu 'alayhi wa sallam) further said:
"And if you smile in
the face of your brother, then is a form of charity."

Allah tells us:
"So he, Sulayman, smiled, amused by her speech."
Surah An-Naml:19.

Among the pleasures of Paradise will be laughter:

"But this Day those who believe will laugh at the disbelievers."
Surah Al-Mutaffifin:34.

The Arabs would hold in high esteem the one known for his smile and laughter. The believed this to proclaim a generous personality, a person with a noble disposition and a clear mind. The truth is that the principles of Islam are based on moderation and on good measure, wether it be in matters of belief, worship, manners, or conduct. Islam does not condone a rigid, frowning expression, nor does it condone a constant playful giddiness; rather what it does promote is seriousness when it is called for. Bearing a gloomy mien and a frowning countenance are marks of a lowly character, a troubled nature, and hot-headedness.

"Then he frowned and he looked in a bad tempered way..."Surah Al-
Muddaththir:22.

The Prophet(sallalahu 'alayhi wa sallam) advised the people:

"Do not disparage(underestimate) any good deed(no matter how small
it is), even if that deed was to meet your brother with a friendly
countenance."

Ahmed Ameen said in his book Fayd al-Khaatir:

"People who are always smiling not only make their own lives more joyful, but what is more, they are more productive people in their work and have a greater ability to live up to their responsibilities. They are more prepared to face difficulties and to
find expedient solutions for them. They are prolific workers who benefit themselves and others."

If I were given a choice between having status in society and plentiful money, or between having a happy, radiant, smiling self, I
would choose the latter. For what is great wealth if it begets misery? And what is high position if what comes with it is constant
gloominess? And what good is the most beautiful wife is she transforms her house into a living hell? Much better than her - a
thousand times at least - is a wife who has not reached such a pinnacle of beauty, but nonetheless has made her house to be a
paradise.

The human being by his very nature is a smiling entity, were it not for those things that counteract this natural disposition, such as greed and selfishness, evils that contribute to his frowning. As such he is an anomaly and at odds with the natural harmony of all that surrounds him. Therefore the person whose heart is sullied cannot see things as they truly are. Every person sees the world through himself, by this actions, thoughts and motives. So if our action is noble, our thought is clean, and our motive is honourable, then the spectacles through wich we see the world will be clean, and the world will appear as it really is - a beautiful creation. If the spectacles become dirty, and their lenses stained, then everything will seem to be black and morbid.

"Then whosoever wills let him believe, and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve." Surah Al-Kahf:29

Surrender yourself believe in pre-ordainment, before pangs of anger and regret beset you. If you have done all that was in your power - and afterwards what you had been striving against takes place - have firm faith that it was meant to be. Do not say, "Were I to do such-and-such, such-and-such would have happened"; rather say, "This is the decree of Allah and what He wishes, He does."

"Verily, with every hardship, there is relief." Surah Ash-Sharh:6

Eating follows hunger, drinking follows thirst, sleep comes after restlessness, and health takes place of sickness. The lost will find
their way, the one in difficulty will find relief and the night will follow the day.

Inform the night of a coming morning, the light of wich will permeate the mountains and valleys. Give to the afflicted tidings of
a sudden relief that will reach them with the speed of light or with the blinking of an eye.

If you see that the desert exteneds for miles and miles, then know that beyond that distance are green meadows with plentiful shade. If you see the rope tighten and tighten , know that it will snap. Tears are followed by a smile, fear is replaced by comfort, and anxiety is overthrown by serenity. When the fire was set for him, Prophet Ibraheem(alayhi salaam) did not feel its heat because of the help he received from his Lord.

"We [Allah} said: "O Fire! Be you coolness and safety for Ibraheem."
Surah al-Anbiyah - ayah 69.

Those that are slaves of the moment see only misery and wretchedness. This is because they look only at the wall and door of
the room, whereas they should look beyond such barriers as are set before them.

Therefor do not be in despair: it is impossible for things to remain the same. The days and years rotate, the future is unseen, and every day Allah has matters to bring forth. You know it not but it may be that Allah will afterwards bring some new things to pass. And verily, with hardship there is relief. When Allah takes something away from you, He compensates you with something better, but only if you are patient and seek your reward from Him. The noble Prophet(saws) said:

"Whoever has his eyesight taken away from him and is patient, he
will be compensated for it with Paradise."


Yet another hadith reads:

"Whoever loses a loved one from the people of this world and then
seeks his recompense with his Lord, he will be compensated with
Paradise."

So do not feel excessive sorrow over some misfortune, because the One who decreed it has with Him Paradise: recompense and a great reward. Those that are afflicted in this world and are close to Allah shall be praised in the highest part of heaven.:

"Peace be upon you, because you persevered in patience! Excellent
indeed is the final home."
Surah ar-Ra'd - ayah 24.

We must contemplate the reward one receives for forbearing hardship.

"They are those on whom are the Salawaat[i.e. blessings] [i.e. who
are blessed and will be forgiven] from their Lord, and [they are
those who] receive His Mercy. And it is they who are the guided-
ones."
Surah al-Baqarah - ayah 157.

Truly, the life of this world is short and its treasures are few. The Hereafter is better and everlasting, and whosoever is afflicted
here shall find his reward there. And whosoever works hard here shall find ease there. As for those who cling to this world, who are attached to it, and who are in love with it, the hardest thing for them to bear would be to lose the world's comforts and riches: they desire to enjoy this life alone. Because of this desire, they don't react to misfortune as well as others do. What they perceive around them is this life alone: they are blind to its impermanence and insignificance.

Both your conscience and your Religion demand that you be just, wich means that you should neither exxagerate nor understate, neither go into excess nor do too little. Whoever seeks happiness should be just, regardless wether he is in an angry, sad, or joyfull mood. Exaggreation in our dealings with others is unacceptable. The best course is the middle course. Whoever follows his desires will likely magnify the importance of any given situation, always making a big deal out of nothing. He will feel jealous and malice towards others. Since he lives in a world of exaggeration and imagination, he will envisage everyone else to be against him, even to the extent that he feels others to be always conspiring to destroy him. Because of this, he lives under a dark cloud, constantly overcome by fear and apprehension. To quote the Qur'an:

"They think that every cry is against them." Surah al-Munafiqun -
ayah 4.

Living according to hearsay and superstition is prohibited in our Religion. More often than not, what you fear will happen does not actually occur. Here is something you shuld try; when you fear something, imagine that the worst possible outcome takes place, and then train yourself to feel prepared and contented and superstitions that tear apart your heart.

Give your attention to each matter in proportion to its importance. In any given sitaution do not exaggerate mountains from molehills, rather, keep in mind your objectivity and fairness. Do not follow false suspicion or the deceitful illusion of the mirage, but be balanced. Listen to the balance of love and hate as explained by the noble and kind Prophet(saws), he said:

"Love the one who is beloved to you in due moderation, for perhaps
the day will come when you will abhor him. And hate the one whom you
detest in due moderation, for perhaps the day will arrive when you
will come to love him."


And the Qur'an informs:

"Perhaps Allah will make friendship between you and those whom you
hold as enemies. And Allah has power [over all things], and Allah is
Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful."
Surah al-Mumtahinah - ayah 7.

Remind yourself of Paradise, wich is as wide as the heavens and earth.

If you are hungry in this world, if you are sad, ill or oppressed, remember the eternal bliss of Paradise. If you do this, then your
losses are really profits and the hardships you face are really gifts. The most wise of people are those that work for the Hereafter, because it is better and everlasting. And the most foolish of mankind are those that see this world as their eternal
abode - in it reside all of their hopes. You will find such people to be the most grief-stricken of all when faced with calamity. They will be the most affected by worldly loss simply because they see nothing beyond the insignificant lives that they lead. They see and think only of this impermanent life. They wish for nothing to spoil them in their state of felicity. were they to remove the veil of ignorance from their eyes, they would commune with themselves about the etrnal abode - its bliss, pleasures, and catsles. They would listen attentively when they are informed through the Qur'an and the Sunnah about its description. Indeed, that is the abode that deserves our attention and merits our striving and out toiling, so that we may achieve the best of it.

Have we reflected at length about the description of the inhabitants of Paradise? Illness does not befall them, grief does not come near them, they die not, they remain young, and their attire remains both perfect and clean, they are in a beautiful home. In Paradise is found that wich no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human mind has imagined. The rider travels under a tree in Paradise for one hundred years and yet he does not reach its end. The length of a tent in Paradise is sixty miles. Its rivers are constant, its castles lofty, and its fruits close-by, easily picked.

"Therein will be a running spring. Therein will be thrones raised high, and cups set at hand, and cushions set in rows, and rich carpets [all] spread out." Surah Al-Ghashiyah - Ayah's 12-16.

The happiness of Paradise will be absolute. So why do we not contemplate this?

If that will be our final destination then the hardships of this world are less heavy than they may seem, so let hte hearts of the afflicted find solace.

O you who live in poverty, or are afflicted with calamity, work righteous deeds so that you shall live in Allah's Paradise, welcomed with the words:

"Peace be upon you, because you persevered in patience. Excellent indeed is the final home!" Surah ar-Ra'd - Ayah 24.

Look around you, to the right and to the left. Do you not see the afflicted and the unfortunate? In every house there is mourning and upon every cheek runs tears. How many tribulations and how many people persevere with patience? You are not alone in your troubles, wich are few compared to those of others. How many sick people remain bedridden for years suffering from unspeakable pain? How many have not seen the light of the sun for years due to their imprisonment, having knowledge of nothing but the four corners of their cell?

How many men and women have lost their dear children in the prime of youth? How many people are troubled or tormented? Find consolation with those that are worse off than you; know that this life is like a prison for the believer, an abode of grief and sadness. In the morning castles are bustling with inhabitants; then in an instant, disaster occurs, and they are empty and desolate. Life can be peaceful, the body in good health, wealth abundant, and children aplenty; and yet in only a matter of days poverty, death, seperation and sickeness can all take their place.

"And it was clear to you how We had dealt with them. And We put forth [many] parables for you." Surah Ibrahim - Ayah 45.

You must adapt like the experienced camel, wich manages to kneel upon a rock. You must also compare your difficulties with those around you, and with those that have come before you: you should realize that you are in good shape relative to them, and that you have been merely pricked by tiny difficulties. So praise Allah for His Kindness, be thankful for what He has left for you, seek recompense from Him for what He has taken, and seek consolation with those that are afflicted.

You have a perfect example in the Prophet(saws). The entrails of a camel were placed upon his head; his feet bled'his face was fractured; he was besieged in a mountain pass until he was forced to eat tree leaves; he was driven out of Makkah; his front tooth was broken in battle; his innocent wife was accused of wrongdoing; seventy of his Companions were killed; he was bereaved of his son and most of his daughters; he tied a stone around his stomach because of hunger; and he was accused of being a poet, a magician, assothsayer, a madman, and a liar - all at the same time. Yet Allah protected him throughout these severe tirals and tribulations.

"Or think you that you will enter Paradise without such [trials] as came to those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with severe poverty, ailments and were shaken." Surah al-Baqarah - Ayah 214.

Everything that has gentleness within it is beautified, and whatever lacks it is spoiled. When you meet someone, giving them a bright smile and a kind word, you are displaying a charateristic of the truly succesful man, a characteristic that even a bee exhibits. When a bee lands on a flower(doing so for a practical purpose) it does not destroy it, because Allah rewards gentleness with that wich He does give for harshness. There are certain people whose personalities are like magnets, attracting everyone who is nearby, simply because they are loved for their gentle talk, their good manners, and their noble deeds.

Winning the friendship of others is an art that is mastered by those that are noble and pious; a circle of people constantly surrounds them. Their mere presence in a gathering is a blessing, and when they are absent they are missed and asked about.

These people have a code of conduct entitled:

"Repel [evil] with one wich is better, then verily! He, between whom
and you there was enmity, [will become] as though he was a close
friend."
Surah Fussilat - Ayah 34.

They suck out malice from others with their sincerity, forgiveness and gentleness. They forget evil that was enacted upon them and preserve the memory of kindness received. Biting, harsh words may be aimed at them, but such words pass by their ears without entering and continue on their path without ever returning. They are in a state of calmness. People in general, and Muslims particular, are safe from suffering any harm at their hands. The Prophet(saws) said:

"The Muslim is the person whose tongue and hand do not harm others.
And the Believer is he whom others trust, about their blood and
wealth."

He further said:

"Verily, Allah ordered me to keep relations with those that cut me
off; to forgive the one who does an injustice with me, and to give
to those who withhold from me."

The Noble Qur'an put it:

"Those who repress anger, and who pardon men: verily, Allah loves
the good-doers."
Surah Al-Imran - Ayah 34.

Give to such people glad tidings of a reward close at hand in terms of peace and tranquility. Also give glad tidings to them of a great reward in the Hereafter, of gardens and rivers, wherin they will be in close proximity to their forgiving Lord.

"In a seat of truth [Paradise}, near the omnipotent King [Allah]."
Surah Al-Qamar - Ayah 55.

There is one activity worthy of mention here, because it gives both pleasure and removes dark clouds that may hang over you; namely for you to travel through the lands and observe the open book of creation, appreciating all of its wonders. During your journeys, you can see gardens of splendour and beautiful green meadows. Leave your home and contemplate that wich surrunds you. Climb mountains, traverse valleys, acend trees, and drink sweet, pure spring water. Thereupon, you will find your soul to be free like the bird that sings and swims in the sky in perfect rapture. Leave your home and remove the black blindfold from your eyes, and then travel through the spacious lands of Allah, remembering and glorifying Him.

To isolate yourself to the confines of your own room, while passing the hours away with lethal idleness, is a certain path to self-
destruction. Your room is not the only place in the world, and you are not the sole inhabitant of it. Then why do you surrender
yourself to misery and solitude? Call out with your eyes, ears and heart:

"March forth, wether you are light or heavy."
Surah At-Taubah - Ayah
41.

Come, recite the Qur'an beside a mountain brook or among the birds as they sing. Travelling through the land is an activity wich doctors recommend, especially for those who are feeling downcast, constricted by the narrowness of their own rooms. Therefor go forth and find delight in travelling.

"And think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth:
Ou Lord! You have not created [all] this without purpose, glory to
You!"
Surah Al-Imran - Ayah 191.

Those who have nothing to do with their lives are the same people who spend most of their time spreading rumours and falsehood, mainly because their minds are devoid of beneficial thoughts.

"They are content to be with those [the women] who sit behind [at
home]. Their hearts are sealed up [ from right guidance] so they
understand not."
Surah At-Taubah - Ayah 87.

When you find yourself to be idle, prepare for depression and despair, because idleness allows your mind to wander in the past,
the present, and the future, with all of their difficulties.Therefore, my sincere advice to both you and me is to perform
fruitful acts instead of being idle, for idleness is a slow and hidden form of suicide.

Idleness is like the slow torture that is inflicted upon prisoners in China; they are placed under a tap, from wich a drop of water
falls only after every hour. During the period of waiting for the next drop many of them lose their mind and are driven to insanity.

Being inactive means being negligent of one's duties. Idleness is an expert thief and your mind is the victim of this perpretator.

Therefore get up now and say a prayer or read a book; praise your Lord, study, write, organize your kibrary, fix something in your house, or benefit others so that you can put an end to your inactivity. I say this only because I sincerely wish for your
betterment.

Destroy boredom by working. When you apply this simple precept alone, the doctors of the world guarantee that you have travelled fifty percent of the way toward happiness. Look at farmers, carpenters, and bread-makers, and observe how, when they are working, recite words as melodious as the singing of the birds, because they are content. Afterwards observe yourself and how you toss and turn on your bed while wiping away your tears, always miserable, always torturing yourself.

Many are those that are distressed not by pressing matters of great importance, but by minor trifles. Observe the hypocrites how weak they are in their resolution. These are their sayings quoted by the
Noble Qur'an:

"Those who stayed away [from the Tabuk expedition] rejoiced in their
staying behind the Messenger of Allah; they hated to strive and
fight with their properties and their lives in the Cause of Allah,
and they said: 'March not forth in the heat.' "
Surah At-Taubah -
Ayah 81.

"Grant me leave [tobe exempted from Jiha] and put me not into
trial?"
Surah At-Taubah - Ayah 81.

How wretched are the souls of such people!

Their principal concerns are for their stomachs, cars, houses and castles. They never raise their eyes even once to a life of ideals
and virtues. Their only concern and the extent of their knowledge is their car, clothes, shoes and food.

Some people are dsitressed day and night, because of a disagreement with their spouse, son or relative, or because they have had to forbear criticism, or because of some other trivial event. Such are the calamities of these people. They have no aspiration to higher principles or goals to keep them busy, and they have no noble ambition in their lives to an end for wich they can strive day and night. It has been said, when water leaves a container, it is then filled with air. Therefore reflect on that wich gives you cause for concern or anxiety, and ask yourself: Does it merit your energy and toils? This is an indispensable question, because whatever it is that causes you anxiety, you are, with mind, flesh and blood, giving it time and energy. And if it does not merit your energy and time, you have lost much. Psychologists say that you should judge everything in proportion to its true value and then put it in its proper place. More truthful than this is the saying of Allah:

"Indeed Allah has set a measure for all things."
Surah At-Talaq -
Ayah 3.

So pay your attention to each situation according to its size, weight, and measure. And stay away from immoderation or from
exceeding proper bounds - exxageration.

"Be content with that wich Allah has given you, you will be the richest of people."

Wealth, appearance, children, house, and talents - you must be content with your share in these things:

"So hold that wich I have given you and be of the grateful."
Surah
Al-A'raf - Ayah 144.

Most Islamic scholars and pious Muslims of the early generations of Islam were poor, needless to say they had no beautiful houses or nice vehicles, cars and grandeur. Yet, despite these disadvantages, they led fruitful lives, and they benefited mankind, not by some miracle, but because they used all that they were given, and spent their time in the correct way. Hence, they were blessed in their lives, their time, and their talents.

On the contrary, there are many people who have been bestowed with wealth, children and all forms of blessings, yet these blessings have been the very reason for their misery and ruin. They deviated from what their inborn instincts were telling them, namely, that material things are not everything. Look at those that have obtained degrees from world-renowned universities, and yet they are paragons of obscurity. Their talents and abilities remain unused. While others who are limited in the scope of their knowledge have managed to make mountains out of what they have been given, benefitting both individual and society.

If you are a seeker of happiness, be satisfied with the looks Allah has favoured you with, with your family situation, with the sound of your voice, with the level of your understanding, and with the amount of your salary. Certain educators go further than this by saying that you should imagine being contented with even less than you have now.

Here are some examples from our Islamic heritage of those who shone despite each being challenged by various disadvantages:

'Ala ibn Rabali was a world-renowned sholar of his time. He was not only a freed slave and snub-nosed with peppery hair, but he was also paralysed.

Al-Ahnaf ibn Qais is famous for extra ordinary patience among the Arabs. Being extremely emaciated, humpbacked, with crooked legs and a fragile frame challenges him.

Therefore your value is in your abilities, good deeds, manners and contribution to society. Do not feel grief, then, over that wich has passed you by in life in terms of good looks, wealth or family; and be content with what Allah has alloted for you.

"It is We Who portion out between them their livelihood in this world." Surah Az-Zukhruf - Ayah 32.

By leaving your affairs to Allah, by depending upon Him, by trusting in His promise, by being pleased with His decree, by thinking favourably of Him, and by waiting patiently for His help, you reap some of the greater fruits of faith and display the more prominent characteristics of the believer. When you incorporate these qualities into your character, you will be at peace concerning the future, because you will depend on your Lord for everything. As a result, you will find care, help, protection and victory.

When Prophet Ibraheem was thrown into the fire, he said, "Allah(Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us)."

Thereupon, Allah made the fire to be cool, safe, and peaceful for Ibraheem. When the Prophet Muhammad(saws) and his Companions were threathened by the impending attack of the enemy, they said:

"Allah(Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs(for us.). So they returned with Grace and Bounty from Allah. No harm touched them; and they followed the good Pleasure of Allah. And Allah is the Owner of Great Bounty." Surah Al-Imran - Ayah 174.

No person by himself is capable of fighting against the current of misfortune, nor can he fend off the blows of disaster when they strike. This is because man was created weak and fragile. However, when in times of difficulty, the believer places his dependency and trust with his Lord; he knows that all difficulties can be overcome.

"And put your trust in Allah if you are believers indeed." Surah Al-Ma'idah - Ayah 23.

You, who wish to be sincere to yourselves: depend upon the All-Mighty, the All-Rich to save you from calamity and disaster. Live your lives according to this precept: Allah Alone is sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of our affairs. If you have meagre means, if you are deep in debt, or if you are in any kind of wordly difficulty, call out: Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of our affairs.

If you face your enemy and are alarmed, or if you fear the misdeeds of the oppressor, say aloud : Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of our affairs.

"But Sufficient is your Lord as a Guide and Helper." Surah Al-Furqan - Ayah 31.

"The Event[the Hour of punishment] ordained by Allah will come to pass so seek not to hasten it." Surah An-Nahl - Ayah 1.

Be not hasty and rushed for things that have yet to come to pass. Do you think it wise to pick fruits before they become ripe? Tomorrow is non-existent having no reality today, so why should we busy ourselves with it? Why should you have apprehensions about future disasters? Why should you be engrossed by their thoughts, especially since we do not know wether we will even see tomorrow? The important thing to know is that tomorrow is from the world of the unseen, abridge that we do not cross until it comes. Who knows, perhaps we might never reach the bridge, or the bridge might collapse before we reach it, or we may actually reach it and cross safely.

For us to be engrossed in expectations about the future is looked down upon in our religion since it leads to our having a long-term attachment to this world, an attachment that the good believer shuns. Many people of this world are unduly fearful of future poverty, hunger, disease and disaster: such thinking is inspired by devil.

"Satan threathens you with poverty and orders you to commit Fahshah
[evil deeds, illegal sexual intercourse, sins etc.], whereas Allah
promises you Forgiveness from Himself and Bounty..."
Surah Al-
Baqarah - Ayah 268.

Many are those who cry because they see themselves starving tomorrow, falling sick after a month, or because they fear that the
world will come to an end after a year. Someone who has no clue as to when he will die(wich is all of us) should not busy himself with such thoughts.

Since you are absorbed in the toils of today, leave tomorrow until it comes. beware of becoming unduly attached to future prospects in this world. How perfect, merciful and generous is Allah! He even proffered His Mercy and Forgiveness for the one who believes in the Trinity:

"Surely, disbelievers are those who said: 'Allah is the third of the
three[in a trinity].' But there is no ilah[god] [none has the right
to be worshipped] but One ilah[God - Allah]. And if they cease not
from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall the
disbelievers among them. Will they not repent to Allah and ask His
Forgiveness? For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
Surah Al-
Maidah - Ayah's 73-74.

In an authentic hadith, the Prophet(saws) is reported to have said:

"Allah, blessed be He and Most High, says: 'O' son of Adam, indeed,
you will not supplicate to me and hope in me except that I will
forgive you, inproportion to what came from you(i.e. your level of
sincerity), and I won't mind. O' son of Adam, if your sins were to
reach in magnitude the height of the heavens, and then you were to
ask Me for forgiveness, I would forgive you and I won't mind. O' son
of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins that[in their size] almost
fill the earth, and you met Me without ascribing to Me any partners,
I would come to you with its size in forgiveness."

Bukhari narrated that the Prophet(saws) said:

"Indeed, Allah extends His Hand in the night to forgive the one who
sins in the day, and He extends His Hand in the day to forgive the
one who sins at night, and this is until the sun rises from the
west."


Yet in another hadith, the Prophet(saws) relates that Allah said:

"O' my slaves, verily you sin by day and night, and I forgive all
sins; so seek forgiveness from me and I will forgive you."

In another authentic hadith, the Prophet(saws) said:

"By the One Who has my soul in His Hand, if you were not to sin,
then Allah would remove you, and would bring another nation who
sins, and then seeks forgiveness from Allah; and He would forgive
them."


The Prophet(saws) further said:

"By the One Who has my soul in His Hand, if you were not to sin,
then I would fear upon you that wich is more severe than sin; and
that is self-conceit."


Again it is narrated in another authentic hadith:

"Every one of you is constantly doing wrong, and the best of those
who constantly do wrong are the ones who are constantly making
repentance."


He(saws) is also reported to have said:

"Truly, Allah is happier with the repenatnce of His slave than one
of you who is on his mount, and upon his mount is his drink and
food. Then he loses his mount in the desert, and he searches for it
until he loses hope. So he sleeps and then wakes to find his mount
to be beside him and he says, "O Allah, you are my slave and I am
your Lord.' He pronounced this mistake as a result of his extreme
happiness."


He further said:

"Verily, a slave (of Allah) continues a sin and then, he says, "O
Allah, forgive me my sin, for indeed, none forgives sins except
You.' Then he commits another sin, and he afterwards says, "O Allah,
forgive me my sin, for indeed, none forgives sins except You.' Then,
Allah says, "My slave knows that he has a Lord, Who takes one to
account for sins, and Who also forgives sins except You.' Then he
commits another sin, and he afterwards says, 'O' Allah, forgive me
my sin, for indeed, none forgives sins except You.' Then, Allah
says, 'My slave knows that he has a Lord, Who takes one to account
for sins, and Who also forgives sins, so let my slave do as he
wishes.' "


The meaning of this is that as long as Allah's slave is contrite and repentant, then Allah will forgive him. Let us make these
supplications, their purpose being to eliminate hardship, anxiety and grief:

"There is non worthy of worship except Allah, the Ever-Forbearing,
the All-Great. There is none worthy of worship except Allah, the
Lord of the Tremendous Throne. There is none worthy of worship
except Allah, the Lord of the Heavens, the Lord of the earth and the
Lord of the Noble Throne. O' Ever-Living, and O' One Who sustains
and protects all that exists, there is none worthy of worship except
You, and by Your Mercy do we seek Your aid."

"O' Allah, Your Mercy do I hope for; so do not leave me to myself
not even for the blinking of an eye. And make well for me all of my
affairs. There is none worthy of worship except You."

"I seek forgiveness from Allah: none is worthy of worship except
Him. He is the Ever-Living and the One Who sustains and protects all
that exists, and I turn to Him in repentance."

"There is none worthy of worship except You, and how perfect You
are; verily, I was among the wrongdoers."

"O' Allah, verily I am your slave, the son of your slaves, my
forelock is in your hand, your order concerning me will be executed
and just is Your judgment upon me. I ask You by all of Your Names
that You have named Yourself with, have revealed in Your Book, have
taught to one of Your creation, or is in Your knowledge only(from
the matters of the unseen): make the Qur'an the spring of my heart,
the light of my chest, the remover of my sadness and the purger of
my anxiety."

"O' Allah, I seek refuge in you from anxiety and grief, from
inability and laziness, from avarice and cowardice, from being
engrossed by debt, and from being overpowered by men."

"Allah(Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of
affairs(for us)."


Emotions and sentiments flare up for two reasons: (1) joy and (2) affliction. In a hadith, the Prophet(saws) said:

"Verily, I have been prohibited from emitting two foolish and wicked
sounds, one that is emitted when something favourable happens, and
the other that is expressed when calamity strikes."

"In order that you may not be sad over matters that you fail to get,
nor rejoice because of that wich has been givien to you. "
Surah An-
Hadid - Ayah 23.

For this reason, the Prophet(saws) said:

"Verily, true patience is that wich is displayed during the initial
shock."


Therefore, when one contains his emotions upon both the joyful and the calamitous occassion, he is likely to achieve peace and
tranquility, happiness and comfort, and the taste of victory over his own self. Allah described man as being exultant and boastful,
irritable, discontented when evil touches him, and niggardly when good touches him. The exceptions, Allah informs us, are those who remain constant in prayer. For they are on a middle path in times of both joy and sorrow. They are thankful during times of ease and are patient during times of hardship.

Unbridled emotions can greatly wear a person out, causing pain and loss of sleep. When such a person becomes angry, he flares up, threathens others, loses all self-control and surpasses the boundaries of justice and balance. Meanwhile, if he becomes happy,
he is in a state of rapture and wildness. In his intoxication of joy, he forgets himself and surpasses the bounds of modesty. When he renounces and relinquishes the company of others, he disparages them, forgetting their virtues while stamping out their good
qualities. On the other hand, if he loves others, he spares no pains in according them all forms of veneration and honour, portraying them as the pinacles of perfection. The Prophet(saws) said:


"Love the one who is beloved to you in due moderation, for perhaps
the day will come when you will abhor him. And hate the one whom you
detest in due moderation, for perhaps the day will arrive when you
will come to love him."

Allah has asked us not be sad. He says:

"So do not become weak [against your enemy], nor be sad..." Surah Al-
Imran- Ayah 139.

"And grieve not over them, and be not distressed because of what
they plot."
Surah an-Nahl - Ayah 127.

"Be not sad, surely Allah is with us."
Surah At-Taubah - Ayah 40.

We are informed in the following verse about the believers that:


"...upon such shall come no fear, nor shall they grieve." Surah Al-
Baqarah - Ayah 38.

Sadness enervates the sprit's will to action, paralysing the body into inactivity. The secret of this is that sadness prevents one
from action instead of compelling one towards it. The heart benefits nothing through grief. The most beloved thing to the devil is to make the worshipper sad in order to prevent him from continuing on his path. Allah says:


"Secret counsels [conspiracies] are only from Shaytaan (Satan), in
order that he may cause grief to the believers."
Surah Al-Mujadilah -
Ayah 10.

In the following hadith, the Prophet(saws) said:


"In a company of three, it is forbidden for two to hold secret
counsel while excluding the third, as this will be a cause of
sadness for him."


Contrary to what some believe(those who have an extreme ascetic bent), the believer should not seek out sadness, because sadness is a harmful element that afflicts the soul. The Muslim must repel sadness, fighting it in any way that is permissible in our Religion. There is no real benefit in sadness; the Prophet Muhammad(saws) sought refuge from it in the following supplication:

"O' Allah, I seek refuge in You from anxiety and grief."

Grief is coupled with anxiety in this hadith. The difference between the two is that if a bad feeling that pervades the heart is related to what is going to happen in the future, then it is anxiety. And if the cause of this feeling concerns the past, then it is grief. Both of them weaken the heart, causing inactivity and a decrease in will power.

"O you who believe! Seek help in patience and the Prayer." Surah Al-
Baqarah - Ayah 153.

If you are beset with fear and anxieties, stand up on such occasions and pray: your soul will find comfort and solace. The prayer - as long as you perform it sincerely with a wakeful heart - is guaranteed to have this effect on you. Whenever the Prophet(saws) was afflicted with hardship, he would say:

"O Bilal! Give us comfort and call for the prayer."

The prayer was his joy and pleasure; it was the delight of his eye. I have read biographies of many righteous people, people who would singularly turn to prayer when they were surrounded by difficulties and hardship, people who would pray until their strength, will and resolution returned to them.

This generation, wich is raged by psychological sicknesses, must return to the Mosque, prostrating and seeking Allah's pleasure. If we do not do this, tears will burn our eyes and grief will destroy our nerves.

By earnestly performing the five daily (obligatory) prayers, we achieve the greatest of blessings: atonement for our sins and an increase in rank with our Lord. Prayer is also a potent remedy for our sicknesses, for it instils faith into our souls. As for those that keep away from the Mosque, away from prayer, for them is unhappiness, wretchedness and an embittered life.

"For them is destruction, and Allah will make their deeds vain." Surah Muhammad - Ayah 8.

Jealousy is a disease that wreaks havoc not only on the mind, but also on the body. It is said that there is no repose for the jealous one, and that he is a wrongdoer wearing the garb of the one who is wronged. He is an enemy in the garb of a friend. In doing justice to this disease, one can say that it is a fair one, for it begins with its bearer, killing him first.

I forbid both you and myself from jealousy, because before we can show mercy to others we must first show it to ourselves. By being jealous of others, we are feeding misery with our flesh and blood and we are giving our sound sleep to others.

The jealous person lights a fire and then jumps into it. Jeasousy begets grief, pain and siffering, thus destroying what was once a calm and virtuous life. The curse of the jealous one is that he disputes with fate and contends that his Creator is unjust.

How like a disease is jealousy, yet unlike other diseases - the one afflicted by it recieves no reward in the Hereafter. The jealous person shall remain in fury until the day he dies, or until the good fortune of others departs from them. Everyone can be reconciled except the jealous one, because reconciliation with him requires that the blessings of Allah are removed from you or that you give up your talents and good qualities. If you were to do this, then perhaps he would become happy despite himself. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil of the jealous one, a person who becomes like a black poisonous snake, finding no repose until it releases its venom into an innocent body.

So stay far away from jealousy and seek refuge in Allah from the jealous person, because he is ever-watching you.

The words 'isolation' and 'seclusion' have a special meaning in our religion - to stay away from evil and its perpretators, and to keep those who are foolish at a distance. As a consequence, you will have an opportunity to reflect, to think and to graze in the meadows of enlightenment.

When you isolate yourself from things that divert you from Allah's obedience, you are giving yourself a dose of medicine, one that docotrs of the heart have found to be the most potent cure. By secluding yourself from evil and idleness, your brain is stimulated into action. The results are increases in faith, repentance and remembrance of Allah.

However, some gatherings are not only recommended, but are necessary: the congregational prayer, circles of learning and all agtherings wherein good is spread. As for gatherings wherein frivolity and shallowness preavil, be wary of them. Take flight from such gatherings, weep over your wrongdoing, hold your tongue and be content with the boundaries of your home. By mixing with others based on foolish motives, you endanger the stability and soundness of your mind. This is because those you are mixing with are experts at wasting time, masters of spreading lies, and are accomplished at spreading both trouble and mischief.

"Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder, and they would have hurried about you in your midst [spreading corruption] and sowing sedition among you..." Surah At-Taubah - Ayah 47.

My sole wish for you is that you fortify yourself to your puspose and isolate yourself in your room, except to speak well or to do well. When you apply this advice, you will find that your heart has returned to you. So use your time well and save your life from being wasted. Hold your tongue from backbiting, free your heart from anxiety and preserve your ears from profanity.

"No calamity befalls on the earth or in yourselves but it is inscribed in the Book of Decrees - before We bring it into existence." Surah Al-Hadid - Ayah 22.

The pen has dried, the pages have been lifted: all events that shall come to pass have already been written.

"Nothing shall ever happen to us except what Allah has ordained for us." Surah At-Taubah - Ayah 51.

Whatever has befallen you was not meant to escape you, and whatever has escaped you was not meant to befall you: If this belief were to be firmly ingrained in your heart, then all hardship and difficulty would become ease and comfort.

The Prophet(saws)said:

"Whoever Allah wishes good for, He inflicts him (with hardship)."

For this reason, do not feel overly troubled if you are afflicted with sickness, the death of a son, or a loss in wealth. Allah has
decreed these matters to occur and the decisions are His, and His alone. When we truly believe in this, we shall be rewarded well and our sins shall be atoned for it. For those that are afflicted with disaster, glad tidings await them: so remain patient and happy with your Lord.

"He cannot be questioned as to what He does, while they will be
questioned. "
Surah Al-Anbiya - Ayah 23.

You will never completely feel at ease until you firmly believe that Allah already pre-ordained all matters. The pen has dried and has written all that will happen to you, so do not feel remorse over that wich is not in your hands. Do not think that you could have prevented the fence from falling, the water from flowing, the wind from blowing or the glass from breaking. You could not have prevented these things, wether you wanted to or not. All that has been pre-ordained shall come to pass.

In a certain class of people there rages an internal war, one that doesnt take place on the battlefield but in one's bedroom, one's
office, one's own home. It is a war that results in ulcers or an increase in blood pressure. Everything frustrates these people: they become angry at inflation, furious because the rains came late, and exasperated when the value of their currency falls. They are forever perturbed and vexed, no matter what the reason.

"They think that every cry is against them."
Surah Al-Munafiqun -
Ayah 4.

My advice to you is this: do not carry the weight of the globe on your shoulders. Let the ground carry the burden of those things that happen, and do not attempt to carry them. Some people have a heart that is like a sponge, absorbing all kinds of fallacies and
misconceptions. It is troubled by the most insignificant of matters, somehow being troubled by all that takes place. This kind of heart is sure to destroy its possessor.

Those who are principled and are upon the true path are not shaken by hardship; instead, their faith increases. But the reverse is true for the weakhearted: when they face adversity or trouble, it is only their level of fear that increases. At a time of calamity, there is nothing more beneficial to you than a brave heart. The one who has such a heart is composed - he has firm faith and cool nerves. On the other hand, during the course of any given day, the coward slaughters himself many times with apprehensions and presentiments of impernding doom. Therefore, if you desire for yourself a stable life, face all situations with bravery and perseverance.

"And let not those who have no certainty of faith discourage you."
Surah Ar-Rum - Ayah 60.

Be more resolute than your circumstances and more ferocious than the winds of calamity. May mercy descend upon the weak-hearted, for how often are they shaken by the smallest of tremors.

"And verily, you will find them the greediest of mankind for life."
Surah Al-Baqarah - Ayah 96.

As for those who are resolute, they receive help from their Lord and are confident of His promise.

"He sent down calmness and tranquility upon them."
Surah Al-Fath -
Ayah 18.

The complete title for this section is "Do not be sad, for in truth, your Lord forgives sins and accepts repentance."

When you read the following verse, does not your heart feel calm, are not your worries driven away, and does not happiness permeate your whole being?

"Say: O'My slaves who have transgressed against themselves [by committing evil deeds and sins!] Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." Surah az-Zumar - Ayah 53.

He Allah, addressed them with 'O' My slaves', to tame their hearts and souls. He specifically mentioned those who transgress, since they are more disposed to perpetrating sins and evil deeds. How much greater then will be the Mercy of Allah for others! Thus He informed them that He forgives all sins of the one who repents, wether they are big or small, important or unimportant.

Do you not then rejoice upon reading the following verses?

"And those who, when they have committed Fahishah [illegal sexual intercourse etc.] or wronged themselves with evil, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their sins - and non can forgive sins but Allah. And do not persist in what [wrong] they have done, while they know." Surah al-Imran - Ayah 135.

"And whoever does evil or wrongs himself but afterwards seeks Allah's Forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most
Merciful."
Surah an-Nisa - Ayah 110.

"If you avoid the great sins wich you are forbidden to do, We shall remit from you your [small] sins, and admit you to a Noble Entrance [i.e. Paradise]." Surah an-Nisa - Ayah 31.

If they [hypocrites] when they had been unjust to themselves, had come to you [Muhammad] and begged Allah's Forgiveness, and the Messenger had begged forgiveness for them: indeed, they would have found Allah All-Forgiving [One Who accepts repentance], Most Merciful." Surah an-Nisa - Ayah 64.

"And verily, I am indeed Forgiving to him who repents, believes and does righteous good deeds, and then remains constant in doing them, [till his death]." Surah Ta-Ha - Aayah 82.

When a person knows the nature of this world and its qualities, he will find it to be dry, deceitful and unworthy; he will come to understand that this is its nature and its description. One of the Arab poets said:

"You have taken an oath not to betray us in our pacts, and it is as if you have vowed that in the end, you shall deceive us."

If the description of this world is as I have described it, then it is worthy of the intelligent person not to help it in its onslaught, not to surrender to depression and anxiety. What we should do is fight and defend ourselves from all feelings that may spoil our lives, a war that we must wage with all the strength that we have been endowed with.

"And make ready against them all you can of power; including steeds of war to threathen the enemy of Allah and your enemy..." Surah al- Anfal - Ayah 60.

"But they never lost heart for that wich did befall them in Allah's Way, nor did they weaken nor degrade themselves." Surah al-Imran - Ayah 146.

A pause to reflect: Do not be sad. If you are poor, then someone else is immersed in debt. If you do not own your own means of transportation, then someone else has been deprived of his legs. If you have reason to complain concerning the pains of sickness, then someone else has been bedridden for years. And if you have lost a child, then someone else has lost many children, for instance, in a single car accident.

Do not be sad. You are a Muslim who believes in Allah, His Messengers, His Angels, the Hereafter, and in Perordainment - the good and the bad of it. While you are blessed with this faith, wich is the greatest of blessings, others disbelieve in Allah, discredit the Messengers, differ among themselves concerning the Book, deny the Hereafter, and deviate in their understanding of Preordainment and Predestination.

Do not be sad, because if you are, you disturb your soul and heart, and you prevent yourself from sleeping. One of the Arab poets said:

"How often is the young man overcome with despair when afflicted, and with Allah is the way out. The situation becomes unbearable, and when its rope tightens, it snaps, and throughout, he never thought that he would be saved."

By brooding over the past and its tragedies, one evinces a form of insanity - a kind of sickness that destroys resolve to live for the present moment. Those who have a firm purpose have filed away and forgotten occurences of the past in the recesses of the mind. Episodes of the past are finshed with; sadness cannot retrieve them, melancholy cannot make things right, and depression will never bring the past back to life. This is because the past is non-existent.

Don't live in the nightmares of former times or under the shade of what you have missed. Save yourself from the ghoslty apparition of the past. Do you think that you can return the sun to its place of rising, the baby to his mother's womb, milk to the udder, or tears to eye?

By constantly dwelling on the past and its happenings, you place yourself in a very frightful and tragic stae of mind. Too much into the past is a waste of the present. When Allah mentioned the affairs of the previous nations, He said:

"That was a nation who has passed away." [Qur'an 2:134

Former days are gone and done with, and you benefit nothing by carrying out an autopsy over them, by turning back the wheels of history. The person who lives in the past is like someone who tries to see sawdust. Of old, they used to say: Do not remove the dead from their graves.

Our tragedy is that we are incapable of dealing with the present: neglecting our beautiful castles, we wail over dilapidated building. If every man and every jinn were to try jointly to bring back the past, they would fail because that is an impossibility.

Everything on earth marches forward, preparing for a new season and so should you. In the history of the world there are those that have produced their greatest works because of the pain or the suffering
they experienced. Al-Mutanabi, when afflicted with a severe fever, wrote some of his best poetry. An-Naabighah was threathened with death by An-Nu'maan ibn Mundhir, contributed the classic poem with the opening couplet:

"Verily, you are the sun, while other kings are the stars: when the
sun rises, no star in the sky is visible."

There are many such examples who prospered and became legends because of the sufferings they experienced. Therefore, do not become excessively anxious when you think of pain, and do not fear suffering. It might well be that through pain and suffering you become stronger. And furthermore, for you to live with a burning and
passionate heart that has been stung is purer and nobler than to live the dispassionate existence of a cold heart and a short-sighted outlook.

"But Allah was averse to their being sent forth, so He made them lag behind, and it was said (to them), "Sit you among those who sit (at home)." Surah At-Taubah - Ayah 46.

The words of a passionate sermon can reach the innermost depths of the heart and penetrate the deepest regions of the soul, usually because the one who gives such sermons has himself experienced pain and suffering.

"He knew what was in their hearts, and He sent down As-Sakeenah (calmness and tranquility) upon them, and He rewarded them with a near victory." Surah Al-Fath - Ayah 18.

I have read many books of poetry, yet most are passionless, without life or soul. This is ecause their authors never endured hardship, and because they were composed amongsurroundings of comfort. Thus the works of such authors were cold, like blocks of ice.

I have read books filled with sermons that do not shake a hair on the body of the listener and that lack an atom's weight of impact. The orator is not speaking with feeling and sentiment, or in other words, pain and suffering.

"They say with their mouths, that wich is not in their hearts. " Surah Al-Imran - Ayah 167.

If you wish to affect and influence others, wether it be with your speech or with your poetry, or even with your actions, you must first feel the passion inside of you. You must be moved yourself by the meanings of what you are trying to convey. Then, you will come to realize that you have an influence upon others.

"But when We send down water (rain) on it, it is stirred (to life), it swells and puts forths every lovely kind (of growth)." Surah Al- Hajj - Ayah 5.

Allah has asked us not to be sad. He says:

"So do not become weak[agaibst your enemy], nor be sad..." Surah Al Imran - Ayah 139.

"And grieve not over them, and be not distressed because of what they plot." Surah An- Nahl - Ayah 127.

"Be not sad, surely Allah is with us." Surah At-Taubah - Ayah 40.

We are informed in the following verse about the believers that:

"...upon such shall come no fear,nor shall they grieve." Surah Al Baqarah - Ayah 38.

Sadness enervates the spirit's will to action, paralysing the body into inactivity. The secret of this is that sadness prevents one from action instead of compelling one towards it. The hearts benefits nothing through grief. The most beloved thing to the devil is to make the worshipper sad in order to prevent him from continuing on his path. Allah says:

"Secret counsels[conspiracies] are only from shaytaan[satan], in order that he may cause grief to the believers." Surah Al-Mujadilah - Ayah 10.

In the following hadith, the Prophet(saws) said:

"In a company of three, it is forbidden for two to hold secret counsel while excluding the third, as this will be a cause of
sadness for him."

Contrary to what some believe(those who have an extreme ascetic bent), the believer should not seek out sadness, because sadness is a harmful element that afflicts the soul. The Muslim must repel sadness, fighting it in any way that is permissible in our Religion. There is no real benefit in sadness; the Prophet Muhammad(saws) sought refuge from it in the following supplication:

"O' Allah, I seek refuge in you from anxiety and grief."

Grief is coupled with anxiety in this hadith. The difference between the two is that if a bad feeling that pervades the heart is related to what is going to happen in the future, then it is anxiety. And if the cause of this feeling concerns the past, then it is grief. Both of them weaken the heart, causing inactivity and a decrease in will power. Being sad is not encouraged in religion.

Grief may sometimes be both inevitable and necessary. When they enter Paradise, its dwellers will say:

"All praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has removed from us [all] grief." Surah Fatir - Ayah 34.

This verse implies that they were afflicted with grief in this life, just as they were afflicted with other forms of hardship, both of wich were out of their control. So whenever one is overcome by grief and there is no to avoid it, one is rewarded, because grief is a form of hardship, and the believer is rewarded for going through hardship. Nonetheless, the believer must ward off grief with supplication and other practical means.

As for the saying of Allah:

"Nor [is there blame] on those who came to you to be provided with mounts, and when you said: 'I can find no mounts for you', they turned back, while their eyes overflowing with tears of grief that they could not find anything to spend." Surah At-Taubah - Ayah 92.

They were not praised for their grief in itself but for what that grief indicated and pointed to - namely, strong faith. This occurred when they remained behind during one of the Prophet's(saws) expeditions, due to their inability to find the necessary resources needed to make the trip. Hence the hypocrites are exposed, because they did not feel grief when they remained behind.

Therefore the good kind of grief is that wich is occasioned when one misses out on an opportunity to do a good deed, or when one performs a sin. When one feels sad because he was negligent in fulfilling the rights of Allah, he shows a characteristic of a person who is on the right path.

The Prophet(saws) said:

"Whatever befalls the believer in terms of anxiety, hardship or grief, Allah will make it an atonement for (some of) his sins."

This indicates that grief is a trial with wich the believer is afflicted, and through wich some of his sins are atoned for.
However, it does not indicate that grief is something to be sought after; the believer should not seek out means of finding grief, thinking that he is performing an act of worship. If this were the case, then the prophet(saws) would have been the first to apply this principle. But he didn't search for misery; rather, his face was always smiling, his heart was content, and he was continually joyful.

Only a minority of people meet hardship with a strong bearing and a patient countenance. But we must consider this, though it may seem obvious; if you or I will not be patient then what else is there for us to do? Do you have an alternative solution? Do you know of any better provision than patience?

Those that achieve greatness most likely had to surmount an ocean of difficulties and hardships before finally achieving success. Know that each time you escape a difficulty, you will have to face another. through this constant conflict, you must arm yourself with patience and a strong trust in Allah.

This is the way of the noble-minded: they face difficulties with firm resolution and they wrestle hardship to the ground.

Therefore be patient and know that your patience is only through Allah. Have the patience of one who is confident of forthcoming ease, one who knows that there will be a good ending, one who seeks reward from his Lord, hoping, that by facing these difficulties, he will find expiation for his sins. Have patience, no matter what the difficulty and no matter how dark the road ahead seems. For truly, with patience comes victory, and with difficluty relief follows close behind.

After having read biographies of some successful people from the past, I became amazed at the amount of patience they displayed, at their ability to bear heavy burdens only to emerge as stronger human beings. Hardship fell upon their heads like the lashing of freezing rain and yet they were as firm as mountains. And then, after a short time had passed, they were rewarded for their patience with, success. An intelligent and skilfull person transforms losses into profits; whereas the unwise and unskilled aggravates his own predicament making two disasters out of one.

The Prophet(saws) was compelled to quit Makkah and he stayed at Madinah - the city that took its place in history with lightning speed. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal was imprisoned secerely, tortured and flogged, yet he emrged triumphant, becoming the Imam of the Sunnah. Imam As-Sarakhsi was kept as a prisoner at the bottom of a deserted well and he managed therein to produce twenty volumes on Islamic jurisprudence.

Therefore, if you are afflicted with a misfortune, look on the bright side. If someone were to hand you a glass full of squeezed lemons, add to it a handful of sugar. And if someone gives you a snake as a gift, keep its precious skin and leave the rest.

"And it may be that you dislike a thing that is good for you..." Surah Al-Baqarah - Ayah 216.

From Whom do the weak and the oppressed sek victory? Who does everyone beseech? He is Allah. No one has the right to be worshipped except He. Therefore it is most expedient for you and I to supplicate to Him during times of hardship and of ease, to seek shelter with Him in difficult times, and to plead at His doorstep with tears of repentance. Then will His help and relief quickly arrive.

"Is not He[the best] Who responds to the distressed one, when he calls on Him." Surah An-Naml - Ayah 62

There are many Dua's you will find in the books of Sunnah. In them, you will learn prophetic supplications with wich you can call on Allah, supplicate to Him, and seek His aid. If you have found Him, then you have found everything. And if you lose your faith in Him, then you have lost everything. By supplicating to Him you are performing one of the highest forms of worship. If you are constant and sincere in your supplication, you will achieve freedom from worry and anxiety. All ropes are cut loose save His, and all doors are shut save His. He is near, He hears all and answers the one who
supplicates to Him. In fact, although you may be poor, weak and in need, while He is All-Rich and All-Powerful, He orders you to supplicate to Him.

"...Invoke Me, I will respond to your [invocation]." Surah Ghafir - Ayah 60.

So if you are surrounded by affliction, remember Him, call out His Name, ask Him for help, and seek from Him victory. Place your forehead on the ground and mention His praises, so that you can obtain true freedom. Raise your hands in supplication, and ask of Him constantly. Cling to His door, have good thoughts about Him, and wait for His help! You will find true happiness and success. The first person who benefits from an act of charity is the benefactor himself, by seeing changes in himself and in his manners, by finding peace, by watching a smile form on thelips of another. If you find yourself in difficulty or distress, show kindness to others: you will be the first to find solace and comfort. Give to the needy, defend the oppressed, feed the poor, help those in distress, visit the sick: you will find that happiness surrounds you from all directions.

An act of charity is like perfume - it benefits the user, the seller and the buyer. Furthermore, the psychological benefits that one receives from helping others are great. If you suffer from depression, an act of charity will have a more potent effect for your sickness than the best of drugs can have. Even when you smile upon meeting others, you are giving charity. The Prophet(saws) said:

"Do not dismiss certain acts of kindness by deeming them to be insignificant; even if you meet your brother with a smiling face [then it is an action, wich might weigh heavily in your scale of deeds]."

O' you, who are threathened by misery, fear and grief, occupy yourself in hte betterment of others. Help others in different ways - through charity, hospitality, sympathy and support. And in doing so, you will find all the happiness that you desire.

"He who spends his wealth for increase in self-purification, and has his in his mind no favour from anyone for wich a reward is expected in return; except only the desire to seek the Countenance of his Lord, the Most High. He surely will be pleased [when he enters Paradise]." Surah Al-Lail - Ayat 18-21

Truthfulness is loved by Allah and is cleaning soap for the heart. And there is no deed that gives such pleasure to the heart, or has greater reward, than the remembrance of Allah.

"Therefore remember Me, and I will remember you..." Surah Al- Baqarah - Ayah 152.

The remembrance of Allah is His paradise on earth, whoever does not enter it will not enter the Paradise of the Hereafter. Remembrance is not only a safe haven from the problems and worries of this world, vut it is also the short and easy path to achieving ultimate success. Read the various passages in revelation that refer to the remembrance of Allah, and you will appreciate its benefits.

By remembering Allah, clouds of worry and fear are driven away, and the mountains that make up your problems are blown away. We should not be surprised when we hear that people who remember Allah are at peace. It is really very strange how the unmindful and negligent survive without remembering Him.

"[They are] dead, lifeless, and they know not when they will be raised up." Surah An-Nahl - Ayah 21.

O'whosoever complains of sleepless nights and is in shock over his misfortune, call out His Holy Name.

"Do you know of any that is similar to Him!" Surah Maryam - Ayah 65.

To the degree that you remember Allah, your heart will be calm and cheerful. His remembrance carries with it the meaning of total dependence upon Him, of turning to Him for aid, of having good thoughts about Him, and of waiting for victory from Him. Truly, He is near when supplicated: He hears when He is called and He answers when asked for, so humble yourself before Him and ask of Him sincerely. Repeat His beautiful blessed Names, and mention Him as being alone worthy of worship. Mention His praises, supplicate to Him, and ask for forgiveness from Him, you will then find - by the will of Allah - happiness, peace and illumination. By being unconcerned by trifles, you display a virtue that will bring you happiness, for the one who is lofty in his aims is engrossed only with concern for the Hereafter.

One of our pious predeccors advised one of his brothers:

"Have one concern only: the concern of meeting Allah, that of standing in front of Him, thatof the Hereafter."

"That Day you shall be brought to Judgement, not a secret of you will be hidden." Surah Al-Haqqah - Ayah 18.

There is not a single worry or concern whose significance is not diminished by comparison with that of the Hereafter. What are the worries of this life? They are status, prrstige, fame, income, wealth, mansions and children. They are nothing when compared to the accountability before Allah!

Allah describes His enemies, the hpocrites, by saying:

"While another party was thinking about themselves [as how to save their own selves, ignoring the others and the Prophet] and thought wrongly of Allah..." Surah Al-Imran - Ayah 154.

Their concerns are fo themselves, their stomachs and their lusts; they know nothing of higher motives.

When the people pledged allegiance to the Prophet(saws) under the tree, one of the hypocrites left hastily in search of his red camel, wich had strayed. He said, "For me to find my camel is much more beloved than your ceremony of pledging allegiance."

It has been reported in a hadith: "All of you have been forgiven, except the owner of the red camel."

Those who are ignorant speak against Allah, the Creator of all that exist, so what treatment should we expect, who are full of faults? You will have to face criticism in your life, wich in its onslaught is like an interminable war: it shows no sign of ending. As long as you shine, give, produce and have an effect upon others, then dissaproval and condemnation will be your lot in life. Until you escape from people by finding a tunnel in the ground or a ladder leading to the sky, they will not desist from censuring you or from finding fault in your character. For that reason, as long as you are from the denizens of earth, expect to be hurt, to be insulted and to be criticized.

But here is something you should contemplate: a person who is sitting on the ground does not fall, and people do not kick a dead dog. Therefore their anger toward you can be attributed to you surpassing them in righteousness, knowledge, manners or wealth. In their eyes you are a transgressor whose wrongs cannot be atoned for - unless you abandon your talents and strip yourself of all praiseworthy qualities, so that you become stupid, worthless, and to them, innocuous. This is exactly what they want for you.

So remain firm and patient when facing their insults and criticism. If you are wounded by their words and let them have an influence over you, you have realized their hopes - to make your life miserable and wretched. Forgive them by showing them the most beautiful of manners. Turn away from them and do not feel distressed by their schemes. Their criticism will only improve your worth and merit.

Verily, you will not be able to silence them but you will be able to bury their crticisms by turning away from them and dismissing what they have to say.

"Say: Perish in your rage." Surah Al-Imran - Ayah 119.

In fact, you will be able to increase them in their rage by increasing your merits and developing your talents. If you desire to be accepted by all and loved by all, you desire the unattainable. Everything occurs according to pre-ordainment and according to what has been decreed. Such is the belief of Muslims, the followers of the Prophet Muhammad(saws). And nothing happens in the Universe except through Allah's Knowledge, Permission and Divine Plan.

"No calamity vefalls on the earth or in yourselves but is inscribed in the Book of Decrees - [Al-Lauh Al-Mahfoodh], before We bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for Allah." Surah Al-Hadid -
Ayah 49.

We have created all things with Qadar [Divine Pre-ordainment]." Surah Al-Qamar - Ayah 49.

"And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear; hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to the patient ones." Surah Al-Baqarah - Ayah 155.


It is narrated that the Prophet(saws) said: "Wonderful is the affair of the believer! His affairs in their entirety are good for him: if good befalls him, he is thankful and that is good for him. And if harm befalls him, he is patient, and that is good for him. And this (prosperous state of being) is only for the believer."

In another authentic hadith, the Prophet(saws) sais:

"If you ask, then ask of Allah, and if you seek help, then seek it from Allah. And know that if the whole of the nation were to rally together in order to bring benefit to you in anything, they would not benefit you except with that wich Allah has written for you. And if they were to gather together in order to inflict harm upon you with something, they would not harm you except with that wich Allah has written upon you. The pens have been raised and the pages are dried."

The Bliss of the Companions

Our Prophet(saws) came to all people with a heavenly message. He was not driven by wordly ambition, he had no treasure from wich to spend, no splendid gardens from wich to eat, and no castle in wich to live. Despite all this, his loving followers pledged allegiance to him and remained steadfast, enduring a hard life full of difficulties. They were few and weak, always in fear of being uprooted by those surrounding them, and yet they loved him wholly and completely.

They were besieged in the mountain pass, and during that time, they had little or no food. Their reputations were attacked, their own relatives waged war against them, and yet their love for him was perfect.

Some of them were dragged over the hot sands of the desert, some were imprisoned, and others were subject to inventive and iinovative ways of punishment - all of wich the disbelievers inflicted upon them. Having to endure all of that, they still loved him unreservedly with heart and soul.

They were deprived of home, country, family and wealth. They were driven out from the playing fields of their childhood and from the homes in wich they were raised. Despite all of this suffering, they loved him unequivocally.

The believers faced trials because of his message. The very ground under them was shaken violently, and yet their love for him continued to grow. The best among their youth constantly had swords hanging menacingly over their heads. Their men moved forward lightly across the battlefield, advancing to death as if they were upon an excursion or oa holiday, for the simple reason that they loved him unconditionally.

One of them was charged with the duty of carrying his message to a king in a foreign land and that person knew that it was a mission from wich he would not return. Yet he went and fulfilled his duty. One of them was sent on a mission, knowing that it would be the cause of his death, and he went happily, for he loved the Prophet(saws) with unmitigated love.

But why did they love him, and why were they so happy with his message and content with his example? Why did they forget the pain, the suffering, and the hardship that resulted from following him?

To put it simple, he epitomized benevolence and righteousness. Thet percieved in him all the signs of truth and purity. He was a symbol for those who sought out higher things. With his tenderness he cooled the rancour in hearts of people, with words of truth he soothed their chests, and with his message he filled their souls with peace.

He poured happines into their hearts, until the pain that they endured from being at his side was made to feel insignificant. And he poured into their souls a belief that made them forget every injury, every harm, and every adversity.

He polished their insides with his guidance and he illuminated their eyes with his brilliance. He removed from them the burdens of ignorance, the depravitites of idolatry, and the evil consequences of polytheism. He extinguished the fires of malice and animosity from their souls and he poured the water of faith into their hearts. Thus, their minds and bodies became relaxed and their hearts found peace.

They tasted the beauty of life with him and they knew delight in his company. they found happiness at his side, safety and salvation in following him, and inner-richness in emulating him:

"And We have sent, you[O' Muhammad] not but as a mercy for all that exists." Surah Al-Anbiya - Ayah 107.

"And verily, you[O' Muhammad] are indeed guiding [mankind] to the straight path." Surah Ash-Shura - Ayah 52.

"And He brings them out of darkness [by Allah's Will] unto light..." Surah Al-Ma'idah - Ayah 16.

Also among the principles of the art of happiness is to value life on this earth according to its true merit and worth. This life is frivilous and does not warrant anything from you except that you turn away from it. This life is filled with calamities, aches and wounds. If that is the description of this life, then how can one be unduly affected by its minor calamities, and how can one grieve over such material things as have passed by? The best moments of life are tainted, its future promises are mere mirages, the succesful one in it are envied, the one who is blessed is constantly threathened, and lovers are struck down by some unexpected misfortune.

There is a hadith:

"Verily, knowledge is only acquired by the practice of learning, and tolerance is acquired by the practice of tolerating."

If one were to reflect and attempt to apply the meaning of this hadith to the topic under discussion, then he could go one step further and say that happiness is acquired by assuming it. It is acquired by constantly smiling, by hunting for the reasons that make on happy, and even by forcing it onto one's self, however awkward that may seem. One does all of these things until happiness becomes second nature.

The truth of the matter is that you cannot remove from yourself all remnants of grief. And the reason for this is that life is created as a test:

"Verily, We have created man in toil." Surah Al-Balad - Ayah 4.

"That He might try you, wich of you is the best in deeds." Surah Hud - Ayah 7.

But the message that I wish to convey to you is that you should, as much as possible, reduce the amount and intensity of your grief. As for being completely free from grief; this is for the inhabitants of Paradise in the Hereafter. This is why the dwellers of Paradise shall say:

"All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has removed from us [all] grief." Surah Fatir - Ayah 34.

This is considered to be a proof that grief was not removed from them except in Paradise. And in another hadith, the Prophet(saws) said:

"And I ask you [O' Allah] to make me just, both while being in a state of anger and while being in a state of joy."

So when a person curbs his emotions, when he controls his mind, and when to each matter he gives according to the weight of its importance, he will have taken a step toward wisdom and true understanding.

"Indeed We have sent Our Messengers with clear proofs, and revealed with them the Scripture and the Balance[justice] that mankind may keep up justice." Surah Al-Hadid - Ayah 25.

Indeed, Islam came as much with balance in morals, manners and dealings as it did with its straightforward, holy and a truthful way of life.

"Thus We have made you a just[the best] nation." Surah Al-Baqarah - Ayah 143.

Being just is an end that is called for in both our manners and in matters of jurisprudence. In fact, Islam is founded on truth and justice - truthfulness in all that we are told through revelation, and justice in rulings, sayings, actions and manners.

"And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice." Surah Al An'am - Ayah 115.

Among the greatest of blessings is to have a calm, stable and happy heart. For in happiness the mind is clear, enabling one to be a productive person. It has been said that happiness is an art that needs to be learnt. And if you learn it, you will be blessed in this life. But how does one learn it? A basic principle of achieving happiness is having an ability to endure and to cope with any situation. Therefore you should neither be swayed nor governed by difficult circumstances, nor should you be annoyed by insignificant trifles. Based on the purity of the heart and its ability to endure, a person will shine. When you train yourself to be patient and forbearing, then hardship and calamity will be easy for you to bear.

The opposite of being content is being short-sighted, being concerned for no one but one's own self and forgetting about the world and all that is in it. Allah described his enemies as follows:

"Thinking about themselves [as how to save their onw sleves, ignoring the others and the Prophet]..." Surah Al Imran - Ayah 154.

It is as if such people see themselves as being the whole universe, or at least at the centre of it. They think not of others, nor do they live for anyone but themselves. It is incumbent upon you and I to take time out to be preoccupied wiht more than just ourselves, and to sometimes distance ourselves from our own problems in order to forget our wounds and hurts. By doing this we gain two things: we make ourselves happy, and we bring joy to others.

Basic to the art of happines is to bridle our thoughts and to rstrain them, not a llowing them to wander, stray, esacape or go wild. For if you were to leave your thoughts to wander as they wish, then they will run wild and control you. They will open the catalogue of your past woes. They will remind you of the history of your misfortunes, beginning from the day that your mother gave you birth. If your thoughts are left to roam, then they will bring to you images of a future that is frightening. These thoughts will shake your very being and will cause your feelings to flare. Therefore bridle them, and restrain them by directing them to the concentrated application of the kind of serious thought that begets fruitful and beneficial work.

"And put your trust in the Ever-Living One Who dies not." Surah Al-Furqan - Ayah 58.

"And Allah taught you that wich you knew not. And Ever-Great is the Grace of Allah unto you [O' Muhammad]." Surah An-Nisa - Ayah 113.

Ignorance kills one's conscience and soul.

"I admonish you, lest you be one of the ignorant." Surah Hud - Ayah 46.

Knowledge is a light that leads to wisdom. It is life for the soul and fuel for the character.

"Is he who was dead[without Faith by ignorance and disbelief] and We gave him life[by knowledge and Faith] and set for him a light[of Belief] whereby he can walk amongst men, like him who is in the darkness[of disbelief, polytheism and hypocrisy] from wich he can never come out?" Surah An'am- Ayah 122.

Happiness and high-spiritedness come with eblightenment, because through knowledge, one may fulfil his goals and discover what was previously hidden from him. The soul, by its very nature, longs for the acquisition of new knowledge to stimulate the mind.

Ignorance is boredom and grief, because the ignorant person leads a life that never offers something new, something that is mind-provoking. Yesterday is liek today wich, in turn, is like tomorrow. If you desire happiness, then seek out knowledge and enlightenment, and you will find that anxiety, depression and grief will leave you.

"And say: My Lord! Increase me in knowledge." Surah Ta-Ha - Ayah 114.

"Read In the Name of your Lord, Who has created [all that exists]" Surah Al-Alaq - Ayah 1.

The Prophet(saws) said:

"Whoever Allah wishes for him good, He gives his an understanding of the Religion."

Therefore if someone is ignorant and has no knowledge, let them not be proud of either their wealth or their status in society: their life is lacking in meaning, their achievements are woefully incomplete.

"Shall he then who knows that what has been revealed unto you[O Muhammad] from your Lord is the truth be like him who is blind?" Surah Ar'rad - Ayah 19.

How noble is enlightenment! And through it, how happy the soul!

"Is he who is on a clear proof from his Lord, like those for whom their evil deeds that they do are beautified for them, while they follow their own lusts[evil desires]." Surah Muhammad - Ayah 14.

If you believe that you are inconsequential and have been created for things of only minor importance then your achievement in life will never surpass this inital goal. And if you believe that your calling in life is to achieve extraordianry feats, you will feel in you a determination that can destroy all kinds of barriers. This can be exemplified as follows. Whoever eneters a 100 metre race will feel tired the moment he completes it, whereas anyone that enters a 400 metre race, will not feel fatigue after passing the 100 or 200 metre mark. Therefore the soul gives resolution and will power in proportion to your goal. Thus you must identify your goal, and let it be high and difficult to achieve. And never feel despondency as long as you are taking a new step in its direction everyday.

What blocks the soul, making it frown and placing it in a dark prison? the answer is despondency, hopelessness, seeing everything as being evil, searching for faults in others and in constantly speaking about the evilness of the world.

Blessed is the one who has a teacher that helps him to develop his natural abilities and broaden his horizons. The best teacher is the one that instils kindness and generosity into his pupil, and teaches that the noblest of pursuits that one can strive for, is to be a source of goodness to others, in accordance with one's abilities. the soul shoudl be like the sun, radiating light and hope. the heart should be filled with tenderness, virtue, benevolence and a genuine love for spreading good to all those that are connected to it.

The smiling soul sees difficulties, and loves to surmount them. When it sees problems, it smiles. It solves them, overcomes them, and smiles. The frowning soul, when faced with a problem, magnifies it and belittles its own determination, while spending all its time justifying. What is the age or times that it curses except its own self and upbringing. It loves success in life, but is not willing to pay its price. On every path, it sees a grinning lion. It waits only for gold to shower down upon it, or to chance upon some treasure in the ground.

Difficult things in life are only relative, for everything is difficult for the ordianry person, while there is no great difficulty for the remarkable person. While the remarkable person increases in worhtiness by overcoming obstacles, the weak person increases in meanness by running away from them. Problems are comparable to a vicious dog. When it sees you scared or running away, it barks and follows in pursuit. However, when it sees your scorn, your lack of concern, and when you shine your eyes in its direction, it gives way and recoils within itself.

Pain is not always a negative force and it is not something that you should always hate. At times a person benefits when he feels pain.

You might remember, that at times when you felt a lot of pain, you sincerely supplicated and remembered Allah. When he is studying, the student often feels the pangs of heavy burden, soemtimes perhaps the burden of monotony, yet he eventually this stage of life as a scholar. He felt burdened with pain at the beginning but he shined at the end. The aches and pangs of passon, the poverty and the scorn of others, the frustration and anger at injustices - these all cause the poet to write flowing and captivating verses. This is because he himself feels pain in his heart, his nerves, and in his blood and as a result, he is able to infuse the same emotions into the hearts of others. How many painful experiences does the writer undergo, experiences that inspire brilliant works, works that posterity continues to enoy and learn from.

The student who lives the life of comfort and repose and who is not stung by hardships, or who has never been befallen by calamity will be an unproductive, lazy and lethargic person.

Indeed, the poet who knows no pain and who has never tasted bitter dissapointment will invariably produce heaps upon heaps of cheaps words - absolute humdrum. This is because his words pur forth from his tongue and not from his feelings or emotion, and though he may comprehend what he has written, his heart and body have not lived the experience.

More worthy and relevant to the aforementioned examples are the lives of the early believers, who lived during the period of revelation and who took part in the most important religious revolution that mankind has seen. Indeed, they had greater faith, noble hearts, more truthful tongues, and deeper knowledge, they had all of these because they lived through the pain and suffering that are necessarily concomitant to great revelutions. they felt the pains of hunger, of poverty, of rejection , of abuse, of banishment from home and country, of abandonment of all pleasures, of the pains of wounds and of death and torture. They were in truth chosen ones, the elite of mankind. They were models of purity, nobleness and sacrifice.

"That is because they suffer neither thirst nor fatigue, nor hunger in the Cause of Allah, nor they take any step to raise the anger of disbelievers nor inflict any injury upon an enemy, but is written to their credit as a deed of righteousness. Surely, Allah wastes not the reward of the doers of good." Surah At-Taubah - Ayah 120.

How much in need we are of a smile, a friendly face, easy-going manners, and a gentle, generous soul.

The Prophet(saws) said:

"Verily, Allah has revealed to me that you should be humble, so that none of you should transgress upon another, and none of you should be arrogant and proud to another."

Smile - Pause to reflect.

Do not be sad: when you experienced sadness yesterday, you were neither benefitted nor consoled. Your son failed, and you became dpressed, yet did this depression change the fact that he failed? Your father passed away, and you became downhearted, yet did this bring him back to life? You lost your business, and you became saddned. Did this change your situation by transforming losses into profits?

Do not be sad: You became despondent due to a calamity, and by doing so, created additional calamities. You became depressed because of poverty and this only increased the bitterness of your situation. You became gloomy because of what your enemies said to you, and by doing so, you unwittingly helped them in their attack upon you. You became sullen because you expected a particular misfortune, and yet it never came to pass.

Do not be sad: Truly a large mansion will not protect you from the effects of depression; and neither will a beautiful wife, abundant wealth, a high position or brilliant children.

Do not be sad: Sadness causes you to imagine poison when you are really looking at pure water, to see a catus when you are looking at a rose, to see a barren desert when you are looking at a lush garden, and to feel that you are in an unbearable prison when you are living on a vast and expansive earth.

Do not be sad: You have two eyes, two ears, lips, two hands, two legs, a tongue, a heart, peace, safety and a healthy body.

"Then wich of the Blessings of your Lord will you both [jinn and men] deny?" Surah Ar-Rahman - Ayah 13.

Do not be sad: You have the true Religion to live by, a house to live in, bread to eat, water to drink, clothes to wear, a wife to find comfort in; why then the melancholy?

There are those souls that are able to turn everything into misery, whilst there are those that are able to make from everything happiness and contentment. there is the woman in the house whose eyes fall upon nothing but mistakes. Today is black because a piece of fine china broke or because the cook put too much salt in the food. then she flares up and curses, and no one int he hosue escapes from her execrations. Then there is the man who brings misery upon his own self and through his disposition heaps it upon others also. Any word that he hears he inetprets in the worst possible way. He is affected gravely by the most insignificant of things that occur to him, or that have occurred to him by his actions. He is drawn into misery by profits lost, by profits expected that went unrealized, and so on. The whole world from his perspective is black, and so he blackens it for those around him. Such people have much ability to over-exaggerate the trifles that occur to them. Thus they make mountains out of molehills. Their ability to do well is negligent, and they are never happy or content with that wich they have, even if what they had was plenty. No matter how great their possessions, they will never fell any blessings from what they ahve.

Life is like an art or a science: it needs to be learned and cultivated. It is much better for a person to plant love in his life than to glorify money, using all his might to help it ease its way into his pocket or into his account. What is life when all its energies are exploited and used for the sole purpose of accumulating wealth, an existence where no energy is directed toward the cultivation of beauty, splendour and love?

Most people do not open their eyes to the beauty of life, but open them only to gold or silver. They pass by a lush and luxuriant garden, a beautiful bed of roses, a flowing river or a group of singing birds, yet they are unmoved by such scenes. All that moves them is the coming and going of money into or out of their pockets. Money is but a means to a happy life. They have reversed this fact, have sold their happy existence, and have made money to be an end in itself. Our body has been equipped with eyes to see beauty with, yet we have trained them to look on nothing but money.

Nothing can cause the soul or the face to frown as does despondency. If you want to be a smiling person, wage war with despondency and hopelesness. The door to opportunity is always open to you and to others, and so is the door to success. So indoctrinate your mind with hopes of prosperity in the future.

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