Some Spontaneous Thoughts
Salmaan ibn Fahd al-'Awdah
1.
Arguing is a harsh way of dealing with differences. You will
hardly ever find it mentioned in the Qur`an or Sunnah except
that it
is either censured, or qualified by the phrase, "except in the best
way".
2. Your loud voice is not proof
of the depth of your knowledge, for
an empty utensil makes more noise than a full one.
3. The nafs [self] is oft-reproaching,
quick to change positions. In
it, sometimes, will shine the light of certainty, so brilliantly
that it is amazed at
those who swerve off from the straight path;
how did they relish disobedience and misguidance? Then it relapses,
its
light is dimmed, and it is overcome by the cursed Satan with his
cavalry and infantry. He makes the pleasures of this world's
life
attractive, and seduces the nafs until it is amazed by those
following the guidance and abstaining from the disobediences:
how
did they abstain and have patience? Man will be for whatever
prevails over him, and the one protected from sin is
the one
protected by Allah.
4. When you notice in a person some manifest act of obedience to
Allah, and some
secret act of disobedience, you might regard the act
of obedience as showing off or hypocrisy, and the disobedience as
the
genuine trait of that person. Justice demands from you otherwise.
5. You will rarely find a person who weighs the faults
of others
without pushing down one side of the scales with his thumb.
6. Winning over hearts is more important than
winning over stances
(i.e. positions).
7. Do not look through the eyes of others.
8. Most people ask about
physical actions, so what about the actions
of the heart?
9. I was harsh on you, but for your sake.
10. Some
people are impeded by the hurdle of consciousness of Allah
from being conscious of Allah.
11. All are stricken and
you are safe?
All got it wrong and you got it right?
All are blameworthy, and
you have excuses?
12. We often mix between what is for Allah's sake and what is for
our own sake.
