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In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate
"May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You"
Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah
As-Salaam Alaykum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakaatuh
This Worldly Life is only a Transition
We already have the images of our best destination. They have been beautifully illustrated for us by God in the Quran and throughout the Hadith.
Where is your focus?
What do you spend most of your time thinking about?
What are your main topics of conversation?
We are here in this blessed month of Ramadan; the month that we have all been longing for. It’s the month that we aim to contemplate on the Quran and the beauty of creation, and when we take time out of our normal routine to reconnect with Islam, do moreibadahand do more good deeds. It’s the month we all try to get closer to God and renew ourselves spiritually and physically and re-energize ourselves for the year ahead.
Many of the acts of worship during Ramadan are part of an internal personal journey; they are between the believer and their Lord.
But let me ask you a question, is this contemplation reflected in your behavior and your conversations, or are your conversations mainly about on how difficult it is to fast due to the weather or the long days, the bad news that is happening around the world, problems people are having in their relationships at home or at work, etc. or is it about the beauty of Islam, motivating and supporting other and about God’s promise of Paradise for those who are fasting?
Are you focusing on the big picture, the reason why we are fasting, the reason we and the world are going through all these tests and how we can please God through these tests? Or are you focusing on the pebbles on the path rather than the destination?
{And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient...}(Al-Baqarah2: 155)
What are those glad tidings?
They are the reward of Paradise for those who patiently persevere! If you put more of your focus on that, wouldn’t it put the transitional nature of this worldly life into context and let it be seen as purely a means to an end?
The Vision
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There is nothing better that we could possibly imagine than Paradise; it is the best of the best.
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There is much talk these days about the power of vision boards. Basically, they are a selection of pictures and images of the things people want to be, do and have in their lives. The vision boards are put in prominent places and help to motivate people to achieve their life goals.
We already have the images of our best destination. They have been beautifully illustrated for us by God in the Quran and throughout the Hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
{...And therein is whatever the souls desire and [what] delights the eyes, and you will abide therein eternally…}(Az-Zukhruf43: 71)
There is nothing better that we could possibly imagine than Paradise; it is the best of the best.
We can’t actually draw images of Paradise or find physical pictures to stick on a vision board, as we can never fully imagine the beauty of it all, but if we conjure up our own mental images and talk about them to others; realizing that everything will be far more precious than anything we can imagine. What a powerful reminder and motivator that will be to help us minimize the effect of the pebbles on the road?
The Promise
So what is it that God promises us in Paradise?
Below are just a few of the things God promises us. Read each one of them carefully and reflect on what Paradise will be like when you arrive there(insha Allah):
{And you will have therein whatever your souls desire, and you will have therein whatever you request [or wish]}(Fussilat41:31;4:57;55:46,52,66,68,13:35)
Prophet Muhammad used to describe Paradise to his companions:
“It is sparkling light, aromatic plants, a lofty palace, a flowing river, ripe fruit, a beautiful wife and abundant clothing, in an eternal abode of radiant joy, in beautiful soundly-constructed high houses.” (Ibn Majah and Ibn Hibban)
“Bricks of gold and silver, and mortar of fragrant musk, pebbles of pearl and sapphire, and soil of saffron. Whoever enters it is filled with joy and will never feel miserable; he will live there forever and never die; their clothes will never wear out and their youth will never fade.” (Ahmad)
As for the Provision of Paradise:
{They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and will wear green garments of fine silk and brocade, reclining therein on adorned couches.}(18:31;69:24;47:15; 37:45-7;76:17)
As for the People of Paradise:
“Indeed may you be healthy and never be sick again, may you live and never die again, may you be young and never grow feeble again, may you enjoy, and never feel sorrow and regret again.” (Muslim)
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One of the best ways to reduce the effect of the pebbles on the journey is to focus on the destination.
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{And they will have therein purified spouses, and they will abide therein eternally.}(Al-Baqarah2:25)
“They relieve themselves by perspiring through their skins, and its fragrance will be that of musk, and all stomachs will have become lean.” (Ibn Hibban)
{And We will have removed whatever is within their breasts of resentment, [while] flowing beneath them are rivers.}(Al-A`raf7:43;13:23;4:69)
As for the Greatest Promise of Paradise:
{[Some] faces, that Day, will be radiant, looking at their Lord.}(Al-Qiyamah,75:22-23)
Yes, when you get there you will see the face of your Lord! What greater blessing can there be than that?
Yet the Prophet said:
“Never mind what Allah has told you; what He has not told you is even greater.”(Muslim)
So there is even more to come that we don’t yet know about!
Summoning the Vision
One of the best ways to reduce the effect of the pebbles on the journey is to focus on the destination. If you concentrate your mind on your destination, Paradise(insha Allah), it will reduce this world in your mind to the transient place that it is; the stepping stone to get you to your goal. If you speak about it often it will make it more real. And as I’m finding from writing about it, this makes it even more tangible!
You have the best time now to ensure your entrance throughAr-Rayyan. Make the best of this time and focus on your destination and getting to the best place in it!
"In Paradise there are eight gates, one of which is calledAr-Rayyan.No one will enter it except those who fast, and when they have entered it will be locked behind them and no one else will enter it". (Ibn Kathir,an-Nihayah, 2/214)
Courtesy: http://www.onislam.net/english/reading-islam/living-islam/first-steps/fasting/463601-this-worldly-life-is-only-a-transition-.html
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ONE CREATOR – ONE MESSAGE
[In GOD do Believers put their trust]
The QURAN
“true believers are those whose hearts tremble with awe at the mention of God, and whose faith grows stronger as they listen to His revelations. They are those who put their trust in their Lord,”
[Quran 8:2]
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WHOSOEVER DOES AN ATOM’S WORTH OF GOOD, WILL SEE IT....................
“Then, whoever did (even) an atom´s worth of good, shall see it, And whoever commits an atom´s worth of evil, shall see it.” [99:7-8 - Munshey]The Prophet (pbuh) has said: [Hadith – Bukhari, Book #56, Hadith #839] “Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "A horse may be kept for one of three purposes: for a man it may be a source of reward; for another it may be a means of living; and for a third it may be a burden (a source of committing sins). As for the one for whom it is a source of reward, he is the one who keeps his horse for the sake of Jihad in Allah's Cause; he ties it with a long rope on a pasture or in a garden. So whatever its rope allows it to eat, will be regarded as good rewardable deeds (for its owner). And if it breaks off its rope and jumps over one or two hillocks, even its dung will be considered amongst his good deeds. And if it passes by a river and drinks water from it, that will be considered as good deeds for his benefit) even if he has had no intention of watering it. A horse is a shelter for the one who keeps it so that he may earn his living honestly and takes it as a refuge to keep him from following illegal ways (of gaining money), and does not forget the rights of Allah (i.e. paying the Zakat and allowing others to use it for Allah's Sake). But a horse is a burden (and a source of committing sins for him who keeps it out of pride and pretence and with the intention of harming the Muslims." The Prophet was asked about donkeys. He replied, "Nothing has been revealed to be concerning them except this comprehensive Verse (which covers everything) :--'Then whosoever has done good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant), Shall see it (its reward) And whosoever has done evil equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ) ant), Shall see it (Its punishment)."
http://al-tanzil.com/-99_7-8__an_Atom_s.html
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Ibn al-Qayyim: Sit for a short while before you sleep and do this …
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim, Ar-Rooh, p. 79.
Ibn al-Qayyimsaid,
‘Avoid those things that necessitate the punishment of the grave.
And from the most beneficial of them is that when a man wants to sleep, he sits for an hour, for the Sake of Allaah, calling himself to account over the things that he has lost and gained during that day of his. Then, between him and his Lord, he renews his sincere repentance over those things that he lost, and sleeps on that repentance, firmly resolving not to return to the sin when he wakes up–and he does this every night.
So if he dies on that night of his, he would have died upon repentance and if he wakes up, he will wake up going towards action, pleased with the postponement of his appointed time so that he can turn to his Lord and set right what he missed out on.
And there is nothing more beneficial for the servant than this sleep, especially when he follows that [i.e., his resolve to renew his repentance] up with the remembrance of Allaah, performing those sunnahs which have been reported from the Prophet of Allaah when going to bed, [doing so] until sleep overtakes him.
So whoever Allaah wishes good for, He will grant him the success to do that. And there is neither movement, nor power except through Allaah.
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