Friday Nasiha

Living The Quran

The Flight of Time
Al-Asr (The Flight of Time) - Chapter 103: Verses 1-3

"By the flight of time, man is in total loss. Except for those who have faith and do good works; who exhort each other to uphold the truth and to perseverance."

This brief surah summarizes the essence and outcome of all human activity for all time.

Time goes on, and people live and die, generation after generation, and era after era. People of the same generation may live under similar circumstances and traditions, but their destinies may go in totally different directions, depending on their moral and religious beliefs. The moral quality of human life is far more important, and the truth is no less honourable or illustrious if it is recognized by a minority.

Those who deny the sovereignty and power of God shall end up as fuel of hell in the hereafter, whereas the believers who, despite the odds, persevere in upholding the truth shall be the real and final winners in the ordeal of life.

True believers are few and in some generations of human history may even seem odd, but they are promised great rewards.

This surah became a motto, a pledge of loyalty and brotherhood, among the Companions of the Prophet. It was traditional, according to reports, for Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) Companions to recite this surah together before they shook hands and departed.

To persevere for the sake of the truth could expose one to persecution and hardship, and therefore to uphold the true faith and triumph with it requires persistence, tenacity, and a strong will.

Compiled From:
"A Thematic Commentary on the Quran" - Muhammad Al-Ghazali, pp. 751, 752

From Issue: 626 [Read original issue]

Understanding The Prophet's Life

The First Cause

Followers of all five schools of Law have narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that "Prayer is the armament of the believer." [Hakim] The Prophet also said, "Call upon God and you can be confident that it will be answered." [Tirmidhi]

If one prays and at the same time is pessimistic or doubtful about its outcome, then it shows that the prayer is just a formality, the supplicant has no real intention of asking for it. And the traditions forbid asking for a thing which one is sure will not come about.

Supplication must be purely for God. This does not negate the positive causes which God has created as instrumental links between the things and their needs. But these instruments are not independent causes. The Independent Cause is only God. The human being has an inner feeling of this fact. He or she feels by his or her nature that there is a Perfect Cause who fulfills his or her needs and who can never fail in bringing about the desired effect. On the other hand, he or she knows that all the apparent causes which are expected to produce an effect, sometimes fail to do so. Thus he or she knows that the First Cause, Who is the Source and Origin of everything and upon whom every need relies and depends for its fulfillment, is other than these apparent causes. Once he or she realizes it, he or she will never entirely rely on these causes, forgetting the Real Cause. The human being may appreciate this fact after just a little thinking.

Compiled From:
"Tafsir al-Mizan" - Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'i

From Issue: 949 [Read original issue]

Cool Tips!

The Most Important Words

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

From Issue: 575 [Read original issue]