Friday Nasiha

Al-An'am (The Cattle)
Chapter 6: Verse 7

What good are miracles?
"If We were to send down to you [Muhammad] a book inscribed on paper and they touched it with their own hands, the unbelievers would still assert: 'This is but plain sorcery.'"

Some people, when reminded of weak trait or a certain flaw in their character or behaviour, rather than taking note, try to find faults with others. It is also true that when some people are advised to apply their own mental and intellectual faculties to understand and verify certain basic facts, they turn to asking for concrete proof or miracles. However, what good are magic and miracles if the mind itself is not receptive or if it is reluctant to appreciate the truth? This has been the cause of the difficulty believers come up against when dealing with cynics, agnostics, or unbelievers, past and present. They are simply not prepared to see beyond what they know already.

Source:
"A Thematic Commentary On The Qur'an" - By Muhammad al-Ghazali, p. 119

The Divine Will

A man from Muzaynah or Juhaynah tribe came to the Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, and asked him: "O Messenger of Allah! Do you consider the actions of mankind and their struggles to be preordained for them and written for them from Qadr, or something written for them only after the Message came to them from their Prophet, when there will be an evidence against them?" He (the Prophet) replied: "Rather it is something preordained for them." So the man said, "Then what is the point of our actions?" The Prophet replied, "Whoever Allah created for one of the two positions (Paradise or Hell), He makes it easy for him (to attain)." [Ahmad 4:438, and Muslim 4:2041]

The relationship of the Divine Will to the human will is similar to its relationship with all the other things created and granted existence by Allah. In other words, the human will, like the rest of the creation of Allah, is with all its characteristics, traits, and potentialities subject and subservient to the Divine Will. In fact, its subservience to the Will of Allah constitutes the very guarantee for its existence and workings as a free agent, for that is what its Creator Willed and decreed for it.

Source:
"Tafsir Ibn Kathir" - Vol 10, pp. 497-498
"Freedom and Responsibility" - By Hasan Al-'Anani, p. 132

• Does he help you become a better and productive person? It’s a mistaken belief that a ‘good friend likes you for what you are’. A sincere friend inspires you, either with words or actions, to improve your personality and situation.
  

  In a beautiful analogy, the Prophet likened the company of a sincere friend to visiting a perfume seller. Every time you visit the perfume seller, you benefit from his shop: You get some perfume as a present, or you buy some from him or, at the least, you obtain a beautiful fragrance from his company. [Bukhari & Muslim]
• Is she like a mirror to you? The Prophet stated, “The believer is like a mirror to other believers (in truthfulness).” [Abu Daud]. Like a mirror, your friend gives you an honest image. She forgives your mistakes, but does not hide or exaggerate your strengths and weaknesses.
• Do his manners and lifestyle remind you of Allah? Once the Prophet was asked, “What person can be the best friend?” “He who helps you remember Allah, and reminds you when you forget Him,” he counselled.
  

  The Prophet was further asked, “Who is the best among people?” He replied, “He who, when you look at him, you remember God”. Such a friend reflects qualities of love, mercy, honesty, service, patience, optimism, professionalism, and the entire lifestyle taught by Islam.
• Does he love you solely for the sake of Allah? The bonds we form at work, school and in the neighbourhood may whither over time if they are not built for the right reason. Friendship based on Islamic principles is sincere and everlasting, since it is strengthened by a higher purpose and fervent faith.
• Do you feel comfortable and secure in her presence? If your friend’s company makes you feel guilty about the things you do and thoughts you share, you must question the benefit of this relationship. Consider the wise saying: “Being alone is better than having an evil companion and having a sincere companion is better than being alone.”