PEARLS OF WISDOM (Lessons From Life)

Pearls  Of Wisdom

(Lessons From Life)

(M. Javed Naseem)

The True Charity:

قَوْلٌ مَّعْرُوفٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِّن صَدَقَةٍ

يَتْبَعُهَآ أَذًى وَٱللَّهُ غَنِيٌّ حَلِيمٌ

“A kind word with forgiveness is better

than almsgiving followed by injury (or insult).

Allah is Absolute, Clement.”

(al-Quran 2:263).

Don’t Seek Power Or Authority!

Power and authority come with heavy responsibilities. You cannot discharge your obligations with 100% honesty, sincerity and impartiality (objectivity) unless you are a God-fearing man of piety and righteousness (Taqwa).

Hadith: Narrated Abu Musa: Two men from my tribe and I entered upon the Prophet. One of the two men said to the Prophet, "O Allah's Apostle! Appoint me as a governor," and so did the second. The Prophet said, "We do not assign the authority of ruling to those who ask for it, nor to those who are keen to have it." (Bukhari, Book 89, No.263)  

(A message to all MNAs, Senators & MPAs)

Hadith: Narrated Maaqil: I heard the Prophet (s.a.w.)saying, "Any man whom Allah has given the authority of ruling some people and he does not look after them in an honest manner, will never feel even the smell of Paradise." (Bukhari, Book 89, No.264)

(A message to all Kings, Presidents, PMs, Ministers, Police)

Hadith: Narrated Jarir bin 'Abdullah: The Prophet (s.a.w.) said, "He who is not merciful to others, will not be treated mercifully.” (Bukhari, Book 73, No.42) 

Treat Your Neighbors Well!

Your neighbors are just like your family who are always there for you in an emergency. Treat them nicely!

Hadith: Narrated Aaisha: The Prophet (s.a.w.) said "Gabriel continued to recommend me about treating the neighbors Kindly and politely so much so that I thought he would order me to make them as my heirs.” (Bukhari, Book 73, No.43)

  

Hadith: Narrated Abu Shuraih: The Prophet said, "By Allah, he does not believe! By Allah, he does not believe! By Allah, he does not believe!" It was said, "Who is that, O Allah's Apostle?" He said, "That person whose neighbor does not feel safe from his evil." (Bukhari, Book 73, No.45)  

Hadith: Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "Anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day should not harm his neighbor, and anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day should entertain his guest generously and anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day should talk what is good or keep quiet. (i.e. abstain from all kinds of evil and dirty talk). (Bukhari, Book 73, No.47)

Hadith: Narrated Jabir bin Abdullah: The Prophet said, Enjoining all that is good is a Sadaqa." (Bukhari, Book 73, No.50)  

Hadith: Narrated Masrouq: Abdullah bin Amr mentioned Allah's Apostle saying that he was neither a Fahish nor a Mutafahish. Abdullah bin Amr added, Allah's Apostle said, 'The best among you are those who have the best manners and character.' (Bukhari, Book 73, No.56)

Be Strong To Control Your Anger!

Be a man and control your anger, your negative sentiments and dirty thoughts!

Hadith: Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "The strong is not the one who overcomes the people by his strength, but the strong is the one who controls himself while in anger." (Bukhari, Book 73, No.135)

  

Hadith: Narrated Abu Huraira: A man said to the Prophet , "Advise me! "The Prophet said, "Do not become angry and furious." The man asked (the same) again and again, and the Prophet said in each case, "Do not become angry and furious." (Bukhari, Book 73, No.137)  

Hadith: Narrated Abdur Rahman bin Abi Bakra: Abu Bakra wrote to his son who was in Sijistan: 'Do not judge between two persons when you are angry, for I heard the Prophet saying, "A judge should not judge between two persons while he is in an angry mood." (Bukhari, Book 89, No.272)  

Be A Role Model!

The best ‘Daawah’ is done by your own conduct and your own manners. You are a model and ambassador of Islam. Invite people to Islam. If people dislike you, don’t give them a reason to dislike Islam! You are not perfect but Islam is.

Hadith: The Prophet (s.a.w.) said:

“The best among you is the one who has the best manners (conduct)”.

Hadith: Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) himself said:

"God has sent me to perfect good manners and to do good deeds”.

(Sahih Bukhari & Ahmed)

And here is the confirmation from Allah:

لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِى رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ

“You have indeed in the Messenger of Allah

an excellent pattern (of conduct).”

(al-Quran 33:21)

Show Good Manners/Conduct!

Your conduct (or manners) is your best introduction, your best impression. Be courteous and civilized! A smile is the trade-mark of a Muslim. Always put a smile on your face! It is ‘Sadakah’ (charity) and you will get reward for that in the Hereafter. Why worry and have wrinkles when you can smile and have dimples? People would like you.

Learn Your Lessons!

Time is the best teacher, so learn your lessons from Life. Try to understand the difference between a Muslim and a Munafiq (Hypocrite). Don’t let people fool you!

Hadith: Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "The signs of a hypocrite are three: Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie; and whenever he promises, he breaks his promise; and whenever he is entrusted, he betrays (proves to be dishonest)". (Bukhari, Book 73, No.117)

Hadith: Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "A believer is not stung twice (by something) out of one and the same hole." (Bukhari, Book 73, No.154)  

Appreciate The Gifts From God:

Every breath is a gift from God. Be grateful to the Creator Whose blessings you cannot count.

وَإِن تَعُدُّواْ نِعْمَةَ ٱللَّهِ لاَ تُحْصُوهَآ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

“And if you would count the favors of Allah,

you cannot  reckon  it.  Lo, Allah is indeed

Forgiving, Merciful.”

(al-Quran 16:18).

فَٱذْكُرُونِيۤ أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَٱشْكُرُواْ لِى وَلاَ تَكْفُرُونِ

“Therefore remember me, I will

remember you. Give thanks to Me,

and reject not Me.”

(al-Quran 2:152).

Be Humble And Modest!

Be humble, modest and down to earth! A branch of tree bearing fruit bends down. Arrogance is cursed. Allah says:

وَلاَ تَمْشِ فِى ٱلأَرْضِ مَرَحاً إِنَّكَ لَن

تَخْرِقَ ٱلأَرْضَ وَلَن تَبْلُغَ ٱلْجِبَالَ طُولاً

“And walk not in the earth exultant.

Lo, you cannot rend the earth, nor can

you stretch to the  heights of the hills.”

(al-Quran 17:37).

Help Others To Be Helped!

Be ready to give service. What we do for others counts most in life. You do something for somebody today and somebody will do something for you tomorrow.

Hadith: Narrated Sahl bin Saad: The Prophet said, "I and the person who looks after an orphan and provides for him, will be in Paradise like this," putting his index and middle fingers together. (Bukhari, Book 73, No.34)

Hadith: Narrated Safwan bin Salim: The Prophet said "The one who looks after and works for a widow and for a poor person, is like a warrior fighting for Allah's Cause or like a person who fasts during the day and prays all the night."

Abu Huraira also narrated the same Hadith as above. (Bukhari, Book 73, No.35)  

Hadith: Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet said, "If any Muslim plants any plant and a human being or an animal eats of it, he will be rewarded as if he had given that much in charity." (Bukhari, Book 73, No.41) 

Live In Truth, By Truth!

Live in truth, by truth and with truth! Truth is divine and will always lead you out of misery. The Bible says: “The truth shall set you free”. It saves you from troubles. Honesty is the best policy, we all know that. Allah says:

وَلاَ تَلْبِسُواْ ٱلْحَقَّ بِٱلْبَاطِلِ وَتَكْتُمُواْ ٱلْحَقَّ وَأَنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

“Confound not truth with falsehood,

nor knowingly conceal the truth.”

(al-Quran 2:42)

Hadith: Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "The worst people in the Sight of Allah on the Day of Resurrection will be the double faced people who appear to some people with one face and to other people with another face." (Bukhari, Book 73, No.84)

Hadith: Narrated Abdullah: The Prophet said, "Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. And a man keeps on telling the truth until he becomes a truthful person. Falsehood leads to Al-Fajur (i.e. wickedness, evil-doing), and Al-Fajur (wickedness) leads to the (Hell) Fire, and a man may keep on telling lies till he is written before Allah, a liar." (Bukhari, Book 73, No.116) 

Distribute Smiles!

If you see someone without a smile, give him/her one of yours. The magic about the smile is that when you give it to others, you don’t lose yours. It’s ‘Sadakah’ (charity), meaning you will get reward from Allah for that. And you know that smiling faces look beautiful too!

Hadith (Shama’el-e-Tirmidhi):

No.1: Abdullah bin Haarith (r.a.a.) reported: "I did not see anyone who smiled more than Rasool-Allah (s.a.w.)."

No.2: Abdullah bin Haarith (r.a.a.) related: "The laugh of Rasool-Allah (s.a.w.) was but a smile".

Show That You Care!

Do not under-estimate the power of touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring – all of which have the potential to turn a life around. And it’s all ‘Sadakah’ (charity) that’ll bring you rewards in the Hereafter.

Hadith: Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet said, "Make things easy for the people, and do not make it difficult for them, and make them calm (with glad tidings) and do not repulse them.” (Bukhari, Book 73, No.146)  

Hadith: Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "A man used to give loans to the people and used to say to his servant, 'If the debtor is poor, forgive him, so that Allah may forgive us.' So when he met Allah (after his death), Allah forgave him." (Bukhari, Book 56, No.687)

Love Other People!

Become a “people’s person”. Be genuinely interested in people. If you try, you can like everybody and everybody will like you. It helps in fulfilling the obligations towards others

(‘Haqooq-ul-Ibaad’). And again you will get reward for that

in the Hereafter. Remember:

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ مُخْتَالاً فَخُوراً

“Lo, Allah loves not such as are

proud and boastful.”

(al-Quran 4:36)

Hadith: Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the worst of false tales; and do not look for the others' faults and do not spy, and do not be jealous of one another, and do not desert (cut your relation with) one another, and do not hate one another; and O Allah's worshipers! Be brothers (as Allah has ordered you!"). (Bukhari, Book 73, No.90)  

Use Good Names!

Call people by name as it pleases them. The sweetest music to anyone’s ears is the sound of his/her own name. Allah loves to be called by the best of names and the same goes for His masterpiece creation. And you’ll get reward for that in the Hereafter.

Be Understanding!

Learn to understand first and to be understood second. It helps in developing tolerance and mutual understanding. Allah loves those who love His creation. That’s a great quality of Islamic code of ethics (‘Akhlaaq-i-Islami’) that will bring you rewards in the Hereafter.

Always Think Positive!

Allah has blessed humans with intelligence. Keep thinking positive.  Life ends when you stop thinking. Hope ends when you stop believing. Love ends when you stop caring. And friendship ends when you stop sharing. Positive thinking, believing, caring and sharing – all parts of the character of a Muslim – will also bring you rewards in the Hereafter.

There’s Wisdom In Everything:

Every adversity, every suffering, every situation, every issue, every pain and every concern has a positive side. Find it and bring it to life. There is a lesson for us in each one of them and that should be considered a blessing. Remember, every dark cloud has a silver lining. Allah says: 

يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ أَن يُخَفِّفَ عَنْكُمْ وَخُلِقَ ٱلإِنسَانُ ضَعِيفاً

“Allah would make the burden light for

you, for man was created weak.”

(al-Quran 4:28).

Nourish Your Dreams!

Believe in your dreams. Every great success started with a small dream. When you find a dream inside you, don’t ever let it go; for dreams are the tiny seeds from which the big beautiful tomorrows grow, provided you nourish them with sincerity, hard-work and honesty of purpose.

Live A Modest And Simple Life!

Live a modest and simple life. There is beauty in simplicity.  Allah says:

 

وَٱقْصِدْ فِى مَشْيِكَ وَٱغْضُضْ مِن صَوْتِكَ

إِنَّ أَنكَرَ ٱلأَصْوَاتِ لَصَوْتُ ٱلْحَمِيرِ

“Be modest in your bearing and subdue

your voice. Lo, the harshest of all voices

is the voice of the donkey.”

(al-Quran 31:19)

Be Glad, Not Mad!

Be happy. I used to say that it is easy to be mad and hard to be glad. But one Dervish corrected me and said: It’s hard to  be  mad  and  it’s  easy  to  be  glad. Try to understand that.  Don’t be cruel to yourself. Try to be happy. Live without stress. That’s the best prescription for a healthy body and a healthy mind.

Take It Easy!

Don’t rush.  Take your time.  Easy does it.  Rushing is Devil’s quality. Haste creates waste. Most of the things done in a hurry are not quality and need to be redone. When you are rushing, you are risking everything, even your life.

Be Nice And Humane!

Be humane and treat others the way you want to be treated yourself. Don’t forget:

وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ

“Allah loves those whose deeds are good.”

(al-Quran 3:148)

Hadith: Narrated Anas: I served the Prophet for ten years, and he never said to me, "Uff" (a minor harsh word denoting impatience) and never blamed me by saying, "Why did you do so or why didn't you do that?" (Bukhari, Book 73, No.64) 

May the rest of the day be the best of your day! Have a nice evening and remember me in your prayers, please! May Allah bless you, guide you and protect you all … Aameen!

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