Don’t Preach What You

Don't Practice!

Honesty Is The Best Policy.

You Can’t Go Far With

Hypocrisy!

(M. Javed Naseem)

“O children of Adam, We have bestowed upon

you clothing to conceal your private parts and as

adornment. But the clothing of righteousness –

that is best. That is from the signs of Allah

that perhaps they will remember.”

(al-Quran 7:26)

The Bible says (2-Timothy 3:1-5):

“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God — having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people!”

We are living in those times. The world is going through the crisis of Coronavirus. This crisis is affecting all aspects of our lives. It has also brought a lot of changes in our lives – both good and bad. But there is also a funny side of this crisis. It has produced a whole new crop of experts, scholars, doctors, hakims, quacks, preachers and well-wishing advisers. The Internet is full of them all.

Don’t Speak Without Knowledge! Verify first!

It is good to share information, spread awareness and propagate data with good intentions. But it requires one basic element which is 'authenticity' (or truth). That element springs from a valid research and honest hardwork, not the hearsay!

If we do not have complete knowledge about anything, we better keep our mouths shut. You might think that speaking about something without full or authentic knowledge is a trivial matter. But it is not, and it might have grave consequences. Don’t spread rumors or unverified information! To all those Facebook and Whatsapp preachers, I dare to present the following verse from the Quran. Allah the Almighty warns us:

“Behold, you received it on your tongues,

and said out of your mouths things of which

you had no knowledge; and you thought it

to be a light matter, while it was most

serious in the sight of Allah.”

(al-Quran 24:15)

Allah asks us in the very next verse as to why did we not think of verifying it? Why does it not occur to us that it could be wrong, incorrect or incomplete or not-the-whole truth? We should be very careful in such matters as we might commit slander which is punishable!

“And why did you not, when you heard it, say:

‘It is not right of us to speak of this. Glory to

Allah! This is a most serious slander!'"

(al-Quran 24:16)

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

“Whoever ascribes to me what I have not said, then let him occupy his place in Hell.” – (Bukhari, Book 3, Ch. 38, No.109).

Ali ibn Abu Talib (r.a.a.) narrated: “The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: Do not tell a lie against me for whoever tells a lie against me (intentionally) then he will surely enter Hell.” – (Bukhari, Book 3, No. 106).

We all pretend sometimes, depending on the situation. We think it is a normal thing in our daily life. As a matter of fact, pretending is similar to lying because it is far from the truth. We are actually trying to hide the truth. We are trying to show others what we are not. Shouldn't we call it 'cheating'? In fact, saying one thing and doing something else falls into the definition of hypocrisy. The Almighty God has stated clearly in the Holy Quran that this act is the most hateful in the eyes of the Creator.

يٰأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لاَ تَفْعَلُونَ

كَبُرَ مَقْتاً عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَن تَقُولُواْ مَا لاَ تَفْعَلُونَ

“O you who believe! Why do you SAY that

which you don't DO? It is most hateful in

the sight of Allah that you SAY that

which you DO not.”

(al-Quran 61: 2-3)

I appreciate what people are posting on Facebook to educate others and spread awareness. But to those internet preachers of Islam, I have one question: “Do you practice what you are preaching?” I am sure most of them don't, otherwise there wouldn't be so much troubles in the world, especially in Muslim countries. People talk about trivial things and present them as Sunnah of the Prophet (s.a.w.) but they don't practice the big and more important Sunnahs. 

Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) lived a very simple life. He never lied in his entire life. He never committed any act of injustice, dishonesty or false preaching. He feared Allah and he lived his entire life according to the Commands of Allah, as per the tenets of the Quran. We don't follow that Sunnah. We don't eat the way our Prophet (s.a.w.) ate – one main meal per day. We don't fast like our Prophet (s.a.w.) did – at least 11-12 days per month. He fasted every Monday, every Thursday, and every 13^th, 14^th & 15^th of every Islamic month! He wore simple clothes and didn't possess more than two dresses, etc., etc. Do we follow those Sunnahs? No, we don't, but we give lectures on Sunnah!

We are promoting fake, fabricated, unauthentic, weak and unreliable Hadith narrations just to support our own argument or point of view. As a matter of fact, we are promoting those “Jaahil” Sheikhs and self-proclaimed scholars who say that “lying” (falsehood) with good intention is permitted in Islam (while it is NOT permitted in the Quran). We have distorted the face of Islam and we blame non-Muslims for every evil. The evil of hypocrisy prevailing in Muslim countries is a much bigger evil than those evils prevailing in non-Muslim countries.

There are 'professionals' in all religious groups who make money by manipulating religion. Those preachers use God's name and Scriptures to get rich. Here’s what the Bible says about such people:

Titus 1:16

“They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.”

Matthew 23:27-28

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs which look beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.”

“In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside, you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”

1-John 4:20

“Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.

1-Peter 2:16

“Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.”

Luke 6:46

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”

Mark 7:6

“He replied, Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”

Muslim leaders of today are not Muslims in the true sense. They are plain hypocrites (Munafiqeen). They are corrupt, crooks and are playing puppets in the hands of their colonial masters just to stay in power. They are responsible for bringing misery, destruction, bloodshed and civil wars in many Muslim countries. They are helping the Zionists to destroy Muslim countries. Their pay-back time will be coming soon.

The Quran says:

ٱلْمُنَافِقُونَ وَٱلْمُنَافِقَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ مِّن بَعْضٍ يَأْمُرُونَ

بِٱلْمُنكَرِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَقْبِضُونَ أَيْدِيَهُمْ

نَسُواْ ٱللَّهَ فَنَسِيَهُمْ إِنَّ ٱلْمُنَافِقِينَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ

“The hypocrites, men and women, (have an

understanding) with each other: They enjoin evil, and

forbid what is just, and are close with their hands.

They have forgotten Allah; so He has forgotten them.

Verily the hypocrites are rebellious and perverse.”

(al-Quran 9:67)

وَعَدَ الله الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَٱلْمُنَافِقَاتِ وَٱلْكُفَّارَ نَارَجَهَنَّمَ

خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا هِىَ حَسْبُهُمْ وَلَعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّقِيمٌ

“Allah has promised the hypocrites men and women,

and the rejecters of Faith, the fire of Hell. Therein shall

they dwell. Sufficient is it for them. For them is the

curse of Allah, and an enduring punishment.”

(al-Quran 9:68)

إِنَّ ٱلْمُنَافِقِينَ فِى ٱلدَّرْكِ ٱلأَسْفَلِ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِ وَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُمْ نَصِيراً

“The hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of

the Hellfire; no helper will you find for them.”

(al-Quran 4:145)

وَيُعَذِّبَ ٱلْمُنَافِقِينَ وَٱلْمُنَافِقَاتِ وَٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَٱلْمُشْرِكَاتِ

ٱلظَّآنِّينَ بِٱللَّهِ ظَنَّ ٱلسَّوْءِ عَلَيْهِمْ دَآئِرَةُ ٱلسَّوْءِ وَغَضِبَ ٱللَّهُ

عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَعَنَهُمْ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَهَنَّمَ وَسَآءَتْ مَصِيراً

“And that He may punish the hypocrites, men

and women, and the Polytheists men and women,

who imagine an evil opinion of Allah. On them is

a round of Evil. The wrath of Allah is on them.

He has cursed them and got Hell ready for them;

and evil is it for a destination.”

(al-Quran 48:6)

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BELIEVING IN GOD: Are We Truthful Or Liars? We Are Being Tested!

Believing In God:

Are We Truthful Or Liars?

We Are Being Tested!

(M. Javed Naseem)

Misery, hardships and troubles, they all happen to us to check or test our faith, our reaction and our handling of the situation. In other words, they are tests and trials for us. They are like examinations and you have to come up with the right answers to get through; otherwise you'll suffer. Simple as that! Sickness, misery and hardships should bring out the best from us. They require patience, perseverance and our positive efforts towards the solution. We all know that very well but, still, we often fail in those situations. Why? Because we lack one or the other – faith, patience and intelligent handling. Allah has warned us in the Quran:

“Do the people think that they will be left

to say, 'We believe' and they will not be

tried (tested)? But We have certainly tried

those before them, and Allah will surely

make evident those who are truthful, and

He will surely make evident the liars.”

(al-Quran 29:2-3)

We are the creation of God, the Almighty, and we need His help to get out of any trouble. We are weak and cannot handle most problems. That's why we call the Almighty for help, guidance and solution. Since we are believers, we cannot live without faith. This faith in God gets us out of every trouble. In return, all God requires from us is the obedience and gratefulness.

Allah tells us in the Quran that He puts us to tests and trials to check where we stand in our relationship with Him. How strong our faith is and how strictly we follow the rules and regulations He prescribed for us for this worldly life. Those tests and trials can cover anything which is dear to us – wealth, children, parents, business, crops, health, etc. Allah has warned us in the Quran:

“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-Quran 2:155)

Today, the entire world is facing an epidemic called 'Coronavirus'. The way we handled it in the beginning, has caused fear, panic and eventually economic or financial misery. Above all, the loss of life is increasing as the epidemic is spreading to more and more countries. When you are scared to death and don't feel safe even in the most developed and medically advanced countries in the world, it forces to think beyond – beyond your regular material life. This is an indication that this universe is being controlled by the Supreme Commander (the Almighty God) and not by some Evil Empire run by some ultra-mod corporates, power-hungry pseudo-liberals or corrupt atheists.

The Evil Empire is trying to control the entire world by force – with bombs and bullets, illegal wars, invasions, occupation, biological weapons and even weaponized weather. The Supreme Commander (the Almighty God) sends the warning signals, from time to time, to the Evil Empire and its puppets that it is HIM running the show and not any human created by Him. All power-hungry people are trying to please the Evil Empire to join the bandwagon of New World Order. It's like the evil begetting the evil. Allah has commanded the mankind not to cooperate in evil.

“Whoever intercedes for a good cause

will have a reward therefrom; and whoever

intercedes for an evil cause, will have a

burden therefrom. And ever is

Allah, over all things, a Keeper.”

(al-Quran 4:85)

On the contrary, Allah has commanded the mankind to cooperate in spreading the Good and forbidding the Evil.

“And cooperate in righteousness and

piety, but do not cooperate in sin and

aggression. And fear Allah; indeed,

Allah is severe in penalty.”

(al-Quran 5:2)

When we are afflicted with some calamity, in most cases, it is the result of our own evil-doing and corruption. It is the result of disobedience to Allah and our arrogant rebellion against the Divine rules and regulations prescribed for us. We can't do anything to Allah. We only hurt ourselves.

“Indeed, Allah does not wrong the people

at all, but it is the people who are

wronging themselves.”

(al-Quran 10:44)

When Allah is not happy with us, the first thing He does, He withdraws His Guidance (Hidayah). So, we go on our merry ways without caring that we are going astray; and that merits punishment.

“Indeed, Allah does not guide the

wrongdoing people.”

(al-Quran 28:50)

The Bible says:

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” – (James 1:12)ESV.

“The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tests hearts.“ – (Proverbs 17:3)ESV.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” – (James 1:2-4)ESV.

The death and destruction caused by the Evil Empire is very common in our world. So many countries have been destroyed and millions of innocent people have been massacred. They power-mongers don't show any mercy, nor do they believe in any justice. They follow their own agenda. They are corrupt and are spreading corruption. But Allah does not like the corrupt.

“And they strive throughout the land

(causing) corruption, and Allah does not

like corrupters.”

(al-Quran 5:64)

People are fed up with the present political and socio-economic conditions prevailing in this world. Those conditions are maintained, or even made worse, because they serve the agenda of the world hegemony by the Evil Empire. Everybody is asking for the solution. Everybody wants to change the conditions but faces helplessness. They don't realize what they are missing from their lives. They are missing Allah from their lives.

The Solution

The solution is Allah! We should bring Allah back into our lives. We should revert to Allah. And we can do that only through Tawba and repentance. Repentance requires that we stop sinful life and ask the Almighty for forgiveness, honestly and sincerely. We mend our ways and try our best to live by the Book – the Book Allah prescribed for us. When we do our part, Allah will do His part. Our effort is a prerequisite. In nutshell: Enjoin goodness and forbid evil. There is no other way out. We can get out of this mess only with Allah's mercy. We should take all measures and seek Allah's mercy now!

“O you who have believed, seek help

through patience and prayer! Indeed,

Allah is with the patient.”

(al-Quran 2:153)

“And spend in the way of Allah and do

not throw yourselves with your (own)

hands into destruction (by refraining).

And do good! Indeed, Allah

loves the doers of good.”

(al-Quran 2:195)

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CHILLING PREDICTIONS: Two Different Books Predicted Coronavirus Outbreak In 2020.

Chilling Predictions:

Two Different Books

(Published In 1981 & 2008)

Predicted Coronavirus

 

Outbreak In 2020

(M. Javed Naseem)

This is entirely another aspect of the Coronavirus story. Two different books, published in 1981 and 2008 respectively, had predicted the outbreak of Coronavirus in 2020. Lots of discussions and viral posts on the social media have made those forgotten books “best sellers”. The funny side is that the first book (published in 1981) was a science fiction titled “The Eyes of Darkness”, authored by Dean Koontz. That book talks about a Chinese virus “Wuhan-400”.

The second book was written by a fortune-teller, or a psychic, named Sylvia Browne and is called “End of The Days: Predictions And Prophecies About The End of The World.” It was published in 2008. Sylvia Browne is known for her yearly predictions in the American media.

Conspiracy theorists believe that the Deep State has always released information about future world events to the Hollywood film-makers or to the fiction/story writers. Many such films have been released in the past; and many such books have been written in the past too. People on the other side call it a coincidence.

In her 2008 book “End of Days: Predictions and Prophecies about the End of the World”, supposed psychic Sylvia Browne wrote of a pneumonia outbreak ravaging the world.
The book reads: “In around 2020 a severe pneumonia-like illness will spread throughout the globe, attacking the lungs and the bronchial tubes and resisting all known treatments. Almost more baffling than the illness itself will be the fact that it will suddenly vanish as quickly as it has arrived, attack again 10 years later, and then disappear completely.”

While France and Spain are reporting a significant increase in the number of Coronavirus cases, the home of the virus – China – is successfully experimenting a wonder drug to cure Coronavirus.

The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has so far killed at least 4,026 people and infected more than 133,000 globally. As authorities scramble to contain new outbreaks in Italy, South Korea and Iran, rumors about the virus’ origin are rife.

Coronavirus: Chilling 40-year old book predicted “Wuhan biological weapon” outbreak.

By Callum Hoare (Daily Express, UK, published: Feb. 28, 2020)

Coronavirus may have been predicted more than 40 years ago in a science-fiction book referring to a "new biological weapon" created by a Chinese scientist to "wipe out a city or country".

More than 81,000 Coronavirus cases have now been reported as the death toll passes 2,700, with a spike in cases confirmed in South Korea, Italy, Japan and Iran this week, as well as a hotel in Tenerife being put on lock-down. The virus has its origins in China, where scientists have confirmed transmission is possible without symptoms.

US Senator Tom Cotton raised eyebrows earlier this month when he claimed the virus was either an experiment gone wrong, or a purposely released biological weapon. But, a book from 1981 chillingly predicts a similar rhetoric.

Written by Dean Koontz, “The Eyes of Darkness” is a story about a mother who discovers her son Danny is being kept in a military facility after being infected with a man-made microorganism called “Wuhan-400”.

Chapter 39 reads: “To understand it, you have to go back 20 months. 
“It was around then that a Chinese scientist named Li Chen defected to the US, carrying a diskette record of China’s most important and dangerous new biological weapon in a decade.
“They call the stuff ‘Wuhan-400’ because it was developed at their RDNA labs outside the city of Wuhan and it was the 400th viable strain of man-made microorganisms created at that research center."

Some have suggested this research center could be referring to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which is where China’s only level four bio-safety laboratory is located. 

It has the highest-level classification of labs studying the deadliest viruses and is situated 20 miles from where the current COVID-19 first broke out.

Further excerpts of the book state that the virus as the “perfect weapon” as it cannot survive outside a host for more than a minute.

It adds: “Wuhan-400 is the perfect weapon. It afflicts human beings, no other living creature can carry it. Just like syphilis, Wuhan-400 can’t survive outside a living body for longer than a minute, which means it can’t permanently contaminate objects or entire places the way anthrax and other virulent microorganisms can. When the host expires, the Wuhan-400 within him perishes a short while later, as soon as the temperature of the corpse drops below 30C.”
“They knew that the Chinese could use Wuhan-400 to wipe out a city or a country, and then there wouldn’t be any need to them to conduct tricky and expensive decontamination before they moved in and took over.”

Congress leader Manish Tewari tweeted screenshots of the book on Twitter, clocking up more than 200 retweets and 700 likes since.
He wrote: “Is Coranavirus a biological Weapon developed by the Chinese called Wuhan-400?

“This book was published in 1981. Do read the excerpt.”

However, there are some key differences in the prediction and the recent strain of coronavirus.
The Wuhan-400 was apparently developed as a bioweapon with a 100 percent fatality rate, but COVID-19 has a fatality rate of 0.2 percent.

While the Wuhan-400 only has an extremely short four-hour incubation period, the COVID-19 requires an incubation period between 2 to 14 days.

Finally, the Wuhan-400 was said to only affect human beings, but the first cases of coronavirus are believed to have been from animal to human interactions. (Although there is NO scientific proof to support that 'belief'.)

But there is another author who many claim predicted the outbreak of a deadly contagion in the years 2020.

In her 2008 book “End of Days: Predictions and Prophecies about the End of the World”, supposed psychic Sylvia Browne wrote of a pneumonia outbreak ravaging the world.

The book reads: “In around 2020 a severe pneumonia-like illness will spread throughout the globe, attacking the lungs and the bronchial tubes and resisting all known treatments.
“Almost more baffling than the illness itself will be the fact that it will suddenly vanish as quickly as it has arrived, attack again 10 years later, and then disappear completely.”

The brief passage has sparked the imaginations of many social media users who believe it matches the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

Good News:

Coronavirus cure: 'Substantial benefits' recorded after breakthrough drug used in China

Coronavirus could be on the verge of being cured after scientists recorded "substantial clinical benefits" using a combination of groundbreaking drugs to treat patients in China.

The Jin Yintan Hospital in Wuhan, where the first 41 known patients were treated, has launched a randomised, controlled trial of the drug combination of Lopinavir and Ritonavir.

The combination targets protease, an enzyme used by both HIV and coronaviruses to cut up proteins when they make new copies of themselves. 

According to the 2004 study, the combination showed “substantial clinical benefit” when given to patients who had SARS, which is 70 percent of the same genome sequencing of the 2020 strain.
Coronavirus breakthrough: China mass producing wonderdrug after 'promising' results
CORONAVIRUS is being tackled head-on by Chinese drugmakers who have started mass-producing an experimental drug which was originally created to fight Ebola.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) are “preparing protocols for in vitro and in vivo studies of the antiviral Remdesivir, which has shown promise against other coronaviruses in animal models”.

The first coronavirus patient in the US, who was hospitalized in Washington State after returning from China, was treated with Remdesivir in late January and his symptoms improved.
Mark Denison, a virologist at Vanderbilt University who has studied coronaviruses since 1984, previously hinted that the drug could be beneficial.

He said on January 27: “Remdesivir has worked actively against every coronavirus we’ve tested, and I’d be surprised if it didn’t have activity against this one.
“The challenge with SARS, MERS, this novel Coronavirus, and other viruses that cause severe pneumonia is the window of opportunity.
“You have to get to patients early if you want to have a significant impact on disease.”
The ideal treatment for Covid-19 may well be a drug like Remdesivir plus monoclonal antibodies, Dr Denison believes.
He added: “The idea of using those in combination would have profoundly good prospects.”
Suzhou-based drug company BrightGene Bio-Medical Technology confirmed on Tuesday night that it had developed the technology to sympathize Remdesivir.

(Courtesy: https://www.express.co.uk/news/weird/1244952/coronavirus-eyes-of-darkness-dean-koontz-wuhan-400-biological-weapon-spt)

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YOU ARE SPECIAL: Don't Under-estimate Yourself! With God's Help You Can Conquer Anything!

You Are Special!

Don’t Under-estimate

 

Yourself!

With God’s Help

You Can Conquer Anything!

Show The World You’re Unique!

Be A Man To The Mankind!

Lead By Example!

(M. Javed Naseem)

وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِى آدَمَ وَحَمَلْنَاهُمْ فِى ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ وَرَزَقْنَاهُمْ

مِّنَ ٱلطَّيِّبَاتِ وَفَضَّلْنَاهُمْ عَلَىٰ كَثِيرٍ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا تَفْضِيلاً

.We have honored the sons of Adam”

We carry them on the land and sea; gave

them for sustenance good and pure things;

and conferred on them special favors,

above a great part of our creation.”

(al-Quran 17:70)

You are special, very special! Allah Himself created you and you are carrying His Spirit as long as you are alive in this world. Do you ever realize and appreciate that?

Look at yourself! Look at each and every part of your body and try to figure out how it functions! It has marvelous ways of working, highly organized function, amazing technique, incredible energy supply channel, and fantastic immune system. Even after thousands of years the experts are still struggling to uncover the marvels of human brain, body and soul.

وَفِى ٱلأَرْضِ آيَاتٌ لِّلْمُوقِنِينَ وَفِيۤ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَفَلاَ تُبْصِرُونَ

“And in the earth are signs for those

whose faith is sure. And also in yourselves.

Can you then not see?”

(al-Quran 51:20-21)

The experts cannot reach your soul and that’s where the real thing lies.

We generally say that it’s in our heart that we have the connections with our Creator; from there we transmit and receive the messages from the Divine. Allah wants us to observe and learn lessons from His signs in the earth, in us, and pay thanks to Him.

We all make mistakes in life, as we are forgetful, sinful and weak.  We cannot sometimes resist the temptation. The devil is too strong for us but with the help of God we can fight him and escape from his traps. We need to turn to God.

فَأَمَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحاً فَعَسَىٰ أَن يَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُفْلِحِينَ

“But as for him who shall repent and believe, and

do right, he haply may be one of the successful.”

(al-Quran 28:67)

Here is a beautiful story, I read the other day. A speaker was talking to the audience in a seminar. He took a $20 bill and held it up in his hand. He then asked the audience,

‘Who would like to have this $20 bill?’ Many people raised their hands as it was free money. The speaker said, ‘I am going to give this money to one of you but first let me do this.’ He crumpled the currency note, made a small ball of it, and asked, ‘Who still wants it?’ Still many hands were up in the air.

‘Well,’ he replied, ‘what if I do this?’ And he dropped the $20 bill on the ground and started trampling it with his foot. Then he picked it up, all crumpled and dirty; and asked the people:

‘Now, who still wants it?’ Still the hands went up in the air.

‘You see my friends,’ the speaker continued, ‘You have all learned a very good lesson today. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.’ It is the same with us all.

Many times in life we are dropped, crumpled and trampled in the dirt by the decisions we make or by  the circumstances that come our way. We feel as if we are worthless, down and dirty. But no matter what has happened, or what will happen, you will never lose your value. You are YOU – special, very special, very valuable! And don’t ever forget that in life!

Whether we realize it or not, everyone we know in life is very special, even the people who really make you mad sometimes. They all cared about you at some point – and that needs to be appreciated.  Always look at the bright, positive side. Being positive is very healthy.

It’s absolutely normal for us, Muslims, to believe that we are connected with the Almighty and when we talk to Him, He always listens. He is the source of success and mercy for us, here in this world and in the Hereafter. We cannot do without Him; therefore, we’ve got to keep Him in our lives.  When we bring Allah into our lives, we are guaranteed success and prosperity.

وَتُوبُوۤاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعاً أَيُّهَا ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

“… And turn unto Allah together, O believers,

in order that you may succeed!”

(al-Quran 24:31)

Therefore, when we repent and get back on the right track, we become ‘special’ again and do not lose our value. How, in the world,  can we lose our value when Allah Himself created  us  and  sent  us  down  in  this  earth  to  seek  His bounties and mercy?

When Allah created Adam, He told the angels that He had created His viceroy on earth. Therefore, you are Allah’s deputy here in this world. So, make it worthwhile!

فَٱلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّالِحَاتِ لَهُمْ مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ

“Those who believe, and do good works,

for them is forgiveness and a rich provision.”

(al-Quran 22:50)

(Translation: “You are not meant for the earth, nor for the skies! The whole universe is created for you, not you for it. -- Iqbal”)

All we need to do is to remember Him, pay thanks to Him, take care of our obligations towards Him; and be nice and good to other folks. We should do the best, at least, on our part. When we do good to others, we actually do good to ourselves. And as a bonus, the Lord Almighty also grants us rewards in this world as well as in the Hereafter.

وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ

“… And Allah loves those whose deeds are good.”

(al-Quran 3:148)

(From my book, “You Are Special”, published: 2010, duly edited.)

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