Today's Reminder
March 31, 2023 | Ramadan 9, 1444
Living The Quran
Law of Requital
Surah Al-Fatiha (The Opening) Chapter 1: Verse 4
"Master of the Day of Judgement"
Evil takes many forms but it always contains some element of transgression, excess, waste, misapplication or disorder and implies deliberate pursuit of these ends.
The struggle between good and evil is decided according to the law of requital, which is subordinate to the divine purpose that good must ultimately outweigh evil and falsehood must yield place to truth. Without this not only would the essential balance be disturbed, the whole object of creation would be frustrated. The law of requital is in operation all the time but the final determination awaits the Day of Judgement when God as judge and master will 'decide the issue'. The concept of the hereafter is inseparable from the process of evolution. It is arbitrary to assume that this process which governs growth and decay, selection and survival, generation and regeneration at different levels of existence, should come to an abrupt and final end in physical death.
Compiled From:
"Translations from The Quran" - Altaf Gauhar, p. 70
From Issue: 723 [Read original issue]
Understanding The Prophet's Life
Daily Remembrances
Our daily remembrances, in and of themselves, have no healing or protecting power. Those remembrances are neither physicians nor guardians. They are merely a reason for us to enjoy Allah's protection and care. Allah is our protector and everything that happens takes place according to His decree. Allah indeed protects his devotees on account of their worship, devotion, supplications, penance and good deeds.
Our daily remembrances are just like our supplications. When we beseech Allah for something, and do so with sincerity, presence of mind, certainty of faith, and positive expectations, we know that Allah answers our prayers. However, Allah, in his wisdom may answer our supplications in different ways. He may give us specifically what we ask for. He may, instead, remove a harm from us that would otherwise have befallen us. He may also postpone the answer to our supplication and give its benefit to us in the Hereafter, when we need it the most.
Rain clouds are merely a reason for precipitation and not a guarantee of rainfall whenever they pass overhead. If Allah wills, the clouds will bring rain. If He so wills they will pass over and drop their rain at some other time and place. In the same way, our supplications and remembrances are a reason for our attaining Allah's protection and reward. It is Allah's will when and how He will answer them.
It needs to be said that when a person beseeches Allah with a distracted mind or with a pessimistic attitude, the supplication might not be answered at all.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Allah does not accept the supplication of an inattentive and distracted heart." [Sunan al-Tirmidhi]
The same applies to our daily remembrances. If we chant them ritualistically, without any presence of mind, we cannot expect to attain the full benefit of those remembrances. Our remembrances are essentially supplications. They are a means by which we beseech Allah, invoke His name, and remember Him. Therefore, if we recite the words of our remembrances insincerely, or with heedlessness or negativity in our hearts, we might very well be deprives of the blessings of our recitation.
Compiled From:
"Supplications & Remembrances" - Sami Al-Majid
From Issue: 512 [Read original issue]
Blindspot!
Busy Days
Some imagine that their days would be less busy in the future, that there would be fewer problems and obstacles, and that they will have more free time than during the past youth. However, experience shows quite the opposite, dear reader, so let me quote to you from the one who experienced that and concluded:
The older you get, the greater your responsibilities will be, the more relations you will have, the more restricted your time will be and the lesser your energy. Time is more restricted after youth, and one's body is weaker, health is less abundant, vitality is lower and duties and preoccupations are more numerous and more severe! Hence, make use of your time while it is available to you, and do not attach your heart to the unknown, for each stage has its own occupations, duties and surprises.
Some even stress the lack of days of happiness and the abundance of days of hardship:
They say life is all two days
One is pleasures and one is hardships
They were not truthful, for life is one day of happiness
And many days full of hardships and surprises
Compiled From:
"The Value of Time" - Abd al-Fattah Abu Ghuddah, pp. 74, 75
From Issue: 723 [Read original issue]