Start With the Self.

[Julaybib]

As Salaam Alaykum. This thread is intended mostly as reminder for myself I hope Inshallah that others will also derive benefit, and contribute with their thoughts on self reformation.

A man was on his death bed, Someone asked him to give some wise counsel before he departed, the world he Said.

" When I was young I wanted to change the world and solve its problems, As I got older I realized that perhaps I should lower my sights, I thought I would be better served in changing my country as time went on I realized that people of country could not be changed. I decided to change the people of my town , but they also did not wish to change, When I reached my old age I thought I would try changing my Family, here also I found my endeavors go to waste, try as I might my family members would not change.

" Now that I am on my death bed, I have realized that if I had sought to improve myself, and removed my own defects, then perhaps my family members would have been influenced. Then seeing the behavior of my family people of my town would have been influenced. By seeing the spiritual change and improvement of the people of my town, the people of my country would have been influenced. And perhaps through the people of my country the world may have been influenced."
* Source Unknown.

Is it not the case that we spend very little time reflecting on ourselves, but seek out the faults and defects of others. I joined this forum last week, to help improve my knowledge, instead what I have found myself doing is getting engaged, in fruitless debates be it sectarian issues, political issues or otherwise. I wish to change the world but I find it near impossible, to change myself.

MaY Allah give us all the Tawfiq to improve our own behavior and conduct and a sinner like me in particular, ameen.

P.s I humbly request that you please, remember me in your duas.

[Quraatulain]

Aameen wa suma aamen

[alfatiha]

bro you should have a blog or something it would be nice

reading the debate is good but never engage in one because sometimes you read most of the posts out of context and perhaps misquote others here and there. and I also avoid reading from selected few to avoid confusions.

[Waleeja]

You know, i joined this forum to increase my knowledge. Why? So I could spread it to others.

Reading this thread has just shown me that I should act upon this knowledge myself first...

Jazakallahu khair for this obvious, yet ignored insight brother.

[Julaybib]

As Salaam Alaykum.


Shaqeeq Bin Ibraheem (ra) says: " In four things a person conforms with me by way of his tongue but opposes me by way of his deeds.

1.) He says that we are the servants (and slaves) of Allah subhanahu wa tala,
Yet does the deeds of free people.

2.) He says that Allah subhanahu wa tala is responsible, for our sustenance, yet his heart is not at ease upon this responsibility until at such time that he is not in possession of any worldly material;

3). He says that the hereafter holds virtue over the world, yet he always worries about hoarding wealth for this world (he has no worry for the hereafter);

4.) He says that death is inevitable, it will definitely come, yet his deeds are like those who do not want to die."

In short we spend our whole lives in the pursuit of wealth, material things and violating the rights of others, It fails to register with us that one day we shall die, only our deeds will accompany us to the grave: Often we find people who fall out with their loved ones over something petty, they spend the rest of their lives in enmity, neither willing to apologise, or compromise.If one of them passes away then the one who remains alive is filled with remorse of course by then it is too late to make ammends.

Enhance your good deeds, settle your debts, Make ammends with those whom
you have fallen out with, does it really matter whose right ,or whose in the wrong, Will our status be lowered if we are the ones who compromise and offer an apology.

May Allah give us all the tawfiq to reform ourselves, and a hypocrite like myself
in particular ameen.

[Julaybib]

As Salaam alaykum;


Al Hasan Al Basri (ra) said," You always see the believer reproaching himself and saying things like: Did I want this? Why did I do that? Was this a better thing to do or should I have behaved otherwise?


Hazrat Umar Al Farooq (ra) Said:
"The Wisest Of Men is he who can account for his own actions."



May Allah give us all the Tawfiq to examine our own faults and rectify them ameen.

[Julaybib]

AS Salaam Alaykum:

Umar Al Farooq(ra). Said:
" Judge Yourselves before you yourselves are judged;and weigh yourselves before you yourselves are weighed in the balance. When you are brought to account tomorrow, it will be much easier for you if you have already brought your selves to account today-so do so, before you come to the final gathering "

*source 'The Purification Of The Soul'.


Just A thought.

Is it not a case that our own egos can be very deceptive, whilst sometimes our initial intentions, may be pure, We may have a desire to share the words of wisdom and knowledge we have learned, to help benefit others or perhaps we may raise issues as a reminder for ourselves. If we feel proud when others compliment us, or praise us; Then surely we should reflect whether our initial intention has remained pure. Praise from others can ruin a thousand good intentions, the ego is massaged the disease of pride and vanity become dominant in our hearts, we end up engaging in debates to prove the greatness of our knowledge even though we end up neither benefiting ourselves nor others.



May Allah protect us from Vanity and give us the Tawfiq to do good purely for his sake, May Allah protect us all from the excessive praise of others especially a hypocrite like me, ameen.

[Tahiri]

Ghaus al-Azam Sayyadna Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani rahmatullah alaih said:
You are a Muslim when you are with people, but in your lonliness, you are not.
You are servant of Allah when with people, but actually you are servant of money.

This means our intentions are all for this world, but to show others we call ourselves true muslims.

Thanks

[Julaybib]

As Salaam Alaykum.


In the village of Kandhala in India a dispute arose between the muslims and the Hindus over some land; the hindus claimed that the land belonged to them and wanted to build a temple on it, the muslims claimed the land belonged to them and wanted to build a mosque on it.

The case went to court, both sides were asked to produce evidence as to whom the land belonged to. The Hindus said there is a pious elder in our village called Illahi Baksh (ra) what ever testimony he gives we will accept it. The Muslims were delighted, after all one of their own would be able to testify on their behalf, so they also stated that Shaykh Illahi Baksh's(ra) verdict would be acceptable to them.

Shaykh Illahi Baksh(ra) was summoned to court and asked who the Land belonged to he said: " I don't know who the land belongs to, but one thing I do Know is that it does not belong to the Muslims."

So the Hindus Won the court case the deeds of the land were handed over to them. In the courtroom their was chaos, the Muslims were incensed, as the Shaykh was leaving the court people were jostling him, shouting insults calling him a Hindu agent etc.

As he managed to extract him self from the mob of Muslim's. the Hindus were waiting on the other side, the Hindus came over and said:"Maulana Sahib here are the deeds of the land , we want you to build a mosque, and we shall also worship in it, Maulana sahib we want to be Muslim just like you, for today you have proven the beauty and justice of Islam."

Shaykh Illahi Baksh by behaving justly in accordance with the teachings of Islam managed to win over a whole community, they all embraced Islam.

Something to reflect:

How often do we fall into the sin of injustice, we support our relatives in disputes with others even though we know they are wrong, similarly with those who belong to our ethnic group, tribe, clan, and those who are fellow muslim's we seek to make excuses for them in their transgressions towards others.

May Allah give us the Tawfiq and strength to stand for what is just, ameen.

[Julaybib]

AS Salaam Alaykum Brother Tahiri what you have stated is so true.

May Allah Bless you.

p.s. I have visited the Website of your Shaykh(db) alhamdolilah I found it most beneficial,
One of the true specialists of dealing in diseases of the heart may Allah preserve him.