Lessons 1 >> 9 ~

[Shoshou..Mony]

Lah. Either am not great or everybody is great.

And I've read all your lessons, browse your rep page.   Just avoiding posting in the forum.  

Everybody in one hand and you are in the other hand to me. =]

Awwwww you read them all?! Thank YOU! I hope they were good and were of a little benefit! Jazkai Allah khair. +rep for reading. =]

Soon inshAllah you'll post. Debate section is dead without Alpha.  

[Alpha]

Everybody in one hand and you are in the other hand to me. =]

Awwwww you read them all?! Thank YOU! I hope they were good and were of a little benefit! Jazkai Allah khair. +rep for reading. =]

Soon inshAllah you'll post. Debate section is dead without Alpha.  

Aw, that's sweet. <3 But still, I've not done anything great yet. 
I'm planning to do the things I want to do before I leave Mother Earth, and Father Time takes me away.

Thank you. <3 +repped you too. They were very good lessons. I think you should make a sticky thread and paste them all in one, like a booklet on SF. They'll help many, am sure.

I miss debates too. I know if I post, it'll get stretched and will end up spending much time there... Once am back, I'll revive it to the fullest I can. Though, others can still post. Maybe I can direct a lil bit instead of literally debating. 

[Shoshou..Mony]

Aw, that's sweet. <3 But still, I've not done anything great yet. 
I'm planning to do the things I want to do before I leave Mother Earth, and Father Time takes me away.

Thank you. <3 +repped you too. They were very good lessons. I think you should make a sticky thread and paste them all in one, like a booklet on SF. They'll help many, am sure.

I miss debates too. I know if I post, it'll get stretched and will end up spending much time there... Once am back, I'll revive it to the fullest I can. Though, others can still post. Maybe I can direct a lil bit instead of literally debating. 

Being who YOU ARE is enough to this Earth. =]  MashAllah. InshAllah you'll be able to do a lot, you can do wonders Alpha..just make it your goal in this life.
I'm not planning to die like anyone else. I'll die..leaving behind a future. If Allah gives me the health and the breath which keeps me alive inshAllah, I WILL try my best.

Ah, I got till lesson 4/5 in one thread, I'll merge the rest with them soon inshAllah. Those lessons helped me, even that I wrote some of them..still I wrote what I learned from the great leaders of this world and mostly what I learned from the Creator and from my Prophet. Prophet Muhammed pbuh. =]

Ah, don't get too close to debates then. Ever thought about taking part of a debating contest or something? I heard there are many worldwide and my friend used to come on the TV. 

[Alpha]

Being who YOU ARE is enough to this Earth. =]  MashAllah. InshAllah you'll be able to do a lot, you can do wonders Alpha..just make it your goal in this life.
I'm not planning to die like anyone else. I'll die..leaving behind a future. If Allah gives me the health and the breath which keeps me alive inshAllah, I WILL try my best.

Ah, I got till lesson 4/5 in one thread, I'll merge the rest with them soon inshAllah. Those lessons helped me, even that I wrote some of them..still I wrote what I learned from the great leaders of this world and mostly what I learned from the Creator and from my Prophet. Prophet Muhammed pbuh. =]

Ah, don't get too close to debates then. Ever thought about taking part of a debating contest or something? I heard there are many worldwide and my friend used to come on the TV. 

Thanks. Knowing there's someone who believes in it feels nice.
Same here. I will make sure too I leave the world with something useful before I go. Will pray for us, both.

Make them sticky.
You know what? Since we have so many lessons, maybe we could have a Morality Child Board?

Yes... the parliament. Esp. in Mauritius.

[Shoshou..Mony]

Thanks. Knowing there's someone who believes in it feels nice.
Same here. I will make sure too I leave the world with something useful before I go. Will pray for us, both.

Make them sticky.
You know what? Since we have so many lessons, maybe we could have a Morality Child Board?

Yes... the parliament. Esp. in Mauritius.

OHHHHH MYYYYY GODDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD  A MORALITY CHILD-BOARD! Yesssss!!!!!!!! That's the BEST IDEA EVER IN SF  and in there we could like include those lesson, ALL the useful stories, your Blue Ribbon threads, all the useful quotes etc

It'll be SO USEFUL! Like, even guests would benefit and people would go there for tips! Come on Alpha, start a topic about it in the lounge. I'm sure no one will disagree inshAllah. It'LL be AWESOME isA. Even if we leave this place, we leave behind some useful stuff for all the next generations who will join this forum inshAllah!

I'll pray to both of us and everyone else inshAllah. =]

So did you ever take a part of it? Ever thought of debating and all? You'd do a good job there mA.

[Alpha]

OHHHHH MYYYYY GODDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD  A MORALITY CHILD-BOARD! Yesssss!!!!!!!! That's the BEST IDEA EVER IN SF  and in there we could like include those lesson, ALL the useful stories, your Blue Ribbon threads, all the useful quotes etc

It'll be SO USEFUL! Like, even guests would benefit and people would go there for tips! Come on Alpha, start a topic about it in the lounge. I'm sure no one will disagree inshAllah. It'LL be AWESOME isA. Even if we leave this place, we leave behind some useful stuff for all the next generations who will join this forum inshAllah!

I'll pray to both of us and everyone else inshAllah. =]

So did you ever take a part of it? Ever thought of debating and all? You'd do a good job there mA.

"Even if we leave this place, we leave behind some useful stuff for all the next generations who will join this forum inshAllah!"
Exactly.

Thank you... Okay, I'll create one just before I go now.

And no. The parliament is where all the government bodies and the Opposition party and the Ministers debate on issues and policies. I'm way too young, way too inexperienced, have no political career (not even a career).

[Shoshou..Mony]

And no. The parliament is where all the government bodies and the Opposition party and the Ministers debate on issues and policies. I'm way too young, way too inexperienced, have no political career (not even a career).

hahahahahaha..I'm lolling. LOOOOOOL.

Not the parliament other contests, other debating contests where you get certificates and all.

[Alpha]

hahahahahaha..I'm lolling. LOOOOOOL.

Not the parliament other contests, other debating contests where you get certificates and all.

I participated, in the debates at school, but more for elocution contests. My prizes remained at school, the school takes them if you participate using its name.
But anyway, the real debates will be the ones that will really make a difference to the lives of people. But before that, I gotta set some order in my own life.

[Malak]

True, We actually do complain a lot 

We usually ignore the good side and focus on the bad one that's why instead of being thankful to Allah for what he has given us we keep asking and complaining for more.

Thank you for sharing

[Shoshou..Mony]

True, We actually do complain a lot 

We usually ignore the good side and focus on the bad one that's why instead of being thankful to Allah for what he has given us we keep asking and complaining for more.

Thank you for sharing

And if complaining and whining was to get us anywhere then I would've excused those who do it, but unfortunately it doesn't get us what we want.

Thanks for reading love. <3

@Alpha, mashAllah. Soon enough. =]

[Romeesa-Chan]

~ The Blessings of Gratitude and Shukr ~


Gratitude (shukr) is about expressing thanks and appreciation to those who do any favor to us. Obviously, none can come close to our creator, Allah, who gave us everything. As the Quran states: “Who created you, fashioned you perfectly, and gave you due proportion” [Infitar 82:7]. As humans, Allah has bestowed on us the nature to be grateful and we should thus express that gratitude not just to Allah but to the people whom we deal with as well. In many places in the Quran, Allah divides people as being grateful and as ungrateful to motivate us to join the camp of those who are grateful. In one of such verses, Prophet Sulaiman said, as stated in the Quran, “. . . then when (Sulaiman (Solomon)) saw it placed before him, he said: "This is by the Grace of my Lord to test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful! And whoever is grateful, truly, his gratitude is for (the good of) his own self, and whoever is ungrateful, (he is ungrateful only for the loss of his own self). Certainly! My Lord is Rich (Free of all wants), Bountiful" [An-Naml: 40]




Having a sense of gratitude is thus a great blessing and those of us who instill that sense within themselves not only seek Allah’s pleasure but embody a sense of happiness, relieving us of the many pressures and anxieties. Although the blessings and benefits of gratitude are many, this post highlights certain important ones that you should recognize and use as a means to motivate that sense within yourselves.



*Gratitude is knowing that whatever we have is from Allah. Gratitude helps us focus our minds on Allah, something that has unfortunately become so difficult today on account of life’s distractions and attractions. Gratitude, therefore, corrects our perceptions by reminding us that everything that happens to us doesn’t happen because of its own volition and thus we shouldn’t take matters for “granted”. Allah says in the Quran: “And whatever of blessings and good things you have, it is from Allah” [al-Nahl 16:53]. He also says, “And He found you poor and made you rich (self?sufficient with self?contentment)” [al-Duha 93:8]. Let’s therefore constantly remind ourselves of Allah’s bounties by expressing our gratitude to Him in prayers and at other times.

*Gratitude helps in warding off punishment from Allah. Not recognizing Allah’s blessings can prevent us from gaining His pleasure. We know that if Allah were to punish us for our negligence, He would be justified for it. He says in the Quran: “If Allah took mankind to task by that which they deserve, He would not leave a living creature on the surface of the earth; but He grants them reprieve unto an appointed term, and when their term comes – then verily Allah is Ever All-Seer of His slaves” [Fatir (35):45]. At the same time though, Allah provides us a way to escape that punishment by being thankful to Him. He says, “Why should Allah punish you if you have thanked (Him) and have believed in Him. And Allah is Ever All-Appreciative (of good), All-Knowing” [(An-Nisa, Verse #147)]. Gratitude, therefore, is not an option and we should clean our hearts to thank Allah for everything that He has provided us.

*Gratitude helps us to slow down and to enjoy what we have rather than always waiting for the next wish to come true. Gratitude can help us recognize that we already have enough of what many people have for long been yearning for. We must therefore tame our Nafs to understand that if we can’t find happiness in the blessings that we have today, then we won’t be happy with what we get tomorrow. You see, gratitude is a sense of fulfillment that comes not from wanting more but rather from a sense of knowing that Allah has already blessed us with what we need. In one of the hadiths the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “…if the son of Adam has one valley, he will wish that he had a second, and if he had two valleys, he would wish that he had a third. The stomach of the son of Adam will be filled only with dust (i.e., he is never satisfied)…” (Reported by Ahmad, 5/219; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1781). So, let’s use gratitude to learn to enjoy what we have rather than fretting over what we don’t.

*Gratitude sought by exercising patience against unlawful desires prevents us from harmful consequences later. This was very aptly addressed by Ibn Qayyim, who stated that “Patience in resisting desires is easier than patience in dealing with the consequences that result from going along with desires, because it either leads to pain and punishment or it prevents a more complete pleasure, . . . or it deprives one of a blessing, having which is more pleasurable and better than fulfilling desires, . . . or it cuts off an oncoming blessing, or it has a negative impact on one’s character that will remain, because deeds have a great impact on one’s character and behavior.” [Al-Fawaa’id (p. 139)]

*Gratitude trains our minds to focus on the right things in life. It’s akin to walking in a room filled with various colored items and focusing only on items of a specific color. If you do so, your mind will be able to easily mask the other colors as you focus on items of that specific color. Our life is no different. When we let our minds look for problems, we see plenty of them. Instead, if we rather look away from problems and focus on possibilities and go for solutions, we will get those too. Let’s, therefore, use gratitude to motivate ourselves to find possibilities and solutions and not the negatives associated with problems.

*Gratitude helps us recognize other people’s favors to us. The Prophet through his sayings made it quite clear that expressing our gratitude to Allah by thanking Him also involves that we thank people who do favors for us. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said as narrated by Abu Hurairah: “He who does not thank people, does not thank Allah” (Ahmad, Tirmidhi). He also said: “Whoever does you a favor, then reciprocate, and if you cannot find anything with which to reciprocate, then pray for him until you think that you have reciprocated him”  Abu Dawood (1672). In another hadith, he said: “Whoever has a favor done for him and says to the one who did it, ‘Jazak Allahu khayran,’ has done enough to thank him” [Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi]. Let’s therefore ensure that we do our part to sincerely thank our families and those who have done good to us.

*Gratitude isn’t about ignoring our problems. On the contrary, gratitude helps us to be patient, accepting of life’s trials, and accordingly trains us to seek personal fulfillment with less. Gratitude thus makes us “low maintenance” in our demands and expectations. This trait reduces our burden on those around us, making our company more pleasing to others instead of leaving us always unhappy, more demanding, and impossible to please because of unending requirements.

*Gratitude is going beyond words and instead thanking through our actions. We see this in the example of the prophet whose sins were forgiven by Allah although he continued to strive for His pleasure. It was narrated that Aa’ishah said: “When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) prayed, he would stand for so long that his feet would become swollen. ‘Aa’ishah said: O Messenger of Allah, are you doing this when Allah has forgiven your past and future sins? He said: “O ‘Aa’ishah, should I not be a thankful slave?” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (4557) and Muslim (2820). Let’s, therefore, pray the extra nawafil as one way to thank Allah for His blessings.

*Gratitude helps increase one’s blessings. Allah says: “And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed: ‘If you give thanks (by accepting Faith and worshipping none but Allah), I will give you more (of My Blessings); but if you are thankless, verily, My punishment is indeed severe’” [Ibraaheem 14:7] Let’s, therefore, make thanking Allah part of morning and evening remembrances (adhkars) to get more of Allah’s blessings in our lives.

*Gratitude helps us to get the pleasure of Allah in the hereafter when in Paradise we express our gratitude to Allah for His blessings to enter us into paradise. Abul-Abbaas al-Qurtubi said: “. . . gratitude for blessings – even if they are few – is a means of attaining the pleasure of Allah, may He be exalted, which is the noblest situation of the people of Paradise. When the people of Paradise say, “You (Allah) have given to us what You have not given to anyone among Your creation,” Allah will say to them: “Shall I not give you something better than that?” They will say, “What is it? Have You not brightened our faces, and admitted us to Paradise and saved us from Hell?” Allah will say, “I bestow My pleasure upon you, and I will never be angry with you after that.” [Al-Mufhim lima ashkala min Talkhees Kitaab Muslim (7/60, 61)]. What better reward can we expect? So, why not be grateful to Him for what He has provided us day and night?

~Conclusion

Gratitude’s importance was emphasized by the Prophet when he took the hand of Mu’aadh ibn Jabal and said: “O Mu’aadh, by Allah I love you, by Allah I love you.” Then he said, “I advise you, O Mu’aadh, do not fail to say this after every prayer: O Allah help me to remember You, to thank You and to worship You properly.” The Arabic version of this Hadith is the following. Let’s ensure that we memorize it and recite it after every prayer.



Allahumma A’inni Ala dhikrika wa shukrika wa husni ibadatika

Finally, remember that being grateful is not an option and being one brings us closer to those whom we thank and appreciate.

[Amelia]

I found this story about 'A Clever King', gives us good insight on how to live our lives.

There was a country long time ago where the people would change a king every year. The person who would become the king had to agree to a contract that he will be sent to an island after his one year of being a king. So, one king finished his term and it was time for him to go to the island and live there. The people dressed him up in expensive clothes and put him on an elephant and took him around the cities to say goodbye to all the people. This was the moment of sadness for all the kings who ruled for one year. After saying goodbye, the people took the king with a boat to the remote island and left him there. On their way back, they discovered a ship that had sunk just recently. They saw a young man who survived by holding on to a floating piece of wood. As they needed a new king, they picked up the young man and took him to their country. They requested him to be a king for a year. First he refused but later he agreed to be a king. People told him about all the rules and regulations and that how he will be sent to an island after one year.

After three days of being a king, he asked the ministers if they could show him the island where all the other kings were sent. They agreed and took him to the island. The island was covered with thick jungles and sound of vicious animals were heard coming out of them. The king went little bit inside to see how it was and discovered the dead bodies of all the past kings. He understood that as soon as they were left in the island, the animals came and killed them.

The king then went back to the country and requested the people to provide him with 100 strong workers. He was provided with 100 workers and he took them to the island and told them to remove all the deadly animals and to cut down all the trees. He would visit the island every month to see how the work is progressing.

In the first month, all the animals were removed and many trees were cut down. In the second month, the whole island was cleaned out. The king then told the workers to plant gardens in various parts of the island. He also took with himself useful animals like chickens, ducks, birds, goats, cows etc. In the third month, he ordered the workers to build big houses and docking stations for ships. Over the months, the island turned into a beautiful place. The young king would wear simple clothes and spend very little from his earnings. He sent all the earnings to the island for storage. Nine months have passed like this. The king called the people and told them that "I know that I have to go the island after one year, but I would like to go there right now." But the people didn't agree to this and said that he have to wait for another 3 months to complete the year.

3 months passed and now it was a full year. The people dressed up the young king and put him on an elephant to take him around the country to say goodbye to others. However, this king is unusually happy to leave the kingdom. People asked him, "All the other kings would cry at this moment and why are you laughing?" He replied, "Don't you know what the wise people say? They say that when you came to this world as a baby, you were crying and everyone was smiling. Live such a life that when you are dieing, you will be smiling and everyone around you will be crying. I have lived that life. While all the other kings were lost into the luxuries of the kingdom, I always thought about the future and planned for it. I turned the deadly island into a beautiful abode for me where I can stay peacefullly."

We should take a lesson from this story about how we should also live our life. The life of this world is to prepare for the life hereafter. In this life, we shouldn't get lost into the beautiful things of this world and forget about what is to come in the afterlife. Rather, even if we are kings, we should live a simple life like our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and save all our enjoyments for the hereafter. May Allah make it easy for us all.

[Tohru Kyo Sohma]

I found this story about 'A Clever King', gives us good insight on how to live our lives.

There was a country long time ago where the people would change a king every year. The person who would become the king had to agree to a contract that he will be sent to an island after his one year of being a king. So, one king finished his term and it was time for him to go to the island and live there. The people dressed him up in expensive clothes and put him on an elephant and took him around the cities to say goodbye to all the people. This was the moment of sadness for all the kings who ruled for one year. After saying goodbye, the people took the king with a boat to the remote island and left him there. On their way back, they discovered a ship that had sunk just recently. They saw a young man who survived by holding on to a floating piece of wood. As they needed a new king, they picked up the young man and took him to their country. They requested him to be a king for a year. First he refused but later he agreed to be a king. People told him about all the rules and regulations and that how he will be sent to an island after one year.

After three days of being a king, he asked the ministers if they could show him the island where all the other kings were sent. They agreed and took him to the island. The island was covered with thick jungles and sound of vicious animals were heard coming out of them. The king went little bit inside to see how it was and discovered the dead bodies of all the past kings. He understood that as soon as they were left in the island, the animals came and killed them.

The king then went back to the country and requested the people to provide him with 100 strong workers. He was provided with 100 workers and he took them to the island and told them to remove all the deadly animals and to cut down all the trees. He would visit the island every month to see how the work is progressing.

In the first month, all the animals were removed and many trees were cut down. In the second month, the whole island was cleaned out. The king then told the workers to plant gardens in various parts of the island. He also took with himself useful animals like chickens, ducks, birds, goats, cows etc. In the third month, he ordered the workers to build big houses and docking stations for ships. Over the months, the island turned into a beautiful place. The young king would wear simple clothes and spend very little from his earnings. He sent all the earnings to the island for storage. Nine months have passed like this. The king called the people and told them that "I know that I have to go the island after one year, but I would like to go there right now." But the people didn't agree to this and said that he have to wait for another 3 months to complete the year.

3 months passed and now it was a full year. The people dressed up the young king and put him on an elephant to take him around the country to say goodbye to others. However, this king is unusually happy to leave the kingdom. People asked him, "All the other kings would cry at this moment and why are you laughing?" He replied, "Don't you know what the wise people say? They say that when you came to this world as a baby, you were crying and everyone was smiling. Live such a life that when you are dieing, you will be smiling and everyone around you will be crying. I have lived that life. While all the other kings were lost into the luxuries of the kingdom, I always thought about the future and planned for it. I turned the deadly island into a beautiful abode for me where I can stay peacefullly."

We should take a lesson from this story about how we should also live our life. The life of this world is to prepare for the life hereafter. In this life, we shouldn't get lost into the beautiful things of this world and forget about what is to come in the afterlife. Rather, even if we are kings, we should live a simple life like our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and save all our enjoyments for the hereafter. May Allah make it easy for us all.

^awesome story amelia
thanks for sharing <3
 

[Malak]

^ Thanks for sharing both of you

Romy, the last picture is AWESOME!!!

[Shoshou..Mony]

@Romeesa, AWESOMENESS! That gratitude lesson is really great, also the last picture is wonderful. Jazaka Allah khair sis. =]
I'll take some parts of it to share it in my page! Thank you love.

@Amelia, that's a REALLY marvelous story mashAllah.

Very true..we should live our lives preparing for the day we will part this world and for the after-life.
Such a beautiful story, makes us realize a lot and that this life is too short.

I loved it a lot and I'll share it on my FB page so that you take the reward for it. =]