Belief in the existence of angels is one of the fundamental articles of faith in Islam.
Muslims believe that angels were created by God from light. They carry out God’s commandments in nature and the universe. What we usually call the “forces of nature” become active because of the presence of angels behind them, working at the command of God.
The Unseen Creatures
Angels belong to a level of existence beyond the perceptible world of phenomena, called `alam al-ghayb. As God’s creatures living within the physical world of mundane reality, we humans cannot overstep its confines; nor can we visualize beings that exist outside of it.
Muslims believe in the existence of angels because God talks about them through His revelations. Though angels are generally invisible beings, they may appear to the outward eye if required, in forms suitable for the visible world.
Angel Gabriel
The Arabic word for angel is malak (plural mala’ikah), and its root meaning is “messenger.” Muslims believe that the Angel Gabriel or Jibreel was the messenger through whom God revealed the Quran to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
He appeared to the Prophet as a person who could talk—an appearance which was in keeping with his task. It was the same Angel Jibreel who acted as the Prophet’s guide on the Night of Ascension or Al-Miraj.
Although God may send His revelation through the Angel Gabriel, it is important to point out that in Islam, angels are not considered intermediaries between God and humans in the sense that humans cannot reach God except through the angels.
The Quran also speaks of angels as playing a crucial role in processes like creation, prophecy, spiritual life, death, resurrection, and the workings of natural elements. For instance, there is an angel who brings the thunder, and he, too, serves God and obeys His command. Others are in charge of embryos in wombs, or responsible for protecting human beings.
The Quran speaks of the charge of the angel of death in these verses:
The angel of death, who has been charged with you, will gather you; then to your Lord you will be returned. (32:11)
The Quran mentions angels in connection with Heaven and Hell:
Gardens of Eden which they shall enter… and the angels shall enter unto them from every gate. (13:23)
Also they record the deeds of humans as long as they are on earth:
There are over you watchers, noble writers, who know whatever you do. (82:10-2)
They are also mentioned in many hadiths. For example, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is reported to have said that when people gather together in remembrance of God:
The angels surround them, mercy covers them, peace descends on them, and God remembers them among those who are with Him. (At-Tirmidhi)
Angels are different from human beings in that they do not have a will of their own. They were created for the specific purpose of serving God and carrying out His commands. Some are in a state of constant worship of God, prostrating to Him and never raising their heads.
Ripped hijab, spits, and hateful comments were some of the experiences Muslim councilors had to deal with in Glasgow streets.
Councilor Fyeza Ikhlaq revealed she had her hijab ripped from her head, was spat on and was told to ‘go home’ in the wake of the 7/7 London bombings.
Her colleague SNP councilor Zen Ghani also revealed he had once been asked if he was carrying a bomb in his bag by a group of men as he made his way home from his mosque.
The testimonies were shared with members of the city council as they debated a motion adopt a definition of Islamophobia in order to tackle hate crimes in the city, Glasgow World reported.
“Many Muslim citizens across Glasgow will be able to give their own experiences of Islamophobia,” councilor Ghani told the City Council.
“It is important that we listen to their experiences so we can learn from them as being subject to Islamophobic abuse can be one of the most horrendous things a person can experience in their life.”
During the meeting, councilors unanimously agreed to adopt the All Party-Parliamentary Group (APPG) definition on Islamophobia.
In November 2018, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims defined Islamophobia as: “rooted in racism and a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.”
Though pleased for discussing the issue, Councilor Ikhalaq she is sad that Muslims are still fighting these prejudices.
“I would say Glasgow is one of the most welcoming and friendly cities in the world and we have proven that but we do have the problem of islamophobia which I am hoping we can all tackle together,” she said.
“Muslims even have to fear travelling on a plane because we know we will get stopped for a random search.
“I’ve always known what it’s like to be on the receiving end of Islamophobia. We have to come together. We have to educate ourselves and others around us, we have to speak up,” she added.
Earlier this month, the Leeds City Council adopted a specific definition for Islamophobia, in a decision hailed as a “big step in the right direction.”
The definition followed a report published last week which showed nearly half of Leeds Muslims don’t feel treated as equal citizens.
During the time of `Uthman ibn `Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) differences in reading the Qur’an became obvious. After consultation with the Companions, `Uthman had a standard copy prepared from the suhuf of Abu Bakr that were kept with Hafsah at that time.
The following is the report in the Sahih ofAl–Bukhari:
Anas bin Malik narrated :
Hudhaifah ibn Al-Yaman came to `Uthman at the time when the people of Sham and the people of Iraq were waging war to conquer Arminya and Adharbijan.
Hudhaifah was afraid of their (the people of Sham and Iraq) differences in the recitation of the Qur’an, so he said to `Uthman, ‘O Commander of the Faithful! Save this nation before they differ about the Book (Qur’an), as Jews and the Christians did before’.
So, `Uthman sent a message to Hafsah saying, ‘Send us the manuscripts of the Qur’an so that we may compile the Qur’anic materials in perfect copies and return the manuscripts to you’. Hafsah sent it to `Uthman.
`Uthman then ordered Zayd ibn Thabit, `Abdullah ibn Az-Zubair, Sa`id ibn Al-`Ass and `Abdur Rahman ibn Harith ibn Hisham to rewrite the manuscripts in perfect copies.
`Uthman said to the three Quraishi men, ‘In case you disagree with Zayd ibn Thabit on any point in the Qur’an, then write it in the dialect of Quraish as the Qur’an was revealed in their tongue’.
They did so, and when they had written many copies, `Uthman ibn `Affan returned the original manuscripts to Hafsah.
`Uthman sent to every Muslim province one copy of what they had copied, and ordered that all the other Qur’anic materials whether written in fragmentary manuscripts or whole copies, be burnt.
Zayd ibn Thabit added, ‘A verse from Surat Al-Ahzab was missed by me when we copied the Qur’an and I used to hear Allah’s Apostle reciting it. So we searched for it and found it with Khuzaimah ibn Thabit Al-Ansari’. (That verse was):
{Among the Believers are men who have been true in their covenant with Allah} (Al-Ahzab 33: 23). (Al-Bukhari)
So, the making of the Mushafof `Uthman went through the following steps:
Disputes had arisen among the Muslims about the correct manner of reciting the Qur’an.
`Uthman borrowed the suhuf, which were kept with Hafsah.
He ordered four Companions, among them Zayd ibn Thabit, to rewrite the script in perfect copies.
Then, he sent these copies to the main centers of the Muslims to replace other materials that were in circulation.
The revelation, as left by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), was available both orally and written on various materials. Its internal order was known to the Muslims and strictly observed by them.
Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) collected these loose materials and had their contents written on to sheets (suhuf).
The Difference between Abu Bakr’s and `Uthman’s Collection
Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) had made one single copy from the various verbal and written materials. This copy was later kept by `Umar ibn Al-Khattab and then by his daughter Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with both of them).
`Uthman ibn `Affan had many copies prepared from this copy and sent them to various places in the Muslim world, while the original suhuf were returned to Hafsah and remained with her until her death.
Later, Marwan ibn Al-Hakam (d. 65/684), according to a report from Ibn abi Dawud, collected it from her heirs and had it destroyed, presumably fearing it might become the cause for new disputes.
`Uthman ibn `Affan also kept one of the copies for himself. This version of the text, also known as ‘Mushaf `Uthman’ in fact constitutes the ijma`(consensus) of the sahaba, all of whom agreed that it contained what Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had brought as revelation from Allah.
The wide distribution of this text and its undisputed authority can also be deduced from the reports on the battle of Siffin (A.H. 37), 27 years after the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and five years after `Uthman ‘s copies were distributed, Mu`awiyah’s troops fixed sheets from the Qur’an on their spears to interrupt the battle. (See Suyuti, History of the Caliphs. transl. H. S. Jarrett. Baptist Mission Press, Calcutta. 1881, p. 177.) However nobody accused anyone else of using a ‘partisan’ version of the text, which would have made a splendid accusation against the enemy.
Taken with some modifications from the Book: Ulum Al-Qur’an: An Introduction to the Sciences of the Qur’an
Even righteous people can fall into the sin of backbiting. In this video, Sheikh Omar Suleiman tells us the story of a man who committed the act of backbiting at the time of the Prophet (SAW). What can we learn from this interesting story?
Frequently, Christians say to me that “God is Love”, as if the God I know and love is not a loving God.
They couldn’t be more wrong, because:
{He (Allah) is the All-Forgiving, the All-Loving.} (Quran 85:14)
One of the 99 names of Allah is “Al-Wadud” (the All-Loving). So, when they tell me that Allah is not a loving God, I am confident to correct them stating that Allah is the Most loving.
The word “Al-Wadud” means that He loves and honors those that worship Him. He gives His blessings upon them out of His love for them.
{On those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, will (Allah) Most Gracious bestow love.} (Quran 19:96)
The entire universe and everything in it is proof of Allah’s love for all of mankind. He loves us so much that He gave us an endless variety of foods, a vast array of wildlife, the ability to see changes in our surroundings by the changes in weather, and the sun, moon, and stars, companions to share our lives with, and offspring to share in the world with us.
Everything we feel, hear, taste, smell, and see, and even the things we can’t see or feel, is a form of blessing given to us, out of His infinite love for us. He didn’t have to give us these things that make the world interesting, but He did!
If we take a look at all the 99 names of Allah, it becomes evident that He is most certainly a loving God. All of His names refer to benevolence, generosity, mercy, kindness, clemency, and forgiveness. This tells us something very important, which is that he is a loving God, beyond our imagination’s ability to fathom!
2 Characteristics of Love are Mercy & Forgiveness
{My mercy has encompassed everything.} (Quran 7:156)
When we read the Quran, we find that every chapter, except one, begins with His reminder that He is the “Most Gracious” (Ar-Rahman), and “Most Merciful” (Ar-Rahim), which are also of His 99 names. He even tells us that if we do a sin, and if we repent, He will be “Oft-Forgiving” and “Most Merciful”.
You may hear non-Muslims frequently spouting that the teachings of Islam are all about fear and punishment, but I must say that people that say these sorts of things, obviously haven’t read the Quran, and if they did, they are overlooking the verses that speak of His love and mercy for mankind.
In the first hadith Qudsi, Allah tells the Prophet:
Do you remember when you were a child, and you wanted to do something that your mother was vehemently against, and you just thought she was withholding it from you as a punishment? Then, when you grew up, you came to understand why she did it, and it was because she loved you, and she knew what was better for you? Well, can you imagine that Allah loves us even more than our own mothers?
Now that you are all grown up, you may feel that Allah is withholding things from you, which make you sad, but remember, He is your Creator, and knows what is better for you. He may withhold things you want because He knows it is not in your best interest to have it at that moment in time.
Who knows, maybe you would be robbed, or killed over it, or you would fall into sinning with it. Maybe He knows it would benefit you most to provide it in the future. He tells us:
{Gracious is Allah to His servants: He gives Sustenance to whom He pleases: and He has power and can carry out His Will.} (Quran 42:19)
So, next time you are feeling down about being broke, say “Alhamdulillah” because it is a blessing in disguise, but you know not. After some time passes by, you may become aware of the wisdom behind the situation.
Allah Even Commands the Angels to Love You!
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) told us:
“If Allah loves a person, He calls Gabriel, saying, ‘Allah loves so and so, O Gabriel love him.’
So Gabriel would love him and then would make an announcement in the Heavens: ‘Allah has loved so and-so therefore you should love him also.’
So all the dwellers of the Heavens would love him, and then he is granted the pleasure of the people on the earth.” (Al-Bukhari)
To give you an idea of the number of angels there are that are ordered to love you, we can find that in the hadith where the Prophet described the Much-Frequented House (al-Bayt al-Ma’moor) in the seventh heaven:
“Then I was taken up to the Much-Frequented House: every day seventy thousand angels visit it and leave, never returning to it again, another [group] coming after them.” (Muslim)
The Prophet also restated what Allah said:
“…Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him.
When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it.
I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him.” (40 Hadith Qudsi)
Sometimes we may feel that Islam feels like work, but if we remember what the Prophet Muhammad told someone who asked:
“O Messenger of Allah, indeed, the legislated acts of Islam have become too much for me, so inform me of a thing that I should stick to.”
He said:
“Let not your tongue cease to be moist with the remembrance of Allah.” (At-Tirmidhi)
If we remember Allah, He will remember us. If you go to Him walking, He will come to you running!
Even if You Are the Worst of Sinners!
Allah’s love for us also extends to His boundless mercy and forgiveness for those who repent. He told Adam that as long as man turns to Him in repentance, that He will let it go, even if your sins reached the clouds of the sky, or as great as the Earth, that He will forgive.
Mufti Menk reminds us of a statement Allah (SWT) teaches us to say whenever we have lost a loved one or anything precious to us. What is that statement? And how does that statement soothe our hearts? SubhanAllah!
During the 7th century, Islamic civilization opened its doors to new ideas from the East and from the West, introducing Islamic art, architecture, astronomy, chemistry, mathematics, medicine, music, philosophy and ethics to the world.
In light of this, Muslim physicians, geographers, and scientists have all left huge contributions in the world civilization.
In this folder, we celebrate some of those figures and their contributions to humanity.
In this interesting nasheed, Muad and Zayaan remind us of the love that ensues between parents and their children. A love that is priceless, unconditional and incomparable, a love, worth more than diamonds and pearls. SubhanaAllah! Very interesting!
Many in our Muslim society including myself at one point believed that Halloween is nothing more than a harmless festival that allows kids to collect candy. But is it? No. It is not.
Reading up I learnt that the Druids who were a religious order amongst the Celts would try to appease their Lord of Death. These Druids also believed that witches rode on broomsticks and that ghosts were the cause of supernatural occurrences.
On Halloween or October 31, the souls of the dead people were presumed to roam the land of the living. The Devil, spirits and witches were also believed to be moving about and at the height of their power.
There were games and rituals which involved fortune-telling. Young people, for instance, would try to see what their marriage prospects were.
Its origins lie deeply rooted in the belief of the supernatural world therefore, Muslims should stay away. Christian and Jews practicing their religions have also advised so.
Freedom
In most western countries we have freedom to practice our faith without any interference. This freedom is one of the blessings of Allah. We must learn and teach our children to practise the peaceful message and not to indulge in the forbidden practices.
As Muslim parents, it is our responsibility to keep our children focused on the good and as far away as possible from the bad. We will be held accountable for how and what we teach our children about their religion. This includes days we celebrate.
Occasionally, as parents we ourselves can get confused between the good and the bad. Only through knowledge, are we able to differentiate what is right from wrong.
Unfortunately, the ‘human weaknesses’ allure us to anything that seems to be attractive and enjoyable and not what is right or correct.
However, we cannot forget that we must strive to abide by our religious boundaries.
So after establishing this, what is a reasonable mindset regarding the celebration of Halloween since it is this time of the year?
Some may argue that there is no lasting benefit to ignore a holiday that exists around us. Others believe it does harm to celebrate Halloween as it has originated and grown over the centuries.
To counter the influence of Halloween, and the hype surrounding it we need to teach our children to celebrate the reality of the heroic efforts of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing upon him) and his Companions. Make them familiar to our true heroes; our real role models.
Talking to them now as opposed to on the morning of October 31 will give them some time to think about it too, and get used to the concept of not having to go trick-or-treating just because their friends are.
Rather than order them, explain to them patiently concepts like angels and Jinn. Talk to them about the story of Satan and its effort to tempt humans. Tell them that life following our Prophet and with our Quran can thwart all the devil’s tricks.
Don’t Judge; Inform
Bear in mind that those who celebrate Halloween either are unaware of its roots, or are intentionally promoting a world where evil is lauded and viewed as an ultimate power. Instill in them that this is nothing we want.
Do not condemn those who celebrate Halloween. Instead, explain to your child what it is calmly, point out its dangers, and let it register. Let them think about it. Explain that every group or culture has its own celebrations, and we, as Muslims have our own. Halloween is a pagan celebration. However, when Eid comes, that is our celebration.
As the day approaches provide an alternative and focus the day away from ghosts, witches and other ‘haunted’ experiences.
As opposed to hiding in the face of evil, we should create a substitute that is positive and uplifting. Show them that as Muslims we celebrate good over evil and the triumph of Adam over Shaytan.
We need to provide an environment that also makes room for plenty of fun while using the day as an ‘educational moment’ to celebrate Allah’s protection, provision and purpose for our lives.
Discuss with Others
As mentioned earlier, living in the West, we are blessed with so many things. There are many many good things that we learn and adapt from these countries. However, there are some habits that are unacceptable in the Islamic culture. Halloween is one such tradition.
Friends may argue that this is a non-harming, non-threatening, very fun and simple tradition. Agree, on the face value, it may appear that children are just having fun, dressing up and collecting some candies.
However, as Muslims, we are supposed to consider and think about everything that we do. There is no blind following in Islam. We are not supposed to follow something blindly without thinking or pondering about it.
Imitating
To demonstrate the gravity of imitating non-Muslims Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) stated:
{Whoever imitates a people is one of them} (Ahmad)
Muslims need to come to terms with an Islamic identity and the fact that we are ordered by Allah not to imitate others.
Perspectives on the observance of Halloween are highly divided. Some people think it is just a fun night to dress up and get candy, while others believe it is an acceptance of the things that represent the demonic world.
If you feel it necessary to explain yourself to other adults, you can choose to be as informational as you like. However, in the commotion and busy hype Halloween seems to bring, others may not be fully able to hear your message.
It may be easier to keep the explanation simple and offer to talk more about it after their sugar high has passed. A simple, “As Muslims, we choose not to participate in an event with Pagan origins. I’d be happy to tell you more sometime,” may suffice and will go further than something more rigid may.
Be the light
While we do not celebrate Halloween, we can still celebrate the gorgeous autumn season in a fun, delicious and respectful way.
After all, it is an honour, responsibility and blessing to be a Muslim. You see, as Muslims we are placed in this world to be a light in a world of darkness. Be that light.
Is it just me or does the time seem to be passing more quickly lately?
One minute it is 2021 the next we are in the final half of the other year.
No matter how badly we want the time to slow down it just moves forward, one second, one minute, and one hour at a time.
Days go by and it feels like minutes. Before the day’s work even starts it is night time. God mentions this phenomenon in various places throughout the Quran.
{They will say: “We stayed a day or part of a day. Ask of those who keep account.} (23:113)
{…A speaker from among them said, “How long have you stayed (here)?” They said, “We have stayed (perhaps) a day or part of a day.” They said, “Your Lord (alone) knows best how long you have stayed (here)…} (18:19)
Time passes swiftly, and when we stand before God on the Day of Judgment it will seem as if we have lived, dreamed and hoped for less than a day. It will seem as if we have worshipped our Creator for only the briefest of time and in only the most lackadaisical way.
We know that many of us will beg God for more time, time to correct our actions and time to worship in a better way.
{Until, when death comes to one of them (those who join partners with God), he says: “My Lord! send me back} (23:99)
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) reiterated this for us. Time will not slow down and we cannot go back to fix the mistakes we make therefore he advised us to take advantage of five, before five.
“Take advantage of five matters before five other matters: your youth, before you become old; your health, before you fall sick; your wealth, before you become poor; your free time before you become busy; and your life, before your death.” (Al-Bukhari)
We are advised to take advantage of what time we have. When we are young we take our youth and energy for granted. We feel as if we have all the time in the world, tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow.
But tomorrow creeps up on us slowly and one of the first things we lose is our youth. A grey hair appears, there is a niggling pain in our back, or our shoulder or a knee. As old age approaches people find it harder to fulfill even their obligatory acts of worship.
When it is impossible to bend our knees and put our head on the ground in submission, we want only to be able to go back and pray one extra prayer, fast one extra day the way we did when we were young and full of energy. The young must take advantage of their youth before old age strips it away. Boundless energy should be used to help others, and to collect as many rewards as possible.
Health Before Sickness
A believer must also take advantage of health before being overcome by sickness, with or without old age. Even young people are affected by ill health and injuries that make it impossible to worship in the way that they would like. Both God and Prophet Muhammad have emphasized the benefits and rewards that come from a believer experiencing pain and suffering.
However when a person suffers ill health, he realizes just how fragile human beings are. Prophet Muhammad reminds us that we do not know when our health will be taken from us. One day we have all our strength and mental faculties, the next we might be relying on others for even the simplest things.
Wealth is another blessing that comes to us from God. A believer should give as much as possible in charity while there is still something to give. We tend to think of charity as money but it is not confined to monetary matters. We give with our hands, our time, our knowledge and our money. And we even give with our smile.
However, we should use our monetary wealth to worship and please God before it is taken from us. We have no way of knowing when God will see fit to remove our wealth from us. People are rich one day and homeless the next. We must spend our wealth for the sake of God before we do not have the means to do so. And this will not go unrewarded.
{The likeness of those who spend their money for God’s sake, is as the likeness of a grain (of corn), it grows seven ears, every single ear has a hundred grains, and God multiplies (increases the reward) for whom He wills, and God is All-Sufficient for His creatures needs, All Knower.} (2:261)
Free Time Before Business
Free time is another great blessing from God that each of us possesses, regardless of how busy we think we are. Spending this time wisely means not wasting it in fruitless activities that have no benefit. Even the simplest of acts can become worthwhile by simply doing them for the sake of God. If we free ourselves from fruitless time wasting activities it is possible the time to increase our religious deeds.
When a person chooses wisely, worldly deeds can also be done for the sake of God. Remember that time moves inexorably forward. Do it today because you may not have a tomorrow. Use your free time wisely today before life is filled with worldly obligations that contain no benefit whatsoever unless you live every moment to please God.
The final thing we have been advised to take advantage of is life before death overtakes us. Every morning we should thank God for another day. Each day is a chance to do well; to spend in charity, to worship longer, harder, or in a better way.
It is a chance to spread good cheer, smile, and pay that extra dollar or two in charity. It is a chance to perform countless random acts of kindness. We have become relaxed about the reality of death. At some point, perhaps in a matter of hours, minutes, or even seconds, our life will be taken away from us. Prophet Muhammad advises us to take advantage of the time we have. Do what you can now, not tomorrow, for tomorrow may never come.
This reminder from the Prophet Muhammad deals with responsibility, wisdom, foresight and time management, but it is not the only time he reminded us of the importance of being aware of our blessings and using them to our own advantage.
We are constantly reminded, throughout the Quran and the traditions of the Prophet, that time is fleeting and that every little thing we do is able to become a source of great reward. Prophet Muhammad also said:
“Three things follow the deceased [to his grave], two of them return and one remains with him. His family, wealth and deeds follow him, while his family and wealth return, his deeds remain with him.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
El sueño hace que cierres los ojos, pero la fuerza continúa corriendo por tus venas y nervios, sosteniendo la vida en tu cuerpo, nunca para ni se debilita. La fuerza de agradecimiento es similar.
¿Quién mantiene tus venas y nervios vivos, activos y vigilantes por ti? ¿Quién los creó y los puso a funcionar de la nada?
No fuimos creados porque lo pedimos, ni se nos proveyó cuando éramos un embrión y un bebé porque lo pedimos. Sino que fue el Generoso Otorgador y el Glorioso Hacedor quien lo hizo por ti, por Su Gracia. Verdaderamente es más misericordioso contigo que tú mismo.
El significado del agradecimiento
El agradecimiento es una palabra que, al igual que la gratitud, significa alabanza y exaltación, y en esto radica su valor y mérito.
Lo importante es que la lengua exprese gratitud mientras el corazón la siente y reconocer en lo más profundo que Dios, como fuente de todo bien que acaece, merece todo el agradecimiento que se le envía.
Con cada parpadeo de los ojos y con cada latido del corazón, Allah se manifiesta cercano a la humanidad a través de las bendiciones que les otorga y las cosas buenas que les envía.
Estas bendiciones y dones, que se renuevan todos los días y todas las noches, deben recibirse con reconocimiento y agradecimiento a Aquel que las concede.
Él es Quien hizo sucederse a la noche y el día para quien quisiera recapacitar o agradecer.
Si le das comida a alguien, le das refugio, pagas sus deudas o lo elevas a un alto rango y luego te mira con desagrado o te da la espalda a pesar de la bondad que le has mostrado, lo percibirías como alguien sin quien la tierra sería un lugar mejor.
¿Qué piensas entonces del Señor de la existencia? Quien crea de la nada, proporciona sustento y ropa, y derrama sus gracias y favores año tras año, cuando ve que los que viven y se regocijan en sus bendiciones son severos y le rechazan con firmeza.
Ha creado al hombre a partir de una gota de esperma y sin embargo él es un indudable discutidor.
La ingratitud es bajeza. El flujo incesante de dones se paga dándole la espalda a quien los otorga y se le desobedece en Su presencia.
La persistencia en este comportamiento, hace que el derecho a más se reduzca a nada. Por lo tanto, es una obligación para la humanidad agradecer y expresar gratitud a su Señor.
La gratitud no es una tarea difícil que haya que soportar con paciencia; sino que es el camino a la perfección que las personas deben transitar con determinación y propósito.
¡Creyentes! ¡Comed de las cosas buenas que os proveemos y agradeced a Allah, si es verdad que Le adoráis!
Afortunadamente, reconocer los favores de Allah con dulce compostura y la aquiescencia del corazón hacia el Hacedor hace a una persona digna de recibir más. Las bendiciones en sus manos son como agua derramada en una tierra fértil repleta de flores y frutos; no se puede reducir ni parar de derramar.
Por el contrario, regar una tierra estéril es un desperdicio y, por lo tanto, se corta el agua.
Y cuando os anunció vuestro Señor: Si sois agradecidos, os daré aún más, pero si sois desagradecidos…Es cierto que Mi castigo es intenso.
Por tanto, la maldad de la ingratitud merece un castigo severo.
¿Qué perderá la gente si disfruta de las Bendiciones de Allah con un corazón agradecido que reconoce al Otorgador y le dice: “Gracias”? ¿O es esto demasiado difícil?
El agradecimiento del profeta
La gratitud es más un sentimiento que un simple movimiento de los labios, un sentimiento que se tradujo de forma excelente en sinceras acciones y comportamientos a lo largo del día y la vida del Profeta Muhammad.
Siempre que se despertaba, decía:
Toda alabanza y agradecimiento a Allah, quien me restauró el alma, hizo que mi cuerpo estuviera sano y me permitió recordarlo.
Siempre que terminaba de comer, decía:
Toda alabanza y agradecimiento a Allah, quien nos alimentó, sació nuestra sed y nos hizo musulmanes.
Siempre que volvía de hacer sus necesidades, decía:
Toda alabanza y agradecimiento a Allah, quien me hizo probar el buen sabor (de la comida), retuvo en mí su poder (la fuerza y energía derivadas de la comida) y elminó su daño.
Siempre que se ponía una ropa nueva, decía:
Toda alabanza y agradecimiento a Allah, quien me vistió con esta ropa y me la proporcionó, sin poder ni fuerza de mí mismo.
Siempre que volvía de viajar, decía:
Estamos regresando, arrepintiéndonos, adorando y alabando a nuestro Señor.
Siempre que pasaba algo que le agradaba, decía:
Toda alabanza y agradecimiento a Allah, por Cuyas Bendiciones se perfeccionan todas las cosas buenas.
Y siempre que pasaba algo que le desagradaba, decía:
Toda alabanza y agradecimiento a Allah en todas las circunstancias.
Y hacía la súplica:
Oh Allah, ayúdame a recordarte, agradecerte, y perfeccionar mi adoración hacia Ti.
El plan de Shaytan
¿Qué plan tenía el Shaytan contra la humanidad después de haber sido expulsado del Cielo?
Sus esfuerzos vengativos fueron robar a la humanidad el contentamiento y hacerlos ingratos.
Sus esfuerzos vengativos fueron distraerlos y cubrir su percepción con velos de negligencia, para que se coman las bondades de Allah y no le agradezcan y vean Sus Grandes Signos y no lo glorifiquen.
Cuando las bestias encuentran comida, la devoran, sin tener en cuenta nada más. Y cuando les falta comida, sienten hambre, pero no sienten nada más. Cuando están sanos, corren y saltan. Pero cuando están enfermos, se acuestan y descansan, sin sentir nada más.
No conocen la paciencia con la aflicción ni el agradecimiento por las bondades.
Este es el tipo de vida que Shaytan quiere para la humanidad, sin recordar ni agradecer a Allah.
Este fue el juramento de Shaytan el día en que fue expulsado del cielo.
Dijo: Puesto que me has extraviado, yo les haré difícil Tu camino recto. Después los abordaré por delante y por detrás, por la derecha y por la izquierda y a la mayor parte de ellos no los encontrarás agradecidos.
La peor ingratitud es aquella que es un sentimiento colectivo hacia el que se desliza toda una nación. Como si hubiera un acuerdo no escrito entre ellos de no mencionar nada bueno de Allah, y de atiborrarse de Sus bendiciones y atribuírselas a nadie más que a ellos mismos.
¿Fueron destruidas naciones anteriores, como ‘Ad y Zamud, por otra causa que no fuera la ingratitud?
Se dijo a la gente de ‘Ad:
Recordad cuando os hizo sucesores de las gentes de Nuh y os dió una complexión y una fuerza superiores. Recordad los dones de Allah para que así podáis tener éxito.
Y recordad cuando os hizo sucesores de los Ad y os dio una posición en la tierra. Os hacíais palacios en sus llanuras y excavabais casas en las montañas. Recordad los dones de Allah y no hagáis el mal en la tierra como corruptores.
El raudal de bendiciones y dones que fluían por su tierra no significó nada para esta gente. En consecuencia, fueron privados de aquello por lo que fueron ingratos; desposeídos de lo que negaban, y se justificaba el tormento contra ellos.
Se advierte a la humanidad que no transite caminos tan perniciosos.
Recordadme que Yo os recordaré; y agradecedme y no seáis ingratos conmigo.
Del libro “El lado emocional del Islam” de Sheikh Muhammad Al-Ghazali. Traducido y adaptado por Haya Muhammad Eid y editado por Emily Katharine Richardson. Traducido al español por About Islam. Puede leer el artículo original en inglés aquí.
Do you choose to be optimistic and feel gratitude for the half-full glass, or do you choose pessimism and feel disappointment that the glass is half empty?
This glass can represent your career, your marriage, or even your faith.
Optimism is more than just having a sunny disposition. It embodies an attitude of perseverance, patience, and not giving up in the face of difficulty.
An optimistic person will notice opportunities instead of focusing on the hardships.
This all describes positive thinking patterns, which in turn make your emotions more stable.
This cycle of positive thought patterns and emotions will undoubtedly lead to better behaviors.
Can You Be Overly Optimistic?
Some will say that being optimistic opens people up to disappointment and greater letdowns.
While that can be true to an extent, if you actively try to bring optimism into your life, it gives you more resilience when faced with hardship.
We know that even a test or difficulty can have great reward and outcomes in the end.
Focusing on that end result and having patience is more beneficial than focusing on the hardship.
“For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.” [Quran 94:5]
This is not to say that we should be unrealistic and always expect rainbows and kittens. Sometimes hardships will come into your life.
It is healthy to be logical and acknowledge the risks associated with your actions.
Ideally, you should strive for optimistic thought patterns that are also rational.
I am not advocating for grandiose illusions that you will become a millionaire overnight and have the perfect marriage all because you chose to see the glass as half-full. That is not realistic.
If we think about anxiety, we can summarize that as fear of the unknown, which can hinder someone’s ability to function when not controlled.
Anxiety disorders hold people back from going after their dreams because they are so afraid of failing that they don’t even try.
An optimist is more likely to pursue their ambitions because of their positive outlook; they see opportunity and believe they can achieve it.
We like to know we are right and often encounter self-fulfilling prophecies, which simply means we alter our behavior and thought patterns in order to cause those self-expectations to come true.
For example, an optimistic teacher expects a student to get an A on the exam, so they spend extra time helping them study, which results in getting an A.
On the other hand, a pessimistic teacher may expect a student to perform poorly, so they don’t pay them much attention in class, which results in a lower grade.
We are not actually predicting anything; we are altering our own behaviors in order to make those expectations a reality.
Now imagine if you expected yourself to succeed at work. Do you think this would cause you to work harder?
What if you expected your marriage to fail? Would you self-sabotage without realizing it’s just to prove yourself right?
Impact of Optimism
When someone decides to take steps forward to increase their optimism, they are choosing to bring more positivity and gratefulness into their life.
If you take on an optimistic perspective when failure happens, instead of becoming defeated, you will have the power to see that as a temporary setback and even a lesson.
If you have ever heard of failing forward, that is an optimistic mindset.
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