What's in a smile?

"...He (sallalahu 'alayhi wa salam) was composed in gentleness. He had the best countenance. And he was always smiling. 

What percentage of your interactions are you smiling in? Truthful smiles- not business smiles! 
Some people are so stingy smiles you'd think they were paying taxes on it! The sign of a real smile is that you smile to someone you don't like, or who is hurting you. 

Every time you smile, remember that you are emulating him (sallalahu 'alayhi wa salam). You will be in the Mohammaden state, with sovereignty in your soul.

Smiling for us is an act of worship. So we smile for God. And we smile to creation, regardless of what else is going on. Our own perceptions have become polluted however, people smile at us and we doubt them. Both the smiler and the one receiving the smile are doubting each other. Both parties have implicitly polluted the smile by their inner feelings. 

People have lost compassion towards each other. Such has become the culture- the loss of mercy because people like only their own dignity. People are no longer accepting of mercy and compassion such that it has become like a methodology. How can something so beautiful and intrinsic become an ideology?..." 

-Habib Ali 
Teaching "Al Ghazzali on The Adab of Living and Virtues of Prophethood"

Establish Goodness

"A Muslim is a universal citizen. Wherever you are able to establish goodness, that should be your place of residence."

-Imam Yasir Fazaga

10 things that wipe out 10 other things

1. Righteousness wipes out evil deeds
2. Pride wipes out knowledge
3. Repentance wipes out sin
4. Lying wipes out livlihood
5. Justice wipes out oppression
6. Grief wipes out life span
7. Charity wipes out calamity
8. Anger wipes out intellect
9. Haughtiness wipes out generosity
10. Backbiting wipes out good deeds


Subhannallah. That above was a real under cover pearl for me. The above I copied from a poster in my room, a poster that was there when I moved into my room, aged 10, and when my older brother probably had the room before me. It was just always there, on the wall, not really paid attention to, as it made up the fabric of my room. When I was young, I never really understood half the words either, so didnt really read it properly. It was only when changing my room lay out when I was a little older that I paid real attention to it. And year by year, as experiences of life increase, each of the ten things make more sense, not just in theory, but in practice. And now, I am forced to pay real attention it it. Subhannallah.

I like how not only does the list warn you to keep away from certain traits if you want to succeed, but also grants you hope through positive characteristics, which if applied will bring benefit. Ahh, mothers and their subtle ways of teaching the good and warning against the evil!

Under cover pearls indeed.

'Revolution of the hearts'

Asalamalaikum

Below are some notes taken of Shaykh Abdul Hakim Murads timely reminder about charity and change. He gave the short talk at the Shaam Tour for Orphans, these are a few notes from the London event at Friends House.

"All fasaad is to do the the corosion of the soul. Allah has created all creation to obey Him, except human beings (free will). They are capable of being the highest of all creatures or the lowest, both physically and spiritually. This is the paradox of humans. It is part of the greatness and the tragedy of the human.

If we look at 'doing good', it is overwhelmingly done individually or by organisations. But people who are such are people whose religion is upbeat and whose hearts affect others. They have been brought up to a high decree. "Allah has slaves singled out for discharging the worries of others". This is why out civilisation is distinguished from others.

The Ulema, when they are with those who can help the needy, they are upbeat, with good news, so they give happily to the needy, not because of (feeling pressured from) guilt, as is used by many christians.

Corruption on the earth is not new, but exassperated. The solution must be a classical one --> the restoration of the quality of peoples souls --> so they are refuges for the poor, the widows, the orphans.

The real revolution that is required in this day and age is the illumination of hearts.

The Ummah has tremendous resources, but equal poverty. The solution, is through living holy lives. We need to tuen within, create a revolution within and then Allah will do great things.

There is a culture of blame among us. Rather than pointing the finger of blame on other people, organisation, sects, we have to point the finger of blames at ourselves. "Allah will not change the condition of people until they change themselves".

The revolution required is the revolution of the hearts.

Rather than always talking about guilt factors and sins, seeing beauty in the deen and Allahs attribute of being Arhamurahimeen, are qualities that melt the heart."

The Envier

"By His Wisdom, Allah has made a man's face a mirror which reflects the thoughts that are hidden in his mind and heart. The effects of sickness are seen in the sick man's face, the sorrow of one who is grieving and depressed shows on his face, and the good health of one who is sound is reflected on his face. If a person is happy and content, his hidden thoughts show on his face and through slips of the tongue. If a believer is true and sincere in his faith and humble before the Most Merciful and reads the Quran frequently, that joy and light will show on his face; his nature will be humble and kind and his speech will be polite and noble. The opposite is also true; the effects of an evildoers immortal actions and sin will be reflected in his face and in slips of the tongue, even if he outwordly resembles those who are righteous.

By the same token, the envier who resents the good things that people have and wished that the blessings of Allah be taken away is sick at heart and lacking in faith. No matter how much he tries to conceal what he feels inwardly, he will soon let out the envy that he feels.

The issue of the evil eye includes all people, even those who are righteous if they do not pay attntion to it, whereas envy is only limited to certain people. Hence the envious person has certain characteristics by which he may be distinguished, such as the way he looks and smiles, the expression on his face and the way he speaks. All of that points to what is in his heart. Whatever a person conceals in his heart will inevitably show on his face and through slips of the tongue and in his movements and expressions.

What are the characteristics of the envier?

1. The envier is always angry at the decrees of Allah.
2. The envier always complains and rarely thanks Allah, even if he owns the whole world.
3. He follows up the mistake of the one whom he envies and tries to seek out his faults, and exposes them and exaggerates about them before others.
4. He conceals or ignores or belittles the good qualities and distinguishing characterisitics of the person whom he envies.
5. The envier cannot speak in front of the one whom he envies without addressing him in a laughing jocular anner, but deep down he is filled with hatred and resentment which is clear by the way he looks at him
6. He clearly criticises the one he envies, with or without evidence
7. He looks for opportunities and makes the most of any chance to harm the one whom he envies.
8. Finally, the envier is a troubled man, due to the resentment that is always festering in his heart, so depression and dullness show on his face.

Since envy is a serious disease of the heart, diseases of the heart can only be treated with beneficial knowledge. Such knowledge concerning the disease of envy means understanding that envy will harm you in this world as well as being a sin which incurs the wrath of Allah and avoiding envy is one of the means of entering paradise."

-Extract taken from 'The Jinn and Human Sickness' by Dr Abu'l-Mundhir Khaleel ibn Ibraheem Ameen, Maktaba Darusalam.

Subhannallah, I thought it an ample reminder in these noble days, that I be reminded (and remind) of having good character and the importance of looking at oneself and asking Allah for protection of being of such people such as the enviers. Envy is a serious disease which in this day and age doesnt seem to be taken seriously enough. May Allah protect us of being enviers and protect us from being in the company of or the target of such enviers. May Allah allow us to help the Ummah in the best of ways but make discreet our achievments and allow us to humble ourselves for His Sake. Ameen