How to be the best in everything

Khalid Ibn El-Waleed narrated the following:
A Bedouin came one day to the prophet and said tohim, "O, Messenger of
Allah! I've come to ask you a few questions about the affairs of this
life and the Hereafter.
Ask what you wish.
I'd like to be the most of learned of men.
Fear Allah, and you will bethe most learned of men.
I'd like to be the richest man in the world
Be contented, and you will be the richest man in the world.
I'd like to be the most of just men.
Desire for others what you desire for yourself, and you will be the
most just of men.
I want to be the best of men
Do good to others and you will be the best of men.
I wish to be the most favored by Allah
Engage much in Allah's praise, and you will be favored by Allah
I would like to complete my faith
If you have good mannersyou will complete your faith
I wish to be among those who do good
Adore Allah as if you see Him, for surely He sees you.
I wish to be Obedient to Allah
If observe Allah's commands you will be obedient to Allah
Id like to be free from all sins
Bathe your body from impurities and you will befree from all sins
I'd like to be raised in the day of judgment in the light
Don't wrong yourself or any other creature, and you will be raised on
the day of Judgment in the light
I'd like Allah to bestow HisMercy on me
If you have mercy on yourself and on others Allah will bestow His Mercy on you.
I'd like my sins to be very few
If you seek forgiveness from Allah as much as youcan, your sins will be very few
I'd like to be the most honorable man
If you do not complain to any fellow creature, you will be the most
honored of men
I'd like to be the strongestof men
If you put your trust in Allah, you will be the strongest of men
I'd like for Allah to enlargemy provision
If you keep yourself pure, Allah will enlarge your provision
I'd like to be loved by Allah and His Messenger
If you love what Allah andHis messenger love, you will be among their
beloved ones
I wish to be safe from Allah's wrath on the day of Judgment
If you do not lose your temper with any of your fellow creatures you
will be safe from the wrath of Allah on the day of judgment
I'd like my prayers to be responded
If you avoid forbidden actions your prayers will be responded
I'd like Allah not to disgrace me on the Day ofJudgment
If you guard your chastity Allah will not disgrace youon the Day of Judgment
I'd like Allah to protect mewith a covering protection on the Day of Judgment
Do not uncover your fellow creatures faults, and Allah will provide
youwith a covering on the Day of Judgment
What will save me from sins
Tears, humility and illness will save you
What are the best deeds in the eyes of Allah
Gentle manners, modesty,and patience in adversity
What are the worst evils in the eyes of Allah
Hot temper and Miserliness
What extinguishes hell's fire on the Day of Judgment?
Patience in adversity and misfortunes
What assuages the wrath of Allah in this life and thehereafter
Concealed charity and kindness to others

Files of your life

In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in a
room. There were no distinguishing features save for the one wall
covered with small indexcard files. They werelike the ones in
libraries that list titles by author orsubject in alphabetical order.
But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly
endlessly in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew
near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that
read "People I Have Liked". I opened it and began flipping through the
cards. I quickly shut it,shocked to realize that I recognized the
names written on each one.
And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was.
This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for
my life.Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and
small, ina detail my memory couldn't match. A sense ofwonder and
curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly
opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet
memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense thatI would
look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching.
A file named "Friends" was next to one marked"Friends I Have
Betrayed".The titles ranged from themundane to the outright weird.
"Books I Have Read", "Lies I Have Told","Comfort I Have Given","Jokes
I Have Laughed At".Some were almost hilarious in their exactness:
"Things I've Yelled at My Brothers." Others I couldn't laugh
at:"Things I Have Done in MyAnger", "Things I Have Muttered Under My
Breathat My Parents". I never ceased to be surprised by the contents.
Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than
I hoped.
I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could
it be possible that I had the time in my 30 years to write each of
these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed
this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with
my signature.
When I pulled out the file marked "Songs I Have Listened To", I
realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were
packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn't found the
end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of
music, but more by the vast amount of time I knew that file
represented.
When I came to a file marked "Lustful Thoughts", I felt a chill
runthrough my body. I pulledthe file out only an inch, not willing to
test its size, and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed
content. I felt sick to thinkthat such a moment had been recorded.
An almost animal rage broke on me. One thoughtdominated my mind: "No
one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have
to destroy them!" In an insane frenzy I yanked thefile out. Its size
didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took
it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge
a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find
it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it. Defeated and utterly
helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my foreheadagainst
the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh.
And then I saw it.
The title bore "People that I Have Taught About Allah". The handle was
brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its
handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my
hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand.
And then the tears came. Ibegan to weep. Sobs so deep that the hurt
startedin my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and
cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of itall. The
rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever,
ever know of this room.
I must lock it up and hide the key.

1a] He broke the fast deliberately when he was younger; what should he do?

1a] "And whoever transgresses the limits ordained by Allah, then such
are the Zalimoon (wrong-doers, etc.)"
[al-Baqarah 2:229].
And just as if he did this act of worship before the time for it
began, it wouldnot be accepted from him,by the same token if he does
it after the time for it has ended it will not be accepted from him
unless he had an excuse.
End quote from Majmoo' Fataawa ash-Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen, 19/89
In the case that it is obligatory to make it up, if the individual has
forgotten the number of days on which he broke the fast during
Ramadan, then he must do what he thinks is most likely to be the case,
because Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the
meaning): "So keep your duty to Allah and fear Himas much as you can"
[at-Taghaabun 64:16]. If he thinks it most likely that he broke the
fast on ten days, then he should make up those ten days.
And Allah knows best.

1] He broke the fast deliberately when he was younger; what should he do?

I am now sixteen. When I was fourteen I had some bad friends and I
used to spend most of my time with them. I used to go out with them
during the day in Ramadan, and I used to break the fast andeat food
and smoke cigarettes, etc. I also used to do the secret habit.
I do not remember how many days I broke the first, as it never
occurred to me that I would have to make them up. I also did not know
that the secret habit is haraam. What should I do now? Can you give me
any advice? Can observing naafil fasts take the place of making up
fasts?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Islamic duties are not obligatory for a boy until after he reaches
puberty, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) said: "The Pen has been lifted from three: from the insane one
who has lost his mind until he comes to his senses; from the sleeper
until he wakes up;and from the child until he reaches puberty."
Narrated by Abu Dawood, 4399; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in
Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood.
The sign of puberty for males is when one of three things happen:
emission of maniy (semen), growth of coarsehair around the private
part, or reaching the age of fifteen.
In the case of females, puberty is reached when one of these three
signs appear; in addition there is a fourth sign, namely menstruation.
It is not essential that all of the signs appear; ratherthe appearance
of one of them is sufficient to rule that the individual has reached
puberty.
It should be noted that the years that count with regard to reaching
puberty are hijri years (Islamic lunar calendar). If your age at the
time you mentioned was fourteen years according to the Gregorian
calendar, then your age according to the Hijri calendar will be
approximately half a year more than that; in this case it is likely
that you had reached the age of accountability.
All of this applies so long as the other signs had notappeared in your case.
Based on that, if you broke the fast in Ramadanwhen you had not yet
reached puberty, then youdo not have to do anything, because fasting
was not obligatory for you (at that time).
But if you broke the fast during the day in Ramadan when you had
reached puberty at that time according to one of the signs of puberty
mentioned above, then what you have to do is repent and regret it, and
resolve not to go back to that grave sin again.
With regard to making upthe fasts, if you broke the fast during the
day after having started to fast it, then you have to make upthe fast,
but if you did notfast at all, then you do nothave to make it up and
it is sufficient to repent sincerely, in sha Allah.
You have to do a lot of voluntary fasts, because that will make up for
the shortcomings that occurred with regard to the obligatory fast.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy onhim) was asked about
theruling on breaking the fast during the day in Ramadan without any
excuse.
He replied:
Breaking the fast during the day in Ramadan without any excuse is
oneof the gravest of major sins, and the individual becomes a faasiq
(rebellious evildoer) thereby. He has to repent to Allah and make up
thatday on which he broke the fast. In other words, if he fasted and
during the day he broke the fast withno excuse, then he has sinned. He
has to make upthat day on which he broke the fast, because when he
started to fast it became binding upon him; because he started it on
the basis that it was obligatory, he has to make it up, like a vow
that must be fulfilled. But if he deliberately did not fast at all
with no excuse, then the more correct view is that he does not have to
make it up, because it will not benefithim at all, as it will never be
accepted from him. The basic principle with regard to the act of
worship that are connected to a specific time is that if it is
delayeduntil that specific time hasended with no excuse, it will not
be accepted, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) said: "Whoever does an action that is not part of this matter of
ours will have itrejected." And because he has transgressed the limits
set by Allah, and transgressing the limits set by Allah is wrongdoing,
and good deeds are not accepted from the wrongdoer. Allah, may He be
exalted, says (interpretation of themeaning):
"And whoever transgresses the limits ordained by Allah,:->