Life is like baking a cake

A little boy is telling his Grandma how"everything" is going wrong.
School, family problems, health problems, problems withfriends, etc.
Meanwhile, Grandma is baking a cake. She asks her grandson if he would
like a snack, which, of course, he does.
"Here, have some cooking oil." *"Yuck" says the boy.
"How about a couple raw eggs? " "Gross, Grandma!"
"Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?"
"Grandma, those are all yucky!"
To which Grandma replies: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by
themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they
makea wonderfully delicious cake!
God works the same way. Many times we wonder why he would let us go
through such bad and difficult times.
But Allah knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they
always work for good! We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they
will all make something wonderful!"

No choice but to regret

Once, a group of people were travelling on rocks at night. A voice
came from the sky that whosoever picks up the rocks will regret and
whosoever doesn't pick up the rocks will regret. Now, the people were
confused. How can this be? Whether you pick upthe rocks or not, you
willregret! Anyway, some people picked up the rocks and some didn't.
Inthe morning when they reached their homes, they saw that the rocks
turned into diamonds. Now, those people who didn't pick up the rocks
started regretting saying"If only we had picked up some rocks." Those
people who did pick some rocks also started regretting saying "Why
didn't we pick up more rocks?" Both sides endedup regretting. Dear
Muslims, this same incident will take place with us on the Day of
Judgement. Those people who spent their time in useless things will
start regretting by looking at those who achieved a great position in
Paradise by spending their time in the way of Allah. Now, those who
did achieve a position in Paradise will start regretting by looking at
those who did more than them and are higher in status."Alas! If we had
only done more to please Allah."

Those who Ardently Hope for Paradise: TheParty of Allah

Allah has inscribed faith upon such people's hearts, will reinforce
them with a spirit from Him, and admit them into Gardens with rivers
flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, forever. Allah is
pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him. Such people are the
party of Allah. Truly it is the party of Allah who are
successful.(Surat al-Mujadala, 22)
Those believers to whomAllah has announced His promise of good news
have important qualities, as revealed in the Qur'an:
-They believe and do right actions. (Surat al-Baqara, 25)
- They fear Allah. (Surah Al 'Imran, 15)
- They spend for the cause of Islam in times both ease and hardship.
(Surah Al 'Imran, 134)
- They control their rage.( Surah Al 'Imran, 134)
- They pardon other people.( Surah Al 'Imran, 134)
- After they act indecently or wrong themselves, they remember Allah
and ask forgiveness for their wrong actions. (Surah Al 'Imran, 135)
- They do not knowingly persist in doing wrong actions. (Surah Al 'Imran,135)
- The obey Allah and his Messenger. (Surat an-Nisa', 13)
- They keep up prayer, spend in charity, believe in and support
Allah's messengers. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 12)
- They are truthful. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 119)
- They leave their homes for the cause of Allah and strive in Allah's
way with their souls and possessions. (Surat at-Tawba: 20)
- They do good. (Surah Yunus, 26)
- They humble themselves before their Lord. (Surah Hud, 23)
-They repent of their sins. (Surah Maryam, 60)
- They honor their trusts and contracts. (Surat al-Mu'minun: 8)
- They safeguard their prayers. (Surat al-Mu'minun: 9)
- They compete with oneanother in the doing of good deeds. (Surah Fatir,32)
- They are Allah's chosen servants. (Surat as-Saffat, 40)
- They believe in the Qur'an. (Surat az-Zukhruf, 69)
- They say "our Lord is Allah" and thereafter stand firm in their
faith. (Surat al-Ahqaf, 13)
- They are heedful. ( Surah Muhammad, 15)
- They turn toward Allah with their whole heart. (Surah Qaf, 32)
- They stand in awe of the Most Gracious, although He is beyond the
reach of human perception, and come unto Him with a heart returning in
repentance.(Surah Qaf, 33)
- They are the doers of good. (Surat adh-Dhariyat, 16)
- They ask for Allah's forgiveness before the dawn. (Surat adh-Dhariyat, 18)
- They are the forerunners. (Surat al-Waqi'a, 10)
- They always keep their word and fear a day whose evil will spread
far and wide. (Surat al-Insan, 7)
- They give food, despitetheir love for it, to the poor and orphans
and captives. (Surat al-Insan, 8)
- They give the appropriate respect to the Messenger of Allah. (Surat
al-Hujurat, 3)

Good News

In an earlier section, we mentioned that those sincere believers who
give themselves to Allah will enjoy His blessings in this life before
they enter Paradise. One of the most important blessings is the
promise of good news to believers. Several verses"speak of Allah's
promise of Paradise and the announcement of this good news to
believers as follows:
Their Lord gives them the good news of His mercy and good pleasure,
and Gardens where they will enjoy everlasting delight. (Surat
at-Tawba, 21)
There is good news for them in the life of the world and in the
hereafter. There is no changing the words of Allah. That is the great
victory! (Surah Yunus, 64)
The hearts of those believers who have hope in this good news trust
that their good works will find favor in Allah's sight, that the
blessings they await are close at hand, and are filled with
contentment.
The Qur'an states that believers will receive thegood news also from
angels. Those faithful servants who sincerely believe in Allah and
associate nothing with Him, who carefully obey the Qur'an's commands
and counsel, and are eager to live according to its moral teaching,
may hope for this joyful news. Certainly, this news is an
indescribable joy for all believers who ardently desire Paradise.As we
read in the Qur'an:
The angels descend upon those who say:"Our Lord is Allah," and then go
straight: "Do notfear or grieve, but receive the glad tiding of
Paradise that you have been promised. Weare your protectors in the
life of the world and the hereafter. You will have there all that your
selves could wish for. You will have there everything that you demand.
Hospitality from the One Who is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Surah
Fussilat,30-32)
Allah has also entrusted the prophets with announcing this good news.
In Surat al-Ahzab, 47, Allah commands the Prophet (saas) to proclaim
that believers will receive an immense reward from Him; In Surah Ya
Sin, 11, He reveals him that"those who obey the Qur'an and stand in
awe of the Most Gracious will receive pardon and an excellent reward;
and Surat az-Zumar, 17 announces that those who shun the worship of
false gods and turn toward Allah will have good news. And in
SurahYunus, 2, Allah tells His Messenger to "give goodnews to those
who believe, that they are on a sure footing with theirLord."
When we look at the common characteristics of the believers, those
described in the above verses as those given thegood news of Paradise,
we see that they are sincere people who are extremely close to Allah,
acknowledge their weakness, obey the Qur'an and the Prophet, and fear
Allah.