Your Future is in the Hands of the Best Planner

Motivational speaker andauthor of several self-help books, Denis
Waitley has said, "Losers live in the past. Winners learn from the
past and enjoy working in the present towards the future." We can
develop apositive attitude towardsour future by refusing to dwell on
past hardships, realising that they cannotbe changed, and knowing that
stressing oneself over them is useless as well as foolish. We must
train ourselves to shun depressing thoughts and reject feelings of
fear and anxiety over what might happen in the future.
All future events and circumstances, whether good, pleasant, evil or
difficult are impossible topredict and are totally under the control
of The Almighty and All-Wise; none of the slaves of Allaah The
Almighty have any control over them. Allwe can do is to strive hard to
achieve virtuousness and preventharm from befalling us.
A believer should rely on Allaah The Almighty for favours and
wellbeing and be content with his lot in life. This makes the heart
tranquil, improves his general circumstancesand removes anxiety and
grief.
A beneficial way of dealing with anxiety about the future is to usethe
supplication of the Prophet, , in which he used to say: "O Allaah!
make my religion easy for me by virtue of whichall my affairs are
protected, set right for me my world in which I live, make good for me
my Hereafter which is theresort to which I must return, make my life a
means of increase in achieving all types of good, and make death a
relief for me from every evil." [Muslim].
Also, his saying, : "O Allaah! I hope for Your mercy, so do not leave
me to myself even for (as short a time as) the blinking of an eye and
rectify for me all my affairs. Nothing is worthyof being worshipped
except You alone." [Abu Daawood]
If one repeatedly utters these supplications with a sincere and
attentive heart, while simultaneously striving toimprove his future,
AllaahThe Almighty will certainly respond to the supplications and
grant success.
On the other hand, being emotionally prepared forhardships reduces the
harms that result from sudden afflictions. Being in a state of
preparedness also reduces anxiety, since theanxiety will be replaced
by enthusiasm to get the very best out of the situation in a manner
that minimises harm as far as possible. The best way to handle a
situationthat causes fear, sickness,poverty, or loss of cherished
items, is to staycalm and then prepare toface the worst of it, because
expecting hardship and acquainting oneself with it reduces its impact,
especially if at the same time one keeps himself busy by striving to
prevent it as much as possible.
Of course, this is only in addition to completely relying on and
putting one's trust in Allaah The Almighty. Complete reliance on
Allaah The Almighty is the primary source of strength that helps one
face afflictions and helps to gain the reward from Allaah The Almighty
for his perseverance.
One of the most effective cures for the diseases of the heart (whether
physical or emotional) is having a strong, resilient heart that is
free from anxiety and imaginary illusions brought on by evil thoughts.
This is because when a person succumbs to his imagination, his heart
begins reacting to it. Therefore, if one is unduly worried about
sickness, anger, harm, evil and the loss of loved ones, this will
affect the heart and make a person more anxious and fearful, and
result in physical and emotional diseases of the heart. These thoughts
may evenlead to a person having anervous breakdown, which has serious
health repercussions.
Hospitals are filled with people who suffer from delusions and morbid
imaginations; even strong-hearted people have been affected by this,
let alone the weak-hearted, and this has led many of those who have
been affected by this to do countless foolish and ridiculous things.
However, the one who is safe from all this isthe one whom Allaah
TheAlmighty has granted the ability to struggle againsthis desires and
engage inbeneficial acts which strengthen his heart and expel anxiety
and grief. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): } "And whosoever
puts his trust in Allaah, then He will suffice him." { [Quran, 65: 3],
meaning He will suffice him in all that concerns him, in worldly
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Three steps to a happy life

Happiness is the universalgoal of people from all walks of life – be
they philosophers of a high intellectual caliber or unlettered
laborers -- everyone strives in search of happiness and looks for ways
to escape the worries of life.
However, most people achieve only partial or superficial happiness,
which provides temporary relief from their problems. In order to
search for everlasting happiness that will lead aperson to true
success, one must keep an open heart and mind, as the wise one is he
who searches for the truth and adopts it immediately.
1. The most important means of happiness and the foundation of
all felicity is to have sound belief and perform righteous deeds.
Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {"Whoeverworks righteousness
(whether male or female)while he (or she) is a truebeliever (of
Islaamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this
world with respect, contentment andlawful provision), and Weshall pay
them certainly areward in proportion to the best of what they used to
do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter)."} [Quran,16: 97]
Allaah The Almighty promises whoever possesses sound belief and
performs righteous deeds that he will have a happy life and will also
be rewarded in the eternal Hereafter.
The reason for this is obvious: those who have the correct belief
which leads to righteous deeds, reformed hearts and refined manners
have the basic foundation thatthey can refer to in any event –
regardless of whether these are matters which cause joy and happiness
or sorrow and dejection.
The Prophet describedthis quality of the true believers when he said:
"How wonderful is the affair of the believer! All of his affairs are
good and this is the case for nobody except a believer. If he is
blessed with prosperity he thanks (Allaah) and that is good for him;
and if heis afflicted with adversity he perseveres and that is also
good for him." [Muslim]
The Prophet informed us that a believer's reward would be multiplied
many times over, regardless of whether what befalls himbrings him joy
or sorrow.
2. Keep oneself busy inperforming beneficial deeds and acquiring
useful knowledge.
By doing so, one's heart is diverted from whatever causes it grief and
sorrow, to the extentthat a person may completely forget his worries
and unhappinessand become happy and energized. This is something that
is common to believers andothers, but the believer isdistinct due to
his belief, sincerity, and his hope for reward while learning or
performing beneficial deeds. If this deed is an act of worship then he
will receive the reward for it, and if it is aworldly task which is
accompanied with a good intention, such as working for the sake of
being able to worship Allaah The Almighty better, then this will havea
strong effect in removing his anxiety andgrief.
3. Concentrating on the tasks at hand, not being anxious about
the future and not crying over the past is another way of attaining
happiness.
This is why the Prophet sought refuge with Allaah The Almighty from
anxiety and sorrow. Usually, a person experiences sorrow due to what
has passed and cannot be retrieved, whereas grief is due to anxiety
for the future and the fear of what mayhappen.
A believing slave of Allaah The Almighty should live for the current
moment, focus, and exert the utmost effort to utilize his time in the
best possible way. This will enable him to accomplish his tasks and
forget his sorrow and grief. When the Prophet made a particular
supplication or guided his nation to do so, he would also encourage
them to exert efforts to obtain what they supplicated for and shun
everything which might prevent the prayer from being answered.
As the Prophet said: "Be keen to do that which will benefit you, rely
on Allaah, and do notbe lazy (by not exerting effort) and say when a
problem befalls you: 'If only I would have done such and such, then
the result would have been such and such' rather, one should say:
'This was decreed by Allaah and He does what He wills.' Saying 'If'
opens the gatefor Satan (to cause discontent)." [Muslim]

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Dought & clear, - His brother is gay; whatare his responsibilities towards him?.

I think my brother is gay,and I say this because of the way he talks,
the way he does his hair, thekind of clothes that he wears and the
things that he is interested in. One time I used his USB and saw some
pornography on it, including anal intercourse, and I do notknow
whether it was between two men, because I closed it quickly and erased
the file. I asked him about it and he said he did not know where it
came from, but in the end I found more in his room. I also checked his
personal computer and I found out that he visits gay websites in the
country where he is studying. My question is: do I have to advise him
and warn him about the bad consequences of this sin?
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
Homosexuality, whether it is among men or women, is one of the most
abhorrent of immoral and evil actions that a person may commit, and is
one of the most shameful deedsin this world and in the hereafter. Ibn
al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said concerning the one who
commits this act that he has committed so great an evil that there is
no hopethat he will ever be reformed after that; it takes away all his
good deeds and removes all modesty and shyness, because after that he
will not feel shy before Allah or before His creation.
Indeed, Allah, may He be exalted, destroyed an entire town along with
its people, namely the town of the people of Loot, because of this
immoral action. See the answers to questions no. 10050 , 38662 and
20068 .
What you must do for your brother is tell him of the shame in this
world and in the Hereafter that results from this evil, that it will
ruin his spiritual and worldly interests, and that he will become
insignificant to Allah andto other people if he persists in it. Warn
him of the consequences andthe shar'i ruling on the one who does that.
Then you have to block every means that makes it easy for him to do
this immoral action or that calls him to it. If you can move him from
the placewhere he is studying, where he began to find out about these
homosexual websites, then you should do so. Ifhe is under your
guardianship and you are responsible for him, then you should prevent
him from doing that by all possible means. You should remember that
you are responsible for him so long as he is under your care and
authority.
In fact, even if this sinner was not your brother or you did not have
any authority over him, your duty would still be to strive by all
possible means to remove this evil that yousee and prevent him from
doing it, and to advise him for the sake of Allah and warn him
ofAllah's punishment.
Muslim narrated in his Saheeh (70) that Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri (may
Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: "Whoever among you
sees an evil action, then let him change it with his hand [by taking
action]; if he cannot, then with his tongue [byspeaking out]; and if
he cannot, then with his heart – and that is the weakest of faith."
See also the answers to questions no. 52893 and 39357
Secondly:
These signs that you see in your brother's appearance, namely his
clothes and outward appearance, and the way he speaks, are all evil
actions that lead to homosexuality and immorality, even if you do not
know that your brother has committed that action. So how about if he
were to exhibit signs indicating that he has committed that action?
It was narrated that Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) cursed
effeminate men and masculinised women and said: "Expel them from your
houses."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari,5436
Al-Mubaarakfoori (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
That is, men who imitatewomen in appearance, clothing, using henna,
voice, speech and all their movements. Such actions are prohibited
because it comes under the heading of changingthe creation of Allah.
An-Nawawi said:
Effeminate men are of two types. One type is those who were created
like that and are not trying to imitate the attitude of women and the
way they dress, speak and move. For such people, there is no blame,
sin, shame or punishment for them because they are excused.
The second type is those who deliberately imitatewomen in their
attitude and movements, and imitate the way they speak and dress.
These are the ones who the hadeeth says are cursed. End quote.
We ask Allah to make things easy for you and to set your brother's
affairs straight and help you to discipline him.
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Dought & clear, - Reconciling between the verses “There is no compulsion in religion” [al-Baqarah 2:256] and “and we shall drive themout from there in disgrace, and they will be abased” [an-Naml 27:37].

** Allah, may He be exalted,says in Soorat al-Baqarah: "There is no
compulsion in religion" [al-Baqarah 2:256], and this is a well-known
Islamic principle. But in Soorat an-Naml we find that the Prophet of
Allah Sulaymaan (peace be upon him) sent a message to Bilqees
threatening her and compelling her to become Muslim. It seems to me
that this is contrary to the general principle. How can you explain
this?
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
The words of Allah, may He be exalted (interpretation of the meaning):
"There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path hasbecome
distinct from thewrong path" [al-Baqrah 2:256] are not contrary to the
command to fight the mushrikeen who turn people away from the religion
of Allah, cause mischief on earth and spread kufr, shirk and
corruption. Fightingthem is one of the greatest deeds by meansof which
people prosperon earth and enjoy safety and stability, as Allah, may
He be exalted,says (interpretation of the meaning): "And fightthem
until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and polytheism: i.e.
worshipping others besides Allah) and the religion (worship) will all
be for Allah Alone" [al-Anfaal 8:39].
Islam aims to achieve that which is in people's interests and to
protect them from that which is harmful to them.
The meaning of this verse is that the teachings of Islam are very
clear and the proof and evidence of its soundness are so clear and
definitive that thereis no need for compulsion. Whoever comes to know
the reality of Islam and is not stubborn or arrogant will enter
Islamwillingly. Rather the one who does not want to enter it is the
one who isarrogant and stubborn, who does not accept Allah as his Lord
or His Prophet as his messenger, and does notbelieve in the Book that
was revealed to him. For that reason, those mushrikeen who adhereto
their false religion and fight in support of their religion out of
arrogance and seek to spread mischief and kufron earth are to be
fought.
Nothing is more indicative of that than the fact that at the beginning
of Islam people entered the religion of Allah in crowds, the religion
in the name of which their fathers, relatives and friends had been
killed.
Many of the Sahaabah became Muslim after having fought to defendkufr,
such as Khaalid ibn al-Waleed, 'Amr ibn al-'Aas, Abu Sufyaan ibn Harb,
Mu'aawiyah ibn Abi Sufyaan and many others (may Allah be pleased with
them all). They became Muslim when the right path became distinct from
thewrong path for them and the teachings and strong proof of Islam
became clear to them. Sothey became Muslim willingly and joined the
troops of Allah after having been among the troops of the Shaytaan.
This is also indicated by the verse in which Allah, may He be exalted,
says (interpretation of the meaning): "And had your Lord willed, those
on earth would have believed, all of them together. So, will you (O
Muhammad SAW) then compel mankind, until they become believers?"
[Yoonus 10:99]. In other words, you are not able to do that and it is
not within your power; no one except Allah is able to do any of that.
End quote from Tafseer as-Sa'di, p. 374
Ibn Jizziy (may Allah have mercy on him) said:"There is no compulsion
in religion" means: the religion of Islam is very clear and its proof
of its soundness is self-evident, so there is no need to compel anyone
to enter this religion. Rather anyone who has sound understanding will
enterit of his own accord, without compulsion. This is indicated by
the words, "Verily, the Right Path has become distinctfrom the wrong
path" [al -Baqarah 2:256], i.e., it is clear that Islam is the right
path and kufr is the wrong path, so there is no need for compulsion
after this hasbecome clear.
End quote from at-Tasheel, p. 135
As-Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
This refers to the perfection of Islam, because its proofs are perfect
and the signs of its soundness are clear. Because it is the religion
of reason and knowledge, the religion of sound human nature and of
wisdom, the religion of righteousnessand piety, the religion oftruth
and guidance, and it is perfect and acceptable to human nature, there
is no need to compel anyone to enter it, because compulsion is only
needed in the case of that which is off-putting and contrary to the
facts and truth, or that of which the proofs and signs are not clear.
Otherwise, anyone who comes to know this religion then rejects it and
does not accept it, itis because of his stubbornness, because right
path has become distinct from the wrong path, so no one has any excuse
for rejecting it and not accepting it. There is no
contradictionbetween this idea and the many verses that speak of
jihad. Allah enjoined fighting so thatthe religion (worship) will all
be for Allah aloneand to ward off the aggression of those whoare
hostile towards Islam. The Muslims are unanimously agreed that jihad
is ongoing and that jihad in word and in deed is a permanent
obligation. Any commentator who thinks that this verse contradicts the
verses of jihad, and is certain that it has been abrogated, holds a
weak view, as is obvious from the wording and the meaning and as is
clear to anyone who studies the verse, as we have pointed out.
End quote from Tafseer as-Sa'di, p. 954
He also said:
"Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path"
[al-Baqarah 2:256] means: once the one becomes distinct from the
other, there is no room for compulsion, because compulsion can only be
in the case of an issue the soundness and merits of which are not
clear. But once it is clear that well-being and happiness in this
world and in the Hereafter are connected to it, then what reason can
there be for compulsion?
Something similar may be said concerning the verse (interpretation of
the meaning): "And say: 'The truth is from your Lord.' Then whosoever
wills, let him believe, and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve"
[al-Kahf 18:29]., i.e., this is the truth that clear
evidencedemonstrates is true, so that whoever wants to believe may do
so and let whoever wants to disbelieve may do so.
End quote from al-Qawaa'id al-Hisaan, p. 119
Az-Zarqaani (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
With regard to the sword and the concept of jihad in Islam, that was
not for the purpose of imposing belief on people or forcing any
individual or group to worship Allah; rather it was to ward off those
who would wield the sword, to prevent them from humiliating and
persecuting the one who entered Islam, and to compel them to leave the
call of truth alone without any obstacle or hindrance, so that there
will be no more titnah and the religion (worship) will all be for
Allah Alone (cf. 8:39).
End quote from Manaahil al-'Irfaan, 2/406
Some of the scholars are of the view that this verse applies
specifically to the People of the Book and those who come under the
same rulings, such as the Magians; they are not to be compelled to
enter Islam, because Allah, mayHe be exalted, says: "Fight against
those whobelieve not in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that
which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger and those who
acknowledgenot the religion of truth (i.e. Islam) among the people of
the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizyah with
willing submission, and feel themselves subdued" [at-Tawbah 9:29].
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
If one whom it is not permissible to compel is compelled to enter
Islam, such as a dhimmi (non-Muslim living under Muslim rule) or a
non-Muslim who has been granted security, he is not deemed to be
aMuslim unless he shows signs of having become Muslim voluntarily.
End quote from al-Mughni, 10/96.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The disbelief of one whois compelled to leave Islam is not to be
regarded as anything significant and neither isthe faith of one who is
compelled unlawfully to believe, such as the dhimmi who is complying
with the conditions (of being protected by the Muslim state and so
on), as Allah,may He be exalted, says concerning him: "There is no
compulsion in religion. Verily, the RightPath has become distinctfrom
the wrong path" [al-Baqrah 2:256]. This is unlike the one who is
compelled (to enter Islam) for a legitimate reason, such as those who
were fought of people who are in a state of war with the Muslims,
until they become Muslim, if the fight against them was to make them
choose between becoming Muslim or paying the jizyah.
End quote from al-Istiqaamah, 2/320
See also the answer to question no. 165408
The point is that the verse does not mean that people should be
compelled to enter the religion of Allah reluctantly and by force;
rather what it means is that Islam is easy and clear, with no
compulsion to enter it. The one who enters Islam becomes one of its
people, and the one who does not enter Islam is either one of theahl
adh-dimmah or one of those who have a covenant with the Muslims; he is
to be granted his rights to safety and security and he has to pay the
jizyah, or he is one of those who are in a state of war with the
Muslims and must be fought lest he spread corruption and kufr in the
land.
Secondly:
The words of Allah, may He be exalted, to His Prophet Sulaymaan (peace
be upon him): "Go back to them. We verily shall come to themwith hosts
that they cannot resist, and we shall drive them out from there in
disgrace, and they will be abased"[an-Naml 27:37], do not contradict
what we havesaid above. The Prophet of Allah Sulaymaan (peace be upon
him) had gained control over the land, as Mujaahid (may Allah have
mercy on him) said: Four people gained control over the earth, east
and west, two believers and two disbelievers. The two believers were
Sulaymaan ibn Dawood and Dhu'l-Qarnayn, and the two disbelievers were
Nebuchadnezzar and Nimrood ibn Kan'aan (Nimrod son of Canaan). No one
but they gained power over it.
Tafseer at-Tabari, 5/433
The king must be obeyed, especially if he issues commands that are in
the people's interests and are good for the people and the country,
such as believing in Allah and shunning kufr. So it is not permissible
for anyone to go against him in that regard, and whoever does go
against him must be fought, because he may cause trouble in the
kingdom and spread kufr and corruption in the land, and others
mayfollow him in that.
Moreover, there is nothing in the verse to suggest that he compelled
the queen, Bilqees, or anyone else to become Muslim. Rather what it
refers to is fighting her and her army. In fact she becameMuslim
voluntarily, because of what she sawof the great signs that Allah
granted at Sulaymaan's hands; it was not because of fear of fighting
and the sword. Allah, may He be exalted, tells us (interpretation of
the meaning): "She said: 'My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, and
I submit (in Islam, together with Sulaymaan (Solomon), toAllah, the
Lord of the 'Aalameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists)'"[an-Naml
27:44].
From the above it is known that the command to fight does not mean
compelling people to become Muslim.
Thirdly:
If we assume that this story refers to Sulaymaan (peace be upon him)
compelling the Queen of Saba' (Sheba) and the people with her to
accept his laws that Allah sent down to him, this has to do only with
the laws of Sulaymaan (peace be upon him), which were different to our
laws. Allah, may He be exalted,says (interpretation of the meaning):
"To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way"
[al-Maa'idah 5:4].
As-Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him) said: These laws, that were
different for different nations, are what changed according to changes
in times and circumstances. All of them were aimed at achieving
justice at the time when they were prescribed.
Emd quote from Tafseer as-Sa'di, p. 234
Moreover, this ruling, which allows the dhimmi to continue following
his religion and to be granted protection by the Muslims, and does not
require compelling him to enter the religion of Allah, will change at
the end of time, when 'Eesa (Jesus – peace be upon him) comes down. He
will abolish the jizyah and will not accept anything but Islam, and
there will be a great deal of good and blessing throughout the earth.
This is one of the things which indicate that fighting the mushrikeen
who turn people away from the religion of Allah is one ofthe greatest
means of bringing goodness and blessings to the people, common folk
and elite alike.
Al-Bukhaari (2222) and Muslim (155) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may
Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messengerof Allah (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) said: "By the One in Whose hand is my
soul, soon the son of Maryam will descend among you as a just judge,
he will break the cross, kill the pigs and abolish the jizyah, and
wealth will become so abundant that no one will accept it."
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
With regard to the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him), "and(he will) abolish the jizyah", the correct view
concerning their meaning is that he will not accept it, and he willnot
accept anything from the kuffaar except Islam. He will not leave alone
those who are willing to pay the jizyah,because it will not be good
enough; rather he will not accept anything except Islam or execution.
This is the view of Abu Sulaymaan al-Khattaabi and other scholars, may
Allah have mercy on them.
Based on that, it may be asked: Will this be different from the
Islamic ruling that exists today, which is that if the kitaabi (Jew or
Christian living under Muslim rule) pays the jizyah, it must be
accepted and it is not permissible to fight him or compel him to
become Muslim?
The answer to that is that this ruling is not ongoing until the Day of
Resurrection; rather it is limited to the time before 'Eesa (peace be
upon him) comes down. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) has told us in these saheeh hadeeths that it will be
abrogated.But 'Eesa (peace be uponhim) is not the one who will
abrogate it; rather itis our Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) who explained that it will be abrogated. 'Eesa will rule in
accordance with our sharee'ah, which indicates that his refusal to
accept the jizyah at that time is what is prescribed by our Prophet
Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
End quote.
See also the answer to question no. 34770
And Allah knows best.

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