1a] Happiness?

1a]
life - attaining prestigious ranks/positions and achieving the highest
academic degrees.
4. Among the merits of Islam is that it is a comprehensive religion.
Every aspect of a person's life is managed by Islam. There is not a
problem except that a solution for it lies in Islam, which makes it
possible to embrace and practice in every time and place. How can this
not be the case in such a well organized religion that has guidelines
and positive instruction for every aspect of life including: conflict
resolution, buying and selling, social and marital relations,
greetings, public etiquettes, and even how a person eats, sleeps and
dresses. These practices have not been addressed generally, but rather
in precise detail, causing the mind to wonder in amazement. Know that
Islam even provides direction on how to wear and remove footwear. It
encourages people to use their right hand when eating, drinking,
shaking hands, and when giving and receiving items. As for disliked
affairs such as using the bathroom, the left hand is to be used.
Islam also has wonderful instructions regarding going to sleep and
wakingup. When two Muslims meet, Islam directs them on how they should
greet each other; a rider should initiate greeting the pedestrian, the
youth should initiate greeting the elderly, and a small group should
initiate greeting a larger group. These are but a few of Islam's many
comprehensive guidelines for all aspects of life.
5. Another of Islam's meritsis that it establishes good for mankind in
all its regulations and safeguardsthem from evil. It is man himself
who benefits from these regulations. Islam's prohibition of alcohol
and drugs for example is only because of the great harm they cause to
a person's physical and mental health. You can witness the state of a
drunken man, no longer human except in appearance. A lotof murders,
disputes, traffic accidents and rapes would not have taken place were
it not for consuming these mind-altering products.
Islam's prohibition of premarital sex relieves societies of
destructive diseases (such as AIDS and other STDs), immoral behavior,
and the existence of a generation of illegitimate children. This
generation is often deprived of a mother's love and a father's
upbringing which can lead them to become burdensome on society. Islam
prohibits women from displaying themselves publicly. This isbecause
Islam considers women to be valued, preserved pearls; not somecheap
merchandise to be displayed for all to see. It does so to protect them
from the wolves of mankind - those who are only concerned with
satisfying their lusts, even if it is at the cost of a woman's honor,
nobility, status, and purity.
On the other hand, Islam permits all harmless and beneficial drinks.
It also permits married couples toenjoy one another within a happy
home.
In summary, Islam has not eliminated freedoms and desires. Rather, it
regulatesthem for the benefit of mankind and the society at large.
6. A radiant aspect of Islamis that it pays a great deal of attention
to values, character, and praiseworthy manners, while prohibiting
mankindfrom oppression, transgression and bad character. Islam is a
religion of love, unity and mercy. It defines an individual's
relationship with his parents, relatives, neighbors, friends and all
people. Islam embeds the best of manners in those who embrace it and
prevents them from living selfishly. It encourages its followers to
help others and take others' feelings into consideration - especially
the poor, orphans, elderly and widows. They all have rights in Islam
that must not be taken lightly by Muslims. Muslims shouldn'tfeel like
they are bestowing favors upon others when giving them their due
rights, rather these rights are obligations upon Muslims. It is
considered to be a great sin in Islam for one to go to sleep with a
full stomach knowing that his neighbor is hungry.
Islam even prohibits two people from whispering toeach other in the
presence of a third, taking his feelings into consideration.Islam goes
even further than that, obligating kind treatment to animals and
prohibiting harming them.More specifically, Islam prohibits
slaughtering an animal while another watches, or sharpening a knife
while it is watching, so that it is not tormented along with being
slaughtered.
Truthfulness, trustworthiness, bravery, generosity, humility, abiding
by promises, visiting the sick, attending funerals, being dutiful to
parents, visiting relatives and neighbors, and striving to help others
are all etiquettes that are encouraged by Islam.
On the other hand, Islam strictly prohibits oppression, lying,
conceitedness, envy, and insulting or betraying others. It is
impermissible in Islam to speak ill of a person in his absence, even
if what is being said is true.
:->

1] Happiness?

1]Happiness is a common goal that everyone strives to attain.
Philosophers, intellectuals, doctors and artists alike have all
strived in search of the causes of happiness and ways to escape
anxiety.
The reality is, however, that the proposed solutions achieve only
partial or superficial happiness. They are more or less like drugs
which only provide temporary relief; when their effect wares off,
anxieties return two fold.
The following words inviteyou to ultimate happiness and will lead you
to true success. But before you begin reading, I hope that you take a
moment to try to open your heart and mind - as the intelligent one is
he who searches for the truth no matter where it lies.
An undeniable reality is that permanent happiness cannot be achieved
except by believing in God - The Creator - and following Hisguidance.
Since it is He who created mankind, He is the one who knows what
pleases and benefits them, just as he knows what saddens and harms
them. A number of psychologists have affirmed that only a religious
person lives with true content and serenity. So if believing in God
leadsto ultimate happiness, then how can this be achieved?
There are numerous religions and a variety of creeds. However, their
critical differences in core issues make it impossible for all of them
to be correct. So which is the correct religion? What is the correct
creed that God requires us to believe in and in the end pleases Him?
And which one of these creeds guarantees ushappiness in this life and
in the hereafter?
Before answering these questions, a criterion must first be
established to be used as a basis for correctly determining the true
religion. I firmly believe that all sensible people will agree that a
religion is not deemed correct simply due to the fact that one was
raised in that religion, had parents that adhered to it, or lived in a
society that practiced it. Rather a religion's accuracy and
authenticity are based upon substantialevidence and firm intellectual
proofs. Intellect, the distinguishing factor between mankind and
animals, must be applied when studying the issue ofreligion, which is
undeniably the most important and gravest of all matters.
A short journey into the world of religions and sifting through
various creeds could prove to be a good method in arriving atthe
desired conclusion. In order to save you the timeand effort, I say
with full conviction and confidence that no matter how much you
investigate this issue, you will only arrive at one reality: that the
true and correct religion is Islam and that true happiness and content
lies within it.
Before you hastily rebut this statement and stop reading, please
realize thatcompleting the rest would not harm you at all, and it may
in fact benefit you. Also, remember that you have an intellect by
which you can distinguish things and determine truth from falsehood.
Why Islam?
This is an important question, indicating that the questioner is
mature and enlightened. In response I say:
Islam is a religion that includes a number of merits and
characteristics that are absent from otherreligions. These
characteristics, alone, serveas convincing evidence that Islam is the
true religion of God. You can determine the authenticityof this
statement by contemplating them.
Islam's many merits and characteristics make it impossible to
elaborate onall of them. However, some of the most important can be
summarized as follows:
1. Amongst the greatest merits of Islam is that it fulfills the
spiritual aspects of the human being and enables those who embrace it
to have an ongoing connection with God. This makes it possiblefor them
to be at ease spiritually. It shields them from chaos, being lost or
feeling (spiritually) empty, and protects from mental instability.
2. Another of Islam's meritsis that it coincides totally with common
sense. All of the Islamic legislation and its rulings are acceptable
intellectually and are never contradictory. One man who embraced Islam
was asked why he did so and replied, "Islam never ordered me to do
anythingthat I later wished wasn't obligated, and it never forbade me
from anything that I later wished wasn't forbidden."
Much of what is readily accepted in other religions causes great
confusion. This confusion makes it difficult to believe many ofthe
fundamental tenets/doctrines that thesereligions are based upon. On
the other hand, we findthat Islam respects the intellect, prohibits
ignorance, and condemns blind following.
3. Islam is an all-inclusive way of life attending to both spiritual
and physical needs. Practicing Islam does not mean that one has to be
secluded or that he is prohibited from the finer things in life.
Rather, according to Islam, a person can be religious and still enjoy
a normal life -
:->

Fight Laziness

Early to bed and early to rise are habits taught by the Messenger pbuh.
Those who unnecessarily or habitually delay going to bed may not
realise the harm to their mental, physical, spiritual & social well
being.
Similarly those who get upvery late each day, allowing laziness to
overpower them would have their share of obstacles & negativities as a
result.
Once this becomes a habit, it can lead to the break up of marriages,
feuds within the families, flaring of tempers, loss of income, failure
at school or work, loss of concentration, a constant lathargic feeling
and becoming an irritationto those we live with.
It can also cause deep unexplained discontentment, sadness or even put
us into a depressive mode. We MUST fight laziness to succeed!
Mufti Ismail Menk

On Friday…

On one Friday, Rasulullah ( Allah bless him & give him peace) said: "O
Muslims! Allah Ta'ala has made this day a day of eid . So have a bath
on this day, whoever has perfume should apply it, and use the miswaak.
" ( Ibn Majah )