A Muslim is Passionately Devoted, Not to Possessions and Wealth, But to Allah

Why is the devotion to wealth and property of people who do not live
by the moral values of the Qur'an in fact great heedlessness that
believers scrupulously avoid?
How do believers use their wealth and possessions on Allah's path?
What secret does our Lord reveal in the Qur'an for believers who spend
all their wealth and assets on Allah's path?
People who do not live by the moral values of the Qur'an suffer
various pains; these people even make the desire to "possess wealth
and property" their greatest aim in life. Allah describes such people
as "trying to outdo one another in wealth" in the Qur'an (Surat
al-Hadid, 20). But this desire is literally a delusion because it is
AllahWho owns everything in the world. People deceive themselves when
they imagine they "own possessions." They did not personally create
the things they imagine they possess, and they have no power
whatsoever to maintain them. Neither can they prevent them ceasing to
exist. Moreover,there is no question of them "owning" anything;
because they themselves are under the control of Allah, "the king of
Mankind" (Surat an-Nas, 2). In the Qur'an it is revealed that all
objects and entities belong to Allah, our Creator:
"Everything in the heavens and everything on the earth and everything
in between them and everything under the ground belongs to Him."
(Surah Ta Ha, 6)
Believers, who have faith in Allah and attach no undue importance to
the transitory baubles of this world, who know that all things come
from Allah alone and who therefore spend what they have on His path,
may hope for Almighty Allah's mercy and paradise. Since they prefer
the life of the hereafter, which Allah sayswill last for all eternity,
over the life of this world, it is actually they who are the wealthy
ones.
Believers Fervently Spend Their Assets on Allah's Path
As revealed in the verse "[There are men who are] not distracted by
trade or commerce from the remembrance of Allah and the establishment
of prayer and the payment of alms; fearing a day when all hearts and
eyeswill be in turmoil –" (Surat an-Nur, 37) , one ofthe things that
people today most give themselves over to is making money and
possessing goods and property. Yet in that verse,Allah reveals that
believersmust be filled with passion for Him alone, andthat their
hearts can only be contented by repeatingHis name, and that they fear
losing His approval bybehaving in any other way. Believers have a
strong desire to give their possessions to others in need, for the
purpose of gaining the approval of Allah, to whom they are
sopassionately devoted. Another verse reveals howall wealth belongs to
Allahalone:
"Spend in the Way of Allah. Do not cast yourselves into destruction.
And do good: Allah loves good-doers." (Surat al-Baqara, 195)
Someone who thinks by the light of his own criteria thinks that he
will become wealthier by not sharing his possessions with anyone and
hiding and hoarding them, and that this is the only way he can
guarantee his own future. He believes that anything he gives away –
even if he has no need of it – will make him poorer, and that anything
he losesnow will endanger his future comfort. But things are not at
all as he imagines. Allah reveals in the Qur'an, as a miracle, that a
person who spends on His path and who givesalms will acquire greater
possessions and abundance.
But someone who analyzes events only by external criteria may easily
be deceived by this deception of satan's. For example, he may be
aboutto give his shirt to someone in need when satan whispers that if
he does so, he will have to gowithout it, that he may need it one day,
and that it would be better to hold onto it. And indeed, it would
appear on the surface that he would be deprived of a shirt, but if he
forgets that Allah bestows many times over on whom He wishes, on who
has much purity, thenhe has fallen into heedlessness. Indeed, Allah
tells us in one verse that:
"The metaphor of those who spend their wealth in the Way of Allah is
that of a grain which produces seven ears; in every ear there are a
hundred grains." (Surat al-Baqara, 261)
The example in the verse is a secret revealed by Almighty Allah to
believersin the Qur'an. For that reason, believers spend solely in
order to win Allah's good pleasure, mercy, paradise and abundance. So
long as they expend their goods and possessions on Allah's path and
are careful aboutwhat is lawful and unlawful, Almighty Allah will
increase their wealth, smooth their way and create many more
opportunities for them to spend on His path.

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HADEES - ~

Rasuulullah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "Whoever does not
argue when he is in the wrong will have a home built for him on the
edge of Paradise. Whoever avoids it when he in the right will have a
home built for him in the middle of Paradise. And whoever improves his
own character, a home willbe built for him in the highest part of
Paradise." [Tirmidhi]
Arguing with people is strongly discouraged in Islam. We are to state
our point of view and then leave it at that. Nor are we to involve
ourselves in matters that do not affect aperson's deen. Note that a
person is to shun argumentwhether he is in the right or whether his
stand is wrong. Both get houses built for them in Paradise. But since
the person who knows that he is right findsit more difficult to leave
the argument and let things be, he/she is promised a greater reward.
Arguing with people rarely gets anyone to change their minds. It
usually only produces defensiveness and creates ill feelings between
people. The issue becomes a matter of one's ego and makes it more
difficult for a person to change their stance. Allah (subhana wa
ta'ala) loves to have Muslims live harmoniously with each other. Try
this hadith out inpractice, and you will see that your relations
improvewith people and that you have greater peace of mind.

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Islamic Meditation for Relaxation and Spiritual Comfort

This is a meditation that a Muslim can use to relax and recover from
stress. It is not a substitute for prayer and duaa, or a replacement
for dhikr (remembrance of Allah). Salat in particular is the first
duty and refuge of the Muslim. This is just a simplerelaxation
technique that one might use either alone or share with a spouse, to
relax the body and release some of the worries of the day. It also
functions as an affirmation, reminding the reader of the love and
peace that Allah offers us, and of each person's pure nature.
Settle yourself in a quiet place, in a comfortable position. Imagine
yourself to be in the most relaxing, secure, peaceful place you have
ever known. Breathe deeply in and out, breathing into your stomach.
Recite the following to yourself, with a quiet voice, very slowly, but
imagine it is being spoken to you by a voice outside yourself, by a
voiceof love. If you do this with your spouse, let one read and the
other close his/her eyes and listen:
***
Your breath is warm and soothing. As it spreads through your body it
makes you warm. It brings peace and tranquility to every cell in your
body.
Let every cell in your body know and feel that you are loved. Allah
lovesyou. Many people love you. You are surrounded by love and caring.
The love is all around you likewarm light, comforting you, taking away
all your pain.
The air that you are breathing in is warm and soothing. That warmth is
spreading all through your body. As it spreads throughyour body, it
causes your muscles to relax.
Now the warmth spreads to your head. Relax the topof your head. Relax
your mind. There is nothing to think about right now, nothing to worry
about. Release the burdens that you carry in your mind.
As you breathe deeply, the warmth spreads to your face. Let your face
relax. Relax your eyes. Whatever your eyes have seen that isunhappy or
that causes you pain, let it go. Release it with your breath.
Relax your cheeks and yourmouth. Whatever you havespoken that you
regret, let it go, release it with your breath. It's in the past and
is gone now with your breath.
Relax your ears. There is nothing for you to listen toright now except
the peacefulness of your own breath. Whatever you haveheard that has
hurt you, at any time in your life, let it go now. You don't need it
anymore. Release it with your breath.
Relax your jaw. Any tension that you are holding in your jaw, let it
go, release it. Feel the warmth spread through your mind, your face,
your neck. Relax your neck.
Know that you are safe. You are protected. You are in a place of
shelter. You are in Allah's care. You are in a safe place, a good
place. You have nothing to fear, nothing to regret. The past is gone,
and the future has not arrived. All that existsis this peaceful
moment, this safe place where youare protected and warm.
Continue to breathe deeplyand softly. Your breath warms you. The
warmth spreads now into your shoulders and relaxes your shoulders.
Whatever burden you have been carrying on your shoulders,let it go.
Give to Allah, and He will hold it for you until you are ready to take
it back. For now, let it go with your breath. Relax your shoulders.
Let go of your fear and your worry. You are following Allah's guidance
and that is peaceful. You are at harmony with the entire universe and
that is peaceful.
Breathe deeply and softly. The breath spreads now into your back and
warms your back. Relax your shoulder blades, and the middle of your
back. Relax your lower back. As you breathe out, release the burdens
that you have borne on your back. All the troubles, all the weight on
your back, release them with your breath, and let them disappear. You
don't need them anymore.
Allah is on your side and He will always be with you. You have the
strength of Imaan. Know that whatever challengesyou face in life, you
are strong and capable.
As you breathe, warmth continues to spread through your body, now
moving into your chest andyour stomach. Relax your chest. Whatever
fears you have for the future, let them go. Release them with your
breath. Trust in Allah; He is with you right now, at this moment, and
He will protect you. Relax your stomach. Whatever tightness you have
in your stomach, whatever tensionyou carry there, release it, let it
go with your breath.
Know that Allah created you pure, with the purity of fitrah. That
purity is always inside you, like a light. Allow yourself to feel it,
to be in touch with it; let that purity come out, and with it comes
peace.

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Beings our Lord created with strong senses

Why do some animals display extraordinary behaviors before an earthquake?
What are some beings' attitudes in the face of dangers?
What are some of the animal senses stronger than those of human beings?
Beings With Danger Signal
One of the biggest advantages of living as a community is that it
provides more protection against dangers because when any of the
animals that lives in the community senses danger, it warns the other
animals instead of simply silently escaping . Every living species has
a specificform of warning.
Rabbits and some deer lifttheir tails to warn the animals around them
when they sense danger.
Many small birds signal alarm by a particular birdcall when they
sense their enemies. Species like the golden oriole make a
high-pitched sound with anarrow frequency interval when they give an
alarm. The human ear senses thisas only a slight whistle. The most
important quality of this sound is that its source cannot be detected.
This is a very important advantage for the bird warning its pack,
because the bird actually takes the risk of drawing all attention to
itself by sounding off, but since thedirection of the sound is not
certain, the danger is somewhat reduced.
In insects that live as colonies, the insect that first senses the
danger warns the rest of the colony. However, the alarm scent secreted
by the insect that communicates the danger also grabs the enemy's
attention . Therefore, the insect that warns its colony against danger
alsotakes the risk of death.
Prairie dogs live in massive colonies. Their nests, which bear
resemblance to a city, are divided into approximately 30 sectionswhere
the animals live. All of the animals in this region know one another.
There are certain prairie dogs which keep guard at all times standing
on their back feet in a way as to see in all directions at the
entrance and exit of the tunnels. If one of the animals sees an enemy,
it makes a barking sound like a whistle. This warning is repeated by
the guards, and it causes the colony to go into an alarm state.
Scientists who witness thiscooperation in nature are amazed at the
extraordinary behaviors ofthese unconscious behaviors. No doubt, Allah
is the One Who directs these beings with His inspiration at all times,
controls every one of them and commands them how to behave. This clear
truth is revealed in the Qur'an as such:
" Everything in the heavens and every creature on the earth prostrates
to Allah, as dothe angels. They are not puffed up with pride. They
fear their Lord above them and do everything they are ordered to do. "
(Surat an-Nahl, 49-50)
Animals With Different Senses Than Human Beings
Allah created animals' sensory organs as strongerthan those of human
beings. Some animals even have other sensory organs which humans do
not have, for example:
Since elephants are animals that live in vast open areas, it is very
important that there is a strong "communication" between them. This
communication is not onlya result of elephants' strong sense of smell
. Besides this, Allah created an organ, which makes an ultrasound
noise that humans cannot hear, in the elephant's forehead. Thanks to
this organ, elephants can communicate with a secret and encrypted
language that other beings cannot understand.These ultrasound noises
made by elephants can reach to enormous distances. Therefore, this
special sound made by elephants is ideal for long distance
communication.
Some beings' eyes have far more advanced qualities than human beings.
For example, insects and bees can see ultraviolet light that the human
eye cannot . A layer in the eyes of mammals that hunt at nights and
night birds called the "tapetum" allows these beings to seein the
dark. Vultures in Africa can detect whether an animal lying on the
ground is dead or just sleeping from a distance over 4,000 meters
where human beings cannot see that far even with binoculars.
Some animals' sense of smell is 100,000, even 1,000,000 times stronger
than that of human beings. For example, dogs can sense even the
slightest smells called microphakia. Thanks to these characteristics,
dogs are used in the early diagnosis of some metabolic distortions
seenin men and characterized by different body scents, as well as in
police business like narcotics detection and searching for fugitive
criminals and in the search for trapped victims of natural
disasterssuch as landslides and earthquakes.

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