Useful Ways of Leading a Happy Life: Chapter 2

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

 Diary

Chapter two of this book deals with how to ward off anxieties and worries. I am experiencing all of these. I am sure dearly brothers and sisters are also experiencing this because we are all not perfect. Only Allah is Perfect. I had woke up late for night services for Him. I feel very sad, disappointed with myself, disgusted to look at my own face in the mirror and tortured because I had forgotten my position as His lowly slave. 

It happens because I lost the grip over my time since I am in an empty space and I am only depending on Allah without any brother (teacher) to guide me. After all, I also heard that my dad is driving to the north while he is not well because he feels bored and dull at home. Who says if we are married and having family we could be peaceful? I had seen many sorrows, physically and mentally tortured since I am a young child. I am sure others also experienced this but they don't share their stories widely to people because their situation might varies. Anything that other people do or experience does not apply to all people. Human also need friends and dad have lost all of his friends. When he was young, he used to mingle with his friends chatting and doing activities together. We can't easily develop friendship and friendship could easily end. 

Ya Allah... Your angels and other faithful brothers in my room are also witnessing me. I renew my declaration that You are the only True Friend of mine... You had befriend our patriarch Abraham a.s while he was alone and You also accompanied our beloved prophet Muhammad s.a.w while he was alone. I love You Lord, please forgive me I wake up late please don't leave alone, amin! 

I don't want to experience what my dad experienced. I feel so sad for him especially I can't accompany him to help guide him to see You in Your houses. Last few semesters I faced with few sorrows in the same time too which also includes my dad was affected by strokes until he's half paralyzed during Ramadan. I was so worried that I can't eat anything or drink anything. I threw out everything once I put something in my mouth. That's why I can't have my meals in front of brothers in my hostel. I don't want people to be affected and burdened because an unworthy creature like me :'( 

Chapter Two

It says among the means to wipe off anxieties due to nervousness and the preoccupation of the heart on sorrowful things is to keep ourselves busy with one activity that we like or another one is to seek knowledge. Why we keep ourselves busy? Because we want to distract our heart away from dwelling in anxieties. Activities like seeking the knowledge and knowing Allah will make us forget our grief and worry. As the result we will experience happiness and become cheerful again. This is actually something that we share with people of other faiths.

What makes us different from people of other faiths. A faithful Muslim will make intention to seek knowledge solely because to get Allah's pleasure. Whatever he does such as worldly acts which have good intention because of seeking the strength to worship Allah are due to his faith and sincerity only for Allah. This actually has an additional effect which wards off grief, worries, and anxieties through the Divine intervention. 

So many people today afflicted with permanent anxieties and sorrows. It comes the extent which makes him feeling very ill. The only cure is to forget the cause of sorrows and miseries. A person must make himself busy with normal activities. The activities which keep him busy should be something pleasing to himself. This will bring the person into his desired goal and all of knowledge only with Allah.

Among things to ward off worry and anxiety

1. Concentrate one's attention and concern only with present affairs.

2. Stop being anxious about future or grieving over the past.

3. Praying to Allah to protect one self from anxiety and grief (Bukhari n Muslim).

4. Anxiety and grief usually is a fear and concern over what will happen in the future. 

 A person should be the son of the moment.

5. Concentrate his energy and attention only for the betterment of the existing events and present moments.

6. Concentrate only the affairs of the moment is a necessary cause which leads to its accomplishment. 

Hope, Dependence to Allah and Working Hard

Prophet Muhammad s.a.w when he asks something from Allah, or when he guides the community at that time to ask specific things from Allah, he is advising them that prayers and supplication to Allah must be followed with hope in His favor. The same time, work hard and earnestly to achieve accomplishment of what had been asked or the removal of what had been asked to be removed from them.

The du'a to Allah should go side by side with action. A slave strives for what will benefit him in his Path and his worldly life. He asks his Lord to make him accomplish his need, and he seeks His help and intervention in that. 

Noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w said: "Strive for what will benefit you. Seek the help of Allah. Don't get incapacitated. If something afflicts you, don't say "if I had done such and such would have happened." But say: "This is the Decree of Allah. He does what He Wills". This is because "if" opens the act of the Devil". (Reported by Muslim) 

Our noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w advised us through this speech for us to join between two things:

I. Strive for useful things in all situations. 

Strive for the benefits of all situations. Seeking help of Allah and never surrender to incapacity as it is a harmful negligence.

II. Surrender to Allah the past events that have passed.

Witness in them the decree of Allah and His pre-destination.

Noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w has highlighted two categories of affairs: 

1. That a slave has ability to accomplish totally or partially, or those that can be completely avoided or at least lighten their burden. The slave should give his utmost effort and seek help of the Lord.

2. The affairs which the slave has no power over them. For this, the faithful slave must keep calm. Accept whatever come to him and surrender to Allah. This is a principle which complies with a definite mean to remove worry and grief beside achieving happiness.

Allah knows well... Finish this part and I had cried in front of the lappy until my chest get wet... Useless, hehehe.... :')

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin! 

About Barzakh and the Deceased Soul

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

This is from the source of a kitab known as ar-Ruh compiled by Ibnu Qayyim the disciple of Ibnu Taimiyyah. The guidelines about are also mentioned in the Fatawa and the Kubra.

Ibnu Taimiyyah when being asked about people who are alive visiting the deceased whether the deceased knows about their visit? Whether they still recognize their family members or those at their funeral?

Ibnu Taimiyyah then answered: "All praises are only to the God. Indeed the deceased do know and realize about this matter. There are many evidences about the meeting of those who are alive with the deceased (souls of the deaths), their discourses, and the practices of those who are alive being shown to those who had passed away."

Ibnu Mubarak from Abu Ayyub al-Ansari mentions that Ibnu Taimiyyah says that: "When the soul of a faithful believer being uprooted from their physical body, those who are blessed by the God (who had earlier passed away) would see him just like those who are alive in the physical world bringing good news to others. They will come to him and greet him. Some of them would say to the others, wait for your brother to rest since he just struggled with the pain of death (leaving the physical body)." 

Ibnu Ayyub further narrated: "After the soul resting, other deceased soul would come and talking to him. They would ask about what has been done by this man... what has been done by this woman...?"

The deceased knows that those who are alive visiting him and greeting him with salaam peace prayers. As what has been mentioned by Ibnu Abbas r.a who reported the sayings of prophet Muhammad s.a.w: "A faithful believer who walks at his brothers cemetery and prays with the peaceful greeting to his deceased brothers will be answered by their souls at the cemetery." 

Ibnu Mubarak mentioned that, this hadith is valid from the sayings of prophet Muhammad s.a.w through the inspection of Abdul Haqq who compiled the kitaab al-Ahkam (Majmu' Fatawa chap 24 pg. 331).

In other parts, Ibnu Taimiyyah was asked whether the deceased could hear the voice of those who are visiting him and whether he could actually see them? Whether his spirit and soul returns to his body or hovering over his grave? Whether his spirit and soul gathering together with other family members' spirits and souls who had earlier passed away?

He answered: "Praises be to the God, the Lord of the universe. Yes, indeed! The deceased could listen to the voice of people around him as what has been mentioned in the two valids which are the Bukhari and Muslim. The hadith says that the deceased are listening to the clopping sound of shoes made by those who are walking on his grave."

Ibnu Taimiyyah also mentions other evidences from the Sunnah in which showing that the deceased are listening to the sounds around but the physical body could not respond to them. It is not all the time they could hear the sounds. Sometimes they would listen and sometimes not. It is just the same to those who are alive. Those who are alive could also listen to sounds, but sometimes their hearing would be obstructed by obstructions. The hearing sense of the deceased means that they know what happened around them but they could not give any reaction or respond. 

It is not referring to the hearing which is denied by the God in Surah an-Naml verse 80. The God says: "Indeed, you (Muhammad and others) could not make those who are dead (their heart is dead) to accept the teachings and lessons." In this verse, the word dead refers to the rejection of the heart and soul of a person (physically and spiritually) to accept the order and decree from the God. Those who are dead refers to those who refused the calling of those who call them toward the God because a dead man could not respond to voices around though he listens to them or simply animals who could listen voices but understand not the meaning of languages (voices). A dead body could listen to the sound and understood what had been said around. But they could not answer or executing whatever had been said.

This verse says that it is of no use to talk to those who are hardened at their heart. It gives no benefit to him or others if we keep talking to him or calling him toward the God. This verse is also in retaliation to verse 23 surah al-Aanfal. The God says: "Had the God knows (because He knows) that there are benefits for them,  indeed He would have made them listen. And if He had made them listen, they would have turned away from the Truth." It means that Mercy and Guidance is within His Wisdom and Will. Human-being may pray to Him for guidance and faith.

There are also discussions about this but it is already 'Asr prayer service time. If He wills we would also try to see what are the discussions about this may the God increase our knowledge and faith towards Him, amin!

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin!

Bulleh Shah: Comforting Prayer of Love

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Hail, Lord the True Teacher!!! 

The God that you find in the jungle

Is found by birds and fishes

Only those with pure sacred heart find the True God

You have learned so much reading thousand of books...

But do you even bother to read what is inside you?

You visit and sit inside the masjid and temple...

But have you ever think of visiting your own soul?

You are busy of fighting Satan

But have you ever fought your own evil intentions and desires?

You have reached the sky but you failed to reach your own heart

You may destroy masjids, go and destroy to the earth temples...

Do as you wish, do as you please

But never destroy the human heart

For the Lord is there in

This is one of my favorite poem from a portion sung by Abidah Parveen in Punjabi. The poet name is Abdullah Shah but widely known as Bulleh Shah. His poetry are also being sung by Sikh and Hindu singers but he is a Muslim of Qadiri order. 

Some of his poems actually sounds cynical and critical toward orthodox practices of people in 17th C but that does not mean that he is not an Orthodox Muslim. Sometimes his poems are questioning certain things but it actually asking us on our intention of doing certain things whether it is simply a mere ritual which we imitate others doing or because it is due to our devotion to the God. He emphasizes the heart as the core of every practices and advocate love toward fellow creatures regardless religion and creed.

I always feel that I am not sincere to the God which makes me actually afraid of what will happen after being taken away. Baba Bulleh Shah was also accused by his colleagues because of his messages were misunderstood. Sometimes we have to think very deep and ponder on every words which would make us keep our silence and observe more. It also applies to Quran and Sunnah, right?

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love. amin!

Useful Ways of Leading a Happy Life: Chapter 1

In the Name of Allah the Most Compassionate the Most Merciful

Greatest and fundamental means of achieving a good life is the faith and good deeds. In this matter...

Allah says: "Whoever works righteousness, man and woman, and is faithful, verily to him will We give a life that is good and pure and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions." (Surah an-Nahl verse 94)  

So, Allah the Most High informs and promises whoever are faithful with good and righteous deeds, He will give them a good and pure life in the world. There are rewards in the world and the hereafter. 

The reason behind this is very clear. It is because a faithful servant believes in Allah's promise. So, he strive hard into charity and righteousness, he mends the heart and trying to correct evil behavior to goodness bringing benefit to everyone in this world and for everyone's hereafter. Such a person who possess these basic elements will be guided when they deal with situations of happiness and joy and in situations of anxiety, sorrow and grief.

They gratefully accept situations whether it is happiness and joy by thanking Allah. They use the happiness and grace toward beneficial ways. When they use them in this manner, they would experience additional joy and they desire the blessings of these things hoping that they would remain with them always. These yearns rewards to those who are thankful to Allah. It explains about the joy of a person being thankful on the grace is making a person feels much better than at the time he received the first joy.

On the other hand, in harmful and unpleasant situation... The person would deal with the situations by resisting as much as possible. Trying to lighten what could be lightened. Persevere with a beautiful contentment over what they are weak to resist. By this, they achieve the benefits of earnest struggle and gather experience and inner strength. They are promised by Allah with the reward of patience and perseverance. The rewards are far more great as it shrouding the misfortune that befell them. As a result, they could still feel joyful and optimistic with sincere desire in getting the favors of Allah and His rewards. 

Muhammad s.a.w says: "The affair of the faithful is really wonderful!!! All of his affairs are good. When he is touched by ease and fortune, he is thankful to Allah and that is good for him. When he faced misfortune and suffers, he is patient. That is good for him. And this is only for the faithfuls." (Narrated by Muslim)  

Muhammad s.a.w told us that the grace that he gains and the benefits of his deeds are multiplied several fold in all the things that befall him be they pleasant or unpleasant. That is why we could see two persons facing the same ups and downs in the life but they differ widely in the manner they encounter the problems. It is according to the level of faith and righteous deeds.

The one with faith and righteous deeds encounters both pleasant and unpleasant situations with thankfulness while in pleasant situation while holding on with patience in the opposite situation. It makes sorrow and grief being dissolved by the heart and he could still live a good and happy life in the world though facing misfortune.   

The other one encounters joyful and pleasant situation with insolence, arrogance, and rebellion. It resulted his behavior deviates and he turns to be just like an animal. He encounters grace and joy with greed which would lead him to anxiety. His heart will feel restless and not at peace. There are several reasons which will lead to these:

1. It is due to the fear of losing the good things

2. Feeling anxiety to retain the good things with them that makes them having to struggle.

3. Human nafs (selves) know no limits and boundaries to what it desires or whether he should acquire something or not.

Even if he acquires the fortune or whatever he desires, his heart would still feel restless because the cycle will repeat on him. When he is afflicted with unpleasant things, he is worried, full of despair, fearful and sorrowful. Only Allah knows the degree of the wretchedness of the life he is going through. How he faced mental and psychological troubles and the extend of fear that would ultimately bring him to more horrible and heinous results. It happens because he has no hope of getting the reward so he did not pray to Allah. He has no patience that will console him and lighten his pains because he does not believe in Allah's promises. 

All of these is known from human experience itself. There are many examples of life in which we can reflect upon ourselves. Observe through it with our experience and we will see wide differences between the faithful who is acting according to his faith and the person without faith to Allah. This is because the Way of Life strongly urges contentment with Allah's provision and with whatever He grants to His slaves out of His favor, wisdom and vast generosity.

If the faithful servant is afflicted with illness or poverty, or similar tribulations that no one is free from, he is pleased and contented because of his faith to Allah. It is due to that he believes that it is divinely decreed upon Him. His heart does not asking for what is not destined on him. He looks at people who are less fortunate than him and feeling merciful. He does not look to those who are above him or those who are richer than him. Through this, he perhaps feel even happier, more delighted, and more peaceful than others who have all their worldly needs met but are not gifted with the peace of heart. The opposite is the case of one who does not act in accordance with faith when he is afflicted with poverty or loss of worldly needs. He find himself in utter despair and wretchedness.

Another example is when fear and disturbing events befall a person. We would find a person with a sound faith having a firm heart. He is calm and firmly in control with situation by making the best use of his faculties of thought, speech, and action as though he has already prepared himself for the event. This type of reaction puts him at ease and strengthen his heart.

The reaction of one without faith on the other hand is the direct opposite to this. When he encounters fearful situations, his heart trembles and his nerves becomes tense. His intellect loses its focus. There is nothing inside him except the alarming fear. The outward terror is increased by his inward restlessness. The degree of which is beyond expression. This type of person among mankind, if he does not acquire some of the natural means at the disposal of every human-being for dealing with troubles through life experiences, their energy would becomes completely sapped and suffer nervous breakdown. This is because he lacks of faith which encourages patience, especially in situations of anxiety and difficulty. It hits the nose of Abdullah who types this note... Padan lu punya muka harap Tuhan ampunkan lu punya dosa!!!

It's true that both the good and bad, the faithful and non-faithful ones both share common human quality of acquired courage as well as innate ability to deal with dreadful situations and lighten their oppressive effects on the self. But the faithful due to his strong belief, patience, reliance and trust to Allah with his desire to receive reward from Allah excels in having qualities that make him courageous and soothe more effectively the pangs of terror and the pains of calamity on him.    

Says Allah the Most High: "If you're suffering hardships, they too are suffering similar hardships: but you hope only from Allah for which they hope not." (Surah an-Nisaa' verse 104)

How to eliminate worry, grief, and anxiety???

Kind and merciful toward fellow creatures (includes animals, trees, and invincible ones) through:

1. Speech and prayers

2. Deeds

3. All types of acts of charity 

All of these acts are highly esteemed by Allah and He will remove anxieties and worries. He removes it according to levels of charity toward other fellow creatures. Charity must be based from sincere, love and pure heart only for Allah. We do not get reward from fellow creatures but from Allah only. The reward is that Allah will make charity is easy on him and unpleasant things being removed due to sincerity toward Allah. 

Says Allah: "There is no good in most of their secret conferences except (in) him who exhorts to a deed of charity (in Allah's cause), or goodness, or conciliation between people. Whoever does that seeking pleasure of Allah, We shall bestow on him immense reward." (Surah an-Nisaa' verse 114)  

Allah, the Most High informs us that these things are all acts of charity whosoever does them. And act of charity bring them benefits and remove evil. However the faithful who seeks the reward and pleasure of Allah, for him Allah gives an immense reward. Part of immense reward is the removal of grief, sorrow, and anguish. Allahumma salli 'alaa Muhammad wa 'alaa aali Muhammad...

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin!  

Useful Ways of Leading a Happy Life: Introduction

In the Name of the God the Most Merciful the Most Compassionate!

Sometimes, when we are facing difficulties in life we tend to forget about the God too. This is true because I did faced this and lost faith to the God. Even nowadays, I still feel so useless until it makes me feel so filthy that I could not even face people's face. After I returned from pilgrimage, this book is one of the books provided by the Ministry of Da'awa, Endowments, and Guidance Affairs of Saudi to me. It's title is the Useful Ways of Leading a Happy Life by Sheikh Abdul Rahman bin Nasir as-Si'dy. 

It has eight chapters altogether. I read this book when I feel so restless and hapless last time and trying to keep it going but each time many obstacles also come thus I have to be patient. Recently I feel the same especially when I see people returning home for holiday without having to think about what will happen in the next semester. Maybe I think like that but who knows maybe they are also struggling. We just look at the exterior part of people's life but never their inner part of life. So what we physically see is our perception on them. It could be wrong or could be right and it depends on situation of individuals. I am also not excluded from this kind of attitude. So, I must be very careful with the environment around.  As I had also sometimes feel my faith being tested, I must also punish myself. So, I punish myself to type this may I memorize it by heart and soul. Moga terpasak kunci dalam hati dan rohani kita, inshaallah!

We actually wanted to have a peaceful life. As for me money and everything is always a burden but when we have no money how could we operate our life? So, I also think that I am involved in polytheism when I came to this question because I associate the power to be able to live with materials, may Allah forgives me my sins on questioning His Power and Strength over weak creatures. Let us see what is the view of this Sheikh about how we could gain happiness in life? 

Introduction

Praise belongs to Allah, to Whom all praise is due. We bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. We bear witness that Muhammad s.a.w is His slave and messenger. May peace and blessings of Allah reaching him, his family and companions.

There is no doubt that the bliss of the heart, its tranquility and happiness, and the absence of grief and worry from it is the goal of every person. It is the means by which a happy, blissful and excellent life is achieved. There are means to achieve this which are:

1. Religious

2. Natural

3. Physical

These means are never gathered together except to believers. Non-believers on the other hand, despite of the earnest endeavors of their philosophers is to lead them to these means, even if they achieve them in certain aspects, they still miss the way to them in several other aspects that are more beneficial, permanent, and better in yielding the result. 

The Sheikh mentions in the treatise the ways and means to achieve the lofty goal which is desired by everyone. Some people are successful in these ways and therefore live a good and pure life. They enjoy their life. Some woefully fail in following them so they live a wretched and miserable life. Others lie between these two extremes; by the level of their following these means, by that level they live a good life. And it is Allah that guides to all that is good. He wards off all evil and it is His assistance that we seek in this.

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin!

Pilgrimage : The Journey

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

I am not a poetic or creative person nor I am talented in poetry because I only know how to read people's poem, haha. Poem in this post was written by Ibnu Qayyim al-Jawziyya about Hajj season in the Holy Mecca. Its original language is Arabic and this is its translation in English. 

Translation as always is not equal to the text due to different languages development, time period, and it is only to tell what is the meaning and message behind the text. Modern English began to develop from Anglo-Saxon language in 6th century while Arabic does not really change. It developed earlier than modern English. There is another discipline for translation and interpretation although many people would look at our course just as a side course which has no importance since everyone can do it as a part time job. I'm helping translation and interpretation lecturers promoting the course. Jangan marah saya lagi na Dr. Lee and Pak Din. You people just misunderstood me because I was said as influencing my colleague to go against you. I am not really naughty. I don't know why people always looking at me with prejudice and judging me simply because I mingled with 'unfortunate' or 'despicable' people like me : ) Usually people will misunderstood us when we try to return to Him... This is the world.

Basically, this is how we perform hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, reviving the Path of our patriarch Abraham may the God send peace to him and his family. Wish brethren enjoy the poem while mentally and physically preparing to perform hajj pilgrimage. I wish your sincere pilgrimage will be accepted by the God, may He permits it....