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!

Where is Morality?

Assalamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah!

Avignon Palace

This is the continuation of the post about, why we human being are arrogant. It is said that another reason for a human-being to be arrogant perhaps is because he or she is affluent and are of high position in society. They possess lots of property and land. They have jewels in their closets. One day a lady came and see the ustad who delivered the lecture for him to calculate the amount of tithe that she needs to pay for her golds. She shows him her jewels thus saying: "I have pounds of golds in my closet, I don't know what to do with them. I am exhausted for having to count them each term."

In fact, the God does not prevent us from possessing anything. It is not a sin to have possession. He is not angry to His servants who are rich as it is among His grace to His servants. Everything that He creates in the earth is for human to use and benefit in this life. He does not demand us to totally leave everything. It is not like that, but He demands His servants not to keep the worldly matters in our heart. If our heart is attached to the worldly matters, we would be stingy and it makes our property barren. The example of people whom heart was attached to worldly matters such as property is Tsa'labah who lives during the period of noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w and Qarun who lives during the period of noble prophet Moses a.s. These examples are negative ones. Be like David a.s and Solomon a.s. It is narrated that David cries 40 days and nights only because he reckons all of his errors though he is infallible of sins. His tears dropped down the earth and grass grows up from the tear drop place. He is a person with a position in his society but he still fear the God.

Another example is Jonah who was swallowed by a whale. Whales do not live in the Straits of Malacca or wandering at the sea close to Kuala Kedah nor swimming in the South China Sea. It is a kind of fish that dives deep into the ocean. While Jonah was in the fish's belly, he recites the exaltation to the God and asking for forgiveness: "لاإلهَ إلَّاأنْتَ سُبْحانَكَ إنِّيْ كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِيْنَ". It means: "There's no gods except You, exalted be You indeed I am already amongst those who are cruel (to themselves)." The angels of the God heard his prayers from the belly of the fish. His exaltation and prayers reached the heavens though he was deep down in the sea in fish's belly. The God listens to His exaltation. The angels of the God asked the God: "Who's voice of exaltation was that?" The God answered the angels: "The voice is of my beloved servant, Jonah. He ran away from his nation and people because of his disappointment with them and that makes him stuck in the belly of the whale." The angles prayed the God to forgive Jonah. The God revealed... If it is not because of Jonah's exaltation, he would remain in the whale's belly until the Day of Resurrection.

Nowadays, many people live an easy life. They had forgotten exaltation to the God and many think that they are gods of themselves (atheists). For us the paupers, exaltation is the substitution of wealth. Once upon a time, came to prophet Muhammad s.a.w several paupers complaining: "Dear the messenger of the God, rich people could have the merit for donation while we have none of it as we have nothing to offer to others." The prophet s.a.w replied to the: "recite exaltation to Him which are سبحان الله والحمدلله ولا إله إلاالله والله اكبر subhanallah walhamdulillah walaa ilaaha illalllah wallahu akbar 33 times!" The exaltation means: "May be exalted the God, and praises to the God, and there is no gods except the God and the God is the Great." So after we perform obligatory salat service, at least, recite these exaltation 33 times. Don't just fold our prayer mats and hurl it under the bed or just rise up after the prayer without respecting the God with exaltation nor supplications. 

The God Will, we would continue with the lecture notes on this topic in whatever gaps that we have, it's already late... Wish everyone passing by entertained though it is not in the original language... May whatever is good and beneficial being transmitted to everyone, insyaallah...

To be continued...

Is He really far from me????

Assalaamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah!

Why human always committing sins and vices? Why I am always committing sins and vice? I know that sin and vice is wrong but why I am postponing the repentance and penance? Is it because I feel that Allah Glory be to Him is far from me? Is He is far from my reach? Why human seldom pray to Him and being dependent to Him by lifting the hands begging Him to help us?

Is it because we could not see Him with our physical eyes? So, we are not confident that He is actually with us? It is like He is very far from us and maybe He would be late in helping us if we pray to Him for solutions in our daily problem? Why we are not able to relate our whole life with the God?

Is it because the God is far from us? So we feel that it is meaningless and pointless to relate our life matters with something or someone which is far from our reach? Whom we are not certain would be happy or not with our success? Whom we are not certain would be sad or happy with disaster that happened on us. Whom we are not sure would recompensate us or not with our penance and charity done? Because He is far from us that makes us feel worried and living in this suffocating state? Is He really far from us?

This kind of thing always happen to us no matter if we are Muslim or not. For Atheists, I am sure they are the God of themselves so they would depend only on their selves. But those who proclaim themselves as the believer of the God are those who depend on Him nontheless they feel He is far or close to them. The question is whether He is far or not from us?????

In this question of the relationship between the creatures and their Creator, the creatures are in the side of those who are hoping while the Giver is the God. So, the answer for this should come from the scripture where He reveals about Himself. We could check the answer in surah al-Baqarah verse 186, surah Qaaf verse 16, and surah al-Baqarah verse 214. 

Some people might argue whether God is close to us as if He is really beside us, or His knowledge is very close to us? For some people this argument should not be a headache for them. They would accept that the God is close to them without any further questions. They do not even care whether He close in the real sense or close to them in His knowledge because nothing would be less if they are in one of those circumstances. The most important thing is that He is close to them. The God never lies in His words and promises. How the God is close to us is not our problem. It is His job.

The God has heralded that He is indeed very close to His servants. He also says that He never lies to His servants. Thus, the matter of how close or far He is from us is actually the matter of our faith to Him. If we want to be confident that He is watching us, He is listening to us, He is all Knower, He is Powerful, He is Mighty, all is on us. There is no one to force us to believe this but it is in our nature. There is also no one to force us to obey Him but it is our choice. The Truth won't change with our choice. If we choose not to believe that God is indeed with us, then the Truth that He is indeed close to us would not change.

Even if the whole world do not believe in His existence, He still exists. Those who believe will enter the paradise although the whole world torturing them. Those who do not believe will enter the jahannam (place of torment) even if the whole world loves them (al-Baqarah verse 256).

Those who believes in Him would see the sign of His existence or feeling it. If they believe that He is close, then they would feel Him. The choice is in our hand and not on others' to believe with the genuine faith.He is indeed close and not far from our reach. He listens to us and watching us. This faith would help us to continue to another step. When we believe that He is close and not only exists, He is watching us, listening to us, and supporting us then we could strive to face this world. We could also perform obedience to Him in a better way. When we are alone then we are in the state of difficulty. But when we are with a companion, we are stronger than alone. In addition He who is our Companion is the One who could not even be defeated by anyone in the Universe. He is the King without crown!

We could see in the da'awa performed by the messenger of God, Muhammad (saw). The problem of faith is the first being solved. So, how does our faith look like?

When we already confident that He is indeed close, our anxiety would fade away. We face difficulties and happiness in this life with preserverance. When we are sad, we know to whom we should complain. And when we are happy, we know to whom we should be thankful. When we are in difficulties, we know to whom we should ask for help and when we are in happiness we know to whom we should express our happiness.

We would also feel ashamed to do destructions and vices in society and the world with this faith. Imagine if we steal something and others are watching us, would we continue with that act? The same thing happens, when we are in vices. Wouldn't we feel ashame to Him who is watching us? Although when we commit sins and vices due to forgetfulness and carelesness, we would return with repentance and penitence to to Him.

Ibrahim Adham had said to a man who wants to commit vice: "you may commit it but with a condition where you could find a place where He could not see you." Where can we find such a place? Everything in this Universe is under His supervision. He is all Powerful and covering everything (al-Fussilat verse 54).

When we are in anxiety, do not feel shy to cry in front of Him although we couldn't see Him. He is very close and His assistance is everywhere. Quickly be in contact with Him when we are in difficulties. He is very close to us compared to our friends around. When we are all confident with these, we would feel the grace.

I have this question, why I had performed penitence and everything but I do not get anything??? Sometimes there is a kind of situation where He delays His help. It is called as tests and tribulations. In arabic, we call this as al-fitan. Sometimes He does not giving the things that we asked, but we should also realize that we are no one to Him. We have no rights to demand Him! We our selves do not know what is good or bad for us but He knows it more. Whatever He gives to us is the best due to His knowledge. This is confidence. 

Do not worry with the natijah (result). We only need to worry about our efforts. His Will, after the efforts then the results would proceed. Any result that He has decreed is the best. When we are confident with this, then our suffocating due to the time framing for our supplications, difficulties faced in life, anxiety, and worry would be solved without we even realize it.

Sometimes we want everything to be in order according to what we demand and we want to know the result in a blink of the eyes but we do not have the knowldge like Him. Maybe we only know about certain things which are good for us in 10 years to come or longer. But when we realize about this, everything had gone. Just like what I had experienced when we could not accept the fact : (

He is full of Love and Mercy to His servants. Why not we try to be close to Him even in a little step? Aren't we stingy with our moves? Aren't we ashame to Him to behave like that? He who possess everything is not stingy to be close to us but why we who are dependent to Him never make any move to approach Him???????!!!!! We only have to move one step and He is closer to us in an analogy of 1000 steps as He loves us. Who else the best representative for us in this world except Him (surah aal-'Emraan vs. 173).

Don't delay the move to be close to Him. We are in the period of near resurrection and destruction. We are also not safe from death in this temporary life. We do not want to lose His blessings so may everyone being saved. Let us live with Him, feel that He is close to us. People who lives with God will always be successful in this life and the hereafter. 

God please be in contact with prophet Muhammad (saw) and his family and his companions and all of the good nations. May everyone receives blessings, success and guidance. Sealed with prayers for peace and love and mercy.

10 Advices of our honorable brother: the Martyr Hassan al-Banna

Assalamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah!

May I remember this always. Each time I am breathing, I would always recite this advice by the martyr brother Hassan al-Banna may Allah bless his pure soul and his family. May it becomes amongst the motivation for us to perform obedience to Allah in our daily life so that we and our nation receive Patronage from Him, aaamin!!! 

With the Name of Allah the Most Compassionate, the Most Beneficient

1) Dear friends, immediately performing five times daily salaat once you have heard the calling of prayers. Try work on it according to your ability. It reflects your desire to perform your obligation. There is the source of success, there is the source of nusrah (help from God). Look at the Words of God begin with the order to hasten to perform salaat. Look at how God has ordered salaat to be apart of the Way, even in the battlefield in the moment of difficulties or easiness. 

2) Dear friends, recite and read the Quran. Try to understand the message. Be in meditation always and find the knowledge although a little that you could get. Stop wasting your time and living the life without any goal. Indeed Quran is the source of the ocean of knowledges. It is the source of guidance for me and for you. Read Quran may it becomes your salvator. Always read it and try to memorize it. Meditate and chanting His Names without feeling tired. You may find tranquility and peacefulness. Be a peaceful servants of Lord!   

3) Dear friends, try to encourage yourselves to speak in Classical Arabic. Start even only with a word. You had already speaking in Arabic for long when you perform salaat. Try to say a word although you do not understand it. Amongst the problem with us now is that we do not speak in Classical Arabic anymore, instead speaking in Dialectical Arabic or speaking in English when we communicate amongst each other. Classical Arabic suppose to be our communication tool.

4) Dear friends, do not quarrel amongst each other. Debate something only for the benefits of the nation. Be careful with quarrels as Satan always trying to deflect you into fragmentations.

5) Dear friends, smile always but make laughter less. Our holy prophet (saw) is a person who always smile but never have big laughs.

6)  Dear friends, we may make jokes and also be serious but make sure that they are in suitable times.  Without jokes, life is not interesting. But jokes could not be excessive. 

7) Dear friends, control your voice, check back surah al-Israa'. Do not pray in the voice which is too high or too low but in the middle of it.

8) Dear friends, avoid from mocking, back-bitting, slandering, and lower-estimating other congregations of your brethren. Talk only charity for everyone's benefit. We could only talk about something bad according to syar'ie (legalized way) only if it is for justice, removing evil, to warn fellow brethren about evil, declaring evil and wickedness so that people could avoid it.

9) Dear friends, expand friendship and amity among brethren. Be friendly and greet our brethren with prayers for peace each time we see them. The basis of da'awa movement is through love, amity, and friendship among brethren.

10) Dear friends, maximize the benefits that we could gain through the beneficial usage of time. Familiarize ourselves with schedule so that we may plan well our activities for daily life in remembrance to Allah. Be wise with time, time is dangerous than sword in the same time it is gold. Appreciate the time of your brethren and also respect your time. No wasting of times with useless speech but only beneficial matters for the nation and our civilization.

Ya Rabbana, my faith is so weak and fragile. Please help me to be a useful Muslim and strengthen my faith to perform the practices and the seeking of knowledge :'( Help my beloved brethren to be on the path that You have legalize through scripture and may we strive hard to rebuild our civilization. Amin!