thought provoking

[DocW]

Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player was dying of a deadly disease. HIV contracted through blood transfusion. From
world over, he received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed:

"Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease"?

To this Arthur Ashe replied:

The world over --
5 crore children start playing tennis,
50 lakh learn to play tennis,
5 lakh learn professional tennis,
50,000 come to the circuit,
5000 reach the grand slam,
50 reach Wimbeldon,
4 to semi final,
2 to the finals,
When I was holding a cup I never asked GOD "Why me?".

And today in pain I should not be asking GOD "Why me?"

So, he further added

Happiness keeps u Sweet,
Trials keep u Strong,
Sorrow keeps u Human ,
Failure Keeps u Humble,
Success keeps u Glowing,

[DocW]

You never know how clever you are till you have failed.


Its what you learn after you know it all that really matters.


Its a great deal better to live a good life than simply talk about it.


If you are sitting on top of the world, remember it turns over every 24 hours.


It is a waste of brass to buy an alarm clock for a chap who has made up his mind to stay in bed.

[DocW]

Surah 20 verses 124-126

And whoever will turn away from my remembrance (advice, guidance) there will be hard life for him/her in the world and We shall raise him/her blind on the Day of resurrection. He/she will say "O'Creator, I was with sight in the world, here why raised me blind?". Allah will say " Yes, the way you had forgotten Our revelation (Ayaat) when it came to you.

[DocW]

Amin Ahsen Islahi writes in Tadabur ul Qur'an

The reason that our lives may be devoid of satisfaction and peace of mind is that Allah has has left an empty space in us. This space can only be filled with Faith and Belief. All other things and attractions can please us temporarily, but they cannot quench the spirtual thirst and its needs.

When a baby cries because of hunger , you can make him quiet for a short while only by putting a dummy in his mouth, however he is only truely satisfied and content after his mother holds him in her arms, hugs and loves him and he suckles milk from his mother. Human being encounters the same scenario. He may temorarily distract himself with the attractions of the material world, however he remains unsettled, fearful, apprehensive and in internal termoil." Nafsa i mutmaniah " the state of being in complete internal bliss and tranquility, irrespective of ones circumstances, can only be achieved through Faith, Belief and religion.

The empty space in the heart and soul of a true believer cannot be filled by earth or stones but through remebrance of Allah.The thirst inside the soul of a true believer can only be quenches with the water of Faith and Belief.

[DocW]

Amin Ahsen Islahi writes in Tadabur ul Qur'an

As far as tests are concerned, we must remain aware of this reality that they are essential for the education and development of awareness of human beings. It is through these that Allah evolves and promotes the high qualities in born among human beings. Thus these tests are not by themselves, issues to either be afraid of or to run away from.The person who is afraid of them or avoids them is reluctant to improve his own knowledge and scope of his awareness. The point to fear is not being exposed to the test , but to fail the test.

These tests do not come in the shape of difficulties alone but also in the shape of blessings. In the tests that entail difficulties, Allah tests the persons patience and perseverance. In the tests of blessings , Allah tests whether the person acknowledges them and is grateful. The human nature and its development is heavily dependant on these two qualities of patience and acknowledgment of gratefulness. Only through these two qualities a person can develop the state of " soul that is satisfied in its entireity with its Creator (nafsai mutmainah) . The eternal rewards for reaching such high state is " raziah tam marziah".

[DocW]

"Let your thoughts be positive for they will become your words. Let your words be positive for they will become your actions. Let your actions be positive for they will become your values. Let your values be positive for they will become your destiny."

- Mahatma Gandhi

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The only way you an know where the line is, if you cross it

[DocW]

Both toptimists and pessimists contribute to our society. The optimist invents the aeroplane and the pessimist the parachute.

[DocW]

The true concept of worship by Javaid Ahmad Ghamidhi

Worshipping Allah does not mean that we just perform some external and outer rituals and obligations routinely. It includes realisation and understanding of the correct relationship between the Creator and His creation, His obligations, limits of this relationship and its true essence.

Worshipping Allah in its true essence is an internal change, feeling and experience. It is a conscious and living relationship with Allah, that will also reflect in external and outer actions, attitudes and fulfilling of obligations and rituals.

In reality Worship is something that one feels inside him and it manifests itself in practical activities of our life. Thus religion becomes obedience, and one develops a sole purpose to please Allah and willingly fulfil His commands and obligations.

If we want to gauge our relationship with Allah, then let us look at ourselves. Are we frustrated, sad and unhappy or are we confident and have faith and trust in the decisions of Allah. How do I react when I am in difficulties and when I receive or achieve something?

Those who have developed a true understanding of worshipping Allah, strive to purify their intentions and deeds, develop realisation and appreciation of their Faith and moral etiquette's, have complete trust that everything happens from Allah and happens for a reason (tawakal) and their lives are geared towards remembrance of Allah and thanking him for his blessings or patience when faced with difficulties. The life of a momen is between the two words sabr and shukar i. e patience and gratefulness.

[DocW]

THE SERMON OF THE MOUNT

NT Matthew salt and light

You are the salt for the whole human race. But if salt loses its saltness, there is no way to make it salty again. It has become worthless, so it is thrown out and people trample on it.

You are the light for the whole world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden.

No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl, instead he puts it on the lampstand, where it gives light for everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine before people, so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven

[DocW]

Temptation usually comes in through a door that has been deliberately left open. Arnold Glasow

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The Winds of Forgiveness
When someone does something to harm you, write your hurts in the sand.


Two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey, they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything wrote in the sand:



Today my best friend slapped me in the face.



They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning—but the friend saved him.



After he recovered from the near-drowning, he wrote on a stone:



Today my best friend saved my life.



The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone. Why?"



The other friend replied: "When someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it.



Learn to write your hurts in the sand and to carve your benefits in stone.

[DocW]

Let us rise up and be thankful,
for if we didn’t learn a lot today,
at least we learned a little,
and if we didn’t learn a little,
at least we didn’t get sick,
and if we got sick,
at least we didn’t die;
so, let us be thankful.

-The Buddha

[Ramsey]

Let us rise up and be thankful,
for if we didn’t learn a lot today,
at least we learned a little,
and if we didn’t learn a little,
at least we didn’t get sick,
and if we got sick,
at least we didn’t die;
so, let us be thankful.

-The Buddha

I can't help it. As soon as I read it I thought "At least we died, and no longer have to do the dishes"

Here is something I've always liked:

"Humor cooleth the blood; wrath spilleth it."

[DocW]

Abide by the truth even if your shadow deserts you."Imam Ameen Ahsan Islahi (ra)"