IN QUEST FOR INNER PEACE (PART 4 OF 4): INNER PEACE IS REACHED BY SUBMITTING TO ALLAH
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
As salaam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu
"I convey unto you the Messages of my Lord and give sincere advice to you. And I know from Allah what you know not.
"Do you wonder that there has come to you a Reminder from your Lord through a man from amongst you, that he may warn you, so that you may fear Allah and that you may receive (His) Mercy?"
But they belied him, so We saved him and those along with him in the ship, and We drowned those who belied Our Ayah (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.). They were indeed a blind people.
Translation of Surah Al-Araf, Verses 62-64
IN QUEST FOR INNER PEACE (PART 4 OF 4): INNER PEACE IS REACHED BY SUBMITTING TO ALLAH
True inner peace is found by submitting to God Almighty, living this life for Him, remembering Him and by making the Hereafter more of a priority than this life.
Hasad can cause the person to indulge in disbelief because it causes the individual to feel that Allah has not been fair with him; he forgets all the mercy and blessings which Allah has bestowed upon him. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: "They are enemies for Allah's bounties." They asked: "Who are they?" He said: "Those who envy people for what Allah has given them of Bounty." [at-Tabaranee]
Allah through His Absolute Wisdom has given some people more wealth, intelligence, beauty, strength, children, etc. than others. The believing Muslim should be content with what Allah has destined for him. Allah says: [Surah an-Nahl (16): 71] And: "Allah favored some of you over others with wealth and properties… Do they deny the favors of Allah? “Do they envy men for what Allah has given them of His Bounty?" [Surah an-Nisa (4): 54]
"It is We Who portion out between them their livelihood in this world, and We raised some of them above others in ranks, so that some may employ others in their work. But the mercy of your Lord is better." [Surah az-Zukhruf (43): 32] meaning mercy of Allah is better than the convenience of the world. The materials of this life do not make one superior to another in Allah's Judgment. True superiority lies in Taqwa (righteousness, fear of Allah). He said: "Surely, the most noble of you to Allah is the most God-fearing. " [Surah al-Hujurat (49): 13] "And the Hereafter with Your Lord is (only) for those who have Taqwa." [Surah az-Zukhruf (43): 35]
What belongs to the transient world is of no significance before Allah. The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: "If this world were worth a mosquito's wing before Allah, He would not give a disbeliever a drink of water." [At-Tirmidhee]
The favors of Allah in the world are a test; the more the favors, the more the tests. Al-Hasan al-Basri said: "Umar Ibn Khattab wrote this letter to Abu Musa al-Ash'ari, 'Be content with your provision in this world, for the Most Merciful has honored some of His servants over others in terms of provision as a test of both. The one who has been given plenty is being tested to see if he will give thanks to Allah and fulfill the duties which are his by virtue of his wealth…" [Ibn Hatim]
Allah, the Exalted, has therefore forbidden us from desiring what others have, "Do not wish for what we have favored some of you over others." [Surah an-Nisa (4): 32]
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: "Envy is allowed in two cases, in case of a man whom Allah has given the Quran and who recites it throughout night and day; and a man on whom Allah has bestowed wealth who gives it away throughout night and day." [Saheeh al-Bukhari and Saheeh Muslim] and he (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) also explained what may be said: "I wish I were given what he was given and did with it what he did."
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: "The similitude of the people of this Ummah is like four individual. One whom Allah has given wealth and knowledge, so he handles his wealth with the knowledge. One whom Allah has given knowledge but not wealth and he says, 'Lord, should I have wealth like so-and-so I would have handled it like him.' So they both have the same reward. Such a person loves to have wealth like others so he can do good like others without wishing that the others lose their wealth. Another man, Allah has given him wealth but no knowledge and he spends his wealth in disobedience to Allah. And last, a man whom Allah has not given knowledge nor wealth but he says, 'Should I have wealth like so-and-so, I would spend it in the way he does.' So, both will have the same sin against them." [at-Tirmidhee and Ibn Majah]
We have to keep in mind that people will not get from this world except what God has already written for them, this is the bottom line. After all that running around, staying up late at night, being a workaholic a person will only get that which God has already destined for him or her. The Prophet, may God raise his name, said:
“Whoever sets the Hereafter as his goal, God gathers his affairs for him, gives him richness of (faith in) the heart and the world will come to him grudgingly and submissively.” (Ibn Maajah, Ibn Hibbaan)
Such a person attains richness of the heart. Richness is not about having a lot of wealth, but richness is having wealth of the heart, and what is wealth of the heart? It is contentment, and this is where the peace comes from, when a person submits themselves to God, and this is Islam.
The inner peace is accepting Islam in our hearts and living by the principles of Islam. So God will put richness in a person’s heart and this world will come to him submissively, on its knees and humbled. Such a person will not have to chase it.
This is the Promise of the Prophet if a person puts “first things first”, and that is the Hereafter. If it is Paradise that we want then that should be manifest in our lives, it should be the point of our focus, what we keep putting in the forefront.
So how do we know when the Hereafter is our focus? If we sit down with a person and all we talk about are the latest cars, expensive houses, traveling and holidays and money, if the majority of our conversations is about material things or it is gossip, talking about this person and that person then it means that the Hereafter is not our focus.
If the Hereafter was our focus then it would be reflected in our conversation. This is a very basic level in which we can judge ourselves, so we should stop and ask ourselves, “What do we spend most of our time talking about”?
If we find that our priority is this world, then we need to re-focus, we need to put “first things first”, meaning the Hereafter before the life of this world, and if we do this we can achieve inner peace, and God informed us of this in the Quran, a precise step to take in order to attain inner peace, and God says:
“Verily, in the remembrance of God do hearts find rest.” (Quran 13:28)
So it is only by the remembrance of God that hearts find rest. This is the inner peace. The remembrance of God is in everything we do as Muslims. Islam is living a life remembering God and God says:
“Perform the prayer for My remembrance…” (Quran 20:14)
Everything that we do (in Islam) involves the remembrance of God as Muslims. God says:
“Say: ‘Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and dying are for God, Lord of all the worlds.’” (Quran 6:162)
So here is the way to achieve inner peace, to remember God in all aspects of our lives.
This remembrance (dhikr) is not as some people think i.e. to sit in the corner of a dark room constantly repeating “Allah, Allah, Allah…” This is not how we remember God. Yes, such a person is saying God’s name, but if we think about it.
The Prophet remembered God in his life. His life was a life of remembrance of God, he lived a life in remembrance of God and this is the true remembrance, in our prayers and in our living and our dying.
In summary, the search for inner peace involves recognizing the problems that we have in our lives, recognizing our obstacles, recognizing that inner peace will only come when we identify those obstacles and understand which of them we can change and that we focus on those obstacles we can change, the ones which are related to our self.
If we change our self then God will change the world around us and give us the means to deal with the world around us. Even though the world is in turmoil God gives us inner peace with it.
Whatever happens we know that it is God’s destiny and that it is God’s trials and we know that ultimately it is for our good and has good in it. God created us in this world and the world as a means to attain Paradise and the trials of this world is our own spiritual growth. If we can accept all this, accepting God in our hearts then we can find inner peace. How Islam does defines true happiness and peace at heart.
Real happiness and peace can be found in submitting to the commands of the Creator and the Sustainer of this world. God has said in the Quran:
“Truly, in remembering God do hearts find rest” (Quran 13:28)
On the other hand, the one who turns away from the Quran will have a life of hardship in this world. God has said:
“But whoever turns away from the Quran, he will have a hard life, and We will raise him up blind on the Day of Judgment.” (Quran 20:124)
This Ayah tells us about those who neither believes in the Quran nor acts on its orders.
This may explain why some people commit suicide while they enjoy the material comfort money can buy. For example, look at Cat Stevens (now Yusuf Islam), formerly a famous pop singer who used to earn sometimes more than $150,000 a night. After he converted to Islam, he found true happiness and peace, which he had not found in material success.
Some of the means for achieving happiness.
Happiness is the only goal on earth that all people without exception are seeking to attain. Believers and unbelievers alike seek to be happy, but each party is using different methods.
However, only believers can achieve genuine happiness. All forms of happiness attained without a firm belief in God, the Almighty, are mere illusions.
The following are tips for the attainment of happiness:
1. Know that if you do not live within the scope of today, your thoughts will be scattered, your affairs will become confused, and your anxiety will increase. These realities are explained in the following hadith:
“When you are in the evening, do not expect to see the morning, and when you are in the morning, do not expect to see the evening.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
2. Forget the past and all that it contained. Being absorbed in things that are past and gone is sheer lunacy.
3. Do not be preoccupied with the future because the future is in the world of the unseen; do not let it bother you until it comes live by the reality though be prepared.
4. Do not be shaken by criticism; instead, be firm. Be sure that in proportion to your worth, the level of people's criticism rises. Also, make good use of criticism in discovering your shortcomings and faults, and let it drive you toward self-improvement.
5. Have certain faith in God and perform good deeds; these are the ingredients that makeup a good and happy life.
6. If you desire peace, tranquility, and comfort, you can find it all in the remembrance of God.
7. You should know with certainty that everything that happens, occurs in accordance with the divine decree.
8. Do not expect gratitude from anyone.
9. Train yourself to be prepared for the worst eventuality.
10. Perhaps what has happened is in your best interest, even though you may not comprehend how that can be so. Take the story of the man who missed his flight to Bahrain as an Example.
11. Everything that is decreed for the believer is the best for him, and then Dua can change Destiny.
12. Enumerate the blessings of God and be thankful for them.
13. Remember that you are better off than many others.
14. Relief comes from one hour to the next. Indeed, with each difficulty there is relief, you may ask me about this because to me it’s a fantastic experience.
15. In both times of hardship and ease, one should turn to supplication and prayer, either patiently contented or thankful.
16. Calamities should strengthen your heart and reshape your outlook in a positive way.
17. Do not let trivialities be the cause of your destruction.
18. Always remember that your Lord is Oft-Forgiving.
19. Assume an easy-going attitude and avoid anger.
20. Life is bread, water, and shade; so do not be perturbed by a lack of any other material thing.
“And in the heaven is your providence and that which you are promised.” (Quran 51:22)
21. Most evil that is supposed to happen never occurs.
22. Look at those who have more afflictions and be grateful that you have less.
23. Bear in mind the fact that God loves those who endure trials with steadfastness, so seek to be one of them.
24. Constantly repeat those supplications that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us to say during times of hardship.
25. Work hard at something that is productive, and cast off idleness.
26. Do not spread rumors and do not listen to them. If you hear a rumor inadvertently, do not believe it.
27. Know that your malice and your striving to seek revenge are much more harmful to your health than they are to your antagonist.
28. The hardships that befall you atone for your sins, if you endure with patience.
It easier said than done, please let’s pray that Allah assist us through our difficulties in order to achieve this world and the hereafter.
The Prophet, may God praise him, reported that God said,
“I created My servants in the right religion but the devils made them go astray.” Saheeh Muslim
Oh our Lord! Do not allow our heart to be misled after you have guided us to the right path and endow us with the best of your blessings and let us be among the guided ones. Amin
Allahu Mustahan
Abu Nusaybah
As salaam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu
"I convey unto you the Messages of my Lord and give sincere advice to you. And I know from Allah what you know not.
"Do you wonder that there has come to you a Reminder from your Lord through a man from amongst you, that he may warn you, so that you may fear Allah and that you may receive (His) Mercy?"
But they belied him, so We saved him and those along with him in the ship, and We drowned those who belied Our Ayah (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.). They were indeed a blind people.
Translation of Surah Al-Araf, Verses 62-64
IN QUEST FOR INNER PEACE (PART 4 OF 4): INNER PEACE IS REACHED BY SUBMITTING TO ALLAH
True inner peace is found by submitting to God Almighty, living this life for Him, remembering Him and by making the Hereafter more of a priority than this life.
Hasad can cause the person to indulge in disbelief because it causes the individual to feel that Allah has not been fair with him; he forgets all the mercy and blessings which Allah has bestowed upon him. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: "They are enemies for Allah's bounties." They asked: "Who are they?" He said: "Those who envy people for what Allah has given them of Bounty." [at-Tabaranee]
Allah through His Absolute Wisdom has given some people more wealth, intelligence, beauty, strength, children, etc. than others. The believing Muslim should be content with what Allah has destined for him. Allah says: [Surah an-Nahl (16): 71] And: "Allah favored some of you over others with wealth and properties… Do they deny the favors of Allah? “Do they envy men for what Allah has given them of His Bounty?" [Surah an-Nisa (4): 54]
"It is We Who portion out between them their livelihood in this world, and We raised some of them above others in ranks, so that some may employ others in their work. But the mercy of your Lord is better." [Surah az-Zukhruf (43): 32] meaning mercy of Allah is better than the convenience of the world. The materials of this life do not make one superior to another in Allah's Judgment. True superiority lies in Taqwa (righteousness, fear of Allah). He said: "Surely, the most noble of you to Allah is the most God-fearing. " [Surah al-Hujurat (49): 13] "And the Hereafter with Your Lord is (only) for those who have Taqwa." [Surah az-Zukhruf (43): 35]
What belongs to the transient world is of no significance before Allah. The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: "If this world were worth a mosquito's wing before Allah, He would not give a disbeliever a drink of water." [At-Tirmidhee]
The favors of Allah in the world are a test; the more the favors, the more the tests. Al-Hasan al-Basri said: "Umar Ibn Khattab wrote this letter to Abu Musa al-Ash'ari, 'Be content with your provision in this world, for the Most Merciful has honored some of His servants over others in terms of provision as a test of both. The one who has been given plenty is being tested to see if he will give thanks to Allah and fulfill the duties which are his by virtue of his wealth…" [Ibn Hatim]
Allah, the Exalted, has therefore forbidden us from desiring what others have, "Do not wish for what we have favored some of you over others." [Surah an-Nisa (4): 32]
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: "Envy is allowed in two cases, in case of a man whom Allah has given the Quran and who recites it throughout night and day; and a man on whom Allah has bestowed wealth who gives it away throughout night and day." [Saheeh al-Bukhari and Saheeh Muslim] and he (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) also explained what may be said: "I wish I were given what he was given and did with it what he did."
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: "The similitude of the people of this Ummah is like four individual. One whom Allah has given wealth and knowledge, so he handles his wealth with the knowledge. One whom Allah has given knowledge but not wealth and he says, 'Lord, should I have wealth like so-and-so I would have handled it like him.' So they both have the same reward. Such a person loves to have wealth like others so he can do good like others without wishing that the others lose their wealth. Another man, Allah has given him wealth but no knowledge and he spends his wealth in disobedience to Allah. And last, a man whom Allah has not given knowledge nor wealth but he says, 'Should I have wealth like so-and-so, I would spend it in the way he does.' So, both will have the same sin against them." [at-Tirmidhee and Ibn Majah]
We have to keep in mind that people will not get from this world except what God has already written for them, this is the bottom line. After all that running around, staying up late at night, being a workaholic a person will only get that which God has already destined for him or her. The Prophet, may God raise his name, said:
“Whoever sets the Hereafter as his goal, God gathers his affairs for him, gives him richness of (faith in) the heart and the world will come to him grudgingly and submissively.” (Ibn Maajah, Ibn Hibbaan)
Such a person attains richness of the heart. Richness is not about having a lot of wealth, but richness is having wealth of the heart, and what is wealth of the heart? It is contentment, and this is where the peace comes from, when a person submits themselves to God, and this is Islam.
The inner peace is accepting Islam in our hearts and living by the principles of Islam. So God will put richness in a person’s heart and this world will come to him submissively, on its knees and humbled. Such a person will not have to chase it.
This is the Promise of the Prophet if a person puts “first things first”, and that is the Hereafter. If it is Paradise that we want then that should be manifest in our lives, it should be the point of our focus, what we keep putting in the forefront.
So how do we know when the Hereafter is our focus? If we sit down with a person and all we talk about are the latest cars, expensive houses, traveling and holidays and money, if the majority of our conversations is about material things or it is gossip, talking about this person and that person then it means that the Hereafter is not our focus.
If the Hereafter was our focus then it would be reflected in our conversation. This is a very basic level in which we can judge ourselves, so we should stop and ask ourselves, “What do we spend most of our time talking about”?
If we find that our priority is this world, then we need to re-focus, we need to put “first things first”, meaning the Hereafter before the life of this world, and if we do this we can achieve inner peace, and God informed us of this in the Quran, a precise step to take in order to attain inner peace, and God says:
“Verily, in the remembrance of God do hearts find rest.” (Quran 13:28)
So it is only by the remembrance of God that hearts find rest. This is the inner peace. The remembrance of God is in everything we do as Muslims. Islam is living a life remembering God and God says:
“Perform the prayer for My remembrance…” (Quran 20:14)
Everything that we do (in Islam) involves the remembrance of God as Muslims. God says:
“Say: ‘Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and dying are for God, Lord of all the worlds.’” (Quran 6:162)
So here is the way to achieve inner peace, to remember God in all aspects of our lives.
This remembrance (dhikr) is not as some people think i.e. to sit in the corner of a dark room constantly repeating “Allah, Allah, Allah…” This is not how we remember God. Yes, such a person is saying God’s name, but if we think about it.
The Prophet remembered God in his life. His life was a life of remembrance of God, he lived a life in remembrance of God and this is the true remembrance, in our prayers and in our living and our dying.
In summary, the search for inner peace involves recognizing the problems that we have in our lives, recognizing our obstacles, recognizing that inner peace will only come when we identify those obstacles and understand which of them we can change and that we focus on those obstacles we can change, the ones which are related to our self.
If we change our self then God will change the world around us and give us the means to deal with the world around us. Even though the world is in turmoil God gives us inner peace with it.
Whatever happens we know that it is God’s destiny and that it is God’s trials and we know that ultimately it is for our good and has good in it. God created us in this world and the world as a means to attain Paradise and the trials of this world is our own spiritual growth. If we can accept all this, accepting God in our hearts then we can find inner peace. How Islam does defines true happiness and peace at heart.
Real happiness and peace can be found in submitting to the commands of the Creator and the Sustainer of this world. God has said in the Quran:
“Truly, in remembering God do hearts find rest” (Quran 13:28)
On the other hand, the one who turns away from the Quran will have a life of hardship in this world. God has said:
“But whoever turns away from the Quran, he will have a hard life, and We will raise him up blind on the Day of Judgment.” (Quran 20:124)
This Ayah tells us about those who neither believes in the Quran nor acts on its orders.
This may explain why some people commit suicide while they enjoy the material comfort money can buy. For example, look at Cat Stevens (now Yusuf Islam), formerly a famous pop singer who used to earn sometimes more than $150,000 a night. After he converted to Islam, he found true happiness and peace, which he had not found in material success.
Some of the means for achieving happiness.
Happiness is the only goal on earth that all people without exception are seeking to attain. Believers and unbelievers alike seek to be happy, but each party is using different methods.
However, only believers can achieve genuine happiness. All forms of happiness attained without a firm belief in God, the Almighty, are mere illusions.
The following are tips for the attainment of happiness:
1. Know that if you do not live within the scope of today, your thoughts will be scattered, your affairs will become confused, and your anxiety will increase. These realities are explained in the following hadith:
“When you are in the evening, do not expect to see the morning, and when you are in the morning, do not expect to see the evening.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
2. Forget the past and all that it contained. Being absorbed in things that are past and gone is sheer lunacy.
3. Do not be preoccupied with the future because the future is in the world of the unseen; do not let it bother you until it comes live by the reality though be prepared.
4. Do not be shaken by criticism; instead, be firm. Be sure that in proportion to your worth, the level of people's criticism rises. Also, make good use of criticism in discovering your shortcomings and faults, and let it drive you toward self-improvement.
5. Have certain faith in God and perform good deeds; these are the ingredients that makeup a good and happy life.
6. If you desire peace, tranquility, and comfort, you can find it all in the remembrance of God.
7. You should know with certainty that everything that happens, occurs in accordance with the divine decree.
8. Do not expect gratitude from anyone.
9. Train yourself to be prepared for the worst eventuality.
10. Perhaps what has happened is in your best interest, even though you may not comprehend how that can be so. Take the story of the man who missed his flight to Bahrain as an Example.
11. Everything that is decreed for the believer is the best for him, and then Dua can change Destiny.
12. Enumerate the blessings of God and be thankful for them.
13. Remember that you are better off than many others.
14. Relief comes from one hour to the next. Indeed, with each difficulty there is relief, you may ask me about this because to me it’s a fantastic experience.
15. In both times of hardship and ease, one should turn to supplication and prayer, either patiently contented or thankful.
16. Calamities should strengthen your heart and reshape your outlook in a positive way.
17. Do not let trivialities be the cause of your destruction.
18. Always remember that your Lord is Oft-Forgiving.
19. Assume an easy-going attitude and avoid anger.
20. Life is bread, water, and shade; so do not be perturbed by a lack of any other material thing.
“And in the heaven is your providence and that which you are promised.” (Quran 51:22)
21. Most evil that is supposed to happen never occurs.
22. Look at those who have more afflictions and be grateful that you have less.
23. Bear in mind the fact that God loves those who endure trials with steadfastness, so seek to be one of them.
24. Constantly repeat those supplications that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us to say during times of hardship.
25. Work hard at something that is productive, and cast off idleness.
26. Do not spread rumors and do not listen to them. If you hear a rumor inadvertently, do not believe it.
27. Know that your malice and your striving to seek revenge are much more harmful to your health than they are to your antagonist.
28. The hardships that befall you atone for your sins, if you endure with patience.
It easier said than done, please let’s pray that Allah assist us through our difficulties in order to achieve this world and the hereafter.
The Prophet, may God praise him, reported that God said,
“I created My servants in the right religion but the devils made them go astray.” Saheeh Muslim
Oh our Lord! Do not allow our heart to be misled after you have guided us to the right path and endow us with the best of your blessings and let us be among the guided ones. Amin
Allahu Mustahan
Abu Nusaybah
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