Do You Love Yourself?

Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “None of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” [Sahīh al-Bukhārī and Sahīh Muslim]

– How do you love another, if you do not love yourself?

– How do we proportion self-love?
It is the syariah in Islam, that we attend to ourselves, before we attend to another.

While we are mindful of our duties in friendship, we must also be mindful of our duties to ourselves.

Allah protects through the Syariah: our right to:
1) Spirituality,
2) Life and Physical Health
3) Sanity and Mental Health
4) Family Relationships
5) Financial Stability
6) Dignity and Self Worth.

When we understand and honour the pain and fatigue in striving to achieve these for ourselves – we learn to be self-motivated; we learn to value effort and avoid dependency on others.

We then relate better to the pain and discomfort in others; are able to motivate and value their efforts; and more able to forgive and be less judgemental.

This is Compassion.
It is from here that we learn, what it means, to want good for others, as much as we want good for ourselves.

The highest level of ihsan, is in the privilege of helping people find success, being happy for them, and allow them to grow continuously and joyfully – and we can allow them to journey on without us, because we too, have our own journeys to fulfill.

If You Don’t Like your Situation – Change your Game Plan

لَهُ مُعَقِّبَاتٌ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ يَحْفَظُونَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ ۗ وَإِذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ سُوءًا فَلَا مَرَدَّ لَهُ ۚ وَمَا لَهُمْ مِنْ دُونِهِ مِنْ وَالٍ

For each one are successive [angels] before and behind him who protect him by the decree of Allah.
Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.
And when Allah intends for a people ill, there is no repelling it. And there is not for them besides Him any patron. (Surah ArRa’d 13:11)

We are protected with angels before and behind us, so that what is not meant for us, will not befall us.

If you find yourself struggling, do an audit of your accounts of deeds, and see what you’re doing ineffectively.

Change your patterns: behaviour, approach, thoughts, reactions – so that Allah will facilitate and change your condition.

The rule of the thumb is : Be in Harmony. Do Good and Do No Harm.

بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم

فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا

And (Prophet Nuh ‘alaihissalaam) exhorted, ‘Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver.

يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِدْرَارًا

وَيُمْدِدْكُمْ بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ وَيَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ أَنْهَارًا

And give you increase in wealth and children and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers. (Surah Nuh 71:10-12)

May Allah forgive us, have mercy on us and accept our deeds.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنْتَ فِيهِمْ ۚ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ

But Allah would not punish them while you, [O Muhammad], are among them, and Allah would not punish them while they seek forgiveness. Surah Al Anfal 8:33

We all know that there are laws around the universe. We also know that we are not perfect.

There would be times in our lives, when we eat, do, speak, spend and mingle as we please – without much of a thought for the damage that we may be doing to ourselves and to those around us.
When these instances of ghaflah (forgetfulness) pass, we become aware of the repurcussions of our misdeeds.

This is not to say that istighfar would erase our misdeeds and the repurcussions… we still have to make amends in order to expiate the misdeeds. Istighfar is what buys us time to correct the wrong that we have done.

Thus is the Mercy of Allah.

May Allah forgive us our sins and have mercy on us.

بسم اللّه الرحمن الرحيم

Have you noticed any change in yourself?

Are you moving even an inch towards being your preferred self?

Let’s harness a higher level of help.

لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ مَغْفِرَةٌ وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ

That He may reward those who believe and do righteous deeds. Those will have forgiveness and noble provision. (Surah Saba 34:4)

Allah – The Lord of the Worlds – promises that anyone who does good deeds, will be rewarded with forgiveness and generous rezeki.

Let’s do this brothers & sisters.

Today, we will put ourselves in our preferred positive future self and do a simple self-less good deed.

– Smile at an old lady
– Greet a neighbour
– Pray in congregation
– Send clean positive good vibes and prayer to a friend.
– Fill our hearts with white light and thank Allah for the clean air we breathe.

May the Love of Allah & Rasulullah (s.a.w) fill your heart today and everyday.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ ۗ

Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. (Surah Ar-Rad 13 : 11)

If you were not happy with yesterday, or today – Try something different tomorrow.
Don’t stay stuck.
Do better.

It is never too late to start over.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَإِسْرَافَنَا فِي أَمْرِنَا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ
Our Lord, forgive us for our misdeeds and our rash, indiscrete, extremities; reinforce our resolutions; and help us over the disbelieving people.
Ali Imraan 3:147

Staying Focused on Goals

لَتَرۡكَبُنَّ طَبَقًا عَن طَبَقٍ۬
That you shall assuredly pass on from one stage to another. (Surah Al Inshiqaq 84:19)

Progress in life is, passing one stage to another = making changes, learning and adapting.

The bigger the change, the steeper the road.

The successful ones are they who brave the change, take on the task diligently and actually take the steps to walk, run and ride with the wind. (Note: Successful people plan power rests. So, schedule rest too.)

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

1) Find out what drives you to change. (Motivations)
There is normally more than one reason. Writing it down might helps you remember them (especially when the going gets tough).

2) Make small achievable steps towards the goal.
If the goal is to get an A for an exam or parenting, small steps might include a topical plan that lays out daily readings, memorising, practice etc.

3) Remind oneself regularly of it.
– make a poster n use it as place-mats
– Put it on your screensaver / sticky notes
– use it as a password

4) Include it in your every prayer. Especially before you sleep. Say it to yourself as a positive affirmation. “I will be courageous, more positive, more compassionate, more diligent and complete my journey reasonably well.”

5) Gather friends with the same goal. Find your Tribe and motivate each other!

When the going gets tough (as it definitely will, especially at the end), root yourself and hold on to your goal – as if your life depended on it.

Insya Allah! Bittaufiq wannajah.