Friday Nasiha

Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage)
Chapter 22: Verse 40

And Allah will give victory to those who support Him. Certainly is Allah exalted in strength and in power.

Commentary:

The Islamic community had been left in ruins. It had been weakened and divided into small nations. The seeds of internal conflict had been planed and nurtured. Every effort had been made to draw society far away from the essence of religion, keeping people in ignorance and luring them with worldly incentives. Attempts to reform within an Islamic framework are still being suppressed. Religious practicing Muslims have become outcasts in their own society.

And yet it was the will of Allah, the Almighty, that this religion would survive - not only survive, but make a comeback. For at the same time that Islam is no longer "fashionable" in Muslim countries, people in the West itself are beginning to discover the truths of Islam which Muslims have neglected. And those who have not yet discovered Islam have at least noticed the great spiritual famine that has taken hold of western culture. They are now seeing before them the failure of the new freedom to bring satisfaction to the human soul. Mankind, in general, is in a state of worry, anxiety and despair. Before him is the failure of present political, social and economic systems to realize justice or to bring peace of mind to the human race. Man longs to believe in a purpose behind existence. He is finally beginning to understand the real need for a belief in God, for nothing else can take place - not a belief of mere words and rituals or of spiritual disciplines that neglect human needs, but a religion which includes every aspect of humanity: the mind, the body and the soul. And there is only one religion on earth that includes and satisfies all of these... Islam.

In spite of the obvious difficulties which appear to us now, the obstacles will lessen as more and more people seek an improvement and turn back to reason and to God. And this time, when men awaken and search, they will find Islam.

How long will this take? It is not important. The reward for those who work towards that end is guaranteed by Him who created the heavens and the earth, and the result is in His hands. By the will Allah, Islam has survived its darkest hour. And by His will, it can again spread its light to every corner of the earth.

[Taken from "Are We Muslims?" by Sayyid Muhammad Qutb]

Procrastination and Laziness

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "During your sleep, Satan ties three knots at the back of your Decks. He breathes the following into them, 'The night is long so keep on sleeping.' If the person wakes and praises Allah, then one of the knots is unfastened. And if he performs ablution, the second knot is unfastened. When he prays, all of the knots are unfastened. After that he will be energetic and happy in the morning. Otherwise he would get up listless and grouchy."
Recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari

Al-Bukhari also records that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked about a man who sleeps until the morning comes, that is, after the time of the dawn prayer. He said, "That is a man whom Satan has urinated into his two ears."

Procrastination and Laziness are two of Satan's strongest strategies to stop us from performing good deeds. It is necessary for the wise person to take matters into his/her own hand and act upon his/her energy. The wise person finds the time to do things and does not procrastinate and turns away from just dreaming.

[Compiled from Satan Hinders the Slave from Acting by Means of Procrastination and Laziness]

Ibadah

Ibadah is used in three meanings: (1) worship and adoration; (2) obedience and submission; and (3) service and subjection. The fundamental message of Islam is that man, as God's creature, should direct his ibadah to Him in all the above-mentioned meanings, and associate none in the rendering of it.

[Taken from SoundVision.com's "Glossary of Islamic Terms"]