Self Dicipline....

Self-control (dicipline), is in the Islamic teachings. Our whole religion is based around it. One of the reasons we pray five times a day is to gain discipline. We fast in the month of Ramadan in order to “learn self-restraint.”

We partake in Hajj, partly, to practice fortitude.  We “lower our gaze” to resist temptation. Even the pursuit of wealth is not by any means necessary: we are stringent about examining the how and why of whatever we earn and spend. We have to regulate what we consume. We have to regulate our speech. We have to constantly exert control over our thoughts and feelings. We have to control our anger, our jealousy; any feelings of pride or arrogance. We constantly have to check our actions against our intentions.

When we fall in love with our spouses, the expectation from our religion is to be temperate and keep the display of our affections limited to the domestic sphere.

When someone close to us dies, we are allowed to cry and show sadness, but we cannot wail and excessively lament. Even the duration of our mourning is limited to three days at which point we are expected to collect ourselves and move on.

The ethos of modern societies is to pursue with passion whatever you desire. But Islam emphasizes restraint, discipline and sabr (patience).

Moreover, in a review of thousands of studies, founder and president of The Families and Work Institute Dr. Ellen Galinsky concluded that there are seven essential life skills that every child needs in order to reach his or her fullest potential. What is the top entry on her list? You guessed it: self-control. And this is based on decades of frontline observations and volumes upon volumes of research.

More recently, one of the world’s most prolific psychologists, published a book entitled Willpower that basically summarized decades of his and his colleagues’ research in the field.  What he essentially found is that success, no matter how you define it, often boils down to two things: intelligence and self-control. While you cannot increase your God-given intelligence, you can definitely improve your self-control.  How important is willpower? According to him “self-regulation failure is the major social pathology of our time.” I’ll let you read that again in order for it to sink in. He goes on to discuss various proven ways to improve self-control including: eating and sleeping right, keeping a diary, establishing routines, getting organized, implementing personalized distraction techniques and practicing guided meditation. He also demonstrates how the effects of successfully disciplining yourself in one area of life spill over into other areas of your life, creating a domino effect of positive transformation. As a Muslim, that sounds very familiar.

Done with the right intentions, not only will self-control warrant success in this life, it will also guarantee success in the life to come.

May Allah (swt) make us of those who practice discipline and remain firm on the His path. Ameen.

Level of SINCERITY

There are 4 things that can check yourself, whether your level of sincerity is at what level

1. The level of forgiveness when Someone really makes you angry
2. The level of giving, when Someone comes for contribution
3. The level of ibadah, when No one is watching you
4. The level of speaking the truth, knowing that telling the truth will land you in trouble..

If we really do things for the sake of Allah, then the above things are really easy to do, as you have this believe that Allah is the ONE that is ALL Mighty, and that fellow human beings are merely people with such limited power..

Just audit yourself....

Holiday @ Janda Baik 24-26 May 2013... and opportunity to be with Allah & my Loved ones

I spent 3 days (24-26 May 2013), in Janda Baik, for some soul searching. Me & the whole family started our journey to Janda Baik at 9am Fri 24th May 2013. The road to JB was jammed, as it was a public holiday (Wesak) + it was the 1st day of school holidays. We reached at JB at 10.30am. Had good breakfast...

Then, I started my quest to listen to Nouman's Tafseer series on Surah AsSyamsi (The Sun). Beautiful Surah & coincidently the Sun was shining brightfully. Took a bicycle ride to JB town & dropped by at the local cemetery. 12.30pm started to go to the local mosque for Friday prayers.

Evening, continue Nouman's Tafseer series on Surah Al-Lail (The Night) & the rain started... Wonderful scenery as I managed to compare sunny weather in the afternoon against rainny weather in the evening. Played the usual football match with cousins/nephews.

Night, continue Nouman's Tafseer series on Surah Al-Lail (The Night). Had this really wonderful steam boat dinner with the family. Masyaallah, what a REALLY wonderful feeling having to spend the night right in the middle of the jungle.. and that particular night, it was a full moon

25 May 2013
Woke up at 5.30am. Waited for Fajr prayers. Had Fajr prayers before recite some Quran verses. 7.00am, did my morning walk along Janda Baik orchard.. Another wonderful feeling of peace & tranquility. Took breakfast at 8am with family (roti canai). Then did jogging with eldest daughter. I think the distance covered was close to 6KM.

Had a good shower, then back on Nouman lecture series, this time Surah Adduha (Morning). What a coincidence that the Surah is "morning" & here I am, enjoying the soothing morning sun. The morning felt so very wonderful.

I felt asleep at around 11am . Was awaken by my youngest daughter at noon asking me to join her swimming in the pool, which I obliged. Then a fabulous lunch. Then back to listening to Tafseer, this time Surah Insyira' (Alam Nasyra') until evening. Both Surah Duha & Insyira' are Surahs that are specific to Rasulullah SAW from Allah Azzawajal.

5.30pm, played football with the cousins/nephews, and then a dipped into the nearby river. Remembered a many times in the Quran " jannati tajrimin tahtihal anhar" - "gardens where beneath them flows many rivers". This is what many people in this world dream of. Gardens with many waters flowing through them. I am now at JB with this kind of setting. WoW!! Just awesome. Made me think that many 5-Star Hotels have beautiful gardens & fountains which in them water flows.. exactly what Allah mentioned in the Quran.

7.30pm A nice dinner & for me, watch TV before going straight to sleep..

26 May 2013
Do brisk walking & cycling around Janda Baik area right after Subh prayers. Again, pondering & appreciating the GREATNESS of Allah in His Magnificent creations in mother nature. Had breakfast & just basking myself at the poolside in the middle of the jungle.

I did call 3 of my close friends to share how beautiful I felt, having this feeling of peacefulness, with my whole family around me, with great food & drinks and without any problems..

At noon had lunch, before started packing. I have to travel back to KL latest by 3.15pm, coz my second daughter have driving classes at 4pm in KL.

Before checking out, I had one last round of walking around the compound of Aman Rimba.  The gardens (orchard) & the river flowing... what an amazing setting.. Subhanallah.

Travelling back to KL, I just could not stop praising Allah & thanking Him for all His blessings to me..

5 traits to be Slave of Allah

This blog is to write a discovery that really change my perspective in life.

The most significant thing that I discovered during my quest for the Deen of Allah is being the SLAVE to ALLAH.

Slave is not a good word. It gives a negative connotation. When you are a slave (to another human), you are practically dead. You are not free at all. You submit to what your master desires. History will tell how slavery was being fought and banned.

But slave to Allah, that is really a POSITIVE thing. Allah is unlike another human being. Being the SLAVE to ALLAH is the MOST NOBLE thing to be in this entire world.

Yes, you have to submit to your master & you are not free to do as you please. But, this is NO ORDINARY MASTER. This is the ULTIMATE MASTER!!

To be the slave of Allah, there 5 traits that qualifies yourself to be the true Slave of Allah:-

1. Love. To be the Slave of Allah, you have to love Allah. It is easy to say this. But to really internalise this is a very difficult. When you see & feel the surroundings, you feel the LOVE for Allah. You acknowledge the true GREATNESS of Allah. Even when you love your spouse, children, friends.. they are the manifestation of your love of ALLAH

2. Obedience. To be the slave of Allah, means that you must obey what the Master desires. This goes without saying.... But if you truely love Allah, then obedience becomes something easy to do. You always give the best to your loved ones without asking anything in return

3. Sincerity. Another trait when you are the Slave of Allah. You do it for the sake of Allah. This is sometimes put to test. When you did something really good, then you are not being recognised by other people. In fact, they critise you for doing those noble things. Then, if you are not sincere, you will then rebel & stop doing those noble things. But, if sincerity is in check, no matter what people say, it does not matter. You do things for the sake of Allah (your Master) & you do not need any recognition from others. If there is, it is okay. If there is not, it is still okay as you are confident that the Master is pleased with you.

4. Trust. Another trait when you are the Slave of Allah. You must have absolute trust in Allah. Whatever he gives you, it is the best for you.Whatever He does not give you, it is also the best for you. Your knowledge is like a drop of water, as compared to His knowledge of like the whole water on the planet earth! If you trsut that whatever He gives you is the best for you, then the Master is All knowing & All loving for His slave...

5. He calls the short. Whatever is the outcome, He is the Master. Remember that! He determines! You are the SLAVE. You have no say in the outcome. You can ask for the outcome, but He calls the short. Period. If you observe close enough, what has happened to you right until this moment is THE BEST thing for you. You just do not know what is BEST for you. So act as a true Slave of Allah!!

So that is it my dear friends... Strive to be the SLAVE of ALLAH... You will never regret ONE BIT...

Love, Obey, Sincere, Trust & Remember that you are just the Slave... Act like one