TURNING OBSTACLES & MISFORTUNES INTO OPPORTUNITIES. – Part 1 Feelings of being dejected, mistreated, shunned and unloved are the symptoms of a greater problem that needs to be diagnosed at the root. These are the side effects of long held aspirations, hopes and expectations that a person has within himself; often times pinning all of the aforementioned on people and creation. A man will expect his wife to be obedient, loyal, submissive, appreciative, and comforting at all times and build his idea of a happy married life on these notions. A brother may do good and expect to be appricated and have the same treatment reciprocated, when it doesn’t happen then animosity, resentment and hurt begins to take root in a person heart. These are all steps that can easily be avoided if one knows how to turn the obstacles into potential opportunities, they will attain success, satisfaction and resilience to lead a pleasant life. There are 6 things which are the common factors that become the barrier/obstacles between the servant and his lord as advised by Imam Zain Al-Abideen. 1) The ego, keeping the ego free from extremities and excessiveness is what brings a balance in life, the Sunnah is the ideal example of balance. 2) Shaytan 3) Dunya; the dunya and shaytan are the open and clear barriers for the majority of people. 4) Creation, 5) Blessings, sometiimes instead of using the blessings to draw close to Allah, people become lost in the blessing itself and lose sight of the goal. 6) Problems; these are the calls from Allah to turn back to him. All the above can be used as catapult to propel one self to Allah. Allah made creation as a veil between him and the servant. In reality however a person deals with creation, this is how one is dealing with Allah. Ways to overcome the obstacles when dealing with other and build a lasting relationship: 1) Understand that all of creation is like a scorpion. - People have wrong view of creation and this fuels the feuds, curses, fights etc. When a person does some good and does not receive it back he feels disheartened. He should realize that creation is like a scorpion, it does not know the good from the bad, the righteous from the non righteous, it will sting anyone when it feels like it, in its own time, it will release its poison at some point. What should be strange to a person is not that he is has been stung by the scorpion, since this is its nature, to sting, but that it has not stung yet. Creation is not loyal, appreciative or good with Allah, the being who gave life, the greatest being. How can will creation be favorable, loyal, and appreciative to you? They will harm and conn you at some point. A person should know that it is its nature to do so. 2) Do not compete with creation - and proclaim your win over them. That will help a person to keep his iman and faith intact with Allah.. A dog will become friendly towards a person when a piece of meat is thrown at it. Whereas it will bark and try to bite if he too tries to take the piece of meat from it; dunya is like the meat to the dog. If a person leaves the dunya to the people of dunya, even they too will become friendly towards the servant of Allah. A person should not expect the unexpected from creation, this leaves the door open to have satisfaction when a person will do good it will be pleasing and bring happiness. Syyiduna Ali (RA) once said Whoever expects perfection from friendship and relatives will become alone. 3) Syyiduna Aqabah (RA) narrated a Hadith: ‘Those who cut ties with you, you enjoin it. Do it for Allah, not him or you. - Adab Al Mufrad Bukhari (paraphrased hadith). A man came to the prophet saying I have a relative who tries to cut relations with me, when I try to connect it. The prophet (sallahualihiwasalam) said if you are true to what you say then Allah will protect you from his harms, plans, bad wishes, etc and reward you greatly. (paraphrased hadith). Watch the complete discourse here: youtube/watch?v=7acNK4cPkwI&list=UUFhKY3_zHhsy6ap7TGUaOkQ
Posted on: Tue, 25 Mar 2014 23:04:22 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015