“Be More & Achieve More!”

Hi,

As I was reading some passages of the Final Testament this morning, a certain aspect became clearer to me than the light of day: just how much do we need to live in this world? In Chapter 76, Mudaththir (The Wrapped One) we read the following -

8. Finally, when the Trumpet is sounded,

9. That will be- that Day - a Day of Distress,-

10. Far from easy for those without Faith.

11. Leave Me alone, (to deal) with the (creature) whom I created (bare and) alone!-

12. To whom I granted resources in abundance,

13. And sons to be by his side!-

14. To whom I made (life) smooth and comfortable!

15. Yet is he greedy-that I should add (yet more);-

16. By no means! For to Our Signs he has been refractory!

So look here, there are several points of consideration:

(a) God created man - and each will return to Him bare and alone just as he was first created; (b) God alone gives to whom he pleases, as He pleases; (c) For those who reject, and worse openly rebel against God’s signs and bounties, warn them of the consequences and then leave them to God to deal with; (d) The Sinner may be self-complacement now, but what will be his position when the reckoning comes? (e) Man’s adventitious advantages - wealth, power, position, talents - are NOT due to his own merits. They are gifts from God, Who created him. In himself he came bear and alone - and will return as such; (f) Despite what others have, one should be content with what one has been allotted for them, to use one’s time, energy, resources and talents to discharge one’s responsibility to oneself, fellow mankind and to the Creator of all; (g) Those that have been given “in abundance” - children, honour, prestige, power, wealth, facilitation - have an equal responsibility just as any one else, perhaps more-so; (h) The more such a type of person is given, the MORE he wants, without recognising the Source of all Goodness, and this is the Sinners way.

The appetite of man is not quenched from desiring more because the faith in higher matters is missing. There is no spiritual link with the One Who originated life and death in order to test us in our deeds. What will any person take with them from this temporary world except their deeds? To serve God and His creature’s is a privilege and a responsibility, a real investment into one’s eternal future. Look at Pharaoh - immortalised by God as a sign of one who thought himself as god, all-powerful and self-sufficient. He rejected the warnings of one who was raised in his own home (Moses) and suffered the lasting punishment in this life and the next. In the previous chapter (Muzzamil, 75) this is mentioned -

14. One Day the earth and the mountains will be in violent commotion. And the mountains will be as a heap of sand poured out and flowing down.

15. We have sent to you, (O men!) an apostle, to be a witness concerning you, even as We sent an apostle to Pharaoh.

16. But Pharaoh disobeyed the apostle; so We seized him with a heavy Punishment.

17. Then how shall ye, if ye deny (God), guard yourselves against a Day that will make children hoary-headed?-

18. Whereon the sky will be cleft asunder? His Promise needs must be accomplished.

19. Verily this is an Admonition: therefore, whoso will, let him take a (straight) path to his Lord!

We can see that Pharaoh could not escape his end; he had to face what he deserved despite all the luxuries surrounding him, and not one of them came to his aid when the stark Reality came to light. This world we live in here in Earth is in a solar system, which is part of a galaxy that is only one galaxy amongst many millions, and the universe is ever-expanding, yet this is only the first level of the seven heavens above. Looking at your situation, life and circumstances from this perspective, doesn’t it make you wonder what all this struggle is worth..? One day, the world as we know it will crumble and disappear - metaphorically as we end this journey on Earth - or physically as we read in the verses above when all is transformed after the final trumpet is blown…

So let us have pure contentment in what we have, what we have been given, what we are being tested with, before our time is over, and we only gasp in utter regret!

For Success & Contentment,

Asad Khan

Bookmark It

Hi,

You know how most political divides are mainly measured across 2 major axes: the economic one and the social one. The range of issues and policies across theses two principal lines is viewed through either a lens of liberalism or conservatism. And in a very brief nut shell this creates the democratic framework around us here in the West, where you can have economic freedom with some social constraints, or social freedom with economic constraints. But you’ll be hard pressed to find both social and economic freedom / constraints bundled together.

However, there is a third central axis that in my view is more elementary and requires a careful integration into the political spectra: the Spiritual Axis. It may already be present to varying degrees as personal values, but it is not appreciated as an order, an entity and an identified need in its own right. So despite outward loyalties or disagreements on policy and law, inwardly there seems to be a disparity between personal conscience, morals and values which is reflected in the shifting tides of political debates and positions.

I’m reminded of parts of the American Declaration of Independence:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Ingrained into history, collective creed, constitution and general infrastructure is the idea that “all men are created equal”. Yet I cannot rid myself of the belief that ours is a fragmented, fractured and contradictory society, where the individual and communal strands are in constant tension, and the struggle between self-identification is underpinned by state legislature and practice. The basis of the existing creed stated above was, I like to believe, one of sincere determination to uphold higher values and ideals. But, tell me

• Who creates the law?
• Where do values come from?
• What is Truth and how is it adhered to?

Is it possible to say that when stripping away social scripting, political bias, selfish interests and peer pressure, there resides within each of us a pure form of a human being that inclines towards higher virtues and ethics? Take a scenario: what were to happen if suddenly we were all to fall victim to a massive earthquake, would we then begin to sense that indeed we we are all created equal and that the fleeting labels, status, privileges, comforts and positions that tend to comfort us otherwise can do little in the event of such major catastrophe?

Would, and can, any advancement in technology or other modern sophistication’s help prevent or avert such a calamity? I think not, it never was possible and it never will be. We are all subject to a common end which is to meet our Creator and answer for our time spent here on Earth.

God’s message in all ages has been singular and we are better positioned when using His guidance as the criterion for measuring right from wrong, truth from falsehood, fact from conjecture. In the chapter of Jonah (10) we are informed:

But most of them follow nothing but fancy: truly fancy can be of no avail against truth. Verily God is well aware of all that they do.

This Qur’an is not such as can be produced by other than God. On the contrary it is a confirmation of (revelations) that went before it, and a fuller explanation of the Book - wherein there is no doubt - from the Lord of the worlds.

The final testament completes, confirms, clarifies and corrects all former scriptures and further elucidates the one true revelation - sent by the ONE TRUE GOD in all ages.

Whist on the topic of Declaration of Independence, values and spirituality, I just want to share with you some other aspect, as I’m pressed for time at present. I’ll cover-off some other aspects with you later, particularly in relation to Ch. 10. Here’s the other part:

The “Ten Points” appear every February 12 in newspaper ads honoring Abraham Lincoln. In fact, these aphorisms are from the pen of Reverend William John Henry Boetcker (1873-1962).

* You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
* You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
* You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
* You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
* You cannot lift the wage-earner by pulling down the wage-payer.
* You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
* You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
* You cannot establish sound security on borrowed money.
* You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man’s initiative and independence.
* You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.

A. Lincoln is also claimed to have written the following to his son’s school headmaster:-

“My son will have to learn, I know, that all men are not just, all men are not true. But teach him also that for every scoundrel there is a hero; that for every selfish politician, there is a dedicated leader. Teach him that for every enemy there is a friend.
It will take time, I know; but teach him if you can, that a dollar earned is of far more value than five found.
Teach him to learn to lose and also to enjoy winning, steer him away from envy, if you can.
Teach him the secret of quiet laughter. Let him learn early that bullies are easiest to lick.
Teach him, if you can, the wonder of books…but also give him quiet time to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun and flowers on a green hillside.
In school, teach him it is far more honorable to fail than to cheat…
[Teach him to have faith in his own ideas, even if everyone tells him they are wrong.]
Teach him to be gentle with [gentle] people and tough with the tough.
Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone is getting on the bandwagon.
Teach him to listen to all men; but teach him also to filter all he hears on a screen of truth and take only the good that comes through.
Teach him, if you can, how to laugh when he is sad.
Teach him there is no shame in tears. Teach him to scoff at cynics and to be beware of too much sweetness.
Teach him to sell his brawn and brain to the highest bidders, but never to put a price on his heart and soul.
Teach him to close his ears to a howling mob…and to stand and fight if he thinks he’s right.
Treat him gently; but do not cuddle him, because only the test of fire makes fine steel.
Let him have the courage to be impatient, let him have the patience to be brave. Teach him always to have sublime faith in humankind.
This is a big order, but see what you can do. He is such a fine little fellow my son!”

Hope this helps.

For Success and Contentment,

Asad R Khan

Bookmark It