“Be More & Achieve More!”

Dear Reader: Hi,

It’s been a while since I wrote here to you but as you know well by now, the world has seen some immense changes taking place this year and most surprisingly, or perhaps not really, these have been across the Middle East. The Middle East has traditionally been a historical place of significance due the constant line of God’s good Messengers appearing through-out the region over the centuries; it occupies the middle portion of the Earth, and of recent times contains within it the troublesome spot of Israel.

The Future Does Not Equal The Past, Does it?

Ever since man was created, the Angels questioned the Creator about the bloodshed and mischief that would be manifest due the actions of man. Almighty God, the Greatest, replied “I know that which you do not” (Final Testament, Chapter 2:30). God knew that He had created a being that was capable of bringing the forces of nature under his control – so long as he acted aright and with full reliance in his Maker. And so man was set on Earth to fulfil the noble mission of this stewardship: to ensure that the environment, nature, and all people co-exist peacefully with due rights and consideration given to all such elements.

But man was created in a complex fashion – his mind, heart, body and inner-self would be in constant flux and imbalance, with passions and desire often getting the better than reason and intellect; with negative attitudes such as arrogance, greed and envy getting the better of virtues like humility, charity and forgiveness. This battle of the inner and outer forces of man are the very basis of his ‘testing period’ here on Earth, as God, the Almighty states “He created life and death in order to test which of you is best in deed” (67:2).

The crowning glory of every man is to be successful on the The Great Day when he will be held responsible for all his thoughts, intentions, feelings, motives and actions. There will be no escaping from the Accountability of Almighty God in His Great Court – all of a person’s life will be laid bare – his own limbs, emotions and motives will give evidence to testify either for or against him. Successful will be the man who earns God’s grace That Day and successful will be the ones whose balance of good is weightier than his bad deeds.

‘Islamic’ Awakening of an individual can only occur when every person realises his and her own personal duty towards themselves, their neighbours and society, towards nature and the environment, and ultimately towards God. This realisation will lead to a heightened level of personal honour and a sense of nobility – that he has been created by God “Then He (God) fashioned him in due proportion, and breathed into him a spirit from us (the soul)” (32:9). This realisation combined with an attitude of accountability will help create an atmosphere of responsibility and due care.

Every child, mother and person knows what it means to act with love, care, kindness, patience and understanding. These virtues are recognised the world over as they are a part of God’s nature: as all good belongs to Him, emanates from Him, and returns to Him alone. We, who call ourselves as Muslims – who wish to lead an Islamic life – need to be more aware of when our passions and evil forces are attempting to make us act contrary to the higher virtues, values and characteristics. We need to understand that our benevolence, grace and compassion are much greater at winning the ‘game of life’ than when we exercise our lesser selves – acting with anger or irrationality will only debase our own credibility, it goes against our moral nature, and is not befitting for our purer soul.

In this way, Awakening occurs precisely due to Awareness: the keys to this awareness are many, but to mention some important ones here (a) every person has to increase their knowledge of life, the truth of this world, and the grand scheme of God; (b) they ought to ensure that they use the ‘aql (intellect), which has been bestowed upon humans to differentiate them from other living entities, working for the greater good through beneficial innovation, functioning within the framework of God’s Law; (c) to retain a healthy level of critical thinking, to have an attitude of curiosity, and to question openly the norms of our times, life, history and nature.

As well as this personal responsibility given to every man, there is an added responsibility upon the leaders of every nation to help ‘navigate mankind’s ship to a safe and prosperous destination’; as Muslims, we believe this is the fulfilment of the soul’s yearning – to be in proximity with its Creator. On Earth, we are guided to seek this divine proximity through prayer, devotion, positive contribution, self-sacrifice and charity. There is not a person on Earth who will not recognise a genuine act of kindness, care or charity. We must give more back than we take, if man is to reach the heights that have been destined for him.

In Surah Al-Ma‘ida (The Table Top, Chapter 5 of the Final Testament, The Holy Quran) we read:

15. O people of the Book! There has come to you our Messenger, revealing to you much that you used to hide in the Book, and passing over much (that is now unnecessary).

16. There has come to you from Allah a (new) light and a perspicuous Book - wherewith Allah (God) guides all who seek His good pleasure to ways of peace and safety, and leads them out of darkness, by His will, unto the light - guiding them to a path that is straight.

17. In blasphemy indeed are those that say that Allah is Christ the son of Mary. Say: “Who then has the least power against Allah, if His will were to destroy Christ the son of Mary, his mother, and all every - one that is on the earth? For to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between. He creates what He pleases. For Allah has power over all things.”

18. (Both) the Jews and the Christians say: “We are sons of Allah, and his beloved.”
Say: “Why then does He punish you for your sins? Nay, you are but men - of the men he has created: He forgives whom He pleases, and He punishes whom He pleases: and to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between: and unto Him is the final goal (of all)”

19. O People of the Book! Now has come unto you, making (things) clear unto you, Our Messenger, after the break in (the series of) our apostles, lest you should say: “There came unto us no bringer of glad tidings and no warner (from evil)”: But now has come unto you a bringer of glad tidings and a warner (from evil). And Allah has power over all things.

When we wish to understand world events, we cannot really dissociate the spiritual dimension from the physical one, as this will only lead to a lesser understanding of causes and effects. As believers in God’s Message, His Book and His Messengers, we must trust in His Judgement and Wisdom at all times: that He is ultimately The One Who controls all affairs and to Him is our final return. Despite confusion, turmoil, politicking, double standards, negation of rights, injustices, propaganda, subjugation, oppression, denial of truths and fairness, we must remember that “Allah has power over all things.”

Much can be said about the world events and current ‘Islamic Awakening’ but the central point, as it always is, is about higher matters of fairness, justice and trust in God, His Commandments and His Order. Herein lies the ‘test’ referred to earlier, of not only every individual, but of also the nations and states that constitute such people and races. God’s mercy and bounties are distributed freely – imagine for a moment that there are now over seven billion people inhabiting the Earth, and still there is more than sufficient food, water, shelter and clothing to for all. Truly, “Allah has power over all things.”

When people are taken away from this central point of acting in accordance to God’s commands, they rely on their own senses and faculties alone – perceiving that their strengths and judgments are greater than any other. This only happens when a person, or a people, who are depending on God’s mercy anyway to live on this Earth of His, begin to consciously deny God as the rightful Owner, Creator, Provider and Master of the Universe. Steeped in self-indulgence, the luxuries and comforts surrounding them dull their spiritual senses and arrogance, false pride and jealousy take over. This arrogance leads to corruption and abuse of power, which in turn leads to acts of greed and monopolisation.

Greed, Envy, Corruption and Over-Consumption

This is precisely how the rulers and dictators in the Middle East region have been behaving over the past 40 to 50 years or so. They are no different to a dictator from any other region of the world, as the nature of a dictator is the same whichever country he maybe ruling: to rule with tyranny and disregard of basic freedoms of speech, consultations, debates and democratic processes. But sometimes, it can be argued that a people bring to power such dictators, or rulers, as they themselves deserve: its a two-way process. Let us continue with Surah Al-Maida and hear what Allah instructs us:

20. Remember Moses said to his people: “O my people! Call in remembrance the favour of Allah unto you, when He produced prophets among you, made you kings, and gave you what He had not given to any other among the peoples.

21. “O my people! Enter the holy land which Allah has assigned unto you, and turn not back ignominiously, for then will you be overthrown, to your own ruin.”

22. They said: “O Moses! In this land are a people of exceeding strength: Never shall we enter it until they leave it: if (once) they leave, then shall we enter.”

23. (But) among (their) Allah-fearing men were two on whom Allah had bestowed His grace: They said: “Assault them at the (proper) Gate: when once you are in, victory will be yours; But on Allah put your trust if you have faith.”

24. They said: “O Moses! While they remain there, never shall we be able to enter, to the end of time. Go you, and thy Lord, and fight you two, while we sit here (and watch).”

25. He said: “O my Lord! I have power only over myself and my brother: so separate us from this rebellious people!”

26. Allah (God) said: “Therefore will the land be out of their reach for forty years: In distraction will they wander through the land: But sorrow you not over these rebellious people.

The Children of Israel were granted manifest bounties from God, not least the land, opportunity to thrive, power, provisions, free-trade, commerce, travel and security. But they abused their position and became weak-hearted after Moses led them away from the bondage of Pharaoh towards Mount Sinai. Clearly they had rebelled, which led to their own ruin. Rather than working for their own inheritance and future with faith and courage, they relied on Moses and his God to turn out the enemy first. In God’s law, we must work and strive for what we wish to enjoy.

This passage of events is not only referred to in the Final Testament (The Quran), but also in the Old Testament in the Book of Numbers, where we are informed how Moses sent a group of 12 men to examine the land North of Sinai. They came back with reports of “a land with milk and honey” – a rich country full of delights like pomegranates, figs, olives and grapes. Joshua (who took the leadership of the Israelites after the “forty years of wandering.”) and Caleb were the only ones amongst the twelve men who reported back positively.

However, the remaining ten men reported badly of strong men – the great stature of the Canaanites – in the new land, and this further inflamed the crowd, who were prepared to stone Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb, and return back to Egypt. Their reply to Moses was full of irony, insolence, blasphemy and cowardice. In effect they said: “You talk of your God and all that – go with your God and fight there if you like – we shall sit here and watch.” The people of Israel had no faith, nor courage, and Moses remonstrated with them.

A New Approach Needed?

Is it a striking co-incidence that the people across the Middle East and Asia have suffered an almost similar fate as the Israelites over the past 40 years or so? Could it be said that the people across the region in general became weak-hearted, lost faith and courage and were left to wander in distraction for this period? Libya has been ruled by a dictator for forty two years, and Syria an equivalent time – so too in Yemen, Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and many other countries where authoritative regimes have been ruling autocratically.

But now the people are re-inventing themselves and saying a resilient “no!” to dictatorship, authoritative rule and brutal regimes. Using technology, combined with the spirit and dynamism of youth, strengthened with values of fairness, equality, truth and transparency, people are rising to make unprecedented changes sweeping the whole region. No-one had any idea that this would happen the way it has in such a short span of time. This is why it is important to refer back to Scripture/s to see the events through the spiritual lens and put such aspects into proper historical context and reading.

We like to believe that now there seems to be a ‘new approach’ towards self-expression that is helping to re-balance the power struggle in the Middle East and across the World. The vibrancy of the recent ‘Arab Spring’ is having effect in places further outside of the Middle East, such as sub-Saharan Africa, Europe (Spain, Greece, Turkey), South Russia and Latin America. It could be said that the current uprisings have their seeds in the recent events of the Intifada in Palestine and the Islamic Revolution in Iran, both inspired by spiritual leaders like Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and Imam Khomeini, respectively. Every part of the world has deep history and pages can be written about them – about Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Malaysia, Lebanon and on it goes. World events will never stop happening, as long as the World keeps spinning around till The Great Day.

So let us take a closer look at why these struggles occur; what drives them not only on the state level, but at an individual level, for we have come to realise that the individual constitutes the nation. We have also seen how a people can be deserving of a type of leader (such as dictator) due their own characteristics, and as in the case of Moses and his people, how a good leader can be the head of a stubborn, stiff-necked and uncooperative mass. History reveals many answers – Nature reveals many answers – and indeed Divine Revelation provides us many answers and insights for events which none of us were present.

Pride and Jealousy: Powerful Drivers and Tools of Evil

27. Recite to them the truth of the story of the two sons of Adam. Behold! They each presented a sacrifice (to God): It was accepted from one, but not from the other. Said the latter, “Be sure I will slay thee.” “Surely,” said the former, “(Allah) doth accept of the sacrifice of those who are righteous.

28. “If you do stretch your hand against me, to slay me, it is not for me to stretch my hand against you to slay thee: for I do fear Allah, the cherisher of the worlds.

29. “For me, I intend to let thee draw on thyself my sin as well as your own, for you will be among the companions of the fire, and that is the reward of those who do wrong.”

30. The (selfish) soul of the other led him to the murder of his brother: he murdered him, and became (himself) one of the lost ones.

31. Then Allah sent a raven, who scratched the ground, to show him how to hide the shame of his brother. “Woe is me!” said he; “Was I not even able to be as this raven, and to hide the shame of my brother?” then he became full of regrets-

32. On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. Then although there came to them Our apostles with clear signs, yet, even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses in the land.

33. The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter;

34. Except for those who repent before they fall into your power: in that case, know that Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

35. O you who believe! Do your duty to Allah, seek the means of approach unto Him, and strive with might and main in his cause: that you may prosper.

36. As to those who reject Faith- if they had everything on earth, and twice repeated, to give as ransom for the penalty of the Day of Judgment, it would never be accepted of them, theirs would be a grievous penalty.

The two sons of Adam were Habil and Qabil (in English Bible Abel and Cain, respectively). Cain was the elder and Abel the younger – the righteous and innocent one. Presuming on the right of the elder, Cain was puffed up with arrogance and jealousy, which led him to commit the crime of murder. The cool, calm reply of Abel “Surely,” is full of meaning. He is innocent and God-fearing and the threat of death does not alter his state of belief and trust in God. He loves his Maker as he is effectively saying: “I am not going to retaliate though I have as much power as you have against me. I fear my Maker for I know He cherishes all His Creation. Let me warn you that you are doing wrong. I do not intend even to resist, but do you know what the consequences will be to you? You will be in spiritual torment.”

The innocent unselfish pleading of the younger brother had no effect, for the soul of the other was full of pride, selfishness and jealousy. He committed the murder, but in doing so, ruined his own self. The story of Cain is referred to in order to tell the story of Israel. Israel rebelled against God, slew and insulted righteous men who did them no harm, but on the contrary came in all humility.

When God withdrew His favour from Israel because of its sins and bestowed it on a brother nation, the jealousy of Israel plunged it deeper into sin. To kill, or seek to kill, an individual because he represents an ideal is to kill all who uphold the ideal. Whereas saving an individual life in the same circumstances is equivalent to saving the whole community. What could be stronger condemnation of individual assassination and revenge?

Honest Soul-Searching

So the current uprisings and revolutions are a culmination of years of inward reflections, yearning’s of the people’s soul to be closer to Him, free to call out His name with genuine pride and real honour and to live under His safe rule and good law. These revolutions are still taking shape – five months is nothing much in the grand scheme of things.

The Future of the any nation belongs to the people and in the world-over the people, want the same basic human rights: freedom of speech, opportunity, livelihood, education, travel, trade, business and security. The ‘war on terror’ was a convenient phrase to pursue the policy of ‘forward presence’ in sovereign lands according to the (non)-rules of ‘asymmetric warfare’. The so-called ‘axis of evil’ has been presented to the world as a way of dividing the planet along the ‘you are either with us or against us’ paradigm.

It is the current uprising and revolutions that is re-shaping the whole pattern and the re-shuffle of traditional power grids continues. Now a new language and a new idiom are required to secure the hearts and minds of the masses. People are not afraid of calling out for the truth. They are no longer afraid of pulling the reins of power in confidence towards the path of self-determination. The old regimes are losing ground, and I believe the East-West divide is narrowing all the time because the human needs, values, ideals and sufferings are the same as expressed the world over.

The ‘new approach’ is in fact a return to the honest self-expression as Abel demonstrated to his murderous brother Cain: “do what you want, the truth is on my side.” This same truth is what is causing pain to people across Europe and America – the great divide between those who ‘have’ and those who ‘have not’. The once great institutions of Education, Health, and Care Support are dwindling in face of huge economic crisis brought about due to the greed of the few in the banking world. This very economic crisis is causing the current political re-shuffle as people are claiming back their basic rights and privileges.

The whole world is undergoing a soul-searching exercise – the negative forces and impurities are being purged. The Earth is tired of carrying evil on its stomach, and the Great God above is allowing enough time for a rational re-assessment to take place country-by-country, people-by-people, and individual-by-individual.

A return to the historical era of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is beckoning. The re-alignment will be complete with the old order crumbling and the new, purer, just order replacing it. The Islamic Awakening is still nascent, as much remains to be done, and the impurities still need to be filtered post-colonisation era and dictatorial rule. Again, it will be deemed by some, and the question presents itself once again, could the colonisation process itself be considered an act of God? That US is currently the world’s dominant superpower, despite its huge deficit of $14trillion, so are not its actions a result of following Divine inspiration? This can be argued, but surely a sea-change is in process, with the former attitudes of complete hegemony arguably not plausible anymore as actions and motives are scrutinised ever-more with today’s communications methods including social media.

The role of the next batch of purer leaders will be to write a new narrative – one of peace, security, love and charity. They will demonstrate Higher Order by living by Principles of Justice and Divine Commandments. The Holy scripture/s will not be diluted or relegated to abstract theological polemics, but be the guiding light for the people and nations who wish to prosper, because they understand that the spiritual and physical dimensions are closely intertwined.

The on-going story of life is always the same as re-accounted here through the case of Moses and his people, as well as between Cain and Abel; the tussle between good and evil, light and dark, truth and falsehood, greed and generosity. It is the law of nature and history that the pendulum always swings to normalise the world affairs, though the history of conflict will continue due to our testing probationary period here on planet Earth.

Peaceful, democratic dissent and demonstrations are paving the way for change. Nations are healing and reconciling their differences. The contradictions between the elite and the masses are being re-addressed. Injustices and overstepping of boundaries may still occur here and there, but the new dialogue has the pendulum swinging well in the favour of Justice. Cultural forces are shaping a new vision for the people that have unleashed their creative power. Democracy will now be on suitable terms, not just on grounds of self-interest. People know who they really are, and deep down they sense that there is an alternative, better way to prosperity and global peace.

For Continued and Rising Success & Contentment,

Asad Khan

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Dear Friend and Supporter: Greetings!

We all have to deal with things on an on-going basis. Here’s my gift for your support and patience, God bless you with courage and wisdom:-

3 things in life that never come back when gone:

1. Time
2. Words
3. Opportunity

3 things in life that should never be lost:

1. Peace
2. Hope
3. Honesty

3 things that make a person:

1. Hardwork
2. Sincerity
3. Commitment

3 things that can destroy a person:

1. Lust
2. Pride
3. Anger

3 things in life that are valuable:

1. Love
2. Faith
3. Prayer

3 things in life that are constant:

1. Change
2. Death
3. God

Care to share by inviting your friends & contacts to our group:

http://bit.ly/9wusyh / & / http://bit.ly/9ZWknR

Thank you and may we go from strength to strength!

Sincerely Yours & for Real Success & Contentment,

Asad Khan

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Dear Reader,

The son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett has an old-world spiritual message for today’s money-rich parents: teach your children values and do not give them everything they want.

Musician and now author Peter Buffett preaches the message in his new book “Life is What You Make it: Finding Your Own Path to Fulfillment”. Recently released in the United States, it describes how he wound up a “normal, happy” person instead of a spoiled child to one of the world’s richest people.

Buffett, 52, teaches the rewards of self-respect and pursuing one’s own passions and accomplishments rather than buying into society’s concepts of material wealth.

“I am my own person and I know what I have accomplished in my life,” he said. “This isn’t about wealth or fame or money or any of that stuff, it is actually about values and what you enjoy and finding something you love doing.”

People who are born with a silver spoon in their mouth can fall victim to what Buffett said his father has called a “silver dagger in your back,” which leads to a sense of entitlement and a lack of personal achievement.

“Entitlement is the worst thing ever and I see entitlement coming in many guises,” he said. “Anybody who acts like they deserve something ‘just because,’, is a disaster.”

But Buffett wasn’t always this wise. His own family gave him $90,000 (59,840 pounds) in stock when he was 19, a small sum from such immense financial wealth. After studying at Stanford University, he moved to San Francisco and lived in a studio apartment with just enough room for his musical instruments.

“I was really searching,” he said, adding that he began his musical career by working for free writing music for a local television station.

“I was kind of lost, but trying to find myself. It was definitely this strange period where I didn’t really know where I was going,” he said.

LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE

As well his musical passions, the values taught to him growing up and a sense of a bigger picture in life stayed with him during those trying times, he said.

“I was not only not handed everything as a kid, I was shown that there are lots of other people out there with very different circumstances,” he said.

Although many people he encounters assume that his father wanted him to go into finance, he said his father accepted his choice to become a musician beginning with commercials then his own albums and composing for television shows and films.

“It was encouraged for a moment when I was open to the idea,” he said about pursuing finance. But he added that as he grew older, it became clear the financial world “was not speaking to my heart.”

Along with the book, Buffett has embarked on a “Concert & Conversation” tour in which he plays the piano, talks about his life and warns against consumerist culture and damaging the environment.

He said he eventually inherited more money after his mother died in 2004, but by then he had learned his lessons. Now he works on giving back to the world — another of his life philosophies — which includes through working for his father’s NoVo charitable foundation.

“Economic prosperity may come and go; that’s just how it is,” he writes in the book. “But values are the steady currency that earn us the all-important rewards.”

(editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

I’m glad he’s found his own way to an enlightened path.

For continued Success & Contentment,

Asad Khan

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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

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Hi,

In my previous blog where I presented the first half of the “The Kneeling” (Chapter 45), there were some really amazing verses in connection to how God’s purpose is to care for us all. The sea (verse 13) was only one example of God’s cherishing care in making all things in nature available for the use of man, through the genius and faculties which He has given to man. We (mankind), should never forget that it is all from “as from Him”, i.e. from God. For man is God’s trustee on earth and we are here to interact with all things in a manner prescribed by Him, The Master of the Universe.

This is why we have God’s Law’s: as instruments to protect all that is good and sacred, and to deter from all that is harmful and excess. To re-iterate, God’s Laws are here for the “attainment of benefit (arabic: maslaha) and prevention of harm (mafsada)”.  This means everything related to PLEASURE & HAPPINESS and what leads to them, and everything related to PAIN & SADNESS and what causes them.

We know that most of human behaviour is determined by one of these two elements: acquiring pleasure, and deflecting pain. These motivational poles are intrinsically built into the nature of man - its hard-wired in - so that sub-consciously we are all operating by, and between, these two psychological sides.

Such an inherent Reward / Punishment scheme has been given to us a part of our faculties by our Creator. This is why He, the Great and Wise, refers to those who do good as being eternally rewarded and those who sin, or commit evil, as being eternally punished. Its really feeding the same psychological centres that we operate in at the temporal realm where we want to increase GAIN and reduce LOSS.

But our real test comes from realising this Goal of the Creator and to not cave-in to our base desires and live an unruly, rebellious life as a consequence where the greater disadvantage is against our own self, person and soul. The sinners, or those wrong their own souls, think that they are gaining advantage, or pleasure and happiness, by submitting to fleeting, instant gratifications, but in reality they are only serving-up harm against themselves. The good-doers, who obey God’s commands, are living by higher standards of prayer, charity and selfless service and although they may face hardship along the way, these are minor aspects in the grand scheme of things where they will attain peace, satisfaction and immense rewards due to their purified souls. And in this life too, they will live healthily, garner prosperous relationships, have peace of mind, and a serenity in the heart accompanied with real contentment that can only come from above, despite the material comforts that may be afforded to them.

Adhering to the commandments of God (Do’s) & abstaining from His prohibition (Don’t) is the real test and this is where man’s free will, or freedom of choice, is exercised. In all things prescribed (do) and prohibited (don’t) there is CHOICE. In all other matters and things, Pre-determination reigns.

We will pick-up on the concept of God’s Commands again and reflect on why people fail to follow them, such as nations who were previously blessed by God and they actively rebelled against him, falling into vice, confusion and folly.

For Success & Contentment,

Asad Khan

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Hi,

What is time? The question has baffled many a thinker throughout the ages and continues to serve as one of the greatest mysteries. You realise that time ‘flies’ when you’re having fun, or when immersed in a series of long thoughts that has taken you into dream mode. Conversely, when you are waiting for something to happen and keen to see an outcome it seems like its taking forever!

Yet time, and its measurement, remains the same. The only difference is the state of mind that you have whilst experiencing its relativity. Now lets say that there is something that you have to do, its important and much depends on it. But you don’t feel like doing it, before long all the symptoms of procrastination set-in and the whole idea of that important task feels more like a chore, a burden. And if you actually get round to making a start, you tend to be sluggish, out of sync and phased by the whole process.

Consider the alternative: you are feeling fresh, responsive and ready to tackle any challenge coming your way, which may not only be critical, but difficult. And now you are not put off by the size of the job but welcome the opportunity to pour out your creativity and perform at greater levels. In doing so, you do not necessarily realise the amount of time consumed when working on it, which may be much more than what your originally envisaged!

So, enjoying what you do is more important than the act of the doing alone. This enjoyment comes from the inside, from your natural state, which is why you should choose, whenever you can, to work on those things in work and life that suit your inherent interests and abilities.

The test of time is to pick-out the most interesting and rewarding from the trivial, mundane and the un-captivating. Once this is done, you can ‘fly’ through time more often rather than twist and fret on the spot.

The Space-Time Factor

Now, If the Sun is able to warp the space-time factor, and it being only one of the many suns in this lower universe, then you shall deduce that other bigger suns and entities will ‘affect’ time in similarly extraordinary ways. And in the proximity of God, the Ultimate Power, Absolute Force and The Infinite Source of Energy, who sits on His vast throne above the seven heavens, time definitely is not as we perceive it here on earth. Recapping on an earlier Chapter (The Ways of Ascent, 70):

70:4 The angels and the Spirit ascend unto Him in a Day the measure whereof is (as) fifty thousand years:

70:5 Therefore, do hold patience, a patience of beautiful (contentment).

70:6 They see the (Day) indeed as a far-off (event):

70:7 But we see it (quite) near.

So ultimately, in the grandest scheme of things, life and the universe, the only aspects that really matter are the deeds that we send forwards which we all will be accounted for on the Great Day of Reckoning. If we utilise our God-given talents and strengths for the benefit of others, within the guidelines provided for us by our Creator, then we will not only find success but contentment also. This is the test of time, particularly when our ‘goals’ are not reached and the outcome we desire is not in sight, then the magnificence of patience must be exercised and witnessed.

And remember, no-one really manages time, you can only manage the activities that you do through choice and self-discipline.

There is much more that can be stated on this topic including the eastern view of kairos versus the more western chronos interpretation of time. However, if one day can equal 50,000 of our human years, be sure that there is a massive unfathomable world out there waiting to receive us in our onwards journey.

For success and contentment,

Asad.

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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

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Hi there,

Drawing from some of the most pivotal points in his life, Steve Jobs, chief executive officer and co-founder of Apple Computer and Pixar Animation Studios, urged graduates, fellow entrepreneurs and innovators of Stanford University to pursue their dreams…

Sometimes life’s going to hit you in the head with a brick, don’t lose faith.

I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going is that I loved what I did. You got to find what you love - and that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work, is to love what you do. And if you haven’t found it yet, keep looking and don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And as with any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on.  So keep looking and don’t settle.

“If you live each day as if it were your last, some day you’ll most certainly be right!”

For the past 33 years I’ve looked in the mirror every morning and ask myself: “If today were the the last day of my life, would I do what I’m about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been ‘no’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

Remembering that I’ll be dead soon has been the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life.

Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked, there is no reason not to follow your heart.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living by the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other opinions drown-out the noise of your inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

So I decided to start over. I didn’t see it then, but getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure of everything: it freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.

“Stay hungry, stay foolish” I’d be happy for you to share your views on what you think this might mean…

And don’t forget to ‘connect the dots’ in your life. There’s a unique thread running in your life and you need to give yourself the honest space to see it for what it really is: a wonderful opportunity to:

• do what you love
• love what you do
• have faith and keep going
• innovate, be creative, fill a vacuum
• & don’t settle for anything less than your outstanding best

For Success & Contentment,

Asad Khan

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It’s the one who make it inch-by-inch, step-by-step, towards their heart’s goals that make life worth living! It’s the people who are ready to sacrifice all to win those inches who stand-out as the remarkable people in our societies and who go on to help build great civilisations.

You don’t have to become famous personality or world leader, but you need to have a deep satisfaction that you have done your best with the opportunities life presents to you. That you don’t settle for anything less than your best. And that you did what you can to help fulfill others needs with your God-given talents and abilities. You helped pull it together, and the journey was made easier because of you.

Check out this Motivational Speech by Al Pacino

“In life, like football, the margin for error is small.”

“We know, when we add up all those inches….that’s gonna make the difference between winning and losing; between living and dying!”

A great coach can help make that difference clear.

In Any Given Sunday, Al-Pacino may not have put together a great philosophical speech full of high morals and virtues. But he did help a fragmented team of demoralised young footballers realise that there must be more to life than just getting old……

For Success & Contentement,

Asad Khan

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Most often people are troubled by the idea of income and where the money will come from when facing troubles and financial hardships. We can have so many expenditures and barely enough income to cover the costs. So what do we tend to do - borrow and begin incurring debts - whether that’s personal or business loans, bank overdrafts, credit, mortgages, cooperatives or any other means of borrowing from the array of financial instruments. And when the debts are insurmountable, what happens: we become bankrupt. I too have had to borrow in recent times and am the financial pinch as anyone else might be.

But even when we are in the darkest period, we have to resolve to think of higher purpose and the greater scheme of life. I was reading some passages of the scripture and they re-inforced the belief in me that the One Who made the world and is its Sustainer, is the same One who provides for all living beings out of His Mercy. Allow me to present some passages for you to consider from the Final Testament, chapter 16 (The Bee):

66 - And God sends down rain from the skies, and gives therewith life to the earth after its death: verily in this is a Sign for those who listen.

67 - And verily in cattle (too) will you find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies, between excretions and blood, We produce, for your drink, milk, pure and agreeable to those who drink it.

68 - And from the fruit of the date-palm and the vine, you get out wholesome drink and food: behold, in this also is a Sign for those who are wise.

69 - And your Lord taught the bee to build its cells in hills on trees, and in (men’s) habitations;

70 - Then to eat of all the produce (of the earth), and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colours wherein is a healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought.

71 - It is God Who creates you and takes your souls at death; and of you are some who are sent back to a feeble age, so that they know nothing after having known (much): for God is All-Knowing, All-Powerful.

72 - God has bestowd His gifts of sustenance more freely on some of you than on others: those more favoured are not going to throw back their gifts to those whom their right-hands possess, so as to be equal in that respect. Will they then deny the favours of God?

73 - And God has made for you mates (and companions) of your own nature, and made for you, out of them, sons and daughters and grandchildren, and provided for you sustenance of the best: will they then believe in vain things and be ungrateful for God’s favours?

74 - And worship others than God - such as have no power of providing them, for sustenance, with anything in heavens or earth, and cannot possibly have such power?

You can see so many immense lessons of life and wonders of creation given in just a few verses. When I read such words of revelation it becomes hard for me to remain at a level of grief or despair - how can I - when the One Who posseses the Keys of the Heavens and Earth and knows the finest mysteries therein is ever-watching and providing for all?

Lest we skip and forget, take note of five things that I’d like to draw your attention to:

1) Eat and drink of the good things that have been created for you and ask your Creator for health and wellbeing; therafter rejoice in the knowledge that you have been taken care of by the One who fashioned you from dust;

2) Use and develop your skills, just as the bee has to, and scout the glorious earth for the Provision that is destined for you that no one else can deter from you;

3) Use your wisdom and judgment when spending and spend less than you earn. Whenever possible invest the difference in something tangible of lower risk.

4) Don’t agonise over those who appear to have more. If they have more that’s their good fortune. Your job is to identify your calling, align to it and do your best, as anything less is where tragedies and frustrations reside.

5) Begin to foster feelings of contentment with the outcome that is destined for you; reflect and give thanks to your Maker who bestowed too many gifts to list.

I hope this helps put somethings into perspective and be sure that ultimately, there isn’t a crisis or problem in the world for which there isn’t a solution that can be found if you trust Higher Order and work diligently.

As always, for Success and Contentment,

Asad Khan

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