Learned Man and Wise Man

He who knows others is learned.

He who knows himself is wise.

~Lao Tse~

Learned without Action

The learned man who does not act up to his knowledge is like a patient who describes the qualities of a medicine without using it or like a hungry man who describes the taste of a food without eating it.

~Imam al-Ghazali~

* in Aquisition of Knowledge, Chapter I, Book of Worship, Volume I, Ihya Ulumiddin

Exclusive Devotion

O Muzammil (folded in garments- one of the nick names of the Prophet Muhammad).

Stand in prayers at night, but not the whole night, half of it or little less, or a little more; and recite the Quran with measured tone. Soon We are going to send you a weighty message.

Surely, the getting up at night for prayer is most effective for controlling the self and most suitable for understanding the Word of Allah (the Quran) as well, because during the day you are hard pressured with worldly affairs.

Remember the name of your Rabb and devote yourself to Him exclusively.

~Quran, Surah al Muzzammil, 73: 1-9~

Sincerity

A friend should be one in whose understanding and virtue

we can equally confide, and whose opinion we can value at once

for its justness and its sincerity.

~Robert Hall~

We all respect sincerity in our friends and acquaintances,

but Hollywood is willing to pay for it.

~Hattie McDaniel~

Sincerity makes the very least person to be of more value

than the most talented hypocrite.

~Charles Spurgeon~

The Best Among You II

Sunflower

Khalid ibn al Walîd (RadiAllahu Ta'ala anhu) narrated the following hadith:
A Bedouin came one day to the Holy Prophet (sallallahu 'alahi wasallam) and said to him,
'O, Messenger of Allah! I've come to ask you a few questions about the affairs of this Life and the Hereafter.'
- 'Ask what you wish' said Rasulullah (sallallahu 'alahi wasallam).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q: I'd like to be the most learned of men.
A: Fear Allah, and you will be the most learned of men.

Q: I wish to be the richest man in the world.
A: Be contented, and you will be the richest man in the world.

Q: I'd like to be the most just man.
A: Desire for others what you desire for yourself, and you will be the most just of men.

Q: I want to be the best of men.
A: Do good to others and you will be the best of men.

Q: I wish to be the most favored by Allah.
A: Engage much in Allah's praise, and you will be most favored by Him.

Q: I'd like to complete my faith.
A: If you have good manners you will complete your faith

Q: I wish to be among those who do good.
A: Adore Allah as if you see Him. If you don 't see Him, He seeth you. In this way you will be among those who do good.

Q: I wish to be obedient to Allah.
A: If you observe Allah's commands you will be obedient.

Q: I'd like to be free from all sins.
A: Bathe yourself from impurities and you will be free from all sins.

Q: I'd like to be raised on the Day of Judgement in the light.
A: Don't wrong yourself or any other creature, and you will be raised on the Day of Judgement in the light.

Q: I'd like Allah to bestow His mercy on me.
A: If you have mercy on yourself and others, Allah will grant you mercy on the Day of Judgement.

Q: I'd like my sins to be very few.
A: If you seek the forgiveness Allah as much as you can, your sins will be very few.

Q: I'd like to be the most honorable man.
A: If you do not complain to any fellow creature, you will be the most honorable of men.

Q: I'd like to be the strongest of men.
A: If you put your trust in Allah, you will be the strongest of men.

Q: I'd like to enlarge my provision.
A: If you keep yourself pure, Allah will enlarge your provision.

Q: I'd like to be loved by Allah and His messenger.
A: If you love what Allah and His messenger love, you will be among their beloved ones.

Q: I wish to be safe from Allah's wrath on the Day of Judgement.
A: If you do not loose your temper with any of your fellow creatures, you will be safe from the wrath of Allah on the Day of Judgement.

Q: I'd like my prayers to be responded.
A: If you avoid forbidden actions, your prayers will he responded.

Q: I'd like Allah not to disgrace me on the Day of Judgement.
A: If you guard your chastity, Allah will not disgrace you on the Day of Judgement.

Q: I'd like Allah to provide me with a protective covering on the Day of Judgement.
A: Do not uncover your fellow creatures faults, and Allah will provide you with a covering protection on the Day of Judgement.

Q: What will save me from sins?
A: Tears, humility and illness.

Q: What are the best deeds in the eyes of Allah?
A: Gentle manners, modesty and patience.

Q: What are the worst evils in the eyes of Allah?
A: Hot temper and miserliness.

Q: What assuages the wrath of Allah in this life and in the Hereafter?
A: Concealed charity and kindness to relatives.

Q: What extinguishes hell's fires on the Day of Judgement?
A: Patience in adversity and misfortunes.

The Best Among You

White Flower

Best Manners

Hadith - Bukhari's Book of Manners #286 and Ahmad

Abu Huraira, r.a., said, "I heard Abu al Qasim (the Prophet saaws), say:

The best among you in Islam are those with the best manners, so long as they develop a sense of understanding.'

Four Types of People

Hadith - At-Tirmidhi 5287, Narrated Abu Kabshah al-Anmari

The world has only four types of people:

1. A man whom Allah provides with property and knowledge, in which he fears his Lord and joins ties of relationship, acting in it towards Allah as is due to Him, this man being in the most excellent station.

2. A man whom Allah provides with knowledge but not with property, who says with a sincere intention that if he had property he would act as so and so does, their reward being equal.

3. A man whom Allah provides with property but not with knowledge, in which he acts in a random manner ignorantly, not fearing his Lord respecting it, or using it to join ties of relationship, or dealing with it in a right way, this man being in the worst station.

4.A man whom Allah provides with neither property nor knowledge, who says that if he had property he would deal with it as so and so does and has this intention, the load they have to bear being equal."

The Best Character

Hadith - Tirmidhi

"The most perfect of the believers is the best of you in character, and the best of you are those among you who are best to their wives."

Men of Mercy

A merciful man will be merciful to his beast.

~Old Proverb.

Source: Self Knowledge. Com

Past, Present & Future

The building of Sultan Abdul Samad

The Past Was Perfect
The Present Is Tense
The Future Continues

~ Prof. Madya Dr Azahari Ismail

If you have no shame...

اذالم تستحي فأفعل ما تشاء
If you have no shame then do whatever you want.

Arabic proverbs