Success Is ….

 

Until today, I never paid attention to a plain looking poster that hangs in the staff room of the school I teach at. It was a poem about Success by Meiji Stewart. It really uplifted my spirit. I guess, inspiration is everywhere; we just have to open our eyes, and our minds and let it seep in. 

Success Is…

Attitude, more than aptitude.
Being happy with who you are.
Cultivating body, mind and spirit.
Doing what you love.
Embracing change.
Facing fear, finding faith.
Giving, without remembering.
Hard work, luck and perseverance.
an Inside job: go within.
Journeying, from the head to the heart.
Knowing anything is possible.
Letting go and going with the flow.
Making time for family and friends.
Never giving up on your dreams.
Overcoming life’s challenges.
Passion and peace of mind.
Quality more than quantity.
Receiving, without forgetting.
Seeing the best in others.
Trusting your intuition.
Understanding how precious life is.
Valuing honesty and integrity.
Waking up with a smile.
Xperiencing gratitude daily.
Your choice: it’s different for everyone.
Zestfully living, loving and laughing.

by Meiji Stwewart

Allah is known through reason: the expansion of universe

image taken from "Google image"

Currently, I have been reading a book called, “Allah is known through reason,” by Harun Yahya and it has some pretty fascinating information.

If we want to be closer to our creator, it is important that we take out time to get to know him better, only then, we will be able to have a connection with him that would be on a much deeper level.

So, I thought that I would share some facts from the book  that left me speechless.

The universe is expanding: 

In 1929, an astronomer by the name f Edwin Hubble discovered that the stars were constantly moving away from us and stars and galaxies moved not only away from us, but also from one another. This led to the conclusion that the universe is constantly expanding.

Yahya compared the universe to the surface of a balloon being blown up: just as the points on the surface of a balloon move apart from each other,  as the balloon is inflated, so do the objects in space move away from each other as the  universe keeps expanding.

Furthermore,  the Big Bang theory states that the in the beginning all the objects in the universe were of one piece and then they were parted. This fact has been stated in the Quran 14 centuries ago.

“Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined togetehr ( as a unit of creation), before We them asunder? We made from Water every living thing. Will they not believe?” Surat Al – Anbiya, 30 

Allah also says in the Quran,

It is We who have built the universe with ( Our creative) power, and, verily, it is We who are steadily expanding it ( Surat adh- Dhariyat, 47)

Subhanallah, this ayah made me ponder: if the universe is steadily expanding, there will come a point when it no longer would be able to stretch. And then, I related it to the example of the balloon being inflated: What happens after  a balloon reaches its optimum level of expansion? It bursts! Maybe, this is similar to how our world and the universe would end.

That is a pretty scary thought, considering the fact that December 2012, is just around the corner ( just kidding… I really do not want to promote that nonsense)

Anyways …. Do Share Your Thoughts …. Keep smiling!

May we all get the Taufeeq to get closer to our creator! Ameen!

Ordinary Jobs for Extraordinary People

Reblogged from Miss Green Socks:

People often stigmatize certain types of jobs and chores as inferior and they fail to realize the significance of these small jobs. As Muslims, we should never consider any ordinary job/chore as “ordinary,” because these ordinary jobs/chores teach us the art of discipline. Our deen teaches us discipline! Islam gives us very specific rules to follow. There is an appointed time for each Salah, and it must be offered in that appointed time; one cannot pray zuhar before it’s time.

Read more… 394 more words

“I am your father” .. this just made me laugh

Ordinary Jobs for Extraordinary People

People often stigmatize certain types of jobs and chores as inferior and they fail to realize the significance of these small jobs. As Muslims, we should never consider any ordinary job/chore as “ordinary,” because these ordinary jobs/chores teach us the art of discipline.
Our deen teaches us discipline! Islam gives us very specific rules to follow. There is an appointed time for each Salah, and it must be offered in that appointed time; one cannot pray zuhar before it’s time. Furthermore, each salah has a specific number of Rakaat; one cannot perform four rakaats for maghrib (thinking that he or she will get more ajar for performing the extra raka).
Continuing with the thought of ordinary jobs, I want you to consider the following scenario:
One bright Sunday morning, your parents sit down with you to discuss your future career plans; you tell them, “Mom and dad, I have given it a lot of thought and I have decided that I want to become a shepherd.” (If your parents are desi, they will disown you …. Hahaha .. just kidding!) Really, what is the value of a shepherd in today’s society? Is that even a real job these days? I don’t know about that, but what I do know is that all prophets were shepherds, even our most beloved prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) Have you ever wondered about the wisdom behind all the prophets being shepherd? Read the following point:
1. Responsibility: taking care of a herd of sheep is not an easy task
2. Patience: taking the sheep to graze is a slow process, the sheep take their time and the shepherd has to wait for them. Also, the prophets had to face people who would not listen to their message; dealing with sheep prepared prophets for their hard task, as sheep is an animal that does not easily obey orders.
3. Simplicity: A shepherd’s way of life is simple, away from the materialistic world. A shepherd is also close to nature and hence it makes him contemplate more about Allah’s creation.
So … Should the job of a shepherd be considered as an inferior or insignificant job? Please, do not get me wrong. I am not encouraging anyone to not to pursue a higher education or a “white collar career.” I just want people to realize the importance of small, ordinary jobs and appreciate them. Consider a world without janitors, mailmen and various factory workers.

By small jobs, I not only mean blue collar jobs, but I also mean small chores that we might have to do in our daily life; from doing the laundry to washing the dishes, each and every small task is significant. It teaches us discipline; and, if we do not realize the significance of a small task, we will never be able to accomplish a “great task.”

A letter to the first lady of Syria!

Dear Asma,

I am writing to you when the world curses you and your children. I am not convinced that a young, educated, British mother is supportive of what is happening in Syria today. I am sure that you are in a complicated situation, and I will not pretend to understand. But what I do know is that one of the greatest women of history was the wife of the Pharaoh of Egypt. It was her not standing with her tyrant and oppressive husband that made her powerful and a symbol for all women. Though she may have remained married to Pharaoh, the world knew where she stood, and later we learned that the baby she saved from the basket and raised was the very man Pharaoh was afraid of.

You can be the modern wife of Pharaoh. You can help end the injustice, the brutality, the bloodshed in Syria, in your hometown. If you don’t agree that the opposition groups are simply peaceful protesters, then the least we can both agree to is that no child should ever have to lose a leg, an arm, have his back broken, or blown up in a school bus for the consequences of the adults in their world. If this was your Hafez, Zain, or Karim, what would you do?

Please find the compassion in your heart, use it, and help the people who need you right now. You will be forever remembered as one of the greatest women, just like the wife of Pharaoh, if you simply stand up for what is right.

Sincerely,
Hajar Abdul-Rahim