Be The Best

This text contains some articles on ethical issues that have been written based on the verses of the Qur’an and traditions of the Holy Prophet (s) and the pure Imams of the Ahl Al-Bayt (‘a) with the purpose of meditating on God’s Word and implementing His instructions in our daily life.

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About The Author

A Brief Biography of Sheikh Abolfazl Sabouri (Born in 1980 in Iran):

• Graduate of Elmiyeh seminary in Qom with more than 15 years of study and research. (He Actively participated in courses offered by Grand Ayatollah Jawadi Amoli, Grand Ayatollah Sobhani, Grand Ayatollah Zanjani, Grand Ayatollah Bahjat, and Grand Ayatollah seyyed Kamal Haydari).

• Professor of Tafsir, Theology, and Jurisprudence in Elmiyeh Seminary of Qom and in Payame Noor and Kurdestan Universities

• There are hundreds of students who participated in courses offered by him in different universities

• M.A in Jurisprudence and Islamic Studies

• Propagating Experiences:

• Participation and giving lectures in number of religious meetings in different masjids and universities in Iran, religious meetings in Poland (Warsaw) and in New Zealand (Auckland)

• Administer of Research Group in Al-Murtaza Institute Researcher in Religious Issues and in Commentary of Qur’an

• Author of Some Published and Non-Published Books and Articles (in Persian and in English)

Introduction

To be successful, to pass the tests, to move forward, to live in victory and peace, to have an excellent spirit, to be mercy to all, and in one word, to be the best creature, you need a good plan.

The best plan for humanity is the one that is written by the Creator; Almighty God. This plan is His book; the Qur’an; the only book in our time that is the very words of God; not of people or even His messenger. The Qur’an is a complete record of the exact words revealed by Almighty God through the Archangel Gabriel to His Last Messenger.

The Qur’an was sent down as guidance to humanity, with manifest proofs of guidance. It guides to what is more upright and it is a cure and mercy for the believers. It is a reminder and a manifest book, which has been revealed in a simple and easy language to be understood by the people. Almighty God invited humankind to meditate on the Qur’an.1 This is the first step to pure and promote yourselves, and to be a better person.

Qur’an like all holy books is filled with the blessings and benefits of meditating. To meditate simply means to reflect on the same thing repeatedly, visualize it and let the meaning of it sink deep down into your heart. Meditation is a spiritual practice that is encouraged throughout Qur’an. The key is to draw on God’s wisdom found in the Qur’an.

In fact, Qur’an is filled with the blessings and benefits of meditating on its principles. Almighty God says,

“Indeed We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an so that you may apply reason.” (Qur’an, 12:2).

Meditating on God’s Word will give you spiritual success. God’s definition of success in life is to know Him better. One way you do that is to read and understand His Word! Meditating on God’s Word will help you keep your heart right before Him. Qur’an gives you clear direction on how to live. It is a mirror that accurately shows you where your hearts really are.

Meditating on God’s Word will give you insights and wisdom that will guide you at every turn in your life. There is supernatural wisdom that comes from meditating on God’s Word. It will strengthen you, guide you and give you hope and victory in every situation! The benefits of meditating on Qur’an influence your whole life.

The book you are holding contains some articles on ethical issues that have been written based on the verses of Qur’an. It is a kind of meditating on God’s Word. This book will inspire and motivate you to live with more joy, hope, and peace. It will help you become a better spouse and parent, a better boss or employee, a better community leader, a better friend - in short, a better person!

This book tries to help you invest in your relationship with Almighty God by spending time in His life-giving Word. It tries to reconcile you with the Qur’an, the holy book of Almighty God and the manual of the human. I hope this book will help you reach the truth of God’s Word, and be useful for you to make new strides toward a better you. It can help you to be the best version of you.

You as a believer or non-believer read this book and even read the Qur’an, not just as a religious book or book of God, but as the book of wisdom; as a book that can help you to live in peace, victory and love. Try to read it, to understand it, and try your best to apply its teachings. Then you will see how it changes your life.

- 1. Refer to the following Verses: 2:185, 17:9, 17:72, 36:69, 54:40, 4:82.

Prepare For Promotion

Certainly, there has come to you a light from God, and a manifest Book. With it, God guides those who follow the course of His pleasure to the ways of peace, brings them out from darkness into light by His will, and guides them to a straight path. (Qur’an, 5:15-16).

There is nothing quite like that feeling you get when your boss, or maybe a coach or someone who is important in your life says, “I believe in you, and you are doing a fantastic job. I see so much potential in you that I have got a higher position for you.”

The great news is that God sees the very best in you. He wants to promote you! He desires to take you to a new level of joy, productiveness and fulfillment.

God is the Guardian of the faithful. He brings them out of darkness into light. (Qur’an, 2:257).

God guides those who follow the course of His pleasure to the ways of peace, brings them out from darkness into light by His will, and guides them to a straight path. (Qur’an, 5:16).

If you want to prepare for promotion and want to be successful in your work, enjoy a satisfying, loving marriage, see your finances grow, build meaningful relationships and experience victory over any circumstance, there are the keys: Qur’anic principles that will help you get ready for promotion.

The first key is trusting in God. Have faith that God can help you rise above any adversity.

Put your trust in God; God suffices as trustee. (Qur’an, 33:3).

When you are in a difficult situation and something is going on, that you do not like, very often this is simply a test of your faith. If this is you, I hope you will find some comfort in the fact that God has your best interest at heart. Regardless of your current circumstances, let me encourage you to follow Him faithfully. As you do, God will begin to turn things around for your good and His glory. So be patient.

Give good news to the patient, those who, when an affliction visits them, say, “Indeed we belong to God, and to Him do we indeed return” (Qur’an, 2:156).

“It is they who receive the blessings of their Lord and His mercy, and it is they who are the rightly guided” (Qur’an, 2:157).

Second is being patient.

Take recourse in patience and prayer; indeed God is with the patient. (Qur’an, 2:153).

What a great reminder that when God is ready, no man can stop Him! No circumstance can keep you down! When God says it is time, it is time. Because of your faith, it will happen.

Should God visit you with some distress, there is no one to remove it except Him; and should He desire any good for you, none can stand in the way of His grace. He grants it to whomever He wishes of His servants, and He is the All-forgiving, the All-merciful.” (Qur’an, 10:107).

The third is living with a soft heart and teachable spirit. If you are going to be ready for your promotion, it is so important that you have a teachable spirit. You should always be willing to learn. Stay open to new ideas and new ways of doing things. If others are critical of you, do not get defensive, but take the opportunity to do a self-evaluation and use it to motivate yourself to grow and improve. A big part of being teachable is to be humble, especially with those God has placed in authority over you. That is a soft heart and a teachable spirit! Qur’an says,

“Give good news to My servants who listen to the words (of God) and follow the best sense of it. They are the ones whom God has guided, and it is they who possess intellect.” (Qur’an, 39:17-18).

The forth principles that will help you get ready for promotion is being obedient and submission. When you say, “God, I do not really understand this or agree with it, but I am going to follow You anyway,” you are passing the test and putting yourself in a position for God to promote you. God has strong hand is on you; he will promote you at the right time. Be like Ishmael that:

When he was old enough to assist in his endeavor, his father Ibrahim said, “My son! I see in a dream that I am sacrificing you. See what you think.” and Ishmael answered: “Father! Do whatever you have been commanded. If God wishes, you will find me to be patient.” (Qur’an, 37:102).

About the Obedience, the Qur’an says:

“All the response of the faithful, when they are summoned to God and His Apostle that He may judge between them, is to say, “We hear and obey.” It is they who are the felicitous. (Qur’an, 24:51).

Whoever obeys God and His Apostle, and fears God and is wary of Him it is they who will be the triumphant.” (Qur’an, 24:52).

Moreover, says about the submission:

“They will not believe until they make you a judge in their disputes, then do not find within their hearts any dissent to your verdict and submit in full submission.” (Qur’an, 4:65).

The other way of promotion is getting involved in serving others and be a blessing. One of the easiest things to do when you are facing trials is to turn inward and become self-focused. However, every day you should look for opportunities to do good and make a difference in other people’s lives.

A good way to wake up each morning is to ask, “Where is there a need that I can meet? How can I bless someone today?” If you take time for others, God will look out for your needs.

As Jesus, (peace be upon him) said, “we did not come to be served, but to serve.”1 And Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his pure progeny) said,

«الْخَلْقُ‏ عِيَالُ‏ اللَّهِ‏ فَأَحَبُّ الْخَلْقِ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَنْ نَفَعَ عِيَالَ اللَّهِ وَ أَدْخَلَ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ سُرُوراً».

“People are the family of God and the lovely one for God is the one who is most helpful to others and makes them happy.”2

Live a lifestyle of giving, because Almighty God promotes givers! Then you will be like the real believer.

They readily give others priority over themselves, even when they themselves need what they give away. Indeed, those who overcome their desires are the successful ones. (Qur’an, 59:9).

If you live by these Islamic principles, your life will be transformed like those of so many others who have already committed themselves to live above their circumstances.

- 1. Mark, 10/45.

- 2. Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 164.
الْخَلْقُ‏ عِيَالُ‏ اللَّهِ‏ فَأَحَبُّ الْخَلْقِ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَنْ نَفَعَ عِيَالَ اللَّهِ وَ أَدْخَلَ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ سُرُوراً.

Remove Negative Labels

Satan frightens you of poverty and prompts you to commit indecent acts, but God promises you His forgiveness and grace, and God is all-bounteous, all-knowing. (Qur’an, 2:268).

Throughout life, people are constantly sticking labels on you, telling you what you can and cannot become. Sometimes this is good. People speak faith into you. They encourage you. Then there are times that people put negative labels on you.

That is the way, the enemy works. He put labels on you to keep you from reaching your highest potential. He does not fight you for where you are. He fights you for where you are going. He knows God Almighty has amazing things in your future so he will try to discourage you, intimidate you, and make you feel inferior.

Satan frightens you of poverty and prompts you to commit indecent acts, but God promises you His forgiveness and grace, and God is all-bounteous, all-knowing. (Qur’an, 2:268).

You cannot prevent the negative labels but you can choose to remove them. Words are like seeds. If you dwell on them long enough, they will take root and become what was said. Then you try to remove that negative label but it is not easy. Those thoughts would play in your mind repeatedly. Thoughts like: “you are not good enough; you do not have what it takes.” Oppositely say to yourself: “I am strong in the lord. I can.”

Whatever the label you are wearing, you are going to become what that label says. You are giving it the power. Therefore, the real battle is taking place in your mind. Wrong labels can keep you from your destiny. So do not go the next 20 years allowing one negative comment to hold you back. You are not who people say, you are.

You are who Almighty God says you are. People will label you not good enough, too slow, too old, too many mistakes. God labels you strong, talented, valuable, more than a conqueror. God says “you are free. You are clean. You are healthy. You are whole.” Do not sell yourself short; remove any labels that are holding you back. You are from God. Almighty God says about your creation:

“I breathed from My spirit into him.” (Qur’an, 15:29).

Moreover, after your creation He said,

“So glory be to God, the best of creators.” (Qur’an, 23:14).

You are in the best form, as God says,

“We certainly created man in the best of forms.” (Qur’an, 95:4).

You have been made in the image of Almighty God1. So there is no any flaw in your creation. God did not make any mistakes. You are the perfect size. You have the right personality, the right gifts, and the right looks. You are the successor of God on earth. He says,

“Indeed I am going to set a viceroy and successor on the earth.” (Qur’an, 2:30).

Make sure that you are wearing the right labels. Many people wear the negative labels as if they are the truth. They do not know any better. This is the time to remove every negative label. Know that people do not determine your destiny; God does. We belong to Him.

Indeed, we belong to God, and to Him do we indeed return. (Qur’an, 2:156).

The only power that label has over you is the power that you give it. If you will remove it; quit acting like it is the truth then that label will have no effect on you.

Do not let negative labels hold you back. Those labels did not come from your creator. Just because somebody spoke them over you, does not mean it is the truth. You have the power to remove those negative labels. So why do not you remove that label? The same God that can help you get by in life can help you excel in life.

We serve a supernatural God. He can do everything. He can do what medicine cannot do. God is the real healer. Abraham said,

“And if I am sick, He is the One who cures me.” (Qur’an, 26:80).

God is not limited by your education, by your background, the family you come from. He is not moved by the things people have spoken over you. He knows the end from the beginning. He already has solutions to problems you have not even had. He can give child to an old man and a barren woman, as He did about Abraham and Zachariah.

Zachariah said, “My Lord! How shall I have a son, when my wife is barren, and I am already advanced in age?” God said, “So shall it be. Your Lord has said It is simple for Me. Certainly I created you before when you were nothing.” (Qur’an, 19:8-9).

God does whatever He wishes. (Qur’an, 3:40).

He can do everything. He gave to Saint Mary a pure sun. She said,

“How shall I have a child seeing that no human being has ever touched me, nor have I been unchaste?” He said, “So shall it be. Your Lord says, it is simple for Me. And so that We may make him a sign for mankind and a mercy from Us.” (Qur’an, 19:20-21).

Know that the keys of success are with God.

With Him are the keys to the unseen, none know them except He. Moreover, He knows what is in the land and in the sea; and not a leaf falls except with His knowledge; nor a seed in the darkness of the earth; nor anything moist or anything dry; all is in a clear record. (Qur’an, 6:59).

He Almighty is all-powerful and all knowing.

He is the Supreme over His servants; and He is the Wise, the Expert. (Qur’an, 6:18).

People may have tried to push you down but if you will just remove those labels and get in agreement with God, he will push you up.

Anyone who puts his trust in God, He suffices him. God’s commands will be done. (Qur’an, 65:3).

He will take you where you could not go on your own. You do not have to figure it all out. All God ask you to do first is believe. When you believe that God is with you and can do everything, all things are possible. Doors that have never opened will open and Almighty God will admit you in the mercy from Him.

As for those who believe in God and hold fast to Him, He will admit them in a mercy from Him and a bounty, and He will guide them to Himself, a Straight Path. (Qur’an, 4:175).

God says, “My mercy is bigger than any mistake. I can still get you to your destiny. I will give you beauty.” He says,

“O My servants who transgressed against themselves, do not despair of God’s mercy. For God forgives all sins. He is the Forgiver, the Merciful.” (Qur’an, 39:53).

Why do not you take off the washed up labels. Take off the failure, guilty, condemned labels and put on some new labels: Redeemed, restored, forgiven, bright future, new beginning.

You were never created to live an average life. You have seeds of greatness on the inside. You were created to be a history maker. God has an assignment for you that nobody else can fulfill. You are a part of his divine plan. You have something to offer that nobody else can offer. Nobody has your exact personality, your exact looks.

Do not wear that average label. If you think you are average then you will be average. If you think you are ordinary, then you will live an ordinary, get by life and never do anything great. The truth is there is nothing ordinary about you; you have the fingerprints of God all over you.

The creator of the universe breathed his life into you. He crowned you with his favor. You have a destiny to fulfill, something greater than you have ever even imagined.

God does not label the way people label. People look on the outside. God looks on the heart. He knows what you are capable of doing it. God can see the seeds of greatness that he has placed in you.

It is so easy to let what someone has spoken over you to keep you from really believing in yourselves. However, you should say, “What you said about me does not change what God said about me.”

You may have had negative things spoken over you, even by people that should have been encouraging you. Just leave these people and their words.

Say, God! Then leave them to play around in their impious gossip. (Qur’an, 6:91).

No weapon formed against you will ever prosper, but every tongue rose in judgment. Notice that God is not going to do it. You have to show it to be in the wrong. If you just working out keep being your best each day and keep asking Almighty God to help you, God will get you to where you are supposed to be. He says,

“As for those who strive in Our cause, we will guide them in Our paths. For God is with the pious.” (Qur’an, 29:69).

Has somebody told you that you cannot accomplish your dreams? There is always being negative labels trying to label you but God would not have given you the dream unless he had already equipped you. You already have what you need. What may seem like a limitation, God Almighty can use as an asset. God knows what he is doing. He has designed you specifically for the race that you are in.

God knows how powerful labels are. Maybe somebody has tried to label you average, slow learner, not talented, too many mistakes. No, God is saying: “I am placing a new label on you.”

The experts can be wrong. Experts built the titanic and it sunk. Do not let experts talk out of what God has put in your heart. People may label you many different things but you are not what people call you. You are what you answer to it. They can call you slow, but do not answer to it. Answer to victorious. Answer to talented. Answer to history maker. Answer to God Almighty.

O you, who believe, answer the call of God and His messenger when he calls you to what will grant you, life. (Qur’an, 8:24).

- 1. Saying of Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his pure progeny)

Pass The Tests

We will surely test you until We ascertain those of you who strive hard for the cause of God and those who are steadfast. (Qur’an, 47:31).

Many people do not realize how God speaks to them. They think it is going to be too big dramatic voice. But one way Almighty God speaks is through impressions and your knowing. Sometimes you may think, “I know I should go visit my parents. I know I should not eat so many sweets and something like these.” The “I knows” are God’s talking to you. It is a still small voice; not out loud but a knowing or an impression. Knowing is clear but impression is like what you read in the Qur’an about mother of Moses. Qur’an says,

“We inspired to Moses' mother: Suckle him, and when you become fearful for him, then cast him off in the sea, and do not fear nor grieve.” (Qur’an, 28:7).

The question is: what should you do when you feel in this way? You should be sensitive to what you feel down in here. Do not ignore it. Learn to be quick to obey. Lots of time, you know what you should do but you make excuses and reason it out; try to soothe your conscience. You will feel an impression to be good to somebody, a desire to do something good. That is not just a nice thought. That is God asking you to do it. Too often, we dismiss it and think oh I do not feel like it.

I do not really know them, maybe another time. However, if you do not learn to pass these small tests and do what God is asking you to do, it will keep you from the big things Almighty God has in store.

Do not say, “I will do it latter. I am busy now.” You have to understand that Almighty God does not ask you to do it for His sake. He asks you to do it for your own sake. God tells His prophets to say people:

“Whatever reward I may have asked you is for your own good.” (Qur’an, 34:47).

He is trying to increase you, get you into the fullness of your destiny. So He tests you and before God will release big blessings, He will give small tests. He says,

“We will surely test you until We ascertain those of you who strive hard for the cause of God and those who are steadfast.” (Qur’an, 47:31).

God wants to know, “can I trust you? Will you be quick to obey or will I have to ask you again?”

Listen, talk is cheap. You can say, “God I promise I will be good to people. I will give to the people. I will give to the homeless. I will support my mosque.” No, God says, “will you give that 1000, I am asking you to give now? Will you buy that person's dinner? Will you do that now?”

Pass these small tests. Obey the “I knows” on the inside, quickly. God speaks to you about everyday practical things. You are going to pay attention to what feeling down in here. You have to make the first move. God does not force you to do this; he has given you your own free will. He says,

“Indeed We have guided him to the way, be he grateful or ungrateful.” (Qur’an, 76:3).

And says,

“There is no compulsion in religion; rectitude has become distinct from error.” (Qur’an, 2:256).

So choose the best way and obey quickly. Know that whenever God asks you to give something up he is never trying to take something away. He is trying to get something better to you. As you grow, develop, and mature, the more of his blessings and favor will be released.

Do not say, “I want to do something more important.” No, unless you obey in the small, God cannot entrust you with much. Everybody is not going to sensitive to God’s voice and have the discipline and determination to become all they were created to be. Do not confuse small with insignificant. It may be a small thing, but without passing the small tests, you will not step into the fullness of your destiny.

Be careful that something small does not hold you back. You know you need to do it but you do not feel like it. You keep putting it off, thinking “ah it is no big deal.” No, it is a big deal. Start passing the small tests. Every time you obey, a blessing will follow. Here the real test.

Will you be your best right where you are even though you are doing something that you know is beneath you? It may be difficult but God will never ask you do to something and then not give you the power to do it. Whatever tests you are facing, you have the grace to pass it.

God does not task any soul beyond its capacity. (Qur’an, 2:286).

Do not make excuses. Excuses can keep you from your destiny. It was the act of obedience that released the fullness of God’s power.

Obey God and obey the Apostle, and do not render your works void. (Qur’an, 47:33).

God wants you to be surrendered. When you do what God asking you to do, even if it is small, it will activate the greatness of God’s power. It is not so much, what you do, but the power is in the obedience. Maybe God is asking you to do something that seems small, that is not big deal.

When you obey, negative situations turn around. You would see your breakthrough, your healing, your promotion; a dream comes to pass, if you just do the small thing that God is asking you to do.

For those who answer the summons of their Lord there shall be the best of rewards. (Qur’an, 13:18).

To those who do good work will be good and more, and their faces will not be darkened or humiliated. These are the people of Paradise, in it they will abide. (Qur’an, 10:26).

Sometimes you do not realize these little tests that you are not passing, thinking - “oh man it does not really matter. I know I should but I will do one day” - It is keeping you from fulfilling your destiny. It may be something small but your act of obedience will cause God to release the big thing that he has in store. He says,

“Fulfill My covenant that I may fulfill your covenant.” (Qur’an, 2:40).

May be you are waiting on God, but the fact is that God is waiting on you. God puts people in your path on purpose so you can be a blessing to them. Anytime you do good for others you are sowing a seed for God to be good to you.

Take time to follow what God has put in your heart. Be willing to be inconvenienced. It may seem small to you but you do not know what kind of impact it will have on that other person. One of the best things I have learned is to obey quickly.

Hasten towards your Lord's forgiveness and a paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the God wary. (Qur’an, 3:133).

When God ask you to do it, do it right then. When God told you to do something, do not overanalyze it. Do not reason it out. If you think about it too long, you can miss your destiny. Quit making excuses. Quit reasoning it out. God knows what he is doing. He can see thing that you cannot see.

It may be that you dislike something while it is good for you, and it may be that you love something while it is bad for you. God knows and you do not know. (Qur’an, 2:216).

When God asks you to forgive, he does not mean partially forgive. Do it completely. Partial obedience is not obedience. Obey your Lord quickly and completely and then try to save your obedience.

Obey God and obey the Apostle, and do not render your works void. (Qur’an, 47:33).

It may seem hard but the greater the difficulty, the greater the reward. When you sow a seed of obedience, you will reap a radical reward.

Therefore, whoever does an atoms weight of good will see it. (Qur’an, 99:7).

and whoever brings virtue shall receive ten times it’s like. (Qur’an, 6:160).

A person who is a scholar now, said, “one day I came out of my house and I saw a poor man. He asked me for help. I had just 5 dollars and gave all of it to him. After some hours, I saw one of my friends. He gave me 50 dollars and said, “it is the money that I had borrowed you some months ago.” It was ten times. At noon, one of my friends asked me to lend him some money and I gave him all of my money, 50 dollars.

Then before I return home, I saw one of my relatives and he gave me 5000 dollars. He said, “it is from your village”.” Therefore:

Whoever brings virtue shall receive ten times its like. (Qur’an, 6:160).

You should just obey.

Do not be like faithless people. When God tests them and asks them to obey and give from their properties, they do not obey.

When they are told, Spend out of what God has provided you, the faithless say to the faithful, shall we feed someone whom God would have fed, had He wished? (Qur’an, 36:47).

True believer is obedient to God. Imam Al-Baqir1 (peace be upon him) said, “By God, He is not our follower except the one who obeys Almighty God.”2 Let us make a decision to fully obey. If you obey in the small, because you obey quickly, God is about to release big blessings, big opportunities, new levels of favor, healing, restoration, vindication and promotion.

When God looks down at you and sees how you are passing the tests, He will say, “I can count on him. He is quick to obey. I can use him to do great thing.” Remember every time you obey, a blessing will follow. Do not ignore the “I knows”. Be quick to obey.

Do not confuse small with insignificant. If you learn to obey these small tests, there is no limit to how high God will take you. He is who “gives big for small!”3 If you try your best to obey quickly and pass the tests then you would go to step in to the fullness of your destiny and become everything God has created you to be.

- 1. The fifth Imam of Shia Muslims.

- 2. Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 73.

- 3. It is part of a prayer in month of Rajab.

Do It Immediately

Why should you not spend in the way of God, while to God belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth? Not equal to others are those of you who spent and fought before the victory. They are greater in rank than those who have spent and fought afterwards. Yet God has promised the best reward to each and God is well aware of what you do. (Qur’an, 57:10).

Suppose, one of your children spilled something on the carpet, so you went and found some stain remover. The directions said you needed to get to that spot as quickly as possible, and not to let it dry or soak in, but that you should put the solution on it immediately. In other words, the quicker you dealt with it, the easier it would be to remove.

It is the same way in your life. When God brings something to light, revealing an area that you need to change, or something that you need to make right, that is when you need to take action. Not next week when you feel like it, or next month when your circumstances are better; No, you need to do it immediately.

Hasten towards your Lord's forgiveness and a paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the God wary. (Qur’an, 3:133).

Procrastination — putting off until later what you ought to do now — is so easy to justify. You think, “One day I am going to do that, so I am not really being disobedient.” You say, “Someday, I am going to get serious about my relationship with God, but not right now.

One day I am going to get back in shape. One day I am going to get my finances in order. Sometime soon, I am going to forgive that person that hurt me.” However, unfortunately, for many people, one day never comes.

Qur’an teaches that if the enemy cannot get you to be disobedient, his next plan of attack is to deceive you into putting off what you know you should do. “God, I am planning to do it, just not right now. I am planning to tithe to give ten percent of my income to the mosque as soon as my finances get better.

I am planning to serve in the children’s ministry as soon as the work schedule slows down at my office.” You are saying: “I have good intentions; I am planning to be obedient, so that is not so bad.”
Nevertheless, good intentions do not equal obedience. In fact, delayed obedience is disobedience.

Why should you not spend in the way of God, while to God belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth? Not equal to others are those of you who spent and fought before the victory. They are greater in rank than those who have spent and fought afterwards. Yet God has promised the best reward to each and God is well aware of what you do. (Qur’an, 57:10).

When God speaks to your heart about changing your attitude, or apologizing to that loved one, or treating somebody better, yet you keep putting it off, that will destroy your joy and keep you from God’s best. Rather than being a procrastinator, be a now person. Start doing what God has put in your heart right now. Do not merely intend to be obedient, but promptly obey.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said, “Remedy what is left of your age, and do not say I will do it tomorrow or the day after tomorrow; for those who were before you perished of their stay on the aspirations and procrastination until the command of God came to them suddenly and they were heedless.”1

Maybe you go to bed with a guilty conscience because you are putting off what you know you should be doing. Procrastination makes you feel badly about yourself; it condemns you. You walk in the house, and see that dirty laundry room that you have been meaning to clean for two months, you have a sink full of dishes, or your garage is a mess.

You think, “What is wrong with me? I am never going to get this place cleaned up. I am so lazy. I might as well go in and sit down and watch some more TV.” That is a negative cycle, and it will continue unless you put your foot down and say, “I am going to get my house in order. I am going to make some changes today. No more procrastinating for me.” Be like those:

Who are zealous in performing good works, rush in the goodness, and take the lead in them. (Qur’an, 23:61).

Perhaps Almighty God has been dealing with you about getting out of debt, about controlling your spending, and not being so quick to use those credit cards. You say, “Yes, one day, I will get my spending in order, but let me run to the mall one more time.” On the other hand, I can hear you say, “Oh, you hit the nail on the head. I have to do something with my finances. I know I need to balance my checkbook. So, in the next month or two, I am going to sit down and do it.” No, do not put that off. The longer you put things off the harder they are to do. Do it now. Be a true believer. Be among the righteous.

They have faith in God and the Last Day, bid what is right, forbid what is wrong, and are active in performing good deeds; they hasten in goodness. They are among the righteous. (Qur’an, 3:114).

Are you putting off living a healthier life? Maybe you know you need to get on an exercise program and get in shape. You may be thinking, “That is right, that is me; and sure enough, I am going to do it. I know I eat too much junk food. I drink too many sodas.

Yes, I am going to make changes, but some other time. I am going to start this summer as soon as the kids get out of school.” No, that is delayed obedience. That is not God’s best. Start today; do it now! Respond to the Almighty God immediately so He will answer your prayer. Be like Zechariah and John. God says about them:

“So We answered his prayer, and gave him John, and remedied his wife's infertility for him. Indeed they were active in performing good works and used to hasten to do good, and they would supplicate Us with eagerness and awe and were humble before Us.” (Qur’an, 21:90).

If you know the right thing to do, but you are not doing it, then that is sin. If you know in your heart that something is not right for you, and you go against your conscience, that is disobedience; you will not have God’s blessings on those activities.

Whatever is not from faith is sin. In other words, if you cannot engage in an activity with confidence that you are pleasing God, for you that activity is out of line with His plan. Maybe there is a person that you need to forgive. God has been dealing with you about it. He says,

“let them excuse and forbear. Do you not love, that God should forgive you? And God is all-forgiving, all-merciful.” (Qur’an, 24:22).

However, you think, “I cannot do that; they hurt me too badly. What they did was not right; it was not fair.” The longer you put it off, the more difficult it is going to be. On the other hand, if you will take that first step of faith and release any bitterness or resentment, you will be amazed at how joy overflows in your life.

You may be asking, “How do I know when it is really God’s timing?” Simple; it is God’s timing when He is dealing with you about a matter. Maybe it is something you have been neglecting, an area you need to change; something you have been putting off.

Be willing to do something about it. Stop putting off the apologies you need to make. Stop putting off the little jobs around the home and the office that need to be done. Do not procrastinate when it comes to your health and taking care of the body that God has given you. When you know what is right, but you just keep putting it off, you risk missing God’s best. Of course, God can take care of you, but God expects you to do your part. He says,

“fulfill My covenant that I may fulfill your covenant.” (Qur’an, 2:40).

As it mentioned do not be like the people of Israel. Moses said to them:

“O my people enter the Holy Land, which God has ordained for you.” They said, “O Moses, in it are a mighty people, and we will not enter it until they leave. So when they leave, then we will enter it.” (Qur’an, 5:21-22).

What did happen then?

God said “It shall be forbidden them for forty years; they shall wander about in the earth. So do not grieve for the transgressing lot.” (Qur’an, 5:26).

Quit putting off what you know in your heart is the right thing to do. You may be putting off spending time with your family. You are so busy; you work all the time. Your attitude is, “One day I am going to slow down and enjoy these children that God has given me.

One day, I am going to take that trip to visit my parents who are getting up in age. One day, I am going to call that loved one that I have been thinking about.” No, take time now for the people you love. You do not really know how long they are going to be here.

No soul knows what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul knows in what land it will die. Indeed God is all-knowing, all-aware. (Qur’an, 31:34).

A friend said, a man approached me; he was in his early fiftieth, and he was sobbing. His parents had done something that had offended him, and for several years, he would not have anything to do with them. He was holding on to bitterness and resentment. He knew he should let it go, forgive them, and overlook their faults, but he would not do it.

He was hard-headed and his attitude was, “One day, I will make things right. But right now, I am going to show them.” Unfortunately, one day never came. His father had a massive stroke and instantly he was gone. The son was living with guilt and shame. If he had to do it again, he would not have put off making things right with his parents.

When, people do you wrong, God expects you to let the offenses go. Life is too short to hold a grudge. Stop putting off forgiving the people that have done you wrong. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said, “Opportunity passes over like the clouds so do not miss good opportunities.”2

Stop putting off spending time with the people that you love. So often, you take people for granted. “I am going to go see my parents when my kids get through with their baseball season, or when I get a little bit more money.”

However, if you wait for all the conditions to be just right, you will never get off dead center. There will never be a perfect time to do what God has put in your heart. You have to make a decision that you are going to do it now.

Do not miss opportunities to be good to people. For instance, maybe God is prompting you to give somebody some money. Do not overanalyze it. “Well, God, I think I need the money more than they do. Is this really you, God? I better pray about this for a couple of weeks.” No, that is an excuse for not doing what you know God is telling you to do.

Do not be like people of Moses (peace be upon him) who delayed obedience. God commanded the people of Israel to slaughter a cow, but they made excuses and put it off.

Moses said to his people: “God orders you to slaughter a heifer.” They said, “Do you mock us?” He said, “I seek refuge with God that I not be of the ignorant ones.” They said, “Call upon your Lord for us that He may clarify which it is.” He said, “He says it is ... So now do as you are commanded.” They said, “Call upon your Lord for us that He may clarify what color it is.” He said, “He says it is ...” They said, “Call upon your Lord for us that He may clarify which one it is ...” He said, “He says it is a ...” They said, “Now you have come with the truth.” They slaughtered it, though they were about not to do it. (Qur’an, 2:67-71).

Many times, somebody’s name comes to mind, and I know I should go call him or her and encourage him or her. I feel so strongly about it, but I am in the middle of watching the ball game. I have even said, “God, I am going to do that later. I will call them tomorrow. Or maybe I will invite them out to eat next week.” My intentions are good, but then life gets busy.

Other things take priority, and I miss out on sowing that seed of blessing. I have learned that when a person comes to mind, I need to respond now. If I cannot get them on the phone, I will leave a message, or ask one of my assistants, Hey, “send these guys a note;” let them know you are thinking of them, see if there is anything you can do to help.

In what area is God dealing with you? Are you putting off being good to people? Some people are putting off making peace with God. People tell, “I need to get back in mosque. I know I need to start living right, making better choices, and resisting temptations.

It is just not the right time. But one day you are going to see me there.” Others say, “As soon as I break these addictions, as soon as I get rid of these bad habits, then I will be there.” Really, they have it backwards; come to God just as you are and He will help you get your life cleaned up.

The trick of the enemy is to tell you, “Do it tomorrow. You can do it some other time. Do it after you get out of college. These are your party years; do it later.” This is Taswif. Do not believe those lies. Qur’an says,

“O mankind! Eat of what is lawful and pure in the earth, and do not follow in Satan's steps. Indeed, he is your manifest enemy. He only prompts you to commit evil and indecent acts, and that you attribute to God what you do not know.” (Qur’an, 2:168-169).

Today is the day of salvation. Today is the day you need to make positive changes in your lives. God is a God of the now, and whatever area He may be dealing with you in, start to do it now. That is the only way you are going to experience His abundant life.

You may wonder why you are not happy and fulfilled. Maybe it is because you are not doing what you know you should be doing. You keep pushing down what God is bringing up. Understand that Almighty God will not force you to live happily. He has given you free will. He says,

“Indeed We have guided him to the way, be he grateful or ungrateful.” (Qur’an, 76:3).

Every day, you must choose to listen to your conscience, to be good to people, to resist temptation. It is an ongoing process. Human nature always wants to put it off, to do it later. That is what you do many times; “we will take care of it next month, but not right now.”

Next month rolls around, and you say, “Oh, God, I am going to deal with that, but let me do it a little bit later.” Before you know it, you have put something off for a year, five years, even ten years.

Notice what happens when you procrastinate. If you are not happy today, and you are working all the time, but you cannot seem to get ahead, you need to consider your ways. When you put off what you know you should be doing, it is as you are trying to fill up a bag that has holes in it.

Start doing what God tells you to do right now. Do not make excuses. Do not look for a more convenient time. Just rise up and do it.

I give you just a single advice: that you rise up for God’s sake, in twos, or individually. (Qur’an, 34:46).

Remember, good intentions are not the same as obedience.

Not equal to others are those of you who spent and fought before the victory. They are greater in rank than those who have spent and fought afterwards. (Qur’an, 57:10).

If Almighty God is speaking to you about areas you have been putting off, do not regard that as condemnation. God is trying to take you to a higher level. If you will do your part and be quick to obey, you will not fall into the procrastination trap; you will not place your treasure in a bag with holes in it. God wants to do His part; it is time for you to do yours. Do it now!

- 1. Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 136.

- 2. Nahj Al-Balagha (Sobhi Saleh), p. 471.

Fight The Blues

We will surely test you with a measure of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth, lives, and fruits; and give good news to the patient, those who, when an affliction visits them, say, “Indeed we belong to God, and to Him do we indeed return.” (Qur’an, 2:155-156).

You all have times when you wake up in the morning and feel the blahs and blues; you do not feel very excited. However, just because you feel those emotions does not mean you have to stay there and give in to them; you can shake it off and move forward in faith relying on God’s strength.

Know that having to choose to rule over negative feelings is something every person has to deal with. Do not think you are alone if you feel this way. Turn to God and His hope. Do not think, “If I just had more money, if I had a better job, if I had a different spouse, then I would be in a good mood; then I would not have to deal with these feelings.” No, you may think that, but every person has to fight the temptation to just give in and live by how he feels. God Almighty says,

“We will surely test you with a measure of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth, lives, and fruits; and give good news to the patient, those who, when an affliction visits them, say," Indeed we belong to God, and to Him do we indeed return.” (Qur’an, 2:155-156).

And says,

“We will surely test you until We ascertain those of you who wage jihad (and strive), and those who are steadfast, and We shall appraise your record.” (Qur’an, 47:31).

One of the disciples of Imam Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) ask him about trial and tribulation and how Almighty God reserves it for the believer. The Imam answered: “The Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his pure progeny) was asked as to who was most severely put to trial in the world.

He said, “The Prophets, then the closer to perfection, and then the closer; and the believer is put to test in proportion to his faith and the merit of his deeds; he whose belief is correct and his deeds good, his trial is harder, and he whose belief is feeble and his deeds weaker, his trial is lesser”.”1

You may have many problems in your life and face some disasters, some afflictions but you should know that it is only a test of your faith and you should stay for the joy.

Know that as Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his pure progeny) said, “This world is the prison of the believer and the paradise of the unbeliever.” you have to pass this test. Count it all joy when you fall into various trials. Know that God wants something better for you. God loves you and verily when God, the Mighty, the Great, loves a servant, He immerses him in tribulation thorough immersing.2

Keep your peace; control yourself and start passing this test. Know that God wants to refine you and purify you. Know that as Imam Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said, “The believer is like the scale of a balance; the more his faith increases, the more his trouble increases.”3

He said, “A believer does not pass forty nights without something sorrowful happening to him, which reminds his Lord to him”,4 and said, “Worries and grieves always remain with a believer until they wipe out his sins.”5

Imam Al-Baqir (peace be upon him) said, “Verily God takes care of a believer through trials as a man takes care of his family through gifts during (his) absence; and denies to him the world as a physician denies harmful food to a patient.”6 And The Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his pure progeny) said, If a believer were to live on a mountain, God, the Mighty, the Great, would surely send someone to him to annoy him, in order that He should give him [the believer] its reward.”7 Bible said, “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”8

You can grow up. Almighty God tries to teach you to not rely on what everybody saying but instead to just do your best on to him. Stop looking at your problems and start looking at your God. Know that true joy is found only in God, when you take off your eyes of how you feel and your circumstances and place them on God and His Word.

Sometimes in hard situations, the best things you can do is reciting the Qur’an or talking to yourself. When you are tempted to be in a bad mood, go look in the mirror and say, “Listen here, self. You need to cheer up. Get your joy back; get your peace back. I am not going to live this day defeated.” You have to stay on the offensive. Do not wait until you have been down for three days before you decide to do something about it.

The moment you feel that discouragement trying to come on you, rise up and say, “No, I am not going there.” You wake up in the morning and feel the blahs, you say, “Nope; that is not for me. This is going to be a good day. It is the day the Lord has made.”

Do you know being in a sour mood because of your problems, does not make it better; it makes it worse. It puts more pressure on you. It makes you more miserable. A better approach is to say, “God, I am turning this situation over to You. I am not going to let it steal my joy. I know You are in control. And at the right time, I believe You will not only turn it around, but You will bring me out better off than I was before.”

That is how you rule over negative feelings. It is simply a decision that you make every day where you have to dig your heels in and decide that your feelings are not going to dictate what kind of day you are going to have. You can rule over your emotions and choose to be in a good mood in spite of how you feel. You can choose what kind of day you are going to have. You can choose how you are going to live your life.

Some of you, maybe in the natural, have a good reason to be down and discouraged, but do not allow yourself to go there. When you are stable in spite of what is come against you that is one of the best ways to show God that you trust Him; that you are faithful. The faithful are those to whom the people say,

“All the people have gathered against you; so fear them.” but that only increased them in faith, and they say, “God is sufficient for us, and He is an excellent trustee.” (Qur’an, 3:173).

Decide not to live by how you feel. Go deeper than that and start living by what you know. You know that

God has full command of His affairs, but most people do not know. (Qur’an, 12:21).

You know that

to God belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and God has power over all things. (Qur’an, 3:189).

You know He has a great plan for your life. The Almighty says,

“No affliction visits the earth or yourselves but it is in a Book before We bring it about. That is indeed easy for God.” (Qur’an, 57:22).

You know His power is greater than any other power.

God’s hand is above their hands. (Qur’an, 48:10).

When you wake up and those old negative, discouraging thoughts and feelings come, shake them off. Be done with that roller coaster living. Do not give into your emotions and let them keep you from God’s blessings and promotion. Start choosing to live each day in God’s peace. Decide that you are going to have a great day. By doing so, you will see God work in your life in greater ways because your eyes are fixed toward Him instead of your situation.

Whoever puts his trust in God, He will suffice him. Indeed God carries through His command. (Qur’an, 65:3).

You will live the life of victory He has in store for you! So in hard situation be calm and just say,

“I entrust my affair to God. Indeed God sees best the servants.” (Qur’an, 40:44).

- 1. Tuhaf Al-’Uqul, p. 39.

- 2. This is a tradition that has been narrated from Imam Al-Baqir (peace be upon him).

- 3. Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 254.

- 4. Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 254.

- 5. Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 254.

- 6. Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 259.

- 7. Wasa’il Al-Shia, vol. 12, p. 123.

- 8. James 1/12.

Do Business In Deep Waters

Say, “God!” Then leave them to play around in their impious gossip. (Qur’an, 6:91).

If you are going to do anything important in life, there will be oppositions, setbacks, delays, critics. Many people get discouraged and think, “Why this happens to me? Why is God testing just me? Why He asks me to do this?” For example Qur’an says about some people that

when fighting was prescribed for them, behold, a part of them were afraid of people as if fearing God, or were even more afraid, and they said, “Our Lord! Why did You prescribe fighting for us? Why did You not respite us for a short time?!” (Qur’an, 4:77).

It is because you are taking new ground, because you are making progress. When you have big dreams you are going to have big challenges and you will face big problems. You are going in deep water and when you go to deep water, you will see the wonders of God.

In the ocean on the surface, the water is always changing, depending on the wind, the tide, what time of year, even what time of day. It can be very smooth and calm. Later in the day, it can be rough and choppy. When the wind is strong and the tide is just right, there can be ten-foot waves. What is interesting is if you go down about 30 feet deep, the water never changes.

It is calm and still as can be. That is the way you need to be. In life, on the surface, things will always be going on like waves. That is just life. However, deep down in that spirit person you have calmness and peace in your spirit.

If you were an average person then you would have average problems, but here is the key; you are not average. You are not in the shallow waters. God put seeds of greatness in you. He has destined you to leave your mark on this generation. You cannot expect ordinary problems. You are a history maker. You are a world changer. People do not talk about average people. They talk about extraordinary people.

You are a major person and you have a major destiny. The enemy would leave you alone if you were not a major threat. He would not bother you if you did not have something amazing in your future.

We serve an extraordinary God. He can get you to where you are supposed to be. When you are in the deep waters, you are not wasting your time try to convince everyone to like you; win over all your critics; prove to your family members that you really are okay. Everybody is not going to like you; to understand you. Your friends may not celebrate your success. Shake it off and run your race.

Say, “God!” Then leave them to play around in their impious gossip. (Qur’an, 6:91).

And turn away from them and put your trust in God. God is enough for your trust. (Qur’an, 4:81).

You do not have time to go for all that pettiness. You are a history maker. You cannot please every person and please God at the same time. If you please Almighty God, He will take care of your critics. Imam Ali1 (peace be upon him) said, “One who correct, improve and modify between him and God, God will fit and improve between him and the people.”2 You should not fear them but you have to be careful about your Lord.

Do you fear them? However, God is worthier of being feared by you, should you be faithful. (Qur’an, 9:13).

You are not supposed to engage in every battle. You do not have more energy for this. We all love our family but some family members you have to love them from a distance. You have to accept the fact that some people are never going to be for you. Treat them with respect but you do not need their approval to fulfill your destiny. Do not get lured over into the shallow waters trying to prove to them who you are.

Stay in the deep waters. There will always be people trying to pull you into the shallow waters, criticize, find fault, discredit. Do not waste your time with that. Set your face like a flint and run your own race.

So be patient! God’s promise is indeed true. Do not let yourself be upset by those who have no conviction. (Qur’an, 30:60).

Think about Saul. He was chosen to be the next king of Israel. Samuel called them up in front of all the people, and said, “He is our next leader.” Most of the people were happy for Saul but some of his longtime friends did not like Samuel's choice. They began to laugh, make fun, ridicule; “Saul is not going to be our king. Saul does not have what it takes. He is poor.”

The truth is they were jealous of Saul. They were so insecure, so intimidated; they tried to push him down so that they would look bigger, but what did Saul does? He ignored them. He paid them no mind. Because he knew that God has chosen him, so he is the best. He is in deep water.

Qur’an says about this:

“And their prophet said to them: “God has sent Saul to you as a king.” They said, “How can he have the kingship when we are more deserving than him, and he has not been given an abundance of wealth?” He said, “God has chosen him over you and increased him in knowledge and stature. God gives His kingship to whom He chooses; and God is Encompassing, Knowledgeable”.” (Qur’an, 2:247).

Small-minded people will not celebrate you. So do not ever fight battles with small-minded people. Your destiny is too great to be distracted by someone that is small. They are not going where God is taking you. They do not control your destiny God does. They are distractions to try to lure you into the shallow waters to keep you from God’s best. Your assignment is too important; your time is too valuable to be distracted by negative, critical, jealous, small-minded people.

No weapon formed against you will prosper. Because you are honoring Almighty God, trusting Him in the deep waters, God says you will see his wonders. That means his protection, his vindication and his favor.

God is fully aware of your enemies; and God is enough as a supporter, and God is enough as a victor. (Qur’an, 4:45).

Almighty God says, “I am got you in the palm of my hand. You keep your trust in me and no weapon formed against you will prosper.”

Instead of complaining about how big the obstacle is, how somebody is talking about you, well come back to that place of peace. If God be for you, who dare be against you?

If God grants you victory then none can defeat you, and if He abandons you then who can grant you victory after Him? Towards God the believers should put their trust. (Qur’an, 3:160).

You may be up against a big challenge today but that tells me you have a big destiny. The size of your problem is an indication of the size of your future. See the prophets. For example David: He had a big destiny, so God sand him a big problem. God send him to Goliath. Without Goliath, he would still be known as a shepherd boy.

David killed Goliath, and God gave him the kingship and the wisdom and taught him what He wished. (Qur’an, 2:251).

Think about Joseph. He had big challenges. His brothers betrayed him and cast him into the bottom of the well. He went to prison for something that he did not do. However, Almighty God gave him authority in the land. Qur’an says,

“And it was such that We gave Joseph authority in the land, to travel in it as he pleases. We bestow Our mercy upon whom We please, and We do not waste the reward of the good doers.” (Qur’an, 12:56).

After those hard situations, difficulties and problems Joseph became a ruler and a governor, and God preferred him to his brothers. At last, his brothers came to him and asked for forgiveness.

They said, “By God, God Has indeed preferred you over us and we were wrongdoers.” He said, “There is no blame on you this day, may God forgive you, and He is the most Merciful of those who show mercy.” (Qur’an, 12:91-92).

That is the way Almighty God is. If you will stay in faith, God will make the enemy pay for bringing that trouble into your life. The more people try to make you look bad, the better God will make you look.

Think about Moses. Pharaoh killed and slaughtered the sons of The Israelites because they wanted to kill their enemy. However, God inspired Moses’s mother that when you felt he is in danger put him in a chest and cast him into the sea. What happen then? Almighty God saved Moses with his enemy.

Then the people of Pharaoh took him up from the sea so that by God’s will he become their enemy and the source of their grief. (Qur’an, 28:8).

The enemy always fights you the hardest, when you are close to your victory. So when you tempted to get discouraged, sour, go back to the shallow waters, it is never going to work out, it is been too long; that is the time that you have to dig your heels in and say, “I am coming too far to stop now. My God is still on the throne, fighting my battles.”

The forces that are for you are greater than the forces that are against you. Your destiny cannot be stopped by bad breaks, by oppositions, by obstacles. God has the final saying. When you stay in agreement with him, he will get you to where you are supposed to be.

You are in it to win it. Do not let this bad break, this unfair situation, this disappointment steal your dreams. Go to give birth to everything God has placed in your heart. Nothing that you have been through has been wasted. It made you stronger. It helped you develop your character.

So often you are focused on what you lost, how unfair it was. You do not think it is going to change. No, do not name your future based on a negative past. Every day is a new day; God is doing a new thing.

Every day He is engaged in some work. So which of your Lord's bounties will you both deny? (Qur’an, 55:29-30).

The enemy you have seen in the past you will see no more. God has shifted things in your favor. Your attitude should be this is only temporary. He is going to open the new doors of opportunity. This is what David, Moses and other prophets did.

They went through plenty of bad breaks, disappointment, but they did not name their future based on their past. Think about Prophet Muhammad. He was an orphan, but God saved Him and gave Him a manifest victory. He established a big government. God told him:

“Indeed We have inaugurated for you a clear victory.” (Qur’an, 48:1).

God’s honor is heavy on you. You are heavy with God’s favor. God has equipped you, empowered you and no weapon formed against you can prosper. Now pay no mind to the people that are trying to discourage you. God Almighty did not put the promise in them; He put the promise in you. What God started in your life He will finish.

When you honor God like that, He will make more out of your life than you ever imagined. Trust in God and be sure that you will overcome every obstacle, defeat every enemy and become everything that God has created you to be. Know that:

Whoever puts his trust in God, He will suffice him. Indeed God carries through His command. (Qur’an, 65:3).

- 1. . The first Imam of Shia Muslims.

- 2. . Nahj Al-Balagha (Sobhi Salih), p. 483.

Repent To Him

O My servants, who have committed excesses against their own souls, do not despair of the mercy of God. Indeed God will forgive all sins. Indeed, He is the All-forgiving, the All-merciful. (Qur’an, 39:53).

Most of the time you believe that Almighty God loves you as long as you make good decisions, resisting temptation, treating people right. You know that God loves you. You know he is on your side. However, the problem with this kind of reasoning is we all make mistakes.

Indeed human is most unfair and senseless. (Qur’an, 33:72).

No matter how good of a person you are, there will be times that you do not perform perfectly, times that you have doubts, times that you fail. You know you should bite your tongue but you told them off anyway. You said it would be the last time but you gave into compromise once again.

When you do not perform perfectly it is easy to think that God is far from you; that God would never have anything to do with you. However, the truth is when you fall; God does not turn away from you. He comes running toward you. When you blew it, God does not say, too bad. You had your chance. He comes after you with passion.

Maybe you can say that when you make a mistake God does not love the same but He may love you a little more! He will turns up the intensity. He will send people across your path to encourage you, to help reignite your faith. Maybe you are walking through the neighborhood, you hear the azan from mosque and you feel a warm-ness on the inside.

That is the mercy of God coming after you, saying:

“O My servants who have committed excesses against their own souls, do not despair of the mercy of God. Indeed God will forgive all sins. Indeed, He is the All-forgiving, the All-merciful. (Qur’an, 39:53).

You may have blown it but you are still My servant. You may have let Me down but I am not going to let you down. You may have lost faith in Me but I have not lost faith in you.”

You have to have a perfect performance. You should never have a doubt; you should never make a mistake. Certainly, you should try your best each day to honor God. You should:

Revere God as He deserves to be revered, and do not die except as ones who have surrendered. (Qur’an, 3:102).

However, what I am saying is, do not beat yourself up if you do not perform perfectly all the time. God loves imperfect people. God knows that every mistake that you will ever make. All of your days have been written in his book from the beginning to the end. He says,

“It is indeed Us who resurrect the dead, and We record what they have done and left behind. And everything We have counted in a clear ledger.” (Qur’an, 36:12).

God knows every time you take the easy way out, Every time you will lose your temper. The good news is God still chose you. He still says, “You are my servant, and I will still help you fulfill your destiny.” Why? Because God’s love is not based on your performance, it is based on your relationship. You are his servants and His family. As the Prophet (peace be upon him and his pure progeny) said, “People are God’s family.”1

You may made mistake; you may have failed, but none of you have failed as big as Hurr2. None of you fought with the Imam. You would think that Hurr would have missed his destiny. Sourly God would not have anything to do with him. No, when you make a mistake God does not turn away from you. He turns to you. He tries to help you. He does not love you less. He comes after you.

They started the battle on the day of Ashura. Hurr changed his way and Imam and of course Almighty God, accepted the repentance from Hor. indeed

He is the One who accepts the repentance from His servants, and He forgives the sins. He is fully aware of what you do. (Qur’an, 42:25).

God says, “I am the God of another chance. When you fall, I come running toward you.” God does not cancel your destiny because you have a few detours. Some of you today are kind of down on yourself because you are not where you thought you would be in life. You have made some poor choices. You are letting the guilt weigh you down. That heaviness is keeping you from God’s best.

God Almighty calls you and says, “I have forgiven you. I am not disappointed in you. I am not withholding my blessing. I still have an amazing future in front of you.” God is calling your name today. He is running toward you.

Indeed your Lord is expansive in His forgiveness. He knows you best since the time He produced you from the earth. (Qur’an, 53:32).

God is saying, “I am not just the God of perfect people. I am not just the God of people that never make a mistake. I am the God of people that have failed. I am the God of the people that have blown it.

My mercy encompasses all things.” (Qur’an, 7:156).

The first person that Jesus (peace be upon him) revealed himself to, as the messiah was not the religious leaders. It was not a priest. It was a woman; a woman who had made mistakes, a woman who was beaten down by life – an imperfect person. He said, “I must go through Samaria. There is a woman there that feels condemned. She is about to give up on life. I must go express my love. I have got to encourage her, get her back on the right course.”

Too many people like her, are sitting on the sidelines of life. They feel like they have blown it too many times. They have failed and they have not measured up. Now they are letting the accusing voices convince them that they are all washed up. God is disappointed in them.

They think they cannot expect God’s favor. No, you may have made mistakes but God is not running from you. He is running to you. He is expressing his love to you. You are not supposed to sit on the sidelines. God’s mercy is bigger than any mistakes that you have made.

God declares, “O My servants who have committed excesses against their own souls, do not despair of the mercy of God. Indeed God will forgive all sins. Indeed He is the All-forgiving, the All-merciful.” (Qur’an, 39:53).

God looks for people that have a heart that is turned perfect toward him. That means if you get up each day with a desire to please God, if down deep you really want to honor him, then you will have times that you fail, the good news is that does not cancel your destiny. Your performance may not be perfect but because your heart is perfect toward God, he still has something amazing in your future.

No matter what you have done, do not go around beating yourself up. You cannot change the past. Learn from your mistakes but do not get stuck there. Keep moving forward. Receive God’s mercy. Be bold enough to say, “God, I blew it. I know I was wrong. I should have done better, but God, I know you are not holding it against me. I know you are not just the God of perfect people.” Just

plead with your Lord for forgiveness, and then turn to Him penitently. He will send copious rains for you from the sky, and add power to your present power. So do not turn your backs on Him as guilty ones. (Qur’an, 11:52).

God Almighty is not far away from you. He came to the people who have doubt before He came to the people that had faith. You may try to put God in a box and tell God who to save, who to bless, who to forgive, and who to heal.

Sometimes God will bypass the people with faith to go to the one person that has doubt. It is because God never writes you off. God does not judge you the way people judge. God understands when you make a mistake.

He understands when you have doubt. God is not judging you by that one setback. Get rid of that negative label. Do not let that mistake becomes your identity. Stop seeing yourself as doubting, addicted, and undisciplined; No, you have to turn it around. Start seeing yourself as blessed, free, redeemed, and successful.

Too often, you get your performance mixed up with your identity. In other words, you may have failed but you are not failure. That is what you did that is not who you are. You are the servant of God. You have been hand-picked by the creator of the universe so He asked angels to prostrate before human. Almighty God says,

“So when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My spirit, then fall down in prostration before him.” (Qur’an, 15:29).

You may struggle with an addiction but you are not an addict. That is what you did. That is not who you are. You are clean. You are pure. You are free and you are restored. Now do not go around dwelling on your past mistakes.

Quit replaying all the times, you have failed; the time, you were in the temptation; the time, you blew the relationship; the time, it did not work out. Just as you have a remote control to change the channel on the television, you have to change the channel in your mind.

You will not be free from guilt; you will not enjoy your life, if you are constantly replaying the negative memories of your past. If you want to replay anything, replay your victories. Replay the time that you honored God. Replay the times that you helped someone else in need. That will change your perspective. Some day you would go to new level if you get good at changing the channel in your mind.

The real question is will you receive Gods mercy? Just turn to your lord and be sure He will accept you.

Plead with your Lord for forgiveness then turn to Him penitently. My Lord is indeed all-merciful, all-affectionate. (Qur’an, 11:90).

If you turn to Almighty God, He will bless you. So,

Plead with your Lord for forgiveness and then turn to Him penitently. He will provide you with a good provision for a specified term and grant His grace to every meritorious person. (Qur’an, 11:3).

Be sure that Almighty God loves you.

Indeed God is most kind and merciful to mankind. (Qur’an, 22:65).

He is waiting for you.

So plead with Him for forgiveness then turn to Him penitently. My Lord is indeed rearmost and responsive. (Qur’an, 11:61).

- 1. Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 164.

- 2. He was one of the companions of Imam Hussain who martyred in the day of Ashura.

Have An Excellent Spirit

So be patient! God’s promise is indeed true. Do not let yourself be upset by those who have no conviction. (Qur’an, 30:60).

We are in a society where mediocrity is the norm. Many people do not take pride in their work and pride in who they are. If somebody is watching, they will perform one way but when nobody is not watching, they will cut corners and take the easy way out. If you are not careful, you will get pulled into this same mentality, thinking that it is okay to for example show up late to work, not look your best and not give it your all.

However, the fact is that God does not bless mediocrity. God blesses excellence. Excellent spirit does the right thing whether anyone is watching or not; goes the extra mile; does more than he has to. Other people may complain; they may go out looking sloppy, cutting corners, but excellent spirit does not sink down to that level.

Know that you are not everybody. You are a cut above. You are called to be excellent. Almighty God wants you to set the highest standard. You should be the example your company uses as the model employee. Do not be dissuaded by others. Be careful.

Be patient, for God’s promise is true, and do not be dissuaded by those who do not have certainty. (Qur’an, 30:60).

When you have an excellent spirit like that, you are not only going to see promotion but you are honoring Almighty God. It is piety, piousness, revering the Lord; it is “Taqwa“. God wants us to be pious, to be virtue. He says,

“O you who believe, revere God (and be wary of God). as He deserves to be revered.” (Qur’an, 3:102).

It is honors God to go to work on time, to go out looking your best. When you are excellent, your life is giving praise to God.

Anyone who reverences God, He makes everything easy for him. This is God’s command that He sends down to you. Anyone who reverences God, He remits his sins, and rewards him generously. (Qur’an, 65:4-5).

God does not reword sloppiness. God rewords excellence. When you do more than what required of you, you will see God’s goodness in a new way.

Some people will never come to mosque. They will never listen to a minister or cleric. They are not reading Qur’an. They are reading your life. They are watching how you live. So being excellent in your life is one of the best witnesses you could ever have.

When you have a spirit of excellence, you do more than you have to. You may say, “I am declaring Gods favor.” It is great but not enough. That is one part of it but the second part is: Are you getting to work on time? Are you doing more than you have to? Are you better this year than you were last year?

Know that you live in a very competitive marketplace.

Therefore, you shall race towards forgiveness from your Lord and the garden of paradise whose width is equal to the vastness of the heavens and the earth altogether, and is prepared for those who believe in God and His Messengers. That is the grace of God, which He bestows on whom He wills; and God is dispenser of a great grace. (Qur’an, 57:21).

If you are at the same skill level today that you were five years ago, you are at a disadvantage. Imam Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said, “a person who his two days are the same is at a disadvantage.”1 You need to take steps to grow. Whatever you do get better at it.

Do not get stagnant. An excellent person keeps growing. There is always room for improvement. You can always get better; more effective, more skilled; make in a greater difference. You are always taking steps to improve and looking for ways that you can be better. Favor and excellence go hand in hand. Increase, promotion, reaching your highest potential, it is all tied to a spirit of excellence.

God Almighty made you as a person of excellence. May be all you have seen modeled is mediocrity but God is calling you to a higher standard. He is going to take you places you have never dreamed of, but you have to do your part and stir up the excellence that is on the inside.

Do not make excuses. No, take this challenge to come up to a higher level of excellence. Even in your personal appearance; how you dress, how you present yourself, how you keep your clothes clean and something like these. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his pure progeny) said, “Cleanliness is a sign of faith.”2

Indeed God loves those who keep clean. (Qur’an, 2:222).

Try to be order. As Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said, “I will all of you to observe piety and order.”3 God does not like sloppiness. Make sure you still look good for your children, for your spouse. When you have this spirit of excellence, you do the right thing not because somebody is watching you, not because they are making you do it.

You do it to honor God. You do just for the sake of God like the pious and the righteous;

they give food to the needy, the orphan and the prisoner (and say): “We feed you only for the sake of God. We do not want any reward from you or any thanks.” (Qur’an, 76:8-9).

Sometimes you have to say, “God, I do not feel like doing this but I am going to do it onto you.” You should do your best just for the sake of God and it is passing the test to see His favor. Some people are not seeing God’s favor, as they should because they are not passing the small test.

Being excellent may not be some huge adjustment you need to make. Here is the key: “I do not want something small to keep God from releasing big into my life.” Anytime God asks you to do something if you will obey, a reward will follow.

Therefore, whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it. (Qur’an, 99:7).

More than that:

Whoever brings virtue shall receive ten times its like. (Qur’an, 6:160).

That is what happens when, number one you honor God with your life and number two you have a spirit of excellence. You do not compromise; you do not just go with the flow and do whatever everybody else is doing. You make the most excellent decision like Moses (peace be upon him) how made the most excellent decision and God Almighty rewarded him.

When he arrived at the well of Midiyan, he found there a throng of people watering their flocks, and he found, besides them, two women holding back their flock. He said, “What is your business?” They said, “We do not water our flock until the shepherds have driven out their flocks, and our father is an aged man.” (Qur’an, 28:23).

What did Moses do? He was not oblivious to them. He helped them for the sake of God.

He watered their flock for them. Then he withdrew toward the shade and said, “My Lord! I am indeed in need of any good You may send down to me!” Then one of the two women approached him, walking bashfully. She said, “Indeed my father invites you to pay you the wages for watering our flock for us.” Therefore, when he came to him and recounted the story to their father, he said, “Do not be afraid. You have been delivered from the wrongdoing lot.” (Qur’an, 28:24-25).

Are you distinguishing yourself? God is always dealing with you about some area to come up higher in. maybe it is to be more excellent in how you treat people, more excellent in how you present yourself, more excellent when it comes to your career and improving your skills. Do not let something small keep God from releasing something big into your life. You are called to be the successor of God on the earth.

Your Lord said to the angels: “Indeed I am going to set a viceroy and a successor on the earth.” (Qur’an, 2:30).

You have an excellent spirit. God Almighty says,

“I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My spirit.” (Qur’an, 15:29).

You are whom the angels prostrated for him.

The angels prostrated all of them together. (Qur’an, 15:30).

Take time to take care of yourself and try to be like Almighty God and show Him in your life. There is in a hadith that, “A faithful is the mirror of God.” You represent God and God is not sloppy, run down; God is not second-class. He is an excellent God. The main thing is make sure you present yourself in a way that you are proud of it. You are a temple of the highest God. God lives in you.

So be careful about yourself and try your best. Obey God’s command. Revere God. Be thankful to Him. Know that you are not everybody. You are a cut above. You are called to be excellent. You are the best. Try your best and Almighty God will answer you and guide you. He says,

“As for those who strive in Us, We shall surely guide them in Our ways, and God is indeed with the virtuous.” (Qur’an, 29:69).

If you do not care of what God has given you, how may God bless you with more? Therefore, whether it is new or old, take pride of what God has given you and be thankful to your Lord, Almighty God.

Your Lord proclaimed, “If you give thanks, then I will increase for you.” (Qur’an, 14:7).

You shall be thankful to God, and whoever is thankful is being thankful for his own good. As for whosoever rejects, then God is rich, praiseworthy.” (Qur’an, 31:12).

- 1. Al-Amali (Saduq), p. 668.

- 2. Bihar Al-Anwar, vol. 59, p. 291.

- 3. Nahj Al-Balagha (Sobhi Salih), p. 421.

Live In Victory

Do you not know that God has power over all things? Do you not know that to God belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth? Besides God you do not have any guardian or any helper. (Qur’an, 2:106-107).

How do you see your difficulties very often? When you face challenges come against you what do you do? How can you live in victory? How can you live in peace?

You should know that God has put all things under your feet. If you are going to live in victory, you have to see every sickness, every obstacle, and every enemy as being under your feet. If you see it being too big, it causes you to feel weak.

You have to change your perspective. It is under your feet. God Almighty is saying, “every enemy, every sickness, and every obstacle it is not going to defeat you it is going to promote you.” God is going to use it as a steppingstone to take you higher. Keep the right perspective; it is under your feet.

The sickness, the enemy, the obstacle may looks big, but you cannot go by what you see, you have going to go by what you know. You walk by faith and not by sight. When you talk to Almighty God, you look up; you look up to give God prays, but when you talk with sickness, you should look down because it is under your feet.

That enemy is not at your level it may seem big and strong but the truth is it is no match for you. You are more than a conqueror. The enemy has limited power. It is God who has all power.

Do you not know that God has power over all things? Do you not know that to God belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth? Besides God, you do not have any guardian or any helper. (Qur’an, 2:106-107).

If God be for you then who dares to be against you?

Change your perspective; you are not weak and defeated. You have the power to do everything. Your faith would activate God’s power in a new way. The first place you may lose the victory is in your own thinking. If you see the obstacle as being too big it will keep you defeated. You and God are the majority. Say, “Cancer, you will not defeat me. You were under my feet. I will fulfill my destiny. I am a victor and not a victim.”

If you let life overwhelm you, you will go around worried. Quit telling yourself “this is too much, I cannot handle it.” The greatest force in the universe is breathing in your direction. Say, “I can do all things in God. I am too strong in the lord. I trust in God.” Know that

“anyone who puts his trust in God, then He suffices him. God’s commands will be done“. (Qur’an, 65:3).

When you do that, something is happening in the inside. You are getting stronger. Your immune system will work better. When you get up in the morning first thing you should do is Power up. Remind yourselves “I am ready for this day. Not going to be upset.” You could leave stress. You need to remind yourself, “this is under my feet; God is in control it is not going to keep me from my destiny.”

Just keep be in your best each day. Your job is to stay in peace. When you are in peace, Almighty God is fighting your battle. He says,

“It was a must for Us to help the faithful.” (Qur’an, 30:47).

This is what happened with joseph. He was betrayed by his brothers; went to prison for something that he did not do. However, joseph did not get upset. He stayed in peace. He stayed on the highroad. The people that did joseph wrong indeed up working for him. His brothers the same one who betrayed him, came and bend low before him. Because he stayed in peace, God made his enemies his footstool. Joseph said about the key of his success:

“For anyone who reveres God and is patient, then God will not waste the reward of the good doers.” (Qur’an, 12:90).

God Almighty can use your enemy to promote you. In Qur’an, you read that pharaoh was killing boys to save his kingdom. God Almighty inspired to Moses’ mother:

“When you fear for him, cast him into the river, and do not fear or grieve, for We will restore him to you and make him one of the apostles.” (Qur’an, 28:7).

What did happen then?

Then the family of Pharaoh picked him up, so they raised Moses, their enemy. (Qur’an, 28:8).

God wants to show that He can do everything.

Know that you are not working on the people you are working on the God. God is a God of justice. He does not forget what you do. He will help you. God makes in your enemies your footstool. God will prepare a table before you in the presence of your enemies. Be sure that God knows how to do his job. Do not be upset. Just surrender yourself to God.

It is the one who surrenders himself to God, while doing good, he will have his reward with his Lord. There will be no fear over them, nor will they grieve. (Qur’an, 2:112).

Challenges will come and the problem may form but you can stay on peace. No one can prosper against you, because God has plan for your life; so just be patient. He says,

“We will test you with some fear and hunger, and a shortage in money and lives and fruits. And give good news to those who are patient.” (Qur’an, 2:155).

No one can keep you from your destiny. The good news is God has the final saying. God can over write it. So stay in faith. Whatever you are facing, it is under your feet. It is not permanent; it is temporary. The power that is for you is greater than any power that comes against you. Keep the right perspective. You and God are the majority. Do not be afraid, God is with us.

God is enough for us, and He is the best to put our trust in. (Qur’an, 3:173).

Do not let people or circumstances get you upset. Let God be your vindicator. He knows how to make your wrong right. Nothing would keep you from your destiny; you will overcome every obstacle, defeat every enemy and become everything God created you to be. Trust in God and be patient.

Surely, those who have said, “Our Lord is God,” then they lead a righteous life, the Angels will descend upon them: “You shall not fear, nor shall you grieve. Rejoice in the good news of Paradise that you have been promised.” (Qur’an, 41:30).

Therefore, Keep God first place in your life and pray to your Lord and say,

“I entrust my affair to God. Indeed God sees best the servants.” (Qur’an, 40:44).

You Have What You Need

Whatever mercy God opens for the people, none can stop it. What He holds back none can send it other than Him. He is the Noble, the Wise. (Qur’an, 35:2).

Sometimes you may tell: “If I had more money I could accomplish my dreams. If I had a bigger house then I would be happy. If I had more talent, better personality, then I can do something great.” However, as long as you feel like you are lacking, you do not have enough, you were shortchanged you will make excuses to be less than your best.

Know that you are going to have new perspective. God has given you exactly what you need for the season that you are in. You have the talent, the friends, the connections, the resources and the experience you need for right now. God has given you the best. As Joseph (peace be upon him) said,

“Indeed He is my Lord, has given me a good abode. (He gave me what I need in the best way).” (Qur’an, 12:23).

God is the One Who gives the best Perfection to all that He created. (Qur’an, 32:7).

He says,

“Indeed We created man in perfect Balance [spiritual, mental and physical].” (Qur’an, 95:4).

Those who trust in the lord will never lack any good thing. Because your trust is in the lord, you do not have to worry. Whatever you need, Almighty God will make sure you have it when you need it. You will not lack any good thing. It means if you do not have it right now do not fight it. Do not be discouraged.

Your attitude should be “I am equipped and empowered for this moment.” If you needed a better personality, Almighty God would have given you a better personality. Take what you have and make the most of it; it is what you need for right now.

You were not appointed by any group or by human authority. Your call came from Almighty God. People may do not approve. Do not worry about it. God approves you. People cannot stop Gods plan for your life.

Whatever mercy God opens for the people, none can stop it. What He holds back none can send it other than Him. He is the Noble, the Wise. (Qur’an, 35:2).

If God were to inflict you with harm, then none can remove it except Him; and if He were to bless you with good, then He is capable of all things. (Qur’an, 6:17).

If God helps you, no one can overcome you, but if He forsakes you, who will help you after Him? Therefore, in God let all the faithful put their trust. (Qur’an, 3:160).

When you come to the end of your life you do not have to answer to the people, you will answer to Almighty God. Do not let what some people say or do make you feel less than unqualified. The creator of the universe has handpicked you. Say, “This is all I need right now. God is on the throne, directing my steps, when I need more he will give me more.”

As long as you keep honoring God, he will give you what you need, when you need it. So be faithful. It is what you need for fulfill your destiny. The moment it becomes not enough, is the moment God will give you more. Instead of thinking what you do not have, say, “this is all I need.” Just be the best. Be virtuous. Know that:

Anyone who reverences God, He will create an exit for him. He will provide for him whence he never expected. Anyone who puts his trust in God, He suffices him. God’s commands will be done. (Qur’an, 65:3).

God knows what you need when you need and how to get it to you. God is watching you. Directing your steps, God has you in the palm of his hand.

Jesus (peace be upon him) met a Samaritan woman at a well and he asked her for something to drink. She was a little surprised because in those days the Jews did not have anything to do with the Samaritans.

She said how you could ask me for something to drink. Jesus said if you knew who I am, you would ask of me and I would give you living water. She immediately began to look in the natural. She said, “But sir you do not have anything to draw water with. You do not have any kind of bucket, any kind of pail. How can you give me living water?”

Many times, you may do the same thing. God Almighty tells you he is going to do something great in your life. Down deep, he puts a dream on the inside that you are going to rise higher. You are going to see our marriage restored. You are going to get healthy again.

You feel it so strongly but like her, you start looking at what you do not have, the way you were raised, the obstacles in your path. Before long, you take yourself out of it. However, you served a supernatural God. He can take something that ordinary, and turn it into something that is extraordinary.

Did you not know that God possesses the sovereignty of heavens and earth? He punishes whom He wills and He forgives whom He wills; and God is capable of all things. (Qur’an, 5:40).

Say, “O God, Possessor of kingship; you grant kingship to whom You please, and revoke kingship from whom You please, and honor whom You please, and humiliate whom You please; in Your hand is goodness. You are capable of all things.” (Qur’an, 3:26).

All David (peace be upon him) had was a slingshot and five smooth stones. It looked insignificant, ordinary, and nothing special, but God breathed on it. Therefore, he defeated Goliath and became the king of Israel. Qur’an says,

“So when Saul set out with the soldiers … they said, “We have no power today against Goliath and his soldiers!” However, the ones who understood that they would meet God said, “How many a small party has overcome a larger party by God’s will! And God is with the patient!” David killed Goliath, and God gave him the kingship and the wisdom and taught him what He wished.” (Qur’an, 2:249-251).

All Moses (peace be upon him) had was an ordinary stick, something he found on the ground. Yet when he picked it up, held that rod in the air, the red sea supernatural roads parted.

God says, “And what is in your right hand O Moses?” He said, “It is my staff, I lean on it, and I guide my sheep with it, and I have other uses in it.” God said, “Cast it down O Moses.” Therefore, he cast it down, and it became a moving serpent! God said, “Take it and do not be fearful, We will turn it back to its previous form.” (Qur’an, 20:17-21).

So do not underestimate what you have. It may look small and insignificant. Compared to what you are facing, it seems impossible. All the odds are against you, but when God breathes on your life, the odds dramatically change. You and God are a majority. God can open doors that should have never opened. God can take you beyond where your talent and your education, says you should go. God can make a way even when you do not see a way.

With Him are the keys and treasures of the Unseen; no one knows them except Him. (Qur’an, 6:59).

It is not enough to just have faith in God. That is important, but you should have faith in what Almighty God have given you. You are not lacking. You were not shortchanged. You are not at a disadvantage. The creator of the universe is breathing on your life. He is breathing on your health, finances, marriage and …. If you will be confident in what Almighty God has given you He can take what looks like little and turn it into much. Be like:

Those, to whom the people said, “All the people have gathered against you; so fear them.” However, that only increased them in faith, and they said, “God is sufficient for us, and He is an excellent trustee.” (Qur’an, 3:173).

With God’s help, you can do your duty. Do not say, “I cannot do this, it is too difficult.” No, God would not have given you this duty if you were not able to do that.

God does not task any soul beyond its capacity. (Qur’an, 2:286).

When God give you this job, gave you the authority to do that with a good attitude. So, just think about your duty. He Al-mighty says,

“I give you just a single advice: that you rise up for God’s sake, in twos, or individually.” (Qur’an, 34:46).

If you trust Almighty God and try to do your duty and be patient, He will help you, as He did before.

God would reinforce you with three thousand of the Angels sent down? Indeed, if you are patient and are righteous and they come and attack you, He will reinforce you with five thousand of the Angels battle trained. (Qur’an, 3:123 -125).

If you use what God have given you, he will multiply it. He will multiply your talent, resources, influence. God is not into addition. He is into multiplication.

God enhances several fold whomever He wishes, and God is all-bounteous, all-knowing. (Qur’an, 2:261).

You have exactly what you need to fulfill your destiny. Here is a key; it may not be as much as a family member, as much as …, but you are running your race. Do not try to be like somebody else. You may say, “I wish I had their talent, their looks, personality.” No, know that you are unique. You are one of a kind. Nobody has what you have. So say, “I have what I need.”

Do not dismiss what God has given you. It may not be as impressive as somebody else has. Know that what God has given you has been custom made. He specifically gave you your gifts, your talents, your personality. God matched you for your world.

He put in you exactly what you need to fulfill his plan for your life. You have what you need for today. If you put your trust in the Lord, you will never lack any good thing. So trust in Him. Be patient, and say,

“I entrust my affair to God. Indeed God sees best the servants.” (Qur’an, 40:44).

Meditate On God’s Word

Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an so that you may apply reason. (Qur’an, 12:2).

Life is often noisy and full of distractions. Concerns and problems flood our minds. There is always so much to do! However, God wants the very best for you.

God desires ease for you, and He does not desire hardship for you. (Qur’an, 2:185).

You just have to know how to recognize it and lay hold of it.

If you have ever said to yourself, “I do not even have time to think,” then you know how hard it is to concentrate, when you are being bombarded from all sides. It is even harder to focus on God when you cannot take time to renew your minds and refresh your spirits by quiet reflection. God does not often shout to get your attention. Instead, He usually speaks to you in “a still small voice.”

So, what can you do to put yourselves in a position to hear God’s voice? You have to make time in your daily life to get quiet. I want to encourage you to find where you can get alone with the Lord. It may be a room in your house, outside under the trees, or some other place where you can shut out the noise and distractions of the world for just a few precious minutes.

The key to renewing your mind, body and spirit is to develop the habit and discipline of meditating on the Word of God every day — even if it is for just a moment.

All holy books are filled with the blessings and benefits of meditating. To meditate simply means to reflect on the same thing repeatedly, visualize it and let the meaning of it sink deep down into your heart. Meditation is a spiritual practice that is encouraged throughout Qur’an.

The key is to draw on God’s wisdom found in the Qur’an. In fact, Qur’an is filled with the blessings and benefits of meditating on its principles. Almighty God says,

“Indeed We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an so that you may apply reason.” (Qur’an, 12:2).

Qur’an invites you to reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth and other creations, on your own souls and on the verses of the Qur’an:

“Indeed in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of night and day, there are signs for those who possess intellects. Those who remember God standing, sitting, and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth and say, “Our Lord, You have not created this in vain! Immaculate are You! Save us from the punishment of the Fire.’” (Qur’an, 3:190-191).

On the other hand, says,

“We have sent down the reminder to you so that you may clarify for the people that which has been sent down to them, so that they may reflect.” (Qur’an, 16:44).

Moreover, says,

“Have they not reflected in their own souls? God did not create the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them except with reason and for a specified term.” (Qur’an, 30:8).

What are the benefits of meditation? Meditating on God’s Word will give you spiritual success. God’s definition of success in life is to know Him better. One way you do that is to read and understand His Word! Qur’an says about some Christians who get spiritual success after hearing the words of God:

“Surely You will find the nearest people in affection to the faithful to be those who say, “We are Christians.” That is because there are priests and monks among them, and because they are not arrogant. When they hear what has been revealed to the Apostle, you see their eyes fill with tears because of the truth that they recognize. They say, “Our Lord, we believe; so write us down among the witnesses. Why should we not believe in God and the truth that has come to us, eager as we are that our Lord should admit us among the righteous people?” So, for what they said, God requited them with gardens with streams running in them, to remain in them forever, and that is the reward of the virtuous.” (Qur’an, 5:82).

Meditating on God’s Word will help you keep your heart right before Him. Qur’an gives you clear direction on how to live. It is a mirror that accurately shows you where your hearts really are. Meditating on God’s Word will give you insights and wisdom that will guide you at every turn in your life. There is supernatural wisdom that comes from meditating on God’s Word.

It will strengthen you, guide you and give you hope and victory in every situation! Meditating on Qur’an will help you fill your mind with the things of God. Since you can only think about one thing at a time, meditating on God’s love and goodness leaves no room for wrong thinking. The benefits of meditating on Qur’an influence your whole day.

There are incredible riches available when you invest in your relationship with God by spending time in His life-giving Word. You have God’s promise that,

“For those who strive in Us, We shall surely guide them in Our ways, and God is indeed with the virtuous.” (Qur’an, 29:69).

And

“Whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it.” (Qur’an, 99:7).

These verses tell that the Lord has good things waiting for you, but you have to do your part; you have to walk uprightly. You walk uprightly when you live according to the principles of His Word.

Let me encourage you to find a quiet place where you can be still, hear the voice of the Lord and gain the strength you need to fight the good fight of faith. Take time every day in God’s presence, praying and filling your mind with words of God. The exciting thing about meditating on God’s Word is that even when you leave your quiet place and start another busy day, your mind and spirit are still processing what you read — which means the benefits of meditating on Qur’an influence your whole day!

Know that your very best days are ahead. Days filled with more joy, peace, encouragement, healing, restoration, hope and confidence.

Look! The hearts find rest, tranquility and confidence in God’s remembrance! (Qur’an, 13:28).

At the end, it is good to mention some Hadiths about reciting Qur’an:

1. Importance Of Reciting Qur’an

The Messenger of God (prayers of God be upon him and his family) has said,

• “These hearts - just like iron - become rusted, and the way to remove this (the way to clean the rust from the hearts) is through the recitation of the Qur’an.”1

• “Nothing is harder for Satan to bear than a person who recites the Qur’an by looking at the pages (of the Qur’an).”

• “Brighten up your houses through the recitation of the Qur’an, and do not make them (your homes) like graves, similar to what the Jews and Christians have done (by not performing the prayers and worship of God in their house and limiting this to the Synagogues and Churches).”2

• “Surely the recitation of the Qur’an is an atonement for the sins, a covering (protection) from the Hell Fire, and a safety from the punishment. Mercy will descend upon the reciter, the Angels will seek forgiveness for him, Heaven will long for that person, and his Master (God) will be pleased with him.”3

Imam Ali (peace be upon him) has said,

• “The house in which the Qur’an is recited and God, The Noble and Grand, is remembered will receive numerous Divine blessings (barakah), the Angels will be present, and the Satans will be distanced from there. In addition, that house will shimmer for the people of the sky, just like the stars shimmer for the people on the Earth.”4

Imam Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) has said,

• “One who recites the Qur’an will be free from need (of everyone), and thereafter will not be in need of anything. But as for the one (who does not recite the Qur’an), nothing at all will make him needless (and he will always be in need of others).”5

• “One who recites the Qur’an and is a believing youth, the Qur’an becomes mixed with his flesh and blood, and God - The Noble and Great - will place him with the noble, devoted Angels. In addition, the Qur’an will act as a barrier between him and the Hell Fire) on the Day of Judgment.”6

2. Learning And Teaching Of Qur’an

The Messenger of God (blessings of God be upon him and his family) has said,

• “The best of those amongst you is the one who learns the Qur’an and then teaches it to others.”7

• “Everything in existence prays for the forgiveness of the person who teaches the Qur’an - even the fish in the sea.”8

• “If you want ease and success in this world, the death of a martyr, to be saved on the Day of Loss, a shade on the Day of the burning (YawmalQiyamah), and guidance on the Day of going astray, then take lessons from the Qur’an. Surely it is the word of the Merciful, a protection from the Satan, and one of the most weightiest of things for the scale of (good) deeds (on the Day of Judgment).”9

3. How Should You Recite The Qur’an?

Every day:

Imam Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) has said,

• “The Qur’an is the trust of God (given) to His creations, therefore it is desirable for every Muslim to look at this trust and to recite (a minimum of) 50 ayah (verses) of the Qur’an every day.”10

Holy Prophet in his last testament to Imam Ali (peace be upon them) told him:

• “O’ Ali I advise you to recite the Qur’an in every state (which you may find yourself in).”11

Seek refuge with it:

The Messenger of God (blessings of God be upon him and his family) has said,

• “Whenever the waves of calamities encompass you like the dark night, seek refuge with the Qur’an - for it is an intercessor whose intercession will be accepted. One who takes it as a guide, God will lead that person into Heaven; and whoever disregards it or goes against it, will be lead into the Hell fire.”12

Seek cure with it:

Imam Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) has said,

• “It is advisable for the person who is reciting the Qur’an, that when he reaches to a verse from the Qur’an in which there is a request for something that he ask God for that thing, or when he reaches to a verse of the Qur’an in which there is talk about the punishment, that he ask God for protection from the fire of Hell and the punishment.”13

- 1. Irshad Al-Qolub, vol. 1, p. 78.

- 2. Wasa’il Al-Shia, vol. 6, p. 204.

- 3. Mustadrak Al-Wasa’il, vol. 4, p. 257.

- 4. Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 610.

- 5. Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 605.

- 6. Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 603.

- 7. Al-Amali (Tousi), p. 357.

- 8. Mustadrak Al-Wasa’il, vol. 4, p. 235.

- 9. Jami Al-Akhbar, p.78.

- 10. Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 609.

- 11. Al-Faqih, vol. 4, p. 188.

- 12. Fadhl Al-Qur’an, p. 599.

- 13. Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 617.

Start In God

God desires to purify you and to complete His blessing upon you so that you may give thanks. (Qur’an, 5:6).

You may love to see miraculous transformations. Anytime you want to have a change though, especially one that will make your life better, it requires you to believe that it can happen. You have to make a choice to have hope, to trust in Almighty God.

Do you not know that God knows whatever there is in the sky and the earth? That is indeed in a Book. That is indeed easy for God. (Qur’an, 22:70).

Whether you have lost your job, your relationships are struggling, or you or a loved one needs healing, I want to encourage you to never give up!

It all begins with a choice; the choice to never give up. No matter how dark things look; God can turn things around in a single moment. God always completes in you what He has started; His good work and good plan.

God desires to purify you and to complete His blessing upon you so that you may give thanks. (Qur’an, 5:6).

We all just enjoyed the changing of seasons, from winter to spring. Spring symbolizes new birth, a fresh start. No matter how cold and harsh your winter might have seemed, or even been, I want to encourage you to see your new fresh start in God. Today let this truth take root in your heart and mind: In a single moment, God can make all things new for you.

Think about the story of Zachariah.

The angels called out to him, as he stood praying in the sanctuary: “God gives you the good news of John, as a confirmer of a Word of God, eminent and chaste, a prophet, among the righteous.” He said, “My Lord, how shall I have a son while old age has overtaken me and my wife is barren?” He (God) answered: “So it is that God does whatever He wishes.” (Qur’an, 3:39-40).

It all starts with your mind and attitude. Even if you do not physically see this change right now, God can transform your heart and thinking, giving you peace that the world cannot give you. It is a sustaining peace. It is hope.

Hope carries you through as you wait for your completing moment. God’s incredible power is available for you, but you have to do your part and believe in Him and by faith, receive what He is offering and persevere in your hope! Know that,

God expands the provision for whomever He wishes and tightens it for whomever He wishes? There are indeed signs in that for a people who have faith. (Qur’an, 39:52).

So

Do not despair of the mercy of God. (Qur’an, 39:53).

When you face challenges and tough times, do you focus on the negative and begin to complain about how unfairly you are being treated? When you give in to those thoughts, you stop the transformation process.

God declares: “O My servants who have faith! Be wary and aware of your Lord. For those who do good in this world there will be a good reward, and God’s earth is vast. Indeed the patient will be paid in full their reward without any reckoning.” (Qur’an, 39:10).

When you are filled with doubt and unbelief, God’s miracle for you is put on hold. It stays on hold until you begin to walk again in obedience and put your complete trust in Him.

Anyone who reverences God, He will create an exit for him. He will provide for him whence he never expected. Anyone who puts his trust in God, He suffices him. God’s commands will be done. (Qur’an, 65:2-3).

When you stay positive, full of hope, and do not give up on God, He can take any situation in your life, any circumstance, regardless of the economy or what the world might say, and turn things around in a single moment for your benefit. Your life can change in a moment just like Zachariah and just like Mary. Qur’an says about sent Mary:

“Whenever Zechariah visited her in the sanctuary; he would find provisions and sustenance with her. He said, “O Mary, from where does this come for you?” She said, “It comes from God. God provides whomever He wishes without any reckoning.’” (Qur’an, 3:37).

When you decide to not give up and put your whole trust in God, you pave the way for greater things to happen for you, in you and through you! You are all hearing the negative reports about the bad economic conditions. However, in order for you to overcome these challenges, it is important to know what God’s Word says about it. His Word promises you in Qur’an and Psalms and Torah:

“Indeed My righteous servants shall inherit the earth.” (Qur’an, 21:105).

God is able to meet every need. No matter what challenges you are facing, God can make all things new in your life!

To God belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth; and whether you disclose what is in your hearts or hide it, God will bring you to account for it. Then He will forgive whomever He wishes and punish whomever He wishes, and God has power over all things. (Qur’an, 2:284).

But it is up to you and your choice! Keep choosing to stay in hope, believing God to make things new, in His time. Remember,

if God were to inflict you with harm, then none can remove it except Him; and if He were to bless you with good, then He is capable of all things. (Qur’an, 6:17).

Therefore, your attitude should be,

“I entrust my affair to God. Indeed God sees best the servants.” (Qur’an, 40:44).

Do not give up; in due time you will be richly rewarded!

Stay In Peace

Seek help with God, and be patient; for the land is God’s, He will inherit it to whom He pleases of His servants; and the end will be to the righteous. (Qur’an, 7:128).

You may have opportunities to get worried, go around upset, frustrated or offended. Somebody is not treating you right and there is fear, hunger or shortage in money and lives in your life. God never promised that you would not have challenges and everything will always go smoothly. He said,

“We will surely test you with a measure of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth, lives, and fruits; and give good news to the patient.” (Qur’an, 2:155).

The storms of life come to every person. However, Almighty God did promise that you could have peace in the midst of the storm. Just because you are in a stressful situation does not mean that you have to get stressed out. Just because the medical report was not good or your plans did not work out, it does not mean that you have to be frustrated.

You may be in the storm but the key is: do not let the storm get in you. A boat can be surrounded by water, sailing through a vast ocean, water for miles in every direction but it is not any problem unless the boat starts taking on the water. If the boat starts allowing the ocean in the inside, before long it will sink.

It is the same principle in life. You can have troubles all around you, at the office; people gossiping and playing politics. However, the good news is just like the boat, you do not have to allow what is on the outside to get in the inside just because you are surrounded by a situation that should be frustrating. Do not let the storm get in you and as

Moses said to his people: “Seek help with God, and be patient; for the land is God’s, He will inherit it to whom He pleases of His servants; and the end will be to the righteous.” (Qur’an, 7:128).

God Almighty wants you to be stable, consistent, not moved by any of these things and not be controlled by your circumstances, up when things are up and down when things go down. When you face an adversity, when you hit a tough time, one of the best thing you can do is simply stay calm and keep your peace. When you are in peace, which is a position of power you are saying with your actions: “God I trust you. I know you are still on the throne. This may be difficult but I know you are fighting my battles.” Be like

the ones who the people said (to them): “All the people have gathered against you; so fear them.” That only increased them in faith, and they said, “God is sufficient for us, and He is an excellent trustee.” (Qur’an, 3:173).

When you are in peace, you are showing God by your actions, that you trust Him and surrendering yourself to Him.

Certainly, whoever submits his will to God and is virtuous, he shall have his reward near his Lord, and they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve. (Qur’an, 2:112).

That is what it means to stay at rest. Some of you have been on that roller coaster for a long time, allowing your circumstances to determine whether you are going to be happy or not. You need to put your foot down and say, “That is it. From now on I am keeping my peace.”

That not only allows God to work in your life but it is better for your health. You were never created to live uptight, worried and stressed out. That weakens your immune system and it will not fight off diseases, as it should.

All that time you spend worrying you are draining your energy. It is making you weaker and taking your creativity. You do not do your best work when you are worried. You do not make good decisions when you are stressed out. Worry is like a rocking chair.

You are always moving but you are never going anywhere. In the midst of the hectic society you can got to learn to not let the busyness, the frustration and the stress to get on the inside. Know that Almighty God has you in the palm of his hand and so no weapon formed against you, will ever prosper.

God indeed defends those who have faith. (Qur’an, 22:38).

In life, there would be times where it seems like everything is out of control. However, in the midst of that difficulty, there is a place of peace that you can go to. Peace is not the absence of trouble. Real peace is not allowing it on the inside.

Peace is to know that God is right there with you in the midst of the trouble. Make up your mind; you are going to have peace right in the midst of the storm. When you are in peace, God meets you. In life, on the surface, things will always be going on, like waves on the surface of ocean. That is just life. However, deep down in that spirit person you have to have calmness and peace in your spirit. As Qur’an says,

“ Look! The hearts find rest in God’s remembrance! ” (Qur’an, 13:28).

When you are upset, you are focused on the surface. The problem is you do not control the wind. You cannot control what other people do. The only thing you can control is your own attitude. Life is 10 percent what happen to you and 90 percent how you respond. If you worry all the time, get upset every time, go deeper. The surface is always going to be changing. When you go deep, you know what in the surface is only temporary.

Do not let the storm get in to you. God is in control.

God has full command of His affairs, but most people do not know. (Qur’an, 12:21).

God is with you.

If God helps you, no one can overcome you, but if He forsakes you, who will help you after Him? Therefore, in God let all the faithful put their trust. (Qur’an, 3:160).

Your enemy can do nothing without God’s permission. Satan had to ask permission to test people. He has no authority over people.

Indeed, he does not have any authority over those who have faith and put their trust in their Lord. His authority is only over those who befriend him and those who make him a partner of God. (Qur’an, 16:99-100).

Almighty God says to Satan:

“ Indeed as for My servants you do not have any authority over them, except the perverse who follow you.” (Qur’an, 15:42).

Satan just has the permission to invite people and make them promises.

When the matter is all over, Satan will say, “Indeed God made you a promise that was true and I too made you a promise, but I failed you. I had no authority over you, except that I called you and you responded to me. So do not blame me, but blame yourselves. I cannot respond to your distress calls, neither can you respond to my distress calls.” (Qur’an, 14:22).

God has a hedge of protection around you. Nothing can happen without God’s permission. God will not allow a difficulty unless he has a divine purpose for it. If you will keep your peace you will pass the test and Almighty God will bring you out better than were before. He says,

“ Did the people think that they will be left to say, “ We believe ” without being put to the test? While We had tested those before them, so that God would know those who are truthful and so that He would know the liars.” (Qur’an, 29:2-3).

If you can just stay in peace the creator of the universe, the Almighty God, will go to work in your behalf. Nothing can stand against your God. He has all power.

God had granted you victory at Badr 1 while you had been the lesser, so revere God that you may be thankful. When you said to the believers: “Is it not enough for you that God would supply you with three thousand of the Angels sent down? ” Indeed, if you are patient and are righteous and they come and attack you, He will supply you with five thousand of the Angels battle trained. God did not give this except as good news to you, and so that your hearts may be assured with it. Victory is only from God, the Noble, and the Wise. (Qur’an, 3:123-126).

Whatever you face in life, if you will just hold your peace, remain at rest, God promises he will fight your battles. He will make a way even when you do not see a way. When you have a made up mind that no matter what life deals you, you are going to stay calm and in peace and all the forces of darkness cannot keep you from your destiny.

Be like Joseph (peace be upon him); His brothers betrayed him. They placed him at the bottom of the well. Then the wife of the Governor tried to seduce and solicit him. Then they imprisoned him. However, none of these things moved him. At last, one day he became ruler and said to his brothers about the reason of his prosperity:

For anyone who reveres God and is patient, then God will not waste the reward of the good doers. (Qur’an, 12:90).

Life is too short to live it offended, upset, stressed out, discouraged. Every day is a gift from Almighty God. Before you leave the house you need to make up your mind, “nothing is going to move me today. Nothing is going to upset me. I know that God still is on the throne and if He is for me who dare be against me?” Say,

“ I entrust my affair to God. Indeed God sees best the servants.” (Qur’an, 40:44).

Do not flinch. Tap into the deep waters. That is the surface. Be calm and peace that is showing God, you trust him.

When you go to a difficulty and nobody knows anything about it, you still have a smile on your face and you are still being good to people. God is saying “because you endured unflinchingly I am about to turn that situation around.” God says, everything will be fine for you.” God is working behind the scenes so every thing will be fine.

Almighty God feeds the birds of the air. How much more is he going to take care of you? Stay at rest. A new beginning is coming. Everything will be fine. God has you in the palm of his hand. Nothing can snatch you away. The storms of life come to every person, but do not let the storm get in you. Hold your peace. Remain at rest. That is your position of power. When you are at peace the creator of the universe goes to work.

- 1. “Badr”: Name of a war between Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his pure progeny) and polytheists.

Shake Off The Dirt

Believe in God and His messenger and strive in the cause of God with your money and your lives. This is the best deal for you, if you only knew. He will then forgive your sins, and admit you into gardens with rivers flowing beneath, and beautiful mansions in the gardens of Eden. This is the greatest triumph. You will receive what you love: a victory from God and an incursion that is close at hand. (Qur’an, 61:11-13).

You may face situations that seem like they could bury you - the loss of a loved one, bad news concerning your health, a divorce. Those negative thoughts bombard your minds telling you, “It is over. You have seen your best days. That set back is going to taint your future. That lay-off is going to ruin your career. That illness is always going to limit you.”

It is easy to feel like you have been buried, but what is interesting is the only difference between being buried and being planted is the expectancy of what is going to happen next. When you put a seed in the ground you do not say, “I am burying this seed,“you say, “I am planting this seed,“ because you know it is coming back. You face difficulties but you have the seed of Almighty God on the inside. He breathed His life into you. He says,

“I breathed into him of My spirit.” (Qur’an, 15:29).

When you go through disappointments, you are in tough times. You might feel like you had been buried, but the fact is, you have simply been planted. That means you are coming back. Moreover, you are not just going to come back; you are going to come back better, increased and stronger. What was meant for your harm, God will use to your advantage. You go in as a seed, but because of the life of God, you come out blossoming, producing even more fruit. Just:

Believe in God and His messenger and strive in the cause of God with your money and your lives. This is the best deal for you, if you only knew…. You will receive what you love: a victory from God and an incursion that is close at hand. (Qur’an, 61:11-13).

Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and is planted, it will not produce fruit. You can have a seed lying on the shelf for a lifetime; it will never become what it was created to be until you put it in the ground. Its potential will never be fully realized until it is planted.

As long as it is up on the shelf where it is comfortable, where it does not have to stretch, does not have to deal with any adversities that potential will remain locked up dormant inside. Only after it has been planted, and it goes through the process of germination - the outer shield breaks off, the new growth springs forth - that is when it will blossom and produce more fruit.

I am sure if you were to ask the seed, it will say, “I do not want to be planted. It is lonely in the dark by myself. It is dark. It is uncomfortable.” It feels like it has been buried - cannot see any light, people walking on top of it.... The truth is, it is not buried; it is only planted.

When it is in the ground, in that dark time, something supernatural starts to happen. Although the dark is hundred times of powerful, possibly a thousand of times heavier, it cannot hold the seed in. I can imagine the dark, when it feels something stirring, it says to the little seed: “What do you think you are doing? You cannot get out. I am much more powerful than you.”

The seed says, “No, no, no. I know a secret – I am not buried, I am planted. I may be down right now but it is temporary. I am coming back. I have got the life of God in me.” The dirt says, “What are you talking about? You are nothing compared to me. You do not have a chance.” Something in that seed rises up even stronger and says, “No, you cannot keep me down. I have comeback power in my DNA. I will rise again.

God’s help is indeed near. (Qur’an, 2:214).

God is sufficient for us, and He is an excellent trustee.” (Qur’an, 3:173).

Sure enough one day, that little seed breaks the surface of the earth. It smiles and says, “I told I was coming out.” It is no longer buried, no longer hidden and alone. No longer has people walking on top of it. It has a new beginning. Its potential is being realized. As time goes by, instead of being a little seed buried in the ground, it grows into a beautiful plant, producing all kinds of bright, beautiful flowers. What happened?

It went through the process of being planted. Had to go through some dark times, some lonely nights; had to push some dirt out of the way; it seemed like it would never see bright day but it just kept pressing forward, and eventually it became everything God created it to be. Almighty God says,

“Do you suppose that you shall enter paradise though there has not yet come to you the like of what befell who went before you? Stress and distress befell them and they were convulsed until the apostle and the faithful who were with him said, “When will God’s help come?” Look! God’s help is indeed near!” (Qur’an, 2:214).

You need to get this deep down into your spirit. No matter what comes against you in life; you are not buried, you are planted. You may feel like, even now, that you have got dirt on top of you, you have had a tough time, something was unfair, does not look, it is ever going to change... .

However, if you can just keep shaking off the dirt, shaking off the self-pity, shaking off the lies that are telling you, “it is over and you are done,“ then like that little seed, you will begin to feel the life of God spring forth.

That sickness will tell you, “You cannot push me out of the way. I am much bigger than you are. I have got you buried.” Do not believe that lie. Just say like that seed, “I am coming back. I may be lying in the hospital right now, but this sickness is only temporary. This chemo might have taken my energy, my strength, my hair, but know this today, I have comeback power.

This is not the end. This is only the beginning. This addiction might have kept me back a long time, it might have kept my full potential from being realized, but I am not staying here. This business might be slow; I might have lost my biggest account, but I know I am not buried, I am planted. I know God has another victory in my future. I know my best days are still out in front of me. Therefore, I

Call on Him with fear and hope. Indeed God’s mercy is near to the righteous.” (Qur’an, 7:56).

I want you to have this new vision that Almighty God will not let you go through more than you can handle.

God does not task any soul beyond its capacity. (Qur’an, 2:286).

Now, if you have a big challenge today, it means that you have a big destiny. Extraordinary people face extraordinary difficulties - as Imam Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said that the most difficulties are for prophets and then their real followers.1 However, the good news is you serve an Extraordinary God! He has you in the palm of His hands. In those tough times, you have to draw a line in the sand and make a declaration – “This difficulty is not going to bury me.

This loss, this disappointment, this injustice is not going to cause me to give up on my dreams. I refuse to live in self-pity. I know I am a seed. That means I cannot be buried, I can only be planted. I may be down but it is only temporary. I know I am not only coming back, I am going to come back better off than I was before.”

Your attitude should be: “I may be down but I am not staying down. This difficulty was meant to destroy me, it was meant to harm me, but I know better. God is going to use it to my advantage. He is going to use it increase me.”

Do you know the only difference between a piece of black coal and a priceless diamond is the amount of pressure it has endured?

How you handle your adversities will make you or break you. If you get bitter and lose your enthusiasm, you will allow the difficulties of life bury you. They can keep you from your God-given destiny. However, if you will choose to shake it off and step up, that means you keep pressing forward with a smile on your face; you know that God is in complete control, so you do the right thing even though the wrong things happen. Know that

God’s victory and help is near. (Qur’an, 2:214).

Instead of complaining, you have got a report of victory. You go around saying: “This problem did not come to defeat me. It did not come to stay, it came to pass. I have strength for everything I need. I am equipped, empowered, anointed; I am more than a conqueror.” Believe that

Indeed ease accompanies hardship.” (Qur’an, 94:6).

Think about what happened to Joseph. His brothers betrayed him. He went to prison for something that he did not do, but joseph did not get upset. He stayed in peace. He stayed on the highroad. The people that did joseph wrong indeed up working for him. His brothers, the same one who betrayed him came and bend low before him.

What happened? Instead of having a victim mentality, he had a victor mentality. God not only brought him out, but he saw his life blossom to the fullness of what God had in store.

Indeed those who keep from evil and are patient, God does not let the wage of the good doers go to waste. (Qur’an, 12:90).

Sometimes the things that you get discouraged about are the things that God is going to use to promote you. God does not send the storms, but He uses the storms. He will not allow a trial to come into your life unless He has a purpose for it.

When you are in difficult times, know that, that challenge was not sent to destroy you, it was sent to promote you, to increase you, to strengthen you. You might not see how right now, but God has a way. Just like that little seed, God uses adversity to bring potential out of you that you did not even know you had.

He will surely test you with a measure of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth, lives, and fruits; and give good news to the patient. (Qur’an, 2 :1 55).

When you are in those dark times and you feel like you are being buried, maybe you had been through some kind of loss; you do not see anything bright in the future, and feel like people are walking on top of you.

Remember that there is a process-taking place. Like that little seed, new growth is springing forth, new talent, new determination, new opportunities, new friendships; God is birthing something in you, greater than what you are right now.

You have to keep reminding yourself, “God is still on the throne, this is not the end, it is only the beginning. I have got comeback power in my DNA.”

Understand that the only difference between being buried and being planted is what you expect. If you expect that difficulty to be end of you and you give up on your dreams, even though you are a seed with the life of Almighty God, even though God has already planned your comeback, because of your own thinking it is not going to happen.

Be like those who have gone through incredible challenges but right in the middle, they have a smile on their face. They are hoping, believing, expecting. Do you know what they say? They say, “God, we know we are not buried. We are planted and we are eager to see what You are going to do next.

We cannot wait to see the new doors that are going to open, the new friends we are going to make, and the new opportunities we are going to encounter. We know that

God is sufficient for us, and He is an excellent trustee.” (Qur’an, 3:173).

If you stay in faith like that, your difficulties will lead you to a new fullness. You will see God blossom your life in ways you had never imagine.

When you are in tough times and everything that could go wrong does, you have to dig your heels in and say “This attack was meant to destroy me but I have got inside information that it cannot bury me. It is only planting me.” You should wait for God’s promises as a farmer waits for his harvest. I have never seen a farmer plant a crop, and then worry night and day if it is going to come up. He does not lose sleep at night and say, “Please pray that my corn take root, I am so worried.” No. He waits with a knowing and a confidence.

In fact, he does not necessarily hope that it happens; he does not even have to believe that it will happen; He takes it one-step further - he knows that his harvest is on its way. He has seen it happen repeatedly. He has planted, he has watered, and he has fertilized; now he waits with a knowing. He knows that the real sower who causes it to grow is God. Almighty God says,

“Have you considered what you sow? Is it you that cause it to grow, or are We the causers of growth? If We will, We would make it broken stubble and you would remain wondering, “surely We are burdened with debt“.” (Qur’an, 56:63-66).

Well, you have stood on God’s promises. You have prayed, you have believed, you have watered your seed with your praises, now it is time to come over into this knowing. It is time to come into this unshakeable confidence. God says,

“ As for those who strive in Us, We shall surely guide them in Our ways, and God is indeed with the virtuous.” (Qur’an, 29:69).

Somebody asks you, “You still think you are going to get out of debt with the economy being as bad as it is?” Tell him: “I do not think so. I know so. It is just a matter of time.” “Well, you still think your child is going to straighten up? He is as wild as he can be.” “No. I do not think so. I know so.

As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.” “You really think you are going to get married? You have been single so long.” “I do not think so. I know so. God is bringing the right person into my life. He is bringing me divine connection.”

You have going to have an unshakeable confidence, just like you know the Sun is going to come up in the morning, you know God is going to bring about His promises. It may happen this afternoon, it may happen tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, 20 years from now, but you know that just like that farmer, your harvest is on its way.

You have seen God do it in the past, and you know He is going to do it again in your future.

Do not despair of God’s mercy. Indeed no one despairs of God’s mercy except the faithless lot. (Qur’an, 12:87).

You may have some difficulties, but do not talk about your problems, talk about your God.

God indeed defends those who have faith. (Qur’an, 22:38).

Let God arise and His enemies will be scattered. When you let God arise in your life and you go out with this unshakeable confidence, you are waiting for your harvest like that farmer, knowing that it is going to be better than expected. You know down, no difficulty can defeat you; no person can keep you from your destiny; every setback is only temporary. Just trust in God.

Anyone who puts his trust in God, He suffices him. God’s commands will be done. (Qur’an, 65:3).

Instead of complaining, you are saying, “I cannot wait to see what God is going to do.” When you let God arise, you might as well get ready, your enemies will be scattered- Enemies of sickness, enemies of debt, enemies of depression, enemies of disappointment.

Somebody may have walked out of a relationship, but I know God is going to send me someone better; It may be hurting right now but I know God is the restorer of my soul. He is giving me beauty for my ashes. I may have lost money in the stock market, but I am not worried. God is my provider. He is supplying all of my needs. Somebody might have cheated me at a business deal, No big deal. God is my vindicator. He will make my wrongs right. He is fighting my battles. I am not buried. I am planted.

Think about Moses (peace be upon him). As a young man, he had a desire to deliver the people of Israel but he got out of God’s timing and he killed a man. He had to run for his life. He spent years on the backside of the desert, looked like he was buried, looked like his dreams would never come to pass.

The truth is he was not buried, he was simply planted. He was coming back. Those dreams were still alive. Through all those years out there in the wilderness, he did not get bitter; he did not get discouraged. He still knew that God was in control. One day, when he was 80 years old, God came and said, “Moses, it is time for your comeback. It is time for you to blossom. I have an assignment for you.

Go to pharaoh, he has become exceedingly insolent. Then say, “Have you (a desire) to purify yourself? I will guide you to your lord so that you should fear.’” (Qur’an, 79:17-19).

Do you know the latter part of Moses’s life was much greater than the first part? Some of you may feel like Moses, as you have made too many mistakes. Listen! God wants the rest of your life to be the most fulfilling, the most rewarding.

Those dreams that you once had, they did not die. They are still alive on the inside. You may have made poor choices but it did not bury you. It planted you. That means God has already arranged your comeback.

Now you have to do your part and get your fire back. Quit living condemned; quit listening to the accuser, reminding you of everything you have done wrong. God knows every mistake that you have ever made. The moment you ask Him for forgiveness, He forgives you.

God declares, “ O My servants who have committed excesses against their own souls, do not despair of the mercy of God . Indeed God will forgive all sins. Indeed He is the All-forgiving, the All-merciful.” (Qur’an, 39:53).

The good news is, He did not cancel your destiny. He did not give away your assignment. You need to dig those heels in and say, “That is it. I am not living condemned anymore. If God gave Moses another chance, He will give me another chance. This is a new day. I am putting on a new attitude. I know I have not been buried. I have been planted.”

Friend, you have comeback power in your DNA. You have been created to overcome every obstacle, to rise above every challenge. I want you to have the confidence that no matter what comes against you, it cannot defeat you. As long as you are letting God arise, your enemies will be scattered. That same dirt that is trying to bury you can be the dirt God is going to use to promote you.

Learn to shake it off and step up. Remember in the tough times that loss, that disappointment, that injustice is not the end. It is a new beginning. Pull your shoulders back; hold your head up high. Dare to declare, “I am coming back and I am coming back better.”

If you do that, those difficulties are going to give way to new growth, new potential, new talent, new friendships, new opportunities and new vision. You are going to see God blossom your life in ways you had never even dream of.

Be careful of (your duty to) your lord; for those who do good in this world there is good and the earth of God is wide. Surely, those who are patient will be recompensed in full without count. (Qur’an, 39:10).

- 1. Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 252.

Be Mercy To All

We did not send you but as a mercy to all the nations. (Qur’an, 21:107).

As the Qur’an says,

In the Apostle of God there is certainly for you a good exemplar, (Qur’an, 33:21).

And you should try your best to be like him. You should know his manner, behavior and his correctors and follow them. This is the way of salvation.

One of the characters of the Prophet was His love for all people. He was a mercy for all creatures. Almighty God says,

“We did not send you but as a mercy to all the nations.” (Qur’an, 21:107).

Moreover, says,

“There has certainly come to you an apostle from among yourselves. Grievous to him is your distress; he is full of concern for you and most kind and merciful to the faithful .” (Qur’an, 9:128).

Holy Prophet was so concern - not just for believers and his companions, but also for non-believers - that Almighty God told him:

“Perhaps you will torment yourself in grief over them, because they will not believe in this saying at all.” (Qur’an, 18:6).

Polytheists persecuted him and beat him with stones, but the Prophet prayed for them and said, “O My Lord, forgive my people; they do not know.”1

It is easy to love people that are just like us; People that look like us, dress like us, worship like us. That does not take a lot of effort, but what about people that are different from us? People that we do not understand, we do not agree with. It is easy to size them up from the exterior, put them in a box, and think, “they are not for me. They are odd. I am going to keep distance.”

However, holy prophet’s love is not exclusive; it is inclusive. He loves not just faithful but is kind to non-believers too. Of course, He has a special love and mercy to believers.

“Muhammad, the Apostle of God, and those who are with him are hard against the faithless and merciful amongst themselves.” (Qur’an, 48:29).

There is in traditions that there was a Jewish who annoyed the prophet. Every day she saved all the garbage in a basket, placed it on the roof of her house and threw all the garbage on Prophet, when he passed by. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his pure progeny) did not say anything and continued on his way. One day, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his pure progeny) did not find the woman to be on the roof with the basket.

This worried him; he asked about her and they said she is sick. Holy Prophet with some of his companions visited her. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his pure progeny) entered the house and visited her. This made her feel very guilty for being so cruel to him in the past and she apologized for her mean behavior and converted to Islam.

These are the kindness and mercy of the Prophet. After the conquest of Mecca He forgave all his enemies; they tortured him for years but magnanimous Prophet forgave all of them. He told them: “I say to you what my brother Joseph said to his brothers:

There shall be no reproach on you today. God will forgive you, and He is the most merciful of the merciful.” (Qur’an, 12:92).

This is the Prophet, but what about us? How do we behave with others? How do we behave with believers, with Muslims, with our brothers and sisters? The Prophet (peace be upon him and his pure progeny) said, “The believers, in their mutual love, compassion and mercy, are like one body; if one part of it is suffering, the rest of the parts of the body join it in its fever and sleeplessness.”2

Moreover, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said, “Let your mercy and compassion come to your people, all of them because there are two kinds of people: those who have the same religion as you have; they are brothers to you, and those who have religions other than that of yours, but they are human beings like you.” Then said, “Let them pardon and forgive as you like God to forgive you.”3 Qur’an says,

“Let them pardon and forgive. Would you not like God to forgive you? And God is Forgiving, Merciful.” (Qur’an, 24:22).

You should be kind to people as your prophet did, and as your Lord, Almighty God does. You are the successor of Almighty God and should try your best to be like your Lord.

He has made mercy incumbent upon Himself. (Qur’an, 6:12).

Indeed God is most kind and merciful to mankind. (Qur’an, 2:143).

So be kind to them. Of course God has a special mercy that is for believers and virtuous. He says,

“ My mercy embraces all things. Soon I shall appoint it for those who are God wary and give the zakat and those who believe in Our signs.” (Qur’an, 7:156).

You should be like Almighty God. You should be kind to people. God’s love is not exclusive; it is inclusive. It does not exclude people that are different. It does not write people off because they are not where they should be in life. It does not ignore someone because they are not meeting our standards. It is unconditional love and mercy.

Unconditional mercy says, “I am going to love you even if I do not agree with you. I may not agree with your lifestyle, your doctrine, how you are raising your children, the friends you are choosing, but I know this: you are made in the image of Almighty God and the spirit of God is in you and I am not called to judge you. I am called to love you, to be kind with you. Yes I may disagree with your behavior, with your lifestyle, but I love you and because of that I will try my best to help you to get rid of it.”

If you think he is sick, then you need to cure him. It is the sick who need a doctor, not the healthy. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his pure progeny) was a doctor for others and he found sick people and cured them. He said, “Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or is oppressed.”4

A man enquired, “O Messenger of God! I help him when he is oppressed, but how can I help him when he is an oppressor?” He (peace be upon him and his pure progeny) said, “You can keep him from committing oppression. That will be your help to him.”

You have to realize every person is on a journey. Where they are right now is not where they are going to end up. They are not a finished product. They are still on the potter’s wheel. However, so often you judge people for where they are today. You may write them off and think they are a mess; they are done. No, God will use you to plant seeds in their heart.

Your love, your friendship, your encouragement is a part of the plan God has designed for their life. God is counting on you to make a difference. Do not have a holier than thou attitude. Take off the judgmental classes. If not for the grace of God, you could be right where they are. The same things that you are tempted to be judgmental and critical about, if not for God’s goodness, you could be struggling with as well. Moreover, if you had walked in their shoes, been raised in their family, fought the battles that they fought, you would understand why they are where they are.

The areas that you are strong in, you did not just happen to be strong; that is the mercy of God on your life. So

do not turn your face away from people out of arrogance; nor walk in the street exultingly; verily, God does not like any self-conceited Boaster. (Qur’an, 31:18).

When you show this unconditional love, people may not respond right away. It may not seem like it is doing any good. They keep making poor choices. However, here is the key: Those seeds never die. The seeds of hope, mercy, encouragement that you plant in other people they never die. It may look like it is not doing any good, but the reason it is not growing, is the soil of their heart; it is hard and rocky.

That seed could not take root. The good news is the seed is still alive, and at the right time, God will soften their heart, loosing up that soil, and the seed you have sown will take root and bring a harvest. Nothing you are doing has been wasted. Every time you show love, you are sowing these seeds. However, sometimes you think that you have to convict people. You have to tell them what they are doing wrong, point out all their faults; make sure they really feel guilty. No, and because of this spying is forbidden in Islam. Qur’an says,

“O, you who have faith! Avoid much suspicion. Indeed some suspicions are sins. Moreover, do not spy on or backbite one another. Will any of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it. And be wary of God; indeed God is all-clement, all-merciful.” (Qur’an, 49:12).

You just keep sowing these seeds, showing unconditional love, and at the right time, they will come to life and God will make it grow. Qur’an says,

“ Have you considered what you sow? Is it you who make it grow, or are We the grower?” (Qur’an, 56:63-64).

When you show love, you are showing God. When you are merciful, understanding, accepting that heals or that restores, that brings new life. You have been good at telling people what you do not like. However, do not be known just for what you are against; be known for what you are for. You are for people. You are for new beginnings. You are for second chances.

Your attitude should be “if you have good morals or no morals, I am still going to love you. If you are clean and sober or you are strung-out and addicted, I am still going to love you. If you are black or white, Muslims or Christian, believer or atheist, I am still going to love you. And I will try my best to help you, to save you.”

What would this world be like if instead of judging people you really start loving people? So maybe they do not look like you but they are not supposed to. God made them different. Maybe they are not where they should be in life right now. That is okay. They are on a journey. They are not a finished product. Do not shut them out. Your God is the God of the whole earth. He is not a white God, a black God. However, so many times you may have this narrow view of God.

You may have your little circle of what you believe, and who you think is right, and then exclude everyone else. You point out their faults, what they are doing wrong, where you do not agree. Nobody is correct 100 percent. Do not say, “They do not pray like we pray.” Do not focus on the things that separate you. The longer I live, the more I realize how big God’s circle is; how wide his mercy extends.

Indeed, God is most kind and merciful towards mankind. (Qur’an, 22:65).

Say, “My love for you is bigger than a theological difference. It is bigger than what faith you practice. It is even bigger than a political or a philosophical difference. If you draw a circle to shut me out, I am going to draw a bigger circle to shut you in.” When you love unconditionally, you have a wide circle. You are not judging everybody to see if they fit into your little box.

You can say, “Where would we be without the mercy of God?” when you did not deserve it. When you made mistakes, God showed you his unconditional love. He is asking you to show this same love to other people. He says,

“Lower your wing to the faithful and be courteous and Supportive to them.” (Qur’an, 15:88).

Do not look at them through eyes of judgment; look at them through eyes of mercy. Almighty God freely gave you mercy; let us freely give other people mercy. Holy Prophet said, “He who is not merciful to people, God will not be merciful to him.”5

It means he will not receive the special mercy of God. Moreover, he said, “A person does not enter Paradise unless he be compassionate towards all people not just his family.” On the other hand, said, “Have mercy to those on earth, so who is in heaven gives you mercy.”6

It is easy to cover people with judgment, covering them with condemnation, cover with guilt, but let us start covering people with love. Create in your mind and heart kindness, compassion and love for people and your subjects. Do not behave towards them as if you are a voracious and ravenous beast and as if your success lies in devouring them. Because amongst your subjects there are two kinds of people: those who have the same religion as you have; they are brothers to you, and those who have religions other than that of yours, they are human beings like you.7 Cover people with love; love heals. Love brings down barriers.

Love puts people back on their feet. You may not understand someone but that is okay. Have a wide circle of love. Remember, they are on a journey. Where they are is not where they are going to end up. God is counting on them to make a difference, to push them forward and show them mercy. If you will have this unconditional love, not only will you help others, but also your own life will improve. You will have more joy and better relationships.

Ask Almighty God and say, “O, God help us to have mercy on others and not judge people by the exterior, by what they wear, by the mistakes they have made. God let us see people through eyes of love. O, God help us to love and follow Prophet Muhammad and His progeny (peace be upon them) and to be merciful to all creatures.

- 1. Bihar Al-Anwar, vol. 11, p. 298.

- 2. Bihar Al-Anwar, vol. 71, p. 234.

- 3. Nahj Al-Balagha (Sobhi Salih), p. 427.

- 4. Nahj Al-Fasaha, p. 265.

- 5. Al-Faqih, vol. 4, p. 380.

- 6. Al-Faqih, vol. 4, p. 379.

- 7. Saying of Imam Ali (peace be upon him); Nahj Al-Balaqah, letter 53.

Trust God To Do It His Way

Whoever puts his trust in God, He will suffice him. Indeed God carries through His command. (Qur’an, 65:3).

You may have dreams that you believe for, and situations you want to see turn around; but too often you may put Almighty God in a box and tell him how to do it, when to do it and who to use to do it. The only problem is that God’s ways are not your ways. God does not always do things the logical way. God uses unorthodox methods. He is unconventional.

You have to stay open. Let God out of your box. You may only see one way that it could happen. It may be just one obvious door. However, God closed that door on purpose because He has something much better in front of you. Just because it is the logical way, does not mean that it is God’s way. Just because it happened that way before, does not mean it is going to happen that way next time. Some times what you want or the way you want is not good for you.

Perhaps you may hate something while it is good for you, and perhaps you may love something while it is bad for you; God knows while you do not know. (Qur’an, 2:216).

If you are narrow minded you may miss God’s best. Your attitude should be: “God I am letting you out of my box. You can do anything in my life. My lord, I trust you to do it your way.” know that:

Whoever puts his trust in God, He will suffice him. Indeed God carries through His command. (Qur’an, 65:3).

Trust Almighty God and be interested in pleasing God than you are pleasing people. There will always be people that try to squeeze you into their mold and tell: “you are not enough of this, or not enough of that.” Let it go in one ear and out the other. You are not who people say you are. You are who God says you are.

Say, “God!” Then leave them to play around in their impious gossip. (Qur’an, 6:91).

Almighty God is god; is a good god; is a gracious god, and is a powerful god. He can do whatever He wants. God can use the enemy to take care of his servant. He saved Moses with his enemy, pharaoh.

The family of Pharaoh picked him up, so he would be an enemy to them and a source of sadness. Certainly, Pharaoh and haman and their troops were doing wrong. Pharaoh's wife said, “A pleasure to my eye and yours, so do not kill him, perhaps he will benefit us or we may take him as a son!” while they did not notice, (that he will be pharaoh's enemy). (Qur’an, 28:8-9).

Moreover, God saved his prophet, Muhammad with a spider. So just say, “God I trust you. You know what is best for me, what I need. When I need and who I need.”

Maybe God loves you too much to answer that prayer. Maybe God has given you something better, but because you are so sit in seeing it happen in your way, you do not recognize it right now.

Maybe you dislike something while God invests it with an abundant good. (Qur’an, 4:19).

God knows what he is doing. He can see the big picture for your life. If you are only going to be happy if God does it your way, you are not trusting. You have to come to the place where if it does not work out the way you had it planned, you are still in peace. God still on the throne and he will still get you where you are supposed to be.

Are you open God to use a new method to bring your dreams to pass? Say, “O my Lord, I know your ways are better than my ways. You know what I can do and you know what I cannot do. I may not feel qualified but when you breathed your life into me, I know you equipped me, empowered me. I may feel weak but with you I know I am strong.”

God’s plan for your life will not always be logical or reasonable, or what you had planned but if you will stay open, it will be much bigger, than you ever even imagined. He is going to open doors for you that no man can shut. You have not touched the surface of what God has in store. However, here is the key; it is not going to happen by traditional means. His plan for you is always good but it may be different from your own plan.

He is the potter you are the clay. You should pray, believe and stand in faith, but in the end you have to be mature enough to accept what God has destined for your life; not defeat, not mediocrity. Stay open.

Do not envy for what God Has favored some of you over the others. …. Ask God from His favor, God is knowledgeable over all things. (Qur’an, 4:32).

Do not be like children of Israel who said,

“O Moses, we will not be patient to one type of food, so call for us your Lord that He may bring forth what the earth grows of its beans, cucumbers, garlic, lentils, and onions.” He said, “Would you trade that which is lowly with that which is good? Descend to Egypt, you will have in it what you have asked for.” (Qur’an, 2:61).

You should say in this way: “God this is what I want, but my Lord you know what is best for me.

My Lord! I seek Your protection lest I should ask You something of which I have no knowledge. If You do not forgive me and have mercy upon me I shall be among the losers. (Qur’an, 11:46-47).

O, God I trust you. I am still going to be happy.” You have to ask in right way.

Do not ask about things, which, if they are disclosed to you, will upset you. (Qur’an, 5:101).

I can promise you that God will answer you and God’s way will always be the best way. You may not understand it. It may not seem fair but Almighty God knows what he is doing. He promised us,

“I am near answering the calls of those who call to Me. So let them respond to Me and believe in Me.” (Qur’an, 2:186).

He is who answers the distressed when he calls Him, and He removes the ill. (Qur’an, 27:62).

Just be patient and trust in God. When you are trusting God, to do it his way there is a rest. You are not struggling, fighting and upset. You are at peace. You know God’s way is the best way so you can relax and enjoy your life while God is in the process of bringing those promises to pass. So

why should we not put our trust in God, seeing that He has guided us in our ways? … In God let all the trusting, put their trust. (Qur’an, 14:12).

Say, “O My lord, I trust you to do your way. I believe that:

Whoever puts his trust in God, He will suffice him. Indeed God carries through His command. (Qur’an, 65:3).

Move Forward

Let them excuse and forbear. Do you not love that God should forgive you? God is all-forgiving, all-merciful. (Qur’an, 24:22).

It is easy to go through life looking in the rear view mirror, focused on what did not work out, on who hurt you, on the mistakes you have made. However, as long as you are living in regrets, focused on the negative things of the past, it is going to keep you from the bright future God has in store for you. You have to let go of what did not work out. Let go of the hurts and pains.

Let go of things like that. You cannot do anything about the past but you can do something about right now. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said, “You live between past and future. The past is the past and the future is not coming yet, so be careful about today.”1

If you keep bringing negative baggage from yesterday into today, it will poison your future. You may have had an unfair past but do not let what somebody did or did not do for you, be an excuse to live sour. Do not let a bad break, a divorce, and a betrayal; cause you to settle where you are. Move forward and God will pay you back and vindicate you. You will come in to a new beginning.

Do not weaken or grieve: you shall have the upper hand, should you be faithful. (Qur’an, 3:139).

If you stay focused on the past, you will get stuck where you are. This is the reason many people do not have joy, no enthusiasm for life. Life is too short to live that way. Learn to travel light. Every morning when you first get up, forgive the people that did you wrong the day before.

Let them excuse and forbear. Do you not love that God should forgive you? God is all-forgiving, all-merciful. (Qur’an, 24:22).

Start every morning afresh and anew. God did not create you to carry around all that baggage. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said, “Reduce the burden to reach the previous.”2

You should focused on what you can change; not what you cannot change. What is done is done. If you lost your temper yesterday you can either beat yourself up, carry around the guilt and condemnation, or you can ask for forgiveness, receive God’s mercy and better today.

You may have had some bad breaks but that did not stop God’s plan for your life. He still has something amazing in front of you. There is always an opportunity to catch up. He Almighty says,

“O My servants who have committed excesses against their own souls, do not despair of the mercy of God. Indeed God will forgive all sins. Indeed He is the All-forgiving, the All-merciful.” (Qur’an, 39:53).

When one door closes, if you will stay in faith, God will always open up another door. One of the attributes of God is Jabbar (Redeeming - compensating for faults or defects).

He is Almighty God there is no other God except Him the Sovereign, the All-holy, the All-benign, the Securer, the All-conserver, the All-mighty, the All-compeller, the All-magnanimous. Clear is God of any partners that they may ascribe to Him! (Qur’an, 59:23).

Everything that happens in this world is on schedule. It is the plan of Almighty God.

With Him are the treasures of the Unseen; no one knows them except Him. He knows whatever there is in land and sea. No leaf falls without His knowing it, nor is there a grain in the darkness of the earth, nor anything fresh or withered but it is in a manifest Book. (Qur’an, 6:59).

Your life is not over because you lost. God has another victory in front of you. Quit thinking about your lost. God will compensate your faults or defects. When negative pictures come up on the move screen of your mind, change the channel. You have the remote control.

You do not have to watch everything comes up. Every time you think about it, you are re-opening it. The mind is very powerful. If you replay negative experiences, you will feel the same emotion as when it first happened.

Think about useful experiences. Think about things that are pure, about the signs of God, about the creation of the heavens and the earth not about negative experiences. Qur’an says,

“Have they not reflected in their own souls? God did not create the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them except with reason and for a specified term.” (Qur’an, 30:8).

The negative memories will try to replay repeatedly. You cannot change the past but you can change the future. As many people could do that. People like Hurr3 in the day of Ashura, Fozeil Ayaz,4 and Gondi. So do not be disappointed like those whom Qur’an says about them:

“And should any ill befall man, he becomes hopeless, despondent.” (Qur’an, 41:49).

Do not despair of God’s mercy because what happened in the past. You can start again. You can change the future. Think about Joseph and his brother. They betrayed him. They made a mistake. However, Jacob told them,

“Go, my sons, and look for Joseph and his brother, and do not despair of God’s mercy. Indeed no one despairs of God’s mercy except the faithless lot.” (Qur’an, 12:87).

At last they found him and Joseph forgave them.

Every time you can start again.

Those who repent, attain faith, and act righteously, for such, God will replace their misdeeds with good deeds, and God is all-forgiving, all-merciful. (Qur’an, 25:70).

Shake off the disappointment. Say, “I know what is in my future is greater than what is in my past, so I am pressing forward in life. Get your hopes up. Maybe what happen to you in past was good for you. Know that

Perhaps you may hate something while it is good for you, and perhaps you may love something while it is bad for you; God knows while you do not know. (Qur’an, 2:216).

God has better plan for new season of your life. So, be surrender and submit to the Lord of the worlds like Abraham who

When his Lord said to him, “Submit”, he said, “I submit to the Lord of all the worlds.” (Qur’an, 2:131).

A much better approach is to take that loss and saw it as a seed. Say, “I do not know why this was taken away but I am not going to let anyone steal from me.” Do not have Victim mentality. It might be difficult but know that your Lord is still on the throne. There are incredible opportunities in front of you. The rest of your life will be the best of your life. So be patient and hopeful and with trust in God move forward.

Put your trust in God; God suffices as trustee. (Qur’an, 65:3).

- 1. Ghurar Al-Hikam, p. 222.

- 2. Nahj Al-Balagha (Sobhi Salih), p. 242.

- 3. He is one of the companions of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) who martyred in the day of Ashura.

- 4. . He was a bandit but changed his way of life and became a real believer.

Be Virtuous And Beneficial

Be virtuous and do good to people. Indeed God loves the virtuous and good doers. (Qur’an, 2:195).

I wonder what our world would be like if each of us would find somebody to be good to every day. What would our city be like? What would our offices be like? What would our schools be like if we made it a priority to brighten somebody else’s day?

Qur’an says,

“Be virtuous and do good to people. Indeed God loves the virtuous and good doers.” (Qur’an, 2:195).

That means you need to be on the lookout. You need to be proactive. You need to have the mindset of, “who can I bless today? For whom can I do a favor?” You cannot just sit back and wait for the need to come to you. You have to go after it. Imam Husain1 (peace be upon him) said, “If People wish you and need you it is the God’s blessings, so do not get tired of it.”2

Sometimes it is easy for you to get so caught up in your own little world that you are focused only on yourselves. “I have got my plans. Do not get me off my schedule. I would love to help you out with some work around your house, but I am sorry, this is football season. I just do not have the time.” However, you were not created to live selfishly.

You were created to make a difference in the lives of others. You have not lived today until you have done something for someone that cannot pay you back. Then you will be blessed as Jesus (peace be upon him) said,

“God has made me blessed, wherever I may be.” (Qur’an, 19:31).

Imam Al-Sadiq3 (peace be upon him) said about this speech, that it means “God made me beneficial.”

All around us are hurting people who need our love and encouragement. Do not miss the miracle of the moment. Do not be too busy, or insensitive to the needs of those around you. Be willing to be inconvenienced. Be sensitive and pay attention to those around you, your friends, your coworkers and your relatives.

Listen to what they are saying. You should not miss opportunities to do good whenever situations come across your paths to bless people. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his pure progeny) said, “Who start his day and do not care about the others, he is not a real Muslim.”4

He who is gracious to a poor, and help people, it is as he is doing it unto the Almighty God and lends to Him. Then the Lord will repay him for his good deed and pay him back with interest. Therefore, Qur’an says,

“Who is it that will lend God a good loan, that He may multiply it for him and that there may be a noble reward for him?” (Qur’an, 57:11).

You may not be able to give money, but you can baby-sit that single mom’s children. Why do not you give her a break one night? Tell her: “You go do something special for yourself. Here is a gift certificate. You go up to the mall. Our family is going to keep your children tonight.” If you see one of your friends wearing the same clothes all the time, why do not you step up to the plate and say, “Let me buy you a new suit or two, or, take this gift certificate and go get yourself some new clothes.”

Maybe you and your family go out to eat every weak; why do not you take a single parent family along with you? Better yet, be a mentor to one of those young children that does not take a lot of money. It just takes time and love. That just takes somebody that cares, somebody that is willing to make a difference.

I heard a story about a young boy that lived in the inner city. He was about eight years old and was very poor. One cold day, he was looking in the window of a local store admiring a pair of tennis shoes. As he stood there, cold and barefooted, a woman came along and asked, “Young man, what are you doing staring so intently in this window?” Shyly he said, “Well, I was just sort of praying and asking God if He would give me a new pair of tennis shoes.”

Without hesitation, the woman took him into the store and very gently and lovingly washed off his cold dirty feet. She put a brand new pair of socks on his feet. Then she told him to pick out three new pairs of tennis shoes. The boy could not believe it. He was so excited! He had never owned a new pair of shoes. He had always just worn old hand-me-downs. After she paid for the purchase, the woman handed the shoes to the child. “Enjoy your shoes, son“, she said. The little boy looked at her in amazement. Nobody had ever taken that kind of interest in him.

Friend, you are never more like God than when you give. You are never more like God than when you take time for people, than when you do something to bless someone else. You are here to become like God.

Your Lord said to the Angels, “I am placing a successor on earth.” (Qur’an, 2:30).

You are His successors so you should be like Him, like your Lord.

Learn to be good to people in your everyday life. When you stop to get a cup of coffee at work, bring your coworker back a cup, too. When traffic backs up on the freeway, let that car into the lane in front of you. At the grocery store, when you have a bunch of groceries and somebody behind you has just a few, let them go ahead of you. How about in the parking lot, when you pull up to that last front row parking space at the same time as another car. Why do not you back up and let them have that space?

Do you want another simple way of blessing someone? When you are at a restaurant, be a good tipper. God’s people believe in being good to people. We believe in showing God’s kindness wherever we go. People are God’s family and the most popular creatures in the sight of God is the one who benefits the Family of God and make them happy.5

When you make a person happy with your words or your money, you are going to sow a seed into that person’s life and in your life in the hereafter. As it has been said, “This world is the field for hereafter.”6

Love is seen in your actions. This world does not need to hear sermons as much as it needs to see you being good to people. Learn to give your time, your money, or an encouraging word. When you show love, you are showing God to the world. Do not worry if you do not get any credit; when you let somebody in traffic in front of you, you may never see that person again; when you give somebody twenty dollars because you had compassion in your heart, you may never hear back from them, but let me assure you, God is keeping the records.

He has seen every time you have been good to somebody. He has heard every encouraging word you have spoken. God has seen all the times you went out of your way to help somebody, but they never even said thank you. Qur’an says when you do things in secret, when you do things without getting any credit, when nobody thanks you, God sees it, and you will even receive a greater reward.

Whatever charity you may give, God indeed knows it. If you disclose your charities, that is well, but if you hide them and give them to the poor, that is better for you, and it will atone for some of your misdeeds, and God is well aware of what you do. (Qur’an, 2:270-271).

It is one thing to make a big splash and let everybody know how generous you are. However, if you really want to be blessed, do something good for somebody and do not tell anybody about it. Leave some cash in an unmarked envelope on the desk of that coworker that is struggling to make ends meet. At the restaurant, buy somebody’s dinner and remain anonymous.

Clean up the kitchen at the office and do not tell anybody that you did it. When you do things in secret and you do not get any credit, you are sowing a seed for Almighty God to do great things in your life and He will make it grow. Qur’an says,

“Have you considered what you sow? Is it you who make it grow, or are We the grower?” (Qur’an, 56:63-64).

Why do not you make a decision that you are going to start being good to people? Remember, true love is always backed up with your actions. People are watching you, and one of the best witnesses you could have is simply by being good to people. If you will get up every day and focus on how you can be a blessing and not just on how you can get blessed, God will meet your own needs as you meet others’ needs. God will meet all your needs in abundance! Who is for God, God will be for him.

Qur’an says that people are not going to know true Muslims by how many verses they quote. They are not going to know them by how many Muslim stickers they have on their rooms or cars. They will know true Muslims and the faithful by their behaviors.

The faithful are only those who have attained faith in God and His Apostle and then have never doubted, and who strive with their possessions and their persons in the way of God. It is they who are the truthful. (Qur’an, 49:15).

In another verse, Qur’an says,

“The faithful are only those who maintain the prayer and spend out of what We have provided them. It is they who are truly the faithful. They shall have ranks near their Lord, forgiveness and a noble provision.” (Qur’an, 2:3-4).

People are going to really know that you are believers when you are helping other people, meeting their needs, doing good works and when you are blessing people with your words and your actions. Imam Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said, “Know that who has not good behavior with others, he is not from us. He is not a real Muslim.”7 He said, “They know you that you are with us so you should be adornment and beauty of us and do not cause of our embarrassment.”8

- 1. The third Imam of Shia Muslims.

- 2. Bihar Al-Anwar, vol. 71, p. 318.

- 3. The sixth Imam of Shia Muslims.

- 4. Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 164.

- 5. This tradition has been narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him and his pure progeny). (Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 164)

- 6. Tanbih Al-Khawater (Warram), vol. 1, p. 92.

- 7. Al-Kafi, vol. 4, p. 286.

- 8. Al-Amali (Sadouq), p. 400.

Clean Your Window

He created for you mates from your own selves that you may take comfort in them, and He ordained affection and mercy between you. There are indeed signs in that for a people who reflect. (Qur’an, 30:21).

In life, no matter how much good there is, you can always find something bad if you look for it. You can find some fault, some weakness, something that you do not understand or like. Either you can develop an eye for the good, or you can develop a critical eye and always see the bad.

You can extend your glance toward what people have or you can fix your eyes at good things Almighty God has provided for you. God says,

“Do not linger with your eyes on what We have bestowed upon some couples from them, and do not grieve for them, and lower your wing for the believers.” (Qur’an, 15:88).

This is why marriages are in so much trouble today. A spouse or both spouses have developed a habit of being negative and only seeing the negative. They have become too critical and view everything through their critical eye.

You can train yourself to see your spouse’s strengths, or you can train yourself to see their weaknesses. You can focus on what you like about your spouse and magnify their good qualities, or you can focus on what you do not like and magnify the things that annoy you. Jesus (peace be upon him) and his disciples walked across a street. In the middle of the street was laying a dog.

It was dead probably since several weeks. The disciples stopped Jesus and asked him, “Did you see that poor dead dog? Its body is in such an awful shape. The worms already have eaten the half of it.” Jesus answered: “No, I have not seen that. But have you seen these beautiful white teeth from that dog.”

If you choose for the positive, it does not mean that you are blind for the so-called reality. It simply means that you have made a conscious decision. It means you know the right of your spouse.

Imam Sajjad1 (peace be upon him) said, “The right of your wife is that you know that God has made her a repose and a comfort for you; so know that she is God’s favor toward you, so you should honor her and treat her gently. You must treat her with compassion, feed her and clothe her and whenever her ignorance troubles you, you should pardon her.”2

Some people have become so critically minded that no matter what the other one does, it is not going to be right. They never see the good their spouse does anymore, and they have forgotten the reasons they fell in love and got married. It is because they are magnifying the wrong things.

We all may have faults and things that can get on each other’s nerves. However, the key is; what are you magnifying? Are you just magnifying that annoyance, letting a critical spirit rise up? Are you choosing to see the good and only focusing on the good? If you are negative toward your spouse and you operate out of a critical spirit, it is going to poison your whole outlook.

You will not communicate properly. You will not want to do things together, and it will affect you in every area. After all, when you are critical, you begin to nag and exaggerate and make a big deal out of things that are not big deals; “Well, you never take out the trash. Well, you never spend any time with me. You are always late.”

Qur’an says about spouses:

“They are a garment for you, and you are a garment for them.” (Qur’an, 2:187).

Therefore, you should save your spouse. Think about the purpose of marriage. Why did Almighty God create man and woman?

He created for you mates from your own selves that you may take comfort in them, and He ordained affection and mercy between you. There are indeed signs in that for a people who reflect. (Qur’an, 30:21).

Therefore, they should not criticize each other. They should avoid suspicion; avoid spying or backbiting one another.

O you who have faith! Avoid much suspicion. Indeed some suspicions are sins. Do not spy on or backbite one another. Will any of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it. Be wary of God; indeed God is all-clement, all-merciful. (Qur’an, 49:12).

Know that usually people respond to praise more than they respond to criticism. The next time you want your husband to mow the lawn, instead of nagging and saying: “You lazy thing. When are you ever going to mow our lawn? It looks so bad.” Just say, “Did I ever tell you that when you are out there mowing the lawn, you look really good? You praise him like that, and he will mow the lawn every day!” People respond to praise more than criticism.

When you are constantly critical, you have to realize the problem is not with your spouse or your friend. It is not even with your circumstances. The problem is with you.

Imam Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said, “Jesus always said to his companions if you are my friends and my brothers, do not feud people nor hate them. If you do not, then you are not my brothers. Do not look into people’s flaws. But think about your salvation because you are servants.” Moreover, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said, “It is enough for the ignorance of a person to pay attention to the fault of people while he is unaware of the same fault on himself.”3

There was a couple that moved into a new neighborhood. Early one morning while they were eating, the woman looked out the window and saw the neighbor hanging her wash out on the line to dry. She noticed that the wash was so dirty and so dingy. She said to her husband, “That neighbor does not know how to wash. Her clothes are not clean.

I wonder if she even uses detergent.” Day after day, she made these same comments. “I cannot believe she lets her family wear those dirty, dingy clothes.” Several weeks later, she looked out that window, and the clothes were just as bright, clean, and beautiful as could be. She was so surprised. She called her husband and said, “Honey, look. The woman finally learned how to wash. I wonder what happened.” The husband smiled and said, “Honey, I got up early this morning and cleaned our window.”

The problem was not that the neighbor had dirty laundry. The problem was the window she was looking through was not clean. She was seeing everything through a tainted filter. It is the same way beauty; or you only see the scratch in the floor and never the amazing house; if you never see what your spouse does right and only what they do wrong, then my encouragement to you is to clean your window.

The problem is not with your spouse. It is an internal issue. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his pure progeny) said, “Blessed is he who, according to his fault he keeps looking to his brothers faults.”4

If you struggle in this area, I would encourage you to make a list of the qualities that you like about your spouse. Write down the things that they do right. He may not be a good communicator, but he is a hard worker. Put that on your list. She may have some weaknesses, but she is a great mother. She is smart. She is intelligent. Write that down. Every day go over it. Start focusing on their good qualities.

Live with them in kindness. If you dislike them, then perhaps you may dislike something and God makes in it much good. (Qur’an, 4:19).

You have to make a switch. Decide today to start appreciating your spouse’s strengths and learn to downplay their weaknesses. If you do, your marriage will be filled with more peace, unity and love, and you will see God bless your marriage and your life in greater ways. Do not forget that “anyone who is kind to his spouse, God will provide him with a long life.”5

And the end of our prayer is:

“Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds!”

May the Lord bless you and protect you.

May the Lord smile on you

and be gracious to you.

May the Lord show you His favor

and give you His peace.

- 1. The fourth Imam of Shia Muslims.

- 2. Al-Amali (Saduq), p. 370.

- 3. Ghurar Al-Hikam, p. 522.

- 4. Al-Kafi, vol. 8, p. 169.

- 5. Saying of Imam Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him)

List Of Verses Quoted In The Book

الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَوةَ وَ ممِّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُون‏ .

The faithful are only those who maintain the prayer and spend out of what We have provided them. (Qur’an, 2:3).

وَ الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بمِا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَ مَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ وَ بِالاَخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُون‏ .

It is they who are truly the faithful. They shall have ranks near their Lord, forgiveness and a noble provision. (Qur’an, 2:4).

وَ إِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَئكَةِ إِنىّ‏ِ جَاعِلٌ فىِ الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً.‏

And your Lord said to the angels: “Indeed I am going to set a viceroy and a successor on the earth.” (Qur’an, 2:30).

يَابَنىِ إِسْرَءِيلَ اذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَتىِ‏َ الَّتىِ أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكمُ‏ْ وَ أَوْفُواْ بِعَهْدِى أُوفِ بِعَهْدِكُمْ وَ إِيَّاىَ فَارْهَبُون .

O Children of Israel, remember My blessing which I bestowed upon you, and fulfill My covenant that I may fulfill your covenant. (Qur’an, 2:40).

وَ إِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَمُوسىَ‏ لَن نَّصْبرِ عَلىَ‏ طَعَامٍ وَاحِدٍ فَادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يخُرِجْ لَنَا ممِّا تُنبِتُ الْأَرْضُ مِن بَقْلِهَا وَ قِثَّائهَا وَ فُومِهَا وَ عَدَسِهَا وَ بَصَلِهَا قَالَ أَ تَسْتَبْدِلُونَ الَّذِى هُوَ أَدْنىَ‏ بِالَّذِى هُوَ خَيرً اهْبِطُواْ مِصْرًا فَإِنَّ لَكُم مَّا سَأَلْتُمْ وَ ضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الذِّلَّةُ وَ الْمَسْكَنَةُ وَ بَاءُو بِغَضَبٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ ذَالِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كاَنُواْ يَكْفُرُونَ بِايَاتِ اللَّهِ وَ يَقْتُلُونَ النَّبِيِّنَ بِغَيرْ الْحَقّ‏ِ ذَالِكَ بمِا عَصَواْ وَّ كَانُواْ يَعْتَدُون .‏

And when you said, “O Moses, we will not be patient to one type of food, so call for us your Lord that He may bring forth what the earth grows of its beans, cucumbers, garlic, lentils, and onions.” He said, “Would you trade that which is lowly with that which is good? Descend to Egypt, you will have in it what you have asked for. Therefore, they were struck with abasement and poverty, and they earned God’s wrath. That, because they would defy the signs of God and kill the prophets unjustly. That, because they would disobey and used to commit transgression.” (Qur’an, 2:61).

وَ إِذْ قالَ مُوسى‏ لِقَوْمِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تَذْبَحُوا بَقَرَةً قالُوا أَ تَتَّخِذُنا هُزُواً قالَ أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْجاهِلين.

Moses said to his people: “God orders you to slaughter a heifer.” They said, “Do you mock us?” He said, “I seek refuge with God that I not be of the ignorant ones.” (Qur’an, 2:67).

قالُوا ادْعُ لَنا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنْ لَنا ما هِيَ قالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّها بَقَرَةٌ لا فارِضٌ وَ لا بِكْرٌ عَوانٌ بَيْنَ ذلِكَ فَافْعَلُوا ما تُؤْمَرُون .

They said, “Call upon your Lord for us that He may clarify which it is.” He said, “He says it is a cow, neither old nor young, of a middle age. Now do what you are commanded.” (Qur’an, 2:68).

قالُوا ادْعُ لَنا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنْ لَنا ما لَوْنُها قالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّها بَقَرَةٌ صَفْراءُ فاقِعٌ لَوْنُها تَسُرُّ النَّاظِرين .

They said, “Call upon your Lord for us that He may clarify what color it is.” He said, “He says it is a cow that is yellow, of a bright hue, pleasing to the onlookers.” (Qur’an, 2:69).

قالُوا ادْعُ لَنا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنْ لَنا ما هِيَ إِنَّ الْبَقَرَ تَشابَهَ عَلَيْنا وَ إِنَّا إِنْ شاءَ اللَّهُ لَمُهْتَدُون .

They said, “Call upon your Lord for us that He may clarify which one it is . Indeed all cows are much alike to us, and, if God wishes, we will surely be guided.” (Qur’an, 2:70).

قالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّها بَقَرَةٌ لا ذَلُولٌ تُثيرُ الْأَرْضَ وَ لا تَسْقِي الْحَرْثَ مُسَلَّمَةٌ لا شِيَةَ فيها قالُوا الْآنَ جِئْتَ بِالْحَقِّ فَذَبَحُوها وَ ما كادُوا يَفْعَلُون .

He said, “He says it is a cow not broken to till the earth or to water the tillage, sound and without blemish.” They said, “Now you have come with the truth.” And they slaughtered it, though they were about not to do it. (Qur’an, 2:71).

ما نَنْسَخْ مِنْ آيَةٍ أَوْ نُنْسِها نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِنْها أَوْ مِثْلِها أَ لَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلى‏ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ قَدير.

For any verse that We abrogate or remove from memories, We bring another which is better than it, or similar to it. Do you not know that God has power over all things? (Qur’an, 2:106).

أَ لَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ وَ ما لَكُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ وَلِيٍّ وَ لا نَصير.

Do you not know that to God belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth? Besides God, you do not have any guardian or any helper. (Qur’an, 2:107).

بَلى‏ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُ لِلَّهِ وَ هُوَ مُحْسِنٌ فَلَهُ أَجْرُهُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِ وَ لا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ لا هُمْ يَحْزَنُون .

Certainly, whoever submits his will to God and is virtuous, he shall have his reward near his Lord, and they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve. (Qur’an, 2:112).

إِذْ قالَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ أَسْلِمْ قالَ أَسْلَمْتُ لِرَبِّ الْعالَمين.

When his Lord said to him: “Submit”, he said, “I submit to the Lord of all the worlds”. (Qur’an, 2:131).

إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَؤُفٌ رَحيم.

Indeed God is most kind and merciful to mankind. (Qur’an, 2:143).

يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَعينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَ الصَّلاةِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرين .

O you who have faith! Take recourse in patience and prayer; indeed God is with the patient. (Qur’an, 2:153).

وَ لَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْ‏ءٍ مِنَ الْخَوْفِ وَ الْجُوعِ وَ نَقْصٍ مِنَ الْأَمْوالِ وَ الْأَنْفُسِ وَ الثَّمَراتِ وَ بَشِّرِ الصَّابِرين .

And we will surely test you with a measure of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth, lives, and fruits; and give good news to those who are patient. (Qur’an, 2:155).

الَّذينَ إِذا أَصابَتْهُمْ مُصيبَةٌ قالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَ إِنَّا إِلَيْهِ راجِعُون .

Those who, when an affliction visits them, say, “Indeed we belong to God, and to Him do we indeed return.” (Qur’an, 2:156).

أُولئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَواتٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَ رَحْمَةٌ وَ أُولئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُون .

It is they who receive the blessings of their Lord and His mercy, and it is they who are the rightly guided”. (Qur’an, 2:157).

يا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ كُلُوا مِمَّا فِي الْأَرْضِ حَلالاً طَيِّباً وَ لا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُواتِ الشَّيْطانِ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُبين.

O mankind! Eat of what is lawful and pure in the earth, and do not follow in Satan's steps. Indeed, he is your manifest enemy. (Qur’an, 2:168).

إِنَّما يَأْمُرُكُمْ بِالسُّوءِ وَ الْفَحْشاءِ وَ أَنْ تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ ما لا تَعْلَمُون .

He only prompts you to commit evil and indecent acts, and that you attribute to God what you do not know. (Qur’an, 2:168).

يُريدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَ لا يُريدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْر.

God desires ease for you, and He does not desire hardship for you. (Qur’an, 2:185).

وَ إِذا سَأَلَكَ عِبادي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَريبٌ أُجيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذا دَعانِ فَلْيَسْتَجيبُوا لي‏ وَ لْيُؤْمِنُوا بي‏ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُون .

When My servants ask you about Me, tell them that I am indeed near answering the calls of those who call to Me. So let them respond to Me and believe in Me. (Qur’an, 2:186).

هُنَّ لِباسٌ لَكُمْ وَ أَنْتُمْ لِباسٌ لَهُن .

They are a garment for you, and you are a garment for them. (Qur’an, 2:187).

وَ أَنْفِقُوا في‏ سَبيلِ اللَّهِ وَ لا تُلْقُوا بِأَيْديكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِ وَ أَحْسِنُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنين.

Spend in the way of God, and do not cast yourselves with your own hands into destruction; and be virtuous and do good to people. Indeed God loves the virtuous and good doers. (Qur’an, 2:195).

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَنْ تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَ لَمَّا يَأْتِكُمْ مَثَلُ الَّذينَ خَلَوْا مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ مَسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْساءُ وَ الضَّرَّاءُ وَ زُلْزِلُوا حَتَّى يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَ الَّذينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ مَتى‏ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ أَلا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَريب.

Do you suppose that you shall enter paradise though there has not yet come to you the like of what befell who went before you? Stress and distress befell them and they were convulsed until the apostle and the faithful who were with him said, “When will God’s help come?” Look! God’s victory and help is indeed near! (Qur’an, 2:214).

عَسى‏ أَنْ تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئاً وَ هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ وَ عَسى‏ أَنْ تُحِبُّوا شَيْئاً وَ هُوَ شَرٌّ لَكُمْ وَ اللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَ أَنْتُمْ لا تَعْلَمُون .

It may be that you dislike something while it is good for you, and it may be that you love something while it is bad for you. God knows and you do not know. (Qur’an, 2:216).

وَ قالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ بَعَثَ لَكُمْ طالُوتَ مَلِكاً قالُوا أَنَّى يَكُونُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ عَلَيْنا وَ نَحْنُ أَحَقُّ بِالْمُلْكِ مِنْهُ وَ لَمْ يُؤْتَ سَعَةً مِنَ الْمالِ قالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفاهُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَ زادَهُ بَسْطَةً فِي الْعِلْمِ وَ الْجِسْمِ وَ اللَّهُ يُؤْتي‏ مُلْكَهُ مَنْ يَشاءُ وَ اللَّهُ واسِعٌ عَليم.

And their prophet said to them: “God has sent Saul to you as a king.” They said, “How can he have the kingship when we are more deserving than him, and he has not been given an abundance of wealth?” He said, “God has chosen him over you and increased him in knowledge and stature. God gives His kingship to whom He chooses; and God is Encompassing, Knowledgeable.” (Qur’an, 2:247).

فَلَمَّا فَصَلَ طالُوتُ بِالْجُنُودِ … قالُوا لا طاقَةَ لَنَا الْيَوْمَ بِجالُوتَ وَ جُنُودِهِ قالَ الَّذينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُمْ مُلاقُوا اللَّهِ كَمْ مِنْ فِئَةٍ قَليلَةٍ غَلَبَتْ فِئَةً كَثيرَةً بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَ اللَّهُ مَعَ الصَّابِرينَ .

So when Saul set out with the soldiers … they said, “We have no power today against Goliath and his soldiers!” However, the ones who understood that they would meet God said, “How many a small party has overcome a larger party by God’s will! God is with the patient! (Qur’an, 2:249).

وَ قَتَلَ داوُدُ جالُوتَ وَ آتاهُ اللَّهُ الْمُلْكَ وَ الْحِكْمَةَ وَ عَلَّمَهُ مِمَّا يَشاءُ وَ لَوْ لا دَفْعُ اللَّهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لَفَسَدَتِ الْأَرْضُ وَ لكِنَّ اللَّهَ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى الْعالَمين.

And David killed Goliath, and God gave him the kingship and the wisdom and taught him what He wished. Were it not for God’s repelling the people by means of one another, the earth would surely have been corrupted; but God is gracious to the world's creatures. (Qur’an, 2:251).

لا إِكْراهَ فِي الدِّينِ قَدْ تَبَيَّنَ الرُّشْدُ مِنَ الْغَيِّ فَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَ يُؤْمِنْ بِاللَّهِ فقد استَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقى‏ لاَ انْفِصامَ لَها وَ اللَّهُ سَميعٌ عَليم.

There is no compulsion in religion; rectitude has become distinct from error. So one who disavows the Rebels and has faith in God has held fast to the firmest handle for which there is no breaking; and God is all-hearing, all-knowing. (Qur’an, 2:256).

اللَّهُ وَلِيُّ الَّذينَ آمَنُوا يُخْرِجُهُمْ مِنَ الظُّلُماتِ إِلَى النُّورِ وَ الَّذينَ كَفَرُوا أَوْلِياؤُهُمُ الطَّاغُوتُ يُخْرِجُونَهُمْ مِنَ النُّورِ إِلَى الظُّلُماتِ أُولئِكَ أَصْحابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فيها خالِدُون .

God is the Guardian of the faithful. He brings them out of darkness into light. As for the faithless, their patrons are the Rebels, who drive them out of light into darkness. They shall be the inmates of the Fire, and they shall remain in it forever. (Qur’an, 2:257).

مَثَلُ الَّذينَ يُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوالَهُمْ في‏ سَبيلِ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنْبَتَتْ سَبْعَ سَنابِلَ في‏ كُلِّ سُنْبُلَةٍ مِائَةُ حَبَّةٍ وَ اللَّهُ يُضاعِفُ لِمَنْ يَشاءُ وَ اللَّهُ واسِعٌ عَليم.

Parable of those who spend their wealth in the way of God is that of a grain which grows seven ears, in every ear a hundred grains. God enhances several fold whomever He wishes, and God is all-bounteous, all-knowing. (Qur’an, 2:261).

الشَّيْطانُ يَعِدُكُمُ الْفَقْرَ وَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ بِالْفَحْشاءِ وَ اللَّهُ يَعِدُكُمْ مَغْفِرَةً مِنْهُ وَ فَضْلاً وَ اللَّهُ واسِعٌ عَليم.

Satan frightens you of poverty and prompts you to commit indecent acts. But God promises you His forgiveness and grace, and God is all-bounteous, all-knowing. (Qur’an, 2:268).

وَ ما أَنْفَقْتُمْ مِنْ نَفَقَةٍ أَوْ نَذَرْتُمْ مِنْ نَذْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُهُ وَ ما لِلظَّالِمينَ مِنْ أَنْصارِ.

Whatever charity you may give, God indeed knows it , and the wrongdoers have no helpers. (Qur’an, 2:270).

إِنْ تُبْدُوا الصَّدَقاتِ فَنِعِمَّا هِيَ وَ إِنْ تُخْفُوها وَ تُؤْتُوهَا الْفُقَراءَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ وَ يُكَفِّرُ عَنْكُمْ مِنْ سَيِّئاتِكُمْ وَ اللَّهُ بِما تَعْمَلُونَ خَبير.

If you disclose your charities, that is well, but if you hide them and give them to the poor, that is better for you, and it will atone for some of your misdeeds, and God is well aware of what you do. (Qur’an, 2:271).

لِلَّهِ ما فِي السَّماواتِ وَ ما فِي الْأَرْضِ وَ إِنْ تُبْدُوا ما في‏ أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ يُحاسِبْكُمْ بِهِ اللَّهُ فَيَغْفِرُ لِمَنْ يَشاءُ وَ يُعَذِّبُ مَنْ يَشاءُ وَ اللَّهُ عَلى‏ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ قَدير.

To God belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth; and whether you disclose what is in your hearts or hide it, God will bring you to account for it. Then He will forgive whomever He wishes and punish whomever He wishes, and God has power over all things. (Qur’an, 2:284).

لا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْساً إِلاَّ وُسْعَها لَها ما كَسَبَتْ وَ عَلَيْها مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ رَبَّنا لا تُؤاخِذْنا إِنْ نَسينا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنا رَبَّنا وَ لا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنا إِصْراً كَما حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذينَ مِنْ قَبْلِنا رَبَّنا وَ لا تُحَمِّلْنا ما لا طاقَةَ لَنا بِهِ وَ اعْفُ عَنَّا وَ اغْفِرْ لَنا وَ ارْحَمْنا أَنْتَ مَوْلانا فَانْصُرْنا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكافِرين .

God does not task any soul beyond its capacity. Whatever good it earns is to its benefit, and whatever evil it incurs is to its harm. “Our Lord! Take us not to task if we forget or make mistakes! Our Lord! Place not upon us a burden as You placed on those who were before us! Our Lord! Lay not upon us what we have no strength to bear! Excuse us and forgive us, and be merciful to us! You are our Master, so help us against the faithless lot!” (Qur’an, 2:286).

قُلِ اللَّهُمَّ مالِكَ الْمُلْكِ تُؤْتِي الْمُلْكَ مَنْ تَشاءُ وَ تَنْزِعُ الْمُلْكَ مِمَّنْ تَشاءُ وَ تُعِزُّ مَنْ تَشاءُ وَ تُذِلُّ مَنْ تَشاءُ بِيَدِكَ الْخَيْرُ إِنَّكَ عَلى‏ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ قَدير.

Say, “O God, Possessor of kingship; you grant kingship to whom You please, and revoke kingship from whom You please, and honor whom You please, and humiliate whom You please; in Your hand is goodness. You are capable of all things.” (Qur’an, 3:26).

فَتَقَبَّلَها رَبُّها بِقَبُولٍ حَسَنٍ وَ أَنْبَتَها نَباتاً حَسَناً وَ كَفَّلَها زَكَرِيَّا كُلَّما دَخَلَ عَلَيْها زَكَرِيَّا الْمِحْرابَ وَجَدَ عِنْدَها رِزْقاً قالَ يا مَرْيَمُ أَنَّى لَكِ هذا قالَتْ هُوَ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَرْزُقُ مَنْ يَشاءُ بِغَيْرِ حِساب.

Thereupon her Lord accepted her with a gracious acceptance, and made her grow up in a worthy fashion, and He charged Zechariah with her care. Whenever Zechariah visited her in the sanctuary, he would find provisions and sustenance with her. He said, “O Mary, from where does this come for you?” She said, “It comes from God. God provides whomever He wishes without any reckoning.” (Qur’an, 3:37).

فَنادَتْهُ الْمَلائِكَةُ وَ هُوَ قائِمٌ يُصَلِّي فِي الْمِحْرابِ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكَ بِيَحْيى‏ مُصَدِّقاً بِكَلِمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَ سَيِّداً وَ حَصُوراً وَ نَبِيًّا مِنَ الصَّالِحين.

The angels called out to him, as he stood praying in the sanctuary: “God gives you the good news of John, as a confirmer of a Word of God, eminent and chaste, a prophet, among the righteous.” (Qur’an, 3:39).

قالَ رَبِّ أَنَّى يَكُونُ لي‏ غُلامٌ وَ قَدْ بَلَغَنِيَ الْكِبَرُ وَ امْرَأَتي‏ عاقِرٌ قالَ كَذلِكَ اللَّهُ يَفْعَلُ ما يَشاء.

He said, “My Lord, how shall I have a son while old age has overtaken me and my wife is barren?” He (God) answered: “So it is that God does whatever He wishes.” (Qur’an, 3:40).

يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقاتِهِ وَ لا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلاَّ وَ أَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُون .

O you who believe, revere God (and be wary of God) as He deserves to be revered and do not die except as ones who have surrendered. (Qur’an, 3:102).

يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَ الْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَ يُسارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْراتِ وَ أُولئِكَ مِنَ الصَّالِحين.

They have faith in God and the Last Day, bid what is right, forbid what is wrong, and are active in performing good deeds; they hasten in goodness. They are among the righteous. (Qur’an, 3:114).

وَ لَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ بِبَدْرٍ وَ أَنْتُمْ أَذِلَّةٌ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُون .

God had granted you victory at Badr while you had been the lesser, so revere God that you may be thankful. (Qur’an, 3:123).

إِذْ تَقُولُ لِلْمُؤْمِنينَ أَ لَنْ يَكْفِيَكُمْ أَنْ يُمِدَّكُمْ رَبُّكُمْ بِثَلاثَةِ آلافٍ مِنَ الْمَلائِكَةِ مُنْزَلين.

When you said to the believers: “Is it not enough for you that God would supply you with three thousand of the Angels sent down? ” (Qur’an, 3:124).

بَلى‏ إِنْ تَصْبِرُوا وَ تَتَّقُوا وَ يَأْتُوكُمْ مِنْ فَوْرِهِمْ هذا يُمْدِدْكُمْ رَبُّكُمْ بِخَمْسَةِ آلافٍ مِنَ الْمَلائِكَةِ مُسَوِّمين.

Indeed, if you are patient and are righteous and they come and attack you, He will supply you with five thousand of the Angels battle trained. (Qur’an, 3:125).

وَ ما جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ إِلاَّ بُشْرى‏ لَكُمْ وَ لِتَطْمَئِنَّ قُلُوبُكُمْ بِهِ وَ مَا النَّصْرُ إِلاَّ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ الْعَزيزِ الْحَكيم.

And God did not give this except as good news to you, and so that your hearts may be assured with it. Victory is only from God, the Noble, and the Wise. (Qur’an, 3:126).

وَ سارِعُوا إِلى‏ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَ جَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّماواتُ وَ الْأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقين.

Hasten towards your Lord's forgiveness and a paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the God wary. (Qur’an, 3:133).

وَ لا تَهِنُوا وَ لا تَحْزَنُوا وَ أَنْتُمُ الْأَعْلَوْنَ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنين.

Do not weaken or grieve: you shall have the upper hand, should you be faithful. (Qur’an, 3:139).

إِنْ يَنْصُرْكُمُ اللَّهُ فَلا غالِبَ لَكُمْ وَ إِنْ يَخْذُلْكُمْ فَمَنْ ذَا الَّذي يَنْصُرُكُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُون .

If God grants you victory then none can defeat you, and if He abandons you then who can grant you victory after Him? Towards God, the believers should put their trust. (Qur’an, 3:160).

الَّذينَ قالَ لَهُمُ النَّاسُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوا لَكُمْ فَاخْشَوْهُمْ فَزادَهُمْ إيماناً وَ قالُوا حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَ نِعْمَ الْوَكيل.

Those, to whom the people said, “All the people have gathered against you; so fear them.” But that only increased them in faith, and they said, “God is sufficient for us, and He is an excellent trustee.” (Qur’an, 3:173).

وَ لِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ وَ اللَّهُ عَلى‏ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ قَدير.

To God belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and God has power over all things. (Qur’an, 3:189).

إِنَّ في‏ خَلْقِ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ وَ اخْتِلافِ اللَّيْلِ وَ النَّهارِ لَآياتٍ لِأُولِي الْأَلْباب.

Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of night and day, there are signs for those who possess intellects. (Qur’an, 3:190).

الَّذينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ قِياماً وَ قُعُوداً وَ عَلى‏ جُنُوبِهِمْ وَ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ في‏ خَلْقِ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ رَبَّنا ما خَلَقْتَ هذا باطِلاً سُبْحانَكَ فَقِنا عَذابَ النَّار.

Those who remember God standing, sitting, and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth and say, “Our Lord, You have not created this in vain! Immaculate are You! Save us from the punishment of the Fire.” (Qur’an, 3:91).

عاشِرُوهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ فَإِنْ كَرِهْتُمُوهُنَّ فَعَسى‏ أَنْ تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئاً وَ يَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ فيهِ خَيْراً كَثيرا.

Live with them in kindness. If you dislike them, then perhaps you may dislike something and God makes in it much good. (Qur’an, 4:19).

وَ لا تَتَمَنَّوْا ما فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهِ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلى‏ بَعْضٍ لِلرِّجالِ نَصيبٌ مِمَّا اكْتَسَبُوا وَ لِلنِّساءِ نَصيبٌ مِمَّا اكْتَسَبْنَ وَ سْئَلُوا اللَّهَ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ بِكُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ عَليما.

Do not envy for what God Has favored some of you over the others. To men belongs a share of what they have earned, and to women a share of what they have earned. And ask God from His favor, God is knowledgeable over all things. (Qur’an, 4:32).

وَ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِأَعْدائِكُمْ وَ كَفى‏ بِاللَّهِ وَلِيًّا وَ كَفى‏ بِاللَّهِ نَصيراً.

God is fully aware of your enemies; and God is enough as a supporter, and God is enough as a victor. (Qur’an, 4:45).

فَلا وَ رَبِّكَ لا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فيما شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لا يَجِدُوا في‏ أَنْفُسِهِمْ حَرَجاً مِمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَ يُسَلِّمُوا تَسْليما.

They will not believe until they make you a judge in their disputes, then do not find within their hearts any dissent to your verdict and submit in full submission. (Qur’an, 4:65).

فَلَمَّا كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقِتالُ إِذا فَريقٌ مِنْهُمْ يَخْشَوْنَ النَّاسَ كَخَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ أَوْ أَشَدَّ خَشْيَةً وَ قالُوا رَبَّنا لِمَ كَتَبْتَ عَلَيْنَا الْقِتالَ لَوْ لا أَخَّرْتَنا إِلى‏ أَجَلٍ قَريبٍ قُلْ مَتاعُ الدُّنْيا قَليلٌ وَ الْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِمَنِ اتَّقى‏ وَ لا تُظْلَمُونَ فَتيلا.

When fighting was prescribed for them, behold, a part of them were afraid of people as if fearing God, or were even more afraid, and they said, “Our Lord! Why did You prescribe fighting for us? Why did You not respite us for a short time?!” Say, “The enjoyment of this world is little and the Hereafter is better for the God wary, and you will not be wronged so much as a single date-thread.” (Qur’an, 4:77).

أَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ وَ تَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ كَفى‏ بِاللَّهِ وَكيلا.

Turn away from them and put your trust in God. God is enough for your trust. (Qur’an, 4:81).

فَأَمَّا الَّذينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَ اعْتَصَمُوا بِهِ فَسَيُدْخِلُهُمْ في‏ رَحْمَةٍ مِنْهُ وَ فَضْلٍ وَ يَهْديهِمْ إِلَيْهِ صِراطاً مُسْتَقيما.

As for those who believe in God and hold fast to Him, He will admit them in a mercy from Him and a bounty, and He will guide them to Himself, a Straight Path. (Qur’an, 4:175).

ما يُريدُ اللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ حَرَجٍ وَ لكِنْ يُريدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَ لِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُون .

God does not desire to put you to hardship, but He desires to purify you and to complete His blessing upon you so that you may give thanks. (Qur’an, 5:6).

يَهْدي بِهِ اللَّهُ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ رِضْوانَهُ سُبُلَ السَّلامِ وَ يُخْرِجُهُمْ مِنَ الظُّلُماتِ إِلَى النُّورِ بِإِذْنِهِ وَ يَهْديهِمْ إِلى‏ صِراطٍ مُسْتَقيم.

God guides those who follow the course of His pleasure to the ways of peace, brings them out from darkness into light by His will, and guides them to a straight path. (Qur’an, 5:16).

ادْخُلُوا الْأَرْضَ الْمُقَدَّسَةَ الَّتي‏ كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَ لا تَرْتَدُّوا عَلى‏ أَدْبارِكُمْ فَتَنْقَلِبُوا خاسِرين .

Enter the Holy Land which God has ordained for you. And do not turn your backs or you will become losers. (Qur’an, 5:21).

قالُوا يا مُوسى‏ إِنَّ فيها قَوْماً جَبَّارينَ وَ إِنَّا لَنْ نَدْخُلَها حَتَّى يَخْرُجُوا مِنْها فَإِنْ يَخْرُجُوا مِنْها فَإِنَّا داخِلُون .

They said, “O Moses, in it are a mighty people, and we will not enter it until they leave. So when they leave, then we will enter it”. (Qur’an, 5:22).

قالَ فَإِنَّها مُحَرَّمَةٌ عَلَيْهِمْ أَرْبَعينَ سَنَةً يَتيهُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَلا تَأْسَ عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْفاسِقين.

God said “It shall be forbidden them for forty years; they shall wander about in the earth. So do not grieve for the transgressing lot”. (Qur’an, 5:26).

أَ لَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ يُعَذِّبُ مَنْ يَشاءُ وَ يَغْفِرُ لِمَنْ يَشاءُ وَ اللَّهُ عَلى‏ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ قَدير.

Did you not know that God possesses the sovereignty of heavens and earth? He punishes whom He wills and He forgives whom He wills; and God is capable of all things. (Qur’an, 5:40).

لَتَجِدَنَّ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ عَداوَةً لِلَّذينَ آمَنُوا الْيَهُودَ وَ الَّذينَ أَشْرَكُوا وَ لَتَجِدَنَّ أَقْرَبَهُمْ مَوَدَّةً لِلَّذينَ آمَنُوا الَّذينَ قالُوا إِنَّا نَصارى‏ ذلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسينَ وَ رُهْباناً وَ أَنَّهُمْ لا يَسْتَكْبِرُون .

Surely, You will find the nearest people in affection to the faithful to be those who say, “We are Christians.” That is because there are priests and monks among them, and because they are not arrogant. When they hear what has been revealed to the Apostle, you see their eyes fill with tears because of the truth that they recognize. They say, “Our Lord, we believe; so write us down among the witnesses. Why should we not believe in God and the truth that has come to us, eager as we are that our Lord should admit us among the righteous people?” Therefore, for what they said, God requited them with gardens with streams running in them, to remain in them forever, and that is the reward of the virtuous. (Qur’an, 5:82).

يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنُوا لا تَسْئَلُوا عَنْ أَشْياءَ إِنْ تُبْدَ لَكُمْ تَسُؤْكُم.

Do not ask about things, which if they are disclosed to you, will upset you. (Qur’an, 5:101).

قُلْ لِمَنْ ما فِي السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ قُلْ لِلَّهِ كَتَبَ عَلى‏ نَفْسِهِ الرَّحْمَةَ لَيَجْمَعَنَّكُمْ إِلى‏ يَوْمِ الْقِيامَةِ لا رَيْبَ فيهِ الَّذينَ خَسِرُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ فَهُمْ لا يُؤْمِنُون .

Say, “To whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth?” Say, “To God. He has made mercy incumbent upon Himself. He will surely gather you on the Day of Resurrection, in which there is no doubt. Those who have ruined their souls will not have faith. ” (Qur’an, 6:12).

وَ إِنْ يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلا كاشِفَ لَهُ إِلاَّ هُوَ وَ إِنْ يَمْسَسْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَهُوَ عَلى‏ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ قَدير.

And if God were to inflict you with harm, then none can remove it except Him; and if He were to bless you with good, then He is capable of all things. (Qur’an, 6:17).

وَ هُوَ الْقاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبادِهِ وَ هُوَ الْحَكيمُ الْخَبير.

He is the Supreme over His servants; and He is the Wise, the Expert. (Qur’an, 6:18).

وَ عِنْدَهُ مَفاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لا يَعْلَمُها إِلاَّ هُوَ وَ يَعْلَمُ ما فِي الْبَرِّ وَ الْبَحْرِ وَ ما تَسْقُطُ مِنْ وَرَقَةٍ إِلاَّ يَعْلَمُها وَ لا حَبَّةٍ في‏ ظُلُماتِ الْأَرْضِ وَ لا رَطْبٍ وَ لا يابِسٍ إِلاَّ في‏ كِتابٍ مُبين.

And with Him are the keys to the unseen, none know them except He. And He knows what is in the land and in the sea; and not a leaf falls except with His knowledge; nor a seed in the darkness of the earth; nor anything moist or anything dry; all is in a clear record. (Qur’an, 6:59).

قُلِ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ ذَرْهُمْ في‏ خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُون .

Say, God! Then leave them to play around in their impious gossip. (Qur’an, 6:91).

مَنْ جاءَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ عَشْرُ أَمْثالِها وَ مَنْ جاءَ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ فَلا يُجْزى‏ إِلاَّ مِثْلَها وَ هُمْ لا يُظْلَمُون .

Whoever brings virtue shall receive ten times its like; but whoever brings vice shall not be requited except with its like, and they will not be wronged. (Qur’an, 6:160).

وَ لا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلاحِها وَ ادْعُوهُ خَوْفاً وَ طَمَعاً إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ اللَّهِ قَريبٌ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنين.

And do not cause corruption on the earth after its restoration, and, call on Him with fear and hope. Indeed God’s mercy is near to the righteous. (Qur’an, 7:56).

قالَ مُوسى‏ لِقَوْمِهِ اسْتَعينُوا بِاللَّهِ وَ اصْبِرُوا إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ لِلَّهِ يُورِثُها مَنْ يَشاءُ مِنْ عِبادِهِ وَ الْعاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقين.

Moses said to his people: “Seek help with God, and be patient; for the land is God’s, He will inherit it to whom He pleases of His servants; and the end will be to the righteous.” (Qur’an, 7:128).

وَ اكْتُبْ لَنا في‏ هذِهِ الدُّنْيا حَسَنَةً وَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ إِنَّا هُدْنا إِلَيْكَ قالَ عَذابي‏ أُصيبُ بِهِ مَنْ أَشاءُ وَ رَحْمَتي‏ وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَسَأَكْتُبُها لِلَّذينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَ يُؤْتُونَ الزَّكاةَ وَ الَّذينَ هُمْ بِآياتِنا يُؤْمِنُون .

And appoint goodness for us in this world and the Hereafter, for indeed we have come back to You. He Said, “I visit My punishment on whomever I wish, but my mercy embraces all things. Soon I shall appoint it for those who are God wary and give the zakat and those who believe in Our signs. ” (Qur’an, 7:156).

يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَجيبُوا لِلَّهِ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ إِذا دَعاكُمْ لِما يُحْييكُمْ وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَ قَلْبِهِ وَ أَنَّهُ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُون .

O you who have faith! Answer God and the Apostle when he summons you to that which will give you life. Know that God intervenes between a man and his heart and that toward Him you will be mustered. (Qur’an, 8:24).

أَ لا تُقاتِلُونَ قَوْماً نَكَثُوا أَيْمانَهُمْ وَ هَمُّوا بِإِخْراجِ الرَّسُولِ وَ هُمْ بَدَؤُكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ أَ تَخْشَوْنَهُمْ فَاللَّهُ أَحَقُّ أَنْ تَخْشَوْهُ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنينَ.

Will you not make war on a people who broke their pledges and resolved to expel the Apostle, and opened hostilities against you initially? Do you fear them? But God is worthier of being feared by you, should you be faithful. (Qur’an, 9:13).

لَقَدْ جاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ عَزيزٌ عَلَيْهِ ما عَنِتُّمْ حَريصٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْمُؤْمِنينَ رَؤُفٌ رَحيم.

There has certainly come to you an apostle from among yourselves. Grievous to him is your distress; he is full of concern for you and most kind and merciful to the faithful .” (Qur’an, 9:128).

لِلَّذينَ أَحْسَنُوا الْحُسْنى‏ وَ زِيادَةٌ وَ لا يَرْهَقُ وُجُوهَهُمْ قَتَرٌ وَ لا ذِلَّةٌ أُولئِكَ أَصْحابُ الْجَنَّةِ هُمْ فيها خالِدُون .

To those who do good work will be good and more, and their faces will not be darkened or humiliated. These are the people of Paradise, in it they will abide. (Qur’an, 10:26).

وَ إِنْ يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلا كاشِفَ لَهُ إِلاَّ هُوَ وَ إِنْ يُرِدْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَلا رَادَّ لِفَضْلِهِ يُصيبُ بِهِ مَنْ يَشاءُ مِنْ عِبادِهِ وَ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحيم.

Should God visit you with some distress, there is no one to remove it except Him; and should He desire any good for you, none can stand in the way of His grace. He grants it to whomever He wishes of His servants, and He is the All-forgiving, the All-merciful. (Qur’an, 10:107).

وَ أَنِ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ يُمَتِّعْكُمْ مَتاعاً حَسَناً إِلى‏ أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى وَ يُؤْتِ كُلَّ ذي فَضْلٍ فَضْلَهُ وَ إِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنِّي أَخافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذابَ يَوْمٍ كَبير.

And plead with your Lord for forgiveness and then turn to Him penitently. He will provide you with a good provision for a specified term and grant His grace to every meritorious person. (Qur’an, 11:3).

قالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْئَلَكَ ما لَيْسَ لي‏ بِهِ عِلْمٌ وَ إِلاَّ تَغْفِرْ لي‏ وَ تَرْحَمْني‏ أَكُنْ مِنَ الْخاسِرين .

My Lord! I seek Your protection lest I should ask You something of which I have no knowledge. If You do not forgive me and have mercy upon me I shall be among the losers. (Qur’an, 11:47).

اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ يُرْسِلِ السَّماءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِدْراراً وَ يَزِدْكُمْ قُوَّةً إِلى‏ قُوَّتِكُمْ وَ لا تَتَوَلَّوْا مُجْرِمين.

Plead with your Lord for forgiveness, and then turn to Him penitently. He will send copious rains for you from the sky, and add power to your present power. So do not turn your backs on Him as guilty ones. (Qur’an, 11:52).

فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ إِنَّ رَبِّي قَريبٌ مُجيب.

So plead with Him for forgiveness then turn to Him penitently. My Lord is indeed rearmost and responsive. (Qur’an, 11:61).

وَ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ إِنَّ رَبِّي رَحيمٌ وَدُود.

Plead with your Lord for forgiveness then turn to Him penitently. My Lord is indeed all-merciful, all-affectionate. (Qur’an, 11:90).

إِنَّا أَنْزَلْناهُ قُرْآناً عَرَبِيًّا لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُون .

Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an so that you may apply reason. (Qur’an, 12:2).

وَ اللَّهُ غالِبٌ عَلى‏ أَمْرِهِ وَ لكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لا يَعْلَمُون .

And God has full command of His affairs, but most people do not know. (Qur’an, 12:21).

إِنَّهُ رَبِّي أَحْسَنَ مَثْوايَ إِنَّهُ لا يُفْلِحُ الظَّالِمُون .

Indeed He is my Lord, has given me a good abode. (He gave me what I need in the best way).. (Qur’an, 12:23).

وَ كَذلِكَ مَكَّنَّا لِيُوسُفَ فِي الْأَرْضِ يَتَبَوَّأُ مِنْها حَيْثُ يَشاءُ نُصيبُ بِرَحْمَتِنا مَنْ نَشاءُ وَ لا نُضيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنين.

And it was such that We gave Joseph authority in the land, to travel in it as he pleases. We bestow Our mercy upon whom We please, and We do not waste the reward of the good doers. (Qur’an, 12:56).

يا بَنِيَّ اذْهَبُوا فَتَحَسَّسُوا مِنْ يُوسُفَ وَ أَخيهِ وَ لا تَيْأَسُوا مِنْ رَوْحِ اللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لا يَيْأَسُ مِنْ رَوْحِ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ الْقَوْمُ الْكافِرُون.

Go, my sons, look for Joseph and his brother, and do not despair of God’s mercy. Indeed no one despairs of God’s mercy except the faithless lot. (Qur’an, 12:87).

إِنَّهُ مَنْ يَتَّقِ وَ يَصْبِرْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يُضيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنين.

Indeed those who keep from evil and are patient, God does not let the wage of the good doers go to waste. (Qur’an, 12:90).

قالُوا تَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ آثَرَكَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنا وَ إِنْ كُنَّا لَخاطِئين.

They said, “By God, God Has indeed preferred you over us and we were wrongdoers.” (Qur’an, 12:91).

قالَ لا تَثْريبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ يَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَ هُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمين.

He said, “There shall be no reproach on you today. God will forgive you, and He is the most merciful of the merciful. ” (Qur’an, 12:92).

لِلَّذينَ اسْتَجابُوا لِرَبِّهِمُ الْحُسْنى‏ وَ الَّذينَ لَمْ يَسْتَجيبُوا لَهُ لَوْ أَنَّ لَهُمْ ما فِي الْأَرْضِ جَميعاً وَ مِثْلَهُ مَعَهُ لاَفْتَدَوْا بِهِ أُولئِكَ لَهُمْ سُوءُ الْحِسابِ وَ مَأْواهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَ بِئْسَ الْمِهاد.

For those who answer the summons of their Lord there shall be the best of rewards. But those who do not answer Him, even if they possessed all that is on the earth and as much of it besides, they would surely offer it to redeem themselves with it. For such there shall be an adverse reckoning, their refuge shall be hell, and it is an evil resting place. (Qur’an, 13:18).

أَلا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوب.

Look! The hearts find rest, tranquility and confidence in God’s remembrance! (Qur’an, 13:28).

وَ إِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزيدَنَّكُمْ وَ لَئِنْ كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذابي‏ لَشَديد.

Your Lord proclaimed, “If you give thanks, then I will increase for you.” (Qur’an, 14:7).

وَ ما لَنا أَلاَّ نَتَوَكَّلَ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ قَدْ هَدانا سُبُلَنا وَ لَنَصْبِرَنَّ عَلى‏ ما آذَيْتُمُونا وَ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُتَوَكِّلُون .

And why should we not put our trust in God, seeing that He has guided us in our ways? Surely, we will put up patiently with whatever torment you may inflict upon us, and in God let all the trusting put their trust. (Qur’an, 14:12).

وَ قالَ الشَّيْطانُ لَمَّا قُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَعَدَكُمْ وَعْدَ الْحَقِّ وَ وَعَدْتُكُمْ فَأَخْلَفْتُكُمْ وَ ما كانَ لِيَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ سُلْطانٍ إِلاَّ أَنْ دَعَوْتُكُمْ فَاسْتَجَبْتُمْ لي‏ فَلا تَلُومُوني‏ وَ لُومُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ ما أَنَا بِمُصْرِخِكُمْ وَ ما أَنْتُمْ بِمُصْرِخِيَّ إِنِّي كَفَرْتُ بِما أَشْرَكْتُمُونِ مِنْ قَبْلُ إِنَّ الظَّالِمينَ لَهُمْ عَذابٌ أَليم.

And when the matter is all over, Satan will say, “Indeed God made you a promise that was true and I too made you a promise, but I failed you. I had no authority over you, except that I called you and you responded to me. So do not blame me, but blame yourselves. I cannot respond to your distress calls, neither can you respond to my distress calls. Indeed, I disavow your taking me for God’s partner a foretime. There is indeed a painful punishment for the wrongdoers. (Qur’an, 14:22).

فَإِذا سَوَّيْتُهُ وَ نَفَخْتُ فيهِ مِنْ رُوحي‏ فَقَعُوا لَهُ ساجِدين .

So when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My spirit, then fall down in prostration before him. (Qur’an, 15:29).

فَسَجَدَ الْمَلائِكَةُ كُلُّهُمْ أَجْمَعُون .

The angels prostrated all of them together. (Qur’an, 15:30).

إِنَّ عِبادي لَيْسَ لَكَ عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطانٌ إِلاَّ مَنِ اتَّبَعَكَ مِنَ الْغاوين .

Indeed as for My servants you do not have any authority over them, except the perverse who follow you. (Qur’an, 15:42).

لا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيْنَيْكَ إِلى‏ ما مَتَّعْنا بِهِ أَزْواجاً مِنْهُمْ وَ لا تَحْزَنْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ اخْفِضْ جَناحَكَ لِلْمُؤْمِنين.

Do not linger with your eyes on what We have bestowed upon some couples from them, and do not grieve for them, and lower your wing for the believers and be courteous and Supportive to them. (Qur’an, 15:88).

وَ أَنْزَلْنا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ ما نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُون .

And We have sent down the reminder to you so that you may clarify for the people that which has been sent down to them, so that they may reflect.” (Qur’an, 16:44).

إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَهُ سُلْطانٌ عَلَى الَّذينَ آمَنُوا وَ عَلى‏ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُون .

Indeed, he does not have any authority over those who have faith and put their trust in their Lord. (Qur’an, 16:99).

إِنَّما سُلْطانُهُ عَلَى الَّذينَ يَتَوَلَّوْنَهُ وَ الَّذينَ هُمْ بِهِ مُشْرِكُون .

His authority is only over those who befriend him and those who make him a partner of God. (Qur’an, 16:100).

فَلَعَلَّكَ باخِعٌ نَفْسَكَ عَلى‏ آثارِهِمْ إِنْ لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِهذَا الْحَديثِ أَسَفا.

Perhaps you will torment yourself in grief over them, because they will not believe in this saying at all.” (Qur’an, 18:6).

قالَ رَبِّ أَنَّى يَكُونُ لي‏ غُلامٌ وَ كانَتِ امْرَأَتي‏ عاقِراً وَ قَدْ بَلَغْتُ مِنَ الْكِبَرِ عِتِيًّا.

Zachariah said, “My Lord! How shall I have a son, when my wife is barren, and I am already advanced in age?” (Qur’an, 19:8).

قالَ كَذلِكَ قالَ رَبُّكَ هُوَ عَلَيَّ هَيِّنٌ وَ قَدْ خَلَقْتُكَ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَ لَمْ تَكُ شَيْئا.

God said, “So shall it be. Your Lord has said It is simple for Me. Certainly I created you before when you were nothing.” (Qur’an, 19:9).

قالَتْ أَنَّى يَكُونُ لي‏ غُلامٌ وَ لَمْ يَمْسَسْني‏ بَشَرٌ وَ لَمْ أَكُ بَغِيًّا.

She said, “How shall I have a child seeing that no human being has ever touched me, nor have I been unchaste?” (Qur’an, 19:20).

قالَ كَذلِكِ قالَ رَبُّكِ هُوَ عَلَيَّ هَيِّنٌ وَ لِنَجْعَلَهُ آيَةً لِلنَّاسِ وَ رَحْمَةً مِنَّا وَ كانَ أَمْراً مَقْضِيًّا.

He said, “So shall it be. Your Lord says, It is simple for Me. And so that We may make him a sign for mankind and a mercy from Us.” (Qur’an, 19:21).

وَ جَعَلَني‏ مُبارَكاً أَيْنَ ما كُنْتُ وَ أَوْصاني‏ بِالصَّلاةِ وَ الزَّكاةِ ما دُمْتُ حَيًّا.

God has made me blessed, wherever I may be. (Qur’an, 19:31).

وَ ما تِلْكَ بِيَمينِكَ يا مُوسى .

God says, “And what is in your right hand O Moses?” (Qur’an, 20:17).

قالَ هِيَ عَصايَ أَتَوَكَّؤُا عَلَيْها وَ أَهُشُّ بِها عَلى‏ غَنَمي‏ وَ لِيَ فيها مَآرِبُ أُخْرى .

He said, “It is my staff, I lean on it, and I guide my sheep with it, and I have other uses in it.” (Qur’an, 20:18).

قالَ أَلْقِها يا مُوسى .

God said, “Cast it down O Moses.” (Qur’an, 20:19).

فَأَلْقاها فَإِذا هِيَ حَيَّةٌ تَسْعى .

Therefore, he cast it down, and it became a moving serpent! (Qur’an, 20:20).

قالَ خُذْها وَ لا تَخَفْ سَنُعيدُها سيرَتَهَا الْأُولى .

God said, “Take it and do not be fearful, We will turn it back to its previous form.” (Qur’an, 20:21).

فَاسْتَجَبْنا لَهُ وَ وَهَبْنا لَهُ يَحْيى‏ وَ أَصْلَحْنا لَهُ زَوْجَهُ إِنَّهُمْ كانُوا يُسارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْراتِ وَ يَدْعُونَنا رَغَباً وَ رَهَباً وَ كانُوا لَنا خاشِعين.

So We answered his prayer, and gave him John, and remedied his wife's infertility for him. Indeed, they were active in performing good works and used to hasten to do good, and they would supplicate Us with eagerness and awe and were humble before Us. (Qur’an, 21:90).

وَ لَقَدْ كَتَبْنا فِي الزَّبُورِ مِنْ بَعْدِ الذِّكْرِ أَنَّ الْأَرْضَ يَرِثُها عِبادِيَ الصَّالِحُونَ .

Certainly, We wrote in the Psalms, after the Torah: “Indeed My righteous servants shall inherit the earth.” (Qur’an, 21:105).

وَ ما أَرْسَلْناكَ إِلاَّ رَحْمَةً لِلْعالَمين.

We did not send you but as a mercy to all the nations. (Qur’an, 21:107).

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُدافِعُ عَنِ الَّذينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ خَوَّانٍ كَفُور.

God indeed defends those who have faith. (Qur’an, 22:38).

أَ لَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ سَخَّرَ لَكُمْ ما فِي الْأَرْضِ وَ الْفُلْكَ تَجْري فِي الْبَحْرِ بِأَمْرِهِ وَ يُمْسِكُ السَّماءَ أَنْ تَقَعَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَؤُفٌ رَحيم.

Have you not regarded that God has disposed for you whatever there is in the earth, and that the ships sail at sea by His command, and He sustains the sky lest it should fall on the earth, excepting when it does so by His leave. Indeed God is most kind and merciful to mankind. (Qur’an, 22:65).

أَ لَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ ما فِي السَّماءِ وَ الْأَرْضِ إِنَّ ذلِكَ في‏ كِتابٍ إِنَّ ذلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسيرٌ.

Do you not know that God knows whatever there is in the sky and the earth? That is indeed in a Book. That is indeed easy for God. (Qur’an, 22:70).

ثُمَّ خَلَقْنَا النُّطْفَةَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقْنَا الْعَلَقَةَ مُضْغَةً فَخَلَقْنَا الْمُضْغَةَ عِظاماً فَكَسَوْنَا الْعِظامَ لَحْماً ثُمَّ أَنْشَأْناهُ خَلْقاً آخَرَ فَتَبارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخالِقين.

Then We created the drop of fluid as a clinging mass. Then We created the clinging mass as a fleshy tissue. Then We created the fleshy tissue as bones. Then We clothed the bones with flesh. Then We produced him as yet another creature .So glory be to God, the best of creators. (Qur’an, 23:14).

أُولئِكَ يُسارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْراتِ وَ هُمْ لَها سابِقُون .

Who are zealous in performing good works, rush in the goodness, and take the lead in them. (Qur’an, 23:61).

وَ لْيَعْفُوا وَ لْيَصْفَحُوا أَ لا تُحِبُّونَ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَ اللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحيم.

Let them excuse and forbear. Do you not love that God should forgive you? And God is all-forgiving, all-merciful. (Qur’an, 24:22).

إِنَّما كانَ قَوْلَ الْمُؤْمِنينَ إِذا دُعُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَ رَسُولِهِ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ أَنْ يَقُولُوا سَمِعْنا وَ أَطَعْنا وَ أُولئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُون

All the response of the faithful, when they are summoned to God and His Apostle that He may judge between them, is to say, “We hear and obey.” It is they who are the felicitous. (Qur’an, 24:51).

وَ مَنْ يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَ رَسُولَهُ وَ يَخْشَ اللَّهَ وَ يَتَّقْهِ فَأُولئِكَ هُمُ الْفائِزُون .

Whoever obeys God and His Apostle, and fears God and is wary of Him it is they who will be the triumphant. (Qur’an, 24:52).

مَنْ تابَ وَ آمَنَ وَ عَمِلَ عَمَلاً صالِحاً فَأُوْلئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئاتِهِمْ حَسَناتٍ وَ كانَ اللَّهُ غَفُوراً رَحيماً.

Those who repent, attain faith, and act righteously, for such, God will replace their misdeeds with good deeds, and God is all-forgiving, all-merciful. (Qur’an, 25:70).

وَ إِذا مَرِضْتُ فَهُوَ يَشْفين.

And if I am sick, He is the One who cures me. (Qur’an, 26:80).

أَمَّنْ يُجيبُ الْمُضْطَرَّ إِذا دَعاهُ وَ يَكْشِفُ السُّوء.

He is who answers the distressed when he calls Him, and He removes the ill. (Qur’an, 27:62).

وَ أَوْحَيْنا إِلى‏ أُمِّ مُوسى‏ أَنْ أَرْضِعيهِ فَإِذا خِفْتِ عَلَيْهِ فَأَلْقيهِ فِي الْيَمِّ وَ لا تَخافي‏ وَ لا تَحْزَني‏ إِنَّا رَادُّوهُ إِلَيْكِ وَ جاعِلُوهُ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلين.

And We inspired to Moses' mother: Suckle him, and when you become fearful for him, then cast him off in the sea, and do not fear nor grieve, for We will restore him to you and make him one of the apostles. (Qur’an, 28:7).

فَالْتَقَطَهُ آلُ فِرْعَوْنَ لِيَكُونَ لَهُمْ عَدُوًّا وَ حَزَناً إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ وَ هامانَ وَ جُنُودَهُما كانُوا خاطِئين.

Then the people of Pharaoh took him up from the sea so that by God’s will he become their enemy and the source of their grief. Certainly, Pharaoh and haman and their troops were doing wrong. (Qur’an, 28:8).

وَ قالَتِ امْرَأَتُ فِرْعَوْنَ قُرَّتُ عَيْنٍ لي‏ وَ لَكَ لا تَقْتُلُوهُ عَسى‏ أَنْ يَنْفَعَنا أَوْ نَتَّخِذَهُ وَلَداً وَ هُمْ لا يَشْعُرُون .

And Pharaoh's wife said, “A pleasure to my eye and yours, so do not kill him, perhaps he will benefit us or we may take him as a son!” while they did not notice (that he will be pharaoh's enemy). (Qur’an, 28:9).

وَ لَمَّا وَرَدَ ماءَ مَدْيَنَ وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةً مِنَ النَّاسِ يَسْقُونَ وَ وَجَدَ مِنْ دُونِهِمُ امْرَأَتَيْنِ تَذُودانِ قالَ ما خَطْبُكُما قالَتا لا نَسْقي‏ حَتَّى يُصْدِرَ الرِّعاءُ وَ أَبُونا شَيْخٌ كَبير.

When he arrived at the well of Midian, he found there a throng of people watering their flocks, and he found, besides them, two women holding back their flock. He said, “What is your business?” They said, “We do not water our flock until the shepherds have driven out their flocks, and our father is an aged man.” (Qur’an, 28:23).

فَسَقى‏ لَهُما ثُمَّ تَوَلَّى إِلَى الظِّلِّ فَقالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي لِما أَنْزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقير.

He watered their flock for them. Then he withdrew toward the shade and said, “My Lord! I am indeed in need of any good You may send down to me!” (Qur’an, 28:24).

فَجاءَتْهُ إِحْداهُما تَمْشي‏ عَلَى اسْتِحْياءٍ قالَتْ إِنَّ أَبي‏ يَدْعُوكَ لِيَجْزِيَكَ أَجْرَ ما سَقَيْتَ لَنا فَلَمَّا جاءَهُ وَ قَصَّ عَلَيْهِ الْقَصَصَ قالَ لا تَخَفْ نَجَوْتَ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمينَ.

Then one of the two women approached him, walking bashfully. She said, “Indeed my father invites you to pay you the wages for watering our flock for us.” Therefore, when he came to him and recounted the story to their father, he said, “Do not be afraid. You have been delivered from the wrongdoing lot.” (Qur’an, 28:25).

أَ حَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَنْ يُتْرَكُوا أَنْ يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَ هُمْ لا يُفْتَنُون .

Did the people think that they will be left to say, “ We believe ” without being put to the test? (Qur’an, 29:2).

وَ لَقَدْ فَتَنَّا الَّذينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّهُ الَّذينَ صَدَقُوا وَ لَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْكاذِبين.

And while We had tested those before them, so that God would know those who are truthful and so that He would know the liars. (Qur’an, 29:3).

وَ الَّذينَ جاهَدُوا فينا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنا وَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنين.

As for those who strive in Us, We shall surely guide them in Our ways, and God is indeed with the virtuous. (Qur’an, 29:69).

أَ وَ لَمْ يَتَفَكَّرُوا في‏ أَنْفُسِهِمْ ما خَلَقَ اللَّهُ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضَ وَ ما بَيْنَهُما إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ وَ أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى وَ إِنَّ كَثيراً مِنَ النَّاسِ بِلِقاءِ رَبِّهِمْ لَكافِرُون .

Have they not reflected in their own souls? God did not create the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them except with reason and for a specified term. Indeed many of the people disbelieve in the encounter with their Lord. (Qur’an, 30:8).

وَ مِنْ آياتِهِ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَزْواجاً لِتَسْكُنُوا إِلَيْها وَ جَعَلَ بَيْنَكُمْ مَوَدَّةً وَ رَحْمَةً إِنَّ في‏ ذلِكَ لَآياتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُون .

And of His signs is that He created for you mates from your own selves that you may take comfort in them, and He ordained affection and mercy between you. There are indeed signs in that for a people who reflect. (Qur’an, 30:21).

وَ لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ رُسُلاً إِلى‏ قَوْمِهِمْ فَجاؤُهُمْ بِالْبَيِّناتِ فَانْتَقَمْنا مِنَ الَّذينَ أَجْرَمُوا وَ كانَ حَقًّا عَلَيْنا نَصْرُ الْمُؤْمِنين.

Certainly We sent apostles to their people before you, and they brought them manifest proofs. Then We took vengeance upon those who were guilty, and it was a must for Us to help the faithful. (Qur’an, 30:47).

فَاصْبِرْ إِنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ وَ لا يَسْتَخِفَّنَّكَ الَّذينَ لا يُوقِنُون .

So be patient! God’s promise is indeed true. Do not let yourself be upset by those who have no conviction. (Qur’an, 30:60).

وَ لَقَدْ آتَيْنا لُقْمانَ الْحِكْمَةَ أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِلَّهِ وَ مَنْ يَشْكُرْ فَإِنَّما يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ وَ مَنْ كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ حَميد.

Certainly, We gave Luqman wisdom, saying, “You shall be thankful to God, and whoever is thankful is being thankful for his own good. As for whosoever rejects, then God is rich, praiseworthy.” (Qur’an, 31:12).

وَ لا تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَ لا تَمْشِ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَحاً إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتالٍ فَخُور.

Do not turn your face away from people out of arrogance; nor walk in the street exultingly; verily, God does not like any self-conceited Boaster. (Qur’an, 31:18).

إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَ يُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ وَ يَعْلَمُ ما فِي الْأَرْحامِ وَ ما تَدْري نَفْسٌ ما ذا تَكْسِبُ غَداً وَ ما تَدْري نَفْسٌ بِأَيِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَليمٌ خَبير.

Indeed the knowledge of the Hour is with God. He sends down the rain, and He knows what is in the wombs. No soul knows what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul knows in what land it will die. Indeed God is all-knowing, all-aware. (Qur’an, 31:34).

الَّذي أَحْسَنَ كُلَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ خَلَقَهُ وَ بَدَأَ خَلْقَ الْإِنْسانِ مِنْ طين.

God is the One Who gives the best Perfection to all that He created, and commenced man's creation from clay. (Qur’an, 32:7).

وَ تَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ كَفى‏ بِاللَّهِ وَكيلا.

Put your trust in God; God suffices as trustee. (Qur’an, 33:3).

إِنَّا عَرَضْنَا الْأَمانَةَ عَلَى السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ وَ الْجِبالِ فَأَبَيْنَ أَنْ يَحْمِلْنَها وَ أَشْفَقْنَ مِنْها وَ حَمَلَهَا الْإِنْسانُ إِنَّهُ كانَ ظَلُوماً جَهُولا.

Indeed We presented the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to bear it, and were apprehensive of it; but man undertook it. Indeed human is most unfair and senseless. (Qur’an, 33:72).

قُلْ إِنَّما أَعِظُكُمْ بِواحِدَةٍ أَنْ تَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ مَثْنى‏ وَ فُرادى‏ .

I give you just a single advice: that you rise up for God’s sake, in twos, or individually. (Qur’an, 34:46).

قُلْ ما سَأَلْتُكُمْ مِنْ أَجْرٍ فَهُوَ لَكُمْ إِنْ أَجْرِيَ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ هُوَ عَلى‏ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ شَهيد.

Say, “Whatever reward I may have asked you is for your own good. My true reward lies only with God. Whatever reward I may have asked you is for your own good.” (Qur’an, 34:47).

ما يَفْتَحِ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِنْ رَحْمَةٍ فَلا مُمْسِكَ لَها وَ ما يُمْسِكْ فَلا مُرْسِلَ لَهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَ هُوَ الْعَزيزُ الْحَكيم.

Whatever mercy God opens for the people, none can stop it. And what He holds back none can send it other than Him. And He is the Noble, the Wise. (Qur’an, 35:2).

إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْيِ الْمَوْتى‏ وَ نَكْتُبُ ما قَدَّمُوا وَ آثارَهُمْ وَ كُلَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ أَحْصَيْناهُ في‏ إِمامٍ مُبين.

It is indeed Us who resurrect the dead, and We record what they have done and left behind. And everything We have counted in a clear ledger. (Qur’an, 36:12).

وَ إِذا قيلَ لَهُمْ أَنْفِقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ اللَّهُ قالَ الَّذينَ كَفَرُوا لِلَّذينَ آمَنُوا أَ نُطْعِمُ مَنْ لَوْ يَشاءُ اللَّهُ أَطْعَمَهُ إِنْ أَنْتُمْ إِلاَّ في‏ ضَلالٍ مُبين.

When they are told: “Spend out of what God has provided you,” the faithless say to the faithful: “Shall we feed someone whom God would have fed, had He wished? You are only in manifest error.” (Qur’an, 36:47).

فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعْيَ قالَ يا بُنَيَّ إِنِّي أَرى‏ فِي الْمَنامِ أَنِّي أَذْبَحُكَ فَانْظُرْ ما ذا تَرى‏ قالَ يا أَبَتِ افْعَلْ ما تُؤْمَرُ سَتَجِدُني‏ إِنْ شاءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الصَّابِرين .

When he was old enough to assist in his endeavor, his father Ibrahim said, “My son! I see in a dream that I am sacrificing you. See what you think.” and Ishmael answered, “Father! Do whatever you have been commanded. If God wishes, you will find me to be patient.” (Qur’an, 37:102).

قُلْ يا عِبادِ الَّذينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمْ لِلَّذينَ أَحْسَنُوا في‏ هذِهِ الدُّنْيا حَسَنَةٌ وَ أَرْضُ اللَّهِ واسِعَةٌ إِنَّما يُوَفَّى الصَّابِرُونَ أَجْرَهُمْ بِغَيْرِ حِساب.

God declares: “O My servants who have faith! Be wary and aware of your Lord. For those who do good in this world there will be a good reward, and God’s earth is vast. Indeed the patient will be paid in full their reward without any reckoning.” (Qur’an, 39:10).

فَبَشِّرْ عِباد. الَّذينَ يَسْتَمِعُونَ الْقَوْلَ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ أَحْسَنَهُ أُولئِكَ الَّذينَ هَداهُمُ اللَّهُ وَ أُولئِكَ هُمْ أُولُوا الْأَلْباب.

Give good news to My servants who listen to the words (of God) and follow the best sense of it. They are the ones whom God has guided, and it is they who possess intellect. (Qur’an, 39:18).

أَ وَ لَمْ يَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ يَشاءُ وَ يَقْدِرُ إِنَّ في‏ ذلِكَ لَآياتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُون .

Do they not know that God expands the provision for whomever He wishes and tightens it for whomever He wishes? There are indeed signs in that for a people who have faith. (Qur’an, 39:52).

قُلْ يا عِبادِيَ الَّذينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلى‏ أَنْفُسِهِمْ لا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَميعاً إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحيم.

O My servants, who have committed excesses against their own souls, do not despair of the mercy of God. Indeed God will forgive all sins. Indeed, He is the All-forgiving, the All-merciful. (Qur’an, 39:53).

أُفَوِّضُ أَمْري إِلَى اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَصيرٌ بِالْعِباد.

I entrust my affair to God. Indeed God sees best the servants. (Qur’an, 40:44).

إِنَّ الَّذينَ قالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقامُوا تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلائِكَةُ أَلاَّ تَخافُوا وَ لا تَحْزَنُوا وَ أَبْشِرُوا بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتي‏ كُنْتُمْ تُوعَدُون

Surely, those who have said, “Our Lord is God,” then they lead a righteous life, the Angels will descend upon them: “You shall not fear, nor shall you grieve. Rejoice in the good news of Paradise that you have been promised.” (Qur’an, 41:30).

لا يَسْأَمُ الْإِنْسانُ مِنْ دُعاءِ الْخَيْرِ وَ إِنْ مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ فَيَؤُسٌ قَنُوط.

Man is never wearied of supplicating for good, and should any ill befall man, he becomes hopeless, despondent.” (Qur’an, 41:49).

وَ هُوَ الَّذي يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبادِهِ وَ يَعْفُوا عَنِ السَّيِّئاتِ وَ يَعْلَمُ ما تَفْعَلُون .

He is the One who accepts the repentance from His servants, and He forgives the sins. He is fully aware of what you do. (Qur’an, 42:25).

وَ لَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ حَتَّى نَعْلَمَ الْمُجاهِدينَ مِنْكُمْ وَ الصَّابِرينَ وَ نَبْلُوَا أَخْبارَكُم.

We will surely test you until We ascertain those of you who strive hard for the cause of God and those who are steadfast, and We shall appraise your record. (Qur’an, 47:31).

يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنُوا أَطيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ لا تُبْطِلُوا أَعْمالَكُم.

Obey God and obey the Apostle, and do not render your works void. (Qur’an, 47:33).

إِنَّا فَتَحْنا لَكَ فَتْحاً مُبيناً.

Indeed, We have inaugurated for you a clear victory. (Qur’an, 48:1).

إِنَّ الَّذينَ يُبايِعُونَكَ إِنَّما يُبايِعُونَ اللَّهَ يَدُ اللَّهِ فَوْقَ أَيْديهِمْ فَمَنْ نَكَثَ فَإِنَّما يَنْكُثُ عَلى‏ نَفْسِهِ وَ مَنْ أَوْفى‏ بِما عاهَدَ عَلَيْهُ اللَّهَ فَسَيُؤْتيهِ أَجْراً عَظيما.

Indeed those who swear allegiance to you, swear allegiance only to God: the hand of God is above their hands. So whosoever breaks his oath, breaks it only to his own detriment, and whoever fulfills the covenant he has made with God, He will give him a great reward. (Qur’an, 48:10).

مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَ الَّذينَ مَعَهُ أَشِدَّاءُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ رُحَماءُ بَيْنَهُم.

Muhammad, the Apostle of God, and those who are with him are hard against the faithless and merciful amongst themselves. (Qur’an, 48:29).

يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثيراً مِنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ وَ لا تَجَسَّسُوا وَ لا يَغْتَبْ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضاً أَ يُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخيهِ مَيْتاً فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ وَ اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَحيم.

O you who have faith! Avoid much suspicion. Indeed some suspicions are sins. And do not spy on or backbite one another. Will any of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it. And be wary of God; indeed God is all-clement, all-merciful. (Qur’an, 49:12).

إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَ رَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَرْتابُوا وَ جاهَدُوا بِأَمْوالِهِمْ وَ أَنْفُسِهِمْ في‏ سَبيلِ اللَّهِ أُولئِكَ هُمُ الصَّادِقُون

The faithful are only those who have attained faith in God and His Apostle and then have never doubted, and who strive with their possessions and their persons in the way of God. It is they who are the truthful. (Qur’an, 49:15).

الَّذينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَبائِرَ الْإِثْمِ وَ الْفَواحِشَ إِلاَّ اللَّمَمَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ واسِعُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ إِذْ أَنْشَأَكُمْ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ وَ إِذْ أَنْتُمْ أَجِنَّةٌ في‏ بُطُونِ أُمَّهاتِكُمْ فَلا تُزَكُّوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اتَّقى .

Those who avoid major sins and indecencies, excepting minor and occasional lapses. Indeed your Lord is expansive in His forgiveness. He knows you best since] the time [He produced you from the earth, and since you were fetuses in the bellies of your mothers. So do not flaunt your piety: He knows best those who are God wary and righteous. (Qur’an, 53:32).

يَسْئَلُهُ مَنْ فِي السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ في‏ شَأْن .

Every day He is engaged in some work. (Qur’an, 55:29).

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبان .

So which of your Lord's bounties will you both deny? (Qur’an, 55:30).

أَ فَرَأَيْتُمْ ما تَحْرُثُون .

Have you considered what you sow? (Qur’an, 56:63).

أَ أَنْتُمْ تَزْرَعُونَهُ أَمْ نَحْنُ الزَّارِعُون .

Is it you that cause it to grow, or are We the causers of growth? (Qur’an, 56:64).

لَوْ نَشاءُ لَجَعَلْناهُ حُطاماً فَظَلْتُمْ تَفَكَّهُون. إِنَّا لَمُغْرَمُون .

If We will, We would make it broken stubble and you would remain wondering. Surely, We are burdened with debt. (Qur’an, 56:65-66).

وَ ما لَكُمْ أَلاَّ تُنْفِقُوا في‏ سَبيلِ اللَّهِ وَ لِلَّهِ ميراثُ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ لا يَسْتَوي مِنْكُمْ مَنْ أَنْفَقَ مِنْ قَبْلِ الْفَتْحِ وَ قاتَلَ أُولئِكَ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً مِنَ الَّذينَ أَنْفَقُوا مِنْ بَعْدُ وَ قاتَلُوا وَ كُلاًّ وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الْحُسْنى‏ وَ اللَّهُ بِما تَعْمَلُونَ خَبير.

Why should you not spend in the way of God, while to God belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth? Not equal to others are those of you who spent and fought before the victory. They are greater in rank than those who have spent and fought afterwards. Yet God has promised the best reward to each and God is well aware of what you do. (Qur’an, 57:10).

مَنْ ذَا الَّذي يُقْرِضُ اللَّهَ قَرْضاً حَسَناً فَيُضاعِفَهُ لَهُ وَ لَهُ أَجْرٌ كَريم.

Who is it that will lend God a good loan, that He may multiply it for him and that there may be a noble reward for him?” (Qur’an, 57:11).

سابِقُوا إِلى‏ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَ جَنَّةٍ عَرْضُها كَعَرْضِ السَّماءِ وَ الْأَرْضِ أُعِدَّتْ لِلَّذينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَ رُسُلِهِ ذلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتيهِ مَنْ يَشاءُ وَ اللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظيم.

Therefore, you shall race towards forgiveness from your Lord and the garden of paradise whose width is equal to the vastness of the heavens and the earth altogether, and is prepared for those who believe in God and His Messengers. That is the grace of God, which He bestows on whom He wills; and God is dispenser of a great grace. (Qur’an, 57:21).

ما أَصابَ مِنْ مُصيبَةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَ لا في‏ أَنْفُسِكُمْ إِلاَّ في‏ كِتابٍ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ نَبْرَأَها إِنَّ ذلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسير.

No affliction visits the earth or yourselves but it is in a Book before We bring it about. That is indeed easy for God. (Qur’an, 57:22).

وَ يُؤْثِرُونَ عَلى‏ أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَ لَوْ كانَ بِهِمْ خَصاصَةٌ وَ مَنْ يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُولئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُون .

They readily give others priority over themselves, even when they themselves need what they give away. Indeed, those who overcome their desires are the successful ones. (Qur’an, 59:9).

هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذي لا إِلهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْمَلِكُ الْقُدُّوسُ السَّلامُ الْمُؤْمِنُ الْمُهَيْمِنُ الْعَزيزُ الْجَبَّارُ الْمُتَكَبِّرُ سُبْحانَ اللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُون.

He is Almighty God there is no other God except Him the Sovereign, the All-holy, the All-benign, the Securer, the All-conserver, the All-mighty, the All-compeller, the All-magnanimous. Clear is God of any partners that they may ascribe to Him! (Qur’an, 59:23).

يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنُوا هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلى‏ تِجارَةٍ تُنْجيكُمْ مِنْ عَذابٍ أَليم.

O you who believe, shall I lead you to a trade that will save you from painful retribution. (Qur’an, 61:10).

تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَ رَسُولِهِ وَ تُجاهِدُونَ في‏ سَبيلِ اللَّهِ بِأَمْوالِكُمْ وَ أَنْفُسِكُمْ ذلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُون .

Believe in God and His messenger and strive in the cause of God with your money and your lives. This is the best deal for you, if you only knew. (Qur’an, 61:11).

يَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَ يُدْخِلْكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْري مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهارُ وَ مَساكِنَ طَيِّبَةً في‏ جَنَّاتِ عَدْنٍ ذلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظيم.

He will then forgive your sins, and admit you into gardens with rivers flowing beneath, and beautiful mansions in the gardens of Eden. This is the greatest triumph. (Qur’an, 61:12).

وَ أُخْرى‏ تُحِبُّونَها نَصْرٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَ فَتْحٌ قَريبٌ وَ بَشِّرِ الْمُؤْمِنين.

You will receive what you love: a victory from God and an incursion that is close at hand. (Qur’an, 61:13).

وَ مَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجا.

Anyone who reverences God, He will create an exit for him. (Qur’an, 65:2).

وَ يَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لا يَحْتَسِبُ وَ مَنْ يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بالِغُ أَمْرِهِ.

And He will provide for him whence he never expected. Anyone who puts his trust in God, He suffices him. God’s commands will be done. (Qur’an, 65:3).

وَ مَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ يُسْرا.

Anyone who reverences God, He makes everything easy for him. (Qur’an, 65:4).

ذلِكَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ أَنْزَلَهُ إِلَيْكُمْ وَ مَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يُكَفِّرْ عَنْهُ سَيِّئاتِهِ وَ يُعْظِمْ لَهُ أَجْرا.

This is God’s command that He sends down to you. Anyone who reverences God, He remits his sins, and rewards him generously. (Qur’an, 65:5).

إِنَّا هَدَيْناهُ السَّبيلَ إِمَّا شاكِراً وَ إِمَّا كَفُورا.

Indeed, We have guided him to the way, be he grateful or ungrateful. (Qur’an, 76:3).

وَ يُطْعِمُونَ الطَّعامَ عَلى‏ حُبِّهِ مِسْكيناً وَ يَتيماً وَ أَسيراً.

They give food to the needy, the orphan and the prisoner. (Qur’an, 76:8).

إِنَّما نُطْعِمُكُمْ لِوَجْهِ اللَّهِ لا نُريدُ مِنْكُمْ جَزاءً وَ لا شُكُورا.

(And say): “We feed you only for the sake of God. We do not want any reward from you or any thanks.” (Qur’an, 76:9).

اذْهَبْ إِلى‏ فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُ طَغى . فَقُلْ هَلْ لَكَ إِلى‏ أَنْ تَزَكَّى .

Go to pharaoh, he has become exceedingly insolent. Then say, “Have you (a desire). to purify yourself?” (Qur’an, 79:17-18).

وَ أَهْدِيَكَ إِلى‏ رَبِّكَ فَتَخْشى .

And I will guide you to your lord so that you should fear. (Qur’an, 79:19).

إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا.

Indeed, ease accompanies hardship. (Qur’an, 94:6).

لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسانَ في‏ أَحْسَنِ تَقْويم.

Indeed, We created man in perfect Balance [spiritual, mental and physical]. (Qur’an, 95:4).

فَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْراً يَرَه.

Therefore, whoever does an atoms weight of good will see it. (Qur’an, 99:7).

Topic Tags:

- Qur'an [5]

- Hadith [6]

- Self Development [7]

Author(s):

- Abolfazl Sabouri [1]

Source URL: https://www.al-islam.org/be-best-abolfazl-sabouri

Links
[1] https://www.al-islam.org/person/abolfazl-sabouri
[2] https://www.al-islam.org/printpdf/book/export/html/122657
[3] https://www.al-islam.org/printepub/book/export/html/122657
[4] https://www.al-islam.org/printmobi/book/export/html/122657
[5] https://www.al-islam.org/tags/quran
[6] https://www.al-islam.org/tags/hadith
[7] https://www.al-islam.org/tags/self-development