(The Quran, 2:186) Fasting by its very nature is an act of patience. Patience and forbearance are what lead man to the state of the heart which enables him to experience the feeling of nearness to God

sympathy. (Shu’abul Iman, Hadith No. 3336) Fasting teaches a man what basic human requirements are. It tells him what hunger is and what thirst is. Those who do not get a chance to feel hungry or thirsty

they are looking for, and so they are no different from the first category of people. After getting what they hankered after, they realize that these things do not give them true and lasting joy. And so

as deprived as those who do not. Yet, few people realize this. Human beings deprive themselves of what is truly worth having and delude themselves into imagining that the things of this world will give

a successful world in the known ‘today’. How unaware people are who think they know themselves! What failures are they who consider themselves to be the most successful of all! The Other Side of Death

is sincere, one’s life becomes devoid of contradictions. No difference remains between what one prays for and what one practices. If one really detests cruelty and objects to others indulging in it, then

earn one only retribution. For prayers to be acceptable, it is essential that one should give others what one seeks for oneself. One should treat others with the same mercy and compassion as one desires for

ASK MAULANAYour Questions Answered What characteristic trait is most essential in an individual so that he can contribute to national development? The example of Toyota, Japanese automobile company, provides

character so tempered that it can be depended upon through thick and thin—like the kiln-fired brick—is what in the long run builds a nation, for it is only such a temperament which can remain attuned to the

progress. Recently there has been a lot of activism seen throughout our country to root out corruption. What is the right approach to resolving the problem of corruption? Everyone is worried and wants to have

experiences. In the midst of spiritual abundance, he will continue to remain spiritually starved. What is preparation? Preparation cannot be achieved by means of taking some external course. It is an exercise

of any event, so that an appropriate course of action may be taken; an acute sense of what is significant and what is not is essential, for, without it, man can never experience spirituality. High thinking

simplicity as a part of faith itself; that is a part of the belief in God. Let us first consider, what is the absence of simplicity? Absence of simplicity is characterized by the complex methods which

What people say and what people do are two completely different thing. Reagan was, some months back, described as a great Christian, despite the fact that he doesn’t attend church. Ironically, while this

simply do not know that they are committing some wrong. And when the very few do, they do not know what to do about it. A fine, recent example is a school’s attempt to cut down and eventually eliminate

youngsters they have to deal with. The students reacted with the way they usually do, by overdoing what has been forbidden. How did all this come about? The reasons should be of special interest to Muslims

Prophet once observed: ‘No one can be a believer until and unless he begins to like for his brother what he likes for himself’ (Fathul Bari, 1/73). With minor differences these words of the Prophet have

Hand is my soul, no one can be a believer as long as he does not like for his neighbour (or brother) what he likes for himself. All individuals be they literate or illiterate, able-bodied or handicapped

handicapped, whether of one class or another, are certain at all events of their own likes and dislikes. Now what is required is that they simply follow the principle that whatever behaviour they want from others

human nature. A human being is a sensitive animal endowed with conscience which tells him what is good and what is bad. So, it is but natural that when he sees some unprincipled behaviour or an immoral

replied the Indian visitor. “I should like to make a courtesy call on him.” “But he is dead, sir.” “What? Nobody told me in India during the briefing.” “They must have presumed you were aware of it. He

If one says to someone, “So-and-so batsman scored a century,” he will immediately understand that what is meant by a century is a hundred runs in cricket. But if one says, “A century of hard struggle is

is needed for the development of a nation,” no one will truly understand; for no one can know what it is to devote oneself individually to constructive work for so long a period.