person, and it is this positive personality that will be held deserving of being settled in Paradise. What is required of man is to consciously acknowledge these blessings, without any compulsion. Acknowledgment

form of movable and immovable things. The third blessing is mentioned in these words: “He creates what you do not know.” This third blessing was referred to here as a prediction. When in the seventh century

and scientific revolution. God Almighty is the giver of these blessings and man is the recipient. What is required of man is to consciously acknowledge these blessings, without any compulsion. Acknowledgment

should pause for a while, ponder on what you have heard, and think of what your ideal response should be. This will guarantee that you reply in a proper manner to what you have heard. Instead of reacting

thinking about what he has and what he may lose can fill his eyes with tears. But all such emotions pale into insignificance beside the feelings, which the true devotee has for the Supreme Being. What he feels

That is, to tell man why God created this world; what the purpose is of settling man on earth; what is required from man in his pre-death life span, and what he is going to confront after death. The purpose

are generally sufficient to tell us what his overall personality is like. A thoughtless remark, an unfair maneuver, a failure to give much-needed sympathy or support, a devious transaction—all these are

wastes no time in rooting them out. A man who has made a mistake can completely erase the marks of what is an unfortunate experience for others by admitting his mistake and begging forgiveness. Some people

men. They do not realize that a man displays his true mettle when he sees his own wrong actions for what they are, and humbly asks forgiveness. It is only he who has learned the art of moral introspection

“What will happen to what they eat?” asked the companions, to which the Prophet replied: “There will be belching and perspiration, which will be as fragrant as musk. Praise and glorification of God will

justice when in a position to be cruel, and humility when it would be easy to be arrogant. This is what is meant by transforming inner filth into purity and fragrance. It is only people who are able to

contact which the believer thus establishes with God should remain with him throughout his life. This is what the Prophet termed “zuhd” or detachment from the world and has been made obligatory in the form of

In Itikaf, one distances completely from the world and turns to God. Itikaf is thus a full form of what is required during the whole of the month, but God has not enjoined to observe Itikaf for the whole

introspection. During this practice, one finds time to reflect on one’s life, one’s past and present, and what course to follow in the future. The ten-day period of itikaf requires a person to undergo overhauling

In this state of affairs, the best way for man is to follow the example of the world around him. What the rest of the world is doing under compulsion, he must do by choice. For example, there are numerous

not make him show anger or even exasperation. For such an individual, unfavourable circumstances are what cast him in a new mould, from which he emerges as a being of a finer temper and of a higher moral

a man of principle; who, without being subjected to any external force, did of his own free will, what his Lord would have desired. This liberty accorded to man gives him the opportunity to gain credit