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Keys to Overcoming Grief: Gratitude, Perseverance, Moral Excellence and Mindfulness of God
Chapter 4: Surat Al Imran
"When the world brings you to your knees, look up and raise your hands to the heavens to call on An All-Compassionate Creator who will carry you through your struggles and remind you, this is not the end. Your story does not end here. This sadness and loss you feel is not permanent. And that there is joy and bliss lying ahead" (Excerpt from book “Hope Rekindled: A Heart Empowered”.
How can we manage the falls, trials and grief we are all bound to experience as a part of our human existence?
These verses in chapter four of the Quran, in Surat Al-Imran, resonated with me:
“Do not falter or grieve, for you will have the upper hand, if you are ˹true˺ believers”. (3:139) I find such comfort and gentleness in these verses - as when you console a loved one and remind them of their strengths, and to God belongs the greater example, this verse leads me to feel God is comforting us and reminding us of our potential for good.
While feeling sadness and grief are an expected part of our human experience and we see these emotions apparent in many of the prophet’s stories of the Quran including Prophet Jacob’s grief over his separation from Prophet Yusuf, I feel the next page provides us with more guidance on how to avoid becoming consumed by trials or grief.
In verse 144 and verse 145 there is a double emphasis on God rewarding those who are grateful. So we are not only pulled to gratitude out of recognition for the gifts God, The Bestower of Gifts, showers us with but also we are given an incentive by being promised a reward twice in the two verses here. Then in verse 146, God says He loves those who persevere and in verse 148, He says He loves those who excel in doing goodness (ihsan). At the end of Surat Al-Imran, in verse 200, there is a double emphasis on perseverance, and as was the case in chapter 1 and 2, an emphasis on taqwa (mindfulness of God) in order to achieve success.
So I see the way to not become consumed by grief or trials in these verses as having a double dose of gratitude, perseverance, ihsan (moral excellence) and taqwa (mindfulness of God). And current research in positive psychology points to the power of gratitude in unlocking joy and the impact of a gratitude practice such as writing down three things you’re grateful for everyday in decreasing the prevalence of anxiety and depression.
May we be of the grateful, the persevering, the mindful of God and those who engage in moral excellence (ihsan). Ameen.
Verses mentioned above:
Chapter 3: The Family of Imraan, Verse: 139
Do not falter or grieve, for you will have the upper hand, if you are ˹true˺ believers. (139)
Chapter 3: The Family of Imraan, Verses: 144 - 146
Muḥammad is no more than a messenger; other messengers have gone before him. If he were to die or to be killed, would you regress into disbelief? Those who do so will not harm Allah whatsoever. And Allah will reward those who are grateful. (144) No soul can ever die without Allah’s Will at the destined time. Those who desire worldly gain, We will let them have it, and those who desire heavenly reward, We will grant it to them. And We will reward those who are grateful. (145) ˹Imagine˺ how many devotees fought along with their prophets and never faltered despite whatever ˹losses˺ they suffered in the cause of Allah, nor did they weaken or give in! Allah loves those who persevere. (146)
Chapter 3: The Family of Imraan, Verse: 148
So Allah gave them the reward of this world and the excellent reward of the Hereafter. For Allah loves the good-doers. (148)
Chapter 3: The Family of Imraan, Verse: 200
O believers! Patiently endure, persevere, stand on guard, and be mindful of Allah, so you may be successful. (200)
http://quranreflect.com/posts/7220
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The Traits of Prophetic Leadership: Sabr (Perseverance), Taqwa (Mindfulness of God), Ihsan (Moral Excellence)
In Surat Yusuf, we learn about the journey of Prophet Yusuf who was taken from the arms of his father Prophet Jacob, thrown into a well by his brothers, sold into slavery for cheap, and imprisoned unjustly for years. Years of pain and suffering; yet, as taught by Ustatha Samia Mubarak in her tafseer (Quran interpretation) class on Surat Yusuf, Prophet Yusuf is pulled to gratitude in this verse when he says: “Indeed Allah has been good to me…”(Quran 12:100). Prophet Yusuf consistently shows the characteristics of sabr (perseverance), taqwa (mindfulness of God), and ihsan (moral excellence) throughout his journey highlighted in verse 90 of this chapter.
It’s as if Prophet Yusuf had to experience the darkness of the well to build his perseverance and the humility of being sold into slavery to develop mindfulness of God and the loneliness of prison to develop moral excellence.
The perseverance, mindfulness of God and moral excellence that made him the amazing leader he came to be when he was taken out of prison at the end to become a minister who would help save his nation from hunger. A leader who would help his brothers return to Allah instead of prioritizing his ego and seeking revenge, and who would be re-united with his parents after many years of separation and longing to witness the manifestation of the dream he shared with his father at the beginning of the surah.
From Prophet Yusuf’s stories and many stories throughout the Quran, we can learn that pain can lead to purpose. That breaking down can lead to the break through. That suffering can lead to strength. Nothing is lost with God. He sees potential in us and He helps us grow towards it with His knowledge (Al-Aleem), His wisdom (Al-Hakeem), His subtle grace (Al-Lateef) and His protection (Al-Waliy) as outlined to us throughout His divine attributes in this surah and as highlighted in the Surat Yusuf Course.
In the course, we also learned about patience involving an action plan as opposed to sitting helplessly - Prophet Yusuf had a plan for how he would be reunited with his father and family and carefully executed this plan. He had taqwa (God consciousness) all throughout the trials he was faced with, including the one with the wife of Al-Aziz, which cleared the path for him and reminded us with taqwa, God makes a way out from where we least expect: “...And whoever is mindful of Allah, He will make a way out for them, and provide for them from sources they could never imagine. And whoever puts their trust in Allah, then He ˹alone˺ is sufficient for them. Certainly Allah achieves His Will. Allah has already set a destiny for everything.” (Quran 65:2-4). And we learned ihsan stems from gratitude for Allah’s ihsan with us in all the blessings He showers us with, especially amidst adversity.
May we be of those who exemplify perseverance, mindfulness of God and moral excellence. Ameen.
------------------------
Arriving at Eternal Bliss
Whom among us does not wish for eternal bliss, a place of comfort, peace and joy?
In Surat Al Mutaffifun, verse 22, as well as the surah preceding it, we are told “Surely 'al abraar' - those who do an abundance of good deeds will be in everlasting bliss on the day of judgment”. I started to look more into what it means to be among the ‘abraar’ - so much so that God describes them as experiencing everlasting bliss and ‘certainly bound for ’Illiyûn1 ˹in elevated Gardens˺ (83:18).
It took me to Chapter 2, Verse 177 in the Quran that describes ‘bir’ as follows:
"Virtue is not(attained) by turning your faces towards the East and the West. Rather, virtue is(exemplified) in one who has attained faith in Allah and the Last Day and the angels and the Scripture and the prophets, and has brought money—despite his love of it—to relatives and orphans and the destitute and the traveler in need and the askers and for(the freeing of) slaves, and has established the prayer and brought the purifying charity; and(it is exemplified) in those who fulfill their covenant when they have covenanted, and those who are patient in(the face of) misery and adversity and during violence. Those are the ones who were truthful, and it is those who are the mindful(of God) ."
If we break down this verse which I find provides us with a ‘Quranic formula’ for ‘bir’, we see that it includes:
1) The pillars of faith: to believe in Allah, the Last Day, The Angels, The Scripture, The Prophets and fate as described near the end of the verse (to have patience in the face of misery and adversity).
2) Immediately after the pillars of faith, we see the emphasis on giving, despite the human’s nature to sometimes withhold as God describes ‘despite his love of it’. Different categories of vulnerable groups are specified including orphans which points to the underlying foundational concept of compassion in our faith, to recognize and alleviate the suffering of others.
3) Next we see establishing the prayer, our connection with our Creator, our place of safety, a gift to ground ourselves amidst a fast paced world which constantly demands our attention.
4) And once again we have those who brought the ‘purifying’ charity - so we have a double emphasis on giving in this one verse! And it pulled me to reflect on how zakat comes from purification which means to attain bir (virtuousness) entails a process of cleansing our hearts of anything that can jeopardize its potential to be sound, as God describes another verse: “the Day when neither wealth nor children will be of any benefit. Except for one who has come1to Allah with a sound heart.” (26:88-89). A sound heart free of greed, jealousy, resentment and seeking to give, love, and forgive.
5) Next, we have those who keep their promises which points to the importance of trust and integrity in our relationships. Trust is described as one of the most important elements in any healthy relationship and subhana’Allah we have the ultimate role model for this - Prophet Muhammad who is described as “Al-Sadiq, Al-Ameen” (The Honest and Trustworthy).
6) Following that, God describes those who are patient amidst misery, adversity and times of violence. And I feel this verse speaks to all of us who will experience struggle and pain at times and specifically those who have lived through very trying circumstances including conflict. We have over 75 million refugees in the world who have had to flee their homes due to violence. Imagine how difficult it is to leave everything and possibly everyone or most of your loved ones behind. God comforts us when we struggle and reassures us He sees it and knows it all and is there to carry us through.
7) The verse ends with stating by embodying these beliefs and traits - the pillars of faith, giving of our wealth, establishing the prayer, bringing our zakat forth, keeping our promises, and persevering through difficulty, we can be of the truthful and those who are mindful of God.
Once again truthfulness is emphasized, to be honest with ourselves about who we are and who we want to and can be with an intention to seek consciousness of God and our striving to be mindful of who He is in all we do - He is Arrahman Arraheem - The Most Compassionate, The Giver of Mercy, as He describes Himself repeatedly throughout the Quran.
And once we are conscious of His compassion and mercy, we can strive to be compassionate with others as outlined throughout this verse by giving financially and remembering we as well as our brothers and sisters in humanity will all face struggle, which reminds us of our common humanity and need to support each other while ultimately seeking the support of God.
May we be of the Abraar. Ameen
http://quranreflect.com/posts/6669
Chapter 4: Surat Al Imran
"When the world brings you to your knees, look up and raise your hands to the heavens to call on An All-Compassionate Creator who will carry you through your struggles and remind you, this is not the end. Your story does not end here. This sadness and loss you feel is not permanent. And that there is joy and bliss lying ahead" (Excerpt from book “Hope Rekindled: A Heart Empowered”.
How can we manage the falls, trials and grief we are all bound to experience as a part of our human existence?
These verses in chapter four of the Quran, in Surat Al-Imran, resonated with me:
“Do not falter or grieve, for you will have the upper hand, if you are ˹true˺ believers”. (3:139) I find such comfort and gentleness in these verses - as when you console a loved one and remind them of their strengths, and to God belongs the greater example, this verse leads me to feel God is comforting us and reminding us of our potential for good.
While feeling sadness and grief are an expected part of our human experience and we see these emotions apparent in many of the prophet’s stories of the Quran including Prophet Jacob’s grief over his separation from Prophet Yusuf, I feel the next page provides us with more guidance on how to avoid becoming consumed by trials or grief.
In verse 144 and verse 145 there is a double emphasis on God rewarding those who are grateful. So we are not only pulled to gratitude out of recognition for the gifts God, The Bestower of Gifts, showers us with but also we are given an incentive by being promised a reward twice in the two verses here. Then in verse 146, God says He loves those who persevere and in verse 148, He says He loves those who excel in doing goodness (ihsan). At the end of Surat Al-Imran, in verse 200, there is a double emphasis on perseverance, and as was the case in chapter 1 and 2, an emphasis on taqwa (mindfulness of God) in order to achieve success.
So I see the way to not become consumed by grief or trials in these verses as having a double dose of gratitude, perseverance, ihsan (moral excellence) and taqwa (mindfulness of God). And current research in positive psychology points to the power of gratitude in unlocking joy and the impact of a gratitude practice such as writing down three things you’re grateful for everyday in decreasing the prevalence of anxiety and depression.
May we be of the grateful, the persevering, the mindful of God and those who engage in moral excellence (ihsan). Ameen.
Verses mentioned above:
Chapter 3: The Family of Imraan, Verse: 139
Do not falter or grieve, for you will have the upper hand, if you are ˹true˺ believers. (139)
Chapter 3: The Family of Imraan, Verses: 144 - 146
Muḥammad is no more than a messenger; other messengers have gone before him. If he were to die or to be killed, would you regress into disbelief? Those who do so will not harm Allah whatsoever. And Allah will reward those who are grateful. (144) No soul can ever die without Allah’s Will at the destined time. Those who desire worldly gain, We will let them have it, and those who desire heavenly reward, We will grant it to them. And We will reward those who are grateful. (145) ˹Imagine˺ how many devotees fought along with their prophets and never faltered despite whatever ˹losses˺ they suffered in the cause of Allah, nor did they weaken or give in! Allah loves those who persevere. (146)
Chapter 3: The Family of Imraan, Verse: 148
So Allah gave them the reward of this world and the excellent reward of the Hereafter. For Allah loves the good-doers. (148)
Chapter 3: The Family of Imraan, Verse: 200
O believers! Patiently endure, persevere, stand on guard, and be mindful of Allah, so you may be successful. (200)
http://quranreflect.com/posts/7220
---
The Traits of Prophetic Leadership: Sabr (Perseverance), Taqwa (Mindfulness of God), Ihsan (Moral Excellence)
In Surat Yusuf, we learn about the journey of Prophet Yusuf who was taken from the arms of his father Prophet Jacob, thrown into a well by his brothers, sold into slavery for cheap, and imprisoned unjustly for years. Years of pain and suffering; yet, as taught by Ustatha Samia Mubarak in her tafseer (Quran interpretation) class on Surat Yusuf, Prophet Yusuf is pulled to gratitude in this verse when he says: “Indeed Allah has been good to me…”(Quran 12:100). Prophet Yusuf consistently shows the characteristics of sabr (perseverance), taqwa (mindfulness of God), and ihsan (moral excellence) throughout his journey highlighted in verse 90 of this chapter.
It’s as if Prophet Yusuf had to experience the darkness of the well to build his perseverance and the humility of being sold into slavery to develop mindfulness of God and the loneliness of prison to develop moral excellence.
The perseverance, mindfulness of God and moral excellence that made him the amazing leader he came to be when he was taken out of prison at the end to become a minister who would help save his nation from hunger. A leader who would help his brothers return to Allah instead of prioritizing his ego and seeking revenge, and who would be re-united with his parents after many years of separation and longing to witness the manifestation of the dream he shared with his father at the beginning of the surah.
From Prophet Yusuf’s stories and many stories throughout the Quran, we can learn that pain can lead to purpose. That breaking down can lead to the break through. That suffering can lead to strength. Nothing is lost with God. He sees potential in us and He helps us grow towards it with His knowledge (Al-Aleem), His wisdom (Al-Hakeem), His subtle grace (Al-Lateef) and His protection (Al-Waliy) as outlined to us throughout His divine attributes in this surah and as highlighted in the Surat Yusuf Course.
In the course, we also learned about patience involving an action plan as opposed to sitting helplessly - Prophet Yusuf had a plan for how he would be reunited with his father and family and carefully executed this plan. He had taqwa (God consciousness) all throughout the trials he was faced with, including the one with the wife of Al-Aziz, which cleared the path for him and reminded us with taqwa, God makes a way out from where we least expect: “...And whoever is mindful of Allah, He will make a way out for them, and provide for them from sources they could never imagine. And whoever puts their trust in Allah, then He ˹alone˺ is sufficient for them. Certainly Allah achieves His Will. Allah has already set a destiny for everything.” (Quran 65:2-4). And we learned ihsan stems from gratitude for Allah’s ihsan with us in all the blessings He showers us with, especially amidst adversity.
May we be of those who exemplify perseverance, mindfulness of God and moral excellence. Ameen.
------------------------
Arriving at Eternal Bliss
Whom among us does not wish for eternal bliss, a place of comfort, peace and joy?
In Surat Al Mutaffifun, verse 22, as well as the surah preceding it, we are told “Surely 'al abraar' - those who do an abundance of good deeds will be in everlasting bliss on the day of judgment”. I started to look more into what it means to be among the ‘abraar’ - so much so that God describes them as experiencing everlasting bliss and ‘certainly bound for ’Illiyûn1 ˹in elevated Gardens˺ (83:18).
It took me to Chapter 2, Verse 177 in the Quran that describes ‘bir’ as follows:
"Virtue is not(attained) by turning your faces towards the East and the West. Rather, virtue is(exemplified) in one who has attained faith in Allah and the Last Day and the angels and the Scripture and the prophets, and has brought money—despite his love of it—to relatives and orphans and the destitute and the traveler in need and the askers and for(the freeing of) slaves, and has established the prayer and brought the purifying charity; and(it is exemplified) in those who fulfill their covenant when they have covenanted, and those who are patient in(the face of) misery and adversity and during violence. Those are the ones who were truthful, and it is those who are the mindful(of God) ."
If we break down this verse which I find provides us with a ‘Quranic formula’ for ‘bir’, we see that it includes:
1) The pillars of faith: to believe in Allah, the Last Day, The Angels, The Scripture, The Prophets and fate as described near the end of the verse (to have patience in the face of misery and adversity).
2) Immediately after the pillars of faith, we see the emphasis on giving, despite the human’s nature to sometimes withhold as God describes ‘despite his love of it’. Different categories of vulnerable groups are specified including orphans which points to the underlying foundational concept of compassion in our faith, to recognize and alleviate the suffering of others.
3) Next we see establishing the prayer, our connection with our Creator, our place of safety, a gift to ground ourselves amidst a fast paced world which constantly demands our attention.
4) And once again we have those who brought the ‘purifying’ charity - so we have a double emphasis on giving in this one verse! And it pulled me to reflect on how zakat comes from purification which means to attain bir (virtuousness) entails a process of cleansing our hearts of anything that can jeopardize its potential to be sound, as God describes another verse: “the Day when neither wealth nor children will be of any benefit. Except for one who has come1to Allah with a sound heart.” (26:88-89). A sound heart free of greed, jealousy, resentment and seeking to give, love, and forgive.
5) Next, we have those who keep their promises which points to the importance of trust and integrity in our relationships. Trust is described as one of the most important elements in any healthy relationship and subhana’Allah we have the ultimate role model for this - Prophet Muhammad who is described as “Al-Sadiq, Al-Ameen” (The Honest and Trustworthy).
6) Following that, God describes those who are patient amidst misery, adversity and times of violence. And I feel this verse speaks to all of us who will experience struggle and pain at times and specifically those who have lived through very trying circumstances including conflict. We have over 75 million refugees in the world who have had to flee their homes due to violence. Imagine how difficult it is to leave everything and possibly everyone or most of your loved ones behind. God comforts us when we struggle and reassures us He sees it and knows it all and is there to carry us through.
7) The verse ends with stating by embodying these beliefs and traits - the pillars of faith, giving of our wealth, establishing the prayer, bringing our zakat forth, keeping our promises, and persevering through difficulty, we can be of the truthful and those who are mindful of God.
Once again truthfulness is emphasized, to be honest with ourselves about who we are and who we want to and can be with an intention to seek consciousness of God and our striving to be mindful of who He is in all we do - He is Arrahman Arraheem - The Most Compassionate, The Giver of Mercy, as He describes Himself repeatedly throughout the Quran.
And once we are conscious of His compassion and mercy, we can strive to be compassionate with others as outlined throughout this verse by giving financially and remembering we as well as our brothers and sisters in humanity will all face struggle, which reminds us of our common humanity and need to support each other while ultimately seeking the support of God.
May we be of the Abraar. Ameen
http://quranreflect.com/posts/6669