Keep Focus on Quran

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

The more you know the more you know you are in danger. Those who are deeply in knowledge are the most worried about their hearts.

If you want to stay clean and sound minded, keep a focus on Quran. It will teach you how to think and not go off into tangents. Allah will prioritize what you should think about more.

رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْوَهَّابُ ﴿٨

"Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower. (8) [Quran, AleImran 3:8]

Ameen

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.

And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.

Wassalaam

Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Isn't It Time We Take The Qur'an Seriously?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Bismillah

Allah Almighty says in Surah Al-Kahf,

ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عِوَجَا ۜ ﴿١﴾ قَيِّمًا لِّيُنذِرَ‌ بَأْسًا شَدِيدًا مِّن لَّدُنْهُ وَيُبَشِّرَ‌ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرً‌ا حَسَنًا ﴿٢

All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has sent down to His slave (Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam) the Book (the Qur'an), and has not placed therein any crookedness. (1) [He has made it] straight, to warn of severe punishment from Him and to give good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a good reward (2)

[Quran, Al-Kahf 18:1-2]

The Quran is upright and safeguards the best interest of His servants. It will set anybody right. Even in the toughest of time, the Qur'an can help us stand up straight. It teaches us to stay within limits. It does not put a burden or responsibility upon the slaves of Allah the kind of burden or responsibility that they can't carry.

It will never fall short in the realm of guidance. That's why Allah sent the Qur'an as the last Book. The Qur'an is a complete guidance. Whatever troubles or crisis we are facing -- personal, national, ethical, political, factional, ignorance, morality, shamelessness, etc -- the Qur'an has the solution for it.

The world we live in now is not much different than the world before in terms of its crookedness and deviations. Quran is committed to rectify the most crooked of nations. So we must have hope that when we restore the relationship with the Qur'an to people, beginning with ourselves and our families, then there will be good things lie ahead. The Qur'an is straight and no matter how much society deviates, it will remain straight. It has the power to take that which is bent and make it straight.

The actual relationship we have with the Quran is when we are standing in prayer and reciting it, and when we are standing behind an imam and listening to it being recited. Our relationship with the Quran happens five times a day at least. If somebody's prayer is good, his Quran is good, and if someone is not engaging with the Quran in his prayers, then his relationship with the Quran is entirely superficial.

Isn't it time we take the Qur'an seriously? The hearts of those who claim to have Faith (the believers) should be filled with the grandeur of Allah, in awe of Allah's power, due to the remembrance of Allah. Their hearts should flood with tears because of the Qur'an. Our hearts should be filled with overwhelming sense of emotion because we haven't connected with the Qur'an yet.

We should act like the Ummah that we are supposed to be with the Qu'ran.

وَٱتْلُ مَآ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ مِن كِتَابِ رَ‌بِّكَ ۖ لَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَـٰتِهِۦ وَلَن تَجِدَ مِن دُونِهِۦ مُلْتَحَدًا ﴿٢٧

And recite, [O Muhammad], what has been revealed to you of the Book of your Lord. There is no changer of His words, and never will you find in other than Him a refuge. (27)

[Quran, Al-Kahf 18:27]

وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن ذُكِّرَ‌ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَ‌بِّهِۦ فَأَعْرَ‌ضَ عَنْهَا وَنَسِىَ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ ۚ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَن يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرً‌ۭا ۖ وَإِن تَدْعُهُمْ إِلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰ فَلَن يَهْتَدُوٓا۟ إِذًا أَبَدًا ﴿٥٧

And who is more unjust than one who is reminded of the verses of his Lord but turns away from them and forgets what his hands have put forth? Indeed, We have placed over their hearts coverings, lest they understand it, and in their ears deafness. And if you invite them to guidance - they will never be guided, then - ever. (57)

[Quran, Al-Kahf 18:57]

May Allah bring us closer to His Book. Our Lord, grant us from Yourself mercy and prepare for us from our affair right guidance. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.

And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.

Wassalaam

Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Alhamdulillah For The Quran

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Alhamdulillah (All praise and thanks to Allah) for the Qur'an, a guidance for the believers and those conscious of Allah.

The Quran reminds us that the everlasting abode is the Aakhirah (hereafter). If we know this, then it is not wise to worry ourselves with this dunya and spend our time to accumulate things or do things that will bring no benefit for us in hereafter.

ٱلْمَالُ وَٱلْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ ٱلْحَيَو‌ٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَاوَٱلْبَـٰقِيَـٰتُ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًا

Wealth and children are [but] adornment of the worldly life. But the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for [one's] hope. [Qur'an, al-Kahf 18:46]

Sometimes we forget that this is the fleeting dunya (world), the dunya wherein we will face trials, left, right, and center. As long as we say "we believe," we will be tried. Don't be surprise when the trials come like waves. It is only meant to bring you closer to Allah.

Allah Most High says in the Qur’an,

الٓمٓ ﴿١﴾ أَحَسِبَ ٱلنَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوٓا۟ أَن يَقُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ ﴿٢﴾ وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ ﴿٣﴾ أَمْ حَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ أَن يَسْبِقُونَا ۚ سَآءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ ﴿٤﴾ مَن كَانَ يَرْجُوا۟ لِقَآءَ ٱللَّهِ فَإِنَّ أَجَلَ ٱللَّهِ لَءَاتٍ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ﴿٥﴾ وَمَن جَـٰهَدَ فَإِنَّمَا يُجَـٰهِدُ لِنَفْسِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَغَنِىٌّ عَنِ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ﴿٦

Alif, Lam, Meem (1) Do the people think that they will be left to say, "We believe" and they will not be tried? (2) But We have certainly tried those before them, and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars. (3) Or do those who do evil deeds think they can outrun Us? Evil is what they judge. (4) Whoever should hope for the meeting with Allah - indeed, the term decreed by Allah is coming. And He is the Hearing, the Knowing. (5) And whoever strives only strives for [the benefit of] himself. Indeed, Allah is free from need of the worlds. (6)
[Qur’an, Al-Ankabut 29:1-6]

رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا

Our Lord, grant us from Yourself mercy and prepare for us from our affair right guidance.

Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.

And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.

Wassalaam

Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Surround Yourself With Righteous Companions

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

The first part of Surah Al-Kahf reveal the story of young men striving in the disbelieving town in order to sustain their faith. They took refuge in cave and were rewarded by Allah’s mercy by converting the entire town into believers.

Moral: Moral of the story is “Trial of faith.” Tested and succeeded.

How to survive: Keeping good company as Allah Most High states:

وَاصْبِرْ‌ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَ‌بَّهُم بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِ‌يدُونَ وَجْهَهُ ۖ وَلَا تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِ‌يدُ زِينَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَلَا تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُ عَن ذِكْرِ‌نَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُ‌هُ فُرُ‌طًا ﴿٢٨

And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life, and do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever [in] neglect. (28)

[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:28]

The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) was reportedly asked: “Which of our companions are best?” He replied: “One whose appearance reminds you of Allah, and whose speech increases you in knowledge, and whose actions remind you of the hereafter.” [Al-Musahibi]

Who do we spend the most time with? Chances are for many of us, they are our friends. If you are married, then your spouse and his/her family/friends are a big part of the circle. Friends are the people we share things with, talk to regularly, and experience a large part of our life with. This is why the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “A person is on the religion of his companions. Therefore let every one of you carefully consider the company he keeps.” [Tirmidhi] That is why it is critical to choose a good and righteous spouse because he/she and his/her family, relatives and friends will automatically enter your circle of companions, albeit positively or negatively.

An integral part to gaining tranquility of the heart is to be mindful of our surroundings and the people we spend most of our time with. Is it any wonder that we find our hearts perturbed, when it was reported that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “Do not speak much without mentioning Allah, for too much speech without mentioning Allah hardens the heart, and the hardhearted are the farthest of all people from Allah Most High.” [Tirmidhi]

We need to be mindful of this because part of the reason for our lack of khushoo’ (devotion) in salah (prayer) is precisely because the time spent between prayers is spent in heedlessness. While wudhu' (ablution) and prayer wash away our minor sins, at times our hardened hearts prevent us from truly tasting the sweetness of prayer, due to the fact that we hardly remember Allah, Exalted is He, outside of prayer.

The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) reminds us of the importance of good company in this hadith: “A good companion and a bad companion are like a perfume-seller and a blacksmith: The perfume-seller might give you some perfume as a gift, or you might buy some from him, or at least you might smell its fragrance. As for the blacksmith, he might singe your clothes, and at the very least you will breathe in the fumes of the furnace.” [Bukhari, Muslim]

Most of us know this hadith, but we rarely see it from the perspective of gaining tranquility of the heart. We may have amazing friends whom we have shared much with, yet we have not developed spiritually with them. When things go wrong in our life, we turn to people for advice but we are not reminded of the ultimate Source of Peace—as-Salaam [Allah]. Thus we need to try to create an environment. We can start with something simple, such as waking each other up for Tahajjud and Fajr (the pre-dawn prayer), or starting a book club by reading something about the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) and share the information we read.

If we start here, we could be of the people who are under the shade of Allah on the Day of Judgment, as the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) told us that one of the seven categories of people promised the shade of Allah are two persons who loved each other for the sake of Allah Most High, got together, and departed on this basis. [Bukhari, Muslim]

Good companions who prioritize their relationship with Allah will help us on the spiritual path. It is easier to pray and to do our everyday acts of worship because we have company to help us. Even when we face difficulties, these friends will support us; ultimately they will remind us of Allah during these tests and help us to rely on Him. No one is perfect, and this is why it is important to be around people who want to improve themselves, and in the process will help you to improve yourself too. Ibn Hazm stated: “Anyone who cares about your friendship is willing to criticize you, while those who make light of your faults show they do not care.” Allah Most High reminds us of this in Surah Al-Kahf, when He says:

"And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance..." [Qur’an, Al-Kahf 18:28]

When we are faced with a problem, wouldn't we want such friends? But due to circumstances outside our control, we don’t have that tight-knit group of people that help us on our path to Allah. Does that mean we will never be able to achieve tranquility of the heart? No, because Allah does not test us with more than we can bear, and truly we get what we intend. The first thing we should try to do is be that friend to others. If we find that we do not have religious people around us, then we should try to influence our environment. This does not mean being over-bearing; rather, we should try to make our existing friendships more meaningful. The Lebanese poet, Khalil Gibran, said, “Let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit.” And the harder it is, the more our effort is appreciated by Allah, Ash-Shakoor.

Secondly, we should constantly seek avenues where we will meet such people. Whether it’s at a local masjid, or driving for an hour to attend a talk, this effort on our part shows that we are serious in trying to follow the advice and guidance of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace).

Thirdly, du'a is key. We should never forget that when we recite, “You alone do we worship, and You alone do we seek for help,” [Qur’an, Al-Baqarah 1:5] we are essentially reminding ourselves that we cannot do anything except through seeking the help of Allah. So if you truly desire good companion and friends who remind you of your purpose and of your Creator, you should ask the One who possesses the hearts to bring you closer to hearts that remember Him often.

May Allah surround us with righteous companions and make us of the righteous. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.

And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.

Wassalaam

Live Ready to Die

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

When it comes to the material world, our inheritance is conditional. You only inherit from a certain person, at a certain time, only to a certain extent, with certain conditions being fulfilled and no prohibitions. But Allah inheriting is in the absolute sense. He is Al-Warith. No claims last but Allah's claim.

ِAllah Most High is the One who owns everything to begin with. He has granted certain things of this life, out of wisdom, to His creation. But the thing and the owners will return to Him eventually. They return to Him because they are His. He has granted ownership as a trust and a test of how we would deal with them.

This is something Allah reminds us repeatedly in the Quran. For example,

إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَرِثُ ٱلْأَرْضَ وَمَنْ عَلَيْهَا وَإِلَيْنَا يُرْجَعُونَ ﴿٤٠

Indeed, it is We who will inherit the earth and whoever is on it, and to Us they will be returned. (40) [Quran, Maryam 19:40]

This is is a reminder for the believer -- in what state will you return to Allah?

Out of the mercy of Allah the ultimate return is at an appointed time. You don't know when your ultimate return to Allah will be. So be ready to return to Him. Live ready to die. We are not hoping to die but we should be ready to die in that if Allah were to take your soul at this moment, you would say I have genuinely done my best, so forgive me my Lord.

What leads to worldliness and false hopes is the loss of consciousness of this reality that we are returning to Allah. False hopes arise not just from unawareness or heedlessness of the reality of death but of thinking that death is something that will happen much later. But death could come to you at any moment. The laxity of turning to Allah is believing that you will live on without the possibility of immediate death. Allah gives us a moment of existence. Allah is inheriting us in every moment. We are Allah's from moment to moment and to Him are we returning from every moment.

The Prophet would be in remembrance of Allah in all his states. Even in his sleep he was conscious of his Lord. May Allah enable us to follow his footsteps and may Allah grant us an excellent ending. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.

And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.

Wassalaam

Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Trial of Knowledge and Patience

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Surah Kahf mentions the story of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him). He is the most named prophet in the Quran but how much do you know about him? What lessons can you extract from the life of Prophet Musa, especially from the story mentioned in Surah Kahf?

Prophet Musa once told his people that he is the most knowledgeable person on earth, possessing portals of knowledge and wisdom. And so Allah revealed to him that there is someone who knows more. After traveling with this man (Al-Khidr), he could not be patient of the things he would do, and did not see the wisdom.

As recorded in the Quran, Al-Khidr said to Prophet Musa (peace upon them):

قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرً‌ا ﴿٦٧

Indeed, with me you will never be able to have patience. [Quran, Al-Kahf 18:67]

Learning knowledge needs patience. Sometimes Allah might test our patience just to see whether we are worthy of the knowledge or not.

The way to survive the trial of knowledge is to remain humble and not to let your knowledge delude you.

قَالَ سَتَجِدُنِي إِن شَاءَ اللَّـهُ صَابِرً‌ا وَلَا أَعْصِي لَكَ أَمْرً‌ا ﴿٦٩

[Musa] said, "You will find me, if Allah wills, patient, and I will not disobey you in [any] order." (69) [Quran, Al-Kahf 18:69] 64)

Knowing that Allah is the ultimate deity and His supremacy is infallible is the epitome of knowledge.

وَكَانَ اللَّـهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ مُّقْتَدِرً‌ا ﴿٤٥ ...

... And Allah is ever, over all things, Perfect in Ability. (45) [Quran, Al-Kahf 18:45]

The difference between us and Prophet Musa is that he couldn't be patient when he saw a boy being killed in front of him. But we can't be patient when the internet connection is bad or when we have to wait in line or when someone talk back to us.

Prophet Musa learned how the Divine Wisdom can sometimes be hidden in matters which we perceive as bad.

The story of Prophet Musa and Al-Khidr (peace be upon them) gives us solace and hope when things are not going the way we want or the way we like. The lesson here is this "You should have full faith in the wisdom of what is happening is in accordance with the will of Allah. As the reality is hidden from you, you are at a loss to understand the wisdom of what is happening, and sometimes if it appears that things are going against you, you become devastated. The fact is that if the curtain be removed from the "unseen", you would yourselves come to know that what is happening here is for the best. Even if sometimes it appears that something is going against you, you will see that in the end it also produces some good results for you.

We have to be patient, although patience does not come easy especially about something we don't know, as Al-Khidr told Musa,

“And how can you have patience about a thing which you know not?” [Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:68]

But we know now, regardless, we must be patient if we want the best. Only Allah knows what's best for us. Allah is in control of everything, so patience entails that we wait, accept the situation and tolerate the delay, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious.

If Musa were to remain patient with Al-Khidr, we might have learned more about their story as the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, "We wish that Musa could have remained patient by virtue of which Allah might have told us more about their story." (Sufyan, the sub-narrator, said that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said: "May Allah bestow His Mercy on Musa! If he had remained patient, we would have been told further about their case.")'

May Allah make us of those who are patient and increase us in beneficial knowledge and grant us humility. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.

And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.

Wassalaam

A New Year's Resolution -- Live Your Best Daily

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Assalaamu alaykum

Comes new year, many people will declare their New Year’s Resolution to lose weight, exercise, quit smoking, build their business or something they have been putting off. Statistics show despite all the good intentions, only a tiny fraction of us keep their resolutions; University of Scranton research suggests that just 8% of people achieve their New Year’s goals leaving 92% to fail. Most people make lofty resolutions that are too big to tackle or very abstract and they set out with good intentions only to throw in the towel for some within a week, a few make it a month or two.

As Muslims, every day is the first day of the new first year of the rest of your life. When it is night, prepare for death, for, don’t you see how closely sleep resembles death, in spite of all the differences you may cite? And when the dawn arrives it brings with it the stirrings of new life everywhere. So, every day is the beginning of an entire new life for you, if you only knew and understood it. So, fear Allah during the night. And prepare to serve Allah and His creation during the day. For, He watches over you during the night and He monitors your every movement during the day.

Everyday we are presented with choices. Whatever it is, choose Allah. Choose to love Allah more than anyone, anything. Take care of your body that He gave you more than the phone that you hang out with all the time so you may serve His religion well. Use your muscles so they won’t have atrophy and be healthy for years to come so you may worship Allah well. Smile at every chance you can because you have so much to be grateful for since you are still on earth.

Follow the Islamic guidance to reprogram yourself on a daily basis without setting yourself up for failure. Don’t wait for a new year to decide to live your best life. Do it daily. There is no guarantee that you will still be alive tonight, let alone next year.

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَآئِقَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۗ وَإِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوْنَ أُجُورَكُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۖ فَمَن زُحْزِحَ عَنِ ٱلنَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ ۗ وَمَا ٱلْحَيَو‌ٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا مَتَـٰعُ ٱلْغُرُورِ ﴿١٨٥﴾ لَتُبْلَوُنَّ فِىٓ أَمْوَ‌ٰلِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ وَلَتَسْمَعُنَّ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَمِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوٓا۟ أَذًى كَثِيرًا ۚ وَإِن تَصْبِرُوا۟ وَتَتَّقُوا۟ فَإِنَّ ذَ‌ٰلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ ٱلْأُمُورِ ﴿١٨٦

Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your [full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire]. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion. (185) You will surely be tested in your possessions and in yourselves. And you will surely hear from those who were given the Scripture before you and from those who associate others with Allah much abuse. But if you are patient and fear Allah - indeed, that is of the matters [worthy] of determination. (186) [Quran, AleImran 3:185-186]

Resolution to make for the first day of the rest of your life and the remainder of your life should include this...

"O Allah, You are my Lord and Master. You don’t need anything or anyone and You certainly don’t need me. But I am Your creation and I am entirely and totally dependent on Your mercy and grace for everything in every single moment of my life. So Lord, I do hereby resolve, commit and undertake to spend the rest of my life in knowing You; and in learning Your commands; and in serving Your creation in every possible way that I can. And in so doing, I resolve to work tirelessly to improve my own life as well as the lives of those around me and to make this world a better place for all of Your creation. So help me my Rabb, please help me, guide me, and not leave me alone even for a blinking of an eye."

And you will plead and cry before your Maker.

May Allah grant us tawfiq in all our endeavours. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.

And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.

Wassalaam