Islamic Editorials
Islamic Editorials:
We Get What We Strive For
By Hajjah Hanan
What we repeatedly think and say is what we get.
Our inner conversations, words, thoughts and feelings determine the kind of life and reality we experience. If we occupy our mind with negative thoughts and expect difficulties and problems, we will draw them into our lives. If we constantly think of success we will achieve success. If we find it difficult to think positively, affirmations can help us change the way we think!
The greatness of our human mind is that we can think and imagine what does not exist right now. We can envision situations and circumstances that are different from our current reality, and in this way we can create better situations and circumstances.
TRY SAYING SOME OF THESE POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS DAILY:
- Insha Allah, I will see stressful situations as challenges.
- Challenges bring opportunities.
- Insha Allah, I will choose to focus on the good things and not the bad.
- Insha Allah, I will deal with whatever Allah swt puts before me in the best way (with patience and prayer).
- Insha Allah I will strive to get and maintain balance in my life.
- Insha Allah, I am loveable and open to giving and receiving love.
- With Allah swt is my success.
- I have good intentions (niyyah).
Repeat the affirmations faithfully ever day and you will find over time that these concepts will re-program the way you think, turning you into a more positive person Insha'Allah.
Allah swt tells us in the Holy Quran that man gets what he strives for. We know that what we put our focus, energy and efforts on is what we ultimately strive for.....we can get there from here....just believe in the power of faith and good deeds, surely Allah swt hears the prayers of every supplicant!!
Explanation of this Ayat from Tafsir
"That no bearer of burdens can canbear the burden of another. That man have nothing except what he strives for. That (the fruit) of his striving will soon come to sight. Then will he be rewarded with a reward complete." (Quran 53:38-41)
Tafseer ibn Katheer
Then the Exalted clearly explains what He revealed in the Books of Ibraheem and Moosa, so He said "That no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another" meaning that every soul wrongs itself with rejection (kufr) and anything from among the sins. So upon it, is its own burden, no one else will carry it, just as the Exalted has said "If one heavily laden should call another to bear his load not the least portion of it can be carried (by the other) even if he be closely related."
"That man can have nothing except what he strives for." Meaning just as he will not carry the burden of anybody else, likewise he will not acquire any reward except what he has earned for himself; and from this noble ayah Imaam ash-Shaafi`ee concluded that the recitation (of the Quraan) and the presentation of its reward does not reach the dead, because it is not from among the actions or the earnings of the dead and because of this the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu-alaihi-wasallam) did not recommend it to his Ummah, nor did he direct them towards it, either with a text or indirectly. Furthermore, this has not been reported from anyone among the Sahaabah (radiallahu-anhum) and if there was a good deed then they would have been the foremost in doing it.
As for the matter of actions done for the sake of Allah, they are restricted to a text and are not dealt with with the types of Qiyaas (Deduction by analogy) or Ra`iy (Opinion); but as for supplication and charity then it is agreed upon that they reach the dead and there is a text from the Sharee`ah for them both. As for the hadeeth which is reported by Muslim in his Saheeh, from Abu Hurairah, who said that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu-alaihi-wasallam) said:
"When a man dies his deeds are cut off except for three: recurring charity, knowledge by which people benefit and a righteous son who supplicates for him."
Then these three are in truth from his striving, his toil, his struggle and his actions as is reported in the hadeeth:
"Verily the most wholesome of what a man eats is from his earnings."
The recurring charity such as endowments and the like, these are also from the effects of his actions and his endowments as the Exalted has said "Verily We shall give life to the dead and We record that which they send before them and that which they leave behind..."
As for the Knowledge which he divulged among the people and the people acted upon it, then that is also from his striving and his actions, and it is confirmed in the Saheeh:
"Whoever calls to guidance there is for him reward with the like of it and the reward of whoever follows him without any decrease form their reward."
The speech of Allah {And that (the fruit of) his striving will soon come to sight} meaning the Day of Judgement as He, the Exalted, says {And say: Work (righteousness); soon will Allah observe your work, and His Messenger, and the believers...} Then He recompenses you with a completeness of reward (a reward complete); if it is good then with good and if it is bad then with bad. Thus He said here {Then will he be rewarded with a reward complete} meaning amply, in abundance.