Friend or Foe ~ A Reflection

    "If there is no enemy inside, the enemy outside can do you no harm" - African proverb

     You must be embraced completely. Every weakness and every blemish that you are covering up, every put down that you are internalizing is a result of every enemy that you have accepted to be a part of your life, both internaly and externally. You are covering up all that you are angry at your own self for. Maybe your enemy is the harsh, unforgiving self that refuses to let you grow, change, and prosper. Maybe your enemy is the one telling you that you'll never make it. Maybe your enemy is the one telling you that you are useless, worthless, meaningless. Maybe your enemy is constantly reminding you of your flaws. Maybe your enemy is your unacceptance of your appearance. You haven't fought that enemy inside of you, so you allow people to treat you in a certain way, you hide certain aspects of yourself in fear of being not being embraced or rejected. The enemy is none other than satan and his allies. Your enemy wants you to be 'the lowliest of lows'. Worse than the worst of beasts in violent pursuits, hopeless, and deeply depressed. Your enemy may lure you. Your enemy may deceived you. Your enemy is highly envious of you, "So do not follow the footsteps of satan, for satan is to you an avowed enemy".

     You must also realize that there is a friend. Your friend is none other than Ar-Rahman (THe exceedingly compassionate) himself. (rabbin nas, malikin nas, illahin nas - the Lord and cherisher, owner/possesser of mankind God of mankind) Your friend refuses to accept the negative views and beliefs that everyone throws at you. Your friend cherishes you, and provides for your, invests in you, sends guidance to you. Your friend gives you chance, after chance, after chance and is ready to embrace you the moment you let go of all your sins/mistakes the moment you say a simple 'sorry'. This friend of you is in no need of you being good but simply wants you to stop degrading your own self with sins. Your friend gives you hope, your friend gives you love. Your friend pushes you towards success and greatness. Your friend is much, much greater than all your enemies combined. Because you have embraced Ar-Rahman as your closest friend, and have embraced a positive view within yourself, you have created a criteria for who you are with the noblest pursuits.

   As Nelson Mendela says, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?Actually who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightening about shrinking so other people won’t feel insecure around you.We were born to manifest the Glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some; it’s in all, everyone. And as we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

   We are creating our world daily by who we befriend internally. So befriend Allah swt. The best of friends and rise.Rise above the was was (whispers of shaitan) rise above your desires, and in all noble pursuits.

The Effect of Sins

• Sins deprive a person of provision (rizq) in this life. In Musnad Ahmad it is narrated that Thawbaan said: “The Messenger of Allah (SAWS) said: ‘A man is deprived of provision because of the sins that he commits.’” (Narrated by Ibn Maajah, 4022, classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah).
• A sinful person experiences a sense of alienation (indifference) with his Lord, and between him and other people. One of the salaf had said that he could see the impact of disobedience to Allah (in some aspects of his daily life).
• A person who commits sins sees that things become difficult for him. In any matter that he turns to, he finds the way blocked or he finds it difficult. By the same token, for the one who fears Allah, things are made easy.
• ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Abbaas said: “Good deeds make the face light, give light to the heart, and bring about ample provision, physical strength and love in people’s hearts. Bad deeds make the face dark, give darkness to the heart, and bring about physical weakness, a lack of provision and hatred in people’s hearts.”
• Sin breeds sin until it dominates a person and he cannot escape from it. Sin weakens a person’s willpower. It gradually strengthens his will to commit sin and weakens his will to repent until there is no will in his heart to repent at all . . . So he seeks forgiveness and expresses repentance, but it is merely words on the lips, like the repentance of the liars, whose hearts are still determined to commit sin and persist in it. This is one of the most serious diseases that is likely to lead to doom. He becomes desensitized and no longer find sins abhorrent; so it becomes his habit, and he is not bothered if people see him committing the sin or talk about him.
• All in all, let’s remember that for us to stay clear from sins we need to constantly work at building a strong internal frame of reference that is reinforced with knowledge of the truth. This must be coupled with a living conscience that can help us recognize sins when we see them and to have it poke at us should we get inclined to indulge in those sins. Again, reflecting back on the verses of Sura Al-Qiyamah that we reviewed earlier, let’s strive to keep the burden of our sins light when we meet Allah, so that our faces are Nadirah (shining and radiant) rather than Basirah (dark, gloomy, frowning, and sad).

Full article:  http://www.iqrasense.com/faith-and-iman/why-do-we-sin-and-steps-for-prevention.html