Freedom / Right to Choose

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I’m going to live with integrity. I’m going to make my choices according to what I say I believe. I’m not going to betray myself and my soul. I’m not going to compromise myself. I’m not going to put myself in a position that’s uncomfortable, or if I’m in such a circumstance I am getting out. 

Liars don’t heal. Dishonest people, people who lie, people who have moral crises and do not get it, people who blame others for things that they do and they know it, people who make choices and they know another person is going to pay for the consequence of their choice and they are conscious of it, people who know for a fact that they are saying something that is not true and they know another person is going to be hurt by that, people who deliberately say things to hurt somebody. Those people cannot succeed. 

Make the decision — the decision to live an integrous life. It means get your act together. You cannot just say I’m a good person; you must live it every day. 

And make this choice: Choose to get up every day and make your day blessed. You may not know what the day will bring, but it is blessed. Why? Because you are alive and still have time to make good choices by God’s grace. What a blessing. Then hold in your heart this prayer: Thank you God for today. This day of my life will never come again. I will never see this sunrise again and I will never see that sunset. I may never see the person having breakfast with me again. Just this way. You know, nothing in my life like this will ever come again. That alone, that choice alone should take out of your heart every bitter taste there is. That should shape the life around you with such grace and such beauty. That will make you only want to see the present with great gratitude. 

 

[17:19] As for those who choose the Hereafter as their priority, and work righteousness, while believing, their efforts will be appreciated. 

[19:76] GOD augments the guidance of those who choose to be guided. For the good deeds are eternally rewarded by your Lord, and bring far better returns. 

[73:9] Lord of the east and the west; there is no other god besides Him. You should choose Him as your advocate. [73:19] This is a reminder; whoever wills, let him choose the path to his Lord. 

[76:29] This is a reminder: whoever wills shall choose the path to his Lord. 

[2:148] Each of you chooses the direction to follow; you shall race towards righteousness. Wherever you may be, GOD will summon you all. GOD is Omnipotent. 

[90:10-18] Did we not show him the two paths? He should choose the difficult path. Which one is the difficult path? The freeing of slaves. Feeding, during the time of hardship. Orphans who are related. Or the poor who is in need. And being one of those who believe, and exhorting one another to be steadfast, and exhorting one another to be kind. These have deserved happiness. 

May God continue to guide us to make the right choices. And remember to thank God that we have the freedom to choose. 

Bob 

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Peace Explained

Many people think of peace as the absence of war and other fighting. The Quran tells us that Peace is one of God’s names:

He is the One God; there is no other god besides Him. The King, the Most Sacred, the Peace, the Most Faithful, the Supreme, the Almighty, the Most Powerful, the Most Dignified. God be glorified; far above having partners. (59:23)

This implies that the word can mean something much deeper.

Submitters / Muslims often use this word, sometimes in its Arabic form, as a greeting or part of a greeting. They ask for the Peace of God (or from God) on another person. Similarly, the Spanish greetings “adios” and “via con Dios” translate “to God” and “go with God” respectively. Perhaps they came into usage during the time when the Moorish Muslims ruled Spain. In any case, using them reminds one of God (Dios in Spanish). That provides a good reason to greet each other with such a greeting:

… greet each other a greeting from God that is blessed and good. God thus explains the revelations for you, that you may understand. (24:61)

To me God’s name of Peace indicates more than lack of aggression, which He forbids except in self-defense or against oppression (2:190-193). It tells me I must develop a state of peace within myself—the peace that comes from absolute trust in and dependence on God. 

Of course, to do this I must kill my ego (2:54). If I don’t kill it, my ego rules me rather than my allowing God to rule me. In effect, I am making my ego my god—not something I want. That sets up a partner with God and makes me idolatrous.

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