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The idea behind the proverb is that since the river keeps moving, where and how you stepped before will always be different when new water flows past you. Every moment is unique. This awareness of impermanence can help us to develop two vital mental qualities, to remain calm and composed and to become empathetic.
This prepares us to handle life’s highs and lows, with patience and calmness, and cope with the strife, frustration and despair that may arise out of impermanence. It fosters a quality of tolerance, so that we may help others in distress.
The Quran gives us the best sayings on the impermanence of this world.
[55:26] Everyone on earth perishes. [55:27] Only the presence of your Lord lasts. Possessor of Majesty and Honor.
[2:115] To GOD belongs the east and the west; wherever you go there will be the presence of GOD. GOD is Omnipresent, Omniscient.
God offered us the freedom of choice and we immediately grabbed it. It is a human tendency to grab anything that comes easily into our hands. We have accepted a huge responsibility which was refused by the heavens, earth and the mountains. Foolishly we accepted this opportunity without realizing the risk factor involved in it. Very truly God calls us transgressing and ignorant.
[33:72] We have offered the responsibility (freedom of choice) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they refused to bear it, and were afraid of it. But the human being accepted it; he was transgressing, ignorant.
After accepting the responsibility what have we done? Are we playing our role properly? Are we proving to be worthy of accepting that responsibility?
Very sadly, we get negative replies to these questions. We are expected to be honest, avoid boasting, avoid slandering, avoid foul language, and show mercy towards our parents and siblings. As submitters we cannot afford to violate God’s laws. We must not take our Lord’s teachings for granted.
[68:10-14] Do not obey every lowly swearer. A slanderer, a backbiter. Forbidder of charity, a transgressor, a sinner. Unappreciative, and greedy. Even though he possessed enough money and children.
[17:38] All bad behavior is condemned by your Lord
Our Lord’s revelations are heavy. We need to take guidance from it for every aspect of our life. It is our foremost duty to adhere to the laws of God. We must put in real efforts to live our lives doing everything that would please our Lord. We must also try to set an example that would invite others to the path of God. We must closely observe our actions, our deeds as well as our words. We must not miss any opportunity to glorify God. Our one wrong action might mislead others from the right path of God. So, we must strive hard to uphold the scripture of God. It is our duty to proclaim that we are submitters to God Alone.
We can see that God’s system and laws remain unaltered. It is permanent in an impermanent world.
[17:77] This has been consistently the case with all the messengers that we sent before you, and you will find that our system never changes.
[48:23] Such is GOD's system throughout history, and you will find that GOD's system is unchangeable.
God’s guidance is clear for those who truly wish to get the true guidance of God. I urge all of you to take stock of your deeds from time to time. What would be the score of my good deeds and bad deeds? God is immensely merciful. But we need to do our part. We accept change around us, knowing that only God is permanent.
May God guide us in the right path until we leave this world and may He have mercy upon all of us to forgive us and make us the winners in the hereafter.
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According to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), when a hurricane hits and you have no shelter or vehicle to protect you, you should “crouch in low unflooded place on balls of feet, with hands on knees, and head lowered. Make yourself the smallest possible target and minimize your contact with the ground.”
This got me thinking about the Salat, and how we are in a hurricane of Satan’s (and our own) doing. Satan is the king of chaos, and this world is his playground. We see his disasters all around: wars, famine, disease, etc.; a true demonstration of his incompetence.
It got me thinking how we are souls caught in a hurricane, outside of heaven, and we don’t have shelter except in GOD [41:36] When the devil whispers an idea to you, you shall seek refuge in. He is the Hearer, the Omniscient.
Our most powerful protection against Satan is the contact prayers, whereby we assume the crouching position at its lowest point.
When we prostrate before GOD, we take the same position of safety as those in a hurricane: “crouch in low unflooded place on balls of feet, with hands on knees, and head lowered.” GOD is giving us an opportunity to save ourselves from the storms of this world, from Satan’s disasters, and from the ill-winds coming our way.
In terms of our souls, we are in a state of emergency. This is our 3rd and final chance to make it back to GOD, and GOD
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