REACTING TO EVERYTHING

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

I'm 'slowly' learning that I don't have to react to 'everything' that bothers me. 

I'm slowly learning that I don't have to hurt those who hurt me. 

I'm slowly learning that maybe the 'ultimate' sign of maturity is walking away instead of getting even. 

I'm slowly learning that the energy it takes to react to every bad thing that happens to you drains you and stops you from seeing the other good things in life. 

I'm slowly learning that I'm not going to be everyone's cup of tea and I won't be able to get everyone to treat me the way I want to be treated 'and that's okay'.

I'm slowly learning that trying so hard to 'win' anyone is just a 'waste' of time and energy and it fills you with 'nothing' but emptiness. 

I'm slowly learning that not reacting doesn't mean I'm okay with things, it just means I'm choosing to 'rise' above it. 

I'm choosing to take the 'lesson' it has served and learn from it, I'm choosing to be 'the bigger' person. 

I'm choosing my 'peace of mind' because that's what I 'truly' need. I don't need more drama. I don't need people making me feel like I'm not good enough. I don't need fights and arguments and 'fake' connections. I'm slowly learning that sometimes 'not' saying anything at all says 'everything'.

I'm slowly learning that reacting to things that upset you gives someone else power over 'your' emotions. 

You can't control what others do but you can control how you respond, how you handle it, how you perceive it and 'how much of it' you want to take personally. 

I'm slowly learning that most of the time, these situations say nothing about you and a lot about the other people. 

I'm slowly learning that even if I react, it won't change anything, it won't make people suddenly love and respect me, it won't magically change their minds. 

Sometimes it's better to just let things be, let people go, 'don't' chase answers and 'don't' expect people to understand where you're coming from. 

I'm slowly learning that life is 'better lived' when you 'don't' center it on what's happening around you and 'center it on' what's happening 'inside you' instead. 

'Work' on yourself and your inner peace and you'll come to 'realize' that 'not' reacting to every little thing that bothers you is the 'first ingredient' to living a happy and healthy life. 

Life is 10% what happened to you and is 90% what you do about it. 

"O Allah, whatever I face today, together You and I can handle it."

< Wassalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh >

Muhasabah: Amalan Yang Kian Tenggelam

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

أَفَلَا تَتَفَكَّرُونَ

"Apakah kamu tidak memikirkannya?"
(Surah Al-An'am, 6:50)

Afala tatafakkarun? Apakah kamu tidak berfikir? Apakah kamu tidak mengambil iktibar? Apakah kamu tidak menggunakan akal fikiran mu?

Bayangkan setiap hari yang kita lalui, 

Berapa banyak kali.....

Berapa banyak kali kita berfikir?

Berapa banyak kali kita mengambil ibrah (iktibar) dari apa yang terjadi di sekeliling kita?

Berapa banyak kali kita berfikir tentang kebesaran Allah?

Berapa banyak hari yang kita lalui dengan penuh manfaat? Manfaat kepada diri sendiri mahupun kepada orang lain?

Adakah.....

Adakah kita menjadi orang yang berguna pada hari ini?

Adakah kita menjadi orang yang bermanfaat pada hari ini? Bersedekah kepada orang lain?

Adakah kita menimba suatu ilmu pada hari ini?

Adakah kita beramal soleh pada hari ini?

Bila kali terakhir.....

Bila kali terakhir kita membaca al-Quran?

Bila kali terakhir kita mentadabbur (menghayati) terjemahan al-Quran? Memahami dan meneliti pengajaran di dalamnya?

Bila kali terakhir kita khusyuk dalam solat?

Bila kali terakhir kita khusyuk dalam berzikir?

Bila kali terakhir kita bermuhasabah diri? Merenungkan perbuatan yang kita lakukan dan perkataan yang kita ucapkan?

Sudah kah.....

Sudah kah kita berbakti kepada kedua ibu bapa kita?

Sudah kah kita berbuat baik kepada keluarga kita?

Sudah kah kita membantu agama Allah? Berjihad di jalanNya?

Sudah kah kita menyebarkan kebaikan? Mengajarkan ilmu yang kita ada meskipun sedikit?

Sudah kah kita mengumpul sebanyak amal untuk persediaan akhirat?

Sudah kah kita bersedia untuk menghadap Allah?

Cukup kah.....

Cukup kah ilmu yang kita timba?

Cukup kah hafalan-hafalan Quran kita?

Cukup kah jihad yang kita buat? Pengorbanan kita kepada Allah?

Cukup kah kebaikan yang kita buat? Layakkah kita untuk ke syurga?

Saidina Umar Al-Khattab berkata,

"Hisablah dirimu sebelum kamu dihisab, dan timbanglah dirimu sebelum kamu ditimbang, 

bila itu lebih mudah bagimu dihisab di hari hisab kelak untuk menghisab dirimu pada hari ini. Bersiaplah kamu untuk pertemuan lebih besar, pada saat amalan dipamerkan dan tidak sedikitpun yang dapat tersembunyi dari mu."

Rasulullah S.A.W. bersabda, 

"Tidak akan bergeser kedua kaki manusia pada Hari Kiamat hingga (ia) ditanya tentang: Umurnya, untuk apa ia habiskan? Masa mudanya, apa yang telah dilakukan? Hartanya, dari mana dia peroleh dan untuk apa ia belanjakan? Ilmunya, apa yang telah dilakukan."

(HR Tirmizi)

<Wassalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh>

You Are What You Choose (PART 1)

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

1. Choose to think

There are two types of people: the people who think before they act or speak and the people who act or speak without thinking. Somehow people don't understand how their decisions can make a great impact in their lives. Even the smallest decision. For example: 'what to eat?', 'where to go?', 'what to do?' and 'what to speak?'.

If you do not care about 'what to eat?', you will end up affecting your overall health condition. Too much salty food can lead to high blood pressure (hypertension). Too much sugar, end up with diabetes mellitus. Too much fatty food, high risk of heart disease and obesity. 

If you do not care about 'where to go?', you obviously waste your time stuck in places you aren't intended to go. The same thing happened if you do not know 'what to do?'.

If you do not care about 'what to speak?', you might hurt somebody with your words. Or making yourself look stupid in front of everybody. I'm afraid, you might lose other people respect towards you as well. Who would respect someone who doesn't respect other people?

Even the smallest decisions can influence people's life. Imagine the impact of a big decision. That is why people are encouraged to use their intellectual thinking to choose what would be the best to define their personality and what best to shape their lives. 

Have you heard the quote, "you are who you think you are"? This is because the way of thinking can influence the hearts. Purifying your thinking means purifying your heart. Positive thinking always yields to a positive outcome and attitude. Allah has granted human with the most honorable gift which is the brain. Unfortunately, not many of them fully utilize the brain to think and ponder. 

An author from Ghana, Ernest Agyemong Yeboah said, "So many people live their lives not knowing the real and exact reasons why they live. They follow anything for something and they do something for anything. When you live life with a blurry vision, you live a blurry life. Vision is life and a life without vision is a dead life."

To have a clear vision, you need to think. And the simple way to start thinking is by asking questions. 

1. What is the purpose of life?
2. What do I want to achieve?
3. Where do I start?
4. How many preparations do I make to face Allah?
5. How much knowledge do I gain?
6. How many benefits do I render to people?
7. Am I ready to face death?

Yes, it is Allah that created human and encouraged them to reason. But never to forget that Allah also sent them the messenger (Rasulullah S.A.W) and the book of guidance (Al-Quran) for them to follow. Therefore, the fundamental aspect of thinking is faith (Iman) and not simply based on lust or the concept of freedom in thinking. 

A verse from the Quran says, "And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone)." (Surah Adz-Dzariyat, 51:56)

From this beautiful verse, we can understand the exact purpose of life which is to worship Allah. The dimensions of Worship are not limited to only prayers and fasting. But it comprises many aspects of actions and activities which can be reckoned as acts of Islam. 

أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ عَبَثًا وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لَا تُرْجَعُونَ

Then did you think that We created you uselessly and that to Us you would not be returned?

(Surah Al-mu'minun, 23:115)