Deen

DEEN

1) ROOTS = MIND (knowledge, thinking) = IMAN = (Aqeedah)
2) CACTUS = BODY (actions, duties) = ISLAM = (Fiqh)
3) FLOWERS =  HEART/SOUL (character) = IHSAN = (Zuhd)

Depending on Allah swt

So, how does one depend on Allah swt?

Does it mean lying back and making dua?   No doubt, dua is important and shows we have the correct intentions.  But is this where we stop?  The prophet s.a.a.s. did not advise us to rely on allah swt and leave our camels untied hoping they will not run away, he advised us to rely on allah swt and tie up our camels.  But why?  Surely if we rely on Allah swt to keep the camels here, He will provide a way for them to stay - right?   But wait!  He did provide us a way.  The rope we used to tie them with!  The arms we used to tie the rope with.  The brain we used to remember how to tie a rope.

Too often do we forget that even our bodies are a means provided to use by Allah swt.  We seem to expect that fish will be multiplied or an angel will appear or fruit will descend from the sky whenever Allah swt does something for us.  No doubt, that is all easy for Allah swt.  He has done such things in the past and more when there was no other way available (e.g. made the sea split to allow musa a.s. and his people escape.  gave life to eissa a.s. without a father.  Made a boulder move to unlock the entrance of a cave with people trapped inside, etc).  But that is only when there was no other means available to them. 

Why open a door with a bazooka when it is already unlocked and you need only turn the handle?  It may be that you make dua for Allah swt to feed you - and so He answers you by sending you some food -  but not from the sky - from a family member who "coincidentally" brings you a meal at that moment - or even by inspiring a stranger to come and give you some food.  The subtlest of means.  It may even be the case that He inspires you to get up and make the food yourself.   Why do we assume the only means to do something comes from everything else other than ourselves?   Allah swt has blessed us with a body that can do certain things.  It is also a tool or a means that Allah swt has provided us with.  And so, if we ask Him for something, we should first look around and make sure it is not already given to us - except that the means to get it is through walking to it, or making it, or asking for it, etc.  But this is all still from Allah swt - not from ourselves.  Because our legs, hands, brains, lips are all provided for by Him and only work by His permission.

iHsan

IHsan is the beauty of the deen and the highest level, so it is also the rarest achieved level by people and possibly the hardest.  It is to behave as if you see God, because even though you cannot, He sees you.  At this level people often have lost interest in the World (Dunya) completely.  They do not shy away from it, but they hold the world in their hands rather than in their hearts (they see it as a means to an end, rather than the end goal itself).  "Blessed is he who sees with his heart, but whose heart is not in what he sees".

We are naturally connected to things in the world by our desires.  Sexual and Food are some examples of desires.  Desires are given to us for good reason, but we should learn how to tame them and control them rather than allowing our desires to control us. The hellfire is surrounded by things we desire, and it is sufficient for a person to enter the hellfire if they follow their desires.  So do not make your god your desires.  

Desires can be seen as strings with hooks from the world attached to the heart.  One need only pull at one of these heart strings to control our behaviour.  This is how others use desires to manipulate us (and Satan routinely does.  It is some of his greatest tools).  Also, when one of these worldly objects we are hooked to suddenly goes (and they will all go eventually, except the face of God) then a deep pain is felt in our heart, which is the sudden severing of the heart string.  

So what must we do to achieve this level of iHsan whereby our heart is solely attached to Allah swt and the hereafter and not to the world at all.  One of the hardest things is to unhook the strings we already have to the world.  The secret is mental strength.  However, mental strength partly comes from training and practise. Physical practises like abstinence (e.g. Little but sufficient is better than over indulgence in anything. Moderation in all things is the best. etc).

MENTAL HABITS

• don't waste time feeling sorry for yourself
• don't let others control your emotions - you control your emotions and attitude
• don't shy away from change - embrace change
• don't waste energy on things you cant control - e.g. other people, etc
• don't worry about pleasing others - be kind and fair but don't be afraid to speak up
• don't fear taking calculated risks
• don't dwell on the past
• don't make the same mistake over and over - learn from them - and don't fear making mistakes and looking like an idiot
• be happy for other people's success and learn from it
• don't give up after failure, its just one step closer to your goal
• don't fear alone time - use downtime to reflect, plan, be productive
• don't expect anything or feel the world owes you anything
• don't expect immediate results - be patient - delay gratification (marshmellow effect)
• spend mental energy wisely - not on worrying about things beyond your control, but by preparing and planning for them
• replace negative thoughts for productive ones
• be aware of your emotions and accept them - do not be controlled by them - own them
• reflect on your progress daily
• pain is good - when you feel defeated that is the time to fight - only count when it starts to hurt
• be accountable for your actions - take responsibility

PHYSICAL HABITS

• be kind to those who are rude to you
• practise tolerating discomfort, not luxury
• e.g. less food
• less sleep
• regularly do the things no one else wants to do

Why does God s.w.t. allow suffering?

I was reflecting in the car about a question some people ask:
If God is all powerful and all merciful, why does He allow some people to have accidents, or other people to commit acts of evil like rape and murder. Why doesnt He just stop them right before they do it? That way they can have free will still but not commit evil (a sort of free will with limitations, or guided free will)",

This question interested me because it is asking why werent we created with free will and good...something easy for God to do...since that is what happened with the prophets and chosen people.  If we think of the story of Yusuf a.s. and pharaohs wife..yusuf was stopped from commiting the act of adultery by a reminder of a sign written on the wall.  So why doesnt something like that happen for everyone.  It is a blessing for some. But some may argue it is unfair that we dont all get such 'safe guards'

So i reaalised. The question is similar to the one about old age. Why do we grow old? Why dont we just become middle aged and healthy and then when its our time of death we just die.  This would save us the suffering.  (All these questions are related to suffering. One of the biggest questions in the minds of atheists.  They cant underatand how sufferimg and mercy go together)

When we become old we become dependent on others again. We are reminded of how Frail and weak we really are. How close to death we are. How we are slaves and nothing more. So some will be reminded and turn back to God.  If we always stayed middle aged and healthy, we might believe we are strong and self sufficient and many would forget about God (we can see this as we look around).

So, just like old age, something happens which causes suffering anf pain, which makes us remember we are not so strong and self sufficient, and some may remember that we are only human, weak, dependent on God, and nothing more than His slaves.  Then they may turn back to Him.

Summary: tests and suffering are a blessing when they remind us to turn back to God s.w.t.