The Deen (Religion) of Islam / Why follow only Islam?

 

 

 

The Deen (Religion) of Islam




The Deen (religion) of Islam: It is the way of life that Allah (The One & Only God) sent the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) with. By it, Allah (The One God) terminated the validity of all other religions, perfected this religion for His worshippers, completed His favor upon them and has chosen only this religion for them - no other religion will be accepted by Him from anyone. Allah - the Most High - said:
"Muhammad is not the father of any man amongst you. Rather he is the Messenger of Allah and the Khatam (last and final) of the Prophets." [Noble Quran 33:40].


"This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion." [Noble Quran 5:3]

"Indeed the religion with Allah is Islam." [Noble Quran 3:19]

"Whosoever seeks a religion other than Islam, never will it be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers." [Noble Quran 3:85]


And Allah - the Most High - obligated all of mankind to take Islam as their religion. So Allah (The One God) said, whilst addressing His Messenger peace and blessings be upon him:

"Say: O Mankind! Indeed I have been sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah; to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. None has the right to be worshipped except Him; it is He who gives life and cause death. So believe in Allah and His Messenger - the Prophet who can neither read nor write - who believes in Allah and His Words. So follow the Messenger of Allah so that you may be rightly-guided." [Noble Quran 7:158]


And in Sahih Muslim (1/93), from Abu Hurairah that Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "By Him in whose Hand is the life of Muhammad! There is no one from this nation, be he a Jew or a Christian, who hears of me and dies whilst not having Iman (faith) in what I have been sent with, except that he will be one of the companions of the Hellfire."

And Iman (faith) in the Prophet implies: affirming that which he was sent with, along with acceptance of it and submission to it. Without these two matters, mere affirmation is not sufficient. This is why even though Abu Talib (the Prophet's uncle) affirmed what was sent to the Prophet peace be upon him and that Islam was the best of religions, yet he did not accept his message nor submit to it; and thus he did not have Iman in the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him).



The religion of Islam contains all that was beneficial from the previous religions. It is suitable for implementation in any age, any where and by any nation. Allah – the One & Only God - said, whilst addressing His Messenger (peace be upon him):
"And We have sent down to you the Book in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it, testifying to the truth contained therein whilst exposing the falsehood that has been added therein." [Noble Quran 5:48]


That Islam is suitable for implementation in any age, any where and by any nation does not mean that it becomes submissive to nations - being altered and changed by them - as some people falsely think. But rather it means that whenever it is truly adhered to then it brings benefit and goodness to that nation, as well as reforming and correcting it - in whatever age or place.

The religion of Islam is the religion of truth. It is the way of life that Allah – the One God - guaranteed His help and victory to those who truly adhere to it, and that He would make it dominant over all other religions. Allah – the One God - said:
"It is He who has sent His Messenger with the guidance and the religion of truth, that it may prevail over all other religions, even if the pagans detest it." [Noble Quran 9:33]



And Allah – the One & Only God - said:
"Allah has promised to those amongst you who truly have Iman (true faith and belief) and act in obedience to Allah and His Messenger, that He will grant them ruler ship upon the earth, just as He granted it to those before them, and that He will establish their Religion for them and grant them the authority to practice their Religion which He chose and ordered them with. And He will certainly change their situation to one of security, after their fear. Providing that they worship and obey Me, not associating anything else in worship with Me. Then, whoever rejects this favor by disobedience to their Lord - then they are the rebellious transgressors." [Noble Quran 24:55]





The religion of Islam is a complete religion comprising both 'Aqidah (beliefs) and Shari'ah (laws).
It commands them with taw heed (to single out Allah alone for worship) and prohibits them from shirk (associating partners with Allah, in that which is particular to Him).

It commands them with being truthful and prohibits them from lying.

It commands them with 'Adl (justice) and prohibits them from injustice and oppression.

It commands them with fulfilling trusts and prohibits them from acting treacherously.

It commands them keeping promises and prohibits them from breaking them.

It commands them with kindness and good treatment of parents and prohibits them from disobedience to them in that which is not sinful.

It commands them with joining the ties of relations and prohibits them from severing them.

It commands them with good treatment of neighbors and prohibits the causing of harm to them.



In short, Islam orders all that is good, from manners and morals, and prohibits all that is evil from it. Likewise, it orders all actions which are righteous and good and prohibits all actions that are evil and harmful. Allah – the One & Only God - said:
"Indeed Allah enjoins upon you justice, kindness and the giving of good to relatives and near ones. And He prohibits you from all shameful and evil deeds, oppression and transgression. Thus He admonishes you, that you may take heed and be reminded." [Noble Quran 16:90]

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ALL RELIGIONS TEACH PEOPLE TO BE RIGHTEOUS, THEN WHY ONE SHOULD FOLLOW ISLAM !

All religions basically teach followers to do good deeds.. Why should a person
only follow Islam? Can he not follow any of the religions?
By-Dr Zakir Naik..



1. Major difference between Islam and most other religions

All religions basically exhort mankind to be righteous and eschew evil. But Islam goes beyond that. It guides us towards practical ways of achieving righteousness and eliminating evil from our individual and collective lives. Islam takes into account human nature and the complexities of human society. Islam is guidance from the Creator Himself. Therefore, Islam is also called the Deenul- Fitrah (the natural religion of Man).

2. Example - Islam commands us to shun robbery and also
prescribes method of eliminating robbery

a. Islam prescribes method of eliminating robbery

All major religions teach that theft is an evil act. Islam teaches the same.. So what is the difference between Islam and the other religions? The difference lies in the fact that Islam, besides teaching that robbing is evil, shows a practical way of creating a social structure in which people will not rob.



b. Islam prescribes Zakat

Islam prescribes a system of Zakat (obligatory annual charity). Islamic law prescribes that every person who has a saving that exceeds the nisab level i.e.. more than 85 grams of gold, should give 2.5% of that saving every lunar year in charity. If every rich person in the world gave Zakat sincerely, poverty will be eradicated from this world. Not a single human being would die of hunger.



c. Chopping off the hands as punishment for robbery

Islam prescribes chopping off the hands of the convicted robber. The Glorious Qur'an says in Surah Maidah:
"As to the thief, male or female, cut off his or her hands, a punishment by way of example, from Allah, for their crime: and Allah is Exalted in power, full of wisdom."
[ Al-Qur'an 5:38]
The non-Muslim may say, "Chopping off the hands in this 20th century. Islam is a barbaric and ruthless religion!"


d. Results achieved when Islamic Shariah Implemented

America is supposed to be one of the most advanced countries in the world. Unfortunately it also has one of the highest rates of crime, theft and robbery. Suppose the Islamic shariah is implemented in America i.e. every rich person gives Zakat ( 2.5% of his savings in charity above 85 grams of gold every lunar year), and every convicted robber has his or her hands chopped off as a punishment. Will the rate of theft and robbery in America
increase, remain same or decrease? Naturally it will decrease. Moreover the existence of such a stringent law would discourage many a potential robber..

I agree that the amount of theft that takes place in the world today is so tremendous that if you chop off the hands of all the thieves, there will be tens of thousands of people whose hands will be chopped off. The point here is that the moment you implement this law the rate of theft will decline immediately. The potential robber would give it a serious thought before jeopardizing his limbs. The mere thought of the punishment itself will discourage majority of the robbers. There will barely be a few who would rob. Hence only a few person's hands would be chopped off but millions would live peacefully without fear of being robbed.
Islamic Shariah is therefore practical, and achieves results.



3. Example: Islam prohibits the molestation and rape of women. It enjoins hijab and prescribes capital punishment for a convicted rapist.

a. Islam prescribes method of eliminating molestation and rape

All the major religions declare the molestation and rape of women as grave sins. Islam teaches the same. What then is the difference between Islam and the other religions? The difference lies in the fact that Islam does not merely preach respect for women, or abhor molestation and rape as serious crimes, but also gives clear guidance as to how society can eliminate such crimes.


b. Hijab for men

Islam has a system of hijab. The Glorious Qur'an first mentions hijab for the men
and then for the women. Hijab for the men is mentioned in the following verse:
"Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do."
[Al-Qur'an 24:30]

The moment a man looks at a woman and if any brazen or unashamed thought comes to his mind, he should lower his gaze.


c. Hijab for women

Hijab for women is mentioned in the following verse:
"And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons...."
[Al-Qur'an 24:31]

The extent of hijab for a woman is that her complete body should be covered. The only part that can be seen, are the face and the hands up to the wrists. If they wish to cover, they can even cover these parts of the body. However some Islamic scholars insist that even the face should be covered.


d. Hijab prevents molestation

The reason why Allah (The One & Only God) has prescribed Hijab for the women is given in the Holy Qur'an in the folowing verse of Surah Al-Ahzab:
"O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad): that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, most Merciful."
[Al-Qur'an 33:59]

The Holy Qur'an says that Hijab has been prescribed for the women so that they are recognized as modest women this would prevent them from being molested.


e. Example of twin sisters

Suppose two sisters who are twins and who are equally beautiful, walk down a street. One of them is wearing the Islamic Hijab i.e. the complete body is covered except for the face and the hands up to the wrists, and the other twin is wearing a mini skirt or shorts. Around the corner there is a hooligan who is waiting for an opportunity to tease a girl. Who will he tease? The girl wearing the Islamic Hijab or the girl wearing the mini skirt or shorts?
Dresses that expose more than they conceal, are an indirect temptation to the opposite sex for teasing, molestation and rape.
The Holy Qur'an rightly says that the hijab prevents women from being molested.


f. Capital punishment for rapist

The Islamic shariah prescribes capital punishment for a convicted rapist. The non-Muslim may be horrified at such a stringent punishment in this age. Many accuse Islam of being ruthless and barbaric. I have asked a common question to hundreds of non-Muslim men. Suppose God-forbid, some one rapes your wife, your mother or your sister and you are made the judge. The rapist is brought in front of you. What punishment would you give him? All of them said, "we would put him to death." Some went to the extent of saying, "we would torture him to death", If your wife or your mother is raped you want the rapist to be put to death. But if someone else's wife or mother is raped, capital punishment is a barbaric law. Why the double standards?


g. U.S.A. has one of the highest rate of Rape

The United States of America is supposed to be one of the most advanced countries of the world. An F.B.I report in the year 1990 says that 1,02,555 cases of rape were reported. It further says that only 16% of the cases of rapes are reported. Thus, in order to know the actual number of rapes that took place in 1990, the reported figure should be multiplied by 6.25. We get a total of 6,40,968 rape cases that took place in the year 1990. If the total is divided by 365 the number of days in a year, we get an average of 1,756 rape incidents everyday.


Later another report said that an average of 1900 cases of rape are committed in U.S.A every day. According to National Crime Victimization Survey Bureau of Justice Statistics (U. S. Dept. of Justice) in 1996 alone 3,07,000 cases of rape were reported. Only 31% of the actual cases of rape were reported. Thus, 3,07,000 X 3.226 = 9,90,322 rapes took place in 1996.
That is, an average of 2,713 cases of rape took place everyday in America in 1996. Every 32 seconds one rape is taking place in America . Maybe American rapists got bolder. The FBI report of 1990 continues and says that out of the rape cases that were reported only 10% of the rapist were arrested, that is only 1.6% of the actual rapes committed. Out of those arrested, 50% were let free before the trial. This would mean that only 0.8% of the rapists faced a trial. In other words if a person commits 125 rapes the chances that he will get a punishment for rape is only once. Many would consider this a good gamble. And the report says that of those people who faced trial 50% received sentences of less than a year's imprisonment though the American law says rape carries a seven year sentence of imprisonment. For a rapist, the judge is lenient to first time offenders. Imagine a person commits 125 rapes and the chances of being convicted is only once, and 50% of the time the judge will grant leniency and give a sentence of less than a year!


h. Results achieved when Islamic Shariah Implemented

Suppose the Islamic shariah is implemented in America . Whenever a man looks at a woman and if any brazen or unashamed thought comes to his mind, he lowers his gaze. Every woman wears the Islamic Hijab, that is the complete body is covered except the face and the hands upto the wrists. After this if any man commits rape, he gets capital punishment. The question is, will the rate of rape in America increase, will it remain the same or will it decrease? Naturally it will decrease. Islamic Shariah gets results.


4. Islam has Practical Solutions for the Problems of Mankind

Islam is the best way of life because its teachings are not doctrinaire rhetoric but practical solutions for the problems of mankind. Islam achieves results both at the individual and collective levels. Islam is the best way of life because it is a practical, universal religion not confined to any ethnic group or nationality.

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Teaching children good manners

 

 

 

Teaching Children Good Manners

 

Just as a child should be taught ritual acts of worship, he should also be taught good habits and etiquettes until they become second nature to him.
The Holy Prophet, salla Allahu alihi wa sallam, said: "The believers who have the most perfect faith are those who have the best manners." [Abu Daawood]

 

 

Good manners are an acquired trait that must be adopted from a young age. Of such manners are the following:

Being respectful and dutiful to parents:

The first person from whom a child learns good manners is the father. If a child is raised in a good Islamic home, then it would be natural for him to treat his parents respectfully.

Allaah (The One & Only God) says: "And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them reach old age in your life, never say 'uff’ (an expression of displeasure), nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour. And humble yourself to them out of mercy and say, 'My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was small.'" [Holy Quran, 17:23,24]

 

 

Maintaining good relations with relatives:

Sound cultivation also stipulates teaching children to maintain good relations with their relatives.

Allaah (The One God) says: ''Worship Allaah and associate none with Him in worship, and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, the needy, the neighbor who is near of kin, the neighbor who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those (slaves) whom your right hands possess. Verily, Allaah does not like such as are proud and boastful. " [Holy Quran, 4:36]

The fulfillment of this Divine command can be accomplished only by sound cultivation which makes them grow attached to their relatives out of obedience to Allaah (The One God).
Since relatives are an extension of the family, then strengthening ties with them strengthens the whole family and it is like strengthening the whole community and this reflects an Islamic community that enjoys a cohesive structure. The Holy Prophet, salla Allahu alihi wa sallam, said:"The example of the believers in their reciprocal love and mercy is like a human body, when one of its organs suffers, the rest of the body remains awake and suffers fever." [Muslim]

Inculcating brotherly love:

Brotherly love and believers' solidarity must be embedded in children's minds and that the believers are brothers-in-faith. For example to follow the pious predecessors, the Muhajireen and the Ansaar, radi Allahu anhum, whose brotherly love and altruism Allaah (The One God) commands in His Book.

Giving a friendly gesture or a happy greeting to Muslim brothers generates friendliness in their hearts and, strengthens the love among the believers. This indeed is a fine trait, which is instructed by Allaah, the Exalted. He describes the believers by saying: "Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah, and those who are with him are severe against disbelievers, and merciful among themselves…" [Holy Quran, 48:29]

Allaah (The One God) also addressed His Messenger, salla Allahu alihi wa sallam, saying:

"Had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about you…" [Holy Quran, 3:159]

 

 

Guarding the tongue:

Giving a good word is a type of remembrance of Allaah (The One God), telling the truth, guarding one's own tongue against slandering others are good deeds. The best Muslim, according to the Holy Prophet, salla Allahu alihi wa sallam, is the one from whose tongue the other muslims feel safe.
Parents should make their children aware of the gravity of abusing others with their tongue and of the fact that the tongue is a double-sided and dangerous weapon. Therefore, they should be warned in particular against abusing it. 

 

 

 

Warning children against backbiting and slandering:

Children should be taught that backbiting is speaking slanderously about an absent person. The Holy Prophet, salla Allahu alihi wa sallam, said: "Do you know what back biting is?” They (companions) said: "Allaah and His Messenger know best." He, salla Allahu alihi wa sallam, said: "It is to attribute to your brother what he dislikes." He, salla Allahu alihi wa sallam, was asked: "What do you think if what I say about my brother is true?" He, salla Allahu alihi wa sallam, said: "If what you attribute to him is true, then you have backbitten him, and if it is not true, then you have lied about him." [Muslim]

 

While talebearing is to circulate slanderous rumors between two persons to damage or sever the ties between them. The Holy Prophet, salla Allahu alihi wa sallam, said: "Talebearer will not be admitted to Paradise." [Muslim]

Deriding people in their presence by making negative facial expressions or by hand gestures while they are unaware is also forbidden in Islam.

 

Warning children against lying:
Children must be taught to tell the truth and to keep away from lying, which is the most horrible habit. The Holy Prophet, salla Allahu alihi wa sallam, said: "There are four traits whoever possesses them is a sheer hypocrite, and he who possesses one of them, possesses a trait of hypocrisy unless he quits it. They are: when he speaks, he lies; and when he enters into an agreement, he acts unfaithfully; when he promises, he breaches his promise; and when he litigates, he behaves treacherously. While the liar receives the anger of Allaah (The One God) on the Day of Resurrection." [Al-Bukhaari]

Parents should not take this evil habit lightly, or consider it funny when their children tell lies because later on, it becomes easy for them to lie without any compunction.

 

Abusing others:

Among the worst of manners is reviling people and swearing at them. If this bad habit is not redressed while the child is growing up, it becomes hard for him to avoid it later on.
Islam enjoins guarding the tongues. The Holy Prophet , salla Allahu alihi wa sallam ,said: "He who guarantees, what is in between his jaws (tongue), and what is in between his thighs (private parts), I guarantee Paradise for him." [Al-Bukhaari]

This means guarding one's own tongue against uttering anything that displeases Allaah (The One & Only God), and guarding one's own private parts against committing illicit acts or fornication.

 

 

 

"… and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you, and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know." [Holy Quran 2:216]

 

 

Say, “Nothing shall ever happen to us except what Allah has ordained for us.” [Holy Quran 9:51]

Speaking without thinking is shooting without taking aim

 

 

 

 

Speaking without thinking is shooting without taking aim   

Instead of being afraid of situations, consider them to be

your teacher and learn a lesson from them.

 

One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men.

No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man.

 

Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear

and the blind can see.

The wealthiest of all are those who are pure hearted.

The longer we dwell on our misfortunes,

the greater is their power to harm us.

 

Let us so live that when we come to die,

even the undertaker will be sorry.

 

The Wrong Influence Of Gossip !

 

 

 

 

 

The Wrong Influence Of Gossip !

 

 

You cannot afford to overlook the influence that other people have on you.

There are cases where people quarrel, fight and even commit murder

because they are influenced by gossip, influenced by the words of others. To what extent do you check that you are not being influenced by gossip?

 

Negativity in the mind is like poison.

Negative thoughts are the seeds of negative actions.

 

It might seem like a simple everyday occurrence

my friends tell me in the strictest confidence that such

and such a person is like this and does so-and-so.

I listen and accept without question because of the friendship.

My attitude and actions now become influenced by my friend’s words, and

I find myself acting and reacting in accordance with the information/disinformation fed to me.

 

Gossip and guessing bring sorrow, heaviness and distrust.

Poison can come in many disguises, but poison is poison

whether from an enemy or a friend...!

 

 

 

 

MORAL:

To held a firm belief on gossips which are based on half truths & half lies is like to follow false fancies and to fool one's own mind and blinding oneself to the truth & justice.

Cheating and Deception !!

 

 

 

Cheating and Deception !!

 

Cheating and deception are despicable characteristics that are beneath a decent person.  Intentionally distorting the truth in order to mislead others contradicts the values of honesty, which requires an attitude of sincerity, straightforwardness, and fairness that leaves no room for cheating, lying, trickery, or deceit.  There are many texts from the Quran and the Sunnah (The ways of Holy Prophet) conveying the meaning that cheating, whether the target be Muslims or non-Muslims, is forbidden.

 

Accepting the guidance of Islam leads a person to truthfulness, which means a person completely avoids cheating, cheating, and back-stabbing.  The Holy Prophet, may Allah praise him, said:

“Whoever bears arms against us is not one of us, and whoever cheats us is not one of us.” (Saheeh Muslim)

 

According to another report, the Prophet, may Allah praise him, passed by a pile of food in the market.  He put his hand inside it and felt dampness, although the surface was dry.  He said:

“O owner of the food, what is this?’

The man said, ‘It was damaged by rain, O Messenger of Allah.’

He said, ‘Why did you not put the rain-damaged food on top so that people could see it!  Whoever cheats us is not one of us.” (Saheeh Muslim)

 

Muslim society is based on purity of feeling, love, sincerity towards every Muslim & human being, and fulfillment of promises to every member of society.  Its members are endowed with piety, truthfulness, and faithfulness.  Cheating and deception are alien characters in contrast to the noble character of a true practical Muslim.  There is no room in it for swindlers, double crossers, tricksters, or traitors.

 

Islam views cheating and deception as heinous sins, a source of shame to the one guilty of committing them, both in this world and the next.  The Holy Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of Allah be upon him, did not merely denounce them by excluding them from the Muslim community in this world, he also announced that on the Day of Judgment every traitor would be raised carrying the flag of his betrayal.  A caller will cry out from the vast arena of judgment, pointing to him, drawing attention to him:

“Every traitor will have a banner on the Day of Resurrection and it will be said: This is the betrayer of so-and-so.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

 

The shame of traitors – men and women - will be immense.  Those who thought that their betrayal had been forgotten will find it right there, exposed for the whole world to see on banners raised high held by their own hands!

Their shame will increase even more when they meet with the Holy Prophet of Mercy, the advocate of the sinners on that terrifying and horrible Day.  Their crime is of such enormity that it will deprive them of divine mercy and the Prophet’s intercession.  The Holy Prophet, may Allah praise him, said:

“Allah (The One God) said: There are three whom I will oppose on the Day of Resurrection: a man who gave his word and then betrayed it; a man who sold a free man into slavery and kept the money; and a man who hired someone, benefited from his labor, then did not pay his wages.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

 

One should steer clear of all the various forms of deceit and deception present in today’s society.  Cheating is common in examinations, business transactions, and even between spouses and loved ones.  Placing a label on domestically-made products to make it seem that it is imported is a kind of fraud.  Some people give wrong advice when their council is sought and thus deceive the person who believes he is getting good advice.  An employee should do the job for what he is paid for without any deception or cheating.  Rulers rig  the ballot to win elections and cheat the whole nation.  Cheating between spouses and having extra-marital affairs is widespread in modern society today.  

 

A Muslim should value himself too highly to be among those who cheat or deceive perchance one might fall in the category of hypocrites about whom the Holy Prophet, may Allah praise him, said:

“There are four characteristics, whoever has all of them is a true hypocrite, and whoever has one of them has one of the qualities of a hypocrite until he gives it up: when he is trusted, he betrays; when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he disputes, he resorts to slander.”(Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim)

 

Therefore, a Muslim who has true Islamic sensitivities avoids deceit, cheating, treachery, and lying no matter what benefits or profits such activities might bring him, because Islam considers those guilty of such deeds to be hypocrites.

------------------------------------------

LeSSon on LiFe

 

 

 

 

Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest

The following pictures are of the same place but taken under different seasons!! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lessons on Life

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge
things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look
at a pear tree that was a great distance away.
The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in
summer, and the youngest son in the fall.
When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe
what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted. The second son
said no it was covered with green buds and full of  promise.
The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so
sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.
The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping
with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they
had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.
He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season,
and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come

from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons  are up.
If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring,
the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.

 

Moral:
Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.

Don't  judge life by one difficult season.

Persevere through the difficult patches
and better times are sure to come some time or later

10 Tips to Simplify Your Life

 

 

 

 

10 Tips to Simplify Your Life

 

Over the last decade or so life has consistently been enriched because of more and more facilities, on-going gadgets, inventions and day by day increment in luxuries. This is quite exciting however during the same period of time, people have increased their love for materialistic things abruptly which has directly or indirectly reduced their overall happiness index. Now a days, we have more luxuries but less delights and high stress levels. We have more sugar, blood and heart patients then it used to be a decade or two back. The reason for all the stress and anxiety is simple that we are not living a simple life.

Below are some tips which can simplify your life and may amplify the happiness scale of your life.

 

1-   Avoid getting influenced: You don't have to follow every single trend in society. If your friend has purchased a new BMW, you don't need to buy a Mercedes to impress. Live for yourself not for others. If you purchase a high-end luxury car today, your love for this will end soon and you will be selling it at considerable financial loss though I am not forbidding to purchase luxury things once in a considerable duration of time.

 

2-  Avoid impulse buying: You don't need to buy every single gadget instantly which you like in this shop. Do your Needs Vs Wants analysis. Buy only if it is really increasing your peace of mind. Remember that now a days the standard life of every gadget (phone, tablet, laptop, jewelry etc) is more or less 6 months because of new and new products release by several companies.

 

3-   The 6 months Rule: Generally speaking, anything which has not been used in last 6 months will not be used in next 6 months most likely. Give such things (shoes, garments, toys, mobiles, house hold items) in charity. This will help spreading happiness in society and reducing your space at home.

 

4-  Avoid Credit Cards Usage: Avoid this as much as you can. Debt is a silent stress and eating up your mental health slowly. Your brain might get old while you are young at heart. You might develop high BP or sugar because of stress due to credit. Live a credit-free life.

 

5-   Learn to say No: Don't accept every single attractive offer from the bank representative or a car loan company. Do your "Needs Vs Wants" analysis. Careful spending is always recommended.

 

6-  Reduce too much social gatherings: Stay at home. Spend quality time with your spouse, kids, parents or family members for empowered relationships. You don't have to say yes every time to your friend who is coming to pick you from home to join another late night social get together.

 

7-   Reduce your love for money: Careful spending and saving is important but don't allow your brain to keep doing the calculations all day long. Your love for money is pulling your brain strings and damaging your peace of mind silently. Stay away from too much thoughts about your financials.

 

8-  Less TV more Books: It is proven that people who watch more movies generate high level of stress. Read quality books to learn wisdom and attain high degree of happiness.

 

9-   Spend time with Nature: Instead of going to cinemas and malls repeatedly, spend time in parks and natural places. This will relax your brain, body and soul.

 

10- Change your eating habits: why eating lavish foods by visiting costly restaurants again and again in a week. The purpose of food is to fill your belly for some hours. So the suggestion here is to go for simpler and healthier food. Remember, most of the food items in the market are fried which are increasing your cholesterol level silently hence making you a heart patient in the long run!

 

Work on your real wealth and live a happy life