Table of Contents
Toggle About this Book Publisher’s Note Translators’ Foreword Introduction to the First Edition (Of the Arabic Version) O’ Allah! Contemplate and be thankful The past is gone forever Today is all that you have Leave the future alone until it comes How to deal with bitter criticism Do not expect gratitude from anyone Doing good to others gives comfort to the heart Repel boredom with work Do not be a mimicker Pre-ordainment Verily, with hardship, there is relief Convert a lemon into a sweet drink Is not He [better than your gods] Who responds to the distressed Enough for you is your home Your recompense is with Allah Faith is life itself Extract the honey but do not break the hive Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest Or do they envy men for what Allah Has given them of His Bounty? Accept life as it is Find consolation by remembering the afflicted The prayer…..the prayer Allah [Alone] is sufficient for us, and He Is the best Disposer of affairs [for us] Patience is most fitting Do not carry the weight of The globe on your shoulders Do not be crushed by what is insignificant Be content with that which Allah has given You and you will be the richest of people Thus we have made you a just nation Take a moment to reflect Smile Smile —– Pause to reflect The blessing of pain The blessing of knowledge The art of happiness The art of happiness —- Pause to reflect Controlling one’s emotions The bliss of the Prophetic Companions Repel boredom from your life Cast of anxiety Cast of anxiety – Pause to reflect Do not be sad —- Everything will occur According to pre-ordainment Do not be sad —— Wait patiently For a happy outcome Wait patiently for a happy outcome – Pause to reflect Do not be sad: Seek forgiveness from Allah Often, for your Lord is Oft-Forgiving Do not be sad —– Always remember Allah Do not be sad —- Never Lose hope of Allah’s mercy Grieve not over unworthy things Do not be sad – Repel anxiety Grieve not over being poor D0 not feel sad over fears for what may happen Stop to reflect Do not be sad: overlook the actions of others. Do not be sad — Do good to others Jealousy is not something new Stop to reflect Do not be sad from the want of ample provision Appreciate that, compared to others, your trial is light Do not mimic the personality of others Isolation and its positive effects Do not be shaken by hardships Pause to think about hardships Do not be sad —The fundamentals of happiness Why grieve when you have the six ingredients? The fundamentals of happiness —- Verses upon which to reflect Your best companion is a book The benefits of reading Pause to reject Do not grieve —- There is another life to come Do not feel overly stressed When work piles up Grieve not and ask yourself the following questions Do not despair when you face a difficult situation Contemplate these verses Depression weakens the body and the soul Depression: A cause of ulcers Some other effects of depression What depression and anger do Bear your hardships with serenity Hold a good opinion of your Lord When your thoughts wander Embrace constructive criticism Most rumors are baseless Gentleness averts confrontations Yesterday will never return This life does not deserve our grief Ponder these points As long as you have faith in Allah, don’t be sad Do not grieve over trivialities for the entire world is trivial This is how the world is Strive to help others Do not feel deprived as long as you have a loaf of Bread, a glass of water and clothes on your back Blessings in disguise You are created unique Much that in appearance is harmful is in fact a blessing Faith is the greatest remedy! Do not lose hope Don‘t be sad —- Life is shorter than you think As long as you have life’s basic Necessities — Don‘t be sad Contentment repels sadness If you lose a limb, you still have others to compensate for it The days rotate in bringing good and bad Travel throughout Allah’s wide earth Contemplate these Prophetic sayings In the last moments of life…. Do not let calamity shake you Do not grieve —- This world is not worth your Don’t be sad: Remember that you believe in Allah Pause to reflect Despair not — Handicaps do not prevent success If you embrace Islam, there is No reason for you to be sad Things that bring about happiness The ingredients of happiness You will not die before your appointed time ‘O’ Allah, Who is full of Majesty and Honor….’ Pause to reflect Steps to take if you are fearful of a jealous person Good manners Sleepless nights The evil consequences of sinning Strive for your sustenance, but don’t be covetous The secret of guidance Ten gems for a good and noble life Don’t be sad —- Learn to deal with your reality Don’t be sad —- Sooner or later everything in this world perishes Depression leads to misery Depression may lead to suicide Asking Allah for forgiveness opens locked doors People should depend on you, and not you on them Prudence Do not cling to other than Allah Doing those things that bring you peace Preordainment The sweet taste of freedom Do not pay attention to the tell-tale The curses of the foolish are of no consequence to you Appreciate the beauty of the universe Avarice is of no avail Allah [Alone] is sufficient for us, and He Is the best Disposer of affairs (for us] The ingredients of happiness The fatigue and stress that come with an important position And come to the prayer Charity brings peace to the giver Don’t be angry Supplications of the morning Pause to reflect The Qur’an: The blessed book Don’t aspire to fame, or else you will be taxed with stress and worries The good life Bear trials patiently Worship Allah by surrendering your will to Him From being a governor to becoming a carpenter Mixing with people whose company is Heavy and dull ruins a person’s peace For the calamity-stricken The positive effects of having true Monotheistic faith in Allah Take care of your outside as well as of your inside Seek refuge with Allah I place my complete trust in Him They agree on three points The wrongdoing of the transgressor Khosrau and the old lady A handicap in one area can be compensated For by excellence in another A few words about the foolish Faith in Allah is the way to salvation Even the disbelievers are at different levels An iron will The inborn disposition upon which we were created Whatever is written for you will unerringly come to you Work hard for the fruitful end Your life is replete with priceless moments Pause to reflect Performing noble deeds is the way to happiness Beneficial knowledge and fruitless knowledge Read more, but with understanding And contemplation Take account of yourself Three mistakes that are common In our everyday lives Plan your affairs and take proper precautions Winning people over Travel to different lands Perform the late-night voluntary prayers Your reward is Paradise True love The shari’ah is made easy for you Tranquility and peace Beware of ardent love Some cures for ardent, unbridled love The rights of brotherhood Two secrets regarding sinning (Even if you know them, don’t sin) Seek out sustenance but don’t be covetous Pause to reflect A religion that is full of benefits Fear not! Surely, you will have the upper hand Stay away from the following four…. In order to find peace, turn to your Lord Two great words of solace Some of the positive effects of experiencing hardship Knowledge Happiness is a Divine gift that does not Distinguish between the rich and the poor Being remembered after death is a second life Invoke Allah with the following A Lord who wrongs not Write your own history Listen attentively to the words of Allah Everyone is searching for happiness, but…. Prepare for bad times by being Thankful when all is well Bliss versus the Fire Have we not opened your breast for you [O’ Muhammad]? A good life What then is happiness? To Him do the good words ascend Such is the Seizure of your Lord The supplication of the wronged The importance of having a good friend Fleeting glory Performing virtuous deeds is the crown On the head of a happy life Everlastingness and Paradise Are there, and not here! Enemies of the Divine way The reality of this life The key to happiness Pause to reflect How they used to live What the wise say about patience The importance of a positive attitude A few words on patience Pause to reflect Don’t grieve you are poor, for your true Value is not determined by your bank balance A word on reading Don’t be sad, and study Allah’s Signs in the creation O’ Allah! O’ Allah! Don’t grieve, for change must take place Do not give pleasure to your Enemy by displaying grief Be fair Optimism versus skepticism O’ son of Adam, do not despair Pause to reflect T he Mutual rivalry for piling up Of worldly things diverts you Blessings in disguise The fruits of contentment Being pleased with Allah For the malcontented there is wrath The benefits one reaps by being contented Do not challenge your Lord A just decree Resentment yields no return Safety is in contentment Dissatisfaction is the door to doubt Satisfaction is richness and safety The fruit of contentment is thankfulness The fruit of discontentment is disbelief Dissatisfaction is a trap of the devil Another word on contentment Overlooking the faults of one’s brothers Take advantage of health and free time Allah protects those who believe Signposts on the seeker’s highway Being blessed with honor is also a test The enduring treasures Determination can overcome Insurmountable barriers Reading in order to learn wisdom And when I am ill, it is He who cures me Take your precautions Verify the facts yourself Resolve to do something and then do it The life of this world Hiding from evil is a temporary solution Remember that you are dealing With the Most Merciful Optimism Life is toil Pause to reflect Treading the middle path saves one from destruction One is judged by one‘s dominant characteristics One’s inborn character It is not enough to be merely intelligent: One needs true guidance as well If one has inner beauty, he will Discern beauty in the universe Relief after hardship You are above jealousy Pause to reflect Knowledge is the key to serenity and ease The wrong way to go about things…. The noblest human being One step at a time Whether you have a little or a lot, Learn to be thankful Three plaques Pause to reflect Be free from worry and fear Deeds of charity Recreation and relaxation Pause to reflect Contemplate the universe Follow a studied plan Do not be disorderly: in your affairs Your value is determined by Your faith and character The bliss of the Companions (May Allah be pleased with them) Pause to reflect A smile every morning An obsession for revenge is poison That flows through a diseased soul Pause to reflect Do not melt into someone else’s personality Waiting for relief from Allah Pause to reflect Guidance: A natural consequence of belief The middle course Avoiding extremes Pause to reflect Who are the righteous ones? Allah is Most Kind to His slaves And He will provide him from [sources] He never could imagine An early: recompense When you ask, ask Allah Precious moments Divine pre-ordainment Death Allah Alone is Ail-Powerful Unexpected relief Allah allows miracles to occur For His righteous slaves Allah is All-Sufficient as a Disposer of affairs Everything in the universe glorifies Allah Be pleased with Allah A call from the Nakhlah valley The First generation of Muslims Contentment even after being ruined Be resolute in making a decision The believer is firm and resolute The tax on being an eloquent speaker Perfect comfort and rest are in Paradise Gentleness helps you achieve your goals Anxiety does not help Peace of mind is in having The basic necessities of life Be prepared for the worst-case scenario You are doing well you are healthy and have enough food Don’t belittle another person’s efforts Deal with others as you would Have them deal with you Avoid being artificial If you really cannot do something, leave it Do not be chaotic in your life Conclusion
Napoleon exclaimed in Saint Helena:”I have not known (even) six happy days in my whole life.”The Caliph, Hisham ibn ‘Abdul-Malik, said:”I have attempted to recall and enumerate the number of happy days in my life, and I have found them to be thirteen in total.”And his father would often repine and say,”Would that I had never become the Caliph.”The eminent preacher Ibn Sammack once visited Haroon ar- Rasheed. The latter felt thirsty and asked for water to drink. Ibn Samrnack said, “O’ Ruler of the faithful, if you were refused this drink, would you bargain for it with half of your empire?” He said,”Yes.” When he finished drinking it, Ibn Sammack followed up with another question, “If, due to some sickness, you were unable to discharge this drink (through urine), would you pay half of your empire’s wealth to be able to remove it from your body?” He answered, “Yes.” Ibn Sammack then said, “Therefore, there is no good in a kingdom that is not even equal to a drink of water.”The whole world and whatever is in it has no value, weight, or meaning if it is devoid of faith. Iqbal said:“When faith is lost then so is peace, And there is no life for the one, who is not enlivened by religion, Whoever is pleased with a life bereft of faith Has made total ruin to be life’s substance.”Emerson concluded his essay on self-reliance with the following:”Political triumph, increase in wage, a cure to your sickness, or a return to happy days — these all seem to loom for you in the horizon. But don’t believe it all because things will not be as you expected them to be, and because nothing can bring you peace except yourself.”(Come back to your Lord, Well-pleased [yourself] and well-pleasing unto Him! Enter you, then, among My honored slaves) (Qur’an 89: 28-29)A renowned philosopher and novelist said,”The indispensability of removing wicked notions from our thoughts is more critical than that of removing tumors and diseases from our bodies.”And there are more warnings in the Qur’an about diseases of ideas and beliefs than there are concerning bodily ailments.The French philosopher Montaigne said:”A person is not influenced by what happens as much as he is by his opinion regarding what happens.”And in the following hadith, the Prophet (bpuh) supplicated:”O’ Allah, make me pleased with Your decree, so that I may know that whatever has befallen me was not meant to miss me, and what has passed me by, was not meant to be in my lot.”
