Steps trackers

A man from the Ansar lived the farthest from the mosque. He was advised, “If you buy a donkey, you can ride it during the dark nights and hot days.” He said, “I do not like for my house to be so close to the mosque. I want my walking towards the mosque and returning home to be recorded as good deeds for me.” The Messenger of Allah, peace, and blessings be upon him, said, “Certainly Allah has gathered all the rewards for you.”(Source: Sahih Muslim 663)

Other people of Banu Salimah decided to move to land to get closer to the mosque. After hearing that prophet, SW said, "I have heard you intend to move near the mosque.” They said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah. We have decided to do so.” The Prophet said: "O tribe of Salimah, stay in your houses for your steps will be recorded. Stay in your houses for your steps will be recorded". (Source: Sahih Muslim)1068.

This is how walking was encouraged to the believers in times of prophet. However, "Recording our steps "and "gathering all the rewards"-does it ring a bell to you? How about now? “The future of health is on your wrist”?  yes! You got it! 

1600 years ago, the idea of counting our steps deeply embedded in Islam, Of course! There is no doubt about the health benefits of step tracking. But we need to understand that since Islam is a religion, it has inspired its people to walk from their homes to their mosques so that every step could be counted as good deeds! And good deeds are those what is beneficial to one or others! To mention it as a "good deed" and Allah will "record" and give "reward" is simply an attempt to make people do it for their own good. 

Big companies like Apple have now been concentrating on the prospect of developing devices like the Apple Smartwatch or even the Fitbit Fitness Tracker and making money based on this concept. 

 

Indeed, Allah is giving rewards in the form of good health for this practice of walking. 

Quran indicates how Allah built walkways, parks other areas in the motorized cities ideal for walking. In the Quran, "It is He Who has made the earth manageable for you, so walk in its tracts and eat of His provision. To Him is rising. (67:15) 

Steps to take for distracting your mind off from certain things

"When ye turn away from them and the things they worship other than Allah, betake yourselves to the Cave: Your Lord will shower His mercies on you and disposes of your affair towards comfort and ease."
18:16

This my thoughts about the above verse that Allah swt is telling us to take some important steps to take off our minds from any unwanted thoughts or anything we would like to ignore are mentions here.
1) First Intent to stay away from it.
2) Turn your focus away from anything that no longer brings benefits to you or others.
3) Take shelter! Distract your mind from that things and get busy with something meaningful or enjoyable to you.
4) Always pray to stay strong.

The best company!

13:11) Each and everyone has a guardian angels before and behind, protecting them by Allah’s command. Allah does not change the condition of a people unless they change what is in themselves. And when Allah intends ill for a people, there is no avoiding it. Apart from  Allah , they have no protector.

** We have two angels behind and in-front of us, and as we know we also have two more angels on our right and left! And Allah SW is closer than our jugular vein! Subhanallah! We are surrounded by the best companions ! Then how can we not overcome negativity? 

Allah SWT already answered in the second verse” Allah will not change our state (physical, spiritual , mental any kind) unless we first figure out what causing it in ourselves; and change it. 

May Allah help us to strive in this Journey.

Whatever evils befall you from your own selves.

Verse 4:79
Whatever good comes to you is from Allah and whatever evils befall on you from your own selves...

Allah SWT doesn't only test our faith to see our level of patience during difficult times, he also examines our mindset and heart's attitude. How we tend to respond in times of trials reveal a lot about our sincerity toward Allah. Are we being discouraged, frustrated, defensive or even depressed in hard times? Because underneath all of these behaviors is hidden the root causes of the problem hypocrisy.. This verse is encouraging us to look deeper into our hearts and figure out our own weaknesses and shortcomings that may be a contributing factor to any difficulties in our life.

Allah has given few examples of such spiritually diseased heart filled with hypocrisy from some  Muslims behaviors during the early times of Islam in previous verses 4:77-78. It will be easy to recognize those bad attitudes when we look at the historical context of these verses. According to The tafsir of the Quran, some  Muslims complained to prophets that before they accepted Islam they felt safe and secured from the attack of Mecca's polytheists. And was asking prophet's permission to go for fights with them. But they had been told to be patient and kept purifying their souls by being active in  their personal and social obligation like praying and giving zakat. They took this suggestion happily since that would established them as "religious" person in the society.** ( complaining, showing off)
later on when the time came and Allah SWT commanded the prophet and the companions to go for Jihad in cause of Allah; those same people backed off and started giving excuses and requested to delay the fight in fear of death. Allah exposed their hypocrisy hidden in their heart saying that these people were ready to fight for their own selfish reasons( to get their security and glory back) but when they were called for fighting in cause of Allah, then they were scare of death forgetting the fact that death has been determined by Allah and there is no point of running from it. ( 4:78)

Another bad attitude of hypocrites against prophet is pointed out by Allah was whenever they won a war they saw the victory from Allah's grace, but if they lost in a war because of their own faults and weakness they blamed Prophet Muhammad SW instead of being responsible for their own conducts.
Allah is the source of all things; if we have a positive mindset and carry out our duty Allah will give us victory and if we have a negative mindset, we are responsible for our own misfortunes in our life.





   

Glorious God and our flaws .

29:48 You never recited any Book before We revealed this one to you, nor did you ever write one with your own hand. Otherwise, those who try to disprove the truth would have had cause for doubt.

** some cluttered thoughts again..

In this verse Allah SWT explained the reason for keeping the prophet SW as an unlettered man so the people can recognize The Quran as words of God. As a muslim we can not even think of our prophet is an "illiterate" person, because he received the divine inspiration. We say it out of our faith. But what about those people who saw him as a Man just like them in plain eyes? Can you think of all the unkind  thoughts and feelings people might have had when he declared his prophethood, who had everything better than him, materialistically speaking ?

when i was reading  this verse few things crossed my mind are ....

1) Allah is the the source of knowledge, he opens the door to whom he wants. 

2) our flaws and imperfections have a divine purpose in Allah's plan for each of us. 

3) This verse indicates three disease of hearts doubting or suspicion Jealously, and pride.

4)  Allah has personal plans and certain goals for each of us. We call it Fate. 

5) And Allah SWT still constantly inspire us and communicates with us but we don't recognize the voice of Allah. The only difference  between prophet Muhammad SW and our reading writing abilities are he was given a book even though could not read and we are given the same book and we have capabilities ** But We don't have time! including me. 

May Allah SWT utilizes our flaws, weaknesses and imperfections to accomplish a greater purpose that will only serve him. Because Oh Allah!you  will definitely follow through the plan you have for us, May all our shortcomings be full of your blessings. Ameen.

Due date

If i am given a due date for anything and everything, I work productively! That is why life isn't happening to me, for i don't know when it expires! In short, I assume that I have plenty of time and resources to procrastinate! Had I knew, I have twenty four hours to live, I would have jumped off of that couch get moving and setting my priorities straight. 

I don't realize why god says " I swear by the time" seems like he is the only one knows how important it is since he created it. I am looking at the clock ticking but i just don't See it. So i remind and rebuke my careless soul by the words of God " Is it not time for those who believed that their hearts be humbled by the remembrance of God and to the truth that came down to them and they not be like those who were given the book before? then the space of time was long for them so their hearts became hard. And many of them were ones who disobey". (57:16)

"Actually I was only kidding, you can get the baby out of here,

Everybody knows it by now that came from Donald Trump! We are not surprised at all. And I can’t even stay quiet referring an incident of a crying baby during our Prophet Muhammad’s’ (SW) time when he was the head of the country and encountered with a non-stop crying baby and his distressed mom while leading the obligatory prayers of the day,  but What did this leader do? Incidents repeats for greater causes! What he did that time shows the characteristics of a considering, Empathetic and Nobel leader. He shortened the prayer for the sake of this distressed mother and child. Truly he is the best role model for the world in every sphere of life. The best political leader the world could have!   

  “(Muhammad), we have sent you for no other reason but to be a mercy for the world.” 21:107