A journey is the act of moving from the place where we are to the place where we are going to. Everyone cautiously plans to guarantee comfort and safety when setting for a journey.
When
you decided to travel to a place for a long or short time, did you ever
think of just putting all things randomly inside your suitcase, and
when you arrived at the airport you discovered that your luggage was
overweight?
Life is the same. This world is no more than
a temporary journey where a person is to fulfill a certain purpose then
returns back to his original place.
In Islam, life is
not created aimlessly; rather it is a place of purpose and hard work. A
Muslim has a task to accomplish in this life, according to Islamic rules
and guidance.
So what are the rules that allow you to have a safe trip back to the Abode of Peace?
What necessary elements are you going to put in your life valise?
Only Goodness Will Benefit You
Doing
good is commendable in Islam. Do good and you meet good. When you do
good in your life, you will certainly find it in this life and the next.
When you treat people with kindness, bring happiness to their hearts,
help them, alleviate their grief… all these good acts elevate your
position among them and makes you win their hearts.
Doing
good deeds doesn't just benefit others. Knowing the rewards of being
kind to others, and the fact that you are the one who benefits most
should give you a motivation boost. God says in the Quran:
{Whoever acts righteously, it is for [the benefit of] his own soul.} (Al-Jathiyah 45: 15)
The
Prophet commands us to have a good character and extend kindness to
ourselves and to others; this certainly determines our position in this
world and before God in the Hereafter.
Also in a hadith reported by Anas ibn Malik that Prophet Muhammad said:
"Three
things follow the bier of a dead man. Two of them come back and one is
left with him. His family, wealth and his good deeds: The members of his
family and wealth return back, and only his deeds remain with him." (Al
Bukhari)
Validate Every Deed With Intention
Everyone
has an ultimate goal and destination he strives to attain; each one of
us wants to live a comfortable life, have a decent career with a good
salary, a luxurious car… and nothing is wrong with that. Sometimes we do
something just to please ourselves and to reach happiness in this life
while it is required from a Muslim, before doing anything, to formulate
the right intentions for the purpose of his deeds.
So,
in Islam, all deeds should be based on good intentions and the true
believer has to purify his intentions and make them, sincerely, for the
sake of God alone. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
"Actions are but by intentions, and every person will have only what he intended." (Al Bukhari & Muslim)
According
to intentions, the deed is either valid or unacceptable. For example
when a person donated charity or built a mosque, only his intention will
determine whether he will be rewarded for it or not; if his intention
was free from show off and pleasing other than God, then surely it will
be accepted and rewarded.
Seek Knowledge
Seeking knowledge has a high importance in Islam. It is the central part of Islamic creed. The first verse in the Quran was {Read in the name of your Lord} (Al-Alaq 96: 1)
Prophet Muhammad emphasized the importance of seeking knowledge by saying:
"If Allah wants to do good to a person, He makes him very knowledgeable." (Al Bukhari & Muslim)
He also said:
"Whoever seeks a way to acquire knowledge Allah will make easy his way to Paradise." (Muslim)
Prophet
Muhammad instills us to seek knowledge; as knowledge is the foundation
of all good. Through knowledge, we are able to search and research the
nature and truth about everything; it enables us to increase our love
for God, to contemplate His creation and most importantly, to value our
life.
With these basics, you are set for a safe journey to the ultimate destination, Paradise.
Source: F. Hakkou Reading Islam
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