“Fear not: for I am with you. I hear and see everything.” (Qur’an 20:46)
“The Ocean cares for every wave
Until it reaches the shore.
You are given more help
than you will ever know.” ~ Rumi
Do you understand who you are? You are a reflection of God’s love. Like snowflakes, we all come in different shapes, with a unique mission on Earth. No matter what your calling is, this world is depending on you.
“In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the succession of the night and day, there are indeed messages for all who are endowed with insight.“ (Qur’an 3:190)
“The God who made the stars, the seas, the mountains and its peaks, the universe and its galaxies felt this world would be incomplete without you and without me. Do you see how you are a puzzle piece in the whole – how without you here, there would be a hole? You are not just star dust and dirt, you are a reflection of God’s beauty on Earth…You are not a human being meant to be spiritual, you are a spiritual being living this human being miracle.” ~Abu Barzak
Everything on Earth points to God. Everything here has a divine fragrance. As the Qur’an says, “We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that this is the truth” (41:53), confirming the idea that a divine signpost resides at the core of all creations, and an underlying unity exists among all manifested multiplicity.
“We have bestowed upon you the source of abundance. So to your Sustainer turn in prayer and sacrifice.” (Qur’an 108:1-2)
“Do not barter away your bond with God for a trifling gain!” (Qur’an 16:95)
Within the Qur’an resides all the answers to the soul’s questions of how to approach and experience God. The Qur’an is not just a collection of rules and regulations, but is, as Imam Ali describes, “An ocean whose depth shall not be fathomed; a spring that shall not be exhausted by those who draw from it.”
“And of everything we have created opposites, so that you might bear in mind that God alone is one.” (Qur’an 51:49)
“Nothing can be clear without a polar opposite.” (Rumi)
Allah is that which unites yes with no, for in His singularity all duality is mysteriously united. Allah is both the bridge between the unseen and seen realms and the meeting point between existence and nonexistence.
“Are you not aware that it is God whose limitless glory all creatures in the heavens and on earth praise, even the birds as they outspread their wings?” (Qur’an 24:41-42)
“To God belong the most Beautiful Names.” (Qur’an 7:180)
Gratitude is not an emotion; it is more a state of the mind and heart. States of mind are different than emotions because they are like channels on a radio that we can consciously choose to dial into.
“We have sent you (oh Prophet) as a mercy for all humankind.”(Qur’an 21:107)
“If kindness were a visible creation, nothing which Allah has created would be more beautiful than it. “~The Prophet Muhammad
One of the many reasons the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has been respected and honored by Muslims and non-Muslims worldwide is due to his honesty and unique ability to find a peaceful resolution to conflicts that faced his community.
“Those who listen closely to all that is said and follow the best of it; it is they whom God has graced with His guidance, and it is they who are endowed with insight. “(Qur’an 39:18)
“Listening is like putting your head on a person’s chest and sinking into the answer.” (Rumi)
“A paradise as vast as the heavens and earth has been readied for those who are conscious of God …who restrain their anger and pardon their fellow beings…” (Qur’an 3: 133-135)
“Raise your words, not your voice; it is rain that grows flowers, not thunder.” (Rumi)
“I am as My servant thinks I am. ~Hadith Qudsi
“Find someone the sight of whom reminds you of God The awe of whom moves your heart, Who counsels you not with the tongue of words, but with the tongue of deeds.” ~Ibn Khafif
To be kind is more important than to be right. Many times, what people need is not a brilliant mind that speaks, but a special heart that listens.
“Truly by token of time, humankind is in loss..”(Qur’an 103:1-2)
“Half of life is lost in charming others. The other half is lost in going through anxieties caused by others. Leave this play. You have played enough.” ~Rumi
No matter how far astray we have gone, no matter how far from God we have wandered, no matter how many sins we have committed, no matter what we have done or said, there is no place too far for God’s infinite forgiveness and mercy to reach.