Will Power Stories: Leakage of the Heart

 These days I have been listening to a series of lectures based on

the topic of how to become an excellent teacher of Quran. Surprisingly I have learned things which I had not even expected. For example, the concept that external problems or hurdles are not the real obstacle in the way of success . Rather it is our sins which have the most damaging effect on our lives.

This reminded me of the countless times I have told others that I could not do such and such thing or could not complete the target I had in mind because of this problem or that hurdle. Sometimes blaming people, other times crying over health problems, always a string of excuses which are nothing more than that excuses! Because If I had truly wanted to do something and sincerely asked Allah (SWT), then why would he not let me do things which I want to do only for his sake? Surely there must be something wrong inside my own self?

I remember a few years ago I had gone to visit my parents. The next morning there was no water in the taps ... very strange! Because the night before they had got the water tank refilled ... so where did those gallons of water disappear? Plumbers were called and they began digging to find the leakage ... the whole house was in an uproar, with people coming in and out ... nothing else could be done because everything depends on water. Finally the broken pipe was discovered and repaired, the tank was filled again and life restored back to normal.

But when the same story happens with our tank of faith and knowledge; it never becomes an issue of concern. We fill our hearts and minds with the knowledge of Quran and Hadith ... but the next day when we face any situation and open the tap, nothing comes out ... no patience, no gratitude, no kindness with others ... where did all the faith and knowledge go? No body is worried ... no one tries to find the leakage of the heart ...

But we must realize that just as life stops if there is no water, similarly the soul dies if there is no faith ... our very survival depends on it ... so if the faith and knowledge is not coming out in deeds then it means that there is some serious leakage problem.

For me it remained a mystery for many years but Alhamdulillah (All praise is due to Allah), I just found out that every sin for which we do not feel guilty nor do Taubah (Seeking Forgiveness) nor correct it ... then it creates a crack in our heart from where faith keeps dripping out and we don't even realize it.

So whenever we feel lack of motivation, lack of energy, then immediately we should pray to Allah (SWT) to show us where we went wrong and then honestly and sincerely ask Allah (SWT) for forgiveness. So as to mend the crack and ensure that our tank of faith remains full.

May Allah protect us from our self conceit and give us insight with which we might realize our mistakes and correct our ways. Because no one else can do it for us. Each one of us has to be responsible for his own life.

Moral of the Will Power Story: Knowledge and actions are the two arms of Islam. Just as a bird cannot fly without two wings the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (saw) has said: Knowledge without action is a curse and action without knowledge is deviation.

Will Power Stories: Big storm or God is great?

When we build a house, we take so much care to have a strong foundation so that it can stand the test of weather and time or that we could build more above it in course of time.

Do we take care to build our lives too on a strong faith foundation to courageously face the storms and challenges in life?

To stress the need to have strong faith, Prophet Jesus (pbuh) told of a parable of a wise man and foolish man who ventured to build a house. The wise man built his house upon the rock. The foolish man built his house upon the sand. The rains came down, the floods rose and gales and storms beat against the houses. The foolish man's house crashed to the ground while the wise man's house stood firm. (Matthew 7:24-27)

Most of us have experiences of facing storms. There could be financial storms, relationship storms, emotional storms, physical storms (health problems). People who build there lives on a strong faith foundation are those who will look at the storm calmly and courageously say "Oh Storm, God is great." But people who do not have a strong faith foundation will look at the storm and cry out "Oh God! I have a big storm."

We love our children so much that we give them the best of education, food, clothing, entertainment. But the most beautiful love gift we can give our children is the gift of a strong faith foundation in Allah (SWT). When we can give them this, they will be able to stand the challenges and storms of life courageously even when we are not around anymore.

A story is told of a shipwreck where everyone was swimming to safety. One sailor was struggling to make it to the shore when he suddenly saw a small rock protruding above the tide. He gripped to it tightly till the storm receded. When he reached the shore, people asked him "Did you not shake with fear when you held that small rock?" He quipped "Yes, I shook with fear, but the Rock did not shake and that's why I am safe."

Let us give ourselves and our children that rock to hold on to. When a pious man was on his deathbed he called all his children around him and said, "My children, if I leave all my wealth and property for you but do not leave you with a strong faith in Allah (SWT), you will be poor, very poor. But If I do not leave you any wealth or property but leave you with a strong faith in Allah (SWT), you will be rich, very rich indeed."

Will Power Stories: Don't give up, just keep driving

One day a young lady was driving along with her father. They came upon a storm and the young lady asked her father, "What should I do?"

Father said, "Keep driving." Cars began to pull over to the side, the storm was getting worse.

"What should I do?" The young lady asked?

"Keep driving," her father replied.

On up a few feet, she noticed that eighteen wheelers were also pulling over. She told her father, "I must pull over, I can barely see ahead. It is terrible and everyone is pulling over!"

Her father told her, "Don't give up, just keep driving!"

Now the storm was terrible, but she never stopped driving and soon she could see a little more clearly. After a couple of miles she was again on dry land and the sun came out.

Her father said, "Now you can pull over and get out."

Young Lady said, "But why now?"

Father said, "When you get out, look back at all the people that gave up and are still in the storm, because you never gave up your storm is now over."

This is a testimony for anyone who is going through "hard times." Just because everyone else, even the strongest, gives up. You don't have to ... if you keep going, soon your storm will be over and the Sun will shine upon your face again.

Imam Ali (as): "The endure does not miss success although it may take a long time."

Don't Loose your "Will Power" in Hardship of Life

An old man lived alone in home. He wanted to spade his potato garden, but it was very hard work. His only son, who would have helped him, was in prison.

The old man wrote a letter to his son and told his situation.

"Dear Son, I am feeling pretty bad because it looks like I won't be able to plant my potato garden this year. I hate to miss doing the garden, because your mother always loved planting time. I'm just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot.

If you were here, all my troubles would be over. I know you would dig the plot for me, if you weren't in prison ... Your Father."

Shortly, the old man received the reply from his son: "For heaven's sake, Dad, don't dig up the garden! That's where I buried the Guns!"

The next morning, A dozen FBI agents and local police officers showed up and dug up the entire garden without finding any guns.

Confused old man wrote another note to his son telling him what have happened, and asked him what to do next.

His son's reply was: "Go ahead and plant your potatoes, Dad, It's the best I could do for you from here."

Moral of the Will Power Story: No matter where you are in the world, if you have decided to do something deep from your heart, you can do it!