Polishing the Heart

When your heart is dark as iron,
steadily polish yourself that the heart may become a mirror,
a beautiful shine relecting from within.
Although iron is dark and dismal,
polishing clears the darkness away.

~ Rumi, "Mathnawi"

Everything Comes from Allah

If you investigate closely you will see that everything comes from Allah. Absolutely everything comes from Allah. The Source of all wealth is Allah. He it is Who Manifests from nothing. Did the raw material for creation exist before creation? OK, where did IT come from? Attain this connection (through understanding) first, and all else will necessarily follow. If you can see, feel, touch and maintain connection with Allah through seeing, feeling, touching and maintaining connection with yourself, only increase will result, insha-Allah...

~ Ali Ansari

The Switch

THE SWITCH
REMEMBERING UNITY

GOD'S PLEASURE IS ON HIS HOLY NAME, AL-LLAH! ("THE ONE GOD"). THE PLEASURE OF GOD (IN ARABIC) IS RIDHWANU'LLAH. "RIDHWAN" IS PLEASURE (DIVINE), "ALLAH" IS "THE ONE" (GOD) RIDHWANU'LLAH - THE PLEASURE OF GOD

THE SWITCH
THE SWITCH- (AS IN ON/OFF) - IS THIS -
WHEN YOU ARE NOT FEELING GOD'S SMILE ON YOU, YOU ARE FEELING SOMETHING LESS - EITHER "NEUTRAL" OR TRAPPED, PUZZLED OR DEPRESSED.

NOW GOD IS SMILING ON YOU ALL THE TIME, BUT YOU ARE NOT FEELING IT ALL THE TIME, BUT THIS IS A CHOICE YOU ARE MAKING BY REMEMBERING SOMETHING ELSE, NOT GOD.

YOU CAN CHOOSE TO REMEMBER GOD. JUST REMEMBER, GOD'S PLEASURE IS ON HIS HOLY NAME. SO TRY IT, SAY AL-LLAH! AND REMEMBER UNITY. FEEL THE CHANGE?

THAT IS THE SWITCH. YOUR CHOICE - REMEMBER, OR FORGET.

~ Ali Ansari

People Not Systems

Man, the living creature, the creating individual, is always more important than any established style or system.

~ Bruce Lee, 1940-1973, Chinese-American Actor, Director, Author, Martial Artist

What is great about this quote by none other than Bruce Lee, is the fact that he hits upon a very important point about any and all human systems and organizations, which is that the most common denominator in any system - whether it be a system of government, business, education, or any other - is the human being. If the individuals running a system or organization are of the highest human character, that system will stand the greatest chance of being successful and all will benefit from it. On the other hand, even the supposed best system in the world will amount to nothing if the individuals responsible for administering it are not morally, ethically and spiritually sound. In the end, religion and spirituality are about one thing: the refinement and perfection of human character, for it is that human refinement and excellence that represents the greatest glorification of God.

Our beloved Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) put this in the most succinct of terms: Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "I was sent to perfect good character." (Book 47, Number 47.1.8)