Abu Bakar Shibli was donning a rich garment one day when suddenly he put it off and cast it in a burning oven. When asked why he did so, he replied, “God told me that if my heart shall deviate for a moment from His constant remembrance, He would burn me and the garment. So I burnt the garment myself to prevent any future calamity, for my heart was a little inclined towards it”
One night Abu Yazid could find no joy in worship. “Look and see if there is anything of value in the house,” he said. His disciples looked, and discovered half a bunch of grapes. “Fetch them and give them away,” Abu Yazid commanded. “My house is not a fruiter’s shop”. And he rediscovered his composure.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
The selfless frugality of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w
Why do we change?
Why do we insist on bigger/ newer is better, the moment our financial abilities permit or our economy improves?
Is change an improvement? Or mandatory testimony of our improvement/successes?
The prophet s.a.w slept on the floor because everybody could not afford to sleep on soft beds. His house was a small mud hut without proper door and roof. His food was coarse barley bread which could not be swallowed without the help of water. He practiced all these austerities for maintaining the standard of equality, love and brotherhood of mankind.
He said, “None of you is a true Muslim unless you like for others what you like for yourself”. He said this and acted upon it, for his food was the humblest, his dress was the humblest, and his abode was the humblest.
A Western scholar has said, “From the shepherd boy, merchant of Syria and equal to the Kings, Muhammad never changed”.
Why do we insist on bigger/ newer is better, the moment our financial abilities permit or our economy improves?
Is change an improvement? Or mandatory testimony of our improvement/successes?
The prophet s.a.w slept on the floor because everybody could not afford to sleep on soft beds. His house was a small mud hut without proper door and roof. His food was coarse barley bread which could not be swallowed without the help of water. He practiced all these austerities for maintaining the standard of equality, love and brotherhood of mankind.
He said, “None of you is a true Muslim unless you like for others what you like for yourself”. He said this and acted upon it, for his food was the humblest, his dress was the humblest, and his abode was the humblest.
A Western scholar has said, “From the shepherd boy, merchant of Syria and equal to the Kings, Muhammad never changed”.
5 reminders from The Fight Club
1. That we are dying the minute we are born.
2. That we spent so much time and money on furniture and house decoration, and the maintenance of them, thinking that it’s our permanent resting place, forgetting that we are leaving everything behind when we die.
3. That we think we really own all the stuff that we buy, when in fact those stuff actually own us - as now we think about it, care for it and get depressed losing it.
4. That advertisements are telling us to buy, buy, buy so that we look like how they tell us we should look, and have what they tell us we should have.
5. That only when we die will we realize how fake and vain the world is, and how we are veiled from seeing the truth.
Rabiah Adawiyah said, "A lover of God is one who is lost in witnessing Him that no consciousness remains in him, and he cannot distinguish between pain and comforts". A saint came and started complaining of the world. Rabia said, "You seem to love the world too much, for one talks of that thing very much to which one is most attached".
2. That we spent so much time and money on furniture and house decoration, and the maintenance of them, thinking that it’s our permanent resting place, forgetting that we are leaving everything behind when we die.
3. That we think we really own all the stuff that we buy, when in fact those stuff actually own us - as now we think about it, care for it and get depressed losing it.
4. That advertisements are telling us to buy, buy, buy so that we look like how they tell us we should look, and have what they tell us we should have.
5. That only when we die will we realize how fake and vain the world is, and how we are veiled from seeing the truth.
Rabiah Adawiyah said, "A lover of God is one who is lost in witnessing Him that no consciousness remains in him, and he cannot distinguish between pain and comforts". A saint came and started complaining of the world. Rabia said, "You seem to love the world too much, for one talks of that thing very much to which one is most attached".
The Spiritual Fight
When the fight begins within himself, a man's worth something - Robert Browning, 1855
Below are quotations from the must-see movie Fight Club, 1999 based on a novel by Chuck Palahniuk, 1996. Screenplay by Jim Uhls, directed by David Fincher; Starring Brad Pitt and Edward Norton
- This is your life, and it's ending one minute at a time.
- If I could wake up in a different place, at a different time, could I wake up as a different person?
- And I wasn't the only slave to my nesting instinct. The people I know who used to sit in the bathroom with pornography, now they sit in the bathroom with their IKEA furniture catalogue.
- You buy furniture. You tell yourself, this is the last sofa I will ever need in my life. Buy the sofa, then for a couple years you're satisfied that no matter what goes wrong, at least you've got your sofa issue handled. Then the right set of dishes. Then the perfect bed. The drapes. The rug. Then you're trapped in your lovely nest, and the things you used to own, now they own you.
- If you don't know what you want, you end up with a lot you don't.
- It used to be enough that when I came home angry and knowing that my life wasn't toeing my five-year plan, I could clean my condominium or detail my car. Someday I'd be dead without a scar and there would be a really nice condo and car.
- Maybe self-improvement isn't the answer.... Maybe self-destruction is the answer.
- I felt sorry for guys packing into gyms trying to look how Calvin Klein or Tommy Hilfiger told them to.
- At the time, my life just seemed too complete, and maybe we have to break everything to make something better out of ourselves.
- It's only after you've lost everything, that you're free to do anything.
- You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake. You are the same decaying organic matter as everyone else, and we are all part of the same compost pile.
- We don't have a great war in our generation, or a great depression, but we do, we have a great war of the spirit. We have a great revolution against the culture. The great depression is our lives. We have a spiritual depression.
- Only in death are we no longer part of Project Mayhem.
- Fuck Martha Stewart. Martha's polishing the brass on the Titanic; it's all going down, man.
- Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need.
- You're not your job. You're not how much money you have in the bank. You're not the car you drive. You're not the contents of your wallet. You're not your fucking khakis. You're the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world.
- No fear. No distractions. The ability to let that which does not matter truly slide.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
How clutter makes you lose focus (and makes you fat)
During the battle of Badr, the prophet s.a.w prepared his companions to die as martyrs and said, “Set out for the Garden whose width is that of the heavens and the earth”. Upon hearing this, Umair bin Humam Ansari said, “Messenger of Allah, a Garden whose width is that of the heavens and the earth?”. He said, “Yes”. Umair said, “Ah!”.
The prophet s.a.w asked, “What made you said ‘Ah’”? He said, “Nothing, Meseenger of Allah, except the hope that I shall be one of those who live in it”. Umair took some dates out of his pouch and began to eat them. Then he said, “If I live until I finish these dates that will be too long a life”. So he threw the rest of them away, and fought the enemy until he died a matyr.
Umair had set his eyes on the Garden. The dates made him lose his focus. If you had decided on the life of the Hereafter, even the halal food you eat can make you lose your focus. And probably would make you fat. Imagine all our other possessions which we have to store, clean, put back, maintained, repair, etc.
“Those things you used to own? Now they owned you!” – Tyler Durden (played by Brad Pitt in the Fight Club)
“The matyr is forgiven every sin except debt” – al-hadith
The prophet s.a.w asked, “What made you said ‘Ah’”? He said, “Nothing, Meseenger of Allah, except the hope that I shall be one of those who live in it”. Umair took some dates out of his pouch and began to eat them. Then he said, “If I live until I finish these dates that will be too long a life”. So he threw the rest of them away, and fought the enemy until he died a matyr.
Umair had set his eyes on the Garden. The dates made him lose his focus. If you had decided on the life of the Hereafter, even the halal food you eat can make you lose your focus. And probably would make you fat. Imagine all our other possessions which we have to store, clean, put back, maintained, repair, etc.
“Those things you used to own? Now they owned you!” – Tyler Durden (played by Brad Pitt in the Fight Club)
“The matyr is forgiven every sin except debt” – al-hadith
5 advantages of letting go of desires and opting a minimalist lifestyle:
1. We consume less. An therefore minimize carbon footprint.
2. We have less expenses. And therefore save more.
3. We have less debt. Or none at all.
4. We can earn less, or just enough. And therefore work less, play more.
5. We have less things to account for in the hereafter.
“Be wary of any enterprise that requires new clothes” – Henry David Thoreau
2. We have less expenses. And therefore save more.
3. We have less debt. Or none at all.
4. We can earn less, or just enough. And therefore work less, play more.
5. We have less things to account for in the hereafter.
“Be wary of any enterprise that requires new clothes” – Henry David Thoreau
Simplicity/Frugality/Minimalism practices we can learn from Caliph Umar r.a
Once when a chief of some tribe was to come and pay homage to Caliph Umar, his friends wished that he should change from the coarse wool to cotton dress. But nobody dare make the suggestion. Consequently they approached his daughter Hafsah. When she talked to him about it, he became angry and said, “Just tell me what was the best dress of the Prophet”. She said, “It was a pair of clothes of reddish colour which he wore on Fridays or while receiving some envoy”.
“What was his food?” he enquired. “It was barley bread that we used to take”.
What was his bedding?” he asked. “It was a piece of thick cloth. During summer, it was double-folded, while in winter half was spread on the ground and half was used to cover him”, she replied.
Umar said, “Hafsah, go tell those people that I am not going to budge an inch from what the prophet s.a.w did, come what may”.
Once he was even seen giving an address in the mosque with twelve patches on his shirt.
This was the standard of living of a person who was a dread for the monarchs of the world, and whose empire stretched from Egypt to India. Can the world produce an example of any ruler so great and yet so hard on himself?
“What was his food?” he enquired. “It was barley bread that we used to take”.
What was his bedding?” he asked. “It was a piece of thick cloth. During summer, it was double-folded, while in winter half was spread on the ground and half was used to cover him”, she replied.
Umar said, “Hafsah, go tell those people that I am not going to budge an inch from what the prophet s.a.w did, come what may”.
Once he was even seen giving an address in the mosque with twelve patches on his shirt.
This was the standard of living of a person who was a dread for the monarchs of the world, and whose empire stretched from Egypt to India. Can the world produce an example of any ruler so great and yet so hard on himself?
5 reasons not to buy it (or avoid consumerism):
1. You’ll go broke
2. You risk being in debt
3. That thing doesn’t last
4. You’ll worry unnecessarily about it
5. You are here temporarily and only waiting for your death
The prophet s.a.w abandoned three things in himself – hypocrisy, storing things up and what did not concern him.
2. You risk being in debt
3. That thing doesn’t last
4. You’ll worry unnecessarily about it
5. You are here temporarily and only waiting for your death
The prophet s.a.w abandoned three things in himself – hypocrisy, storing things up and what did not concern him.
How owning nothing can be liberating; and How Prophet Muhammad s.a.w dealt with his possessions
Once, a present of four camels loaded with food stuff was sent to the prophet s.a.w when he was sitting in the mosque. He bade his attendant Bilal to pay the debts with it and report. Bilal came again and said, “Alhamdulillah all the debts are clear”. “Is there anything left?” enquired the prophet s.a.w. “Yes, something is there” replied Bilal. The prophet said, “Go and give that away as well. I shall not go home until the whole lot has been distributed”.
The prophet s.a.w kept sitting in the mosque all day long. After Isya’ prayer he asked Bilal again if something was left over. He replied that since a few of the poor had not turned up, something was still lying in the house. The prophet s.a.w did not want to stay in the house where property was lying, so he spent that night in the mosque. Next morning when Bilal came to report that everything had been distributed and nothing was left in the house, the prophet s.a.w glorified the Lord and thanked Him for he did not like to die while any of the riches were in his possession. He then went home and met his family.
The prophet s.a.w kept sitting in the mosque all day long. After Isya’ prayer he asked Bilal again if something was left over. He replied that since a few of the poor had not turned up, something was still lying in the house. The prophet s.a.w did not want to stay in the house where property was lying, so he spent that night in the mosque. Next morning when Bilal came to report that everything had been distributed and nothing was left in the house, the prophet s.a.w glorified the Lord and thanked Him for he did not like to die while any of the riches were in his possession. He then went home and met his family.
5 signs you are suffering from Affluenza
1. You need to keep up with your "seemingly-successful" colleagues, your "seemingly-rich" relatives, the society and trends.
2. You desire to buy cool stuff or more than what’s needed.
3. You believe that your stuff (things you collect/buy/show off) defines your personality.
4. You enjoy the feeling of “plenty”.
5. You feel deprived by the idea of minimalism.
"We need to stop and ask ourselves what is it all for? Why are working so hard in order to buy so much, to have so much, to be burdened and cluttered by so much?" - Leo Babauta.
2. You desire to buy cool stuff or more than what’s needed.
3. You believe that your stuff (things you collect/buy/show off) defines your personality.
4. You enjoy the feeling of “plenty”.
5. You feel deprived by the idea of minimalism.
"We need to stop and ask ourselves what is it all for? Why are working so hard in order to buy so much, to have so much, to be burdened and cluttered by so much?" - Leo Babauta.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Poverty is my pride
It’s 3 days before Maulidur Rasul (the birthday of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w) 12 Rabiul Awal, so I thought I’d share with you a glimpse into his simple life.
The prophet s.a.w used to say, “Poverty is my pride”.
But this poverty was optional and voluntary, not compulsory, for he would give away to the poor and destitute whatever came to him. While I strive for simplicity and frugality (reasonably – which means I should be able to explain to my wife and family members), the prophet’s life was of intense austerity. He lived in a mud hut and slept on the ground. His bed consisted of a piece of double-folded canvas. Once, his wife four-folded it to make it more comfortable. The next morning he asked, “What did you spread under me last night? Keep it as it was before as its additional softness stands in the way of getting up for Tahajjud (late night voluntary prayer) in the night”
Pause. Think, think, think!
And here we are worrying about the worn-out springs in our mattress, the bedspread not matching the curtains and the whole bedroom furniture which we claim, “Oh, this is SO not me!”. And then we sleep all through the night like nobody’s business. How fucked up are we?
The prophet s.a.w used to say, “Poverty is my pride”.
But this poverty was optional and voluntary, not compulsory, for he would give away to the poor and destitute whatever came to him. While I strive for simplicity and frugality (reasonably – which means I should be able to explain to my wife and family members), the prophet’s life was of intense austerity. He lived in a mud hut and slept on the ground. His bed consisted of a piece of double-folded canvas. Once, his wife four-folded it to make it more comfortable. The next morning he asked, “What did you spread under me last night? Keep it as it was before as its additional softness stands in the way of getting up for Tahajjud (late night voluntary prayer) in the night”
Pause. Think, think, think!
And here we are worrying about the worn-out springs in our mattress, the bedspread not matching the curtains and the whole bedroom furniture which we claim, “Oh, this is SO not me!”. And then we sleep all through the night like nobody’s business. How fucked up are we?
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