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Showing posts with label Article. Show all posts

Apa itu Istidraj...

A forwarded email, something that I have thought about many times, thanks Sabrina for this...also thanks Unkel Man for the explanation (see below) the article..it's definately an eye opener, everything is on loan, nothing is really ours...we should make good use of what we have...I'll try...

RENUNGKANLAH WAHAI SAHABAT-SAHABAT KU....

Apa itu Istidraj...

Minggu lepas, kawan seofis Fendi tanya "Kenapa kadang kala kita lihat seseorg insan tu sentiasa dapat kegembiraan spt dapat naik pangkat, murah rezeki dll sedangkan dia tu selalu melakukan kemungkaran? ".

So,Fendi pun jawablah yang kdg kala sesuatu anugerah Allah swt kpd seseorg individu tu bukanlah sebab Allah sayangkan hambanya itu tetapi kerana Allah nak tengok sejauh mana keikhlasan orang itu. Allah nak tengok adakah hambanya itu akan menyedari bahawa Allah amat bermurah hati dengannya jadi sepatutnya dia bersyukur dan berubah menjadi baik. Tapi jika individu itu masih tidak reti bersyukur maka sesungguhnya dia telah menimbulkan kemurkaan Ar-Rahman.Teringat juga Fendi pd satu penjelasan ustazah sekolah rendah dulu.

Ada member tanya kenapa kdg2 kita dah banyak kali berdoa tapi belum dapat apa yang diimpikan. Ustazah kata itu tandanya Allah sayang pada kita.Sebabnya Allah tahu kalau kita lambat atau belum dpt yg diimpikan, kita akan terus berdoa dan mengingati Ilahi. Sebenarnya Allah amat rindukan suara hamba-hambaNya merayu dan memujiNya. Kalau sekali berdoa terus dapat, kemungkinan besar lepas tu kita kita taksub dan lupa utk bersyukur pd yg Esa.

Tup-tup dpt pula artikel ni drp seorg rakan. A very relevant and interesting article. Semoga Allah beratkan timbangan ibadah kita drp timbangan dosa di Pdg Mahsyar nanti. InsyaAllah..


Apakah dia istidraj itu?

Ianya adalah pemberian nikmat Allah kepada manusia yang mana pemberian itu tidak diredhaiNya. Inilah yang dinamakan istidraj.

Rasullulah s. a.w. bersabda :"Apabila kamu melihat bahawa Allah Taala memberikan nikmat kepada hambanya yang selalu membuat maksiat (durhaka),ketahuila h bahawa orang itu telah diistidrajkan oleh Allah SWT."

Diriwayatkan oleh At-Tabrani, Ahmad dan Al-Baihaqi)

Tetapi, manusia yang durhaka dan sering berbuat maksiat yang terkeliru dengan pemikirannya merasakan bahawa nikmat yang telah datang kepadanya adalah kerana Allah berserta dan kasih dengan perbuatan maksiat mereka.

Masih ada juga orang ragu-ragu, kerana kalau kita hendak dapat kebahagian didunia dan akhirat kita mesti ikut jejak langkah Rasullulah saw dan berpegang teguh pada agama Islam.

Tetapi bagaimana dengan ada orang yang sembahyang 5 waktu sehari semalam, bangun tengah malam bertahajjud, puasa bukan di bulan Ramadhan sahaja, bahkan Isnin, Khamis dan puasa sunat yang lain. Tapi, hidup mereka biasa sahaja. Ada yang susah juga. Kenapa? Dan bagaimana pula orang yang seumur hidup tak sembahyang, puasa pun tak pernah, rumahnya tersergam indah, kereta mewah menjalar, duit banyak, dia boleh hidup kaya dan mewah.

Bila kita tanya, apa kamu takut mati? Katanya, alah, orang lain pun mati juga, kalau masuk neraka, ramai-ramai.

Tak kisahlah! Sombongnya mereka, takburnya mereka.

Rasullulah s. a. w. naik ke langit bertemu Allah pun tak sombong, Nabi Sulaiman, sebesar-besar pangkatnya sehinggakan semua makhluk di muka bumi tunduk di bawah perintahnya pun tak sombong! Secantik-cantik Nabi Yusof dan semerdu suara Nabi Daud, mereka tak sombong. Bila sampai masa dan ketikanya, mereka tunduk dan sujud menyembah Allah.

Manusia istidraj - Manusia yang lupa daratan. Walaupun berbuat maksiat, dia merasa Allah menyayanginya. Mereka memandang hina kepada orang yang beramal. "Dia tu siang malam ke masjid, basikal pun tak mampu beli, sedangkan aku ke kelab malam pun dengan kereta mewah. Tak payah beribadatpun, rezeki datang mencurah-curah. Kalau dia tu sikit ibadat tentu boleh kaya macam aku, katanya sombong." Sebenarnya, kadang-kadang Allah memberikan nikmat yang banyak dengan tujuan untuk menghancurkannya.

Rasullulah s. a. w bersabda: "Apabila Allah menghendaki untuk membinasakan semut, Allah terbangkan semua itu dengan dua sayapnya" (Kitab Nasaibul æIbad) Anai-anai, jika tidak bersayap, maka dia akan duduk diam di bawah batu atau merayap di celah-celah daun, tetapi jika Allah hendak membinasakannya, Allah berikan dia sayap. Lalu, bila sudah bersayap, anai-anai pun menjadi kelkatu. Kelkatu, bila mendapat nikmat (sayap) , dia akan cuba melawan api. Begitu juga manusia, bila mendapat nikmat, cuba hendak melawan Allah swt.

Buktinya, Firaun. Nikmatnya tak terkira, tidak pernah sakit, bersin pun tidak pernah kerana Allah berikannya nikmat kesihatan. Orang lain selalu sakit, tapi Firaun tidak, orang lain mati, namun dia masih belum mati-mati juga, sampai rasa angkuh dan besar diri lantas mengaku dirinya tuhan. Tapi dengan nikmat itulah Allah binasakan dia.

Namrud, yang cuba membakar Nabi Ibrahim. Betapa besar pangkat Namrud? Dia begitu sombong dengan Allah, akhirnya menemui ajalnya hanya disebabkan seekor nyamuk masuk ke dalam lubang hidungnya.

Tidak ada manusia hari ini sekaya Qarun. Anak kunci gudang hartanya sahaja kena dibawa oleh 40 ekor unta. Akhirnya dia ditenggelamkan bersama-sama hartanya sekali akibat terlalu takbur. Jadi kalau kita kaya, jangan sangka Allah sayang, Qarun lagi kaya, akhirnya binasa juga.

Jadi, jika kita kaji dan fikir betul-betul, maka terjawablah segala keraguan yang mengganggu fikiran kita. Mengapa orang kafir kaya, dan orang yang berbuat maksiat hidup senang /mewah.

Pemberian yang diberikan oleh Allah pada mereka bukanlah yang diredhaiNya. Rupa-rupanya ianya adalah bertujuan untuk menghancurkannya. Untuk apa hidup ini tanpa keredhaanNya? Tetapi jangan pula ada orang kaya beribadat, masuk masjid dengan kereta mewah kita katakan itu istidraj.

Orang naik pangkat, istidraj. Orang-orang besar, istidraj.. Jangan! Orang yang mengunakan nikmatnya untuk kebajikan untuk mengabdi kepada Allah bukan istidraj. Dan jangan pula kita tidak mahu kekayaan. Kalau hendak selamat, hidup kita mesti ada pegangan.

Bukan kaya yang kita cari, juga bukan miskin yang kita cari. Tujuan hidup kita adalah mencari keredaan Allah. Bagaimana cara untuk menentukan nikmat yang diredhai Allah? Seseorang itu dapat menyedari hakikat yang sebenarnya tentang nikmat yang diterimanya itu ialah apabila dia bersyukur nikmatnya.

Dia akan mengunakan pemberian ke jalan kebaikan dan sentiasa redha dan ikhlas mengabdikan diri kepada Allah. Maka segala limpah kurnia yang diperolehi itu adalah nikmat pemberian yang diredhai Allah. Bila tujuan hidup kita untuk mencari keredhaan Allah, niscaya selamatlah kita di dunia dan akhirat.

Wallahualam.

"Dari Abdullah bin 'Amr R. A, Rasulullah S. A. W bersabda:

"Sampaikanlah pesanku biarpun satu ayat.."

From my Unkel Man...

JAZAQALLAH for the email below which is an excellent example of what is happening right now among the majority of muslims in the world. I suppose they feel they worked hard to get where they are today & what they have and they feel this has nothing to do with the ‘gift’ from ALLAAH.

We have to believe that everything belongs to ALLAAH and the life we have now is a LOAN from ALLAAH, the things HE has given us are on loan to see if we appreciate his ‘gifts’ to us.

Look at how rich the non believers are! They form the richest community in the world today. We have seen and heard of what has happened to their riches – all in vain as nothing was spent for the sake of ALLAH but for their own Life’s sake…. They had not invested for the Hereafter……. Well, they can only do so if they are believers…

So, the Muslims, being believers must give thanks to ALLAAH for HIS ‘gift’ by following HIS Commands – which is so simple yet so difficult for some to please Allaah.

May ALLAAH bless those who appreciate HIS ‘gifts’ to them, Ameen.

Thank you for sharing this excellent article on INSTIDRAJ with me and may those who read this be blessed for all the things they do for the sake of ALLAAH – Ameen.

It has been an eye-opener for the month of RAMADHAN. May Allaah bless you for sharing this article with all your friends and relatives.. Ameen.

RAMADHAN AL MUBARAK.

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Story for the workaholics...

Just a reminder to myself and others... (Source: forwarded emails) :)

An elderly man in Mumbai calls his son in New York and says, 'I hate to ruin your day son, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are getting a divorce; 35 years of marriage... and that much misery is enough!' 'Dad, what are you talking about?' the son screams.'We can't stand the sight of each other any longer,' the old man says.'We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Hong Kong and tell her!' Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone. 'Like heck they're getting divorced,' she shouts, 'I'll take care of this.' She calls Mumbai immediately, and screams at the old man, 'You are not getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there. I'm calling my brother back, and we'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't do a thing, DO YOU HEAR??' and she hangs up.

The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. 'Okay', he says, 'It's all set. They're both coming for Diwali and paying their own airfare!!'

MORAL:No man / woman is busy in this world all 365 days. The sky is not going to fall down if you take few days LEAVE and meet your dear ones.OFFICE WORK IS NOT EVERYTHING IN LIFE and MONEY MAKING IS NOT EVERYTHINGIN LIFE. AFTER ALL WE WORK FOR SOMEONE ELSE'S DREAM..

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a meaningful story..


A story from my colleague (now x-colleague), Phang, in his farewell note to us, he shared a story that he found had a lot of meaning for him and hopes it has the same effect for us too…so I’m sharing this with all here…

The Bamboo and the Fern
-------------------------------------


There was once a man who got so sick of life, he quit his job, severed all relationship ties and headed into the woods for one last reflection.

There he saw a meditating wise man and told him why he was there.

"Can you give me one good reason not to quit?" the man asked.

The wise man responded to his question with another question, "Look around… Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"

"Yes", the man replied.

The wise man continued, "When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.

On the second year the fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.

On the third year, there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit. On the fourth year, yet again nothing came out from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit.

Then on the fifth year, a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was small and insignificant. But just six months later, the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the last four years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive.

All this time that you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots. The growth of the bamboo was no magic. Yet it towers above the fern in the end. Don't compare yourself to others.

The bamboo has a different purpose from the fern. But together they both make the forest beautiful.

The wise man then looked pointedly at the man and said, "Your time will come. Take your roots and you shall rise high just like the bamboo."

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The Rooster in 2008

OK Roosters...good stuff suppose to be happening this year...let us shine together...btw anyone remember what was said for Roosters last year? Just wanna check if they mentioned all the things that went on for me was true or not...not that I believe...but just like to check once in a while...


for this year..since its a good one...I'm gonna believe it! heheh


Overall Forecast For The Year


Roosters, this is your year to shine! A stellar line-up of auspicious stars in your Life Palace this year are set to work their magic on your life, so sit back and enjoy the ride in 2008. Among these stars is the powerful Heavenly Virtue Star (天德). With this star in your celestial path, situations that are stale or unhealthy somehow turn to good, and there is always a positive end to matters, no matter how dire the circumstance.

The second auspicious star for Roosters is the Sky Happiness Star (天喜). This star heralds happy events and celebrations. It will help foster good relationships at work, and this may lead to securing a new, better position or job. The Sky Happiness Star also presents Noble People who are ready to help and looking out for your interests. Relationships and marriages go smoothly, making this a generally happy year for you.

Yet another good star in your palace is the Prosperity Star (福星), which brings more income, maybe even a promotion, and, overall, a year which will abound with sweet memories for you. The Prosperity Star brings in more than just money – you will also earn gratitude from others, and generate lots of goodwill this year.

The Eight Seats Star (八座), representing justice and integrity, is your fourth auspicious star. This star implicates that if you stick to your principles, you will ultimately prevail. You will see things for what they really are, and learn the truth about some important matters. Besides this, the Eight Seats also denotes support from your family, leading to a smooth year on the whole.

There are only two negative stars in the Rooster Palace this year, and these are the Curled Tongue Star (卷舌) and the Salty Pool Star (咸池). The Curled Tongue Star may bring on more gossip and slander than usual, which may disturb you. Remember that these are only minor inconveniences for you because your many auspicious stars will trump this little problem.

The Salty Pool Star is a Peach Blossom Star (桃花) that represents scandals and romancerelated problems. As with the Curled Tongue Star, these will probably develop positively with the presence of the Sky Happiness Star in your aspect.

This is a year to be enjoyed and fully experienced. Take advantage of the good things that come your way! Even the Peach Blossom issues of this year will be a blessing. If you have been thinking of getting married, this is an excellent year to tie the knot. Those who are married may get involved with a third party through the influence of the Salty Pool Star. Though this affair may be enjoyable this year, it will affect your marriage in the following year, so think thoroughly before you decide to get involved.

Copyright © 2007 by Joey Yap. All right reserved worldwide.

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Article: Positive Thinking...

Here's something my boss forwarded to my team a few days back...

It's something good to refresh us once in a while...sometimes I fall into the spell of negative thinking...That's when I stop doing things efficiently... Here's me reminding you to always think positive.. :)

For your reading pleasure...

Original Article:http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/positive-thinking/SR00009

Positive thinking: Practice this stress management skill

Is your glass half-empty or half-full? How you answer this age-old question about positive thinking may reflect your outlook on life, your attitude toward yourself, and whether you're optimistic or pessimistic.

In fact, some studies show that these personality traits — optimism and pessimism — can affect how well you live and even how long you live.

With this in mind, take a refresher course in positive thinking. Learn how to put positive thinking into action. Positive thinking is a key part of an effective stress management strategy.


Understanding positive thinking and self-talk

Self-talk is the endless stream of thoughts that run through your head every day. These automatic thoughts can be positive or negative. Some of your self-talk comes from logic and reason. Other self-talk may arise from misconceptions that you create because of lack of information.

If the thoughts that run through your head are mostly negative, your outlook on life is likely pessimistic. If your thoughts are mostly positive, you're likely an optimist — someone who practices positive thinking.

Living longer and happier through positive thinking

Researchers continue to explore the effects of positive thinking and optimism on health. Health benefits that positive thinking may provide include:

  • Decreased negative stress
    Greater resistance to catching the common cold
    A sense of well-being and improved health
    Reduced risk of coronary artery disease
    Easier breathing if you have certain lung diseases, such as emphysema
    Improved coping ability for women with high-risk pregnancies
    Better coping skills during hardships

It's unclear why people who engage in positive thinking experience these health benefits. But one theory is that having a positive outlook enables you to cope better with stressful situations, which reduces the harmful health effects of stress on your body.


How positive thinking gives way to negative thinking


But what if your self-talk is mainly negative? That doesn't mean you're doomed to an unhappy life. Negative self-talk just means that your own misperceptions, lack of information and distorted ideas have overpowered your capacity for logic and reason.


Some common forms of negative and irrational self-talk include:

  • Filtering. You magnify the negative aspects of a situation and filter out all of the positive ones. For example, say you had a great day at work. You completed your tasks ahead of time and were complimented for doing a speedy and thorough job. But you forgot one minor step. That evening, you focus only on your oversight and forget about the compliments you received.
  • Personalizing. When something bad occurs, you automatically blame yourself. For example, you hear that an evening out with friends is canceled and you assume that the change in plans is because no one wanted to be around you.
  • Catastrophizing. You automatically anticipate the worst. You refuse to go out with friends for fear that you'll make a fool of yourself. Or one change in your daily routine leads you to think the entire day will be a disaster.
  • Polarizing. You see things only as either good or bad, black or white. There is no middle ground. You feel that you have to be perfect or that you're a total failure.


You can learn positive thinking


Instead of giving in to these kinds of negative self-talk, weed out misconceptions and irrational thinking and then challenge them with rational, positive thoughts. When you do this, your self-talk will gradually become realistic and self-affirming — you engage in positive thinking.


You can learn to turn negative thinking into positive thinking. The process is simple, but it takes time and practice — you are creating a new habit, after all.

Periodically during the day, stop and evaluate what you're thinking. If you find that your thoughts are mainly negative, try to find a way to put a positive spin on them.


Start by following one simple rule: Don't say anything to yourself that you wouldn't say to anyone else.Examples of typical negative self-talk and how you might apply a positive thinking twist include:



Negative self-talk vs Positive spin

I've never done it before./ It's an opportunity to learn something new.
It's too complicated. / I'll tackle it from a different angle.
I don't have the resources./ Necessity is the mother of invention.
There's not enough time./ Let's re-evaluate some priorities.
There's no way it will work./ I can try to make it work.
It's too radical a change./ Let's take a chance.
No one bothers to communicate with me./ I'll see if I can open the channels of communication.
I'm not going to get any better at this./ I'll give it another try.



Practicing positive thinking every day


If you tend to have a negative outlook, don't expect to become an optimist overnight. But with practice, eventually your self-talk will automatically contain less self-criticism and more self-acceptance. You may also become less critical of the world around you.


Practicing positive self-talk will improve your outlook. When your state of mind is generally optimistic, you're able to handle everyday stress in a constructive way. That ability may contribute to the widely observed health benefits of positive thinking.


By Mayo Clinic Staff May 31, 2007
© 1998-2008 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Reliable tools for healthier lives," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
SR00009

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Sample Luck, Prosperity and Longevity Reading for Me...

I thought of wanting to rest..but then got bored & found this...
You believe these stuff? I like to saja2 try it..but it doesn't mean anything to me la...

Your Chinese Astrology Signs:

Year: Metal Rooster
Month: Fire Monkey
Day: Water Rat



Your Luck, Prosperity and Longevity Reading

This reading is based on your Year, Month, Day and Hour of birth. From ancient times, the Chinese have believed that certain parameters of your luck and fate were set at your moment of birth. The Chinese are not strict determinists, however, and do believe people can use the information in their charts to improve their lives. It's useful, for example, to know whether you can expect to be lucky and which of the Three Blessings are involved. Then you can prepare in order to maximize the benefits of instances of good luck while minimizing the negative effects of those times when no or bad luck prevails.

As you go through your reading it is important to think in terms of patterns and to look for recurring themes. Human beings and their lives are complex, so no one comment can tell everything. The following reading has been prepared using carefully selected indicators. Ten are used for each of the three blessings, Luck, Prosperity and Longevity or Health.

Luck varies according to time and area of life. By one indicator you could thus be very lucky and another unlucky. This is not a contradiction but, rather, a reflection of the variability principle ruling Luck. It can come and go. It can vary according to age. It can be positive in one area and negative in another.

Unlike Luck, the second blessing, Prosperity, is relatively fixed. That, however, does not refer to timing or the amount you might achieve but rather to your potential for achieving it. It might happen quickly or rather late in life. Or, your financial situation could fluctuate throughout life. Finally, within the parameters of your Fate, you have wide latitude to determine your final outcome.

In this reading the third blessing, Longevity, is expanded to include Health in general. This is logical since Health is a significant contributor to Longevity. It also gives you additional insight into your Fate.

As you can see it is divided into three parts, one for each of The Three Blessings. Luck, although one of the three, is the first among equals as it directly affects them all. It is thus the first blessing to be discussed.


Section 1 --- Luck

Introduction

Luck varies greatly from person to person and even at different times in the life of one person. Rarely is a person's Luck all good or all bad. Just as life itself is complicated, so is an analysis of your Luck. To address this complexity this section addresses ten indicators from your chart and will conclude with an overall evaluation of your Luck. You, nevertheless, will be best served by focusing on the details to follow rather than your Luck rating. Your ultimate success in life is more likely to be determined by your degree of self understanding, attitude, and the effort you put forth to achieve your goals. Luck only reflects opportunity afforded by Fate; your destiny is still in your hands, as it is you who chooses what to do with your Luck.

Element Mix

Balance is a strong value according to the Chinese. Its virtues, for example, are extolled in Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching. It is not surprising, then, that the balance revealed in the element matrix of your chart is a strong indicator of your Luck.

Wood Fire Earth Metal Water
2 4 0 3 3


Your elements are distributed as follows: 43320. This is slightly unbalanced but relatively normal, showing one strong, three, approximately average and one weak area in terms of your capabilities and life stages. This is NEUTRAL, as you should have sufficient chi (energy/life force) to take advantage of opportunities and to deal with problems during most of your life, with only one period of significant weakness. (gosh got more problems coming?? well bring it on..it says I can deal with it!! :) )

Element Cycle

Cyclicality is another key idea in Chinese thought. In Chinese astrology the elements are thought to occur in the following, favorable cycle: Wood - Fire - Earth - Metal - Water - Wood .... There is also an unfavorable cycle: Wood - Earth - Water - Fire - Metal - Wood ....

The natural cycle begins with Wood, which represents spring and new growth. Wood is thus the natural element of the first stage in a person's life. The particular cycles of individuals, however, vary according to their signs. It is lucky if your cycle matches the natural one, unlucky if it corresponds to the unfavorable one, or neutral if otherwise

The first stage of your life cycle is ruled by the element, Wood, which is the natural element ruling new life. This is LUCKY, as your element is in harmony with the natural order. This not only favors you in the first stage but also throughout life, as your ruling element will match the natural element in every, succeeding one. (does this mean I should still try my luck in the share market!!?)

Year of Birth

The element cycle also offers insight into whether your year of birth is favorable or not. This, by the way, is different from whether the year is favorable for you. The stars may be aligned against you in your birth year, making it a difficult one. You, nevertheless, benefit your whole life if the year element nourishes your fixed element. In the same manner a destructive element indicates challenges throughout your life. The other three are neutral.

Your birth year element, Metal, is the same as your fixed element. This is NEUTRAL in terms of your luck. It neither adds to nor detracts from your chi (energy/life force). (yea yea yea..it doesn' tell me anything!)

Want your reading, get it at http://www.astrology.com/site_map.html

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