How can we improve in our striving? This is something we started to look at in the last input. I mentioned self-assessment, to evaluate our actions, intentions, and behavior, making it a habit, as it will help us practice mindfulness. I mentioned making goals in order to keep ourselves focused and develop a stronger self-awareness. I also mentioned reading, as it may help us gain a larger understanding of ethics and morality overall.
Any knowlesge that increases understanding and wisdom is a good thing… as long as we verify that the information comes from a good source. This is why academical essays and written reports always rely on credible source material. And actually, it is advisable in any general situation too, as the Quran points out…
سورة الحجرات ٦
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِن جَآءَكُمۡ فَاسِقُۢ بِنَبَإٖ فَتَبَيَّنُوٓاْ أَن تُصِيبُواْ قَوۡمَۢا بِجَهَٰلَةٖ فَتُصۡبِحُواْ عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلۡتُمۡ نَٰدِمِينَ
Surah Al-Hujuraat 49:6
O ye who believe! If a wicked person comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth, lest ye harm people unwittingly, and afterwards become full of repentance for what ye have done.
We can take the topic of reading a bit further by considering something important…
* Role Models. Identify and study the lives of good moral examples, such as our Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), but also those who came before him. We may be familiar with the stories, but a good point to consider and try to figure out is what made each of them special in their own way…
سورة البقرة ٢٥٣
تِلْكَ الرُّسُلُ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ ۘ مِّنْهُم مَّن كَلَّمَ اللَّهُ ۖ وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَهُمْ دَرَجَاتٍ ۚ وَآتَيْنَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَأَيَّدْنَاهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:253
Those messengers We endowed with gifts, some above others: To one of them Allah spoke; others He raised to degrees (of honour); to Jesus the son of Mary We gave clear (Signs), and strengthened him with the holy spirit.
Every person is different and this is true of the messengers as well. To think more deeply on how they are different or how they acted differently in situations, may become an interesting journey that might help to teach us new things and give us some good ideas, inshallah…
In fact, you might challenge yourself with what you learn about ethics and morality and see if that somehow describes any of the messengers. What makes one person stand out to be chosen by Allah? Can we use what we have read about ethics to describe it? This is how we make learning interesting. There is the saying, knowledge is power. Indeed, ya abdallah, ya amatullah… it is. If we consider what we learn, then it gives us the power to judge right from wrong.
سورة البقرة ٢٦٩
وَمَن يُؤۡتَ ٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ فَقَدۡ أُوتِيَ خَيۡرٗا كَثِيرٗاۗ
Surah Al-Baqara 2:269
and whoever is given wisdom has been given much good
Some time ago, I studied a course called “Moral Philosophy” at the university, and I kept the book that we used during the education. I might check to see if I still have some of the work I did for the course. If I find some interesting information, I might use some points from my academical writing in the next input, inshallah. We will also continue to look at more points that might be helpful in our efforts to reach Jannah, inshallah, so make sure to not miss the next update.
For now, I hope you found this input inspiring. A beautiful and blessed Friday to all of you. Jumma Mubarak, and a time full of safety and comfort inshallah, from the heart.
The best of times to you all inshallah.
Peace, happiness, and stay faithful.
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