GOD'S GIFT - THE BEAUTY IN LIFE

"GOD IS GREAT - I always think that I will die tomorrow, and YET I look forward to the wake of DAY" - Writer

Winners lose much more often than losers. So if you keep losing but you're still trying, keep it up! You're right on track.

Seek the lofty by reading, hearing and seeing great work at some moment every day

If you do not hope, you will not find what is beyond your hopes

BUTTERFLY SERIES

The a b c of quotes

aspiration: "Man ought always to have something that he prefers to life; otherwise life itself will seem to him tiresome and void." - Seume

behaviour: "Behaviour is a mirror in which every one displays his image." - Goethe

character: "The great thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving." - O. W. Holmes

diligence: "What we hope ever to do with ease, we must learn first to do with diligence." - Johnson

From: The New Dictionary of Thoughts

George Bernard Shaw said:

From: DON'T BE SAD: by: 'Aaidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni

Translated by: Faizal ibn Muhammad Shafeeq

Smile - Pause to reflect (same as above)

Siksa orang yang shalat tanpa wudhu'

Roh: by: ibnul Qayyim Translated by: Syed Ahmad Semait

THE FUNDAMENTALS OF HAPPINESS

From: DON'T BE SAD

FOREVER FRIENDS

An Introduction to Religious & Spiritual Experience by: Marianne Rankin

YOUR BEST COMPANION IS A BOOK

from: DON'T BE SAD

Suatu rahsia halus yang harus di perhatikan

From: ROH

THE BENEFITS OF READING

From: DON'T BE SAD

THE BENEFITS OF READING

1. Reading repels anxiety and grief.

2. While busy reading, one is prevented from delving into falsehood.

3. Habitual reading makes one too busy to keep company with the idle and the inactive.

4. By reading often, one develops eloquence and clarity in speech.

5. Reading helps to develop the mind and purify its thoughts.

6. Reading increases one in knowledge and improves both memory and understanding.

7. By reading, one benefits from the experiences of others: the wisdom of the wise and the understanding of scholars.

8. By reading often, one develops the ability to both acquire and process knowledge and to learn about the different fields of knowledge and their applications to life.

9. One's faith will increase when one reads beneficial books, especially books written by practicing Muslim writers. The book is the best giver of sermons and it has a forceful effect in guiding one towards goodness and away from evil.

10. Reading helps to relax one's mind from distraction and to save one's time from being wasted.

11. By reading often, one gain a mastery over many words and learns the different constructions of sentences; moreover, one improves his ability to grasp concepts and to understand what is written "between the lines".

"Nourishment of the soul is in concepts and meanings,

And not in food and drink."

SPARE A MOMENT TO PONDER .....

Suatu rahasia halus yang harus diperhatikan

Di sini ada suatu rahasia yang halus, yang harus diberikan perhatian dan kesedaran kepadanya, serta menharapkan taufiq bagi orang yang belum mendapat taufiq, iaitu bahawasanya Allah S.W.T. menjadikan bagi tiap-tiap anggota dari anggota-anggota tubuh manusia kesempurnaan. Apabila kesempurnaan tidak ada pada dirinya, niscaya ia akan berada di dalam ketakutan, kerusingan dan ketidak-tenteraman disebabkan kehilangan kesempurnaan ini. Umpamanya kesempurnaan mata mesti lah dengan penglihatan, kesempurnaan telinga dengan pendengaran, kesempurnaan lisan dengan bertutur-kata, dan seterusnya. Sekiranya anggota-anggota ini tidak mempunyai kekuatan yang dengannya ia menjadi sempurna, niscaya akan berlakulah kepedihan dan kekurangan disebabkan kehilangan alat-alat itu. Maka Allah S.W.T. telah menjadikan kesempurnaan hati itu pada kenikmatannya, kegembiraannya, kelazatannya dan kemuncak riangnya dalam makrifat Zat Allah S.W.T. penujuan hati kepadaNya, dan kepada kecintaanNya serta bertaubat kepadaNya, di samping suka mengingatiNya, asyik serta bermesra denganNya. Sekiranya hati itu tersisih dari semua ini, niscaya ia akan merasakan siksa yang amat sangat, yang mana siksanya lebih berat daripada mata yang kehilangan cahaya pemandangan, dan daripada lisan yang kehilangan daya bertutur dan merasa. Pada hakikatnya, tiada jalan kepada thumakninah dengan apa cara sekalipun, kendatipun dia memperoleh dunia dan segala sebab-musahabnya, dan ilmu pengetahuan sampai berapa banyak sekalipun yang dicapainya, melainkan sesudah menjadikan Allah semata-mata sebagai tempat menumpu kecintaannya menjadikan Tuhan tempat tertumpu penyembahannya dan kemuncak apa yang diharap-harapkannya, dan bahawasanya hendaklah Dia saja menjadi tempat permohonannya untuk mencapai segala apa yang dicita-citakannya.

Jelaslah kini, bahawa hakikat perkara itu, ialah tiada thumakninah baginya tanpa merealisasikan konsep 'Iyyaka Na'budu wa Iyyaka Nasta'iin' (hanya kepada Engkau sajalah kami menyembah, dan kepada Engkau pula kami meminta pertolongan).

YOUR BEST COMPANION IS A BOOK

An activity that brings about joy is for you to read a book and develop your mind through the acquisition of knowledge.

Al-Jaahiz, an Arab writer from centuries ago, advised one to repel anxiety through the reading of books:

"The book is a companion that does not praise you and does not entice you to evil. It is a friend that does not bore you, and it is a neighbour that cause you no harm. It is an acquaintance that desires not to extract from you favours through flattery, and it does not deceive you with duplicity and lies. When you are pouring through the pages of a book, your senses are stimulated and your intellect sharpens... Through reading the biographies of others, you gain an appreciation of common people while learning the ways of kings. It can even be said that you sometimes learn from the pages of a book in a month, that which you do not learn from the tongues of men in a century.

All this benefit, yet no loss in wealth and no need to stand at the door of the teacher who is waiting for his fees or to learn from someone who is lower than you in manners. The book obeys you by night as it does by day, both when you are travelling and when you are at home. A book is not impaired by sleep nor does it tire in the late hours of the night. It is the teacher who is there for you whenever you are in need of it, and it is the teacher who, if you refuse to give to it, does not refuse to give to you. If you abandon it, it does not decrease in obedience. And when all turn against you, showing you enmity, it remains by your side. As long as you are remotely attached to a book, it suffices you from having to keep company with those that are idle. It prevents you from sitting on your doorstep and watching those who pass by. It saves you from mixing with those that are frivolous in their character, foul in their speech, and woeful in their ignorance. If the only benefit of a book was that it keeps you from foolish daydreaming and prevents you from frivolity, it would certainly be considered a true friend who has given you a great favour."

FOREVER FRIENDS

My No. 2 BOOK GIFT from Marianne Rankin. I worked for her husband, John Rankin:

Years: 1977 to 1993

Marianne Rankin 2008

Printed and bound in Great Britain

Contents: Religious Triggers of Spiritual Experience: Pilgrimage

THE FUNDAMENTALS OF HAPPINESS

"Live in this world as if you are a stranger or a traveller who is just passing through."

1. Know that if you do not live within the scope of today, your thoughts will be scattered, your affairs will become confused and your worrying will increase - these realities explain the hadith:

"When you are in the morning, do not expect to see the evening, and when you are in the evening, do not expect to see the morning."

2. Forget the past and all that it contained. Being absorbed in things that are gone is sheer lunacy

3. Do not be preoccupied with the future. Because the future is in the world of the unseen, do not let it bother you until it comes.

4. Do not be shaken by criticiscm; instead, be firm. And know that, in proportion to your worth, the level of people's criticism rises.

5. Faith in Allah and good deeds; these are the ingredients that make up a good and happy life.

6. Whoever desires peace, tranquility, and comfort can find it all in the remembrance of Allah.

7. You should know with certainty that everything that happens, occurs in accordance with a divine decree.

8. Do not expect gratitude from anyone.

9. Train yourself to be ready and prepared for the worst eventuality.

10. Perhaps what has happened is in your best interest (though you may not comprehend how that is so).

11. Everything that is decreed for the Muslim is best for him.

12. Enumerate the blessings of Allah and be thankful for them.

13. You are better off than many others.

14. Relief comes from one hour to the next.

15. In both times of hardship and ease, one should turn to supplication and prayer.

16. Calamities should strengthen your heart and reshape your outlook in a positive sense.

17. Indeed, with each difficulty there is relief.

18. Do not let trifles be the cause of your destruction.

19. Indeed, your Lord is Oft-Forgiving.

20. Do not be angry... Do not be angry... Do not be angry.

21. Life is bread, water, and shade; so do not be perturbed by a lack of any other material thing.

22. Most evil that is supposed to happen never occurs.

23. Look at those who are afflicted and be thankful.

24. When Allah loves a people, He makes them endure trials.

25. You should constantly repeat those supplication that the Prophet (bpuh) taught us to say during times of hardship.

26. Work hard at something that is productive, and cast off idleness.

27. Don't spread rumours and don't listen to them. If you hear a rumour inadvertently, then don't believe it.

28. Your malice and your striving to seek revenge are much more harmful to your health than they are to your antagonist.

29. The hardships that befall you atone for your sins.

A GENTLE REMINDER

Siksa orang yang shalat tanpa wudhu'

Ada seorang lelaki dari kota Madinah, dia mempunyai seorang saudara perempuan yang tinggal di salah sebuah kampungnya. Dia selalu mengadu sakit, lantaran itu saudara lelakinya selalu datang menziarahinya. Pada suatu hari dia telah meninggal dunia, maka saudaranya telah menanamnya. Apabila kembali dia teringat ada suatu barang yang terjatuh daripadanya di tepi kubur itu. Dia pun pergi kepada seorang teman meminta menemaninya pergi ke kubur itu. Mereka cuba mengenepikan batu-batu yang menutup kubur itu, sehingga dia menemui semula barang yang terjatuh daripadanya itu. Kemudian dia mengatakan kepada temannya: Cuba ke tepi sedikit, aku hendak melihat kubur saudara perempuanku sekejap. Maka dia pun mengangkat tutup kuburnya, dan dilihatnya kubur itu sedang bernyala api. Dia pun segera menutup semula kubur itu, lalu dikembalikan semula semua batu-batu yang di atas kubur itu serta diratakannya.

Dia lalu pergi mendapatkan ibunya seraya bertanya: Apa hal saudara perempuanku? Jawab ibunya: Apa yang hendak kau tahu lagi, bukankah dia sudah mati? Dia terus menanya ibunya: Beritahulah aku, apa dia buat di masa hidupnya? Jawab ibunya: Saudara perempuanmu itu selalu mencuaikan sembahyangnya, dan kadang-kadang dia bersembahyang tanpa wudhu'. Dia sering mengintip pintu jiran-jirannya dan menyampaikan berita mereka kepada orang lain.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

"And if you smile in the face of your brother, then that is a form of charity."

Smile - Pause to reflect

When you experienced sadness yesterday, your situation didn't get any better by you being sad. Your son failed in school, and you became depressed, yet did your depression change the fact that he failed? Your father passed away, and you became downhearted, yet did that bring him back to life? You lost your business, and you became saddened. Did this change your situation by transforming losses into profits?

Do not be sad: You became despondent due to a calamity, and by doing so, created additional calamities. You became depressed because of poverty, and this only increased the bitterness of your situation. You became gloomy because of what your enemies said to you; by entering into that mental state, you unwittingly helped them in their attack against you. You became sullen because you expected a particular misfortune, and yet it never came to pass.

Do not be sad: Truly a large mansion will not protect you from the effect of depression; and neither will a beautiful wife, abundant wealth, a high position, or brilliant children.

Do not be sad: Sadness causes you to imagine poison when you are really looking at pure water, to see a cactus when you are looking at a rose, to see a barren desert when you are looking at a lush garden, and to feel that you are in an unbearable prison when you are living on a vast and spacious earth.

Do not be sad: You have two eyes, two ears, lips, two hands, two legs, a tongue, a heart, peace, safety, and a healthy body.

George Bernard Shaw said:

"Perhaps the secret of depression is in allowing yourself to have time for superfluous thought, especially in whether you are happy or not. Don't allow such thought to creep into your mind; rather, you should remain steadfast in working. When you apply yourself to a serious task, your blood will begin to circulate and your mind will be spurred into action. You will find that your new life has quickly been removed of anxiety and worrisome thoughts. Work, and do so on a continual basis; for this is the most inexpensive remedy available on the face of the earth and the most effective."

DO IT! - D U I T

Sounds synonymous - English and Bahasa. It is just like a 2 year old kid learning to talk. I recollect my nieghbour's two year old son who speaks in syllables example the word "bola" he would say "bol la."

In islamic term the abbreviation D U I T is:

D for DOA

U for USAHA

I for ISTIGHFAR

T for TAWAKAL

Last December 2008 I attended ESQ LEADERSHIP TRAINING at Batam. ESQ stands for: Emotional, Spiritual Quotient. 3 solid days of training. A training we never get a chance to fall asleep, open our ears, open our eyes for visuals, open our hearts, up on our feet, role plays, lots of fun and packets of tissues (sob...sob...sob) - banyak keinsafan!

7 NILAI DASAR ESQ

1. JUJUR adalah pengabdian kepada AL MU'MIN

2. TANGGUNG JAWAB adalah pengabdian kepada AL WAKIIL

3. VISIONER adalah pengabdian kepada AL AAKHIR

4. DISIPLIN adalah pengabdian kepada AL MATIIN

5. KERJASAMA adalah pengabdian kepada AL JAAMI'

6. ADIL adalah pengabdian kepada AL 'ADL

7. PEDULI adalah pengabdian kepada AS SAMII' dan AL BASHIIR


Excerpt from ESQ MAGAZINE June 2008 issue


ENERGI SUARA HATI

Bila dicermati, kisah-kisah sukses para pebisnis kelas dunia, memerlihatkan suatu kesamaan, terasahnya kecerdasan spiritual menjadi sumber kekuatan laur biasa penggerak bisnis mereka. Perlu ditekankan disini bahwa spiritualitas, sebagaimana diperkenalkan dalam pelatihan Emotional Spiritual Quotation (ESQ), tidak mesti berkaitan langsung dengan agama. Kecerdasan spiritual itu dipandang sebagai potensi yang secara universal dimiliki oleh setiap manusia.

Dalam Model ESQ, yang bersumber pada konsep Satu Ihsan, Enam Rukun Iman dan Lima Rukun Islam (165), potensi kecerdasan spiritual itu diyakini sebagai pantulan sifat-sifat unggul yang terpancar dari Nama-Nama Allah SWT (Asmaul Husna). Potensi itu terpantul melalui ruh yang ditiupkan pada setiap manusia. Tugas manusialah untuk mengasahnya agar teraktualisasi menjadi energi. Model ESQ adalah sebuah ikhtiar untuk menguraikan dan mengasah potensi-potensi itu, dengan mengidentifikasi tujuh dari 99 Asmaul Husna. Ketujuh potensi atau suara hati, yang kami sebut Tujuh Budi Utama (Jujur, Tanggungjawab, Visioner, Disiplin, Kerjasama, Adil dan Peduli) itu menjadi pijakan awal untuk mengenali jati diri, betapa manusia sesungguhnya memiliki potensi yang kaya.

Founder of ESQ Leadership Centre: Ary Ginanjar Agustian, Indonesian

JUJUR - HONESTY

An extract from ESQ magazine June 2008