Peace, Patience, Purpose

Salaam Ladies!

I'm sure most of you have heard sayings such as " Patience is a virtue."

I hear Imam's preach that "Islam is the religion of peace." Yet, many of us do not live in peace and many of awake to quite violent, turbulent, unstable, enviournments. Some live in their minds spending allot of time in their head running negative tapes? over and over again.

What does a state of peace look like? what does it feel like? how do you know you have achieved an inner and external state of peace? how important is living in peace important to you?

Allah through out the Qur'an constantly reminds the believers to be patient and " to seek help through prayer and patience." Yet, waiting out hardship, tolerating crisis's, controlling anexity, worry, and doubt, make it difficult to be patient.

What has life taught you about the virtue of patience? Do you ever enjoy being patient?

And finally, Allah tells us that we were created to worship him, yet, I find many Muslims young and old alike, confused about what their purpose is, it's as if they feel they have no real meanging for themselves.

What do you believe your purpose is and how does it contribute to worshipping Allah?

I know people can't respond to all questions but I'm enjoying learning, and getting to know others.

Salaam

wa alaikum salaam Rookiyah

Thanks for responding.  I do know the anserws to the questions in relation to my life and family, however, these things may mean different things to different people. I love to celebrate real diversity- that is diversity of thought- I celebrate differences. I want to talk about the issues that are missing from halaqa's and Khutbahs. I want to know what others feel and think.

I believe everybody has struggled with negativity which for many may be depression disguised. I have been there and done that. I get better and stronger every year. Here are some books I found to helpful:

How much backbiting, negative competition, judgements do we all face each day?

You know sister, I read an article in JUMMAH magazine that said we experience over I believe the number was 20,ooo assualts on our self-esteem everyday. No wonder so many people need zoloft to just wake up.

How often people get caught up on what happened before.. we can replay a slight a hurt? How often do you hear people talk about these people did bad to my people and you find our it was 120  or even 500 years ago.

so true

To me it is a night snowfall, my sleeping cat, the smell of a wet fall day, it is the Andes mountains, or the kids I teach laughing having a good time.

Ma'sha'Allah  I love hearing my Muslim sister's talk like this.

Often we think it is terrible to have pain and suffering. And the thing is can we embrace it? That suffering is life.

I often wonder, where did this attitude that you don't have to struggle or suffer come from? I'm trying to figure it out? Have we been sold on McDondals, I-Pods, and vibrators as a society that we don't expect struggle or hard work? Is it any wonder why people divorce? Is it any wonder why parents have severely disturbed children with all types of conduct disorders?

Tawwasuf, deals with this by telling people " hey look crush your ego instead of blow it up." May Allah help me to do this. But what I've found is that if you pay attention to your own thoughts you see your ego in a way you didn't notice before. If you experience injustice, hardship, pain, or anything else who ever said you have to feel or be: 

angry, hateful, frusterated

depressed discouraged disappointed

jealous, envious, vengeful

The devil didn't make you do it, we choose to listen and than we choose to follow those whispers.Allot of our inner jihad is talking back to the voices, standing up to them and fighting to not become undone.

Salaam