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

salaams ummie aminata

these are indeed hard hitting questions that u pose and i wish i could get the answers as well. the part where u mention that most of us live in our minds and play the negative tape over and over again. in that one sentence u have summed up my life.

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:

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, environments. Some live in their minds spending allot of time in their head running negative tapes? over and over again.

There are too many questions that are good! My lunch break is almost gone J

The tapes are from our upbringing. Most of what we hear about ourselves is quite negative.  We get grated, rated, evaluated and judged as children. We are always being given �help� to improve. Which is not a bad thing to a degree but then it puts into our heads fairly negative tapes. This in turn, really affects our lives.  AS you said we do not live lives of peace. Sometimes I often feel myself on an island as these oceans and currents go around and around. How much backbiting, negative competition, judgements do we all face each day? How can this not but affect us to some degree? We are human after all.

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. Not that history is not important to learn from� but over emphasis can be a problem.  

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?

Look like.. well there are so many images actually.. I may turn poetic.   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.

How do you know about achieving it.. well I think it is truly rare to have it all the time. That is the challenge to being human. I feel I have had true moments.  But to be completely unaffected by things is difficult. Plus never mind our hormones and own emotional needs. I think that, this may sound weird, but you must embrace life, the good, the bad, and the ugly. For what we do not truly understand is why there are such terrible  things. How often do we wonder about the suffering of the innocent.. We look at tragedy and it makes us think.  Often we think it is terrible to have pain and suffering. And the thing is can we embrace it? That suffering is life.

How important: I strive to be internally peaceful and more with others as well. I do fail often. But that is what we are here for. Nothing wrong with failing.  It is like pick yourself up and try again.

PS: great list on the books!

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

Assalamualaikim sisters,

I agree that we are faced with so much challenges almost every day. As what Sister Hayfa has written, I, too fail most of the time but I try to pick myself up and learn from the mistake.Only Allah knows why I have done what I did instead of what should rightfully be done.I am faced with voices that question my integrity as a Muslim which I am still striving harder to become a better one. The challenges, even the slightest can sometimes put me into a debate with myself, my beliefs and in being a better Muslim. Anger, jealousy, selfishness sometimes tend to overwhelm me and cloud my better judgement.

What I am trying to say is that I feel so relieved that there are also people who are going through the same thing as I am, and that there is a post for us to share our thoughts and emotions.It feels good to just read the words of comfort from all of you. :)

Well smile sweetly and change the subject..

People can be so busy-body!  Honestly some of these things are labels.. it is what your beliefs in your heart and mind. No one else can say what you are or are not.

Salaam Mona

If some jacko whacko said that to me I'd say something along the lines of " Thank God, there is no real Christanity."

Salaam