A new post! Yayyy!
It is almost the end of this great month of Ramadhan. This year is different. Usually, I have a long list to keep and make sure I will be able to check them by the end of the month. However, this time, I do not have a very long list. In fact, I do not have a to-do list.
But, I have my to-be list. A list of characters which I want to ensure I become, not just do.
Interestingly, I think this year is the year where I meet a lot of new people from different backgrounds. Starting with different organizations I joined in college, working with different teams of projects, different people of colors in the Masjid and people I meet through my trips. Yes, I just came back from the most exciting trip! (to me at least). But we’ll discuss that in other posts, insyaAllah( God Willing).
This time, I just want to jot down things I learned and still learning to be and how I discover the importance of those as well as what I got when I actually change my attitude. The most important thing is, why you should too :)
Being a Muslim, we always motivated to do better every day. And when the blessed month comes, it just happens that we want to make sure we make use of it the best way. One day I encountered a saying which we all know by heart:
Muhammad was once asked: and what is the most likely to send people to paradise?
BE CONSCIOUS OF GOD and GOOD MANNER.
So, then I look into a mirror and asked my own self; Do I have enough of both to take me into paradise?
Let be honest here, well, not even near. So I must do something about it. And maybe I should use this month as the time frame. Start acknowledging what is lacking and be one!
Okay, before I proceed, I must mention here that This not at all an attempt to say how do I am and how bad anyone is. This just to share an experience of how a simple act could make you so much happier
Let others have the glory!
Trust me, it is really useless to fight against who’s right. Especially on things that do not really matter. You are wasting your energy and maybe it will cost you a friend. There are reasons why in Islam, we should leave unnecessary debates. Yes, sometimes you just want to prove that you are right or you want to tell people how special you are. There is indeed nothing wrong with that but sometimes you just gotta be smart and mature enough to leave the conversation without telling everyone how great you are. That is called ego!
Why do I choose to put this as the first thing to share? Sadly, within the Muslim community, I must say we still need a lot of improvements in this aspect. I see people fight a lot. It hurts me to see adults fighting over each other just to prove who’s better while we know those things doesn’t matter. People can not talk for days, for months and years just for a stupid reason. How can we be united if everyone resists to just lose a little, for the sake to make others happy?
Well, I am also guilty of doing this and that is why it is on my list. The next time you are about to go into an argument, or you are about to mention how wonderful you are, just drop your ego and choose to be kind over being right.
Next, a very similar thing to start being is, resist the urge to criticize! Almost every day, we will encounter things that are unappealing to our eyes and incomplete to our personal standards. It can be a way of doing things or a look of something or anything. Our tongues are fast to criticize. We might be saying the truth but did we realize how much it can hurt feelings? Just for your own, how much time did people come up to you and criticize something about you and you would sincerely respond by saying “ I really appreciate you pointing out my flaws”?
We all need to be truthful and honest but if it is something that is doesn’t really matter, why should you create a scene? We all want to live a peaceful life. Therefore, sometimes when we dislike something, it is a lot better to keep it to ourselves. And you know what, when you stop criticizing, you will realize that you are starting to be more tolerant and appreciative.
One bonus manner that you would learn from this is patience. You will start being cool and not just busy pointing out flaws of others. Chill dear, why so serious?
To end this, I would like to make mention again, put away your ego, stop mentioning your good deed because it will definitely put you far from sincerity. When you are in a debate, smile and let them win if it is really worthless to stand up for. Put away your pride and stop pointing mistakes of others because you know you want to be a human with good manner.
Till then, let’s do this!
