Awe

[History]

Awe is a way of being in rapport with the mystery of all reality. The awe that we sense or ought to sense when standing in the presence of a human being is a moment of intuition for the likeness of God which is concealed in His essence. Not only man; even inanimate things stand in a relation to the Creator. The secret of every being is the divine care and concern that are invested in it. Something sacred is at stake in every event.

Awe is an intuition for the creaturely dignity of all things and their preciousness to God; a realization that things not only are what they are but also stand, however remotely, for something absolute. Awe is a sense for the transcendence, for the reference everywhere to Him who is beyond all things.

--Abraham J. Heschel, God in Search of Man (1959), pp. 74-75



Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, who makes the work of Creation.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, whose strength and power fill the universe.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, who has such [remarkable] things in Your world.

Various Berachot: Blessings for seeing the wondrous works of nature


Respectfully,
History

[AbuMubarak]

History

May Allah guide you closer to His Obedience

* Umar bin Khattab (ra) left to people 18 statements of wisdom:
1- When someone transgresses upon your rights (and in doing so
disobeys Allah) the way to 'revenge' is to obey Allah in dealing
with him. (use reason/rules instead of anger)

2- When something comes to you from your brother, accept it as
something good, unless you have overwhelming evidence against it.
(hush dhann- thinking good of people)

3- Don't take the word of a Muslim as ill. When there is a way of
seeing it positively, take it that way. Find one good
interpretation out of 10.

4- Avoid positions that will make others doubt you. (ie disobey
Allah publicly, hang out with ppl who don't care, at all time and
places)

5- Do not blame others. When you have a secret, its under your
control, but when you tell someone else, that control is not yours
anymore. People fall under different factors and pressures, so do
not blame others.

6- Always take care of the brothers and sisters of truth. Be with
them always. They will protect you. They are always a beautiful
ornament. In good times you will have ease, and in time of
difficulty, you will have protection and support.

7- Be strict and careful in choosing your friends.

8- Always be with the truth even against your own life.

9- Don't indulge in that which is meaningless. Every moment of our
life is meaningful- use it to worship Allah subhanawat'ala

10- Don't ask about that which didn't happen. You already have
enough to deal with, be practical, deal with immediate problems not
the future of ghayb.

11- Don't ask for your need to be fulfilled from someone who
wouldn't like your need to be fulfilled. Try to be self-sufficient
as individuals and as an ummah, muslims of early generation were
poor but didn't lower themselves. Always be with dignity.

12- Don't be neglectful or careless in swearing by the name of
Allah. Otherwise, Allah will bring punishment for you.

13- Don't be in the company of fajaar (those who commit major sins
openly and don't care) You WILL be affected. Your own behavior
changes little by little. Be in the company of people who remind
you of Allah.

14- Be aware of your enemy. Be careful, alert, and prepared.

15- Remember death. Visit the graveyards, try to be in kushuu'. If
you can't cry, force yourself to. Try to be humble in front of the
Creator, the One who gives life and takes it away.

16- Be HUMBLE in acts of obedience to Allah. No one will protect us
but Allah. Seek protection from Allah in Allah.

17- Seek tawbaah. Immediately, be determined, have resolve.

18- Consult in your matters those who have kashiyaah (fear of Allah
and always conscious of Him), because those who have kashiyaah are
the ones that truly have ilm.


* Ibraheen ibn Adham was approached by a man who wanted to stop his
sins. He asked for advice that will help him realize the
consequences of his actions. He was told:

If you want to disobey Allah, you can, in 5 cases:

1- If you want to disobey Allah, then don't eat from His rizq
(provision.)

The man said: Then where am I to eat when every provision is from
Allah?

Ibraheem said: O such a person! Is it honorable and good to disobey
Allah, and eat from His provision?

The man said: give me the second one.

2- If you want to disobey Allah, then do not live on Allah's
property.

The man said: Then where am I to live if not on Allah's property?

Ibraheem said: Is it good then, to eat from His provision, live on
His property, and disobey Him?

The man said: Give me the third one.

3- If you want to disobey Allah, then disobey Him in a place where
He will not see you.

The man said: How am I to do this when He not only sees what others
see, but what is in the hearts?

Ibraheem said: o you such a person, how do you eat from His
provision, live on His property, and disobey Him openly?

The man said: Give me the fourth one.

4- If you want to disobey Allah, when the Angel of Death comes to
you, tell him to come back later, after you repent.

The man said: He will not accept this from me!

Ibraheem said: O you such a person, when you cannot delay death,
how do you expect a savior?

The man said: Give me the fifth.

5- If you want to disobey Allah, then after death comes to you, on
the Day of Judgement, when the Angels of Hell come to drag you into
Hell,
refuse to go with them.

The man said: They will not accept that from me!

Ibraheem said: Then how do you expect to be saved?

The man said: Enough! Enough! I seek forgiveness in Allah and make
tawbaah! AstaghfirAllah wa i'tubuu ilayk!

He made sincere tawbaah, and left all his acts of disobedience, and
he died in such a state.

[History]

Abu writes: History
May Allah guide you closer to His Obedience

Dear Abu, I wish the same for you.

In Pirkei Avot 1:2, Simon the Righteous states that "the world stands on three things -- the Torah, the [Temple] service, and gemilut chasadim" -- acts of loving-kindness and compassion. Based on this statement, when we act justly or compassionately, we are in effect supporting the world. We therefore become partners with G-d and come closer to the experience of the Divine Presence.

He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the Eternal requires of you: Only to do justice, love mercy/goodness, and walk humbly with your God.
--Micah 6:8

To do what is right and just is more desired by the Eternal than sacrifice.
--Proverbs 21:3

The following are the activities for which a person is rewarded in this world, and again in the World to Come: honoring one's father and mother (and) deeds of loving-kindness...
--Mishnah Peah 1:1

In Judaism religion and morality blend into an indissoluble unity. Seeking G-d means to strive after holiness, righteousness, and goodness. The love of G=d is incomplete without the love of one's fellowmen.
--Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1937

Respectfully,
History

[AbuMubarak]

Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu,

I pray that this reaches you in the best of health and Eeman.

Among the factors that contribute to one's happiness are performing
acts of kindness to others and giving charity.

"Spend of that with which We have provided for you..." Surah Al-
Baqarah – Ayah 254.

"The men and the women who give Sadaqaat [i.e. Zakah, and alms
etc.]" Surah Al-Ahzab - Ayah 35.

"And the likeness of those who spend their wealth seeking Allah's
Pleasure while they in their ownselves are sure and certain that
Allah will reward them [for their spending in His Cause], is the
likeness of a garden on a height; heavy rain falls on it and it
doubles its yield of harvest. And if it does not receive heavy rain,
light rain suffices it." Surah Al-Baqarah – Ayah 265.

"And let not your hand be tied [like a miser] to your neck." Surah
Al-Isra – Ayah 29.

Miserly people are deplorable in their manners and are always ill at
ease. They are stingy in sharing the favours of Allah. If the miser
only knew that he would achieve happiness by spending money on those
who are poor, then he would surely race to give charity.

"If you lend to Allah a goodly loan [i.e. spend in Allah's Cause] He
will double it for you, and will forgive you."

Wasalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu

[Bintul Huda]

The Whispered Prayer of the Rememberers (http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua81.html)

In the Name of God, the All-merciful, the All-compassionate

My God,
were it not incumbent to accept Thy command,
I would declare Thee far too exalted for me to remember Thee,
for I remember Thee in my measure,
not in Thy measure,
and my scope can hardly reach the point
where I may be a locus for calling Thee holy!
Among Thy greatest favours to us
is the running of Thy remembrance across our tongues
and Thy permission to us
to supplicate Thee,
declare Thee exalted,
and call Thee holy!

My God,
inspire us with Thy remembrance
alone and in assemblies,
by night and day,
publicly and secretly,
in prosperity and adversity!
Make us intimate with silent remembrance,
employ us in purified works and effort pleasing to Thee,
and reward us with the full balance!

My God,
love-mad hearts are enraptured by Thee,
disparate intellects are brought together by knowing Thee,
hearts find no serenity except in remembering Thee,
souls find no rest except in seeing Thee.
Thou art the glorified in every place,
the worshipped at every time,
the found at every moment,
the called by every tongue,
the magnified in every heart!
I pray forgiveness from Thee for
every pleasure but remembering Thee,
every ease but intimacy with Thee,
every happiness but nearness to Thee,
every occupation but obeying Thee!

My God,
Thou hast said - and Thy word is true -
O you who have faith,
remember God with much remembrance
and glorify Him at dawn and in the evening!
Thou hast said - and Thy word is true -
Remember Me, and I will remember you!
Thou hast commanded us to remember Thee,
and promised us that Thou wilt remember us thereby,
in order to ennoble, respect, and honour us.
Here we are, remembering Thee as Thou hast commanded us!
So accomplish what Thou hast promised,
O Rememberer of the rememberers!
O Most Merciful of the merciful!

[Mary Carol]

Awe is a sense for the transcendence, for the reference everywhere to Him who is beyond all things.


The Whispered Prayer of the Rememberers...


I am awestruck.

Thank you.

[swan]

i would think a true believer would be awestruck daily, just through admiring his creations. just a small leaf on a tree and its tiny little complex life. how awesome is that?