— Joel Osteen

@1djun_ 

Harvesting strawberries in Gaza, Palestine

Free 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞 🇵🇸 

the feminine urge to frustrate a man

خذوا من علي عليه السلام وعيه للواقع و كل اهتمامه بالاسلام والمسلمين

— Sayyid Fadlallah

I recently learnt that life is an ongoing battle between a person’s soul and ego. Or in simpler terms a battle between the forces of good and evil within you. And to succeed in this battle you must overcome your ego or nafs. By doing so and this is not an easy act to perform, a person reaches a point of pure submission and nearness to God. A state of selflessness and sincere belief.

I’ve noticed that a repetitive theme in the Quran is purifying ones soul by shattering the human ego and it’s selfish desires, which corrupt our divine essence. Allah tells us, “Indeed he is successful he who purifies his soul.” — (91:9) As though this is the chief purpose of our existence in this world.

When I ponder about the death of Ali ibn abi Taleb (as), I see this theme embedded throughout the event. I see victory rather than defeat. Here is a man who knew he was going to be killed yet continued to overcome his ego and submit to the will of God till his last breath. Here is a strong warrior who could only be killed in this humble state of prostration. A sincere believer who surpassed this realm of existence through his spirituality and nearness to God. And when he is violently attacked, rather than expressing pain or shock, he exclaims in relief, “By the Lord of the Kabah I am successful.” — successful in overcoming his nafs. So here is a man who not only used his life but his death as a means to direct us to this imperative truth.

This sentence again tells us that our worldly purpose is to overcome our nafs because it is the obstacle between us and our Creator. And when we achieve victory over our nafs, we will reach a state of consciousness and internal peace that transcends the physicalities of this existence. We will have succeeded in this test we call life, by returning to God before we depart this world. Does Allah not state,

قد افلح المؤمنون

“Indeed the believers will be successful.” — (23:1)

May we succeed in overcoming our nafs and May we be among the Successful.

—yours-sincerelyy

“He said, I am migrating to my Lord” — Quran (29:26)

Men pose for the photographer outside the Imam Ali mosque in the holy Shiite Muslim city of Najaf, Iraq, 2002.

© Karim SAHIB

أشهد أن علياً ولي الله

الأقصى مسجدنا وقبلتنا

“When Allah’s name is engraved in hearts, then in everything we see, we see him.”

im like no worries & then feel so upset i get chest pains

Qashqai women weaving a carpet in Firuzabad, Iran