I had a very frustrating conversation this morning. I was asking for a favour, of course, for something that I needed. The response I got back was not only negative, the matter in which it was said was pretty negative. My immediate response to this was, of course, just as negative. The old saying of what goes around comes around really did apply this morning. The round trip was pretty short due to the proximity of the communication. When we give out negative vibes, we have to always assume that others are sensitive enough to pick it up.
We should always be mindful of how this affects other people - negativity begets more negativity. Similarly, those who project a more positive attitude receives positivity in return.
Taken from a letter written on behalf of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to the Ruling Archbishop of Egypt in the 5th year after Hijrah.
Going along a related and more spiritual line of thought, I had a conversation with a friend a couple of days ago about the meaning of life and what type of people drink good coffee, among other things. In Islam, one of the most significant lines in the Qur'an that is repeated at the beginning of its chapters with the exception of the 9th chapter) is translated as "In the name of Allah, the Compassionate the Merciful".
We are taught as Muslims to start all our activities with the sentence. The significance of this sentence to us in our everyday lives is that it reminds us that we are all mechanisms in this universe. We are instruments of mercy and compassion, not just recipients and beneficiaries of the divine. Starting an activity with a Bismillah reminds us that we must act along those lines - effecting positive energy in the world around us. Interesting how such a simple act, when analysed enough, brings forth a truly life-changing effect. Perhaps in future, I should start my conversations this way...
Posted by Najah Nasseri at 2003年01月17日 13:34