Ways
of
Being

You know, ask any human what they want from their lives, and pretty much all of them will come up with an answer that involves being happy.

They may say they want other things, but if you ask why they want them they say it's a way for them to be happy.

They say they want 'things', but they want to 'be' happy.

Their problem is that things don't make them happy.

Things are solid stuff, and can't satisfy their feelings,

so as much as is possible can never be enough.

They can only satisfy their feelings by living in ways that feed their souls.

Now, feelings usually come in pairs, like hot and cold,

where we know what we mean by one by the other,

and then there's all the places inbetween.

It's like that with happy and sad

and the places inbetween,

some are about feeling bad, and some are about feeling good.

But, as we know, feelings can make what is bad seem good,

so it is useful if we share what we know of which feelings to set free, and which to control,

which ways gain Praise, and which ways attract Blame, even if they seem like the opposite.

And we share what we know about how to find peace and happiness.

And, of course, as Muslims we have the precious guidance of the Holy Qur'an to draw from,

and the example of Muhammad the Messenger to learn from,

to help us find the best way to live together.

Living in the Deen is how our souls find peace and happiness,

when our hearts fill with grateful thanks, and our troubles are seen for what they are,

just tests of how well we can tell good from bad,

and how well we can deal with those feelings that make us feel bad.

Those feelings draw us to serving our bodies,

rather than feeding our souls, which is the real point of our lives,

serving our Maker in the best way we can learn how,

learning how to be happy,

and doing our best to avoid the mistakes that hurt us.

Ways of Peace and Happiness,

Thanking God and other Ways of Praise

Strong Feelings,

Vices,

Self-Control