05-25-2005, 08:01 AM
Bismillah
<b>Faith is a gateway to peace</b>
Work, stress, ambition, strife and anxiety, all have come to characterize today's fast-paced, hi-tech life. The toll they take on a person's life could be massive, ranging from an outright emotional imbalance to nervous disorders. As the world promises more of the same in the future and lifestyle inflicts psychological wounds not easily healed, people are bound to find themselves pulled off their moorings and disoriented.
Religions have always tried to infuse a sense of purpose into human life and guide people through their problems. And more than any other period in human history, the current era desperately needs religious values. In this context, how does Islam help a person cope with his problems? And how does Islam help a person in these turbulent times? In the answers to these questions lies a deep insight into the understanding of Islam. And there is a powerful driving force behind this transformation - Faith.
Islam is not just a set of dos and don'ts, which when followed meticulously, become a passport to paradise. It is a practical religion that offers a way of life capable of transforming an individual.
True faith has helped millions and millions of Muslims weather life's vagaries and achieve peace. Early Muslims, during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) suffered unbearable persecution at the hands of pagans, who employed every brutal, inhuman means to make them discard their religion, but faith in Allah was the only weapon that helped them succeed.
Despite being a minuscule minority, they fought and won great wars, organized themselves into an ideal community and spread the message of Islam worldwide. Since then till today, true Muslims have found peace through their religion, and converts to this great religion talk about the same peace.
How does Islamic faith help a person achieve peace? First, Islam requires that a Muslim put his trust in Allah. This trust should be complete, born of the understanding that both good and bad come from Allah, and that He is the best protector of His servants against all the adversities in life. Allah says: "Say, 'Never will we be struck except by what Allah has decreed for us; He is our Protector. And on Allah let the believers put their trust."
(9:51).
Once man knows that this universe runs as per His will, the events of this world, cataclysmic or otherwise, should not worry him. Moreover, every action is a reaction to the preceding action, which leads one to a chain of events originating in the primal causes.
Islam also enjoins its adherents to work towards their goals through lawful and moral means. There are many who set out to achieve certain objectives in life, especially careers, in which they invest their resources and emotions so intensely that failure reduces them to mental wrecks. A Muslim is supposed to patiently persevere in his ventures, and leave the rest to Allah. The Quran says: "whatever of mercy Allah may grant to mankind, none can withhold it, and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter…"
(35:2)
Secondly, Islam means the submission of human will to Allah's will. This submission tempers one's ego, refines the mind and promotes harmonious living with fellow beings. Everyone has to accept what is ordained for him and Allah has made it clear that He has bestowed more favors on some than others, and no one needs to be disheartened, as what ultimately counts with Allah is faith and good actions, not wealth, position, race etc.
Third, faith purifies one's heart by encouraging good and discouraging evil. Islam lays much stress on the purification of the heart, which ensures a healthy mind.
Bismillah
<i>Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) said: "Verily in the body there is a piece of flesh. If it is sound, the whole body is sound. If it is corrupt, the whole body is corrupt. Verily, it is the heart." (Ahmed)</i>
Salah purifies the heart. Faith is the prime ingredient of salah and salah without faith is hollow. Like a goodly seed growing into a tree with flowers and fruits, faith grows in a person, and spawns good qualities.
The more intense a person's faith, the more peaceful and stress-free he/she becomes. In this age of crass consumerism, cut-throat competition and wayward life, people are weaving lives around dreams, chasing goals difficult to achieve and stretching more than they can cope with, resulting in mental breakdowns and depression.
In this pervasive gloom, Islam shines like a beacon to lead those who are looking for peace; and for those who are caught in the violent storms of life, it offers the courage and guidance to steer forward.
[From: Al Jumuah Vol. 14 - Issue: 1]
Source: http://www.islamweb.net/ver2/archive/artic...lang=E&id=54535