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Do you download every thought?
You are listening to Muslim mastery breakthroughs, a podcast series in which we share insight on how you can achieve breakthroughs in your life to unlock your spirituality, relationship and mindset. You will get practical steps towards living a truly extraordinary and fulfilling life Inshallah.
Immigration policy and controls for thoughts into your heart. What type or which quality of food will you NOT eat? What type or which quality of clothing will you not wear in public? This week’s breakthrough idea is all about filter controls for thoughts. Many of us have different filters and criteria for what we will eat, who we will invite at our homes, whose home we will go to, what kind of clothes and brands we will put on our bodies in public. Most of us are conscious about what apps we download in our phones, which videos and photos we keep on our phones and if we are not then we learn our lesson pretty quickly when we have to pause and clean our phones because the storage is too full with media and unnecessary apps are slowing down the phone, but are we open and flexible when it comes to which thoughts and ideas we will give our mindshare to, and are we unaware which thoughts and ideas become permanent residents of our hearts.
Bismillah. Wallahumdulillah Wa Salat Al al-Salamu wala rasulullah. This is your breakthrough coach, Zubair.
Ideas and thoughts are the beginning; they will give birth to wills, aspiration, and intentions. If you take care of thoughts, you will have full control of its desires. If you don’t pay attention to it, it will lead to your destruction, will continue extracting jam and presenting a recon temporary metaphor analogy in case studies from the amazing book the disease and cure by Ibn Qayyim Rahimahullah.
Let’s take a deep dive into thoughts, the type of thoughts, ways of dealing with thoughts, and so on. False dreaming comes from the inability and laziness which then leads to complete lost and regret. It would not help a hungry and thirsty person to keep imaging food and drink, and not take any means to get it. Nobility is to get away the thought that do not have reality. Thoughts that don’t have the reality are of the following types.
No. 1, the “I can do it” type. One has completely accepted himself to be incapable and does not realize that if his intentions are sincere and he is not afraid to put in his effort, there is no failure for him by the mercy of Allah. Such a person would not set any concrete short, or long-term goals, would not put a strategy to achieve it, and would not take a step toward it. We talked more about this idea in episode 7; talks the reasons people don’t take the action that would actualize their dreams.
No. 2, the spectator. Such a person would just see and imagine other people performing and will get his/her dopamine rush and excitement from it. This can take the form of excessive time spend and watching others performance, all the way to very shameful and harmful content. The issue here, other than wasting time, being distracted of what maybe obligation at that time, is that one start suffering from low self-esteem, watching forbidden content and then becoming bored with such contents and finding something even lower.
It should be clear that we are not talking about someone who is watching others perform, to learn, to get inspire to see what is possible, but someone who is just excessively engage in watching others without other growth for him.
No.3 the sin planer. Such a person is engaging in desire and thoughts about committing sins, to achieve what impermissible eventually starts planning about it and getting close to it. He feels a false sense of security that he is not committed act of prohibited it, but fail to realize the longer he devour on this thought, the more painful they will become. As either he may end of doing it, which is the sin or his desire is just keep increasing, and then to stay away from it would require a higher amount of patient, so he would be either following the sin, exerting much higher level of patient and self-control, or just just having complete lost and feeling self-pity for not being able to get it. Therefore, just like we are cautious of space usage on our phone and drive, we are careful what we put into our phone, and as we are cautious what we eat, even though the first we will eat a lot of unhealthy stuffs and not worried about the quantity of food we consume we all have a standards of quantity, and would not eat certain type of food unless we are compelled.
I don’t want to get too graphic here, but you can use your imaginations, let me just leave it to a rotten apple. You may see it but will not bit it. Likewise, a thought maybe there, it may be a passing though, and it does not mean that we have to adopt it. It does not mean we have to give a mind share, and absolutely not let it reside in our heart, just like we would not see or smell a rotten apple for long, let along to put it in our mouth.
From one angel, we can start categorizing thoughts, and concerns, and ideas into four different types. No.1, thoughts that are beneficial for our Dunia from worldly games; Thoughts that push our worldly harms; thoughts that are beneficial for the hereafter and the pleasure of Allah, thoughts that will push away harms from the hereafter.
So either you didn’t want to put affords directions that we are moving toward benefiting in our Dunya and Ahirah. By it comes down to overcrowding and then we have to make a choice, we have to give president to what is important. It is very interesting for me to find that, you know, Ibn Qayyim was discussing these points out, on what we focus on, and what to prioritize. In this we will be studying the modern time’s management and the goals setting and achievement. So we categorize can fall into the four categories. Things which are important and urgent, things that are ideas and thoughts are important but not urgent, things which are not important but urgent, and things which are not important and not urgent, right? And he mentions that the ones that give confusion are the one that are important but not urgent. Verse, things are not important but urgent, right? So let me repeat that. Things are important but not urgent verse things that are not important but urgent, right? And many people start preferring not important and not urgent, except the one whom Allah has mercy on it.
So, this is something to be very careful about, right? and then he bring a range of principle, that is the very foundational principle of this being the religion of Islam, and he gives that principle was that he always give precedence to the greater benefit, right? so if he has two benefit, one is greater benefit and one is lesser benefit, he have to take one, but always go for the greater benefit, always secure the greater benefic. And if he has two evils, we will always prefer the lesser evil, right? And this requires Fiqh, this requires understanding, this requires inspiration. That’s why we are so depend on Allah (subahana wata Allah), directing our affairs, and managing our affairs, and giving us the right guidance. We should realize this dependence and asking Allah (subahana wata Allah) for this guidance, in the same times to use knowledge of Allah (subahana wata Allah) that is given us in His book, and in the Sunnah of the messenger of Allah (Sallahu Alayhi Wsalam).
Some examples could be that if you have condition at home, right? So there’s many times would happens is that someone is not listening, someone is not doing the right things. Would you just expel them, would you just break their home, right? Or, what happen is if that were to be done greater harm would be fall for their family, and so on and so forth.
We are talking about many different things in our earlier episode around the strategies, and finding our right portions in the situations. So this is something to keep in mind, always prioritize the bigger benefit, the greater good, and always go for the lower evil if you have to choose one.
Then he mentions from our perspective of different ideas and different thoughts to prioritize. He says that one that are deserving of high important are the one that is related to reflecting and pondering upon the verses of Allah (subahana wata Allah), which would lead to understanding what Allah (subahana wata Allah) had sent down, and that is the primary purpose of us to receive the book, the revelation, the speech of Allah, to reflect and to understand. The goal is to implement it, and the goal is to internalize it and make it part of our life.
Many of us have really left that book away, and have adopted other form of modern content, and are prioritizing over the book of Allah (subahana wata Allah). And the one we do read it, had become contempt with mere reading, and do not ponder, do not understand, do not act upon it, do not count themselves of how much they are acting by it. So now this is the month of Ramadan, The time that we release this podcast, is the first week of Ramadan, so most of you will be listening to it during the Ramadan. So it’s a special time, right? As we are focusing what we are putting into our bodies and when we eat, when we drink, and when we do not eat, we do not drink, is also a great time to think, where we are spending our mental resources. and it’s a month of Quran, how we are using it, it is just mere reading, is it no reading , is it just mere reading , is it understanding, and is it real focus and plan to implement it, and to hold ourselves accountable and how are we going to preventing it.
The second thing he mentions is basically reflecting on the signs in the creation of Allah, reflecting on the sign and bounties of Allah. And this will, as one focus on signs, as well as bounties, that one enjoys from Allah, this will increase one in knowledge about Allah, and will increase the loves of Allah, and will increase hope and fear in Allah (subahana wata Allah). If you continue our thoughts like this, along with remembering Allah (subahana wata Allah), not just by our tongue, but also engaging in our heart, it will really dye our heart, fully color our heart, by the knowledge and love of Allah (subahana wata Allah), and that was the goal of our sound heart.
Then the next thing he mentions is to have the thoughts and ideas around reflecting on the deficiency of our soul, the diseases of our soul, the different disease that we hold, the different attribute, the negative attribute that we hold, and reflect upon what is important, and what is obligation, and what is the most important things for the current times. I.e. being in the moment, Focusing on what is important for me now.
So, he mentions amazing parable here that time is like sword. Either you cut it off, or it will cut you, meaning you spend it well, right? That is the right use of time, or basically time passes and takes away from your life. So another way of thinking about it like, let’s say, if you are playing a sport, like soccer, or basketball, or football, right? These are time bonded games. So each minute, each second counts. Either you are scoring, and making progress toward your opponent, or they are making progress toward you, right? Than the interesting thing there is that the time is known, you know how much time is remaining and your make full use of that time, right? But when it comes to life, the time is unknown, so we have to make each day count.
So, think about it, for any types of goal that you have either you’re using time for you, or against you. Similar example could be thought about, like, if you have a very powerful car, and you have full tank of gas, or full tank of petrol, now you have to use that wisely, because once the petrol runs out, you did not use your car wisely, the engine was on and it was running, and the petro was being consumed, but you were not able to get where you want it to get.
Now, another angel that is to realize is not to be scare of ideas and thoughts, right? Some people can be very consume by how can I have this evil idea and evil thought in my mind. So this is something to think about, not to basically get too worried and anxious about this, because that is something you do not have control about, right, and that is something the companion of prophet (Sallahu Alayhi Wasalam) also mention about, the prophet (Sallahu Alayhi Wasalam) that sometimes ideas and thoughts may come to them, they would never consider speaking about it, right? Because of their shyness, and because of how bad the thought was, and the Prophet (Sallahu Alayhi Wasalam) than explain it to them that, this is something from the signs of iman, this is something the Shaytan is distracting them with. So if is passing you, that is not necessary a dangerous thing, right? That is not necessary a dangerous thing. But think about it, if something is passing by, just like a rotten apple on the side of the street, you do not have to keep staring at it, you do not have to smell it, and obviously do not have to taste it.
So continue on, he mention the topic of two types of nafs, right? The one that incited to good, the one incised you toward things, and ideas that will gain the pleasure of Allah (subahana wata Allah), and the opposite that will incite you toward disobedient for Allah (subahana wata Allah). So the angels suppose the signs, the nafs that give us push toward good deeds, toward the pleasure of Allah (subahana wata Allah). And the Shaytan move us toward the one that says, be away from Allah (subahana wata Allah), be disobedient to Allah (subahana wata Allah), and this battle will continue. This battle will continue, and the only way to win this battle is the one to be patient with himself, than one to be patient with the enemy, which is the Shaytan, and the desire, the fault desire. And then one to be garding the entry point, right? The thoughts, the last time we talk about the site what we look at, and likewise what we hear, what we read and what we see, all these things as one guard these thoughts, and guard his eyesight, his heart, his mind, this is one can be successful. This is the only way.
Now at the same time lastly, bring up a very important point, and that is the other extreme side of it, right? so it’s important for us to make space for good idea and good thought so we can think about higher thing, thing is more beneficial to us, and get rid of the lowly things, right?
The other extreme here is that some people want other extreme of cleansing the heart of everything, and they are like, I don’t want any thoughts, I want complete silence, I don’t want to do anything with the worldly matters, and that is also wrong. Because this is how Shaytan will busy one with something that is not important and put in the false idea. Rather one should be cleansing the heart, right? So if you go back to the example of the smartphone, if it acting slow and if storage is full, you will cleanse it and you’ll put beneficial app on it.
Likewise, we mention the beneficial things are for one to be concerned about understanding with the deen of Allah; it is about how has Allah define success? What does Allah want from us? And then to focus on, and to think, to plan how one can implemented in his life, life of his family, as well as people around him. How can be giving as a knowledge facilitated for people to implement it, right? And that is the most beneficial things.
So to be concern about this other extreme in which one does not want anything to do with the Dunya, and one just want to have a complete empty mind. This emptiness is not what is desire.
So let me give you a few action points before we conclude. So number one, be aware of what thoughts your processing, what thoughts get your mind share, what thought are reside in your heart. One idea for that would be create reminders, so you can put google account reminders, any reminders on your phone that come out every a few hours, just ask you this question about what are you focusing on? Is it the right thing to be focusing on, right? Likewise could put it on your wallpaper, on your computer, on a sticky note, something on your desk that would remind you to ask yourself activities what are you focus on. Secondly, to control what you see, to control what you read, and control what you hear. Thirdly, especially when you wake up in the morning, do not start by consuming any social media content, or to consume content from your email, rather give yourself plenty of space, opportunity to engage remembrance of Allah, to engaging with the words of Allah (subahana wata Allah), and to reflect on those words. Likewise, you know, to do it at the time of Fajr, after Fajr, even before Fajr. This is power of practice, the power of guidance, if you are having a religion. And then to start your day with something productive and think about what you want to achieve in the day before being all polluted by other people’s idea, and social media post, and emails, and this and that. Or, if you can even do it to read more beneficial content before starting a new day so that you are being more productive.
Likewise, if you are thinking about reading, so you have option of reading social media contents and random posts, or a good book, likewise for videos, likewise for podcast. And so on and so forth.
Finally, if you like this podcast, if you like the ideas help us out and share with your friends, your family members, and until next time Subhanakallahumma wa bihamdika, ash hadu anlaa ilaaha illa anta, astaghfiruka wa atoobu ilaik.Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh
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Muslim Mastery Breakthroughs is our weekly podcast series in which we share insights on how you can achieve breakthroughs in your life to unlock your spirituality, relationships, and mindset. You will get practical steps towards living a truly extraordinary and fulfilling life in sha Allah.
To check out previous episodes visit Breakthrough Podcast
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