2 Powerful Quranic Ways to Become Calm & Tranquil

Key important qualities of what it takes to reach the status. Please follow with me because the following is of prime importance. We have established that you and I must make an endeavour, and hard work, and struggle, and invest to ensure we reach an-Nafs al-Mutma'inna.

It is not a dimension of the soul that is only for the elite, only for those who are the super, the best of the best. It is something achievable by you and I, and we must strive to achieve it, even if we touch the surface or go through it at certain phases in our lives. As long as we are struggling, as long as we are working hard, Allah Tabaraka wa Ta'ala will indeed help us.

And that's why you look at the verses and say: "Radhiatan, mardhiyah" (89:28). 'Oh tranquil Soul, return back to your Lord' with two important qualities, please understand this. 'You are pleased with Allah, and Allah Jalla wa 'Ala, is pleased with you.

This is a beautiful concept that is found 73 times in the Holy Qur'an. What is this concept? Ar-Ridha'. To be pleased with Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala. Please understand this, because it's a vital, pivotal prerequisite for this Soul that is not troubled, for this heart that is settled, that is calm, when there is tides, when they are what? Under so much stress and hardship and difficulty.

Yet, Ridha' presents the key to you and I. And it is Ridha', my dear sisters and brothers, that I address to myself first and to all my mu'minin brothers and sisters, that we desperately need at the era of COVID 19. The solution to our problems is satisfaction with God the Almighty, Subhana wa Ta'ala. The solution to all our hardships in this day and age, is to be content with Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala. The solution with all the challenges we face, is to submit to Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala.

Let me take you through a very brief journey of what this Ridha', actually means. What does it say in the Holy Qur'an that you and I need to do? How do I become pleased with Allah? What do I need to demonstrate in my life practically, I want to learn. I want to apply it in my life. I want to teach it to my children and my family. What do I need to do?

The first level is to be pleased with Allah as the Creator. What does that mean? It means when I think of the Almighty, Subhana wa Ta'ala, what is the first thing that comes to my mind? It is recommended in the riwayah of the Ahl al-Bayt, alayhum as-salam, that when we recite the Adhan and the recitation is heard: Ash-hadu an la ilaha illa Allah, we say we actually say: Radhitu bi 'Lahi Rabba. I am pleased with Allah as my Lord. You declare it. I am pleased with Him. And when it says Ash-hadu anna Muhammad ar-Rasul Allah, you say: Radhitu bi Muhammadin Nabiya. And when the Adhan says: Ash-hadu anna Aliyan Waliyu Allah Radhitu bi Aliyan Waliya and then you name the Imams. This is established in the rewired of the riwayat of the Ahl al-Bayt, alayhum as-salam.

SalamuAllahi alayka ya Amir Al-Mu'minin, ya Imam al-Muttaqin. What gems he has given you an eye. He describes what it means to be pleased with Allah as the Creator. Ilahi! Kafani 'azzan, an akuna laka 'abda, wa kafani fakhran an takuna liya Rabba, anta kama uhibb, fa ja'nni kama tuhibb. Ya Allah. It fills me with pride. It fills me with strength, that I am your servant. And it fills me with pride that You are my Lord. You are exactly how I want You to be. So make me how You want me to be.

This is Amir Al-Mu'minin! Yes. This is what you and I need to strive towards. Never in our lives, not even a split second, should we have any negative thoughts or ideas about the Creator, Allah Tabaraka wa Ta'ala. Whatever happens in our lives! And I know it's hard. I know it's painful. I know it's excruciating sometimes, and I have heard it myself in the last six months during COVID. People say, why? Why is God doing this to me? Why is God afflicting me with this? I can't stand it. I can't take it. And it's happening.

It's understandable to a certain extent, but we need to help ourselves and those around us. That's why when we become pleased with Allah as the Creator, the next level to establish Ridha', is to do the following: to be pleased with His legislative Will, and His generative Will. Please understand the following.

When you and I exercise Ridha' with al-Iradatu tashri'yyah li 'l-Bari 'Azza wa Jal, what does this refer to? The Almighty, Subhana wa Ta'ala, has sent us the Holy Qur'an. Has sent us prophets, has given us guides. Imams. He has given us instructions, codes, for you and I to practise. This is Shari'ah. These are laws. Dos and Don'ts.

A major characteristic of a person who is Radhi, pleased with Allah, is that they are pleased with what Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala has given them as far as obligations are concerned. Let me just elaborate on this.

To be pleased, doesn't mean when you do it, and you do it because you have to do it, and you don't know why you are doing it, and you are doing it, but you are full of rage within. I have seen especially in the month of Ramadan, when people fast you ask them, how is it? I can't wait. I have seen it on Facebook and others. 3 hours to go to, Iftar 2 hours to go to Iftar, ten minutes to go to Iftar. Subhana Allah, as if they are in prison.

And then they think it is a punishment. Why is Allah punishing me? I miss my cigarette and my Costa coffee. I've now given an advert. In the idea that, what? People do not understand, in many cases, the philosophy and the basics by which certain rulings are given. And even if we don't understand, what is so beautiful about the religion of Islam, is the religion of submission. I know Allah has created me. He knows what is best for me, and therefore, I must not only take it in, but I must be pleased with it. It's coming from Allah, the Absolute Perfect Being, who is Compassionate, who's Kind, who wants us to go to Jannah.

He wants Salvation for us. He wants us to earn it. It's okay that it's painful. But I am pleased because Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala only gives that which is Khair and best. Whatever it is. Yes, I need to also be pleased with the generative Will of Allah. Al-Iradatu at-Taquiniyah. What does this refer to? This refers to what the Almighty Subhana wa Ta'ala makes you and I go through in life. For example, Rizq. What He gives, and what He takes away.

There are those who constantly are unhappy in this world. They are worried and troubled, because they find that they are not necessarily in the financial state that they want to be, in an age of instant gratification. They want to see themselves in the same manner in the same way as others. So they are always unhappy. They are always troubled. They are always worried.

Look at, for example, other forms of trials and tribulations, such as illnesses, for instance. When an individual is going through illness, narrations tell us, if only they knew the extent of Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala's Mercy that is befalling upon them, they would have asked Allah: ya Allah, keep me ill all my life, because it's a challenging time. This doesn't mean that they should not seek help, or remedy, or medication. No, it means that they stay patient, subservient to Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala, pleased with whatever He has made them go through. That is truly remarkable, state of tranquilly.

When a human being recognises that everything is in His hands, He gives and takes, part of a very complex, wise, plan that I may not know about. But it is short term. It is transient. It will not last forever.

If you think for a split second, that everything that you have from possessions, from health, from wealth, from family is yours, you are mistaken! This all belongs to Allah. Therefore, when it belongs to Allah, He could take it any minute. Who am I to object to it? Who am I to say, Ya Allah, why are You doing this? It doesn't belong to me! It belongs to Him.