“First things first”

“First things first” is a phrase used in Stephen.R.Covey books..

In simple terms it means to identify what should come first in life..

At a deeper level it means to organize things that need to be attended or prioritizing your schedule..

Whether at office or at work or at home any one who is organized makes life easier for ones own self and everyone around as well……Being organized is easier said than done…But once you get organized you will never want to stay un-organized, that is once you learn the beauty of it..

Of course one cannot be defined as an organized person unless he is organized in all spheres of life..

Religon,work, family life, house hold chores etc etc……..

Many a times we delay things or postpone things to be done later…and its not rarely that things postponed are forgotten or never attended…and further we sometimes face consequences for postponing things…which could have been avoided had we attended it in the first place…

This happens, cos we fail to identify what should come first, what is important.

I would like to present a simple example. Very recently near my computer a kid was playing with water..He was big enough, I knew he will not spill water over the computer. When he finished playing he kept the little mug of water near the computer. I thought of emptying the mug , however I rushed off to attend something else thinking I will empty the mug of water later.

After some times, what I saw was saddening. Another kid of 1 year has spilled the water mug on to the laptop….and with in a few minutes it went blank………..and of course the computer could not be opened later.Had I emptied the mug of water in time, I might not have faced the consequences….

This is just a simple example…….But this rule applies in all spheres of life..

Likewise as Muslims daily 5 obligatory prayers should come before everything in life…

If we could apply the rule”first things first" in life, life becomes organized and easier…

For us and others………..

What should come first in life

There once lived an old man named Ibrahim..He was a very generous man and one who helped others a lot….He gets his happiness and contentment from helping others…especially those who are closest to him, his family and friends, neighbours……..He sincerely loves his grand daughters and kids……..He served his kids when he was young……..and when he was older, he served his grand kids, family and neighbours……..He would go to any length to serve them…That was always his first priority……ie even do their laundry, do shopping for them , take them to school etc, in his old age……Many a times when he is on his bike to the market to buy fish for his grand kids…from a mosque farway the call for prayer is being recited………But Ibrahim is too enthusiastic about serving his kids he missed the prayer call, many a times……His thoughts were else where……..

One would call Ibrahim a model grandfather……………., a model neighbor, etc

one day when he woke up, he could not move his right hand……………..Tears started rolling down his eyes……at that time he heard the call for prayer…….That was the moment of truth for him………He knew what he missed all his life………At that moment he realised he did not know to prioritize what comes first in life……..But was it too late……?

We never know……….May be the thoughts that crossed his mind and the tears that rolled down his eyes were a sign of faith in him……..Allah knows best….

Ibrahim thought can his grand sons come and give him the power to move his right hands?Can all the people he served and his neighbours come and help in anyway? Can their sympathy heal his pain?Can they hear the pain in his heart? Tears rolled down Ibrahims eyes………..May be it was not too late…Allah is the most merciful….

Moral of this story………. one should be able to identify what comes first in life..ie to worship Allah……….your creator, who gave you countless blessings, who is the most merciful……………Every good deed done with sincerity will be rewarded insha Allah..but all deeds such as helping others should come after worshipping Allah SWA

Everyone will face difficult times in life..Everyone will get sick and suffer from diseases at some time in their life….And death is the ultimate truth for everyone……..But for people who are righteous, and worship Allah……who knows what should come first in life….they have faith…which makes everything easier.

Toddlers 'will learn nothing from TV'

The notion that young children can learn productively by watching television is widely dismissed by scientists who study the developing brain. The time between the ages of 6 months and 3 years is accepted as a critical phase for learning skills such as language, and research suggests that this is best accomplished by interaction with adults.

A study by Patricia Kuhl, of the University of Washington, in Seattle, for example, has found that children aged 10 months learn sound patterns easily by playing with an adult, but learn nothing at all by watching the same adult performing the same games and exercises on a television screen.

Similar research has shown that in young children, watching television, videos or DVDs is no substitute for real encounters with adults and other children. Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, of the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London, said that the best evidence suggested television for toddlers was a waste of time. "There is a body of research showing that, in a variety of contexts, young children learn optimally with another human, rather than with a video of a human," said Dr Blakemore, the co-author, with Professor Uta Frith, of The Learning Brain.

Dr Blakemore added: "If an infant is watching TV for an hour a day, then fine. So long as they are also playing with adults and children for most of the day, it is not going to do them any harm, though it will do no good either.

(Mark Henderson, Science Correspondent, The Times, 12.05.06)

Setting our intention pure……

Intention, purity of ones intention is something which Islam highly recommends…

From Quran and hadith of Prophet SAW it is clear that purity of intention is a must in every little or bigger good deed or worship…We should never do anything as to show off to others…Others might not know what is in our hearts.They can only hear what we say or see what w do, but Allah has knowledge of what we hide and what we reveal…Hence we should never do things so as to be seen of others…It’s a sign of, un gratitude and hypocrisy..

When we set our intentions pure, when we do everything we do for the sake of Allah, even helping an elderly cross the road becomes an act of worship…when ones intention is pure, working, eating, everything is done with sincerity….He becomes a thankful servant of Allah….

This world is not eternal..Whats eternal is yet to come..As Muslims we should always keep this in mind..

However it is in this temporary world we can build our fate to come in the hereafter which is eternal.

We have the freedom to choose the right path…We have the freedom to avoid the wrong path…This freedom has been granted by Allah SWA.

The pleasures of this world is only temporary..As a saying goes, “Seek that which is eternal to that which is temporary.”

Ones religious obligations or duty can be exercised in all spheres of life…Speaking ill of others, lying all these are acts of insincerity….which as Muslims we should avoid..These are things which are never to be taken lightly…Talking bad about others or backbiting is strictly prohibited in Islam. It is very clear how bigger a sin it is, yet day by day, we see Muslims who do this..Muslims who forget this…..As Muslims we should try hard to give up this bad habit which we exercise knowingly or un knowingly.

Who ever who wishes to be a better Muslim should instill sincerity in all of his actions…and let go of negative feelings towards others…….His every action is with pure intention and done for the sake of Allah……Such people are the people who strive hard…..to perform acts of worship to Allah SWA, and to help fellow brothers and sisters and never to look down on any one, and be among those who look at others only with sincerity…….May Allah SWA make us among the sincere…and among those who are pure of heart…

Promise

In mutual dealings in social life, it often happens that a person gives his word to another. There is apparently no third person or group between the two. How ever as Muslims we should always keep in our mind that Allah is the supreme witness and Allah knows everything. That is why fulfilling ones promises is so important.

A Muslim therefore should be extremely sensitive about giving his word. His conviction is that every commitment made between two persons is in Allah’s supreme knowledge and he knows that he will be accountable for its fulfillment. This compels him to be highly responsible as regards his promises. Whenever he gives his word to anyone he makes a point of keeping it.

Many other virtues come in the wake of the regular fulfillment of promises. One of these is mutual trust.

In a society where the mutual trust exists, there is no discord and dissension between the people, there is an atmosphere of confidence and peacability as there is no fear of promises being broken.

Readiness to fulfill promises is a commendable trait; it is iman (faith) that makes one the possessor of this highest of human virtues.

Maulana Wahidduddin Khan