As people of faith, we agree to seek guidance from the Almighty in helping us stay focused on our goals and priorities. One way to keep focus is have less on our plates while moving towards our fullest potential while seeking greater and better outcomes. To create this focus is a challenge, because everyone is competing for our attention: be it children, spouses, social media and various advertisers, or just people in general. With maturity comes a point in which people start asking, am I living for myself, or am I living for others? Humans are filled with potential, and this is the last question that should be on our mind.
One way to keep on track and be the most productive human is to focus on our alliances. What are they and why am I with them? You will notice, most alliances/friendships do not take us towards a higher level of accomplishment. And if they do, it is generally one-sided. Most that we meet are just weighing us down. It is like we are winning in a rat race. A rat that wins, regardless of its talent, remains a rat! As humans, we have so much more we can offer humanity.
The Almighty states: By your Creator, they do not really believe unless they make you (the Prophet) a judge in all their disagreements/disputes/affairs. And then find no hesitation in their hearts in accepting your judgment, and submit with full submission.
This is a powerful phrase to keep a person on faith and keep a person encouraged and focused towards better and more productive outcomes. The next time you are asked to cheat on an exam, fudge the numbers on your taxes, scam the insurance, side with a spouse on a wrong, etc. merely ask: what does my Judge (Creator) expect of me? 2nd: when I do good, does my heart have a resistance towards it? One will notice, sometimes the good we do, we do not do it out of sincerity which later affects the outcome. Other times, good deeds are done with resentment or done as if it is a punishment or just to impress upon those around us. This in terms of the above Ayah (phrase) implies resistance, and this takes away the pleasure of the Almighty.
To be the best: Make your decision in line of your faith based values. Accepting it as a gift from the most Supreme will create peace and love and harmony for you and all those around you. This in turn will give you happiness and contentment. This helps us to move from a state of just living to having a life!
(The above was from our after fajr talk 3/06/17)

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