In the Name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Embracing Life

Most social and psychological therapies are geared to enhance positive thinking and encourage help-seekers to embrace life. A crucial and common approach is to help them search for their own areas of inner strength to be motivated to find out a true purpose for their life. Dwelling on purposes and setting goals always build up constructive energy and optimism and add legitimacy to life.

As believers and submitters to God alone, we understand how and why we do embrace our lives. For the believers, embracing life originates from a deep sense of appreciation of the gift of our rebirth on earth. We fully comprehend and value the opportunity given to us by the Most Merciful to make up for a grave sin we once committed in His kingdom because of our indecisiveness and arrogance (20:115). Every minute, thousands of souls are placed in their designated shells to be born on earth by the will of God. They are brought alive on earth to MERELY decide on whether God or Satan is the absolute authority worthy of worship (33:72). Choosing God by the believers brings up the only valid reason of their existence to the spot light. Believers know full well they are granted life only to redeem their souls by making better decisions and doing righteous deeds. They are compassionate about this chance. They take it seriously, with their hearts full of appreciation and reverence of the Most Gracious.

[90:4] We created the human being to work hard (to redeem himself).* *90:4 See the Introduction and Appendix 7 for the purpose behind our creation.

[45:22] God created the heavens and the earth for a specific purpose, in order to pay each soul for whatever it earned, without the least injustice.* *45:22 God granted us this life as a precious chance to redeem ourselves, denounce ancient alliance with Satan, and rejoin God's kingdom. See Introduction and Appendix 7.

[51:55] And remind, for the reminder benefits the believers.
[51:56] I did not create the jinns and the humans except to worship Me alone.
[51:57] I need no provisions from them, nor do I need them to feed Me.
[51:58] God is the Provider, the Possessor of all power, the Supreme.

From that perspective, the source of positive strength for the believers to fully embrace life is their awareness of the purpose of their lives. They use this chance by celebrating every breath they take to the fullest as an extension for redemption and more growth of their souls. They also manage that appropriately as they are privileged to access the guidance of a coded, divine and fully detailed message from their Creator, teaching them about their past, their life and their eternal destiny and detailing for them the path for healthy souls.

In that sense, embracing every moment of life for the believers has more depth and meaning than how the majority perceives it. This is only because the purpose is recognized with a sharp focus on the specific goal of redemption. Their lives become like separate moments of celebration and expression of gratitude to the Almighty. From remembering and glorifying God, imploring Him, thanking Him for all blessings, trusting His plans, acknowledging His authority to being honest, doing the best, setting the righteous example while interacting with others and implementing His ethics- all these righteous deeds and acts of worship charge the believers with positive energy. Every moment of their lives, in that sense, is for God, in His cause, and a celebratory gesture of His gift of life.

[7:205] You shall remember your Lord within yourself, publicly, privately, and quietly, day and night; do not be unaware.

[2:152] You shall remember Me, that I may remember you, and be thankful to Me; do not be unappreciative.

[3:191] They remember God while standing, sitting, and on their sides, and they reflect upon the creation of the heavens and the earth: "Our Lord, You did not create all this in vain. Be You glorified. Save us from the retribution of Hell.

[33:41] O you who believe, you shall remember God frequently.
[33:42] You shall glorify Him day and night.
[33:43] He is the One who helps you, together with His angels, to lead you out of darkness into the light. He is Most Merciful towards the believers.

[18:23] You shall not say that you will do anything in the future,
[18:24] without saying, "God willing."* If you forget to do this, you must immediately remember your Lord and say, "May my Lord guide me to do better next time." *18:24 This important commandment gives us daily opportunities to remember God.

The following verses express how a devoted worshiper of God embraces life:

[26:77] "I am against them, for I am devoted only to the Lord of the universe.
[26:78] "The One who created me, and guided me.
[26:79] "The One who feeds me and waters me.
[26:80] "And when I get sick, He heals me.
[26:81] "The One who puts me to death, then brings me back to life.
[26:82] "The One who hopefully will forgive my sins on the Day of Judgment.
[26:83] "My Lord, grant me wisdom, and include me with the righteous.
[26:84] "Let the example I set for the future generations be a good one.
[26:85] "Make me one of the inheritors of the blissful Paradise.
[26:87] "And do not forsake me on the Day of Resurrection."
[26:88] That is the day when neither money, nor children, can help.
[26:89] Only those who come to God with their whole heart (will be saved).

Whether it is health, wealth, career, family, intelligence, talent or all of that, believers know that God's bounties are to bring them joy both in this life and in the Hereafter. Believers enjoy all the blessings God specifies for them while being fully aware that He is the Ultimate Provider. They enjoy their resources and talents and use them as opportunities to serve God, redeem their souls and earn the higher ranks of Paradise. Once this balance is established, their life is celebrated, blessing by blessing, moment by moment. The following is a valuable recommendation:

[28:76] Qãroon (the slave driver) was one of Moses' people who betrayed them and oppressed them. We gave him so many treasures that the keys thereof were almost too heavy for the strongest band. His people said to him, "Do not be so arrogant; God does not love those who are arrogant.
[28:77] "Use the provisions bestowed upon you by God to seek the abode of the Hereafter, without neglecting your share in this world. Be charitable, as God has been charitable towards you. Do not keep on corrupting the earth. God does not love the corruptors."

While the believers are celebrating their lives using the manual of Quran, the religious rites/rituals work simultaneously as their orchestrator to keep the harmony and guard their souls to be in constant touch with the Creator.

[29:45] You shall recite what is revealed to you of the scripture, and observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), for the Contact Prayers prohibit evil and vice. But the remembrance of God (through Salat) is the most important objective. God knows everything you do.

[3:17] They are steadfast, truthful, submitting, charitable, and meditators at dawn.

[17:78] You shall observe the Contact Prayer (Salat) when the sun declines from its highest point at noon, as it moves towards sunset. You shall also observe (the recitation of) the Quran at dawn. (Reciting) the Quran at dawn is witnessed.
[17:79] [And] During the night, you shall meditate [with it] for extra credit, that your Lord may raise you to an honorable rank. *17:79 The word [And] occurs in the original Arabic Quran at the beginning of the verse to significantly add to the commands in 17:78. It is not included in the English translation. *17:79 [with it] occurs in the original Arabic Quran after "meditate", referring to the word Quran mentioned in 17:78 and it is not included in the English translation.

[2:45] You shall seek help through steadfastness and the Contact Prayers (Salat). This is difficult indeed, but not so for the reverent,

[2:185] Ramadan is the month during which the Quran was revealed, providing guidance for the people, clear teachings, and the statute book. Those of you who witness this month shall fast therein. Those who are ill or traveling may substitute the same number of other days. God wishes for you convenience, not hardship, that you may fulfill your obligations, and to glorify God for guiding you, and to express your appreciation.

In conclusion, embracing life is a multidimensional process that is perceived and conducted differently by believers in God. Because they recognize the purpose of their life, and they have a specific goal to accomplish, believers have a positive and constructive power of celebrating every breath and every moment as a step forward towards their redemption. Irrespective of what they do, how they feel and where they are, believers are blessed with an easy access to the manual that teaches them how to turn every moment and action into a righteous cause to please God and to grow their souls. They know how to enjoy their blessings in this life while using them as an asset to earn the high ranks of Heaven. They constantly observe their rites as they recognize them to be crucial means for their inner balance and their connection with God. Believers have every reason to embrace and celebrate a life full of opportunities to be saved and redeemed and to safely reach a final destination of eternal bliss.

[6:161] Say, "My Lord has guided me in a straight path - the perfect religion of Abraham, monotheism. He never was an idol worshiper."
[6:162] Say, "My Contact Prayers (Salat), my worship practices, my life and my death, are all devoted absolutely to God alone, the Lord of the universe.
[6:163] "He has no partner. This is what I am commanded to believe, and I am the first to submit."

Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.