December 1997: Page 1, 2, 3, 4

Submitters Perspective

Page 2

Traits of Believers

Continued from page 1

Those who give to charity night and day, secretly and publicly, receive their recompense from their Lord; they will have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve. (2:274)

Impatience is a very common human tendency. We want everything immediately; we don’t want to wait. But God cautions us to develop patience. The phrase “be patient” occurs in the Quran 19 times. Clearly it’s something we need to observe, and that means we will have to work hard to overcome our natural inclination.

You shall resort to patience—and your patience is attainable only with God's help. (16:127)

How we can be unappreciative of all God has given us is a mystery. But we are. We can never encompass all the blessings from God; we can never be appreciative enough. But we have to try. We have to know that everything we receive, everything we attain, everything in the heavens and the earth is a gift from God. And God’s generosity is so great that He tells us if we show appreciation He will give us even more.

The more you thank Me, the more I give you. (14:7)

We reward those who are appreciative. (3:145)

You shall be appreciative of God. Whoever is appreciative is appreciative for his own good. (31:12)

 

Anger is an emotion that causes great difficulty. Any time a person feels wronged, he or she feels a need to get angry and get even. In Sura 42, God tells us how to react when we face what we consider an injustice. We must use our judgment depending on the circumstance, because God gives us the right to avenge a true injustice, but clearly patience and forgiveness are the preferred responses:

They avoid gross sins and vice, and when angered they forgive. When gross injustice befalls them, they stand up for their rights. Although the just requital for an injustice is an equivalent retribution, those who pardon and maintain righteousness are rewarded by God. He does not love the unjust. Certainly, those who stand up for their rights, when injustice befalls them, are not committing any error. Resorting to patience and forgiveness reflects a true strength of character. (42:37, 39-41,43)

And God is the one who cools our temper (94:1) and prevents us from carrying our anger to extremes. (48:24-25) God does not love the aggressors. (2:190)

Arrogance is a trait discouraged by God. It was the cause of Satan’s downfall and is a strong human failing.

Absolutely, God knows everything they conceal and everything they declare. He does not love those who are arrogant. (16:23)

We are reminded that all things come from God so we have no reason to be proud or smug.

Those who boast about their works, and wish to be praised for something they have not really done, should not think that they can evade the retribution. They have incurred a painful retribution. (3:188)

Thus, you should not grieve over anything you miss, nor be proud of anything He has bestowed upon you. God does not love those who are boastful, proud. (57:23)

All of these negative traits are part of the test of being human. God has told us that He created us this way. That means that we will experience fear and impatience and anger. God knows that. Losing your temper or having a selfish moment is human. It’s inevitable and understandable. But we shouldn’t be satisfied with that behavior. We should strive to attain the characteristics that God reveals as traits of the believers. And when we fail, we need to repent and try harder. The more we try the more God supports us and the closer we come to being a righteous submitter.

You should eagerly race towards forgiveness from your Lord and a Paradise whose width encompasses the heavens and the earth; it awaits the righteous, who give to charity during the good times, as well as the bad times. They are suppressors of anger, and pardoners of the people. God loves the charitable. (3:133-4)

You shall advocate righteousness and forbid evil and remain steadfast in the face of adversity. These are the most honorable traits. (31:17)

Lydia Kelley

Ramadan

The Month of Fasting

Dec 30, 1997 — Jan 28, 1998

O you who believe, fasting is decreed for you, as it was decreed for those before you, that you may attain salvation. (2:183)

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.... (2:185)

The new moon timings to determine the month of Ramadan are as follow:

Dec 29, 1997 at 16:57 GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)

Jan 28, 1998 at 06:01 GMT

Therefore, the first day of Ramadan is Dec 30, 1997, and the last day of Ramadan is Jan 28, 1998.