Don’t be sad: Laa Tahzan: Jangan Bersedih

Yesterday I bought a book while my family busy shopping. I went to a bookstore and read this interesting motivation book. I have read a lot of motivation books but this particular book is very different from others (e.g. Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Build Your Business in 30 days, etc). Let me brief you here, it is actually an Islamic motivation book. It is about life. It is about being thankful of what we have. And more importantly it is about how do we deal with daily situation and always look on the bright side of life. The title of the said book is “Laa Tahzan” in arabic which means “Don't Be Sad“.

We always look on the negative side of our life but we forgot to look into the joyous moment that we have. We never satisfied with what we have and always wanting more. I just realize it myself that I should stop grumbling over what I could not have. I am learning to be more grateful person. One of the rare book that I will recommend people to read. Suits very much to my mood at the time being. It is really wonderful, thank you Dr. Aidh Abdullah Al-Qarni the author. All should read this book even though you are not a muslim.

Here are some excerpts from the book, yup I am still reading. The version that I bought is in Bahasa Melayu (my mother tongue) but I translated it here in English.

“So hold that which I have given you and be of the grateful.” (Qur’an 7:144)

Live today free from sorrow, bother, anger, jealousy and malice. You must engrave into your heart one phrase: Today is my only day. If you have eaten warm, fresh bread today, then what do yesterday’s dry, rotten bread and tomorrow’s anticipated bread matter?

…When you achieve this attitude, you will profit from every moment of your day, by developing your personality, expanding your abilities, and purifying your deeds.

Then you say to yourself:

Today I shall be refined in my speech and will utter neither evil speech nor obscenity. Also, I will not backbite.

Today I shall organize my house and my office. They will not be disorderly and chaotic, but organized and neat.

Today I will be particular about my bodily cleanliness and appearance. I will be meticulous in my neatness and balanced in my walk, talk and actions.

Today I will strive to be obedient to my Lord, pray in the best manner possible, do more voluntary acts of righteousness, recite the Qur’an, and read beneficial books. I will plant goodness into my heart and extract from it the roots of evil – such as pride, jealousy and hypocrisy.

Today I will try to help others – to visit the sick, to attend a funeral, to guide the one who is lost, and to feed the hungry. I will stand side by side with the oppressed and the weak. I will pay respect to the scholar, be merciful to the young, and be reverent to the old.

O’ past that has departed and is gone, I will not cry over you. You will not see me remembering you, not even for a moment, because you have traveled away from me never to return.

O’ future, you are in the realm of the unseen, so I will not be obsessed by your dreams. I will not be preoccupied about what is to come because tomorrow is nothing and has not yet been created.

double click to enlarge the photo

So guys, I would really recommend you this book and Don't Be Sad. Don't Be Sad is an absolute must-read for all people. It is full of practical advice on how to replace sadness with a pragmatic and ultimately satisfying Islamic outlook on life. It exposes to the modern reader how Islam teaches us to deal with the tests and tribulations of this world.

So, take heart and hold firmly onto the rope of Allah (s.w.t).

Review by Islamic Times, UK: http://www.islamictimes.co.uk/content/view/96/50/