Ayyuhal Walad: Advice 2 - How to Accept Advice

   KakNgah writes.

   Today I went crazy and made two types of brownies. Peanut butter chocolate brownies (which only used 5 ingredients and is super sticky and fudgy) and banana brownies (which is definitely my favourite of the two because of the texture and taste). For the sake of preventing an overload of drool- well, perhaps not, but in order to be kind and nice to KakYong, I won't post the photos (besides they're not very good photos. I want a camera!). I promise I'll make them when you and Aiman come home! Hehe.

   I love baking because whatever disasters that I produce, I know that people will eat what I make. If they're good, people (which hereby refers to my own, kind family) will swoon over them (uh-huh.) and appreciate my efforts. Tomorrow I plan to make banana bread pudding! (Only because we have bananas, KakYong. Not because I really want to. Honest. Not.) Insya-Allah.

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Advice 2: How to Accept Advice

   My dear beloved child (I've changed it to this because it sounds better),

   Giving advice is easy- it is accepting advice that is difficult for it is a great bitter pill to be swallowed by those who often only follow their own desires or nafs. Nafs loves that which are forbidden, especially for those who often seek knowledge for the sake of getting recognition or a title and are always busy in pronouncing their greatness and collecting worldly wealth. These people believe that having this type of knowledge is enough to secure their safety and happiness without having to practice what they have learnt. They are those who have been influenced by i'tiqad and the way of thinking of the philosophers (here referring to secular-type of philosophers).

   Subhanallah! This is truly a confused way of thinking. Do they not know that a person who has gained knowledge but does not practice what he knows, will be even more heavily questioned compared to those who do not have knowledge during the Day of Judgement? Rasullullah pbuh said:

   "Those who will receive the heaviest of punishments are the knowledgeable ones who did not use their knowledge for the sake of Allah."

   It has been narrated by Al Junaid Al Baghdadi Qaddasallahu Sirrahu that a man who was known to have passed away came to him in a dream. The man asked Imam Al Junaid, "How are you, Abu al Qasim (referring to Imam Al Junaid Al Baghdadi), who answered," In truth, all empirical knowledge have disappeared, as have all spiritual knowledge. All that are beneficial no longer exists except a few numbers of rakaat that we manage to make in the night."

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   It seems that human beings are more often prone to chasing after worldly wealth. We chase after money, title, recognition and happiness- or what we think is happiness. We forget that in the end, nothing matters except what has been done in the name of Allah.

   "Al-ilm bila amalin kasshajarin bila samarin" : Knowledge without practice is like a tree that bears no fruit.

   I wonder if I'm such a tree. It's certainly a frightening thought. I would imagine that people who do not practice what they know to be right are like gnarled old trees on which no fruit grows and no leaves sprout. I do not want to be this kind of tree. I want to be a tree that grows and fruits and benefits those around it.

   What kind of tree would you like to be?

   p.s. I think I'd like to be an apple tree. Or perhaps one that grows peaches. Yes, that would definitely be lovely.