Islamic Thinking

A professor began his class by holding up a glass with some water in it. He held it up for all to see and asked the students, ‘How much do you think this glass weighs?’

’50 grams!’…. ’100 grams!’…… ’125 grams’ …… the students answered.

‘I really don’t know unless I weigh it,’ said the professor, ‘but, my question is: What would happen if I held it up like this for a few minutes?’

‘Nothing’ the students said.

‘Ok! What would happen if I held it up like this for an hour?’ the professor asked.

‘Your arm would begin to ache’, said one of the students.

‘You’re right, now what would happen if I held it for a day?’

‘Your arm could go numb, you might have severe muscle stress and paralysis and have to go to hospital for sure!’ ventured another student; and all the students laughed.

‘Very good. But during all this, did the weight of the glass change?’ asked the professor.

‘No’

‘Then what caused the arm ache and the muscle stress?’ The students were puzzled.

‘Put the glass down!’ said one of the students.

‘Exactly!’ said the professor. ‘Life’s problems are something like this. Hold it for a few minutes in your head and they seem okay. Think of them for a long time and they begin to ache. Hold it even longer and they begin to paralyze you. You will not be able to do anything’.

‘It’s important to think of the challenges (problems) in your life, but EVEN MORE IMPORTANT is to have trust in Allah (swt) and to ‘put them down’ at the end of every day before you go to sleep. That way, you are not stressed, you wake up every day fresh and strong and can handle any issue, any challenge that comes your way!’

So at the end of the day, remember to ‘PUT THE GLASS DOWN’ and put trust in Almighty Allah SWT.

Holy Quran: “He it is who sent down tranquillity into the hearts of the believers that they might have more faith added to their faith”. (48:4) Tranquillity is the sign of strong faith while worries and stress is the sign of weak faith.

Tell your mind every day before you go to sleep: “Yaa Ayyatuhan Nafsul Mutma-innah, Irji’ee iLaa Rabbiki Raadhiyatam Mardhiyyah, Fadhkhulee Fee Ibaadee Wadhkhulee Jannatee” (Al-Fajr 89:27-30)

“O soul that is at rest satisfied. Return to your Lord well-pleased (with Him), well-pleasing (Him). So, enter among My servants, and enter into my Paradise”