Sunday, November 7, 2010

Showing Off


There are people who see ‘Showing-Off’ as a major sin while others consider it as their perception for achieving glory. When we usually do good deeds we usually tend to let other knows about it, we do our best to stamp our footprint on rocks while great people stamp their footprints on the sea. Some may pretend they are great by showing off while, in fact, if “Greatness” was a being, he would sue them in courts. The worst kind of people those who are angels outside their homes and devils inside.

The problem with showing-off is that we are looking for someone to prove our greatness, like the lady we hear in classical stories, who keeps asking her mirror: “Am I beautiful?” We start showing-off when we are not confident seeking appraisal and warmth from others, we are not self justifying and we need externals assurance to stop the dogs barking that is in our heart whom polluting our mind with his barking. By showing-off we are actually not really doing ourselves any good, however, if we are not showing-off we will start to amaze and surprise people. When we are showing-off we are actually proving we are slaves, slaves to humans’ thoughts.

The sad thing is that we are almost victims of showing-off, and how to find out that if you are sick is to test yourself. We usually give money for the poor if we were asked and people surrounded us, we may give him 10, 100 or maybe 1000 with a huge smile on our face. If a poor knocked your door and asked for money, you welcomed him and gave him the money happily congratulations! If not know that we are sick with the disease called “Showing-Off”

I think some may ask the same question I always asked: “how can we be like great people?” In my opinion, the first step is to have the intents of being “Great”. There is a huge difference between having dreams and seeing dreams, seek a target before walking toward that target, after seeking, start walking. The next step is to select what kind of a hero you desire to be. Being a hero of the pigs is different than being the hero of the lions, my brother was the villain, the nightmare for people filled with satanic thoughts and the hero of hundreds of faithful people and it’s up to you selecting the people you wish to be their hero.

Once decided, search for a hero, I know some selected Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon him) as their hero. They were trying to emulate him in every aspect of their lives; they were having faith and doing their best in every action hoping to be similar to Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon him). It is true that the quality of the acts is far different than our beloved prophet but at least they had similar acts. There was a saying: “Shoot at the moon; even if it doesn’t reach it at least it will land on the stars. “ Remember that not achieving a goal is not wrong as long as we are aiming that goal.

We all have intents of goodwill for others. However Internal Intents & Plans are not valuable to others. Even the smallest good deed is better than greatest intent. What makes one a hero is a great Internal Intents followed by great external acts. This can be achieved if all our good deeds are for the sake of Almighty Allah and following the way of Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon him) since he was the Perfect example for human beings. We have three choices, to follow footsteps of the greats; to follow the footsteps of the bad and to pave a new path having followers to our footsteps, and no path is more straightforward and closer to the goal than the path Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon him) walked.

We are all given the freedom of choice and the tools to make our life better so there is no room for any excuses. Remember, nothing remains in this world, so at least be a good memory, for the good memory is another life for a dead person. We are all going to die, if you wish to be remembered seek to leave footprints on the heart of people. 



4 comments:

  1. I agree; but sometimes it's hard not be a slave to your own thoughts and desires and this can make us fall into the disease that you call "showing off".

    But it is also true that we have the freedom and tools to become better people and leave a mark and a good memory in this world today lacks a good example in moral and ethical.

    And I personally also think that the worst kind of people are those who are light in the street and darkness in their homes, (a Colombian popular thought) as my grandmother was saying.

    I like the post that make me think and question my attitude in life.

    Thanks for writing

    :D

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  2. You are quite the writer! Very thought provoking post! Keep it up!

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  3. Aslaam Alikum, hope you are in the best of health and faith inshaAllah

    MashaAllah on you, very well written and you raised some interesting points. Our prophet Muhammed [peace and blessings be upon him ]said: ' There is a piece of flesh in the body, if it becomes good, the whole body becomes good, if it becomes bad, the whole body becomes bad, and that is the heart". [Bukhari]

    Islam emphasizes the heart as a symbol of intention. Allah knows what we hide. One might deceive anyone else, but certainly he can't deceive Allah Almighty. What count is not what we reveal, but what we conceal. Allah alone knows what undeclared intention we may cover up.

    JazakAllah kahir

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