How can we be istiqamah

Assalamualaikum wbt friends...
Its already a college break for us, and one thing for sure that we will be staying at home during this holiday.
Actually, there is one question cycles within my mind, how to be ISTIQAMAH.
It takes me so many things to discover the reality behind the concept of istiqamah..
If in college we can be strong, our ibadah is in our control, still after some lengthy times at home, on many occasion we will be weak, passive yet unproductive. Islam is not a deen that is strong only if we have our friends besides us, it also need us to be strong when we are alone.

According to Ibn al-Qayyim, there are five conditions to achieve Istiqamah in performing required deeds:

1. The act should be done for the sake of Allah alone (ikhlas).
2. It should be done on the basis of knowledge ('ilm).
3. Performing ibadah should be in the same manner that they have been commanded.
4. To do it in the best way possible.
5. Restricting oneself to what is lawful while performing those deeds.

According to other scholars of suluk, i.e. behavior, there are certain steps to be followed in order to achieve Istiqamah (steadfastness):

1. Always being aware of the final destination, i.e. the Day of Judgment (Akhirah). And to use this awareness in a positive way as a motive to do good deeds. One way to do it is through remembering that a person's journey towards Akhirah starts the minute he / she passes away and leaves this world. One of the Salafs said: "If you live until the morning do not wait for the evening and if you live until the evening do not wait for the morning."
2. Commitment (Musharatah). One has to make a commitment that he/she will be steadfast and will do things in the right way and in the best way possible, and to adhere to conjunctions of Islam. Unfortunately many Muslims are being lenient in making such a commitment.
3. To make continuous efforts (Mujahadah) to bring that commitment to reality. Some Muslims dare to make the commitment, but dare not to make the effort to make the commitment a reality.
4. Continuous checking and reviewing of one's deeds (Muraqabah). Being honest with oneself so as not to give false excuses for failing to fulfill a commitment.
5. Self accountability (Muhasabah). This should be done twice: Firstly, before we start doing something, ensuring that it pleases Allah, that we do it for His sake only, realizing the right way it should be done. Secondly, after the action has been done, to check whether we have achieved what we aimed for, and to check for defects and shortcomings, and that we still could have done it better by not being satisfied with our action.
6. Blaming oneself for not doing it perfectly after it has been done. Self blaming here is a positive one by using it as a motive, and by aiming for improvement and having the intention of doing things better next time. This leads to making another commitment and continual commitments to improve our performance.
7. Striving for improvement (Tahsin). We have to make improvements in all that we do (daily activities, work, actions, good deeds, ibadah, etc.) as one of our objectives.
8. To be humble towards Allah, realizing that no one is perfect except Him, seeking His forgiveness, guidance and support.

I hope this short tips can help us achieve the highest level of performing ibadah by doing it consistently and persistently.

[Taken from an explanation of Imam an-Nawawi's (rahimahullah) 40 Hadeeth]
source: http://blog.iloveallaah.com/2010/07/how-to-acheive-istiqamah-steadfastness/

Several Inspiring Story for Our Life

Integrity - The Carpenter's House

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family.

He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by.  The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you."

What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.

So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized that we would have done it differently.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project." Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.


the Value of Life : Be committed in doing plenty of things in life, especially works and chores that assigned to us by the superior. Think judiciously, WE ARE NOT GOING TO BUILD A HOUSE ONLY, WE ALSO NEED TO BUILD THE HUMAN INSIDE THE HOUSE TOO.....

Success - Socrates

A young man asked Socrates the secret of success. Socrates told the young man to meet him near the river the next morning. They met. Socrates asked the young man to walk with him into the river. When the water got up to their neck, Socrates took the young man by surprise and swiftly ducked him into the water.

The boy struggled to get out but Socrates was strong and kept him there until the boy started turning blue. Socrates pulled the boy’s head out of the water and the first thing the young man did was to gasp and take a deep breath of air.

Socrates asked him, "what did you want the most when you were there?" The boy replied, "Air". Socrates said, "That is the secret of success! When you want success as badly as you wanted the air, then you will get it!" There is no other secret.

the Value of Life :  In order to gain success, HUNGER and DESIRE to achieve it are the vital factors that drive us to be there. THOSE WHO GIVE LESS, WILL SURELY HAVE LESS...

Service & Humility - George Washington

Many years ago, a rider came across some soldiers who were trying to move a heavy log of wood without success. The corporal was standing by as the men struggled. The rider asked the corporal why he wasn’t helping. The corporal replied: "I am the corporal. I give orders."

The rider dismounted, went up and stood by the soldiers and as they tried to lift the wood, he helped them. With his help, the task was carried out. The rider was George Washington, the Commander-in-chief. He quietly mounted his horse and went to the corporal and said, "The next time your men need help, send for the commander-in-chief."

Once when George Washington was riding near Washington city with a group of friends, their horses leaped over a wall. One steed kicked off a number of stones.

"Better replace them" suggested the General.

"Oh, let the farmer do it," replied the friends.

When the riding party was over, Washington turned his horses back the way they had come. Dismounting at the wall, he carefully replaced the stones.

"Oh General," said a companion, "you are too big to do that."

"On the contrary," answered Washington, "I am the right size."

the Value of Life: Superiority is not the ticket for us to gain fair advantage or in other words just simply be bold and perceive ourselves as great enough to trample on others easily. BE CLEAR THAT BEFORE WE ARRIVE AT THE TOP, WE WERE ONCE AT THE BOTTOM....
 

source: http://www.consciouslivingfoundation.org/InspireStory.htm#Success%20-%20Socrates

Instauration-Syahadah

“أَشْهَدُ أَن لاََّ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ الله وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَّسُوْلُ اللهِ”

“I bear witness there is no God but ALLAH and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Messenger”.