Gentlemen, honorable people, you are paying attention. I want to do something big now. A big event, a very clear duty. In discussing the topic “The Only Path,” some friends kept saying, “Tell us a specific duty. What should we do? You’re just trying to convince us.” Now I want to tell you a specific duty. In discussing the “The Only Path,” it was said that indolence is the beginning of a person’s miseries, and confronting this is very useful in a person’s life. I think you will be very happy when I tell you, my friends and honorable people, this very specific suggestion! We won’t feel uncertain anymore and we’ll know what to do. Friends, are you ready? Where should we confront our indolence? You don’t seem to be very happy!? What I want to tell you is not something you are forced to do from tomorrow. You don’t have to listen to me. Don’t worry! My suggestion is very clear. The first one is waking up at dawn. Get up from your sweet sleep in the early morning. Pull yourself out of your bed. One may say, “You’ve mentioned the main point! I wish you’d introduced one thousand other ways but not this one!” This is a very clear suggestion. [One says,] “This was very mystical!” No, it’s not that mystical. The way of the mystics is to sleep after each two cycles of the Midnight Prayer and wake up again [like the Prophet (s)]. Imam Khomeini prayed like this, but you don’t have to be like him! Nonetheless, if you want to have a healthy life, avoid indolence and fight with your indolence. At least do this.Ayatollah Bahjat said, “The hardest thing is to wake up for the Midnight Prayer.” Religiosity is easy. If you sleep early and eat a light dinner, you will wake up early. You won’t have any choice! Some of the Friends of God used to say, “When you wake up, if you weren’t in the mood to pray, just drink a cup of tea or study!” What secret is hidden in this waking up at dawn?Where should we confront our indolence? My suggestion is very clear. Get up from your sweet sleep in the early morning.

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Why is this world so attractive for us, but Heaven isn’t?

My friends, the world entices us, right? What element of the world entices a person? Tell me, what causes us to become interested in this world and not pay attention to the Hereafter?
“Heaven doesn’t entice us, but the world does.” Answer me. “Entertainments.” There are better entertainments in Heaven. It’s accessible now, right? How many of you agree? It’s accessible now. Believe me; it would take 10 sessions for me to make it clear for you that the accessibility of the world doesn’t attract a person!
Because, each flower in the world has terrible thorns that only ruin a person’s mood. You should look at this world correctly, this accessible world. Eating causes an unpleasantness that we’re not willing to mention in the meeting. You would stop eating. You won’t enjoy sleeping, which is like dying, anymore. Don’t talk about the world being accessible. Being accessible is ineffective. “Since the Hereafter is on credit, it doesn’t attract us.” Look! It’s just us talking here. Lying has a limit. You know how young, unmarried people think about marriage. They think, “Wow! There’ll be a lot going on in the future.”
The enjoyment from our imaginings is more than the actuality. Therefore, the accessibility of the world is not attracting you. The Hereafter being on credit doesn’t push you away. What’s the problem? Remembering the world ruins us. The accessibility of the world doesn’t ruin us! Its memory ruins us. Remembering the accessible world makes us interested in it. Will we become interested in the Hereafter without remembering it?!
Make remembering the Hereafter a part of your life. Then, see if the accessible world affects you. I swear, it won’t have an effect. What should we do to remember the Hereafter more? Imam Baqir (‘a) said, “Recite at least 50 verses of the Qur’an every day. Recite it at 14 different times, don’t recite it once and put it aside.” Basically, the Qur’an is a book, which reminds of the Hereafter. It takes a person to Heaven or Hell in each moment, and brings him or her back.
What causes us to keep our distance from the Hereafter? Not remembering it. The Qur’an is the best program. Remembering the world ruins us. Make remembering the Hereafter a part of your life. Then, see if the accessible world affects you. I swear, it won’t have an effect.
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The Secret to Tasting the Sweetness of God’s Kindness

How can we believe in God’s Kindness? We should want and taste it for our relationship with God to start. Do you know what we should do to be able to connect with God’s Kindness, be able to taste it and enjoy it? We should see God's Greatness. We should see God’s Might. We should understand the Grandeur of God. We shouldn’t see God as being small.
If He becomes small in our eyes, even if He is kind to us, it will be useless! Since parents take care of their children, the children are drowned in their love. Children really think of their parents as superpowers. Then, they enjoy the kindness of this father and mother, who solve all problems! Ayatollah Bahjat said, “Since children have trust, they are never worried about tomorrow’s food.”
If you can, ask them the question, “Why aren’t you worried about tomorrow’s food?” They will say, “Mom will give food. Dad will give food.” “Where will dad bring food from?!” “What are you saying? ‘He has power over all things!’ (Qur'an 22:6) “But, your dad is not like that!” “No! Dad!” Therefore, he easily goes to his mom and says, “I’m hungry.” If his mom says, “I don’t have anything,” the child won’t understand what she means. He says again, “Mom, I’m hungry. You are my superpower.”
Why don’t we see or taste God’s Kindness? Because, our God (that we see) is not great.
How can we distinguish God’s Greatness? Shall we look at the Damavand Mountain to see the greatness of His Glory? “O God, how much Glory You have, that You have created these high peaks.” Let’s look at the stars in the sky. They're so magnificent in a place without dust in the air and with a clear sky. Not from these polluted cities. From a place where you feel the stars are coming down on you.
“Those who… contemplate upon the creation of the heavens and the earth.” (Qur’an 3:91) See God’s Greatness in nature. A God Who doesn’t have grandeur, His kindness will be tasteless too.
Sometimes when women want to talk privately together, they say that if a husband doesn’t have stateliness, his kindness is useless too, but not the kind that he gains with oppression and force! If a father doesn’t have dignity at home, his kindness will be useless for his daughter and son. The children will have a lack of affection. “Your dad is very kind.” “But, our dad is a loser.” No matter how kind he is to his children, his kindness is unseen by them.
When you look at the verses of the Qur’an, you’ll see that most of them aren’t stated lovingly, my friends. Mostly the verses of the Qur’an want to make you understand that God is Mighty. “Had We sent down this Qur’an on a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and rent asunder for fear of God.” (Qur’an 59:21)
God could have talked more poetically here. He could have talked kinder and used terms, which seemed more loving. For example, He could say, “Had We sent down this Qur’an on a mountain, tulips would have blossomed and clear springs of water would have flown.” But, He is not being silly. He has spoken seriously and firmly. “Had We sent down this Qur’an on a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and rent asunder for fear of God.” (Qur’an 59:21)
Why is God doing this? Because, you yourself should be sensible. Read the Qur’an for it to rend asunder the mountain of your heart and make springs flow. Is it possible for a mountain to be rent asunder but for a spring not to flow? When this rock is rent asunder, it will become a sea or a spring. One should understand His Kindness in this.
For your heart to become alive and refreshed by this kindness, let your God Who is great be your Lord. Let Him order you. He says, “This is forbidden! I’ll take you to Hell. I have a painful punishment.” He has such grandeur. The more He is arrogant, the more you feel His Kindness.
Believe me. Start seeing it. This is a relationship. It is the start of a sweet relationship, which…
[From the series of speeches under the topic of, “How should we believe in God’s Kindness?” Session No. 6]

This book is an answer to a thought provoking question.

This book attempts to answer the question "Why does God command?" from the perspective of the effects God’s commands have on one’s personal training and morals. While answering this question, he also explains some of the deep, educational concepts of Islam in a simple language. The valuable effect this book has is that it leaves the reader with a delightful, glorious, pleasant image of the concept of "God's commands," which has an automatic impact on one’s spiritual development.

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#WhyDoesGodCommandMe

Believe me, it’s all yours!

“Call on Me and I will answer you.” (Qur’an 40:60) This is a display of God’s Kindness. “Call on Me and I will answer you.” “Sir! If it is like this, we will become one of the ‘Friends of God’ by just worshiping on the night before the 23rd!” “It is definitely like this.”
But you know, we leave behind whatever God has given us when we are leaving. They say, “Take them. These are yours.” You reply, “They are all mine? No, they aren’t mine. God is not that kind! God only wanted to forgive a few of my sins, and He has.” “But, the rest is yours too. Take it.” “No, God won’t give me this much. What are you saying?!” We don’t take these because we lack faith. He doesn’t withhold His Kindness. He is giving these to you. Are you paying attention? Take them! “No! You’re teasing me! Would God?”
Look! What else should God do tonight? Be careful not to introduce God in a bad way and say, “Three nights I went and cried for God to forgive me.” People may become suspicious and say, “What kind of a God is that?! You went and cried for three nights?!” Don’t tell others in this way! Say, “You weren’t there to see when I started out on the 19th the angels started asking for God’s forgiveness for me with me.”
“So we shouldn’t say, ‘God forgive me’ tonight?” Ask for God’s forgiveness for this, that after God forgives His servant, His servant becomes ashamed. The servant constantly says, “I’m sorry, but I sinned.” Say, “God, forgive me” like this! Imam Sajjad (‘a) has said this. In Sahifah he said, “God, what should I do after You have forgiven me?” Tonight (the 23rd of Ramadan), is after God’s forgiveness.
We leave behind whatever God has given us, when we are leaving. They say, “Take them. These are yours.” You reply, “They are all mine? No, they aren’t mine. God is not that kind.”
[From the series of speeches under the topic of, “How should we believe in God’s Kindness?”

Panahian.net

Let’s learn a good spiritual frame of mind from children.Do you all agree? Do you all have children? You have all seen children. Have you all been children?! Do you all agree that children don’t have sorrow? Do you agree? Sorrow is a deep sadness. Children cannot have a deep sadness. If a close family member dies, they don’t cry deeply. They go and play two minutes later. If they argue with somebody, they forget it two minutes later. Children are never worried about anything. Children have a good spiritual frame of mind. They’re spirited and lively.Ayatollah Bahjat explained why children are this way. He said they are sure that when they get hungry tomorrow, their parents will feed them. Ayatollah Bahjat said, “Children are never worried about tomorrow’s food.” Adults are those who are wretched. I’m sorry I said wretched! But, Ayatollah Bahjat said, “The same amount that a child trusts that his parents will definitely feed him tomorrow, I shouldn’t be worried either.” If we trusted in God, that God willing, He’ll give us tomorrow’s sustenance, we would not have sorrow either, like children. How much can parents really be relied upon? Almost not at all. How much can we rely on God? Very much. You understand that God is reliable, but you don’t rely on Him. However, your child is relying on you. It means this child is telling you, “Mom, dad, you should be ashamed. Be happy like me. Let’s play.”A good spiritual frame of mind means not having this senseless sorrow. What is a good spiritual frame of mind? A good spiritual frame of mind means that you feel God is powerful. He is able to destroy the universe! Wow, what a power! If this feeling exists deeply, this means having a good spiritual frame of mind. What does a good spiritual frame of mind mean? Don’t cry because of sorrow. Enjoy His power. Enjoy so much that a tear flows. This springs from another place in the soul. That tear is like the tear of children, who are light-hearted. That kind of tear is very different from my tear, who is so wretched and lowly. All of these tears are from sorrows and sadness, which arise from disbelieving in God! All of this arises from ingratitude and unbelief. Then, I want to take this tear to God?!A good spiritual frame of mind means you enjoy being in God’s embrace. This is just like a child who goes to his parent’s embrace when he is among strangers and enjoys this. It can be seen in his eyes. You say, “How are you little one?” He turns his face towards his parents, “Who’s this?!” “He’s a special person. Talk to him!” “I don’t know him. Who is he? (Mom,) I know you. I come into your embrace.” This means the child is telling you, “Mom, dad, you should be ashamed. Be happy like me.” A good spiritual frame of mind means you enjoy feeling you are under God’s shelter.

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Don’t outwit God!

We should first fix our relationship with God before fixing our relationship with anything else. Under the influence of this relationship, all of the events in our life are formed.
How is our relationship with God? Are we dauntless, honest, pure and correct? Or are we trying to outwit God?! If you live, deal, are a neighbour, or work with someone, he will eventually understand how you are with him. How much do you like him or support him? How much are you enemies or friends with him? How much are you willing to put energy for him? From what point won’t you help him anymore? He will understand these things from you.
God understands better than anyone else how we are with Him. God says, “He is not putting energy for Me! He is not the way he should be.”
All of our other relationships, sustenance, and what is destined for us in our lives are under the influence of this relationship. Therefore God says, “In many cases when you have problems with others, fix your relationship with Me, and I will fix your relationship with the world.” We should give priority to our relationship with God, and first of all we shouldn’t outwit God in this relationship!
If a student is weak, his teacher will not hate him. If the teacher is a true teacher, he will say, “That’s fine. We will work with each other.” But, if the teacher sees that the student wants to deceive him, he will say, “Look, I’m spending my time here for you. Now you want to outwit me?! Do you know how many kids like you I’ve taught?! Don’t defend your actions. Say, ‘I haven’t studied. I don’t like it. I can’t focus. My mind wanders.’ I have come here to work with you.”
Let’s not outwit God! No one can deceive Him! We should be honest with God. Say, “God, the truth is that You are not that important for me. But, I know that You are important. I like to care about You, but unfortunately I don’t! I am busy and caught up.”
Speak the truth! Talk to Him! The Almighty God has been waiting for fifty years for some people to talk to Him sincerely. “Why doesn’t this person come to talk with Me? Tell Me about your situation. Is anything more important than Me in this world?” There is nothing more important or greater than God. Talk to God candidly.
All of our other relationships and what is destined for us in our lives are under the influence of this relationship. We should give priority to our relationship with God, and first of all we shouldn’t outwit God in this relationship!

Panahian.net

God’s Proposal to Us

When two people are talking about getting married, they say, “What do you think about the Fall?” “I don’t like the Fall. What about you?” “I like it very much.” “Wow! What mutual understanding we have!”
There is always a gap between the facts, awareness and us. The gap involves how to see those facts.
Everyone sees how short life is. But, from what viewpoint should we look at this? Everyone sees the hardships. From what angle should we look at these hardships? Gradually a person’s viewpoint becomes ingrained, and he becomes accustomed to it. Perhaps it becomes impossible to change his viewpoint.
I’ll give an example. Unfortunately, my example is not very good. Currently, what are the most fascinating TV shows in the world? I will tell you one of the most fascinating, if not the most fascinating TV show. In the whole world! It is the same way in Iran too.
They invite an actor because he is famous. Probably he is popular too. Probably. Being popular is a minor detail. They interview him to see his outlook on different affairs. People say, “O! It’s him. Let me see what he says!”
The TV show host will tell the actor, “Look, be comfortable. Give your own opinion.” The actor says, “I don’t like meat stew.” “Wow! He doesn’t like meat stew. How interesting! So what do you like? Let me guess. Audience! What do you think? Tell us, what do you eat?!!!” “I like fried eggs.” “Wow! He likes fried eggs! That’s why your face looks like an egg too! You like fried eggs. How do you feel when you eat eggs??!” “I see the egg as a planet, which has been mashed in the frying pan!” “What an interesting viewpoint!”
Nothing changes after this! People just say, “Wow! Oh?! Ah! What a special outlook!” We watch how others think.
I’m sorry, God forbid, I don’t want to compare this to God, but God says, “Let me tell you what I think. Let me tell you My way of looking at things!”
For example, sometimes God tells a person, “Look, this is not a big problem!” He says, “But, it is a very big problem!” “This is not a very big problem.” As you know, God talks in a low voice. He can’t even be heard. I am talking in a low voice on behalf of God, because He talks in this way. He always talks in a low voice. “This is not a big problem.” “No! I feel it!” “I’m telling you this is not a big problem.” The person won’t accept it.
God says, “Angels, create a big problem for him so that he can understand this wasn’t a very big problem.” Then when a problem comes up, he says, “O God! The previous problem was very good!” “I told you it wasn’t a very big problem.”
Another example is a big blessing. God says, “This is very great.” “No, this is normal.” “No, this is a very great blessing.” The person won’t accept it. Sometimes with the occurrence of a great tragedy, you understand your way of thinking was wrong!
Do you know what God has said in the Quran? He says that He will fix our way of thinking... I swear to God! Whether we are a Zoroastrian, a Christian, a non-Muslim, or a person who is curious. Or just a human being! What is God’s way of looking at affairs? God insists on communicating His way of looking! His way of talking shows this. The Quran is not written like a science book! It is completely based on the inner senses! He continually insists on communicating His way of looking. Get to know God. Think that He is proposing to you. God says, “Let Me tell you My way of looking. Let Me tell you My way of looking at things!”
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