"Oh You who believe, if you are conscious of the Almighty, then only, will He grant you the ability to distinguish (between right and wrong, good and bad, light and darkness, halaal and haraam, good friends and bad, upright business deals and those that are not etc) and He will expiate your sins and forgive you, for indeed the Almighty is Owner of the Great Bounty" Surah 8:29

Terengganu - Malaysia

This means that if we would like to be able to make maximum use of the brains we have then one of the most important prerequisites is to be conscious of our Creator at all times, and the fact that we are totally answerable to Him, and at the same time be on the lookout for the truth on one hand as well as the plot of the devil on the other.

Never be deceived by people's comments, or by what others say, do, or encourage. Always ask yourself, "Is this what my Maker wants of me?" "Is this what will please my Creator?" "What answer will I give my Creator when I am questioned about this?"

These questions will always help you increase your consciousness of Allah Almighty. Then you will be able to differentiate between the various forces around you of good and evil.

The constant concern about the Almighty being ever watchful and being in absolute control will also help you effect the necessary changes in your life once you have differentiated. This is because there is no merit in a Muslim who knows that his friends are bad but remains in their company and does not have the power to leave their circle.

True guidance arrives when all bad friends depart!
Food for thought - and implementation.

| Mufti Ismail Menk |