We ought to live a simple life, a simple key to happiness. Simple living makes the world attractive.Indeed people who live simple are blessing to others.
“The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.”
– Joseph Campbell
Dear Readers,
Despite crazy technological advancements, our world has entered frighteningly dark waters. Life has become a struggle and very complicated. In this age, when health has become a novelty, it was astonishing to come across a man of 120 years old. A man who spent his evenings on prayer mat in prostration. Before sunset, he would bow down in prostration and would remain in that state till nightfall. I’ve seen how aging can lead to problems with a person’s ability to move around, till the age of 95 he walked for an hour each day. Over 100, he walked without stumbling and had no real health problems. He lived a simple, joy-filled, peaceful life, and the key was by keeping it simple and following the Sunnat of Prophet, not the traditions or expectations of man. People fear old age, they see old age as a curse.
He said; “I wanted my old age to be a blessing, in my old age I prayed for not relying on anyone, to defeat the co-dependency, keeping that in mind, I avoided all kind of excess.”
He left our world in April 2016. It was his heart that gave up. For two days He was in ICU and on the third day he was brought home by his children. He was in semi coma, and his left side was completely paralyzed. On the 4th Day He went to God. His granddaughter is my teacher and teaches me Qur’an.
I spoke to him over the phone in March 2016 for 15 minutes. He was visiting his granddaughter in the city. I was interested in him, I wanted to interview him on the secrets of living a long healthy life. My father, half his age was battling multiple health problems from diabetes to raised cholesterol levels and while my grandmother at the age of 65 was completely bed bound.
I see this generation struggling with health and stamina. Their minds are filled with unhealthy thoughts, fears and of addictive consumption. I get incredibly sad. What needs changing is human being and his addictive nature.
He invited me and my family to his house in mountains. My deepest regret, I was unable to make that journey, I allowed the fear of no electricity, no gas dominate my thoughts.
Simplifying Life is a process and not something that happens overnight, it takes time and effort. It’s about identifying what’s important and eliminating everything else. Minimal living means different things to different people and to this man it meant;
Eating from earth, he said, “what little I produce on my land is sufficient for me, I always drink from the local well, and I try to follow the Sunnatullah, (the way of prophet (pbuh)) to the best of my knowledge.”
“A Muslim who plants a tree or sows a field, from which man, birds and animals can eat, is committing an act of charity.”
(Muslim)
He ate meat, mutton curry often with gourd once a week and invited others to share his meal.
He consumed as much fresh food as he possibly could and caught his own fish.
Yogurt was a staple of his diet.
His food was free of all chemical preservatives and had no additives.
His chappati was made of the flour is whole, i.e. it is not refined.
therein, declare His Glory: There is not a thing but
celebrates His praise, and yet you understand not
how they declare His glory. Verily He is oft-
forbearing most forgiving.”
(XVII-44)
When he turned 100, he started to take regular small 15-20 minutes walks.
He had to shroud and bury his young son. After coming back from mountains, he took care of his grandchildren and became both mother and father to them.
Once a month he retired to mountains and sought solitude there.
He worked long hours and remained quiet. He seemed completely immune to stress-related health problems.
It’s shocking how contented he was with a small piece of land where he planted his own vegetables, his small house, one goat, one chicken and one dog.
You are the mirror of your thoughts.
He was perfectly adapted to his environment, very happy and not worried about future. At the same time he possessed so much wisdom and great knowledge of Qur’an and life.
His Pearls of Wisdom To Beat all Illnesses
Rise with the sun, and go to bed at nightfall. Start your morning with prayer and Qur’an , end your night with prayer and Qur’an.
Take regular walks- breathe the fresh air every day.
How sweet the morning air is!
See how that one little cloud floats like a pink feather from some gigantic flamingo.
How small we feel with our petty ambitions and strivings in the presence of the great elemental forces of nature.
– Arthur Conan Doyle
Watch Every Sunrise and Every Sunset even if it’s from indoors, and each day you’ll be renewed, and you’ll learn all over again to know your Creator. And let the peace that comes from His wonderful nature rule in your hearts.
When I admire the wonders of a sunset or the beauty of the moon,
my soul expands in the worship of the creator.
– Mahatma Gandhi
Never worry about the future and never reflect on the past, your present is more important.
Obey Allah and His Prophet all the time.
Never go to sleep without asking for forgiveness from Allah.
Retire to mountains and talk with your heart and let your heart talk to you. Here in stillness and in complete solitude, take a distinctive view of your inward life. You need to be very careful lest you outwardly appear to be a little more than you really are inwardly.
Help People. Always make allowance for each other’s faults, always forgive.
Life’s way is a hard road to travel if we are always wanting our way.
Always adorn yourself with tender hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
May Allah make it easy for us to grasp the realities disclosed by the Rasul of Allah (saw), and to live in accordance with those realities; rather than to pick on one another!
7 Comments
Salam sister. What’s sad. My grandfather died in old people home. My father very upset
Ironic. I always thought one day I will go back to my father. I will take care of him. I never even made it to his funeral. He died last Ramadan.
Wow what a truly inspirational man. Lovely tribute to him, Maha, I’m sure he is smiling down on you! If we would only live by all that you post here what a wonderful, fulfilling life we all would enjoy!! Many Pearls of Wisdom here 🙂
Thank you so much. You have no idea how much your words mean to me. Blessed be Dear Deb
Masha’Allah may God bless his soul. What a great example for all.
Pingback: Inspired By Prophet Muhammad (saaw) Eating His Foods For One Day - Islam and Eating Disorders
Thank you for this inspirational article. Such examples of pure simple goodness we need to read again and again to help us stay grounded and well on track. To come back to reality if we’ve slipped a little.
May his pure soul rest in the shade of Jannatul firdaus.