Praise versus scold

A Malay proverb says that if we follow our heart we will die. But American always say follow your heart. I think both sayings apply to two completely different situations.

If somebody makes us mad and we become angry, then to me we are no better than that somebody since we are doing exactly the same thing - being mad. If somebody do something bad to us and that makes us having no qualm to do the same to him/her, then are we any better than that person?

When I was young I was highly spirited and always try to fight back. Now I silently accept all the negative remarks or angry words directed towards me. If we think about it, angry words might contain more truth in it than praises that we received. When people are mad at us they will say the negative aspects of us that we might not notice before. On the other hand, a praise may be overboard or insincere. As we aged we will have more wisdom to see through things.

1. Have We not opened your breast for you (O Muhammad (peace be upon him))?

2. And removed from you your burden,

3. And removed from you your burden,

4. And raised high your fame?

5. So verily, with the hardship, there is relief,

6. Verily, with the hardship, there is relief ,

7. So when you have finished, then stand up for Allah worship,

8. And to your Lord (alone) turn (all intentions and hopes and) your invocations.

Al Insyirah

In the above chapter, Allah stresses twice that in every hardship actually there is relief. What more do I need than Allah's promise that in every hardship I faced thare's something good waiting for me around the corner. So much so that almost every time that I faced hardship I will try to think of the good things Allah has in store for me.

So the next time people scolded you, after the heat is over try to think of what that person said to you. Maybe there's a lot of truth that you need to know.

May Allah bless us all.

qualm - an uneasy feeling of doubt, worry, or fear, esp. about one's own conduct;a misgiving : military regimes generally have no qualms about controlling the press.