Suleiman Hani – Powerful Stories of Everyday Muslims #07 – The Story of Willpower

			Our story today is the story of willpower. How do I persevere and avoid giving up? One time a young
man picked up a dumbbell, and he started working out with his very first set. And as soon as the
pain started, he gave up the first moment he felt pain he gave up. And that was when he counted to
six. He looked at his friend who was nearby working out. And as he looked at him, his friend kept
going. So he asked, how are you able to handle the pain? How are you getting through that pain? His
friend said, If you believe that you can lift that dumbbell two more times, do you think that would
help you to continue? So that young man after a while started again. And this time he counted with
		

			full conviction that he will lift it eight times. And in fact, he did. Sometimes, your belief in
accomplishing more or a specific number or target or goal helps you to find the willpower within
yourself the strength within you to actually pursue and accomplish it. But we seek our willpower and
our help, first and foremost from Allah subhanho wa taala. So we recognize for example, we recognize
that the the strength that we experience in life and the success in life is all by his will. And
through his permission, we begin with Bismillah in the name of Allah and a sincere intention. And we
find our motivation and our blessings in that and we ask Allah subhana wa Tada, to increase us.
		

			Second, we recognize that every step counts. And sometimes people want to start by lifting 100
pounds without first going through the process of practicing or building their muscle, from 20
pounds to 50 pounds to 60 pounds to 100 pounds later on, you're not going to climb a mountain with
one step, you have to take many steps. And so you're climbing of that mountain began with a first
step. So you need to begin at the start of that trial, the start of that journey. Number three, it
is important that we connect our willpower to our purpose in this world, why we are here, and what
it is that we need to do today, in case there was no and in case there is no tomorrow. Because
		

			ultimately, for many people who passed away before us, perhaps they had the perspective that they
would accomplish what they wanted to accomplish, or even begin some new goal tomorrow and tomorrow
never came before them. This life is short and fast, and it is a test. And our laziness is not going
to help us to pass this test. Our laziness is going to be an obstacle and impediment to our success
and our willpower and our productivity and our optimism. If you have experienced something painful
in the past, stop living in the past, find the help that you need, the resources that you need and
the therapy that you need. Find the therapy and the healing of the Quran as well. But you need to
		

			keep moving forward. Now. If you're so stuck reading the last chapter or chapters of your life
without one particular fees or hardship or experience or an extended one event. How do you expect to
enjoy the next chapter of your life that Allah subhanaw taala has prepared for you, you need to move
forward and find all the resources within our tradition and even the resources of professional help
in your community or online. Number four, think about the higher ranks of paradise. Laziness does
not get you to the higher ranks. Laziness does not help you to excel. This is why Allah subhanaw
taala mentions us how we mean the people of belief that people have the right on the day of
		

			judgment, but then he specifies another group within them. Another group that excelled beyond them
was Serbia Kona Serbia Cohen, those who raced ahead, they raced ahead hula Ecole Makarova and they
are the closest to Allah subhanaw taala. Why? Because they did not allow their laziness in this
world to determine their objectives, their destiny, their success in the next life. They worked
hard, they worked really hard beyond what others on average we're working for. And of course, every
individual has their own unique test your own unique circumstances, your own your own unique race,
but ultimately, we are racing for gender, with the circumstances that you have with the life that
		

			you have. Are you working as hard as you can? Can you do more? Are you using all of your willpower
or are you depleting it? Are you overcoming for example, your challenges your own laziness your own
bad habits that are stopping you from being a greater person from achieving your greater goals and
your greater potential? And finally, number five,
		

			ultimately, we really need to avoid ever feeling in this life entitled to anything
		

			Because as difficult as it may be to hear this, we really are not entitled to anything in this
world. Nothing at all is guaranteed for us. The one thing that you're guaranteed is that you're
going to leave this world, you're going to leave not with your D not with your your job, not with
your wealth, not with your family, not with anything you've you've gained of material possessions,
you're only going to leave with your deeds. And so if this is the one guarantee, and you know you're
not guaranteed anything else, than when difficulty comes your way, whether from society or from
family or from friends, whatever it may be, have difficulty or your job or your studies or your
		

			relationships. Do not allow yourself to stop and feel bad for yourself, feel bad for yourself,
because you are entitled to that thing in this world. It is difficult, and it is a test. But what
you need to do is to move forward and pass that test what you need to do is to accept that it was
not guaranteed to remain permanent. What you had yesterday, is not guaranteed today. And what you
have today is not guaranteed tomorrow. And if that's the expectation that you have, then you are no
longer entitled to anything in this world. You recognize that life is constantly changing your
experiences, your phases of life will constantly change the people around you or the way that they
		

			treat you will constantly change. And the reality is Allah subhanaw taala is eternal. Allah subhanaw
taala is our constant, Allah subhanaw taala is permanent. So we turn to him we trust in him. What's
our color Allah Hi Isla de la nuit put your trust in the one who is ever living everlasting and does
not pass away, does not change Subhana wa Tada. You have one life that Allah subhanaw taala gave you
in this world before your soul moves on with your deeds with all that you've worked for. So live it
with strength, live it with wisdom, live it with a willpower and may Allah subhanaw taala increase
us in strength and willpower and grant us the resources and the environments and the factors that
		

			will also contribute to that willpower Allahumma me
		

			bla bla