Ten suggestions are given for finding inner peace, starting with the following question:
What are the most important worries most people have in their daily lives?
People have many worries, including debts, finding good friends, dealing with other people, dealing with injustice, not having enough time, too much work, worrying about the future, dealing with life’s problems, and in general being dissatisfied with what they have.
Each of these worries has a remedy, and the following ideas are reminders that aim to help us find inner peace and tranquility.
1- Get Out of Debt
One of the main concerns most people have is being in debt and being worried about how to pay the next due payment, whether for credit card debts, bank loans, or similar obligations.
Today’s consumer society encourages us day and night to buy new products, many of which we don’t really need, and through aggressive marketing campaigns many people find themselves gradually going into increasing levels of debt, month after month, and year after year.
Being caught in the debt trap takes away part of a person’s freedom, and when this happens one feels worried when there are too many debts to repay, and when monthly expenses no longer balance with monthly income.
At this stage, one’s peace of mind totally evaporates, as worries can easily turn into a nightmare which disturbs the balance in life, and may reach the point described in this hadith:
“When a man gets into debt, he speak and tells lies, and he makes a promise and breaks it.”
So the first important advice is don’t get into debt.
2- Keep Good Company
Meeting friends and relatives on social occasions and during weekends and holidays gives an important dimension to our social lives. By sharing and caring, one gets away from the daily routine of work and study, and gets involved with a wider circle of people one loves.
But be careful. A good friend no doubt helps his friend on the path towards Allah, and vice versa. So be very careful who you take as a close friend. The best friend is the one who reminds you of God when you forget, and encourages you to do good to others and live a decent life that pleases Allah. Keeping away from bad friends and company is therefore very important for finding inner peace.
3- Do Good to Others and Deal Kindly with People
We live in an age where most people don’t have time for others, and where violence, crime and selfishness prevail in many locations on our planet. In such an environment it is not easy to be unaffected, as what people around us do has a direct and indirect impact on our lives.
In any case, as a Muslim it’s important to maintain good manners and to deal with people in a kind way, even those who are hostile towards us. This needs a lot of patience, but God loves those who are patient.
Doing good to others is a high priority to please Allah (SWT). A good deed brings light both to the heart and to the face. Doing good deeds results in being blessed in one’s sustenance, and the hearts of people are naturally attracted to the doer of good.
4- Don’t Get Angry
Another important ingredient for inner peace is to be patient with people and to avoid anger and negative reactions and feelings. Anger takes away part of our feeling of peace, and often makes a person act in an irresponsible way.
Allah praised in the Quran those who are patient, and those who are able to control themselves and suppress their anger and forgive others. Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was a very calm and wise person, and he always advised his companions not to get angry.
If one day you do feel yourself on the verge of exploding in anger, try to make wudu‘ (ablution), or if you are standing sit down and seek refuge from shaytan (Satan).
When a person gets angry, Satan has a strong impact on him, as anger takes away part of one’s good manners and one’s sensible way of reasoning. So if you are searching for peace, do your best to be calm and patient
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