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This is last year's New Year's Day post and it still really speaks to me:
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Happy New Year
Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (a), while explaining the utterance of God Almighty, "That He might try you (to see) which of you is fairest in works." (67:2) said: "It does not mean one of you whose deeds are more numerous but one who is more rightful in his conduct, and this rightness is nothing but fear of God and sincerity of intention (niyyah) and fear." Then he (a) added: "To persevere in an action until it becomes sincere is more difficult than (performing) the action itself, and sincerity of action lies in this that you should not desire anyone to praise you for it except God Almighty, and intention supersedes action. Lo, verily, intention is action itself." Then he recited the Qur'anic verse, "Say, everyone acts in accordance with his character (shakilatihi)", (17:84) adding, "That shakilah means niyyah."
[Al Kulayni, al Kafi, vol. 2, kitab al iman wa al kufr, bab al 'ikhlas, hadith # 4]
Imam al Baqir (a) said: "Perseverance in an action is more difficult than the act itself." He was asked, "What is meant by perseverance in action?" He (a) replied, "A man does some kindness to a relative or expends something for the sake of God, Who is One and has no partner. Thereupon the reward of a good deed performed secretly is written for him. Later, he mentions it to someone and that which was written earlier is wiped out and instead the reward of a good deed performed openly is written for him. Later, when he makes a mention of it again, the vice of riya' (showing off) is written for him (instead of the reward written earlier)." [Al Kulayni al Kafi, kitab al 'iman wa al kufr, bab al riya', hadith # 16]
New Year's '07 post was about the best and worst movies I saw in 2006. Winner: The Prestige. Loser: Little Miss Sunshine. (2008's are detailed at Muslim Movie Review.) But in summary -
The winners:
Eagle Eye
Secret Life of Bees
Mamma Mia!
Kung Fu Panda
Nim's Island
Iron Man
Wall-E
And losers:
Four Christmases
My Best Friend's Girl
The Women
Don't Mess with the Zohan
every romantic comedy made in 2008 as far as I could tell
And on New Year's Eve Dec 31, 2006, I had posted about the weird lyrics (because they're in Scots) to Auld Lang Syne.
I didn't post on New Year's Day in '06, but my post from the 2nd I've decided to take as my New Year's Resolution for 2009:
Do not covet anything avariciously; for if you ignore it, it will come to you anyway, if it is destined to be yours. Then you would find ease in your heart with Allah swt, praise for leaving it.
But you will be blamed for your haste in (instead) seeking it, for not trusting Him, and for not being content with the decree. Allah swt created this world the same as a shadow: when you chase it, it tires you out and you can never catch up with it. If you leave it alone, it follows you inexorably, and gives you not cause for fatigue.
Imam Sadiq (as), Lantern of the Path
My New Year's Day post for 2006 was actually made on New Year's Eve in 2005:
Saturday, December 31, 2005
New Year
Happy New Year everyone, wishing you the best.
1. I hope this year would not find anyone facing the great disasters like the Tsunami or Katrina or the Pakistan Earthquake. In reality we know these things happen continually and may be happening more because of Global Warning (some of them), and if you are the one affected it doesn't matter if the disaster is one on a global scale or only your home. So maybe I should just wish that we all are safe in the new year and that we avoid disasters, and if we do face one that we recover easily and it brings out the best in us rather than the worst.
2. Last year I almost lost my father. But now he is better than he had been in years. I hope everyone gets to enjoy their families.
3. I have been divorced now just over a year, although I've been alone much longer. I hope everyone can find the love they need in the coming year if they don't have it already, and if they do have it, I pray they can nurture it and appreciate it.
4. I hope everyone finds good health this year - mental, physical, emotional and spiritual.
5. I hope if we make it to the end of this year, that we are better than when it started - mentally, physically, emotionally and especially spiritually.
6. I finished my Master's Degree this past year. I pray everyone is able to obtain their educational goals and continually learn and grow.
7. Now I have to pay that school loan! I pray for everyone that we could all get out of debt. Come on, Publisher's Clearinghouse. :)
I like all those sentiments but this year, I'd be talking about Gaza, Iraq, Mumbai, Pakistan, people losing jobs, etc.
No New Year's post for 2004 or 2005, but I do remember having one, maybe in 2005, in which I made some Resolutions. One was taking a multivitamin every day. I don't think it is 2005, maybe more recent. But I've deleted a few posts over the years and maybe that was one of them.
There are plenty of things I want to accomplish in 2009 related to health,job, finances, spirituality, and learning - around exercise and diet, enjoying and being more engaged in work, debt and budgeting, concentration in prayer, reciting Qur'an, building relationship with the Creator, learning new things.
On the learning new things note - I recently ordered this book from Paperbackswap.com that looks very neat - Merit Badge Book for Adult Women - basically to keep you learning new things.
But I think the resolution I've chosen will be hard enough, and supercedes all those other resolutions.
May you all have a blessed 2009.
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