The Persuit Of Happyness

 

When you get time and you are tired of watching stupid DON, exaggerated romance of twilight and the impossible adventures of mission impossible, do watch “The Pursuit of Hapyness”its an amazing piece of work.Truly practical, this movie is based on the true story of Chris Gardner who crosses the limits of hard work to achieve his position as a stock broker. Its all about the zeal and dedication of this person who works day and night to get himself and his family out of nothingness.Wonderfully presented this movie has exposed how this person defeated all the “extreme” and “impossible to cross” hurdles and how he attains this sky-scraping position where now the world recognizes him. From the homeless, meal less and moneyless darkness of poverty, how this person works to his utmost to be able to afford all in life.This movie illustrates how apart from hard work, our behavior is important in today’s world to move ahead and turn our dreams into reality. All the nerds around who think that just by hard work they can win this world should learn from Chris Gardner who flexibly deals with all the people around him and helps them when he himself have an empty pocket…It’s a good lesson and moral for all those who are good at making excuses that they can’t compete because of the lack of resources. Few amazing lines from the movie which might inspire you are here:

•  “Hey. Don't ever let somebody tell you... You can't do something. Not even me. All right?”
• “That maybe happiness is something that we can only pursue and maybe we can actually never have it.”
• “Hey dad, you wanna hear something funny? There was a man, who was drowning, and a boat came, and the man on the boat said "Do you need help?" and the man said "God will save me". Then another boat came and he tried to help him, but he said "God will save me", then he drowned and went to Heaven. Then the man told God, "God, why didn't you save me?" and God said "I sent you two boats, you dummy!"
• “The important thing about that freedom train, is it's got to climb mountains. "We ALL have to climb mountains”

Here is a brief review:

Chris Gardner invests his family's savings in bone-density scanners which he tries to  sell to doctors. The investment proves to be a failure which financially breaks him. While trying to sell one of his scanners, Chris meets a manager for Dean Witter and impresses him by solving a Rubik's Cube during a short cab ride. This new relationship with the Dean Witter manager earns him the chance to become an intern stockbroker.

Despite arriving there shabbily dressed due to an emergency, Chris is offered the internship. Chris is further set back when his bank account is garnished by the IRS for unpaid taxes, and he and his young son are evicted. As a result they are homeless. Motivation drives him to find the Glide Memorial United Methodist Church .Due to demand for the limited rooms, Chris must frantically race from his internship work early each afternoon in order to land a place in line.

Disadvantaged by his limited work hours, and knowing that maximizing his client contacts and profits is the only way to earn the one paid position that he and his 19 competitors are fighting for, Chris develops a number of ways to make phone sales calls more efficiently. He also reaches out to potential high value customers, defying protocol. Regardless of Chris's challenges, he never reveals his lowly circumstances to his co-workers, even going so far as to lend one of his bosses five dollars for a cab, a sum he can't afford.

Concluding his internship, Chris is called into a meeting with his managers. His work has paid off and he is offered the position.

Islam a religion of peace

Islam Prohibits Violence and Aggression, and stands for Peace and Justice.

Islam clearly prohibits all kinds and forms of aggression and violence against anyone, except in self-defense. Islam is a practical religion, meant to be implemented in every aspect of our life. Therefore, it realizes the fact that a person who commits aggression and violence against others will not cease these actions unless they are deterred by similar actions taken against them.

Islam also places very high importance on justice, and allows for aggressors and unjust people be punished accordingly, unless they repent before they are brought to justice. At the same time, Islam encourages people to forgive those who have wronged them whenever possible.

Evidence of these ideals can be found in the Holy Qur'an, which is the word of God revealed to the messenger of God, Mohammad peace be upon him. It can also be found in the Hadith, the sayings of Mohammad peace be upon him, and in his teachings to Muslims. A few examples of this are shown below from the Holy Qur'an:

• "Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, and do not transgress; for Allah loveth not transgressors." (Surah 2, Verse 190). 
• "But if they cease (fighting you), Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Surah 2, Verse 192). 
• "But if the enemy incline towards peace, do thou (also) incline towards peace, and trust in Allah: for He is the One that Heareth and Knoweth (all things)." (Surah 8, Verse 61). 
• "The prohibited month, for the prohibited month, and so for all things prohibited, there is the law of equality. If then any one transgresses the prohibition against you, transgress ye likewise against him. But fear Allah, and know that Allah is with those who restrain themselves." (Surah 2, Verse 194).  
• " ... and let not the hatred of some people in (once) shutting you out of the Sacred Mosque lead you to transgression (and hostility on your part). Help ye one another in righteousness and piety, but help ye not one another in sin and rancour: fear Allah: for Allah is strict in punishment." (Surah 5, Verse 2). 
• "Nor can Goodness and Evil be equal. Repel (Evil) with what is better: then will he between whom and thee was hatred become as it were thy friend and intimate!" (Surah 41, Verse 34). 
• "O ye who believe! stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do." (Surah 4, Verse 135). 
• "God advocates justice, charity, and regarding the relatives. And He forbids evil, vice, and transgression. He enlightens you, that you may take heed." (Surah 16, Verse 90). 
• "And if ye do punish them, punish them no worse than they punished you: but if ye show patience, that is indeed the best (course) for those who are patient." (Surah 16, Verse 126).

The first three verses above instruct Muslims to fight those who fight them, and not to commit aggression first, as God does not like transgressors. They also instruct Muslims to stop fighting those who wish to cease fighting them, and to accept peace with the enemy who becomes inclined towards peace.

The fourth verse mentioned above instructs Muslims that if someone transgresses against them, they should respond to them likewise, and it reminds Muslims to fear God and to restrain themselves to this limit.

The fifth verse reminds Muslims not to let hatred of some people for past reasons to lead them to transgress against those people or be hostile towards them. It also instructs us to help each other in good and righteous actions, and not to cooperate in aggression and sin, and it reminds them finally of the strict punishment of God to encourage them to abide by these principles.

The sixth verse reminds us that goodness and evil are never equal, and that we should repel evil with good actions. This means that when someone is unjust to us or commits evil against us, we are encouraged to respond with kind and good actions, so that the hatred between us and that person will evaporate and will become an intimate friendship!

The seventh verse mentioned reminds us to stand up for justice, even if it is against ourselves or our family, and even if it is against those who are rich or powerful, because justice applies to everyone. It also reminds us that God knows everything we do, and so if we act unjustly even in our hearts, God knows what we did and we will be accountable for that.

The eighth verse informs us that God enjoins us to follow justice, and that God forbids us from committing evil, vice and transgression.

The ninth and final verse reminds Muslims that if they are punished, that they may only respond with the same punishment and not to go over this limit. However, they are reminded that forgiveness and patience is the best course of action.

These are the wonderful ideals of Islam:

• To pursue peace with everyone including past enemies, except when they fight the Muslims and refuse peace, then Muslims are allowed to fight in self-defense.
• To ensure that we always apply justice and never transgress against others even if they are our enemies. 
• To repel evil actions with good actions, in order to replace hatred with an intimate friendship. 
• To respond to punishment with the same punishment, but that forgiveness and patience is even better than retaliation.

When are Muslims Permitted to Fight a War?

As stated earlier, Islam is a very practical religion. It is not just about fake ideals that do not work. It is a religion that is meant to be implemented 100% in all actions of the Muslims life, and it is meant to promote peace and justice in the world.

Therefore, Islam does allow Muslims to go to war, as mentioned earlier, in certain circumstances. This includes self-defence, and to remove aggression and injustice that has befallen people and to save them from their oppressors. The verses that tell Muslims to fight those who fight them were mentioned earlier. Below is the verse in the holy Qur'an that allows Muslims to fight against injustice.

"Permission [to fight] is granted to those who are being persecuted, since injustice has befallen them, and God is certainly able to support them [with victory].

They were evicted from their homes unjustly, for no reason other than saying, "Our Lord is God." If it were not for God's supporting of some people against others, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques - where the name of God is commemorated frequently - would have been destroyed. Absolutely, God supports those who support Him. God is Powerful, Almighty." (Surah 22, Verses 39-40).

This verse gives permission to those Muslims who fall under oppressive, unjust rule, and those Muslims who are being persecuted to fight to remove this oppression.

Does Islam Permit Killing Civilians?

Even in times of war, the Muslim must respect his adversaries? humanity. Brutal and barbaric atrocities are prohibited in Islam. Islam condemns barbaric killing of any human being. Therefore, Islam does not permit the mutilation of the bodies of the dead enemy soldiers.

Also, Islam prohibits the targeting and killing of all civilians, especially women, children, the elderly, and religious clergy. Enemies, even at time of war, must be treated justly. Prisoners of war have basic human rights, as stated in the Shariah (Islamic Law), and must be provided and cared for and not humiliated in any way.

The following verses touch on some of these issues:

• "O Prophet! say to those who are captives in your hands: If Allah findeth any good in your hearts, He will give you something better than what has been taken from you, and He will forgive you: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Surah 8, Verse 70).
• And they feed, for the love of Allah, the indigent, the orphan, and the captive, (Saying), We feed you for the sake of Allah alone: no reward do we desire from you, nor thanks." (Surah 76, Verses 8-9).

In addition, the following were the instructions of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) to Muslims who are forced to fight a war:

"Do not kill women or children or non-combatants and do not kill old people or religious people,'' and he mentioned priests, nuns and rabbis. And he said, "Do not cut down fruit-bearing trees and do not poison the wells of your enemies."

There are many more sayings and teachings of Prophet Mohammad that instruct Muslims on these issues.

In addition to all this, Islam prohibits oppression, revenge or injustice to the people of the enemy in case of victory against them. Nor must there be control over the sources of the wealth of the nation or people, or even establishment of colonial regimes. Justice and freedom must be established. Tolerance towards cultures and peoples is to be respected at all times.

And finally, we greet everyone with the greeting of Islam:
Assalamu Alaikum (Peace be upon you!).

yes it's , early Muslims and Muslims today have lived alongside non-Muslims in peace , that doesn't mean however that a Muslim can't defend himself like any other man, a Muslim should defend his rights and also respect the rights of others .