Studying Islam

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[quote]Our intellectual needs are never urgent, so it is easy to overlook them.  When was the last time you said to yourself, "I urgently need to read a good book today"?  It doesn't happen.  Why?  For one, our intellectual needs are not primary needs.  If we neglect them we won't die.  But mental vitality leads to physical, emotional, and spiritual vitality.  To neglect our phenomenal abilities to think, reason, decide, imagine, and dream is to enormously limit our potential.  Everything in our lives begins as a thought.  
 
In the category of personal intellectual stimulation, we could read magazines about fashion, gardening, sports, finance, music, or any other area of interest.  We will be entertained, but it is unlikely that we will be challenged to raise our standards and become the-best-version-of-ourselves.  To really stretch ourselves, we must delve into the wisdom writings.  Selections could include a variety of philosophical texts, the writings of countless spiritual leaders past and present.  It is in these writings that the intellect comes face-to-face with the most profound questions and truths about the world, creation, God, humanity, and our individual journeys.  Wisdom writings constantly hold before us a vision of the-best-version-of-ourselves.  These writings seek not to entertain us, but to reveal to us who we are and why we are here.  The wisdom writings gently call us out of our comfort zones and challenge us to improve, develop, grow, and live life to the fullest.  [Kelly,  The Rhythm of Life]
 
Food for Thought:
Only in winter can you tell which trees are truly green.  Only when the winds of adversity blow can you tell whether an individual has courage or steadfastness.  Nothing happens to anybody which he is not fitted by nature to bear.  All problems become smaller if you don't dodge them but confront them.[/quote]

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