Choose your mentors well
- Link to Envy: Encourage healthy envy by emulating the positive qualities of others, such as virtues exhibited by prophets, pious predecessors, and contemporary role models.
- Link to Love and contentment: Read biographies of those close to God and cultivate a love for them based on their virtuous qualities.
- Link to Self scrutiny: Find inspiration on how to better yourself through the biographies of pious people.
- Link to Fear and hope: Learn fear through how they display it in their life.
Examples of Role Models and Their Virtues:
| Mentor | Good Trait | Context for Reflection |
|---|---|---|
| Prophet Muhammad | Compassion and Forgiveness | When facing betrayal or disrespect. |
| Prophet Ayyub | Unwavering Patience | During illness or personal loss. |
| Prophet Yusuf | Trust in Allah | In situations of betrayal or family discord. |
| Fatima (RA) | Strength and Resilience | In times of family struggles or personal challenges. |
| Imam Ahmed | Perseverance in Faith | When facing criticism or doubt in beliefs. |
| Umar ibn al-Khattab | Justice and Integrity | When making difficult decisions or standing up for rights. |
| Rabia al-Adawiyya | Devotion and Love for Allah | In moments of spiritual doubt or when seeking closeness to Allah. |
| Current Scholars | Knowledge and Guidance | When needing clarity on religious matters. |
You can also use this to motivate yourself when you're feeling lazy or unproductive. Remember that you're not the first to struggle with your situation; others before you faced similar challenges, and Allah granted them victory in the end.