Radiant Publications

To inspire the soul, to bring peace to the heart

Author Archives: radiantpublications


by Leave a comment

The Divine Banquet

DSC_0437.2

The blessed Month of Ramadhan has once again graced us with its presence, bringing with it the sweet breezes of Mercy, Forgiveness and the Divine Word, the Glorious Quran. It is described by the Holy Prophet as:

‘…A month in which you have been invited to the banquet of Allah, and have been selected as the recipient of this special favour’.

This Holy Month is a training period, in which we habituate our physical body to listen to and obey the spiritual soul, each acting in obedience to the commands of the Creator. These thirty days are essentially an opportunity to ‘reset’ both our physical and spiritual selves; the first facilitating the second. Fasting with the physical body inevitably weakens it, but initiates a detoxification and purification. And when the physical senses are dimmed, the spiritual ones have a chance to shine and compensate.

No longer veiled by carnal desires and a full stomach, the spirit can soar to new heights, not least because in exercising its willpower, it has gained mastery over the body. And just as a blind person’s sense of hearing is sharpened to compensate for a lack of physical sight, so the ‘ears’ of our spiritual souls are sharpened to hear Divine Whispers, following our physical weakness during the fast.

But what is to be served at this Divine Banquet; what are we ultimately preparing our souls to receive?

We were each created in ‘the best of moulds’ [95:4] by a Perfect Creator, for the Divine purpose of Worshipping Him alone, and therefore gaining proximity to Him. (And also because there is none worthy of worship but Him.) However even the most basic manufactured product comes complete with an instruction manual, and human beings are no exception. It is in this blessed month that Allah (The Praised & Exalted) sent down our Guidebook – our Instruction Manual, our means to perfection and salvation. He sent it along with Shining Beacons to light the path and deliver His message and book, and therefore to help us reach our absolute goal; taqwa (God-consciousness).

And that is ultimately what this Holy Month is about. We press the reset button, and stop, and contemplate. And then start at the beginning with our ‘factory settings’, this time Instruction Manual in hand.

And so, in this Holy Month of the Quran, we pray that He gives us the strength and patience to etch and inscribe these Divine words upon our souls, and fill the purified container of our hearts with its understanding so that we can proceed along our path to perfection.

With this in mind, in the coming days we hope to present some ayaat (verses) to place spotlights on the gems and treasures contained in this blessed book, InshaAllah (God-Willing).


by Leave a comment

The Shard

This post was inspired by the tallest building in Western Europe: The Shard.

It was amazing to watch it grow month by month, floor by floor, into a stunning expanse of glass and incredible engineering. From afar it cuts an unmistakable silhouette against the London city skyline, while close up its gleaming panels reflect the dramatic stormy skies and sunsets.

—

It takes many things to build a person; family, friends, experiences and mishaps. You’re built and break, and then you’re built again – this time with stronger foundations. But eventually from those simple bricks and mortar you turn into someone amazing.

You were built from a blueprint, an incredibly intricate architectural plan. You were designed to be the ultimate construction, with a perfectly proportioned interior and stunning exterior. You were created to have an impact on passers-by; those who walked in and out, and those who stayed awhile.

Your Designer worked without constraints; no budgets, no shortcuts. You’re not just a roof and four walls. You’re installed with a high tech mind and pure, clean heart. Your beams and sturdy structure, a support and shelter for those nearby.

But because you’re a shiny build, the people and places you surround yourself with will reflect upon you.

If you choose to surround yourself with beauty, you will reflect it too.

It’s all down to you; think tall, aim high and polish your heart with goodness and kindness and truthfulness and grace.

Polish your heart until it’s clear as a mirror.

Then, only the sky’s the limit.

—

shard4

shardnew

shard5

shard1.2.combo

shard6

shard7

shard8


by Leave a comment

Autumn

That beautiful season when the trees are ablaze, and the ground glistens with frost. A fiery palette painted in mighty strokes across nature’s canvas; curled-up crisp brown leaves swirl in circles, and summer greens become woven with burnt orange and red. Shafts of hazy, honey-coloured sunshine peek through between the branches, highlighting each perfect, intricate leaf vein.

A reflection of the Might and Perfection of The Creator (Al Khaliq), Shaper (Al Musawwir) and Sustainer (Ar Razzaq). The One from whom all originates, and the One who guides each creation on its course. And the One to whom, like the falling leaves, all creation will return.

‘Do you not see that Allah sends down water from the cloud, then makes it go along in the earth in springs, then brings forth therewith herbage of various colours, then it withers so that you see it becoming yellow, then He makes it a thing crushed and broken into pieces? Most surely there is a reminder in this for men of understanding.’

(The Holy Qur’an 39:21) 

—


by Leave a comment

Dream

This blog came about as a result of dreams, prayers, and a good friend or two. We pray you too are inspired…

mountain

‘All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes to make them possible.’ -T. E. Lawrence

We live in a materialistic, worldly society, where the worth of things is dictated to us by their monetary value, the media and trends and ideals set by a handful of individuals. But try as society might to contort our view, there is no changing the facts.

Life is precious, people are valuable, souls are sacred.

Just remember, you are unique; there is only one person with this combination of attributes, quirks, gifts and personality. Only one person with your soul. Be the best version of yourself, because no one else can be.

Sure, we cannot control how people view us. But then, that’s never been any of our business anyways. People will try to argue with you, stamp on you and put you down. They will ridicule every value you ever had and demean you to the point where you wonder if there’s anything left of you. But they can never take away your inner light, your inner energy. Don’t let them sap it, let it shine out and reflect off every surface. Refuse to be anything but happy. Be with people whom your soul gravitates towards, and people who reflect that light back to you brighter than when it first shone from you. Because those people will help you grow.

Sure, the past happened. We did things we’d rather forget. Heard things we want to un-hear. Lived through experiences that we don’t care to re-live. But without them would we be the same individuals today? If you stretch a spring, then let go, it bounces back with so much energy – so should you. If you were never pulled to your limits, you’d never see just how much energy is bound up inside you. Now you have, it’s up to you to use it, it’s up to you to let your light radiate. Keep daydreaming and working for your dreams. We can’t all shout loudly, or no one would hear each other. And sometimes, very often in fact, no one wants to listen. But keep going. Ever watched a tiny droplet spread into a ripple?

You spent so much time alone climbing that mountain called life; it was tough terrain – rocky and slippery. You fell a few times, got cut and bruised. But then you healed, you kept ascending and you’re almost at the summit now. And when you get there, you have two options; climb back down the way you came, or step from the edge and soar. Push yourself beyond your comfort zone; take a risk, see the world from a different perspective, then come and tell all the people at the bottom about it. Tell them so they can climb and soar too – life is precious, people are valuable, souls are sacred. We need to help each other up – it’s no fun at the top if you’re all alone.

Dream a little, love a lot, because today is all we’ve got.