It is 155am and I have decided to write. I came across this quote and it has stuck with me for how true it is. "Whoever looks for the good qualities in others will acquire all good qualities within himself" - Habib Umar Bin Hafiz. Similarly, if we train ourselves to see the beauty in the world, the world becomes beautiful. God also says - I am what you think I am. We shape our reality with our thoughts. My friend Chatty says that when we actively seek the good in others, we are training our hearts to recognize virtue. Over time, admiration becomes aspiration. The qualities we celebrate in others begin to take root within ourselves.
The same principle extends to the world around us. Two people can walk through the same day and come away with entirely different experiences. One notices the inconveniences, the shortcomings, and the disappointments. The other notices the kindness of a stranger, the beauty of the sky, the chirping of the birds, the opportunity hidden within difficulty. The world itself has not changed, but the eye through which it is viewed has. My connection to the divine saying is especially meaningful. The famous hadith qudsi, "I am as My servant thinks of Me," encourages believers to approach God with hope, trust, and expectation of His mercy. When one expects goodness from God, one becomes more capable of recognizing His blessings, wisdom, and presence even in circumstances that are not immediately understood.
GQ is a famous magazine and stands for Gentlemen's Quarterly. GQ could also stand for Good Qualities. Good qualities could also be God's qualities or qualities that God is looking for from us. The things that God wants us to be. And how do you know what God wants us to be? If you are a Muslim and I am a Muslim, there is another GQ that is Guided by the Quran. I closed my eyes and selected a random verse from the Quran. I landed on surah 71 verse 17 - Allah alone caused you to grow from the earth like a plant. This teaches that human beings originate from the earth, are brought forth and grown by God like plants, and therefore live in complete dependence on Him. It reminds us of our humble origin, the divine nature of our growth, and the fact that life is a temporary process of development and cultivation before we ultimately return to our Creator. And so the G in GQ can also stand for growth. Grow toward the Quintessential person.
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