mindset, leading to his sins being erased and his tainted past becoming beautiful.

These are the blessings of a positive mindset! We always hear that a positive outlook brightens our future and brings success to a person. Just ponder for a moment: a positive mindset is such an amazing thing that not only does it bring success for the future but it beautifies a person’s past too.

Remove the words “if only” from your life

Dear Islamic brothers! One major reason for having unpleasant feelings about the past are the words “if only”. We say “if only” a lot when it comes to our past. If only I didn’t do that, if only I didn’t this, if only this didn’t happen, if only that didn’t happen, if only I did not start this business but started that business instead, if only I did not study this but that instead, if only I worked there instead of here. This word “if only” makes our past, present and future unpleasant, so remove it from your life. It is a very dangerous phrase.

The  beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said in a Hadith:

If some calamity befalls you, do not say, “If I had done such-and-such thing then such-and-such would have happened,” rather say, قَدَّرَ اللہُ وَ مَا شَآءَ فَعَل  “Allah Almighty decreed [it] and did whatever He willed.

He صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم further stated:

فَاِنَّ لَو تَفْتَحُ عَمَلَ الشَّیْطَانِ

“Indeed, ’If’ opens the ploy of Satan.”^[1]

Mufti Aḥmad Yār Khān NaꜤīmī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه writes in the commentary of this