Stuff People Said to Me

Frederick Qasim Khan

Description

During our life’s journey, with multiple paths, directions, and experiences, it should be expected to constantly come in contact with people of all ages, backgrounds, and mindsets, who, whether solicited or unsolicited, deliberate or inadvertently, place an impression on our life in some way, shape, or fashion....good, bad, or indifferent. In any case, it is very likely that although we may not immediately realize it, we are somehow impacted by words, even if merely subconsciously. Perhaps “Stuff People Said to Me”, may serve as a catalyst that may trigger memories throughout your own experiences and interaction with people in your past or present, that you may realize, actually benefitted you. It is not a matter of whether or not you agreed with them, nor whether they were right or wrong...justified or unfair...if at the very least, they only acted as a mirror, and their statements made you take a good look at yourself, you win. Just think about it. 

Sujets

• Santé et bien-être
• Développement personnel
• développement personnel
• Self-help
• Inspirational
• Motivational

Informations

• Publié par: Outskirts Press
• Date de parution: 15 mars 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781977263889
• Langue: English

Extrait

Stuff People Said to Me A Treasure Chest of Beneficial Advice All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2023 Frederick Qasim Khan v3.0
The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher. The author has represented and warranted full ownership and/or legal right to publish all the materials in this book.
This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Outskirts Press, Inc. http://www.outskirtspress.com
Cover Photo © 2023 Frederick Qasim Khan. All rights reserved - used with permission.
Outskirts Press and the "OP" logo are trademarks belonging to Outskirts Press, Inc.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Interesting to note: These contents are not listed in order of importance or priority, nor even alphabetically. They only appear in the order in which "stuff" that people said to me happened to cross my mind while composing this work. That’s all.
Preface
Introduction
Stuff I Said
Stevie Wonder
Abdul Hakeem Olajuwan
Lillian Keith
William "Billy" Martin, Esq.
Dr. John Conley, Ph.d.
Imam Abbas Ahmad
Shaykh Mas’oud Laryea
Mary Christine Elizabeth Shaw
B.B. King
Imam Johari Abdul-Malik
Duke Davis
Imam Naeem Baig
Lena Horne
Minister Louis Farrakhan
Herlin Royce Johnson
Zerahkyah Israel
Harold Palmer Johnson
Muhammad Ali
Shaykh James Shabazz
Imam Clyde Rahman
Sunni Lewis
The Honorable Ali Khan
Imam Siraj Wahhaj
Imam Zaid Shakir
Abdul Rashid Hill
Dr. Mamdouh Salama
Nuriddin Abdul-Lateef
Imam Wallace Deen Mohammed
Kenny La Van
Preacher Moss
Willie Stargell
Imam "Minister" Mustafa Hassain
President Barack Obama
Coach Kenneth Johns
Attorney General Keith Ellison
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee
Mel Blount
Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs-Jones
William Thomas Johnson
Mayor Sylvester Turner
Jim Brown
Shaykh Mishary Al Alfasy
Hasaina Khan
Shaykh Abdullah Hakim Quick
Shaykh Daoud Bojang
PREFACE
ALTHOUGH THIS WORK is composed of advice that has been directed to me personally, I deem it feasible to preface it with only a few selected statements that had been offered by the one person who never spoke directly to me, as he lived nearly 1,500 years ago, yet his sincere advice that was offered publicly during his lifetime, permanently influences every aspect of my present life in a most intimately personal manner. That would be none other than Prophet Muhammad ibn Abdullah, The Peace and Blessings of Allah Be Upon Him:

"THE BEST ONE AMONG YOU IS HE WHO IS MOST USEFUL TO THE COMMUNITY"
"LEAVE THAT WHICH MAKES YOU DOUBT, FOR THAT WHICH DOES NOT MAKE YOU DOUBT; FOR TRUTH IS PEACE OF MIND AND FALSEHOOD IS DOUBT"
"THE EAR OF THE LISTENER IS MORE DANGEROUS THAN THE TONGUE OF THE SLANDERER"
"ONE’S WEALTH IS NOT DIMINISHED BY ONE’S CHARITY"
"IF YOU DEPEND ON ALLAH WITH DUE RELIANCE, HE WOULD CERTAINLY GIVE YOU PROVISION AS HE GIVES IT TO BIRDS WHO GO FORTH HUNGRY IN THE MORNING, AND RETURN WITH FULL BELLY AT DUSK."
"NOT ONE OF YOU IS A BELIEVER, UNLESS HE LOVES FOR HIS BROTHER WHAT HE LOVES FOR HIS OWNSELF".
INTRODUCTION
THE ALMIGHTY GOD, by whatever name you choose to call Him, gives us two ears and one mouth, perhaps so we can listen twice as much as we talk. Maybe if I would have adhered to that simple principle throughout the majority of my life, I could have been a lot further ahead. Anyway, everything happens for a reason, and those reasons are only truly known by The Almighty God, who decrees everything, and sets up of a chain of events for something to happen, so something else can happen, so something else can happen…and so on. People we meet along the way impact us somehow, whether knowingly or unknowingly. We are shaped by our environment, therefore are creatures of information, and if we seek to benefit, we can learn from everyone… young, old, friend or foe, good, bad, or ugly…something that we can utilize to impact our life in a positive way---if we choose to….or…we can simply spend the rest of our existence being miserable, wading in the quagmire of self pity, looking for someone else to blame for our lack of progress.
Throughout my own life, people have given me advice, either solicited or unsolicited, deliberately or inadvertently, often merely expressing their point of view, expecting me to derive some benefit…which I often would, either immediately or later in life. Either way, I saw fit to collect such anecdotes in this compilation, in hopes that others will benefit as much as I do. Since I am listing the advices, admonishments, and warnings by various people of assorted relationships, I might as well begin with stuff I said to myself and to others . Please note that there is no intention to imply that any of the statements included herein were originated by the person referenced…however, in most cases, it was my first time hearing such pearls. Enjoy.

Frederick Qasim Khan
STUFF I SAID
I WAS WAITING for a bus one evening, wishing I had a car, while at the same time content with anticipating the comfort of a quiet bus ride home, being able to leaf through a magazine, or just think with my eyes closed, or maybe open, blankly glaring through the window at passing objects and people.…not having to concern myself with traffic situations. I had always liked public transportation, as long as it was not too congested. As I sat on the bench in the lonely bus shelter, inhaling the warm spring breeze with a wide array of unrelated thoughts, the time slipped by so quickly that I had totally forgotten that it was Sunday, and buses are scarce on weekends. I didn’t have a copy of the bus schedule with me anyway, and had no clue when the next one was due to arrive….or if there would be a bus at all for that matter, unlike the weekdays with the transit lines ready to accommodate the usual high number of commuters. It may have been about eight or nine miles to my home…a short ride, but a long walk, although I was prepared for the latter, but only if I had to.
I was faced with a decision…to be patient and continue waiting, or to simply begin walking along the bus route towards my destination, just in case the bus would never arrive, or would come so late, that I could have made it home under my own power. If I would start walking, and the bus would come, it would take longer for it to reach me, or worse, my uncalculated steps might place me between two bus stops, and the driver would be forced to pass me. If I would just sit there, not knowing for sure if I had already missed the last bus, my patience would be in vain. So, as I began to walk briskly toward each bus stop, in the direction of my home…looking over my shoulder, prepared to run if I saw an approaching bus… it began to rain, adding another ingredient to this element. Oh, boy. I was then faced with a decision to make…a choice to consider, and began to counsel myself with a statement I would later hang on my office wall, then as far as I was concerned…

THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM IS KNOWING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING PATIENT, AND WASTING TIME.
I once knew a man with a terrible disposition…an obnoxious attitude…most probably toward everyone, although I took it quite personally. He spoke to me with zero respect, and I would return his negative tones and facial expressions with much of the same, incorrectly thinking that a little taste of his own medicine would help to cure him. Not. It had gotten to the point where just seeing him, or even thinking about him would burn me inside, and upset my internal system. I had become obsessed with developing so much hatred for the guy that I was making my own self miserable. It didn’t dawn on me for awhile, that he could not care less about what I was feeling about him, furthermore what I was burning energy to emotionally put myself through regarding him. Of course if I disliked him enough to not want to do any good for him, then he certainly would not be worth the energy it was taking for me to think about how much I hated him. That is when I realized what I considered as the moot point of hatred….

HATRED IS A POWERFUL EMOTION THAT REQUIRES THE USE OF ENERGY. SO…WHY WASTE YOUR ENERGY ON PEOPLE YOU DON’T LIKE?
There are great rewards in store for those who constantly obey The Almighty God, as most religions teach. The doing of good deeds as well as the abstinence of bad deeds, both hold blessings beyond measure….particularly the resisting of temptation regarding carnal desires. I would argue that the more irresistible the sinful desire, the more powerful the benefit of elevating one’s virtue by avoiding it. Humans are the only thing in Creation with the choice to be obedient or to sin…by the same token, humans are the only thing in Creation that can reap rewards for such obedience, in this life and/or the Afterlife. Furthermore, humans are the only thing in Creation that is punished by the Creator for disobedience I have come to the realization that intangible rewards are much more significant than those which are tangible, and blessings by The Almighty God are much more attractive and significant than anything, or anyone in this material world. Therefore, I concluded that….

PERHAPS THE ONLY THING MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN A WOMAN, IS THE REWARD FROM ALLAH FOR RESISTING HER…FOR HIS SAKE.
After years of a bucket load of mistakes, and being in denial of most of them, I finally began to teach my children and grandchildren a valuable lesson….

…. to avoid making excuses for mistakes and bad judgments…to simply admit to the wrong, apologize, ask for forgiveness, and promise to do better. I tell them that people will respect that level of humility, and that they should teach their children the same