things that haven't happened yet. This is called being apprehen-
sive. All bad thoughts that come into our mind, or all the anxieties
we sense in our hearts, are worries sent by Satan. Allah tells us in
the Qur'an what we should do when this happens: 'If an evil im-
pulse from Satan provokes you, seek refuge in Allah. He is All-
Hearing, All-Seeing.' (Surat al-A‘raf: 200)"
"Ali," said his mother, "When these bad thoughts come into
your mind, turn to Allah right away and pray."
His father went on: "Allah has determined beforehand every-
thing that happens to us in our lives. And He wills the best for us
at all times. If you can't go to the picnic, be sure that this is the
best thing for you. Some people forget that there is good in every-
thing, and get depressed because of some events that happen to
them. But it may be that Allah has actually protected them from
something worse. But they don't think this way, so they are always
anxious and depressed."
Ali nodded: "Yes, I understand very well, now. From now on,
when bad thoughts come to my mind, I will turn to Allah right
away and thank Him for giving me the
best of everything."
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