Every day of Ramadan, Muslim Aid Australia along with local leaders will be giving you short lessons in order to implement that each day and continue with these changes beyond Ramadan insha’ Allah.
The Speakers:
Sheikh Hassan Elsetohy
Dr. Muhammad Abdulllah
Sheikh Shady Alsuleiman
Sheikh Omar El Banna
Sheikh Tareck Al Bikai
Sheikh Ramy Al Sharawneh
Bro. Mohammad Quadan
Follow them through this series…
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With sincere intentions and noble efforts you can hopefully recreate some of that much needed spiritual reformation.
For many of us as Muslims out in the working world or even at home, it can be a challenge to sustain our spirituality post-Ramadan. Many people I know complain of the need to reform their spiritual habits and I count being in in good companionship as one of the vital ways to continually boost your spiritual development.
In the modern day, it is easy to slip out of the ‘spiritually developing’ zone, especially when you are in a non-Muslim environment and don’t have the same network of ‘sisterhood’ or ‘brotherhood’ to encourage your spiritual growth let alone as much free time.
I know of many friends who are in professions such as doctors, lawyers and even bankers who feel this ‘void’ in spirituality after venturing out into the working world. They feel a real dip in their faith and are crying out for ways to stay in touch with their spirituality in the workplace.
This article is an attempt at providing practical ways for spiritual reformation that I have personally adopted to use in the working world. Although it will be a real challenge for many, with sincere intentions and noble efforts you can hopefully recreate some of that much needed spiritual reformation.
Although it’s easier to surround yourself with Muslims, I have personally found that even being in the presence of people from other faiths can strengthen your own faith. It is important to find a work buddy who you can openly discuss your faith with and be in good company. Even if it can’t be a Muslim colleague, then at least a colleague who understands and respects you and your faith values. I often find that non-Muslim colleagues are more interested in chatting about general life matters, so find areas of common interest before you start talking to them about matters related to your faith.
For those of us fortunate to work in a predominantly Muslim environment, having good company is still important as we can often lose ourselves amidst work. In our office, we’ve started a regular 10 minute reminder with the sisters once a week which we rotate between staff to help us remind each other of how to strive to be better Muslims – it’s often the spiritual dose we need for the rest of the week’s work!
One of the beauties of working with non-Muslim colleagues is that there is a natural sense of curiosity about you as a Muslim, but also at a human level so ensure you break down any barriers and connect with them at a human level first. Find out about their life outside of work without prying too much of course! This always opens doors to then talking about more personal matters like your faith.
Hopefully by developing a bond with your colleagues which goes beyond work you can comfortably and confidently talk about what it is like being a Muslim. Being a visible Muslim woman at work, maybe through wearing the hijab, is a walking da`wah opportunity, as every action and conversation teaches others about Islam.
Also, I have often found my non-Muslim friends have niggling questions about Islam which I am able to talk to them about openly once we’ve built a good working relationship.
There is one practice I have continued since university to develop myself spiritually, which is reading books – the more I read the more I realize how little I actually know! It is vital you read Islamic books on spiritual development such as Al-Ghazali’s works. You can even fit this reading into your travel time to work as I often do by reading on my Kindle.
Despite the challenges, it is really important to have a work-life balance for your wellbeing.
During lunch breaks you can also read articles which will boost your faith and remind you of Allah through websites such as Muslim Matters, Suhaib Webb or ProductiveMuslim.com to keep you stimulated and get a refreshing ‘spiritual break’.
Despite the demands on your time as a professional Muslim and even at home, it is really important to have a work-life balance for your wellbeing. One of the ways to boost your spirituality is to attend a regular class, even if it is online rather than in person, to surround yourself with like-minded people as well as to continue to benefit in the pursuit of knowledge.
Find out what local circles are taking place, some workplaces even have Muslim associations and events you can attend or better still set one up of your own! I often tell sisters that they need to ensure they invest in themselves to grow spiritually and emotionally.
We are blessed as Muslims to have the daily salah, yet so many of us rush through prayer in a bid to get other work done.
Instead, we should use salah to refocus and re-energized ourselves for work. I often find that when I have a difficult task to do at work, just switching off and going to pray helps me come back more focused to tackle the task.
Also, prayer is a constant reminder that we are dependent on Allah’s Help to succeed at work and any task which lies ahead. So capitalize on this spiritual booster in your working day!
Once you’ve started to take the above steps, make du`aa’ that Allah places blessing in your work and time through your endeavors to better yourself. Remind yourself of the importance of holding onto your faith values and how you are an ambassador for Islam through your actions in the workplace. Hopefully, using the steps above you can begin to make spiritual reformations at work and beyond.
Productive Muslim is a Muslim who is striving for the highest station in Jannah (Paradise) by making the best of all the resources around her.
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Source: Dawahskills.com.
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If a person acts without concern and fear as if he came to this world only to live, then they should be concerned about themselves.
It is narrated in a prophetic saying that God said ”I will not give my servant two assurances at the same time.” (Ibn Hibban)
Fear and hope are two great blessings that God has given us or will do so in the future. Using these two blessings in a measured way as a vehicle to reach God is another blessing, indeed a greater blessing.
There’s an association between one’s sense of security and a life of comfort and possibly luxury while fear is connected with leading a life in poverty and destitution. At first glance, this may readily provide a partial explanation to the hadith above, but it would be wrong to assume that this is an exhaustive commentary.
Another way to understand this hadith could be as follows:
If a person is living carefree and in indulgence in the world, is not concerned about the next life, and has no worries about the destruction of his soul and spiritual life, and if that person has no fear of the losing his subtle qualities, no fear of the death of his feelings and the extinction of his spiritual faculties and thus lives without fear, that person cannot be without fear in the next world.
If a person lives with fear in this world-fear in the sense mentioned above, and is always anxious both in his words and actions, saying: ”O my Lord! If it were not for Your benevolence, I could not protect my faith; if not for Your grace, I could not protect my subtle points; if not for Your generosity, I could not survive; if not for Your compassion and mercy, I cannot enter Heaven. If not for the beloved, the mercy of the world, I would not have found my way and would have remained in depravity.”
If he can always exist in this fear and frequently take himself to account, control himself, and take the opportunity to renew himself, in the next world-God willing-there will be no fear for him.
However, there is an indispensible truth in the way this question is phrased, and it is not far from the meaning expressed in the hadith. If a person acts without concern and fear as if he came to this world only to live, and if he never feels any anxiety, then that person should be concerned about himself.
In fact, even if this does not happen often, he should worry about living only in comfort and languor and feel shame for it. The following example clarifies the matter a little more.
As related in sound narrations, `Umar ibn `Abdulaziz would sometimes repeat the verse, ”When the chains are around their necks, and fetters (around their legs). They will be dragged,” (Ghafir 40:71) and would fall on the floor.
In addition, he would read this verse many times and pass out:
You consumed in your worldly life your (share of) pure, wholesome things, and enjoyed them fully (without considering the due of the Hereafter, and so have taken in the world the reward of all your good deeds). So this Day, you are recompensed with the punishment of abasement because of your scornful arrogance on the earth against all right, and because of your transgressing (the bounds set by God). (Al-Ahqaf 46:20)
Yes, it is very normal for a believer with a sound heart to have such a concern, and actually this fear is the result of profound contemplations. But God may have also given this world in terms of substantial health to a person as He gave to `Abdur-Rahman ibn `Awf and `Uthman ibn `Affan, two giant believers.
In that case, believers should make use of their wealth for the sake of lofty purposes and serve humanity for the sake of God. It is not necessary to give away possessions entirely; it is better to give in measured terms to those who are in need.
A part of the assets should be retained so that they can be invested and wealth multiplied; thus, in the end one can donate a greater amount. Let it suffice that our intentions are pure, that we know this wealth is a trust from God and that we are ready to give it away when our Lord wants it.
This should be a benchmark against which we frequently check the level of our hearts. Can we comfortably say, deep within our consciences, that we are ready to give every time we hear the command and suggestions by Our Lord? Can we say, ’Yes, O My Lord, I am ready to give!’?
If we can do this, in other words, if the state of our heart is not attached to the possessions we have, then an increase in wealth can bear no negative impact upon us, and our property will not be the cause of any worry concerning the Hereafter, if God so wills.
On the other hand, if a person insists on living heedlessly, having no belief or spiritual quest, simply, yet unwisely seeking to please the never-pleased carnal self-may God forbid-such a person will be bogged down in the swamp, headfirst. Let these two points not be confused.
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Source: The Fountain Magazine
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We simply cannot give up on ourselves. We must always be hopeful because Allah is with us regardless.
Recently, I got an epiphany of the sort that leaves you a little different than before. One that immediately struck me and that flooded my eyes with tears. As soon as I felt them on my cheeks, I began questioning whether they were tears of joy or tears of agony. Tears of regret or tears of humility.
Whatever they were, I knew at that moment that I had transformed my idea of who I should be as a human being and a servant to Allah. The joy was from the relief of finding truth and an answer. The agony was from the pain of not having known for so long. The regret was from the shame that I felt. And the humility was from the reality of how small I am in comparison to His universe and the Almighty Allah Himself.
I realized something profound. A part of me had been projecting my notions of human relationships onto my relationship with the Creator. Many of my insecurities about people became ones I practiced when I spoke to Allah (Exalted be He). Although, I had been speaking to Allah as a friend and a father figure, there was a flaw in this I could not see.
Once I began to compare the way I felt in human relationships with the one I had with my Lord, it became instantly clear how much of myself I had put in Him. I realized how much I was really projecting onto my notion of my relationship with the Lord and this caused me to feel some shame and regret. I came to the conclusion that if I was to redefine my relationship with Allah, I must first decode my projections and learn about Allah’s mercy with his servants first hand – and that is from His hadiths.
People have limitations. Even the ones who claim to be in infinite love have limitations. Their time and energy devoted to caring is dependent on a number of factors that can be clouded by the ego. It is impossible to confidently claim for any human on this earth that they are in a genuine and fully committed relationship; as you are not their creator and you have no access to their deep thoughts and feelings. We mustn’t forget that their very essence of their humanity is built on sin and imperfection.
Thus our expectations from our relationships with people should not be same ones we place on our relationship with the Lord. Your father and your mother or your wife or your husband as well as your siblings and friends can be the best of people on this earth whom you know but they are not Allah. The rules of engagement and the relationship which we practice with them can never be compared with the one with the Al-Mighty. How do we tell the difference? What makes our relationship with Allah special? That was the question I sought to answer.
I’m going to share with you through the following, the thoughts going through my head that struck me into the realization that I had to redefine my relationship with Allah. Here goes:
Relationships with people are those that are human and that are based on a similar background or relative experience. So, by saving up five minutes to speak to Him at the end of my day when it is convenient, I have therefore decided to treat my relationship with Allah like mine with other humans. I am indirectly saying that I can do without Him in the time in between. Or that there is no space or appropriateness for me to connect with Him throughout my day (not including prayers).
Now I’m aware that the fact that He watches me at all times means I can assume He is by my side as well. Somewhat like an imaginary friend that’s not so imaginary, and who lives in my heart and the universe as a whole.
“I am with those whose hearts are broken for My sake.” (Hadith Qudsi)
My general feelings of mistrust towards people was evident in my belief that as soon as I committed sin, I spent hours begging for forgiveness, never feeling like I have earned or deserved it.
I realized that I was implying that Allah’s mercy is difficult to attain and that I must be a perfect saint to get some of it. Also expressing that Allah loses something by forgiving, similarly to the way humans perceive to lose ego when they forgive others. It is me that has much to lose, not Him.
A servant (of Allah’s) committed a sin and said: O Allah, forgive me my sin. And He (Glorified and Exalted be He) said: My servant has committed a sin and has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for them. Then he sinned again and said: O Lord, forgive me my sin. And He said: My servant has committed a sin and has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for them. Then he sinned again and said: O Lord, forgive me my sin. And He (glorified and exalted be He) said: My servant has committed a sin and has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for sins. Do what you wish, for I have forgiven you. (Hadith Qudsi)
“O My servants, you sin by night and by day, and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness of Me and I shall forgive you.” (Hadith Qudsi)
“O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request of Me, and were I to give everyone what he requested, that would not decrease what I have, any more that a needle decreases the sea if put into it.” (Hadith Qudsi)
I thought that I could only remember Him when I was in an appropriate state; when for example I was on wudu’ (ablution) and when I am sitting idly. I realized I was insinuating that in order to gain contact to Allah and pay him respect, I had to be in a state similar to one that would be invoked when meeting another human being.
As though Allah cannot see me in all my other states. However, I do continue to prefer to face Allah at a decent time, and preferably to make du`aa’ (supplication) with wudu’ and facing the qiblah (direction of the Ka`bah) if I’m aware of its direction, but I do not limit it the same way I limit human interaction.
The physical reality we live in with other humans forces us to assume that forces other than our own come from outward places. So I used to look up to the sky when I made supplication. Although I believed Allah is aware of the hearts of all his beings, my actions did not reflect my belief.
There is no one to share His dominion, nor does He take an aide or supporter from His creatures. He is nearer to man than man’s own jugular vein. (Qaf 50:16)
“I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assemble better than it. And if he draws near to Me an arm’s length, I draw near to him a fathom’s length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.”
Another possible rendering of the Arabic is: “I am as My servant expects Me to be.” (Hadith Qudsi)
Although I could perceive Allah’s presence when I supplicated, the idea of a response was hard to conceptualize. This was further expressing my notion of human relations as one where if a person listens and does not respond, then they do not care. Also untrue.
The prophet (peace be upon him) said “Call upon Allah with conviction in an answer”.
My supplications did not last longer than 10-15 minutes. Similarly to the way I speak to authority figures and acquaintances I respect, in order to not take up from their valuable time. Although I was aware that these laws do not apply to my relationship with Allah, my basic instinct to replicate my relationships with other humans kept this habit in my duas. The fact that Allah does not sleep and that he can be in the hearts of all of his creation at once, is one that struck me. Realizing He is aware of even the times when I am asleep prolonged my supplication.
He can make even the most insignificant desires come true. His powers are not like human powers, His blessings are endless.
“O My servants, you will not attain harming Me so as to harm Me, and will not attain benefitting Me so as to benefit Me. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as pious as the most pious heart of any one man of you, that would not increase My kingdom in anything. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as wicked as the most wicked heart of any one man of you, that would not decrease My kingdom in anything.” (Hadith Qudsi)
My requests were limited. So I would say alhamdoulillah and refrain from asking for material things. But if Allah can permit you into Jannah, He can make even the most insignificant desires come true. His powers are not like human powers, His blessings are endless. You are free to ask for all you desire, in this world and the next.
“O My servants, all of you are hungry except for those I have fed, so seek food of Me and I shall feed you. O My servants, all of you are naked except for those I have clothed, so seek clothing of Me and I shall clothe you.” (Hadith Qudsi)
I needed to stop asking the question of whether Allah loves me. I am one of his delicate creations. My anatomy itself is His gift to me. I am blessed in the good and in the trials. I remember Him and He remembers me. As long as I love Him and fear Him only, I must find ease in knowing that it was Him who loved me long before I perceived his presence. To show gratitude, I must let this love translate into actions. I must show my appreciation for His gifts by using them in things He loves.
Allah (Mighty and Sublime be He) said: “Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask (something) of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about (seizing) the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him. (Al-Bukhari; hadith qudsi)
I thought that if Allah has decreed anything anyway, I must accept it and therefore my duas were limited. But little did I know that it is the combination of acceptance of Allah’s word and His mercy and powers that grant us what we please.
Allah said “Oh Dawud (Prophet David), you desire and I desire. If you are satisfied with what I desire then I will give you what you desire and if you are not satisfied with what I desire I will make you weary with what you desire and then only what I desire will be. Verily, I do what I desire.”
I thought Allah could not help my wrongdoings. The same way that we are expected to abide by rules of human society and to claim responsibility of our actions, I could not attribute my sins to anyone but myself. In this way, I forgot that I could make dua from Allah to guide me to the straight path. If Allah is aware of all places, then he can surely make every condition possible, internal or external, to help me get closer to Him. I choose not to limit my thinking of his abilities to my thinking of human abilities.
“O My servants, all of you are astray except for those I have guided, so seek guidance of Me and I shall guide you.” (Hadith Qudsi)
To be honest, all of these hadiths are overwhelming. They overwhelm my heart and flood me with tears of joy. I can only feel gratefulness now. Islam is a beautiful religion and we are given so many doors of opportunity to fix our deen (religion).
So, if I’ve learned anything from all of this, is that we cannot give up on ourselves. We must always be hopeful because Allah is with us regardless. One last thing; my advice to you is to take these hadiths and let them hit you in the heart. Take them as much more than words or rules of engagement.
Take them with you as a philosophy and a chance to explore a new relationship with Allah. I can promise that your life will never be the same and in sha’ Allah you will be one of those who find light where others find darkness.
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Source: Rants of a Muslima
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What is the truth about Islam; what is true and what is not? What message does the religion have? What does Islam offer us and life in general? What does it mean to be a Muslim?
What is it about Islam and Muslims that anti-Islam media and Islamophobes are portraying and promoting?
A Muslim fifteen years now, brother Peter describes his life-changing journey, how he found faith, his life purpose and meaning, how Islam spoke to both his heart and mind, turning his life around.
In the video below brother Peter, from his death bed at hospital, speaks of his experience of deep spiritual fulfillment and growth into the fold of Islam…
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Source: NewMan2015’s Youtube channel
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When in any difficulty or hardship, what should the believer do, and how should he/she deal with it?
Prophet Ayyub (Job, may Allah have mercy on him) had fourteen children, and he had great health and wealth. Everybody loved him.
And one day, after eighty years, Allah took away all of his 14 children, one by one, then he took away his wealth, then his health until his skin started to fall off his body that you could see his muscles and bones. And he is still alive, breathing.
Not only that, the people began to say if this man had been a good person, Allah wouldn’t have done this to him.
In the midst of his severe affliction, what did he say? What did he ask God for, and how did he address Him (Exalted be He)?
And Ayyub (Job), when he cried to his Lord, (saying): Harm has afflicted me, and You art the most Merciful of the merciful. Therefore, We responded to him and took off what harm he had, and We gave him his family and the like of them with them: a mercy from Us and a reminder to the worshippers. (Al-Anbiyaa’ 21:82-83)
In the video below Ustadh Bilal Assad reflects on Prophet Ayyub’s affliction as an example and lesson on what may a believer face in life and how to face it …
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Source: LoveAllah328 Youtube Channel
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By Dr. Jasser Auda
(If you find yourself having less hope in God when you make a mistake, then realize you are only relying on your work.)
I have an intention to start a spiritual journey to God (Exalted be He), but the question is: where should I start? What are my necessary supplies and provisions in this journey? Should I recall the good deeds I have done and take them as my provisions in this journey?
The answer given by Ibn `Ata’illah in this word of wisdom is: No. I should not rely even on my good deeds. I should start my journey to God putting my trust on Him alone, and hoping only for His Mercy and Bounty.
One might ask: Is not receiving God’s Mercy a result of my good deeds? Does the Godly Mercy stop? Does the Godly Bounty end?
The answer is: No. “If God were to take men (immediately) to task for all the evil that they do (on earth), He would not leave a single living creature upon its face.” (An-Nahl 16:61)
Therefore, I should rely on God’s Mercy and Bounties despite my shortcomings. This is the right course for the right start.
The right start has to be accompanied also by offering repentance of sins and errors. According to God’s laws in His Universe, if I want to add something to any place, there should be a space for this addition. If I want to fill my heart with light and God’s remembrance, I should first completely empty my heart of filth, darkness, and sins.
Only then filling my heart with goodness becomes very easy or according to the Sufi expression, (one has to divest his heart of bad characteristics before filling it with good ones, then having peace in his heart deriving from unceasing devotion to God). Therefore, I start the journey with repenting to God of my shortcomings.
And (always), O you believers – all of you – turn unto God in repentance, so that you might attain to a happy state! (An-Nur 24:31)
In addition to repentance, there is another important meaning that Ibn `Ata’illah emphasizes in this word of wisdom, that is of hope. I have to take repentance and hope as my companions in my journey. As for the question on how to relate repentance to hope in this start, this is what Ibn `Ata’illah explains in this word of wisdom.
Ibn `Ata’illah (may God be merciful to him and be pleased with him) says: (If you find yourself having less hope in God when you make a mistake, then realize you are only relying on your work.) This means: among the signs, through which you know that you are relying and putting your trust on you deeds not on God’s Mercy and Bounty, is that your hope in God (Glorified and Exalted be He) decreases when you sin and err, then you start to repent to God.
There are some conditions attached to repentance. First, you should feel remorseful for the sin you have committed. Second, you should give up that sin. Third, you should have a strong will never to sin again. Fourth, if the sin you have committed has to do with people’s rights, you have to give this right back.
If you want to offer a sincere repentance, you have to meet these conditions.
The first condition is feeling sorry for the sin you have committed. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said; “Repentance means feeling sorry (for having disobeyed God)”. (Ibn Hibban & Ibn Majah)
The second condition is to refrain from committing the sin. You cannot continue committing the sin and at the same time you claim that you are demonstrating repentance. This is clear hypocrisy.
The third condition is to have a strong will never to sin again, i.e. you cannot feel regret about your sin and give it up, while you have an intention to commit the sin again next week or so. If happens that you committed the sin again, you have to renew the repentance, renew your deep feeling of regret and your will not to sin again.
God is Most-Forgiving and Forbearing, Most Merciful and Compassionate. He does not mind accepting one’s repentance again and again. On the contrary, God feels happy when His servant repents to Him every time he sins.
As for the fourth condition, scholars said that if the sin you have committed has to do with people’s rights, you have to give this right back. For example, if you unlawfully take something from someone, you have to give it back. If you do someone an injustice, you have to remedy this injustice. You have also to acknowledge people’s rights and seek their pardon if you take their money or speak ill of them.
Ibn `Ata’illah supposes that you have fulfilled these conditions. But here we are talking about one of the ethics attached to repentance, which is that of hope. Ethics are different from conditions. If you fulfill the conditions, you have also to fulfill the ethics. You should cherish hopes that God will accept your repentance.
These it is who may look forward to God’s grace: for God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace. (AL-Baqarah 2:218)
Sometimes, hope is lost when one asks himself: how should I look forward to God’s grace after committing such sins and how is God going to accept my repentance?
This feeling will affect one’s hope in God’s mercy and eventually may lead him to a state of despair and hopelessness.
And who-other than those who have utterly lost their way-could ever abandon the hope of his Sustainer’s grace? (Al-Hijr 15:65)
In this connection, Ibn `Ata’illah says that, no matter how grave one’s sins are, they should not affect his hope in God’s mercy. If one repents sincerely to God, God, surely, will accept his repentance. The Prophet is reported to have said “One who has repented of a sin (sincerely) is like one who has never sinned at all.” (Ibn Majah)
Rest assured that if you offer a sincere repentance, God will accept it no matter how grave your sins are. These sins are nothing in God’s sight. God says in the Divine Hadith: “O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth, I would forgive you.” (At-Tirmidhi)
Therefore, hope should not be affected by the gravity of the sin. Rather, one should make a sincere intention to repent to Allah of the sins and look forward to His Mercy. God says in the divine hadith: “I am as My servant expects Me to be. So, let him think of Me as he wishes.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
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The article is excerpted from “Some of Al-Hikam Al-Ataiyyah” (The Path to God: A Journey with Ibn `Ata’illah’s Words of Wisdom In the Light of the Quran, the Prophetic Tradition, and Universal Laws of God- By Dr. Jasser Auda
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Does what we hear and see affect our spirituality?
Spirituality is an aspect of one’s life that requires time and effort to maintain. A lot of us Muslims live in the West where the Muslims population is not a majority. That being said, does what we see and hear affect our spirituality?
Sheikh Saad Tasleem gives us the answer..
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Source: Faith IQ
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By Dr. Jasser Auda
Relying on God (tawakkul) is one of the important Islamic concepts that may be misunderstood and therefore might lead to undesirable results. This misunderstanding might also lead to some forms of deviation and introducing innovations in religion. Likewise, it might result in a state of failure in both religious affairs and worldly affairs.
When you leave worldly affairs to unreliable people, neglect the means, or quit your work completely, you are deviating from the path of relying on God and practicing apathy (tawaakul) not relying on God (tawakkul).
Ibn `Ata’illah says: (Save yourself from worrying (tadbir). Somebody else already took care of your affairs for you.) What is meant by tadbir here?
Tadbir in Arabic means considering the results and outcomes of a certain action. Therefore, tadbir is closely connected with outcomes. In their turn, the outcomes are connected with the concept of relying on God. God says:
… so that they answered, “God is enough for us; and how excellent a guardian is He! (Aal `Imran 3:173)
Then, when you have decided upon a course of action, place your trust in God: for, verily, God loves those who place their trust in Him. (Aal `Imran 3:159)
In God, then, let the believers place their trust! (Aal `Imran 3:160)
Thus, the virtue of relying on God is mentioned and highly praised in many Qur’anic verses and what is mentioned frequently in the Qur’an is of profound significance and takes high priority.
There is a considerable difference between relying on God and worrying which is the same difference between the means and outcomes. By this I mean that there is a difference between work represented in striving to achieve the goals, exerting efforts and devoting time and the outcome of this work represented in events, figures, and results.
Your role is to strive and rely on God. You do not have to worry about the process of governing such affairs. It is God who governs everything. “And who is it that governs all that exists?” (Yunus 10:31) , this is a clear question raised in the Qur’an.
God governs all that exists. You have to take the means and leave the outcomes to God because taking the means and causes is part of relying on God. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) wanted to give an example of relying on God, he said: “If you had all relied on Allah as you should rely on Him, then He would have provided for you as He provides for the birds, who wake up hungry in the morning and return with full stomachs at dusk.”
You are like the bird. The bird does not stand on one branch of a tree all the time waiting for the grains. But it moves from one branch to another until it gets the grains. The bird has to do its best to get the grains, and providing the bird with the grains is God’s work.
Therefore, you should take the means and leave out the outcomes to God. Some Muslims- even those who are on the path to God- do not take the means, stay at the mosque all the time and ask people for food and clothes. They argue that governing things is not their task. Their argument is correct, but they have to rely on God and relying on God necessities having recourse to the means and the causes of achieving goals.
It is reported that a man used to stay at the mosque all the time arguing that he is devoting himself and his time to worship God. The Prophet asked about the one who takes care of him. The Prophet was told that the man’s brother takes care of him. The Prophet replied: “His brother is better than him.” `Umar ibn al-Khattab advised some people who stayed at the mosque and said “We are relying on God.” He said his common words: “The sky does not rain gold or silver.”
If one cannot attain success after having recourse to every necessary means, this is a proper situation to really rely on God. If the means you have taken fail you, you might say: O God, I have done my best and I left no stone unturned, what should I do? At this point, you are indeed putting your trust in God.
What is not conformable with relying on God is not to do anything or not to have recourse to every kind of means and causes of success. Some ignorant people ignore taking the necessary means intentionally. What is needed from you is to take all the means, and then rely on God.
Sometimes God might withhold form me the causes, the means and take from me my power so that I return to Him and rely on Him. This is a valuable God-given gift.
Relying on God is not inconsistent with what we call nowadays planning, making a feasibility study, studying the market, etc. All this is part of relying on God because by planning, organizing, studying, etc. we are having recourse to the means of success. If you are a trader, you have to make a feasibility study and do your calculations. If you lose, this is God’s decree. If you win, it is also God’s decree. You do not have to worry about the outcomes. To lose or to win, to succeed or to fail, is not your business.
Even in religious issues whether they have to do da`wah (Islamic call) issues, scientific issues, or worship issues, you do the thing and leave the rest to God. For example, you worship God by calling people to do good deeds but guiding those people is left to God. God says:
It is not for you (O Prophet) to make people follow the right path, since it is God (alone) who guides whom He wills. (Al-Baqarah 2:272)
Verily, you cannot guide aright everyone whom you love: but it is God who guides him that wills (to be guided); and He is fully aware of all who would let themselves be guided. (Al-Qasas 28:56)
Ibn `Ataillah says: (Save yourself from worrying. Somebody else already took care of your affairs for you.). What is meant by “somebody else”? Who provides you with the means of living? Who plans for your success? Who decides on the outcomes? It is God the Almighty. Therefore, if somebody else has done something for you, why you go and do it yourself?
This is a very simple rational issue. If there is a specialist in a certain field doing something for you, it is not proper to go and do it yourself. How about if the one who is taking care of this thing is God Himself!
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The article is excerpted from “Some of Al-Hikam Al-Ataiyyah” (The Path to God: A Journey with Ibn `Ata’illah’s Words of Wisdom In the Light of the Quran, the Prophetic Tradition, and Universal Laws of God- By Dr. Jasser Auda
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Set the right intention and use the power of that intention to get closer to your goals.
Life as a Muslim youth can be turbulent and filled with many challenges. Certain situations can dampen your spirit and affect your motivation. But there are many ways to make your youthly journey smoother.
There are youth hacks you can utilize to get you closer to your worldly and hereafter goals.
You may think you have read it all when it comes to such life hacks. Well, check out the following – they will change the way you view the opportunities and potentials of your youth.
The hacks will help you live a more creative and productive youth.
Below are 11 youth hacks you probably didn’t think much ado about. Let’s dive in…
As a Muslim, all of your actions are tied to your intentions. Therefore, you need to polish your iman (faith) with the correct intention. Set the right intention and use the power of that intention to get closer to your goals. To set such an intention, ask yourself these three questions; Why am I doing this? For whose pleasure is it? What do I hope to achieve from it?
If your answers are not tied to the pleasure of Allah; betterment of self and society; success on worldly and hereafter level, then check yourself, readjust your intention so that you can set the right foundation for your goals.
2– Right Attitude
Delete the word ‘perfection‘ from your dictionary. Insert the word ‘excellence’ instead. Imbibing ihsan (excellence) in all of your actions will allow you to have a job well done, knowing that you have exerted your youthful energy to the best levels and even if no one sees you with your efforts – Allah (Exalted be He) is All-Seeing and All-Hearing.
Seeking perfection on the other hand will cause you stress and make you frustrated at your best attempts. If you want success of the best kind, Paradise, then prepare to work for it in an excellent manner and with the right attitude.
De-clutter your brain regularly and download all of its content into an idea bank. You can use journals (hard or soft copy) to bank those thoughts, feelings and important ideas. Safeguard your bank and use its contents for planning each little step towards your big goals.
Call yourself a success and believe it. Allah blessed you with a special gift, as each person is endowed with a unique talent. So whether you have it all figured out or not, be positive while you seek out those strengths and talents. You will be surprised at what you find out.
Use a label that will help you cross the barrier of self doubt and negative inner talk. Strengthen your inner belief even as you seek your passion and remain focused towards your goals. Remember that in the Prophet (peace be upon him) you have the best example.
Engage positively with other creative & productive minds. This could easily be through online or offline groups. Or you could simply create your own mastermind.
If you want success of the best kind, Paradise, then prepare to work for it in an excellent manner, with the right attitude.
Actively seek the right company because those closest to you will either mark or make you. With the right company, you can get new ideas, explore different concepts and find the opportunity to express yourself.
So who do you call your friend, buddy or mentor? Will s/he be a support for helping you achieve your goals or serve only as a distraction? Look around you and make the best choice for your networking.
Travel when you can, or simply change your environment often. Move outdoors to the garden, park or visit a neighbor. The lessons from travel are many, especially as it serves as a means to explore and reflect on the signs of the Creator.
It will also give you a fresh perspective and different ways of viewing things. You will also feel energized from the surrounding potential and interaction with others. This will serve as a means of taking action towards your goals.
It is so easy to ‘feel’ busy these days. Most youth are chatting away on their phones or posting updates at the same time laptops are on with several tabs open. You may find the headphone on and the same person still trying to hold a conversation in real time. Hey…. you! Are you for real?
Learn to take frequent breaks after focused work/study sessions. This could be from a few minutes to half an hour but break the work/study session so your mental energy could get some refreshing boost.
Also endeavor to pray at the appointed times, as this gives you the perfect break times and nothing really relaxes and refreshes the mind as prayer does.
Spend time with your family no matter what. Plan to spend Eid together or plan activities for weekends/ school holidays. You get the double reward of keeping up with the ties of kinship and in building an emotional support network for yourself. Foster such relationships especially in youth when you most likely have less responsibilities.
Technology makes it easier if your family members live far away. You can make free skype video calls, hold live chats and even conference calls if different family members live in various locations. An SMS or email can also go far in keeping the bond alive.
Each day brings with it new learning opportunities – even when they look like obstacles. So dig deeper to find opportunities to learn even faced with challenges. There are many profound lessons for every youth in the Qur’an to learn from stories of the past. So make it your number 1 manual.
You should aim to become a lifelong reader as this will open the door to explore, think and develop your mind in general. Do not confine learning to only your school or workplace. Make it a part of your daily experience and with some essential learning skills, you are set to go.
From building a new hobby to jump-starting an old one, we are always in constant need of sharpening our skill set to help reach our ultimate goals. Work on your much needed skills, one skill at a time – from social skills to goal-setting skills, thinking skills, da`wah skills and entrepreneurial skills. What are your goals for the moment – start with the relevant skills in that direction.
Mind Mapping is an activity I utilize all the time – for brainstorming, capturing ideas, planning, note taking and brainstorming. It is simple, visual and powerful for sparking your creative thinking mode. From your long term goals, to more frequent reviews and the short term planners, unleash your creative spark by trying your hands at a map mind.
Use it for your hifz (memorizing) plan, blogging topics, ideas, travel plans and study schedule.
So are you ready to take steady steps towards your goals?
On your marks!
Set your goals, make a sincere intention towards achieving them, have deep faith and try to face up to your tasks with excellence. Balance it all with the personal belief in your potential, network with the right people so that you can bounce ideas off a mentor or peers, change your environment often and keep away from negative people.
Your body is an amanah (trust) given to you by Allah, so take care of it with regular breaks. Make time for your family members too. Remember to invest in your learning & build relevant skills to navigate your youth.
Always brainstorm and create a means to experience your goals through map mapping and utilizing as many senses as possible to engage and reflect.
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Source:youthlyhub.com.
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