Ambience of Perseverance, Robe of Faith, Unlearn!
Issue 357 » December 16, 2005 - Zul-Qada 14, 1426
General
| Living the Quran |
Al-Imran
(The House of Imran)
Allah directs believers to bear with their condition by way of creating an ambience of perseverance, urging one another to be patient. Another directive is to be firm in faith. This is rounded off with an exhortation of God-consciousness. The Arabic word sabr stands for constancy, consistency, an unwavering resolve and taking an uncompromising stand on one's principles. In the above passage believers are asked both to be patient and to act with perseverance. This should characterise community life. A believer's entire way of life, his conviction, his perseverance, his ambition and resolve, his excellent conduct and his behaviour should be such as to boost others' morale and be a guide for everyone. More importantly, we are instructed to stand firm in our faith. The Quran uses the expression ribat which refers to a safe habitation. Believers are exhorted to live together in unity, giving the ambience of an invincible fortress to the enemy. What follows this is the best piece of advice one can obtain: "Fear Allah". Source: |
| Understanding the Prophet's Life |
| Beware of soiling the robe of faith The Messenger of God (may Allah bless him and give him peace) said, "He who is pleased by his goods deeds and displeased by his evil ones is a believer." O believer, when God grants you the good fortune of acting in His obedience let your joy be great; thank God in abundance for honouring you with His service and choosing you to attend to Him; and ask Him to accept, by His grace, whatever He has made easy for you in the way of virtuous behaviour. Ali, may God honour his countenance, said, "Be more anxious for your works to be accepted than for them to be done, for no accepted deed is small." Always acknowledge your shortcomings in fulfilling your duties to your Lord, even when you are most determined and energetic in His obedience, for His rights upon you are immense: He created you from nothing; His favours overflow upon you; He treats you with His grace and generosity; you obey Him by His power and His ability; and you worship Him by His help and mercy. Beware of soiling the robe of your faith and blackening the countenance of your heart by committing that which your Lord has forbidden you. Should you fall into sin, even if it is infrequent, hasten to repent, return to obedience, feel remorse and ask forgiveness in abundance. Source: |
| Unlearn! |
In the attempt to extinguish a burning desire for ‘learning Islam or Deen’, many practicing Muslims, often take extreme approaches to the study of Islam that are devoid of practicality and spirituality. In order to overcome this problem we need to unlearn, before we learn. This new section will cover some misconceptions that we need to unlearn before we move on to learning Islam. Can’t Teach until I Perfect Myself Life is an ever-growing circle of study, practice, and improvement! As Ustadh Khurram Murad states, “We cannot wait to become ‘purified’ and ‘perfect’. For, at no point in time can one consider oneself to be perfect.” As our personality, faith, and knowledge evolve and reach new heights, so should our concern for the environment and people around us. So there is no such notion in Islam as “I will not invite people to Islam until I am through with learning Islam myself.” When will you ever be through? Secular versus Islamic Education According to Dr. Ingrid Mattson , there is no division or dichotomy between secular and Islamic learning. The only type of division in knowledge that we see in Islam is between the:
If you are a doctor, businessman, engineer, journalist, teacher, etc., you need to know, what Islam says about the ethics of your profession. Wholeness is the essence of Islamic education. Even in “worldly” affairs, Muslims are obligated to learn the laws of Allah in the particular field that we are in, in order to live Islam completely! Source: |
