Category: Articles

Patience is a Light Reported by Abu Maalik al-Haarith ibn Aasim al-Ashari (r) that Muhammad (S) said: “Patience is a Light (Brightness).” Source: Muslim Transliteration: “As Sabru Dhiya.” Note: The Prophet (s) described Sabr (patience) as a dhiya which is an intense source of light. Patience is like a bright shining splendor that can that can assist a person in their time of need. Patience is not always easy. By definition it involves restraining oneself and controlling one’s actions. But even if things appear very difficult, with patience, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Whether a person has acquired the quality of Sabr or not is clearly reflected in that person’s initial reaction to any unfavorable event or circumstance. The characteristic of light is that it shows us the way and allows us to see clearly. How does patience do this? Patience is linked with hope and trust in God. Patience is an aspiration because it is not just something that we do, but rather something that we need to build in ourselves and adapt to different situations. Its importance is highlighted in the fact that it has been mentioned in the Qur’an over ninety times. Impatience is darkness because it frustrates us, we can behave rashly and we do not see the wisdom in the delay. Muhammad (S) said “Nobody can be given a blessing better and greater than patience.” [Bukhari] Patience has no value after a person takes himself on a roller-coaster ride of uncontrollable emotions. The initial reflex of one’s emotion is the true test of Sabr.

No Bashfulness, then DO as You Wish Reported by Uqbah ibn Aamr Al-Ansaari that Muhammad (S) said: “From the words of the previous prophets that the people still find are: If you feel no bashfulness, then do as you wish.” (Bukhari) Transliteration: “Inna Mimma Adrakan Nasu Min Kalamin Nubuwwatil Ula, Idha Lam Tastahi Fasna’ Ma Shita.” Note: This Hadith points to the one of the most important characteristics a person can possess” the bashfulness. The virtues of bashfulness are passed on from the earliest of the prophets. The laws of the previous prophets agreed upon this principle. Modesty is what keeps a person away from committing sinful acts. If people have no feeling of shame, there is nothing to prevent them from doing anything they wish – any sin under the sky. In fact, the more people commit sins, the more their feeling of bashfulness is lessened, to the point where it may cease to exist altogether. When people reach that point, they do not care what others think of them and their sense of pride may actually come from how ‘bad’ they or others think they are. We do not have to look far to see the effects of this loss of modesty upon societies. When the sense of bashfulness is lost, everything becomes normal and acceptable. Like all natural characteristics bashfulness can be nurtured or stunted through our actions. The more that we realize the presence of God) and His blessings upon us, the more the natural bashfulness within us will grow. The more we commit sins and lewd acts, the more it will decrease until it eventually disappears. Muhammad (S) said: “Bashfulness is part of Faith and Faith is in Paradise. Lewdness is part of hardness of heart and hardness of heart is in the Fire.” [Ahmad]

The Best Treasures: Manners & Character Reported by Abdullah ibn Amr (r) that Muhammad (S) said: “The best among you are those who have the best manners and character.” (Bukhari) Transliteration: “Inna Min Akhyarikum Ahsanukum Khuluqa.” Note: Islam is unequivocal in terms of ranking what it values most. Within human dimension, character and personality (Akhlaq) are the highest priority. Proper belief (Iman), knowledge (Ilm), and consciousness (Taqwa) cannot lead to anything less than the best of Akhlaq. What is routinely observed among Muslims is that rituals are emphasized more than the behavioral side. Dedication to the ritualistic as well as legalistic side of Islam without paying proper and adequate attention to Akhlaq is not desired by Islam. Today it appears that many Muslims, due to their overemphasis on doctrinal, legal, or ritual matters, show indecency and intolerance toward other Muslims. It is not uncommon that some Muslims have branded others Muslims as disbelievers (Kaafir) or evildoers (Faasiq) based on their interpretation of “some” aspect of religion. Yet, in every walk of our lives, in everything we do, at every level of our social interaction, whether with Muslims, non-Muslims, male, female, young or old, our manners are our best asset. This does not mean, however, to exclude everything else Islam commands us to value, acquire, or practice in our lives. It is no wonder that the Prophet (s) said: “I was sent to consummate or perfect Akhlaq.” [Imam Malik]

Reported by Anas (r) that Muhammad (S) said: “A person who goes in search of knowledge, he or she is in the path of God  and remains so till he or she returns.” (Tirmizi) Transliteration: “Man Kharaja Fi Talabil ‘Ilmi, Fahuwa Fi Sabilillahi Hatta Yarji’u.” Note: There is no other religion or Way of life, but Islam, that has made knowledge incumbent upon its followers. In Islam, belief (iman) cannot stem from ignorance. A person becomes Muslim with a certain level of knowledge which leads him or her to believe or attain iman, and then the life of a Muslim is a never-ending process of learning. Actually, a person cannot become a Muslim and remain a good Muslim in a state of Jahl (ignorance). It is unfortunate that seeking knowledge has been defined so narrowly in the minds of common Muslims. Then, as they become more knowledgeable, instead of becoming more humble, arrogance is the more common outcome. Another deplorable aspect of the state of knowledge and learning is that women, often in some societies with Muslim majority, are so routinely deprived of their access to learning and education. It is not surprising that for a long period of time, there has not been Muslim women who have been recognized as Islamic jurists/experts (Mujtahids). From the methodology of learning to the contents and orientation, the contemporary conditions of the Ummah are so remote from the Islamic scheme. Widespread illiteracy and lack of proper education can be identified as among the most important factors contributing to the global Ummah’s sad conditions.

The Blessings of Gratitude and Shukr When we are grateful for the blessings given to us, we benefit much. Here are important ones that we should recognize and use as a means to motivate that sense within ourselves. Gratitude trains our minds to focus on the right things in life. It’s akin to walking in a room filled with various colored items and focusing only on items of a specific color. If you do so, your mind will be able to easily mask the other colors as you focus on items of that specific color. Our life is no different. When we let our minds look for problems, we see plenty of them. Instead, if we rather look away from problems and focus on possibilities and go for solutions, we will get those too. Let’s, therefore, use gratitude to motivate ourselves to find possibilities and solutions and not the negatives associated with problems. Gratitude helps us to slow down and to enjoy what we have rather than always waiting for the next wish to come true. Gratitude can help us recognize that we already have enough of what many people have for long been yearning for. We must therefore tame our Nafs to understand that if we can’t find happiness in the blessings that we have today, then we won’t be happy with what we get tomorrow. Thus, gratitude is a sense of fulfillment that comes not from wanting more but rather from a sense of knowing that Allah has already blessed us with what we need. Gratitude helps us recognize other people’s favors to us. The Prophet through his sayings made it quite clear that expressing our gratitude to Allah by thanking Him also involves that we thank people who do favors for us. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said as narrated by Abu Hurairah: “He who does not thank people, does not thank Allah” (Ahmad, Tirmidhi). He also said: “Whoever does you a favor, then reciprocate, and if you cannot find anything with which to reciprocate, then pray for him until you think that you have reciprocated him”  Abu Dawood (1672). In another hadith, he said: “Whoever has a favor done for him and says to the one who did it,‘Jazak Allahu khayran,’ has done enough to thank him.” Let’s therefore ensure that we do our part to sincerely thank our families and those who have done good to us. Gratitude isn’t about ignoring our problems. On the contrary, gratitude helps us to be patient, accepting of life’s challenges, and accordingly trains us to seek personal fulfillment with less. Gratitude thus makes us “low maintenance” in our demands and expectations. This trait reduces our burden on those around us, making our company more pleasing to others instead of leaving us always unhappy, more demanding, and impossible to please because of unending requirements. Gratitude is going beyond words and instead thanking through our actions. We see this in the example of the prophet whose sins were forgiven by Allah although he continued to strive for His pleasure. It was narrated that Aa’ishah said: “When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) prayed, he would stand for so long that his feet would become swollen. ‘Aa’ishah said: O Messenger of Allah, are you doing this when Allah has forgiven your past and future sins? He said: “O ‘Aa’ishah, should I not be a thankful slave?” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (4557) and Muslim (2820). Let’s, therefore, pray the extra nawafil as one way to thank Allah for His blessings. Gratitude helps increase one’s blessings. Allah says: “And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed: ‘If you give thanks (by accepting Faith and worshipping none but Allah), I will give you more (of My Blessings); but if you are thankless, verily, My punishment is indeed severe’” [Ibrahim 14:7] Let’s, therefore, make thanking Allah part of morning and evening remembrances (adhkars) to get more of Allah’s blessings in our lives.

Three beneficial and doable new year resolutions

1. Spiritual Care: Let us daily connect with our Creator as a family by reciting, understanding and contemplating few verses or at least one by spending 10 minutes with the Quran

1. Health Care: Let us walk/exercise daily or at least 4/5 times with spouse/coworkers to keep our body healthy

1. Community Care:  Let us daily do one small kindness by giving few dollars in charity or smiling or saying salam to  friends, family member , community members or coworkers

Imam Zijad’s Corner:  Children are born pure: Understanding of this basic Principle in Raising our children A person’s behavior can be interpreted in two ways: the first is that actions are assumed to be influenced by his internal characteristics; and the second is in which the possible causes of a person’s actions are related to his situation. This is the theory of attribution in social psychology. However, Allah’s Messenger said, “No child is born except on Fitra (pure faith or primordial human nature) and then his/her parents make him/her Jew, Christian or Magian.” [Muslim] This hadith states that Allah has created children pure, sinless and with a natural predisposition for good and a belief in the one God, i.e. there is a zero possibility of the child being influenced by his/her internal characteristics to misbehave. Hence, no blame can be placed on a child if he/she does anything wrong, especially till he reaches the age of puberty. No child has any intention of doing wrong except that he/she is only imitating or applying what he/she has seen, heard, felt and learnt from his/her immediate environment. What we get to see is when the child does something displeasing to his/her parents, he/she is immediately scolded and blamed. Parents must realize that he/she is only acting on what he/she sees, hears and feels. It could be that he/she has copied the behavior from what went on around him/her, in the house, among extended family, school, friends, the social media, etc. Action step: Remember that your child is pure and innocent. If he/she misbehaves, then look at his/her environment for a possible cause of misbehavior.

Let us think for a while of the verse (du’a – supplication) in which Muslims are asking from God for good in both worlds – Duniya and the Akhirah: “O our Lord! Give us good in this world and good in the hereafter.” {Al Baqarah 201} Let us ponder over the situation of‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aî (r.a) who reported that the Prophet (pbuh) knew about his exaggeration in worship, because he told him (‘Abdullah): “Have I not heard that you fast all day and stay up all night in  prayer?” He said, “That is true, O Messenger of God.” The Prophet (pbuh) told him: “Do not do that. Fast and break your fast, sleep and get up. For your body has a right over you, your eyes have a right over you, your wife has a right over you, and your visitors have a right over you.” (Bukhari and Muslim) Let us also think about the example of the companion named Hanzalah al Usaidi who narrated that Abu Bakr (r.a) met him and asked about life on what Hanzalah replied: “Hanzalah is a hypocrite.” Abu Bakr was surprised with such statement and said: “Subhanallah! What are you talking about? Hanzalah replied, ‘When we are with God’s Messenger (pbuh), he mentions the Fire and the Garden until it is as if we can see them. But when we leave the Messenger’s company and play with our families or busy ourselves with our properties, we forget much.’ Abu Bakr said, ‘By God, I have experienced the same thing.’ He and I (said Hanzalah) then went to visit the Messenger of God (pbuh), and I said, ‘O Messenger of God (pbuh), Hanzalah has become a hypocrite.’ He asked, ‘And how is that?’ I replied, ‘O Messenger of God, when we are with you, you talk about the Fire and the Garden until it is as if we can see them. Then we go out and play with our families (wives and children) and deal with our properties, and we forget much.’ The Messenger of God (pbuh) then said, ‘By Him in Whose hand is my soul, if you were to continue at the same level at which you were when with me and in remembering God, the angels would shake hands with you when you are resting and when you walk about, but, O Hanzalah, there is a time for this (worship) and a time for that (entertainment).’ He repeated this statement three times.” {Muslim}

The Prophet of Ease: As both prophet and human, Muhammad (S) lived and taught Islam as a life of ease! Now this clearly needs some explanation; that is, a truthful application, or praxis… “Ease” is not always “easy”! For example, he was a discreet and discerning preacher who knew that honey is more effective than vinegar, for people are often soothed into deep learning instead of scolded towards it. He won his followers’ hearts with flexibility and empathy. As we already know, the concept of forced conversion is alien to the core of Islam and to Muhammad’s (S) teachings. He knew, as an experienced and compassionate professional, that rigidity is counter-intuitive: you cannot force somebody to believe, for when people are externally forced or compelled, how can you even call the resulting compliance “belief”? Belief is a conscious choice; it comes from deep within, from one’s heart, and nowhere else. So Muhammad refused to make Islam a hard and complex path. In the same vein he was meticulously devoted to God, but never the obsessive fanatic: “Woe to those who exaggerate, who are excessive, who make things hard, who are rigid and too strict,” he warned, cautioning those who tended toward extremes in any aspect of belief or tradition. He was also a man of moderation, telling his followers at one point: “Moderation! Enlightened Moderation! The best of all dealings are those done in moderation! It’s God’s intent for the community.” (the Ummatan Wasata – His Sunnah). Muhammad (S) also knew that maintaining balance (or Mizan) is the greatest spiritual challenge we humans have: we strive to achieve it in personal life; in family, work, feelings, friendship, love, etc. In the 21st century, we strive the same way to find balance in how we use our IPhones, our e-mail, our social networking sites. In considering the use of electronic devices alone, to what degree have we become their slaves? How can we regain our balance in using them productively? Here, the example of Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (r.a.) comes to mind: “Have I heard it [correctly] that you fast during the day and pray during nights? …Your Creator has [a] right over you, your family … your body … so give to each of them their right.”

Imam Zijad’s corner: Muslim Youth in the West: Culture and Identity

When Muslims started emigrating to the West, they made a move towards reform by simply being and participating in Western societies. The intent of their living in the West was to provide better life for their families. However, they were hit with a harsh reality of many challenges. Some got assimilated – lost. Others got isolated – self-excluded into their own world. Many integrated constructively into new environment – lived as Muslims in Canada or to call them Canadian Muslims. This is our “reality.” Second generation Canadian Muslims are usually stuck in the middle because they grow up in the West and are accustom to Canadian culture yet their parents want them to maintain ethnic cultural ties. A challenging task for both: the parents and children. While parents try to maintain aspects of their “backhome” culture, children often struggle to be accepted in Canadian society. How do we find a balance between the two and this possible at all? Islamic teachings have not stood in the way of reform for Muslims, no matter where they chose to live or during which time they live. On the contrary, the Muslim intelligentsia encouraged Muslims to face challenges and live an Islamic lifestyle within the contexts of the new societies. Islam stands as a civilization due to the fact that it was able to express its universal and fundamental principles through time and place while integrating diversity and taking on the customs, tastes and styles that belonged to the various cultural contexts. Muslims’ integration within the Western cultural context in general is a part of their mission in creating Muslim Western cultures that are founded on the principles of faithfulness to the sources of Islamic intellectual tradition – the Qur’an and the Sunnah – although reshaped within the Western cultural contexts. This phenomenon of creating new cultures can be explained by the fact that many Muslims who emigrated to the West brought with them the concept of Islam along with their

When Muslims started emigrating to the West, they made a move towards reform by simply being and participating in Western societies. The intent of their living in the West was to provide better life for their families. However, they were hit with a harsh reality of many challenges. Some got assimilated – lost. Others got isolated – self-excluded into their own world. Many integrated constructively into new environment – lived as Muslims in Canada or to call them Canadian Muslims. This is our “reality.” Second generation Canadian Muslims are usually stuck in the middle because they grow up in the West and are accustom to Canadian culture yet their parents want them to maintain ethnic cultural ties. A challenging task for both: the parents and children. While parents try to maintain aspects of their “backhome” culture, children often struggle to be accepted in Canadian society. How do we find a balance between the two and this possible at all? Islamic teachings have not stood in the way of reform for Muslims, no matter where they chose to live or during which time they live. On the contrary, the Muslim intelligentsia encouraged Muslims to face challenges and live an Islamic lifestyle within the contexts of the new societies. Islam stands as a civilization due to the fact that it was able to express its universal and fundamental principles through time and place while integrating diversity and taking on the customs, tastes and styles that belonged to the various cultural contexts. Muslims’ integration within the Western cultural context in general is a part of their mission in creating Muslim Western cultures that are founded on the principles of faithfulness to the sources of Islamic intellectual tradition – the Qur’an and the Sunnah – although reshaped within the Western cultural contexts. This phenomenon of creating new cultures can be explained by the fact that many Muslims who emigrated to the West brought with them the concept of Islam along with their

individual cultural heritage. For many Muslims, to remain faithful to Islam meant to stay faithful to their culture of origin rather then a foundational Islam. Muslims try without really being aware of it, to continue to be Pakistani Muslims in Britain and the United States, Moroccan and Algerian Muslims in France, Turkish Muslims in Germany, and so on. It is with the emergence of the second generation that problems appeared and the questions arose: parents who saw their children losing, or no longer recognizing themselves as part of, their Pakistani, Arab, or Turkish cultures seem to think that they were losing their religious identity at the same time. However, this was far from being the case. Many young Muslims, by studying their religion, claimed total allegiance to Islam while distancing themselves from their cultures of origin. This brings us to the notion of change and the need for Muslims to accept change and, while not abandoning their formative Islamic principles, construct new Muslim cultures in the West just as they did previously when settling in different contexts. This will help them reconcile their Islamic principles without losing their identity. A fact of life that Muslims must accept is that they live in quite a new environment in the West. To that they must bring a new dimension of reading, or rereading, of the texts and sources of Islamic tradition, with the aim of recovering forgotten principles or discovering a horizon as yet unknown. Islamic identity is not, as many believe, narrow-minded and confined to rigid and inflexible principles. Indeed, it is based on a constant dialectical and dynamic movement between the sources of Islam and the environment, whose aim is to find a way of living harmoniously within the context of new societies. The elements that define Muslim identity, perceived in the light of Islamic principles of integration, appear to be open and in constant interaction with society. This allows Muslim communities to settle into different cultural contexts as long as they remain faithful to their religious sources. A return to the scriptural sources allows us to establish a distinction between the religious principles that define the identity of Muslims and the cultural trappings that these principles necessarily take on according to the societies in which individuals live… the elements of Muslim identity that are based on religious principles allow Muslims to live in any environment. However, elements based on cultural principles are often rigid and inflexible. As long as the sources and the principles derived from them are respected, Muslims have been faithful to the principles no matter what kind of an environment and what historical era they live in. Islam, as a Muslim way of life, did not prevent Muslims from achieving success during medieval times and will not prevent them in achieving this success in modern times. Islamic teachings encourage acceptance of other cultures as long as they do not contradict fundamental Islamic principles. Islam teaches us to integrate everything that is not against an established principle and to consider it as our own. This is, after all, the true universality of Islam: it consists in this principle of integrating the good, from wherever it may come, which has made it possible for Muslims to settle in, and make their own, without contradiction, almost all the cultures of the countries in which they have established themselves, from South America to Asia, through West and North Africa. It should not be otherwise in the West.

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It becomes apparent from such reasoning, then, that to be Muslim is to act according to the teachings of Islam regardless of the surrounding environment and not in contradiction with it. There is nothing in Islam that commands Muslims to withdraw from society in order to be closer to God. Muslims need to exercise a choice to practice Islamic teachings in a Western context in order to be in harmony with their identity. At the same time, they must consciously develop this image of their Western identity for the present and the future. The nature of Muslim identity can only be something open and dynamic, founded, of course, on basic principles but being in constant interaction with the environment. It is about being a good individual and a good citizen. It is about being useful to all as the Prophet said, “The best people are those who benefit others.” The prophet did not qualify in this tradition “people” as being Muslims or believers but simply said “people”, including all. By exploring the Islamic sources regarding the notion of identity and considerations of living in the West at the same time, we can see that there is no contradiction in Muslims’ attitude of taking up full citizenship within Western societies and considering them their own countries. In fact, this is the only way for Muslims to build a place for themselves and for their future generations in the West, as they did in the past in often non-Muslim societies. As confident, assertive and engaged citizens, Muslims can continue to help shape Western societies and be of service to them. If Muslims do not realize it today, it could be too late tomorrow!