Comments on: Taking Responsibility for our Actions

By: 2010 in Review: Full List

2010 in Review: Full List — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 08:07:54 +0000

[…] Taking Responsibility for our Actions The city under siege was about to surrender without any bloodshed in 1453 AD. But three Venetian warships came in with reinforcements, and the Muslim fleet, under the command of Turkish admiral Suleiman Baltughlu, failed to block the reinforcements from entering Constantinople’s gulf. The Ottoman sultan, Muhammad II (also known as Al-Faatih or Mehmet II) […] […]

By: Wael - IslamicSunrays.com

Wael - IslamicSunrays.com — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 04:36:22 +0000

I think perhaps the title should have been, “Holding others responsible for their actions,” but yes your point is well taken. Personal responsibility is one of the themes that I emphasize in my Islamic Sunrays blog.

Speaking specifically on the point of taking responsibility, too often we blame others for our situations in life. The Muslim Ummah does this as a whole, and we do it as individuals. We blame circumstances, our parents, our spouses, the economy, bigotry, even black magic, instead of doing the hard work of acknowledging our own choices. You’d think that people would want to claim their power but they don’t, because as soon as they do then they have no one else to blame.

Looking inward is much harder than looking outward. Saying to ourselves, “Okay, how have my own shortcomings created this situation and what can I do about it?” is very difficult. But it’s the first step to spiritual healing, happier relationships, and material and spiritual success.

By: Asmaa

Asmaa — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 07:54:29 +0000

In reply to Hassen.

Wa iyyakum. An article by Dr. Sherman Abdul-Hakim Jackson was recommended to me in response to your question. I hope you find it helpful.

“Jihad and the Modern World”
http://www.lamppostproductions.com/files/articles/JIHAD_MOD_WLD.pdf

By: Hassen

Hassen — Sun, 30 May 2010 19:49:01 +0000

Beautiful reminder. Jazaki Allahu khayran.

Kind of an off-shoot topic, can anyone recommend some good books/articles that explain non-defensive jihad?

By: Asad

Asad — Sat, 29 May 2010 18:47:26 +0000

Baltughlu made a major mistake. Sultan Muhammad II’s response shows effective leadership and dedication to accountability. I think in our own organizations we should have the courage to discipline people when they fail to meet standards. Too often, we are so afraid of hurting people’s feelings that we protect people who have failed time and again. There is a time and a place for mercy, but it is also important to consider the effects of bad performance.