“Faith” is a controversial word for me. In the current global culture, “faith” is thrown in with “emotions”, “superstition” and “delusion”. Belief in God nowadays is somehow tantamount to belief in UFO’s and alien abductions, while atheism has rushed to align itself with reason, logic and science. Frustrated, I examine my belief over and over and find it is consistent with everything I know about logic and science. So, where is the problem? Are believers the victims of false propaganda spread forth by other groups? Or are we perhaps responsible for our own unhappy position?

“It’s nothing more than a bunch of common sense,” is how the Qur’an was criticized by some. The first thing you get when you open this book of common sense is a question: are you really interested in finding the truth? Or do you just want to prove you’re right? Because guidance is only for the muttaqeen—those who are God-conscious. Those who contemplate their surroundings and do not simply go through life putting off all the important questions.

There is a desperate need for proper dialogue between believers and atheists, and a lot of hate and anger on both sides, but my bitter conclusion was this: believers are at least as much to blame as anyone else for the stigma attached to belief, if not more.

In the general case, the atheist would pose—perhaps with good intentions—many false arguments against the existence of God. Sometimes they are nice about it, and sometimes not so much so. The believer would either take it personally, or they would give an emotional, dramatic response, citing their own beliefs and their own book, and possibly advising the atheist to revise their position before they meet God and go to hell. And in the end, the most interesting questions are drowned out by a bunch of people shouting at each other in the comments section on YouTube.

This is not to say that all believers are nonsensical, or that all atheists are condescending, but some of them certainly are, and the worst groups are usually the loudest.

Perhaps the problem lies in that the believer has come to abandon the rational, and cling more and more to the emotional—to rituals versus understanding, culture and tradition versus teachings. The emotional aspect of faith is necessary, but it is a natural outcome of having faith, not a way to achieve faith. It is a personal matter that you cannot extend to others. You cannot give someone else how you feel; you can give them evidence, proof, rational arguments.

You would think Muslims would be immune to this kind of hot-headedness. After all, the Qur’an is practically a school for rational dialogue. It cites every argument against the existence of God and gives an intelligent reply, and responds to arguments from people of the book either using logic or their very own books.

And yet, the same person who would boast of the Qur’an’s emphasis on logic and reasoning would feel offended by the suggestion that belief is a matter of the mind and not the heart. They prefer to think of “guidance” as some spark of inspiration from God, and not as the natural result you get when you use your head to find the truth. The same person who would insist that the Qur’an is a book of scientific breakthroughs would be the first one to brush aside scientific evidence as soon as it appears to contradict the Qur’an, like we jump to defend creationism against evolution, as if it were faith’s most evil contender, and not a scientific theory corroborated by evidence.

A Muslim does not have “faith”; they have “belief”. The Arabic word for that is iman, stemming from the root amn, meaning “to secure or confirm”. You secure something by continuously checking up on it, you confirm something through evidence. A Muslim’s belief is something they have confirmed by facts, and secured against counter-arguments through logic and reason. It is not a gut feeling or some whisper from the unseen.

This is not to pick on Muslims alone, but in this kind of dilemma where more than one side is to blame, someone has to concede first. With great power comes great responsibility, and so the responsibility lies on us to recognize our faults and start making some changes.

This may not be easy to hear or admit to, but we have to ask ourselves whether we are sincerely interested in finding the truth, or do we just want to be right? If we want to belong to the first group, we have to be willing to revise our belief without emotion, to determine which elements of it are confirmed by the Qur’an, in which elements we have a high degree of confidence due to hadith (which are interpretations that may or may not be true that we learned to take for granted over the years), and which elements have no foundation at all but put belief in an awkward position where it does not belong.

Photo: madlyinlovewithlife

Question:

My 18-year-old sister recently told me that she was gay. Not only that, but she was also in a relationship with a girl whom we all thought was her best friend. And to make matters even worse, she said she was not sure she felt Muslim anymore.

Obviously, I was shocked. But I love my sister; I have practically raised her since she was little. So I listened patiently (she has a history of mental health/anxiety/self-harm issues) and I told her that, while I did not agree with her life choice, I loved her no matter what. I feel that the worst thing I could have done at that time is to reject her. I did not even go down the ‘it is un-Islamic’ road—she already knows that, and she is struggling with it.

Now, we have long conversations about how/if Islam fits into her life. I know I cannot force her to remain in the faith if she does not want to, but I feel so lost myself that I am running out of things to say.

I guess I am not asking if her being gay is ‘halal’, but rather looking for advice on how to deal with a loved one going through something like this. She has obviously gone through hell and back alone, and now finally she feels like she can confide in someone about ‘who she really is.’ Given her background of poor mental health, I am loathe to do or say anything that could tip her balance the wrong way. I just do not know how to support her, and if in doing so I am going against my own beliefs in the process. Her well-being is the most important thing to me right now.

Answer:

It sounds like maintaining a positive relationship with your younger sister is very important to you. Her identification as being gay and questioning the role of Islam in her life further confirms for you the importance of maintaining a positive relationship with her. You have been able to approach her with compassion and empathy but you also question whether this challenges your own personal beliefs.

By maintaining open communication with your sister, you are modeling empathy and understanding for her struggle.  By loving her, you also realize that you cannot change her, but you can be there for her if/when she has concerns or questions. If you feel that she respects your boundaries and does not impose her choices on you, then you are engaging in a mutually respectful relationship.  Maintaining open communication with her does not mean you accept what she is doing, but rather that you have a loving heart towards her as your sister, and do not wish to break the bond of a family relationship.

VMCounselors was a collaborative advice column produced by two previous website authors, Amal Killawi, a Clinical Social Worker with a specialization in mental health and marriage education, and Munira Lekovic Ezzeldine, a Marriage and Family Therapist, specializing in premarital counseling. Please note that our counselors are not religious scholars and will not issue religious rulings. 

The columns and other materials included on VirtualMosque.com are presented on an “as is” basis, for information purposes only, in the areas of relationships and social commentary (collectively, the “Content”), and are not intended to replace or substitute for any professional medical, legal, financial or other advice. Please note, however, that the Content has not been regularly reviewed by any qualified psychiatrist, psychotherapist or other medical or legal professional in your jurisdiction and is therefore not intended to be relied upon, or to replace, professional medical advice, diagnosis, counseling, therapy or other treatment. If you have any questions regarding the Content posted on this website, you are advised to seek the advice of your physician, mental health provider, or other qualified health provider. Reliance on the Content or this website is solely at your own risk. VirtualMosque.com and the individual authors make no representations or warranties and expressly disclaim any and all liability concerning any treatment or action by any person following the information offered or provided within or through the website. In no event shall VirtualMosque.com or the authors be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.

By Rami Koujah

A recent encounter with a young girl opened my eyes to a silent, yet seriously disconcerting issue that many young people in our communities face. Almost everyone experiences something similar at some point in their lives; some succumbed to it while others overcome it. Yet for others it remains a constant struggle of negotiation and reconciliation. This isn’t an abstraction, it’s something genuine and deeply personal: the issue of doubting one’s faith and reconciling a perceived conflict of values.

The girl I spoke to was only 14. I could tell that she was unusually sharp for her age (our conversation was more stimulating than many I’ve had with adults). After giving a talk to a group of high schoolers about fasting the month of Ramadan, she found the opportunity to approach me once the audience had cleared. It was apparent she had many questions, difficult questions, and I was in no way qualified to answer most of them. I’m not a shaykh, an imām, or any type of authority, yet the fact that she approached me spoke volumes to a deeper issue.

Unfortunately, like many young people today, she was being mounted with the pressures of securing her future and navigating a career while still only a freshman in high school. She worried about securing her grades, playing sports, getting involved in school clubs, volunteering, and the list goes on. “How did you figure out what you wanted to do?” she asked. To her surprise, I told her that it wasn’t until a little over a year and a half ago that I discovered my calling. She didn’t know how to juggle all these demands and still be successful academically. It wasn’t until I suggested she spend her volunteer hours at her local mosque that our conversation took a more interesting turn.

Recent experiences, which I did not ask her about, had made the mosque an uncomfortable place for her to frequent. She told me that she did not wear the hijāb and that her visits to the mosque were usually met with judgment by other members and leaders of the community. Moreover, someone very close to her had become an atheist and, from what I understood, it was a subject of conversation between them. Finally, in a confessional outburst, she revealed that some aspects of Islam seemed sexist to her. I couldn’t blame her. She did not feel comfortable approaching anyone in her community. She had been alienated from and by her own tradition.

For many, she fit the profile of an irreligious, rebellious, and corrupted youth. Instead, I saw a concerned, passionate, and inquisitive mind desperately searching for answers. Her search for a moral anchor and authenticity had driven her to approach someone she had just met for the first time, and with no idea of the qualifications the basis of my speech. With my inexperience and lack of knowledge I didn’t really know what to say. Still, her worried expression indicated a hope that maybe I could provide some answers, maybe I could help ground her wandering pursuit for truth. Given that I was a stranger to her community, perhaps it was in the security of anonymity that she found comfort in opening up to me.

At 14, she seemed to understand these issues — hijāb, sexism, and atheism — as if they concealed seeds of hypocrisy. Maybe she thought that doubt is a taboo. Maybe it was my lecture’s discussion of al-Ghazālī, one of the greatest skeptics of our tradition, that inspired her to express her uncertainty. Obviously there was no one she felt comfortable in opening up to. In confirming my suspicion, she told me that she had only been exposed to a rigid binary law of halāl and haram (right and wrong), a model all too many of us falsely call “Islam.”

I tried the best I could. I told her that what she understood to be sexist was a construction of popular values that appeared to conflict with a particular interpretation or (mis)understanding of Islam. It was her way of reconciling what she understood to be moral and what she was told was “Islamic.” She didn’t tell me what it was exactly she found sexist about Islam, but I think I had a good idea. Like many other Muslims, especially at her age, she had been presented with a shell and nobody had told her about the pearl that lay hidden within it.

These issues often arise when Muslims try to reconcile a set of values with the outward form of an Islamic practice without knowing the morality and spirit embodied by that practice. ((This is the heart of the issue that al-Ghazālī tackles in his magnum opus, Ihyā’ ʿUlūm al-Dīn)) What is surprising about a Muslim who questions the virtue of hijāb, marriage, and other issues pertaining to women when they are bombarded with what they conceive as being a contrary understanding of right and wrong? Young Muslims in the West are growing up in an environment where they struggle to reconcile their values — often conflated with their identity — with their immediate contexts. They are familiar with the rules, but they struggle to find meaning in them.

I felt that rather than trying to rationalize different Islamic rulings to her, it would be more effective and lasting if I shared with her a principle that could help her understand the roots of her struggle. God knows best, but I could have been wrong. Still, I know she sensed my sincerity. Echoing my teacher, Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl (may God preserve him), I told her that God is beautiful and His religion is beautiful. In short, I told her that she should not let her set of experiences or the way others convey Islam to her tarnish her appreciation for that beauty.

I’m reminded now of a time when my sister came to me with a very similar set of concerns some years ago. Having read a few books and taken a few classes, I told her that her questions were misguided and that she had been influenced by a corrupt set of values. I told her that understanding the wisdom of the law is irrelevant and all she should concern herself with is submitting herself to its letter. Alhamdulilāh (praise be to God), my sister was smart enough to see beyond my arrogance, or maybe my arrogance suggested to her that there was a problem. Nevertheless, she understood that God’s religion was more beautiful than that.

I ended my conversation with the 14-year-old girl with an analogy. God’s religion is an ocean. It is vast, deep, and beautiful. ((Some of my teachers have told me that roughly 80-90% of Islamic manuscripts have not been published. That is 80-90% of our tradition that is virtually untapped.)) Any student who tries to navigate the ocean knows how easy it is to drown in it. Unfortunately, too many people tend to treat it like a kiddie pool. Don’t run! Don’t splash! Don’t jump in the pool! That’s the model that many of us grow up with: a strict set of do’s and don’ts. Yet we are expected to love it when we don’t even understand it. I pray that teachers, community leaders, and especially parents can tolerate the curiosity of our youth and, with empathy and compassion, show them the pearl that gives beauty and meaning to the shell.

By Omar Ead

“Say, ‘Allah [alone] do I worship, sincere to Him in my religion, So worship what you will besides Him.’ Say, ‘Indeed, the losers are the ones who will lose themselves and their families on the Day of Resurrection. Unquestionably, that is the manifest loss.’” (Qur’an 39:14-15)

The time preceding the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him) was dark, bleak and empty. It was considered sound business practice for merchants to drown their customers in usury and dubbed socially progressive for communities and families to bury their baby daughters.

“And likewise, to many of the polytheists their partners have made [to seem] pleasing the killing of their children in order to bring about their destruction and to cover them with confusion in their religion.” (Qur’an 6:137)

In spite of the chaos, there existed a few men in this period that believed in one God alone and refused to succumb to the ignorant ways that existed in the communities of those that worshiped their desires, idols, status and power. Zayd bin’ Nufail was one among a few that had a sense of Allah’s (God’s) complete Oneness (tawheed).  Zayd traveled wide and far in search of the truth. He met with Christians and Jews during his travels, but decided in the end that both religions were missing critical elements, so he finally concluded that the truth rested in the footsteps (Sunnah) of the Prophet Abraham `alayhi sallatu wa sallam (may Allah send peace and blessings on him). Zayd even went to the extent of proclaiming the Oneness of God to the people of Quraysh. In the center of Mecca with his back against the Kabba, he would say to them:

“O people of Quraysh! By Allah, none amongst you is on the religion of Abraham except me.” (Sahih al Bukhari)

Zayd never accused the Quraysh of not believing in God, but rather accused them of not following in the footsteps of the Prophets that proceeded them in worshiping God alone.  Zayd was later banished by his own family from Mecca. When in Al-Sham (modern-day Syria) Zayd was told by a monk that a Prophet would soon appear in Mecca. So Zayd made the intention of going back to Mecca to wait for the Prophet to appear, but was killed before he could make it back. Zayd’s son Sa’eed, who lived in Mecca after his father passed away, became Muslim under the leadership of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him).

There are many stories similar to Zayd’s.  Each time a person who believed in the oneness of God came forward in Mecca and demanded that its population submit themselves entirely in oneness and purpose to God’s cause (i.e. politically, socially, spiritually and economically) they were threatened and usually banished from the city.

It’s critical to understand though that the Quraysh never ran people out of Mecca that preached the belief in one God.  It was when people preached oneness in purpose and complete submission in all aspects of life to God (tawheed), that the Quraysh felt threatened.  For example, the wife of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Khadija radi Allahu `anha (may Allah be pleased with her), had two cousins that believed in one God (one of them even embraced Christianity). Why weren’t the Quraysh threatened by them?  Why didn’t the Quraysh try to run them out of Mecca? Because neither of them expressed the importance of worship to One God alone in all aspects of life. Tawheed, when practiced in its essence, affects everything. It is at the heart of every single other matter. Belief in God does not alone qualify one as being a believer (mu’min) in Islam. It is the complete submission to God that makes the difference.

It was for this reason that the Quraysh perceived the Prophet ﷺ as a challenge. It meant a change in the political, social, and economic spheres of influence. Tawheed would have a huge impact on their political power, but more so, it would overwhelm their economic dominance in the peninsula. Case in point? In the times of the Prophet ﷺ, caravans with goods that would travel back and forth to Syria were very commonly attacked by tribal people and everything was stolen. The only tribe this didn’t happen to was the Quraysh. That’s because the Quraysh owned everyone’s idols in the Arab peninsula. If one of the tribal people tried to steal from their caravan, the Quraysh could easily threaten to destroy their idol since it was stored in the Kabba. The Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ practice meant complete loss of such economic benefits for the Quraysh. It meant no more “free trade” agreements or economic buffer zones.

So the importance isn’t only in believing in One God. As a matter of fact, Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) clearly states that messengers and prophets were sent not only to declare the belief in one God, but to warn of any form of taghut (rebellion, deviation, transgression outside the bounds of God’s rulings).  Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an:

“And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying], ‘Worship Allah and avoid taghut (all false deities, authorities, ideas, solutions, etc. outside of Islam).’” (Qur’an: 16:36)

Taghut is a very potent term that engenders many complexities. In his great work called “Four Basic Quranic Terms,” Maududi does a great job of explaining the seriousness of taghut, by laying out 3 shades of rebellion against God.  The first category is when someone declares obedience to God (as a matter of principle), but in deeds they disobey and fall short (fisq). The second is when someone rejects obedience to God (as a matter of principle) and does as he pleases or obeys someone else (kufr). The third category (and most serious) is when one rejects the principle of obedience to God alone, and begins to make his/her own laws and rules for a nation and its people (taghut).

It’s the third level of rebellion—taghut—that the Quraysh and so many others before them and after them were accused of. They refused to believe and obey God alone, and they openly declared their own laws based on what suited them economically and politically. When Zayd bin’ Nufail stood up to the Quraysh and declared his belief in the Oneness of purpose to God, he wasn’t simply declaring his belief in God, he was articulating his faith in a way of living—a way of living that would require his people humbly and faithfully submit themselves to God alone in everything they do together as a nation.

When the Prophet ﷺ years later spoke of Zayd bin’ Nufail, he said that Zayd “[would] be raised as a nation by himself on the Day of Resurrection,” (Sahih al Bukhari). It was this idea of oneness in purpose to God that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would soon successfully articulate and advance through the revelations of the Qur’an and his Sunnah (tradition).

By Matthew Longacre

Whether it is in the masjid, on the street, or online, these incidents are too numerous to count. If you haven’t heard these stories, then you haven’t been listening. Every day, time and time again, a troubled Muslim reaches out and communicates to someone, in one way or another, that they are thinking about leaving Islam. They explain that they have been in a troubled state for a while. They say that they pray and they feel nothing; that when they sin, they no longer feel guilty. They talk about how tired they are of the rules and the restrictions and being boxed in.

Every time I hear this story, I feel a deep aching in my heart. I ache because I realize that, by this time in the conversation, it is often too late. I ache because, while this person is so far removed from their Lord that they feel Islam is the root of their problems, the real problem is that they have never truly been exposed to the beauty of their deen (religion) at all. I ache most of all, though, because this is our (the community’s) fault. By failing to properly teach and explain our deen to our youth, we have failed them and set them up for disappointment and failure.

Teaching Our Ummah—Where We Have Failed

This failure begins at the very core of what we teach young and new Muslims alike. When we begin to teach our children about our deen, we focus almost exclusively on the outward actions. We teach them that they must pray, that they must make wudu (ablution), that they must grow out their beard, that they must not eat pork or drink alcohol, that they must never date, and much more. When a new Muslim makes shahadah (the testimony of faith), the mission of the community seems to inundate the new brother or sister with a torrent of rules. I have even been present for a number of shahadat that are immediately followed with people either criticizing the new Muslim’s dress or trying to teach the person how to read and write in Arabic!

Eventually, if our new Muslim brother or sister hasn’t already been driven away from the masjid (mosque) by our torrents of dos and don’ts, they eventually ask about Iman (faith) and how it differs from Islam. This discussion is possibly the most critical point in the development of a Muslim’s deen, yet the same people who had so much to say about rules before have very little to say here. The majority of the time, we refer them to Hadith Jibril. While Hadith Jibril is certainly an excellent starting place and a primer for beginning to understand this distinction, it is a Hadith that requires a greater depth of understanding to truly appreciate. If Hadith Jibril were the end-all be-all, then Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala (Glorified is He) would not have bothered with the grand elaboration on this conversation that occurs all throughout the Qur’an and Sunnah (teachings of the Prophet ﷺ, peace be upon him).

Beyond this, most Muslims can only readily cite one other passage concerning the relationship of Iman and Islam:

The bedouins say, “We have believed.” Say, “You have not [yet] believed; but say [instead], ‘We have submitted,’ for faith has not yet entered your hearts.” [Qur’an 49:14]

Thus, our ad-hoc shaykh reasons, Iman means “faith,” and faith will only come after you have Islam or “submit.” ((This is, in fact, a dangerously incorrect interpretation of this verse. Not only is the meaning of Iman far deeper than the English term “faith,” but this particular verse was revealed in response to a group of bedouins who declared shahadah once they saw the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was about to be victorious and saw gain in becoming Muslim. As such, this verse does not dismiss the likelihood of a person having Iman before Islam or having both simultaneously. This is a critical illustration of how interpreting verses without referring to scholars can lead to perilous consequences. [Ma’arif Ul-Qur’an, Maulana Mufti Mohammad Shafi] ))

Then the conversation is turned back to dos and don’ts, and an invaluable opportunity is lost.

Islam, Iman and What We Ought to be Saying

When we have the chance to sit down with our children or a new Muslim and teach them these critical concepts, we need to be comprehensive, we need to use analogies and examples, and we cannot underestimate the value of reasoning and reflection. A conversation could go something like this:

In the Hadith Jibril, we see that Islam is described through a set of actions and Iman is described through a set of beliefs. This is why you will oftentimes see Islam translated as “submission” and Iman translated as “belief.” But these translations don’t do the terms justice.

For example, Anas bin Malik radi allahu `anhu (may God be pleases with him) relates that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: “None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself,” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim]. The love described in this hadith is not a passive thing; it is in fact very active! In the Qur’an, Allah (swt) also almost always pairs a description of a believer or mu’min with an action. For example:

“But they who believe and do righteous deeds – those are the companions of Paradise; they will abide therein eternally.” [Qur’an 2:82]

“This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah – Who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them […]” [Qur’an 2:2-3]

Additionally, when you look at the description of Islam in Hadith Jibril, you see that the very first act is to “witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,” the witnessing of which requires not just belief, but an unwavering conviction in two of the principles of Iman (Allah’s Oneness and Messengers).

So… what does this mean? It means that your Islam and your Iman are in a mutual symbiotic relationship. An example of this is if we were to place a tree sapling and a young boy into two separate, air-tight rooms. Both the tree and the boy require certain provisions to survive: for the tree, you need sunlight, soil, and water; for the boy, he needs food, water, and affection. However, even if we provide all these necessary things, the tree and the boy will not survive while separated. Eventually, the tree will run out of carbon dioxide and the boy will run out of oxygen. To solve this problem, both the boy and the tree need to be placed into the same room. With their outside resources and each other, they can both live, grow, and develop. Our Islam and our Iman are the same way. To develop our Islam or submission requires hard work, regimentation, and focus. To develop our Iman or our utter conviction, we need sincere reflection, humility, and gratitude.

However, if we try to survive with our Islam alone and don’t combine it with Iman, we are ultimately hypocrites. Each day, we bear witness to and worship a Lord we doubt exists and we take action for a wide variety of reasons that have nothing to do with pleasing Him. If we do this, we ultimately share the ranks of those who joined Islam for political gain, for convenience, or simply because they were told to. Conversely, if we try to survive with our Iman and no Islam, we are ultimately rejecting the very Salvation we believe we’ve been given. Essentially, we are saying that while we know Allah (swt) is our Master, and we know He has sent us a Message, and we know we will be judged by how we follow that Message, we shall not follow that Message and we shall ignore our Master.

Thus, while you can build your Islam through practice and regimentation, and you can build your Iman through reflection and gratitude, either one is stunted from the start without the other. For the system to truly work, your Islam must become the Iman of your limbs, and your Iman must become the Islam of your heart. For ultimately, the greatest form of submission is the submission of your heart, and the greatest conviction is the one that emanates through your actions. Therefore, regimentation and toil alone will not do; you must also reflect, become humble, and increase in gratitude.

Ihsan and Taqwa– The Sweetness

This journey is not without its perils. While we grow in our Islam, we will most certainly be tested:

“You will surely be tested in your possessions and in yourselves. And you will surely hear from those who were given the Scripture before you and from those who associate others with Allah much abuse […]” [Qur’an 3:186]

Indeed, people will witness your actions and your demeanor change, and they will not be happy. Your friends may abandon you because you no longer engage in the questionable acts they participate in or because they feel embarrassed to be around you. Your family may begin to accuse you of becoming “extreme.” Additionally, you will be tested by Allah (swt) through your possessions and by Shaytan through whisperings in your heart. This is because this life is meant as a test. The verse continues:

“[…] But if you are patient and fear Allah- indeed, that is of the matters (worthy) of determination.” [3:186]

This is where our deen truly becomes unlike any other. As we continue to carefully provide for our Islam and Iman with their necessary ingredients and as they continue to meld and grow together, our increasing level of submission and our growing conviction and faith begin to bear fruit.

These are the seeds of Taqwa growing deep within our souls. Taqwa is oftentimes described as “God-consciousness,” but it is much deeper than that. We are beings whose only true sustenance comes from Allah (swt)—the closer we are to Him, the more directly we experience Him, the more sustenance we receive and the more we feel at home. Taqwa is when we are gifted with feeling and experiencing the presence of our Lord. As we gain Taqwa, we begin to see the world for how it truly is—the blessings and Mercy of Allah become joys and splendors for us, and the sins of the world become like thorns which we see and avoid. In fact, one of the Companions of the Prophet described Taqwa as akin to walking through a path filled with thorns while trying to leave your clothing unscathed.

This is the sweetness of our religion: because of our sacrifice and because of our devotion, we begin to feel absolute peace and tranquility through our submission to Allah (swt). Not only do we feel joy and felicity as a result of our prayers, we begin to crave worship and no longer feel toil or burden from it. The joy is infectious, and it emanates from our very being. Unless your heart is covered in darkness from sin or a seal from pure arrogance, simply being around a person who has strong Taqwa is a transformative and joyful experience. This is Ihsan (excellence), and it is beautifully summarized in Hadith Jibril.

Perhaps the most blatantly apparent quality of the 21^st century world is that the success of nations is based upon their material advancement with complete disregard for the moral status of its civilization.  However, Allah subahanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) has given us many examples in the Qur’an that illustrate His dealings with those nations that met their respective prophets with an attitude of stubborn rebelliousness. The Qur’an clearly indicates that the  material strength of these nations did not avail them in front of Allah’s punishment.

Allah (swt) says: “Have you not considered how your Lord dealt with `Aad—[with] Iram— who had lofty pillars, the likes of whom had never been created in the land? And [with] Thamud, who carved out the rocks in the valley? And [with] Pharaoh, owner of the stakes?—[All of[ whom oppressed within the lands and increased therein the corruption. So your Lord poured upon them a scourge of punishment. Indeed, your Lord is in observation,” (Qur’an 89:6-14).

Each of the nations were given some sort of material power. The people of `Aad were able to construct huge, lofty buildings much like those today in the Middle East.  The people of Thamud dexterously carved their dwellings out of mountains. It may be that the “lord of stakes,” Pharaoh, was named this way in reference to the pyramids that still remain intact today as witnesses to the architectural genius of the people of his time. Yet, all of these achievements could not save them from the punishment that was inflicted upon them due to their rejection of God’s revelation.

Based upon a detailed examination of these people and related verses that describe the destruction of previous nations, the scholars have mentioned the following as causes for their deterioration:

1. Denial of the revelations of the Lord and disobedience towards the prophets
2. Following the bidding of the insolent tyrants and transgressors who made mischief in the land and did not reform themselves (such as the people of `Aad and Thamud)
3. Rejoicing over scientific knowledge and turning away from the revelations of God
4. Insufferable intellectual and material arrogance intermingled with heedlessness of Allah’s severe punishment (the error of Pharaoh and Qaaroon)
5. Oppression, defrauding people of their possessions, and injustice particularly against the poor and weak (this was the error of the people of the Prophet Shu`ayb `alayhi assalaam, peace be upon him)
6. Committing abominable offenses, and indulgence in lust (for example the sins which ruined the people of Lut)
7. Widespread corruption, committing evil in public without the least attempt to forbid each other from these wrong-doings (characteristic of the Children of Israel)
8. Use of Allah’s blessings in disobedience, denial of many of those blessings altogether, and refusal to do good deeds
9. Indulging in luxurious living and ingratitude to Allah (swt) for His blessings

Each of these transgressions accelerates Allah’s wrath. Hence, the horrors that await a nation or society plagued by a number of these violations are beyond human imagination. ((The nine points listed are taken almost verbatim from the original text.))

Upon examination of the civilizations of our own time, it is apparent that each of them is dominated by one or more of these transgressions. Consequently, Allah’s wrath and retribution is inevitable so long as the people of these civilizations persist in following in the footsteps of the doomed. In this regard, Allah (swt) says:

“And you lived among the dwellings of those who wronged themselves, and it had become clear to you how We dealt with them. And We presented for you [many] examples. And they had planned their plan, but with Allah is [recorded] their plan, even if their plan had been [sufficient] to do away with the mountains,” (Qur’an 14:45-46).

So the very important question arises: What is the solution to the predicament faced by present-day societies? Al-Mawdoodi writes, in comment to a speech given by Lord Luthen at Olaykara University in which he states that the only way to salvation is to swear allegiance to a religion:

“One gets the impression that he resembles a thirsty man who is not even aware of the existence of water, still he can feel all the symptoms of his thirst. He lists the properties of the thing which can put an end to his thirst but he is not able to name it. If we put a glass of water in front of him, he will say on instinct that this is the thing he felt thirsty for and will jump and drink it. Others who suffered the devastating consequences of the Western civilization and urbanism in Europe, America and the rest of the world, share Lord Luthen’s condition. […] Undoubtedly they heard the word ‘water’ before but they are terrified whenever it is mentioned because they were not given a chance to know the real meaning of it. Their ignorant and fanatic ancestors told them that water refers to a poisonous thing which no one should approach. Ironically, if that thing was put in front of them and was not named, they would have instantly cried out saying that this is the thing which they felt thirsty for…”

Islam is the only system which offers humanity a completely balanced and integrated system; this is the straight way (siraat-ul mustaqeem) that Muslims ask for guidance to in prayer.

By balance, what is meant is that Islam is a middle way that doesn’t veer off into extremes. What is meant by integration is that Islam integrates sciences and faith, truth and power, creed and activity, religion with the state, instruction and legislation, religious scruples and the duties of rulers, material creativity and moral loftiness, and military power and morale. This integration is based upon the principle that belief in God is essential to the life of humanity.

The mission of religion and belief is represented in the following:

• First, Belief builds and develops the relationship between the believer and Allah (swt) into an ethereal intimacy which fills that person with love, trust, and certainty.
• Second, It elevates man from the level of a “developing animal”, as some people describe human beings, to an honorable, rational creature who has to fulfill certain duties and who was fashioned according to the best organizational plan. Man is Allah’s vicegerent on earth. Hence man shouldn’t give in to the petty vanities of life which drag him on the downward path. He should always aspire to higher values.
• Third, Religion broadens the scope of man’s relationship with the vast universe. Man is not an intruder in this enormous cosmos. This universe is created for man’s service and it is one of the Signs of Allah’s existence. All people are brothers and sisters.
• Fourth, It makes man realize the meaning and wisdom of morality.

All these values aim to make us realize the secrets and truth of our existence and our mission in life. They stem out of belief in Allah (swt) and the hereafter which are the pillars on which religions are built. Hence, it is essential to restore the constructive influence of belief upon humanity and life.

When belief infiltrates the society and enlightens the hearts of its individuals, people will exhibit the characteristics of a true Islamic society and will build its foundation upon the following pillars:

1. Brotherhood and Love: It is a natural result of faith to unite those upon the firm creed.
2. Sympathy and Mercifulness: These characteristics are especially obligatory regarding the weak, the orphans, the needy, and the wayfarers.
3. Support and Cooperation: It is a must for the believers to cooperate upon righteousness and piety and not to work together for vice and hostility.
4. Solidarity and Mutuality: It must be a society in which the rich support the poor, and the strong come to the aid of the oppressed.
5. Mutual Consultation and Advice: No one in this society is above the law or above being corrected if they do not adhere to God’s commands
6. Purification and Advancement: The Muslim society is a hygienic one that educates its individuals in purification, decency, chastity, and prohibits every kind of abomination whether hidden or open.
7. Justice: It includes economic and social justice as well as just treatment by the law.
8. Progressiveness: This is perhaps the most important characteristic of Muslim society—it is progressive and not underdeveloped! However the definition of this progress is based upon the collective goal of humanity which is to perfect the worship of God, to fulfill the vicegerency on earth, and to accomplish preservation of the earth.

by Sabeen Mansoori

The light is red. It seems to have been red for an eternity. The minutes tick slowly forward as the heat of the sun mercilessly beats down. Is it broken? You are so late! Not a single vehicle is passing through the intersection. It seems to be red for everyone. The empty intersection shimmers like a mirage before your eyes. Surely it must be malfunctioning. The person in the car next to you mouths a curse and as if on a cue you complain, “It’s never going to turn green.” The instant the words leave your lips, as if by magic, the light turns green and you are free to go.

How many times do we try our best not to complain but the circumstances seem truly impossible and whining just seems the natural, acceptable thing to do? We rarely question these slips of the tongue, especially because everyone around us is doing the same. But these sighs, eye rolls and snippets of ingratitude chip away at our iman (faith). They are a subtle form of arrogance. The thought process behind the complaints is that I am so special that all lights should turn green as I approach. The carefully crafted car commercials are a true indicator of what our hearts desire. In the commercials there are rarely any stop lights.  The cars zoom by or climb to heights that no mortal can actually drive to; leaving all the ordinary people in the dust. Confetti falls and flags wave in the breeze as music blares in the background.

This message of hedonistic self-fulfillment is the greatest trap of Shaytan (Satan). When he promised Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (may He be glorified and exalted) that he would take us down with him to hellfire his strategy was already set. He did not ask for a few years to operate. He asked for our entire testing period.

“(Satan) said, “Reprieve me until the Day they are resurrected.”  (Qur’an, 7:14)

What worked for him would work for humans, since we are mere mortals crafted from clay. If he could make us arrogant and ungrateful, than the descent to moral depravity and the fall from the favor of Allah (swt) would be simple. There are those, however, who escaped from his devious designs and made it safely through this life and were guaranteed Paradise. Most eminent among them was the second Khalifah `Umar bin Khattab radi Allahu `anhu (may Allah be pleased with him).

The Prophet ﷺ (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “O Ibn Al-Khattab! By Him in Whose Hands my life is! Never does Satan find you going on a way, but he takes another way other than yours,” (Sahih Bukhari). Subhan’Allah—glory be to God—the life of Umar (ra) is an amazing story of the love of Allah (swt) and His Messenger ﷺ. That love is stamped forever on the pages of history through his success in this world and in the Hereafter. But why did Shaytan consider him a hopeless case? Why was the Shaytan, who whispers to us day and night, afraid to even go near `Umar?

`Umar (ra) was a source of strength for the Muslims from the day he accepted Islam to the day he returned to his Lord.  Verses of the Qur’an were revealed that agreed with his opinion. During his ten years as the khalifah (caliph) the Muslim state grew to an unprecedented degree as the empires of Persia and Rome toppled. `Umar (ra) had much to be proud of, but he never let arrogance taint and destroy any of his deeds. He led a simple, humble life and even at the moment of death asked his son to put his face on the ground.

If we look into his achievements as a sahabi (companion) and as a khalifah and then we read his words his greatness becomes apparent. From `Amir ibn Rabi`a: “I saw `Umar pick up a straw from the ground and say, “Would that I were this straw! Would that I were nothing! Would that my mother never bore me!”

He walked the streets of his city for fear that Allah (swt) would hold him to account. From Dawud ibn `Ali: “If a sheep dies on the shore of the Euphrates I fear lest Allah ask me to account for it on the Day of Resurrection.”

Once `Umar (ra) called people to the Masjid and when they all assembled, `Umar stood on the pulpit and said, “I had some aunts and I would take their goats or sheep to this valley and I would come back at the end of the day and they would give me a handful of dates or raisins and I would have a miserable day.” Then he came down from the pulpit. Abdul Rahman ibn ‘Awf (ra) said, “You haven’t done more than belittle yourself.” `Umar (ra) replied, “Woe to you son of ‘Awf! My nafs [lower self] was telling me that you are Ameer ul-Mu’mineen so who is better than you? So I wanted to teach myself a lesson and let it know who it is.”

How could Shaytan influence his nafs when he never let it stray for a moment? He reined in his ego before it had a chance to become inflated. It is reported that `Umar ibn al Khattâb (ra) said: “Bring yourselves to account before you are brought to account, and weigh your deeds before they are weighed,” (At-Tirmidhî).

It would have been so easy for `Umar (ra) to let his achievements instill in him a sense of false pride but he always considered himself nothing but a slave of Allah (swt). Presidents and kings rule for a few years and have memorials and statues built in their honor and books written eulogizing on their greatness. They write memoirs listing and elaborating on their terms in office. `Umar (ra) who was assassinated while in salah (prayer) was worried about completing his salah even as the blood poured out of his body! He was irritated with Ibn Abbas (ra) because while trying to comfort him Ibn Abbas (ra) used words of praise. `Umar (ra), whose example we can only read about and tremble at his greatness, was with his last breaths anxious about being saved from the fire:

“When `Umar was stabbed, he showed signs of agony. Ibn `Abbas, as if intending to encourage `Umar, said to him, ‘O Chief of the believers! Never mind what has happened to you, for you have been in the company of Allah’s Apostle and you kept good relations with him and you parted with him while he was pleased with you. Then you were in the company of Abu Bakr and kept good relations with him and you parted with him (i.e. he died) while he was pleased with you. Then you were in the company of the Muslims, and you kept good relations with them, and if you leave them, you will leave them while they are pleased with you.’ `Umar said, (to Ibn “Abbas), ‘As for what you have said about the company of Allah’s Apostle and his being pleased with me, it is a favor Allah did to me; and as for what you have said about the company of Abu Bakr and his being pleased with me, it is a favor Allah did to me; and concerning my impatience which you see, is because of you and your companions. By Allah! If (at all) I had gold equal to the earth, I would have ransomed myself with it from the Punishment of Allah before I meet Him,’” (Sahih Bukhari).

Shaytan was smart enough to realize early on that it would be useless to waste time trying to deceive `Umar (ra). Shaytan’s time is much better spent riding with us. Ibn Qayyim described Shaytan as patient. He can wait for years till his whispers convince someone to boast about an act of goodness they had done. Sadly for many of us he only has to wait a few seconds before we utter some words of arrogant impatience.

The reality is that we can only pay lip-service to the greatness of `Umar (ra). There is little chance that we will adopt his ascetic lifestyle and attain the high stature of humility that he achieved.  One small step that it is possible for us to take is to eliminate the whining from our lives and become content with what Allah (swt) has blessed us with. This could be as simple as accepting the seemingly interminable thirty seconds at the light, or the greater challenges that we face in our relationships, finances and health. We cannot convince Shaytan to take another street but we can gradually nurture our level of patience so that we make his journey as miserable as possible. If Allah (swt) wills, the light will still turn green and opportunities to do good will open up before our eyes.