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Building Good Character, Page 27

Eid Khutbah: Be true to yourself, be true to Allah…

By Essam Mahgoub
“Say what you mean, mean what you say. Be absolutely sincere to Allah, and you won’t be deceiving yourself. Allah loves those who are truthful and sincere. Being true to yourself and being true to Allah simply means that you have no delusions, no devious agendas. Your heart should be pure and transparent. Having a “Qalb Saleem (a pure, sound heart) is the only way to ensure Allah’s good pleasure. The Quran warns us of a Day when neither wealth nor sons will avail us, except those who come to Allah with a sound heart.” (Quran 26:89) …

Those whom Allah loves, will be tested with hardship

By Essam Mahgoub
“”Every Prophet, every Messenger of Allah was tested with extreme hardship. Allah did this to set up role models, inspiring examples of patience, endurance, and complete reliance on Allah swt. When we are faced with trials and tribulations, we ought to accept it as a test from Allah. If we follow the Prophetic examples, Allah will reward us from His limitless Bounty, in this life and the eternal life to come.”

Srebrenica: Remember the past to protect the future

By Dr Husni Hammuda
”
The cold-blooded murder of 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys by Serb nationalists in 1995 has become known as the Srebrenica Genocide. Dr Husni reminds us of the lessons to be learned. The rising far-right nationalism and Islamophobia in Europe today suggests that many have not yet taken the lessons of history…”

Hajj, The Inward Spiral

By Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad (Tim Winter)

“Labbaik! Here I am, (at your service) O Allah!” is the heartfelt chanting of the Hajj. It is a logical echo of that original Shahada, (bearing witness) of that moment before time and space, when Allah called forth the souls of every human being that ever was and ever will be, to testify concerning themselves.  “Alastu bi Rabbikum?” (Am I not your Lord?), asked Allah. We all replied in one thunderous voice: “Bala shahidna!” (Yes we bear witness! lest we say on the Day of Awakening, that we were not mindful of this!)”

Modern Challenges to the spirit of Hajj

By Aslam Abdullah
“When the Prophet performed his only Hajj, the only provision that he had with him was worth of no more than four dirham as narrated in several books of ahadith.
Hajj was meant to teach the pilgrims endurance and perseverance for higher causes, yet it has been turned into an exercise in convenience. Hajj was meant to express the utmost humility in the presence of the rest of humanity by declaring that “Here I am, Here I am, I will not make anyone Allah’s partner. Allah is the one who is in control of everything and He alone is the one who is the source of all blessings and praise.” Yet, today, Hajj, for many has become, a badge, a symbol of spiritual pride…”

The Goal of the Shari‘ah is Justice, Not Equality

By Abu Aaliyah
“IN SPEAKING OF JUSTICE, many well-intended Muslims are unconsciously secularised. For their discourse about justice (Ar. ‘adl, qist) is so often scarred by failing to grasp its Quranic essence: ‘To put a thing in its rightful place.’1 Which is to say, justice is to give things their proper due – at the due time, the due place, and in due measure.

This requires possessing knowledge about the value and measure of things, as Islam assigns to them, so as to give them their due. ‘Hence,’ Ibn al-Qayyim wrote, ‘knowledge and justice are the root of every good, while injustice and ignorance are the root of every evil.’2”

Resilience in Muslims, despite Islamophobia

By Dr Zubair Chaudhry
“Resilience is a wonderful thing. Allah has created it in our nature, so that when we’ve had a trial, tribulation or tragedy, we can endure it with patient perseverance and come out stronger for that experience…”

Tackling negativity and nihilism in youth

By Dr Zubair Chaudhry
Many young people, including young Muslims today, are affected by a sense of hopelessness, despair, depression about their lives. This is a serious mental and emotional condition that needs to be remedied. Dr Zubair draws on the Quran and Sunnah to advise us on how to deal with nihilism. Faith, Gratitude to Allah, Modesty and a sense of Shame is the remedy. Dr Zubair Chaudhry is a Clinical Psychiatrist who delivers regular speeches at the Jamia Mosque and Islamic Centre, Slough, Berkshire, UK