Gems

In Surah Baqarah, Allah says: وَإِذَا لَقُواْ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ قَالُواْ آمَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَوْاْ إِلَى شَيَاطِينِهِمْ قَالُواْ إِنَّا مَعَكْمْ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُسْتَهْزِؤُونَ Translation: “When they meet those who believe, they say ‘we believe,’ but when they are alone with their shayateen, they say ‘we are with you‘ …” (Al-Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:14)1 Although the hypocrites say they believe, they associate their identities with shayateen (devils, or “evil ones”). The lesson: your belief system shapes your identity.

If you want your Islamic work–your project, or organization, or masjid, or whatever it is–to survive you, you need to train leaders, not followers. When you train followers, they work well, for a time–a month, or two, or a year, or ten, or 20–but without a leader, the project collapses. Instead, train leaders, who in turn train followers and other leaders in your absence, and the cycle perpetuates inshaAllah. This is also part of what you need to transform your project from a mom-and-pop-style business to an independant self-existing entity.

“Eman is to believe, even when an overpowering tide of evil surrounds you.” –Imam Anwar al-Awlaki Remember, Allah controls eman. Even great Muslims sometimes die as disbelievers, wa iyyadubillah. O Allah, protect us from that evil end. Among the many means to strengthen include constant rememberance of Allah and reminders of the hereafter. Ask Allah to strengthen your eman, and inshaAllah even your low-points become higher and higher over time.

Imam Anwar al-Awlaki says: Yaqeen is certainty in your beliefs over your physical reality. Your heart soaks up the belief and becomes unshakable. The Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) had it. All four khulafa had it. O Allah, grant us belief in the hereafter and make our hearts firm.

The key to attract an amazing spouse is to nurture in yourself those qualities that appeal to a person of that standard. Many of us pine for the perfect spouse–realize he or she does not exist. Pick the best you can find, and learn to live with and cover their warts and weaknesses. Set your criteria (based on the hadith of the Prophet, peace be upon him)–have they memorized the Qur’an?

When you wear Islam, wear it properly and responsibly. –A. M. When you grow a beard or put on hijab, be aware of the responsibility. You represent the Muslims, more then ever. Represent properly! Don’t mess up and appear at clubs or bars and similar places. With the greater reward comes the greater potential of punishment–you can misguide many, many people if you represent Islam improperly. May Allah protect us from anti-da’wah.

The Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) asked Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) for His protection from shirk. So why do we act like we know we’ll die Muslim? Remember, this is the Prophet of Allah. He spoke to Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) without any barrier. He received revelation directly from Allah (سبحانه وتعالى). He is the best of creation. So seek protection in Allah from shirk, the unforgivable sin that destroys good deeds. The Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) taught us the following du’a:

All people on Earth seek happiness–whether it’s through wealth, or love, or piety. Few realize that perfect happiness does not exist in the dunya. When you think about it, you’ll find that hardship and pain exist with moments of great happiness. For example, you ate your favourite meal after a long time, but you feel over-full and you become tired and lazy. Or, you enjoy a wonderful hike through the woods, minus the insect bites and that bee that flew into your ear.

Never label. Human beings are not two-dimensional that you can slap a label onto them and classify them. One of the best ways to destroy ties between people, groups, and organizations is to label them. Even if they deserve it, don’t do it. When you find yourself applying a label to someone, ask yourself: Will this action please Allah (سبحانه وتعالى)? When you find others who label, back away. You don’t want to involve yourself with people like that.

Consultation, or shura, is a fundamental leadership technique in Islam. You consult with the experts, and you implement it, and you close the issue. Shura means consultation. It also means the consulted group. Shura is a fundamental technique in leadership. The Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم), the best and most knowledable and noble of people, practiced shura with his companions–and who knew better than he? How can the rest of us believe we don’t need shura?