The Pure of Mind

There are so many people who hold Qur'an diplomas and ijazas. They frequently attend lectures and memorize Surahs but they have very little Islam (gentleness, mercy, forgiveness) to show for it. Sometimes they are the most disappointing, rudest, condescending people you will ever meet. 

Where is the Islam gone among the people who claim to know it so well? The people frequent the Masjid day in and day out? Who have all the answers to all the fiqh questions? Why don't they act like God-fearing people?

    أُوْلُو  ٱلۡأَلۡبَـٰبِ  The pure of mind are discussed in Surah Ale-'Imran, verse 7. 

لۡبَ Lub is a sound mind, pure from vanity.

Aqal or intelligence is to tie something up. It is to have control over your emotions and then being able to think clearly. If you have a bias of anger, fear, love, lust, greed – any kind of emotional bias that clouds your judgement, then you are not fully exercising your intellect. Only when you put your emotions in check and you put your biases aside, are you able to think about something clearly. This equates to using your aqal.

Jahl or ignorance is having a lack of emotional control. Something comes into their head and you just blurt it out. If you feel like eating something, you will gobble it down without a thought. If you feel like doing something, you will just act on impluse  There is not rational human behaviour. This can only be described as reckless endangerment of oneself and others. Jahl is your inability to control and restrain yourself.

The highest form of clarity of thought  is lub. Lub is the pinnacle use of a human mind – the ability to think, ponder and reflect clearly essentially distinguishes humans from animals. The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) said: (and I am paraphrasing it here) that the people who do more taddabur (reflect deeply in Quran) have more reward than those who pray the entire night. In other words, rather than mindlessly performing one ritual after another, the pure of mind make a sincere effort to remember Allah and to connect with Allah on a intellectual and emotional basis, which completely revamps their perspective on self and others. 

A pure mind is a mind that is free from vanity, a mind that is not preoccupied by

 greed, pride, jealousy, lust, gluttony, Or filled with filth,  like with unnecessary sport statistics, names of movies, awards ceremonies, characters and, yogi-o cards etc. You can have that stuff  in your head but if your mind is full of that garbage then you won't have a clear mind or the ability to think clearly. You will not be able to really remember Allah. Even when you try to engage with Allah, your heart will immediately say, finish the salah quickly and go back to the movie. People who have sound minds, they are able to take time in their salah, really reflect on what they are saying to Allah - even cry in prayer and feel Allah's presence inside and outside of prayer. 

Surah Ale-'Imran, verse 7 began with people who are deeply rooted in knowledge (وَٱلرَّٲسِخُونَ فِى ٱلۡعِلۡم  Ra seen kha means absorption. They have absorbed knowledge, it has become a part of them, they have internalized knowledge) yet Allah mentions ذَّكَّرُ  remembrance which happens in the heart. Those who are deeply rooted in knowledge are more committed to remembering Allah by first keeping their hearts clean. This leads to the next ayah, the private dua of the people of knowledge.

  رَبَّنَا لَا  تُزِغۡ  قُلُوبَنَا 

O our Lord, don't deviate our hearts

The more you know, the more you realize, the danger you are in. However, for most people, increase in knowledge means increase in legitimacy. The more I know, the better I can argue with others, the better I can put others down in debate. The more I know, the more I can assume to a school. The better I can acquire a teaching position etc.

The people who have fully incorporated knowledge as part of their conscious and personality, are the ones who are most worried about their hearts. They reflect deeply not only in the verses of the Qur'an but at the same time, they also frequently scrutinize their own character and manners. They are not concerned with judging others. The more you know, the more you realize, the danger you are in. However, for most people, increase in knowledge means increase in legitimacy. The more I know, the better I can argue with others, the better I can put others down in debate. The more I know, the more I can assume to a school. The better I can acquire a teaching position etc.

They are scared of becoming deviated at heart (seeking intellectual pursuits which don’t really improve the quality of their obedience to Allah or the amount of their remembrance of Allah). They are scared of appearing or talking like scholars and imams on the outside but internally, their hearts are rotting and chasing after fitnah.

May Allah make us of those who are pure of mind and deeply rooted in knowledge, in a way that He has described and is pleasing to Him aameen. 

   

Life after Ramadan - Don't Give Up on Qur'an

Life as a Muslim in Ramadan this year was quite an adventure. It was like the amazing journey that Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee went on in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. You may progress from hiking along a treacherous mountain trail (fasting for 18+ hours), to braving a fierce storm (facing Islamophobia, xenophobia, racism - depending on where you live: US, UK or Canada), to battling the enemy (your own naps and emotions), to sailing on a placid lake or strolling through a pleasant field (praying Taraweeh 2 hours into midnight).

There were ups, downs, and unexpected turns this Ramadan. Though you may not stick to exactly the same routine and timetable after Ramadan, the one thing you don’t want is to go backwards, spiritually.

Backsliding after Ramadan refers to going backwards in emaan (faith) and in good deeds.

Backsliding can happen through neglect by getting lazy with Salah, not reciting and learning the Quran very often, and losing focus on living for Allah. A deliberate backsliding after Ramadan means a person is choosing to indulge in sin. I know whenever I am don't make an extra effort to make my Salah more meaningful or when I let my tongue loose or when I don't guard my gaze, my heart is saddened. Sins only add turmoil to our lives. We may think that we are lighting our load by backbiting but it only gives us more grief. Browsing on Facebook and prying into other people's lives is no way to relax or to entertain oneself. It eventually plagues us with the feelings of stress (sensory overload) and depression (superiority/inferiority complex). Don’t let the pleasures of sin deceive you. In time, sin will bring you pain. Also, do not let doubt or guilt hold you back from starting over.

First, pay close attention to matters of the heart. A Muslim's life is about having a personal relationship with Allah. Avoid focusing primarily on a list of Halal and Haram. Stay close to Allah throughout each day. Take the time to learn about Him. Trust me, it is more important to know Who He is and What He said then to read BBC and CNN updates every minute of every day. Keep your heart and mind focused upon Allah's Presence. 

Second, beware of the enemy’s schemes. Flee from situations that corrupt you. Shaytan constantly attracts the nafs towards sin. He makes the nafs feel as though the sins are pleasurable. Fortunately, shaytan has no physical control over us; he cannot make us do anything. While the nafs is like a cranky, needy child who wants everything in sight. It runs after the temptations presented by shaytan. So our job, especially in Ramadan is to train our nafs to develop a craving for beneficial things and to keep it busy in pursuing positive goals. 

أعداء الإنسان ثلاثة :

" دنياه ، وشيطانه ، ونفسه "

فاحترز من الدنيا بالزهد ، ومن الشيطان بمخالفته

ومن النفس بترك الشهوات! - يحيى بن معاذ

Human beings have three enemies:  The Dunya, the Shaytan and the Nafs

One can free herself from the Dunya through Zuhud (abstinence - freeing herself from greed, gluttony, pride,  etc).

One can free herself from shaytan by opposing him (disobeying him).

And from nafs, by curbing her carnal desires! - Yahya Ibn Ma'az

Finally, continue to let the Qur'an lead you, fill you, encourage you, and empower you as you go through each day. The greatest gift received by humanity from Allah, after the gift of life, is knowledge. Allah gave Adam (a.s) the source code of everything - every discovery, invention and every field of study - essentially everything we know today and will learn tomorrow, is an extension of the gift of knowledge, initially given to Adam (a.s). Along with this worldly knowledge, Adam (a.s) was also blessed with revelation. Knowledge of this world is crucial for human survival; it makes a person more resourceful but not more civilized or humane, which is outside the realm of worldly knowledge.. Knowing the kinetic energy, mass or speed of an object or a degree of a polynomial or advanced software architecture cannot substitute knowing revelation. Moral judgement, civility and humanity can only be procured from revelation.  

 وَلَكُمۡ  فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ  مُسۡتَقَرٌّ۬ وَمَتَـٰعٌ  إِلَىٰ حِينٍ۬ 

Allah said to Adam (a.s), "The Earth is a comfortable, relaxing, beautiful and pleasurable place of utility for you. Stay here with ease, you will be provided provisions and things of enjoyment. However, your stay on earth is a temporary period. It is not your forever home." (Qur'an, 2:36)

This is where worldly knowledge comes in handy - it not only offers you fulfillment of your intellectual curiosity and personal development opportunities but also guarantees you, your dream job, loads of money and an expensive house. However, academic credentials and wealth is not a precursor to happiness. 
On an average, a teenager in Canada makes $15-$25/hour. They are a walking billboard for the latest clothes, accessories, and gadgets yet over a thousand of them commit suicide every year. Worldly knowledge and income doesn't not guarantee a placate life. 
The world was meant to be a place of مُسۡتَقَرٌّ۬ coolness, calm and peacefulness. But with each passing day, we undergo more and more violence and discord. Sometimes it feels that there is only fear and sadness in this world, no مُسۡتَقَرٌّ۬. 

 بَعۡضُكُمۡ لِبَعۡضٍ عَدُوٌّ۬‌ۖ

"If you are not careful, shaytan will make you enemies of each other." (Qur'an, 2:36)

 This refers to the constant struggle between husband and wife inside the home; entire communities and cultures where women are silence, beaten into submission, mentally tortured, deprived from education and money. Entire societies and movements where women want to become men and feminize men as a way to fight back that oppression. Brother fighting brother over inheritance, mother causing problems and even separation between her son and his wife. Police officers shooting innocent children playing on the street. Countries going to war. Xenophobia.  Allah sent us revelation to establish peace on earth and to prevent men and women from becoming enemies.  

فَمَن تَبِعَ هُدَاىَ فَلَا  خَوۡفٌ  عَلَيۡہِمۡ  وَلَا  هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ

Allah says, "I will give you a manual (a revelation, a guidance) that will help you navigate your fears and your sadnesses on earth for the duration of your temporary existence. Then you can come back Home to Jannah, to Me. Just live by this revelation and guidance for a little while. It will give you safety, security and serenity. " (Qur'an 2:38) 

There would be no massacre in Nice, no honour killing in Multan, no ambush in Dallas, no first degree murder of a mother and daughter in Calgary if the revelation, the Qur'an was more frequently read and fervently internalized. 

*All verses in the article are not translated literally but with slight interpretation and tafseer. 

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Two Years as an Islamic School Teacher

I studied in a public school then a Catholic school, only to become a full time Islamic school teacher for two years. Just putting it out there - I have utmost respect for all my teachers, colleagues and students. I had a great time with them and I am what I am because of them. Not to say that they were perfect. No on is perfect, and it is futile to seek perfection in others when we have numerous deficiencies of our own. 
This disclaimer aside, today I want to share (and hopefully let off some steam) about my experience as an Islamic School Teacher. What could you expect if you are applying? What should do you once you are in? 

I personally feel that my faith as a Muslim flourishes when I am in a faith based community. More than anything, I wanted to be in an environment where everything transmitted faith, so my own faith could find new roots and grow. From the way the school phone is answered to dress rehearsal schedule for graduation, from how meals were sold during bake sale in the cafeteria to how students greeted each other: I wanted to see the teachings of Islam reflect in my surroundings. Granted this was NOT the case, Islamic schools are only as religious as you are. In other words, every single teacher on campus must pour in her passions and fields of expertise to excite Islamic practises in her students. 

Most Islamic schools treat Islam as a body of knowledge to be studied, narrowing it into historical moments, teachings and figures. Being Muslim is far too dynamic to be revealed or understood in a course. It's about living justly, loving tenderly, walking humbly with Allah, every step of our lives. 

Alhamdulillah ala kuli haal, I got the opportunity to sacrifice my prep, my lunch ... my washroom breaks to implicitly impact the cirruciulum, morning assemblies, counselling sessions, hallway conversations, dismal time period - so Islam may resonate more deeply with the students. Yes, Islamic school teachers have to go out on a limb, A LOT - if they want to show students the tangible joy, wisdom and blessings of Islam each day; the prayerful process to discern challenges and options, and the authentic awareness of the nearness and friendship of Allah. 

For this, I had to relearn my own faith. The lessons I learned as a child about Islam were not robust enough to bring meaning to the students. As a teacher, I had to relearn who Allah is and encounter  anew the treasures of our religion. Moreover,  I had to be enthusiastic about Islam. Without any pretence on my part, my students had to see that I had a real religious calling and that it made me happy. I had to show them that Islam did not set me back but gave me all the material and emotional success I have. 

I had to model the teachings of Islam, like forgiveness, charity, second chances, smiling, and patience, for students to see Islam works, not just in speeches and sermons but also in my professional and personal life. At the same time, I had to solicit feedback from the students. I had to make a conscious effort to make them feel comfortable. Only when I reserved all judgements and announced an open door policy, did the students feel safe to address me with their questions and concerns. Alhamdulilah this not only increased student voice but also student interest in Islam. 

Honestly, this is the hardest, most rewarding thing I have ever done. There are days I cried. I wanted to quit. There are days I didn't want to come home. Nights when I couldn't sleep and nights I would dream about school. I had to fight it from taking over my life. If you already have children, imagine parenting 200 kids at a time. It is not easy but it is the best, the most craziest thing I ever did. 

A mother's dua

اَللّهُ اَكْبَرُ، اَللّهُ اَكْبَرُ، اَللّهُ اَكْبَرُ، لاَ اِلَهَ اِلاَّ اللّهُ اَللّهُ اَكْبَرُ، اَللّهُ اَكْبَرُ، وَلِلّهِ الْحَمْدُ 

Allahumma salli ala Muhammad

اللهم بارك لي في أولادي ووفقهم لطاعتك وارزقني برّهم.

اللهم يامعلّم موسى وآدم علّمهم، ويا مفهّم سليمان فهّمهم، ويامؤتي لقمان الحكمة وفصل الخطاب، آتهم الحكمة وفصل الخطاب. اللهم علّمهم ما جهلوا، وذكّرهم ما نسوا، وافتح عليهم من بركات السماء والأرض، إنك سميع مجيب الدعوات.

My Lord Allah bless my children. And enable them to obey You and make them kind towards me.

Ya Allah you were the Teacher of Moses and Adam, so teach my kids too. Bestow them  with knowledge. 

You gave beneficial knowledge to Suleiman so grant my kids beneficial knowledge too.

You were the Giver of Hikmah and authentic, decisive speech to Luqman. So give them hikmah and authentic, decisive speech too. 

Teach them of what they are ignorant and remind them what they forget. 

Open on them (the doors of) barakah from the skies and from beneath.

Indeed You are the Listener and  the One who replies and accepts the dua,

اَمِين يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِيْن (Amin Ya Rabbal ‘Alamin)

A comment on fame?? - barf!!!

In more recent years, public nudity has become more and more acceptable, with many celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Kanye West promoting nudist selfies and music videos. 

 Although Vanity Fair and a plethora of social media corpse may promote and encourage nudity as a form of art, entertainment and freedom or whatever, the Qur'an has a different perspective. 
First, there is nothing natural about nudity. The first humans were created clothed by Allah. Adam and Hawa (a.s) were innocent and pure; they wore a clothing of Paradise which bequeathed them with dignity and self-respect. Second, their clothes were snatched by shatyan, as a form of humiliation after they obeyed him. Therefore, in the Qur'an, public nudity is a consequence of following shaytan, who affects the hearts and minds of people, by creating vulnerability and indecency. 

Shaytan is still active in humiliating the children of Adam. Public displaces of nudity honours shatyan and further advances lust, immorality and perversion in the world. This is not to say that the human body itself is evil or repulsive. The human body is sacred, noble and praiseworthy when it is a tool of worship. It is pure, lovely, admirable in marriage. However, public nudity is disgraceful and obscene. 

I am MORE than just "covered"

I started wearing a platinum, black coloured hijab when I was 11 years old. The colour of my hijab evolved over the years from various shades of pink to different blends of blue and green then finally my favourite, purple mash, but my classification, based on hijab,  never left my side.
When I was in grade 7, someone stopped me in the school playground to ask, if I even had a boyfriend. The world fell away.  I knew I would be a little socially awkward for a while, but I didn't know wearing the hijab would also make me unlovable.  When I was high school, crossing the street, someone said I looked scary. They laughed and I turned away, face burning. No one ever though I looked scary in a tuke or a winter scarf, why is hijab any different. When I was in university, someone on the subway said to me, “Your husband is not here, you don't have to wear that over your head.” I quickened my steps in fear,  I am not even married.  

I remember not being able to speak up. I should have told them that I wasn't bald under my hijab, nor do I have head lice; I chose to wear hijab on my own and that I am saving love for marriage.

We, hijabis, have it tough. Collectively speaking, we are not aggressive, but that doesn't mean we pack an IQ of 20. Here are four ways to effectively sabotage that "oppressed" stereotype, and be taken seriously, once and for all:

Command respect

Whether you are in the workplace, university or in a personal setting, show that you mean business. Using bad language, playing with your clothes or jewelry, or cracking your gum and appearing to be an unassuming female will not help your stance. Instead, be sure to flash a confident smile, be prepared to wield a firm greeting and let verbal eloquence shine through your conversation. Once someone sees you as a formidable employee or a confident student, his or her perception of you will drastically change. At the same time, you don't want people to fear you. Give people the same level of respect and courtesy you wish to receive from them. 

Voice your opinion

Don’t be a passive aggressive martyr who just avoids arguments or opts never to vocalize your beliefs.You matter and your voice deserves to be heard. This reigns true in the classroom, workplace and within relationships. Don’t sit back and take it; state your point of view (in a highly cordial fashion, of course). You do not want to be that girl who does not know how to make a judgment call or stand up for herself. If Linda Sarsour can stand up in front of a hundreds of thousands of people and cameras day in and day out and boldly give them a peace of her mind, so can you.

Have fun, but with dignity

Don’t take sloppy selfies for the social media. Don’t dress risqué with a matching hijab. Don't text a "brother" to the extent that if your grandmother was to read your messages, she would be shocked and appalled. Conduct yourself in an appropriate manner. You can let loose and have fun, but don’t let it get to the point that your dignity and self-worth is compromised.  

Be yourself

As previously stated, once others are aware of your internal makeup, they will not read into your hijab with such a fine-toothed comb. Randomly whip out your ability to speak fluent French. Talk about your 350-page dissertation and how it’s been published in medical journals. Give opinions on the defensive strategy that your native hockey team recently implemented in last night’s game, or how the cacao content of Café A’s espresso rivaled the bitterness of Café B’s. Don’t be afraid to show your smarts. You may intimidate people (especially because they may assume that hijabis aren’t that smart). But, stay true to you.