Transforming Your Life: A Guide to Positive Change in Islam

I found it paramount essential to provide a clear guide for those who want a positive change. In this phase of reckless violence and genocide, every post is calling us for change from disobedience to obedience of Allah ﷻ. But I didn’t find enough resources which would have properly guided Muslims and others. Muslims are gripped by fear around the globe that persuade people to falsehood as they kneel down out of weakness and lost of hope.

To make changes in our daily lives, one must adhere sincerity that will keep him standing while he is feeling low. Even Allah rewards that person who intends good before committing that. But we should remember that Allah dislikes the person who intend something and then don’t make his actions accordingly. As Allah says :

“O you who believe, why do you say that which you don’t do (commit)”1

It should also be highlighted that Allah do not change those who are not willing for change. So it is very essential not be frivolous in planning this high status character and obedience.

Understanding your blind-spots

First of all, it is very important to find out your deficiencies that lag you behind. You can understand that by comparing your daily life schedule with the standard of Prophet ﷺ. Look at when do you wake up, how do you start your. Do you pray fajr or not! If you aren’t able to pray Jamat (congregation), at least you should pray it when you wake up? How do you talk and walk? What is your behavior with others? How shy and modesty you are, in alone and in gathering? To what you are giving your time; Calling unnecessarily or investing in some improvement? What are the posts you publish? Are you that man losing time in self glorification or do you respect to the words of Allah ﷻ and His Messanger ﷺ. When you scrutinize your actions, you can easily move forward for improvement.

Make gradual changes

As you correctly spot your problems and shortcomings, you should remember the principle of gradual change. You should remember that character formation doesn’t occur over night rather it takes years to improve our inner self. When you are trapped in darkness, it is burdensome to make turn but Allah loves it and He pays for your investment. When you start your beautiful journey from small steps, Inshallah Allah will succeed you as you remain firm on it. As one of the hadith mentions :

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “The religion (of Islam) is easy, and whoever makes the religion a rigour, it will overpower him. So, follow a middle course (in worship); if you can’t do this, do something near to it and give glad tidings and seek help (of Allah) at morn and at dusk and some part of night”2

In another Hadith, Messenger ﷺ emphasizes consistency to achieve it successfully.3

Do small things whatever you like but keep them regular. Also keep progress in your character. Keep learning new, not necessarily you act right a way. Take time and be optimistic.

Make good in free time

Proper use of free time is the most effective way of building your self. Whenever you are free, try to spend that in beneficial things. Reading Islamic books, listening to Quran and lectures, pondering and repenting are of high value. Don’t make it as a boring schedule but rather brighten it with love, keep Allah in your sight as you follow it. Think of the reward that Allah provides you, be pleased as He is pleased, look at the mercy that will follow your actions, imagine Angles surround you, and more.

Allah will not leave you without showing His love and care, It may be repentance that will surprise you or rest of heart that will break you into tears.

As Allah mentions various incidents through which faith and belief of believers was made strong and firm. Always keep best thought of Allah.

Virtuous Deeds

In this part, I want to familiarize you with several high quality deeds that help you to start with.

1. Daily verse

Allah has sent us book with knowledge without flaw. Why do we not start with the Quran (Allah’s speech) that mend mountains of darkness with its bliss. Allah says I have mentioned every form of verse, which means that their are definitely verses present that shatters people. Their are verses for thinkers as well as for common man and farmers4. Their are several verses that will resonate with your thinking process.

2. Daily Dua (supplication)

Asking Allah for forgiveness and steadfastness is equally important as intention. Apart from these common supplications, you should ask Him ﷻ of high quality characters. Ask Allah that He may choose you as “chosen one” as He mentions in Surat ص۔ . Ask Him for tawfeeq (ability) and help for remaining steadfast. You can make dua in Sujood as well as in T’sha’hud.

3. Improve character

Commit yourself for ideal and high moral values. Try best to make perfect tone of your voice that echoes, gives life in listeners. Maintain positive attitude of smile and remain cautious “not to hurt others”.5 Learn from others by properly listening them, avoid popping your own trumpet.

4. Observing sincerity

It’s the inner voice that initiates your actions. Keep them pure by avoiding it’s possible enemies. Suppose you are praying in some ground and now your known people are approaching to you. Try to be short and simple without even allowing your mind to develop thoughts like’ “what are they saying? Are they pleased!. Or sincerity in other situations. As the best of sincerity, another example is, if you are walking behind some opposite gender, try to overtake her or him so that your brain will not wonder.

5. Read Seerat (life) of Muhammad ﷺ

As Allah says, “surely Allah has bestowed you (o Mohammad PBUH) best of character”6. We must make seerat as our standard of character. Knowing how Prophet ﷺ dealt with other people. Also referring to the character of companions (may Allah’s mercy upon them).

This was a short guide for helping Brothers and sisters to initiate positive change and growth. As Allah has only created us for His worship, it should be our primary priority. May Allah help us in His obedience.

1. Al Quran 60:02 ↩︎
2. Al Bukhari, Riyad us suliheen 145 ↩︎
3. Sunan Ibn Majah 4240 ↩︎
4. As in surah Mulk 67:30 ↩︎
5. Al Quran 2:268 ↩︎
6. Al Quran 68:04 ↩︎

#LostMuslims #MuslimWorld #PalestineGenocide #Society

Deficiency of Imams in Kashmir | Generation of unlettered Imams

As I have seen sheer deficiency of well built and knowledgeable Imams, it became necessary to raise awareness about the essential fact. In our Masjids, mostly elderly men pray, with the faith over the loyalty of Imam. I want to put light over the qualitative Imams that are necessary for a good community.

Muslims of Kashmir valley have got a distinct culture of education. They give school education to the talented ones which is good and necessary but keeps them so remote from islamic teachings that they even don’t open Quran once in a year. As the matters of world grow, they become obsessed with physical World leaving the spiritual connection fully void. That life devoid of Allah covers and shields their responsibilities and makes difficult to understand what to do and not to do. As the life with “shielded responsibilities” comes into action, we see either no visit or rearly some visits to mosque. When educated men (in my terms it is not education, we need to change them , I will talk about them separately) are inconsistent to fulfill obligatory prayers, the Imams of the masjid are not given an eager attention. Many times it become boring and often prayers are led by unlettered Imams.

Our culture of Hafiz Quran Imams have burried the significance of choosing Imams who deserve it or who are punctual with it.

When we increase the culture of learning our islamic tradition, it will easily pave way for better Islamic teachers as well as Imams. When We prefer quality, we would enjoy growth of spiritual connection to Allah that will reignite our strength for learning and bringing it in our lives.

Our society is heavily dependent on Imams that too has made possibility of deficient Imams who, just coming after hafiz, start their job when they don’t fully deserve that. They are like heroes who have got a certificate of Jannah that they can make 100 rounds on bicycles and no one has the authority of opposing them, taking them account for inconsistency with prayers, Maktab, and in other duties which where their primary responsibilities given under the job.

Every adult, men or women, have a duty to understand his life , purpose of being, and making regular efforts for self improvement. Whoever lasts his day without learning a small, wallahi he has lost huge! How many days have we lost through which we could have learnt like a mountain amount of information (Religion).

When locals take part in islamic learning, Imams would change their state and would try further to make themselves distinct and essential for the society.

Whenever we choose some hafiz, we have to put a responsibility of teaching Quran to the kid and elders. Also examining these kids monthly or weekly is of utmost importance. The examination shall be conducted by the local resident who have know Quran better so to see whether the Imam is fulfilling his duty.

The disconnected life has brought us to high crime rates and rigid personality that shifted our lives of peace into a vaccum of darkness. We can bring light back when we turn to morality and manners (a’dab). Moral values are making roots when we keep small steps consistent that shape over time . I hope we all pledge to these values that will beautify us and earn closeness of Allah ﷻ.

Good conduct is only possible through faith. When we believe in Allah, that turn us to please Him ﷻ in our all our actions. We see benefit of being with some particular character and we fear to observe misconduct as it takes us into Hell fire. Life is only possible when we accept good manners as “if there was no benefit of good morals, everyone will harm the other and thus life would have shrinked”.

#LostMuslims #MuslimAdvice #MuslimNeedsChange #religion #RestoringIslam #Society

Islamic history has lost it's essense among Muslims as they have been overwhelmed by history of other Empires which decreased interest to undertake Islamic history as a mirror image for the pursuit of knowledge and excellence. Misinformation bombardment have rooted conviction of "Muslims as weak and have made zero contribution" in the development of modern day lifestyle.  This article would be a brief source of motivation for Muslims to resort their legacy of predecessors while defending against wrong stereotypes and defamation in the mainstream. The article will first mention the importance of history in terms of Quran and Sunnah and then relate some brief stories of Muslims who were eager for acquiring knowledge, developed foundation of almost every branch of the modern science and technology. Our emphasis would not be more for advent of science, as Muslims played major role in that also, but rather to open mind of the reader to choose Islamic civilization as the most suitable way of living in every time and today also. 

1. Quran and Sunnah
2. Quest for knowledge
3. Distortion of Islamic History

Quran and Sunnah

Allah ﷻ has himself mentioned various stories of previous nations.

نَّحْنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ نَبَأَهُم بِٱلْحَقِّۚ إِنَّهُمْ فِتْيَةٌ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِرَبِّهِمْ وَزِدْنَٰهُمْ هُدًى

It is We who relate to you, [O Muḥammad], their story in truth. Indeed, they were youths who believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance.1 Allah mentions story of righteous people, here we learn to appreciate these characters as possessed by these righteous people. Allah also mentions verses of forbidden actions as of “people of Loot and Thamud”. In this way, Allah teaches us to be “like ” and “not like” people for easy comprehension and understanding.

Allah has sent His Prophet ﷺ to guide the humanity. How he disposed his character and led Muslims, his companions as role models for learning and implementing religion, this all makes history to guide future generations. Thus, history encompasses source of guidance to achieve our destiny.

Quest for knowledge

As one of the prominent Islamic thinker, Mohammad Iqbal says 2

یاد عہد رفتہ میری خاک کو اسیر ہے

میرا ماضی میرے استقبال کا تفسیر ہے

Impression of my past is the treatment of my soul

My past is the description of my future

The best description for the quest of knowledge among our predecessors can be found in their history. The paragraph from the book ابن رشد (Ibn Rushd)3

In the beginning of Abbasid Caliphate, writing and editing interests rose among Muslims, Abu Hanifah with his companions were engaged in jurisprudence in kufa (Iraq), Imam Malik with Mohammad bin Ishaq,in Madina, were engaged in the battles (fought by Prophet ﷺ) and biography. Knowledge of Hadith which was considered sacred and needed, Imam Malik wrote Muwatta which became famous, Ibn Zaid kurtubi (Andulus) migrated to Madina to listen (learn) Muwatta from Imam Malik, returned to his homeland to start teaching it, in the same way anew Berberi Muslim Yahya bin Yahya Masmudi got interested in supporting religion, came to Imam Malik to listen Muwatta, some missed portions completed from Ibn Zaid, as eagerness rose for learning fiq (jurisprudence), he returned to Madina for Imam Malik but he was passed away, learning from Malik’s student Ibn Al Kasim became necessary, and went to Egypt and Africa to complete fiq, returned to homeland where Hisham was the governer. The excellence of Hisham’s devotion and respect for Yahya bin Yahya was, he never did anything without Yahya’s consultation. Hisham engaged for the welfare of his country and made it cheerful.

Distortion of Islamic History

After the fall of Ottomans, they (non muslims) always searched tricks to weaken our Ummah. They knew the power of islamic faith and displayed that in several occasions. As the efforts for erasing islamic History are uncountable, I want to mention some exegesis from Sonja Brentjes’ unprecedented book.

Professor Sonja Brentjes’ book 1001 Distortions How (not) to Narrate History of Science, Medicine and Technology in Non-Western Cultures that she published together with Professor Taner Edis and Professor Lutz Richter-Bernburg in response to the many misrepresentations of history and science in the 2012 catalogue of the 1001 Inventions exhibition. Professor Brentjes describes how the exhibition organisers and contributors, who are not historians, have extracted portions of academic narratives, effectively removed their richness in detail and rearranged them as outmoded tales of glory, success, priority and progress.She also explains

how “criticising academically false stories about such topics need to be undertaken for all such cases, not merely for those told by Eurocentric writers against non-Western histories”. In order to make it clear to the general public that their academic criticism was not another act of Islamophobia, but a defence of academic reliability, solid research, and honesty, the editors included other case studies examining political appropriation and the abuse of stories about past or contemporary sciences. The influence of misrepresentation of inventions can be guessed from those professors who think Muslims as backward and subordinate.

How beautifully she reprimands a Muslim professor as follows;

Sonja Brentjes objects to Professor Ahmad Ragab’s grave misrepresentation of her position in the debate for and against the false narratives in 1001 Inventions. She describes it as recasting medieval Muslims as “backward third-worlders”, referring to their elementary contribution and “their exclusion from the ranks of knowledge-makers”.This is how greatly there distorted literature has affected our people. It should be our priority to learn and teach islamic history to our children and others and recommending them to strong hold with it for its preservation and dissemination to others.

Let every Muslim historian know not to degrade Islamic civilization by representing Westerners as superior to them rather expose to true sources of knowledge and disseminate that forward.

Today, Muslims have lost their way as they were raised devoid of Islamic history and it’s significance. Reture to our history is essential to learn proper way of living and freeing ourselves from the reign of foreigners.

1. Al Quran 18:13, Translation by Sahah international ↩︎
2. Muslim, Kul-yate-Iqbal pg. no. 196 ↩︎
3. Ansari M., Ibn Rushd (urdu), pg. no. 23-24 ↩︎

https://getupmuslim.com/2024/09/09/importance-of-islamic-history-and-the-quest-for-knowledge-among-muslims/

#ImportanceOfHistory #IslamicHistory #IslamicResurgence #Knowledge #LostMuslims #QuestForKnowledge