How Clean is Your Heart?

Yahya Ibrahim writes for Muslim Matters about the need for us to be more thoughtful in the way we deal with other Muslim's, taking care not to judge and dismiss anothers practise of Islam or be bullish in our approach to dawah:

"A young Muslim, who does not wear hijab, for instance, may be made to feel uncomfortable while attending an Islamic lecture or course. Condescending looks, snide smirks, rolled eyes, bullish “dawa” target her.

A young brother, never taught to pray properly at home, is scolded for “not following the Sunnah.”

A new Muslim is kissed and hugged after declaring his testimony of Faith. Years later, he struggles to find a family to accept his genuine interest in their daughter.

A community member delivers a Jum’ah Khutbah at a local mosque. He, for whatever reason misspoke, as a consequence the whole masjid is deemed a place of heresy and Bidah.

It happens all the time in our community. Not just to our community, but rather, within our domain of action and authority. In our Islamic Societies, MSAs, Musallah prayer halls, Islamic camps, and public lectures, Muslims at times make other Muslims feel insignificant and marginalised. At times, we can, through our insensitivity and bigotry, make other Muslims feel uncomfortable, unwelcome and unloved.

We, individually and collectively, judge people all the time. We do so, at times, as subtly and reflexively as a wave of our hand to shoo away an obnoxious fly.

Simply put, we break the golden rule. We do not treat others the way we want to be treated. We do not love for our brothers and sisters what we love for our self.

Why do we see in others what we fail to see in ourselves? How is it that we can overlook other person’s feelings so readily and easily? Why does it take us so long to admit to someone that we wronged them? How often do we misrepresent an occurrence or embellish a story? Why can we comment on others, and feel disheartened when we discover the same being done to us?

The answer, simple as it is, is that our heart is not truly attached to Allah. It is veiled behind self-praise, obscured by hate and clouded with jealousy.

The closer you draw to Allah, the more virtuous you become in your conduct with His creation. The more careful and precise you are in your dealings with Allah, the more reliable your character becomes. As a general principle – Tawheed builds character."

You can read the full article here.

Revert Stories: Joshua Evans

This long, but immensely rewarding, talk by Brother Joshua Evans describes his journey from Christianity to Islam via the bible. Brother Joshua also goes onto to discuss the importance of dawah and the need for the beautiful message of Islam to be spread to as many people as possible.

Lowlier Than Thou – Naseeha tips from Ibn Rajab

Muslim Matters has an article entitled "Lowlier Than Thou – Naseeha tips from Ibn Rajab" which highlights the need to look at the intention behind naseeha, or advice. The Ibn Rajab in question is Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (rahimuhullah) who wrote “The Difference Between Naseeha and Ta’eer”. The article by Saqib Saab states:

Always give Naseeha sincerely. From the get go, you want to have clear intent that the reason why you’re advising this person is to please Allah (SWT) and find the truth of the issue at hand. Naseeha is not about who’s right and who’s wrong, or if either side is better or “holier” than the other. Both the giver and receiver should be striving for the truth, not to beat the other in a debate. Ibn Rajab writes:

Even more amazing is where he (imam As Shafi’i) said, “I have never debated with someone except that I wished the truth becomes clear; regardless whether it comes from his tongue or mine”. This indicates that his intention was only that of to make the truth apparent, whether it is from himself or the from the person whom he differed with, and whoever thinks like this then there is no problem in refuting his statements by making clear his contradiction to the Sunnah, whether he is alive or dead.

You can read the full article here.

Blind Revert to Islam: Blind Hearts or Blind Eyes

Quran on Dawah: Al Imran: 110

You are the best of people raised up, for you call to all that is right and righteous and you forbid the evil, and you believe in Allah. ~Qur'an 3:110

There is an explanataion of this verse from Tafsir Ibn Kathir here.

Muhammad Alshareef - Essential Da'wah techniques: How to give Da'wah