Agenda to Change Our Condition

A presentation by Inda Samsi

Substantiating with the concept of Taqwa, theauthors laid out the importance of assessingour current condition that has been impactedby the western culture diverting us from theby the western culture, diverting us from theway of the Prophet (pbuh) by focusing on thetools to achieve change; through family,g ; g y,education system, Quran and hadith, and thebasic principles of Islam with extra emphasis

th i d t t l f th fon the inner and outer struggle of the nafs.

1. Taqwa: Its definition and benefits2. The heart and its treatment3. Practical steps to change our condition4. Exercises for attaining Taqwa5. Civic involvement: an Islamic imperative

How do we reach this state?How do we reach this state?◦ Because of our disobedience (we exchange

guidance for misguidance).

How do we get out of this state?W t i l f t t f◦ We must consciously move from a state of disobedience to a state of obedience.

Inner and outer transformation.Family.yProphetic traditions.Education system.Child rearing methodsChild rearing methods.

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They were only commanded to worship Allah with purity, making the religion solely for Him (98:5)so e y o (98:5)

He brought you forth from the earth and has caused you to cultivate it (11:61)

The summation of Taqwa is avoiding prohibitions and fulfilling injunctions both inwardly and outwardly.

4 Aspects1. Fulfilling obligations outwardly.2. Fulfilling obligations inwardly.g g y3. Avoiding prohibitions outwardly.4. Avoiding prohibitions inwardly.

Applied to 8 thingsApplied to 8 things1. The heart2. The tongue3. The eyes4 Th4. The ears5. The stomach6. The genitals7. The hands8. The feet

5 Stations1. Station of Submission – guarding against

disbelieve2. Station of Repentance – guarding against2. Station of Repentance guarding against

forbidden things3. Station of Scrupulousness – guarding against

doubtful mattersdoubtful matters4. Station of Freedom(zuhd) – guarding against

extraneous matters5. Station of Vigilance – guarding against other than

Allah occupying the heart

The moral rectitude of one’s offspringl f b d b lBlessings come from above and below

Provision from Allah and a way out of difficult circumstancescircumstancesSafetyThe divine presence, manifested as Allah’s protectionVictoryA good end to lifeA good end to lifeParadise itself

Spiritual Struggle.

“It is a move of the heart that begins to affect h li b d h l i ithe limbs and then results in sincere

repentance (tawbah), in which we seek to purify ourselves of prior wrongs and removepurify ourselves of prior wrongs and remove them from our present activities and make a strong commitment to a future free of the mistakes of the past.”

“Actions has two modes: The actionActions has two modes: The action of the heart and the actions of the limbs As for the heart there arelimbs. As for the heart, there are two concerns: belief (‘aqidah) and

sincerity (ikhlas) ”sincerity (ikhlas).

4 sources of the destructive qualities of the tongue1. Lying2 Backbiting2. Backbiting3. Argumentation for its own sake4. Mirthful jesting on serious occasions

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If you avoid what has been prohibited for you from the enormities, the We will cover over any other wrongs (4:31)

Enumeration of the Enormities◦ 4 enormities relate to the heart◦ 4 enormities relate to the tongue◦ 3 enormities relate to the stomach◦ 3 enormities relate to the stomach◦ 2 enormities relate to the genitals◦ 2 enormities relate to the hands◦ 1 enormities relate to the feet◦ 1 enormities relate to the whole body

Recitation of the Quran with reflectionsConcern ourselves with the appropriate supplications and dhikir in their respective times and placestimes and places.

The 5 pillarsActive OutreachFFocusCooperation◦ “We should speak well of other organizations or be silent about them.”◦ “If some appear to be or actually are misguided, then we should offer pp y g ,

counsel and pray for them.”Good CharacterKinshipFamiliesFamiliesCharityQur’anRemembrance of Allah

d d d f b dd lCommanding good and forbidding evilEmpathySupplicationPhysical HealthPhysical HealthCommitmentTimeAttitude The Propehet (pbuh) informed usDevotion The Propehet (pbuh) informed us

that Allah loathes “he said, she said” (qila wa qal) conversations.

Guarding the PrayerStages◦ 1: the times of the prayer

2: ritual purity◦ 2: ritual purity

“A sure sign of hypocrites is that when the prayer time comes in, they lazy and procrastinate until the time is almost out”time is almost out

Guarding the tongueSteps◦ Musharatah – condition phase

Murabatah guarding the condition◦ Murabatah – guarding the condition◦ Muhasabah – account for your deeds

Guarding the eyesSteps◦ Musharatah – condition phase

Murabatah guarding the condition◦ Murabatah – guarding the condition◦ Muhasabah – account for your deeds

Guarding the earsHow?◦ Turn away from vain talks

Do not listen to lies slander backbiting mockery◦ Do not listen to lies, slander, backbiting, mockery etc◦ Change the subject if people begin to speak ill of

someone◦ Avoid all television programming which often

exposes believers to forbidden speech and images.exposes believers to forbidden speech and images.

Guarding the stomachEat only what is prohibitedOf eating lessFasting

Guarding the private partsAvoiding places of temptation and possible harm.

Guarding the Hands

“The Muslim is one from whose tongue and hands other Muslims are safe” (The Prophet

pbuh)pbuh)

Guarding the feet.

“O Allah, I seek refuge in You that I should go astray or lead others astray, that I should trip or trip up others that I should oppress or beor trip up others, that I should oppress or be oppressed, or that I should show ignorance

or be the brunt of ignorance.”g

The permissible is clear and the prohibited is clear, and between them are grey areas; not many peopleand between them are grey areas; not many people know their rulings. So, whoever protects himself from them has kept his religion sound and free of blemish. However whoever falls into them has fallen into theHowever, whoever falls into them has fallen into the prohibited. His likeness is that of a shepherd who takes his flock to graze near a king’s sanctuary, and due to his proximity to it he inevitably falls into itdue to his proximity to it, he inevitably falls into it. Surely, every king has a sanctuary, and surely the sanctuary of Allah on His earth lies in avoiding those things He has prohibited. Surely, there is a lump ofthings He has prohibited. Surely, there is a lump of flesh in the body – if it’s sound, the whole body is sound, and if it is corrupt, the whole body is corrupt. Is it not the heart?

Abandon the world, and Allah will love You; and abandon what people have, and people will love you.

From the excellence of a person’s Islam is that he leaves what does not concern him.

Surely, actions are [judged] by intentions, and everyone has what he has intended.

You are the best of communities brought forth for mankind (3:110)

Th P h “All h ill i i hiThe Prophet, “Allah will continue to assist his servant, as long as the servant is assisting his brother ”brother.

The word “Civic” is derived from the word “city” – civic involvement refer to the meaningful ways in which a private citizen is best involved in the life of his or her citybest involved in the life of his or her city.IMAN (chicago), ADAMS (Virginia), MSA, MAS, MISG etcetra.MISG etcetra.

Simple yet practical.Not only educate but also provide the tools (realistic approach).