Filed under Changing the World, Doing Good by Wael on November 21, 2011 at 12:07 pm
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Hanalei River Valley in Kauai, Hawaii
By Wael Abdelgawad | IslamicSunrays.com
If you’ve been putting off your dreams because you feel like you don’t have money to get started, or don’t have the necessary education or qualifications, I’ve got news: you may never have what you need to feel ready.
Do you think any of the Prophets felt ready when they were chosen? Muhammad ibn Abdullah (sws), the Messenger of Allah, received the first revelation, then ran home and hid under a blanket. The Prophet Musa (as) was confused and frightened when he entered the valley and heard a voice commanding him:
“Verily! I am your Lord! So take off your shoes, you are in the sacred valley, Tuwa. And I have chosen you. So listen to that which is inspired to you. Verily! I am Allah! La ilaha illa Ana (none has the right to be worshipped but I), so worship Me, and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat) for My Remembrance. Verily, the Hour is coming and My Will is to keep it hidden that every person may be rewarded for that which he strives. Therefore, let not the one who believes not therein (i.e. in the Day of Resurrection, Reckoning, Paradise and Hell, etc.), but follows his own lusts, divert you therefrom, lest you perish.” (Surat Taha, 12-16)
When Musa threw the staff down and it became a snake, again he was frightened. Allah directed him to have courage, and pick it up; when he touched it, it was restored to its former shape. When he was commanded to go to Egypt to free the Israelites and reform his people, he felt unready for the mission. He had a speech impediment and was afraid that he would not be able to speak convincingly. He sought permission from Allah to take his brother and fellow Prophet Harun (as), who was an eloquent speaker. Permission was granted.
This illustrates another important point, that everyone needs a wingman sometimes. We’re not always strong enough to do it alone. Sometimes we need a friend, an ally, a supportive spouse, just one person who believes in our mission and is willing to help, or simply puts and arm around our shoulders and says, “I believe in you.” If you have someone like that, he or she is a treasure and a secret weapon.
When it comes to the most important things in life, no one is ever ready. All you can do is stand tall, build a bonfire of resolve in your heart, and move. The time to do what you dream is now. Consider Abu Bakr (ra), who clearly knew how to embrace opportunities. When he saw the slave Bilal (ra) being tortured, he bought him from Umayyah bin Khalaf and freed him. He freed many other oppressed Muslims slaves in the same way. When Abu Bakr’s father saw this, he said: “My son, why are you buying these weak slaves then freeing them? Why don’t you at least keep them so that you can make use out of them?” Abu Bakr replied: “My father, I am only doing this to seek the Countenance of Allah.”
The Messenger of Allah (sws) told us that a man was granted Paradise for removing a thorny branch from the path. A prostitute was forgiven all her sins and granted Jannah for giving a drink of water to a thirsty dog. Another man was granted a house in Paradise for donating a date tree to a poor family.
No good deed is insignificant, for it could be the grain of sand that tips the scale and saves you. No worthy project is too small, nor too large if you start with a single step, focusing only on executing that step well. When I face a large project, whether a major web project, a writing project, or cleaning up a kitchen mess, I tend to get overwhelmed. So I narrow my focus and I tell myself, just do one thing. I do the one thing, then pick one more thing, and one more, then I look around and SubhanAllah, the job is getting done!
If you find yourself disturbed by events around you – whether internationally, in your community, or within your family – and thinking, “Someone should do something,” well, you are the someone. You see the need, you have the capabilities that Allah gave you as His representative on earth, you have the same brain, heart and opposable thumbs as anyone else. You’re it, bro. It’s you, sister.
Yes, someone needs to raise funds for our starving brothers and sisters in Somalia, Syria, Yemen and other places. Someone must speak out on behalf of political prisoners, educate people about Palestine, start a Humanitarian Day event in the local community, adopt Muslim orphans, establish Islamic institutions, represent Muslims in the media, write Muslim novels, make documentaries…
If not you, then who?
If you’ve been thinking of writing a book, or pursuing a graduate degree; or if you’re a medical practitioner and considering going overseas to work with Doctors Without Borders; or if you’re interested in campaigning for human rights, doing da’wah, learning Arabic, studying martial arts, getting in shape, or improving your eating habits…
If not now, when?
The time is now, the place is here, the person is you. You are hereby appointed. Fulfill the mission that Allah has placed you here to do. Exercise your unique talents fee-sabeel-illah. You’ll never hear a starting gun telling you to sprint. Just do it, inch one foot forward, then the other, and you will find yourself moving toward your dream.
Don’t let yourself be stopped by naysayers. Remember what Allah said to Musa: “…let not the one who believes not therein but follows his own lusts, divert you therefrom, lest you perish.” Do what’s in your heart, and don’t listen to those who would cut you down, mock you, or doubt your ability.
Raise your children as Muslims. Often Muslim parents do not actively teach their children the deen, thinking that the children will somehow pick it up by osmosis. Or they fool themselves into thinking that dropping the kids off for Sunday school at the Masjid is sufficient (it’s not). Don’t wait, and don’t count on anyone else to educate your children. Remember that your children do not belong to you, but to Allah. They are an amanah (a trust), and you are their shepherd, so raise your flock well. The time is now, and you are the person. Make time for your kids, teach them by example and by textbook, raise them with care as you would a garden.
So many of us want to be better Muslims. We envision a time in the future, near or far, when we will give up bad habits, perfect our salat, memorize more Quran, worship more fully in Ramadan, and ready ourselves for Jannah. And yet that time does not arrive… we’re not quite ready, not there yet… But the Messenger of Allah (sws) said,
“Take advantage of five matters before five other matters: your youth, before you become old; and your health, before you fall sick; and your richness, before you become poor; and your free time before you become busy; and your life, before your death.” (Musnad Imam Ahmad, Narrated by Ibn Abbaas).
The place is here. The time is this moment, while you have your youth, health, wealth, time and life itself. None of us is assured another sunrise, or another evening on this earth. Death waits for no man or woman, but comes upon us on the wing, like a raven in the night.
The time is now. The place is here. The person is you.
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Filed under Doing Good, Follow Your Dreams by Wael on October 14, 2011 at 12:39 pm
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A father holds his child in the Horn of Africa
By Wael Abdelgawad | IslamicSunrays.com
Be grateful for what you have.
There are people in this world in desperate situations: homeless, refugees, starving, traumatized by war, alone after losing their entire families. Help those people – donate for Somalia if you haven’t already – then take a moment to thank Allah for what you have.
We live better than the kings and queens of the past. We have amenities that would have seemed like magic to them. Food from all over the world on demand, indoor plumbing, electricity, air conditioning, radio, TV, computers, internet, medical care, education…
These modern conveniences meet our physical needs, but they don’t fill our spirits. Be grateful to Allah for what you have, live simply, and don’t overload your soul with distractions. Focus on your relationship with Allah. Be at peace with yourself.
If your life is still lacking in some way, then make a change. Create a goal, and take a step. You have all the tools you need. Your most important tools are not tablet computers and smart phones. They are courage, faith, and the ability to say, “Yes! I am someone, I matter, and I will follow my dream.”
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Filed under Doing Good, Follow Your Dreams by Wael on October 9, 2011 at 4:54 pm
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By Wael Abdelgawad | IslamicSunrays.com
Keep your head up, smile, and look to the future. You have much yet to do in this life. Ask Allah for guidance, then do what your heart tells you, speak the words that you’ve always held back, and be yourself.
Don’t let the past freeze you in place, and don’t punish yourself for things you cannot change. Everything you’ve experienced: the happy times, loneliness, laughter and tears, all have meaning, and have all gone into making you who you are. If you have any wisdom or insight, it is probably a result of hardship you’ve experienced in the past.
“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.” — Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
Everything that you do today has meaning. The caress you give a child, the help you give a stranger, the quiet charity, all matter and make a difference, even when you don’t see it. It’s all worth it. Your love maters, your work matters, your life matters.
Keep your head up, and forge forward fee-sabeel-illah. Accept yourself and be at peace. Look ahead and smile. Stand up straight, and don’t bow your head except in prayer. Keep praying, learning, thinking, following your dreams, and loving the people in your life. You are my brothers, my sisters, my heroes.
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Filed under Doing Good, Follow Your Dreams by Wael on September 29, 2011 at 7:42 pm
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Misty rainbow in Waialu Valley, Hawaii
“Holding on to the rope of the LORD, believing in the power of prayers, faith and good deeds. Expecting great things from GOD. I am ready and willing to put in the work and do my part to make it happen… faith without works equals nothing but false hope… wanting without striving and struggling is like dreaming. I gotta get busy putting in more work!”
- Hanan K Bilal
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Filed under Allah, Doing Good by Wael on September 28, 2011 at 1:27 pm
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By Wael Abdelgawad | IslamicSunrays.com
People often wish for a return to the good old days. First of all, when we look at them objectively, they weren’t really so good. Sure, I have funny and pleasant memories from my youth, but I also remember the confusion and loneliness.
I personally would not trade my life at this moment for my life at any time in the past. Among other things, I now have a beautiful daughter who I love more than life itself; my writing, which has evolved to allow me to express my deepest convictions; and many small blessings that add up to a pot of gold.
Secondly, the old days are called “old” for a reason. That’s the past. We can’t go back.
What we can do is focus on the journey forward.
“Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a Garden whose width is that (of the whole) of the heavens and of the earth, prepared for the righteous; – Those who spend (freely), whether in prosperity, or in adversity; who restrain anger, and pardon people;- for Allah loves those who do good; – And those who, having done something to be ashamed of, or wronged their own souls, earnestly bring Allah to mind, and ask for forgiveness for their sins,- and who can forgive sins except Allah….” – Quran, Surat Aal Imran, 3:133-135
This is how we make a better future for ourselves and our families, Insha’Allah. Letting go of anger, forgiving, asking forgiveness, giving to the poor and needy, and racing to Allah. The Almighty has given us the formula. This is how, instead of yearning for the good old days, we create good new days! Our future can be as good as the past ever was; it can be better, brighter and happier.
Let’s build the good new days.
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Filed under Changing the World, Doing Good by Wael on September 1, 2011 at 4:19 pm
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By Wael Abdelgawad | IslamicSunrays.com
“Who are you? What makes you special? What is the legacy that you’ve built and shared with others (self, family, community and the world)? If we died today, what would our obituaries say? What have we done for GOD and GOD’s people lately? What is our mission and vision, and are we living it? If we died today, what would our obituaries say?” – Hanan K. Bilal
This is what it’s all about. I heard someone say recently that only two things can happen with the wealth you accumulate in this life: either it leaves you, or you leave it. Wealth is not a legacy. Having fun is not a legacy. Helping a company to sell useless products is not a legacy.
Making a difference in the lives of human beings, relieving the suffering of even one person, raising righteous and happy children, leaving behind knowledge that benefits people, making the world a better place, those are legacies.
I have not met the sister who is quoted at the top, but I have read some of her writings. Whenever I hear her name I think of being responsible, taking care of my family, loving my children and bringing them up right, making a difference in the community, following my dreams… that is a legacy. She has already created a vital legacy.
I have another friend whose name is Ismail. He is so humble ma-sha-Allah, and as a friend he is the most discreet and closed-mouthed person I know, by which I mean he never speaks badly about anyone else, and never reveals anyone’s secrets or violates their trust. When I think of him, I am inspired to emulate him. That is his legacy, and it’s an important and valuable one.
More than twenty years ago I knew a brother named Qawiy. His life was hard, but every time I met him he’d give me a big smile and an enthusiastic handshake. He wore a kufi and carried a folded musalla (prayer rug) on his shoulder, so he could pray whenever salat time arrived, no matter where he was. Kind of quirky, but also inspiring. All these years later, just the thought of Qawiy brings a smile to my face, and reminds me of the importance of doing salat on time. That’s a legacy! SubhanAllah.
I could name many more people who have affected me in positive and critical ways. I will always remember them, even after they are gone, Insha’Allah. They have created lasting legacies.
Of course we don’t even have to speak of the Prophets (peace be upon them), and the Messenger of Allah (sws), and the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them). Their legacies shine like the moon and stars and will illuminate human history for all time.
What’s your legacy? What do people say about you, and what will they say when you’re gone?
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Filed under Doing Good, Follow Your Dreams by Wael on July 21, 2011 at 2:35 pm
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By Wael Abdelgawad | IslamicSunrays.com
Allah guides those who struggle. “And those who strive in Our cause, We will surely guide them to Our paths.” – Al-Ankaboot, 29:69. Struggle may seem like something to be avoided, but the alternative is to walk in dim light, seeing nothing clearly. If our lives consist of sitting on the sofa watching TV, doing jobs without passion, shrugging our shoulders at the suffering of others, and accepting the unreality that is pushed at us by advertising and the media, then we are living in shadow, even when the sun shines.
Yes, we all have bills to pay, and sometimes we work jobs that we are not passionate about, in order to support our families. I have a website about money transfer services, and another about paying bills online. They are boring, but I spend time on them because they earn money. In my free time I struggle to do work that is important to me – this website being a notable example. Even a short article might take me two or three days to write, because of the limited time I have to work on it. Longer articles can take weeks. And yet people sometimes tell me that my writing has changed their lives.
We can all find a little time every day to pursue what we love, and to make a difference in people’s lives, even in a small way. Beyond that, we must strive to represent truth in everything we do: in our family lives, our work, our entertainment – everything.
Imam Jamil Al-Amin wrote in 2006:
“In the heart there is an emptiness and a need which nothing can satisfy except for the remembrance of Allah (swt). The only proof of faith is in struggle, struggling in word and deed, in body and soul. The lack of faith will crush you far more than defeat ever could. ‘And what will explain to you the path that is steep?’ (90:12). Conscious struggle is the path that is steep. Struggle where bitter hardship and misfortune and difficulty becomes sweet tasting to the soul.”
There is no road to success except through the struggle for truth and righteousness. This is actually good news, because if you’re a seeker, if you’ve got a nose for truth, if you care about justice, then you’re already struggling, walking a hard road. It’s inevitable. Those who pursue truth and speak it out loud are seen as strangers and subversives. You might wonder sometimes if it’s worth it, or if you’re moving in the right direction.
Don’t worry. The fact that you’re struggling means that Allah is guiding you, and you’re on the right road.
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Filed under Dealing with Depression, Doing Good by Wael on July 18, 2011 at 9:42 pm
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Africa and Europe from space
By Wael Abdelgawad | IslamicSunrays.com
Life has been challenging lately. In July I’ve faced some financial setbacks, and also some personal setbacks that have hit me hard, and drained me emotionally to the point where sometimes I just sit in my padded computer chair and don’t feel like getting up. I feel like I hardly have the energy to get up and prepare some food to eat, let alone pray, work, go to class, care for my daughter…
And yet I do get up. I go out and teach a 2.5 hour martial arts class and I do it with vigor, because my students are looking to me for guidance and inspiration. I get up and do my volunteer job at the Muslim community center. I get up and take my daughter to the lake or the masjid, and have a tea party with her, and read her the latest chapter of “Fish Face”. I laugh with her and love her with everything I’ve got, because she needs me. I don’t have time for self-pity.
I get up and do my thing, because that’s what it is to be a man (or woman), to be a father (or mother), to be a Muslim, to be a friend, to be alive! You get up and do what you have to do. You pick your foot up and take a step, then lift the other one and take another step, and before you know it you are moving ahead, and time has passed and your problems have diminished and don’t hurt quite so much, or maybe you have overcome them entirely, because you are experiencing the joy of life. Your love for Allah, and your gratitude, and your attentiveness to the beauty and blessings around you, all wash the pain away like a river.
That’s what it is to be alive. SubhanAllah.
So, to all those reading this now, I send you light and love, and I know that no matter what physical or emotional aches you are experiencing, you will rise each morning with gratitude, you will take a step and move ahead, you will love and laugh, you will push self-pity to the side and live your lives with commitment, in the short time that we all have on this beautiful ball of brown and blue.
One last note: Eat healthy foods, drink water and – very important – get enough sleep. These are all critical to maintaining an emotional balance and moving forward in life with a positive attitude.
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Filed under Doing Good, Follow Your Dreams by Wael on July 10, 2011 at 12:12 pm
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My daughter Salma, 7-9-2011
By Wael Abdelgawad | IslamicSunrays.com
Real heroes don’t wear tights and capes. They work to feed their families, support their ailing parents, cook and clean, sacrifice for their children, and try – in this confusing, bruising, joyful, beautiful trip we call life – to pursue their dreams and make something happen.
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Filed under Doing Good, Islamic Character by Wael on July 4, 2011 at 7:33 pm
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By Wael Abdelgawad | IslamicSunrays.com
“A bad wound heals, but a bad word doesn’t.” - Persian proverb.
This is so true. I have experienced martial arts injuries, cuts from falling off a bike, and even a few broken bones, but I never think of them. The scars have faded, and the old wounds have no emotional significance. But the cruel words people have spoken to me, those remain like barbs in my flesh. I may have forgiven the people who uttered the words, but the memories linger.
I remember a dinner party years ago. Someone had spilled food on the floor near a buffet table and people were stepping on it. In Islam it’s considered disrespectful to God to step on food, as food is a blessing. I knelt down to pick up the food and my friend got angry and said that the restaurant had people to do that, and I was embarrassing myself and acting like a “pseudo holy man.” It makes me laugh now, but at the time it really stung, and as you can see, the words are still there in my head, almost twenty years later.
Whoever it was who said, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me,” was foolishly optimistic. Words persist. They root themselves in our brains and wait, ready to spring out in an argument years later.
Let’s think twice before we speak, especially when we are angry, and then consider again, and again. When we are provoked and inclined to say something hurtful, let us bite the words off. Breathe deeply, praise Allah, seek refuge from Shaytan. Go for a walk, go to the masjid or the gym. Don’t say those mean words, don’t send that angry email.
Allah says, “Do not worship except Allah; and to parents do good and to relatives, orphans, and the needy. And speak to people good [words] and establish prayer and give zakah.” (Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:83).
Look past the hurt that the person has given you, and see the soul within them, struggling as we all do, battling with disappointment and insecurity. When you speak, let your words be kind, and see what happens. You might be surprised.
It’s a lifelong struggle. I am still working on it.
The Arabic word that is translated in Al-Baqarah 2:83 as “good” (words) is “husnan”. It means nice, sweet or beautiful. It means we should speak words that caress the other person’s heart and bring relief to their soul. Words that make people happy, that inspire and raise hope. Be an agent of hope in this world, not an agent of despair.
But the word “husnan” has many other meanings as well. The same word is used in the following expressions: husn an-niyyah (good will), husn az-dhan (good thoughts or assumptions about someone), husn al-khuluq (high ethics), husn al-qabul (accepting someone, welcoming)…
Someone might say, “I’m right and I won’t back down.” That’s fine. You don’t have to give up truth to be kind. The Quran says, “and speak to them words of appropriate kindness.” (Quran, An-Nisaa’ 4:8). “Appropriate kindness”, what an interesting phrase! The Arabic word is “ma’roofan”. It means speak the truth, but kindly, without arrogance or anger.
Picture wildflowers growing on a great mountain. The mountain is a symbol of truth and strength, while the flowers represent sweetness and gentleness. When you combine them, you get the model of Islamic speech.
Similarly, Allah says, “O you who have believed, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice.” (Quran, Al-Ahzab 33:70).
The greatest speaker of truth was the Messenger of Allah (sws). And how did he speak? The Quran praises the Prophet’s attitude because he was gentle, smiling and soft with his Sahabah, and with strangers. His sweetness was a gift from Allah:
“So by mercy from Allah, [O Muhammad], you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter. And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who rely [upon Him].” (Quran, Aal-Imran, 3:159).
Kind words, gentle but true. Softness of speech. That is the language of Islam. Leave no wounds, with your hands or your words. Be an agent of hope, and rely upon Allah in all things, and He will love you for it.
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