A simple thought from The Community on Friday: The legacy we will leave behind after we are long gone, as individuals, as families, as societies and as nations, will essentially be what we will be remembered for. Our contribution to humankind today, while we can still control our actions, and the lasting after effects of our deeds, may be our only befitting response to the purpose of our creation. Just as we must propagate matters of our faith in a balanced manner, through our speech and writing, we must also learn the art of silence at times, so that in the peace and quiet of our environments, we can start to listen to the noise that populates our surround system, and that we don’t usually hear because we are also always making noise.
The time of the year whence we celebrate the birth anniversary of the Holy Prophet (SAW), must certainly renew our commitment towards improving our character as a whole – character here representing the ability to build and nurture good qualities in ourselves, just as taught by this grandiose personality. If we keep digging too deep in the traps set around our lives that perennially keep us busy, at least through over socialising, always engaging in fun activities, or travel because if social reasons, it is doubtful if we will ever be able to look beyond our needs and wants.
And before we know it, our time will be up, and we will have nothing to show for the years we spent here. Simply chanting slogans and loudly arguing with others whose views don’t match ours, without fully comprehending the events unfolding around the world, posing grave danger to the survival of Islam, and remaining constantly busy in our own amusement and recreation, while seeming to spread borrowed knowledge through trigger happy habits of a typical netizen, will eventually aggregate to naught, and may in fact have the exact opposite effect on Islam. We can start with small things – humility in talking, moderated level of voice and tone, abstinence from using foul language, softness in executing our actions such as door closing to protect others from the ensuing noise, learning to greet others in all earnestness, beginning to learn our own knowledge rather than accepting to be spreaders of news and unverified anecdotes.
A lot needs to be done to refine our personalities so that others can see us and admire and emulate us, in that day all Muslums are bad will be a song long gone. Our obsession to constantly outdo each other in wealth, social status and trade, is leading us to a vicious cycle, that can never be satiated. The time we are losing not understanding the sanctity of our mosques, which we have turned into social clubs, rob us of our inherent right to keep claiming we are the followers of Muhammad (SAW), who was a principaled man, respectful and a seeker and propagator of knowledge that took him closer to his creator.
This initiative is made possible by the kind courtesy of Abu Baseer Eye Clinic, Bande Khuda Sponsors, G1 Security, Highways Car Hire Ltd, Max Fries, Meadows Academy, SD Dental Clinic & Ceramic Lab, SokoniAdvertiser and Xpress Rent a Car, and for the ISAALE THAWAAB of Marhumeen of Bhimji and Nayani Family and Marhuma Sarubai Abdullah