Will you live to see another Ramadan? None of us knows. That's why planning and implementing our plans help us use our short time on this planet wisely. God wants us to live a thoughtful life of hope, working for the future of this world and the Hereafter.
"O you who believe! Observe your duty Allah. And let every soul look to that which it send on for tomorrow. And observe your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is informed of what you do." (Q 59: 18).
The community is nothing but each one of us collectively. If we individually plan our contribution to society while begging for God's help, two things will happen, God willing. First, we will gradually emerge from our current state of despair.
Second, we will be personally successful in this world and in the everlasting world to come. And that is where real success lies.
Below are some ideas that can help jumpstart your own thinking and planning process to benefit the community in the next 12 months.
• Develop a personal plan: Our prayers are not only an expression of our desires but also of our goals. The most common Dua Muslims make is: Rabbana atina fiddunya hasanatan wa fil akhirate hasanata wa qina azaban nar. (Q 2: 201) Our Lord! Grant us good in this world and good in the life to come and keep us safe from the torment of the fire.
This Dua can serve as a guideline for us to plan for the goods of this world and for the benefit of everlasting life.
• Save more & Give more: Develop a family budget along with a personal plan to see if your goals of the year are properly financed. Whatever we have, we must save five percent more, but also spend five percent more on not just the standard causes of providing relief, the local mosque or Islamic school; we must also support innovative projects that aim to build bridges of understanding in society.
•Connect with your neighbours: What kind of relationship do you have with your neighbours? Consider this Hadith: Prophet Muhammad (SAW) once said, " Jibreel kept recommending treating neighbours with kindness until I thought he would assign a share of inhertance" (Bukhari and Muslim). Relating to neighbours, therefore, is not just a survival strategy, but an obligation for a believer.
• Strengthen your family: Is everyone in your family happy? What is happening around you? Are Muslim families together? Are more divorces happening?
This is a time of stress for Muslims. Most news is negative about Islam. Making our homes a zone of comfort is important.
That will happen when we are listening to each other, spending less time with TV and more time doing things together. Is your family running on the Shura model?
It is one way to strengthen your family. Let's submit to God Almighty by achieving something better for humanity before our time is up in this world.
Last week, we ended Ramadan, in which I raised several issues on life beyond Ramadan. Today, I bring you some inspiring notes from Bro. AbdulMalik Mujahid.
