“Dad, I am not a boy, I am actually a girl… “
As Muslims, as parents of today, we face completely new challenges, ones that our parents and ancestors never faced. These challenges require us to pay special attention to what we are exposed to and what we are being taught and to come up with strategies that will protect and guide our children and family. Otherwise, we are going to be Muslims by name only and our actions and lifestyle will be like those that do not have faith, the “kuffar” (non-believers).
Forty years ago, governments throughout the world had laws in place to protect the morality of people but today the tide has changed. Governments are teaching and encouraging wrong. Wrong is made out to be right and it is being deviously forced down everyone’s throats. As an example; forty years ago, possessing pornographic material was a criminal offence but today it is freely available on our phones. In fact, today there are much more sick forms of pornographic material promoting the lgbtxyz agenda. They are even pushing to promote these agendas to our children in school.
In America at one time, some states banned the manufacture and sale of alcohol and adultry was a criminal offense. These were good laws but they were removed and instead replaced with bad laws. A quick Google search will attest to this. If you look at some of the old 1920 Women’s Wimbledon games, you will see that women wore long skirts below the knees. They actually had rules in place to enforce these modest dress codes. Today, not only can you see the woman’s underwear when they play tennis, but countries such as France actually have laws to ban and prevent modest dressing of women. Bottom line – wrong is being forced down people’s throats.
What makes it more challenging for us, is the advancement of technology. Social media is used to influence people in conservative countries. Social media is a very, very powerful tool in manipulating people and the evil forces are using this to corrupt the whole world. The media is so powerful that the people from one country can manipulate a regime-change in another far-off country. Its happened recently in Georgia and in Iran.
Basically, the evil forces have free access to control people’s minds without them even realising it. These evil forces even have the backing of powerful governments. They even twist religion or focus on one aspect to mislead people away from other more important aspects.
There is so much of wrong going on in our world today that doing wrong has become the norm and, not only do we no longer worry about it, but quite often we or our children get trapped in it and we even think it to be right.
We Muslims, have already lost a lot of our Islamic culture and values and we would lose a lot more if we are not careful. If we somehow manage to pull through then we might not be so lucky with our children.
So what are we going to do to avoid losing our Islamic values and culture.
1. Make religion the base and most important part of our lives, far more important than a secular education and careers and material possessions. We must cultivate a culture of studying, learning and talking about religion all the time amongst us especially our children from a young age. Religion is not only about prayer but it has teachings about every aspect of life and there is deep wisdom in all of its teachings. We have to strive to know Allah SWT.
2. We need to shun everything that the west is promoting and instead seek and follow our religion. The holy Prophet SAW never followed the ways of non believers but instead did the complete opposite. He also said that when you see something wrong then you have to try to put it right. If you cannot, then talk about it and denounce it and the very least form of faith is to think it wrong. We are talking about our Imaan or our faith. Start from ourselves first, our immediate family next and so forth.
The Holy Prophet Salallahu Alayhe wa salam, in describing our times has said:
“Trials will be presented before the hearts like stick after stick of a mat, Whichever heart will drink them will have a black mark impressed therein; and whichever heart will reject them will have a white mark impressed therein, till they will produce two hearts, (one will be) white like a marble stone. No calamity will be able to injure it so long as the heavens and earth exist. And another will be a heart (black). Dirt-colored like a water pot turned down. It will know no good, nor will it reject evil except what will be given as drink from its passions. —muslim Al Hadith 4:39:1:2
3. Now more than ever, we cannot afford to just pray ritualistically. We need to understand our prayer, especially surah Al Fatiha and pray sincerely begging Allah SWT to guide us. Seeking Guidance is the greatest prayer of a Muslim. Talk to Allah SWT, open ourselves up to Him. He, most certainly listens and He is the most Merciful. He is the most Bountiful and the most Gracious, the most Loving, the Most Caring. If we ask Him sincerely to guide us, He most certainly will. This is His guarantee.
Our religion is very scientific. In studying it, one would realise that its not about worship only but more importantly, our religion is about improving on our characters and our spirituality to become the enlightened beings that He created us to be.
4. The question arises: How will Allah SWT guide us?
The answer is simple.
The Prophets (AS) and the Aulia Allah (RA) are always the link to Allah SWT. It is through them that Allah SWT has communicated to humanity throughout time. Is this not so? All religious scriptures, throughout time, was revealed to different Prophets. It is through the twelfth Imaam, that peace and prosperity will return to humanity once again. The greatest lesson for a Muslim to learn is to be submissive to Allah’s Chosen ones and to love them and follow them. At the same time – caution – lots of impostors. We must pray to Allah SWT for guidance in this matter. He alone, can guide us in this matter.
5. Love -: the highest state to reach is to love even those that are not related to us for the sake of Allah SWT. Materialism and the western way teaches us to be selfish but Islam encourages us to give, to care for others and to build bonds of love with our parents, siblings and neighbours. This is what we need to practice and teach. Don’t live extravagantly or hoard but spend on others to build good relationships.