✅ Optimized Muslim Friday Newsletter 09/07/2022

Jul 09, 2022 4:41 pm

Update for Saturday 9th July 2022

as Salaamu Alaykum and Eid Mubarak

An Idea I was thinking about this week

As Muslims we know the importance of being intentional. In everything that we do. If we were to indeed apply this, more of our choices would be dictated by our ultimate purpose. If our choices were more aligned with our ultimate objective, we would have a deeper sense of contentment and ease. I once read that a good test to apply to check if you truly want something material is to ask yourself if you would still like to purchase or possess the thing if you were the only human alive. This abruptly eliminates any motivation linked with other people and is quite powerful as a thought exercise on the path to self-improvement.

An Islamic Reminder

Imam Tom Facchine from UTICA Masjid (whose clip features in the latest white-board animation clip) has a video linked here in which he asks the question that a lot of people like to ask albeit usually in a somewhat insulting way, "Are you Qualified?". Generally, a red-herring in the information age depending on the subject matter e.g sharing common Islamic principles or even a fiqhi position by quoting scholars vs "my interpretation of this is". Anyway, Imam Tom reminds us how people, and especially Imams feel pressure to be able to answer any question presented to them. This may be out of sincere effort to help the person in order to gain reward and benefit from the famous hadith about getting the same reward as the one you guided to a good act. Imam Tom reminds us that you get that reward even by directing someone to a more appropriate source. You don't have to and neither will you ever be able to know everything. So shift your mindset to being a conduit of knowledge and links rather than a possessor of knowledge. I have always tried to take inspiration from this.

Seerah & Hadith

Al-Barā’ ibn ʿĀzib reports: “God’s Messenger ﷺ was a man of the best appearance and the best manners. He ﷺ was neither very tall nor short.” He ﷺ also reports: “The Prophet ﷺ was of middle height, with broad shoulders. His ﷺ hair did not reach the lower end of his ears. I saw him ﷺ once wearing a red suit, and I never saw anything more pleasant.” (Location 342)

Source Muhammad ﷺ, Adil Salahi

A quote to think about

"Notice, that in his eternal word, God praises those who dissipate their anger and irritation: he does not praise those who had no anger or rage, since man cannot be without them." The Alchemy Of Happiness by Imam Al Ghazali

Content I found beneficial this week:

Imam Tom Facchine's content on the UTICA Masjid Youtube Channel. I was hooked after first hearing Imam Tom on Blogging Theology. Imam Tom creates short, poignant and powerful clips eloquently addressing contemporary issues as well as traditional self-purification.

More quotes:

“Know how to listen, and you will profit even from those who talk badly.” - Plutarch “Adversity is the only balance to weigh friends.” - Plutarch

“In words are seen the state of mind and character and disposition of the speaker.” - Plutarch

“A few vices are sufficient to darken many virtues.” - Plutarch

You will become as small as your controlling desire, or as great as your dominant aspiration. The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson, John David Mann

Something unrelated but I found interesting:

Researchers are discovering lost languages thanks to technology that uncovers texts that have been written by monks in Egypt. Link

One question to ask ourselves

Why Am I doing This?

I want to hear from like-minded people, please feel free to reply.

Like to read all previous newsletters? Click here

Forwarded this and would like to get this straight to your inbox?