As-salaam alaikum

By now, you know it is a big responsibility. Right?

Being Muslim doesn’t stop in the mosque.

Being a Muslim doesn’t end with being born of Muslim parents.

Being a Muslim doesn’t end with bearing a “Muslim name” or wearing “Muslim dresses.”

No, it goes beyond those.

The moment you accept to be a Muslim, you are assuming a responsibility. A responsibility to accept the challenge to represent Allah.

The question, though, is: what does it mean to represent Allah?

To represent Allah means to accept the duty of establishing justice, compassion, mutual support system, righteousness, and God-consciousness on earth as Allah defines. It is to accept the Prophets' job without being one.

If you are still wondering, this is the summary of the teachings of all revealed religions, and most certainly of Islam.

The endeavour to establish these teachings is what we generally call dawah. Dawah means inviting humankind to the guidance of Allah so that they can have a meaningful material experience in their worldly journey and a fulfilled spiritual experience in the hereafter.

Your job as a Khalifa and Muslim is to become a better representative of Allah and help your descendants, too. You endeavour to improve yourself and help influence your family, from Muslims who only go to the mosque to Muslims who deliberately bring guidance and happiness to the world.

Beyond your family, you also help others, from being Muslims by birth to being Muslims by choice. You become intentional about what and how you contribute to the world around you, not because you were born a Muslim but because you chose to live Islam with a purpose.

Some Muslims only live with the purpose of dying as Muslims. But, as a khalifa with a dawah mission, you exist with the purpose of not only dying as a Muslim but also living life fully as a Muslim.

Living life fully as a Muslim means actively contributing to all systems that keep the world going and sustain civilisation, in addition to religious duties, systems such as politics, international relations, economics, business, media, education, agriculture, family system, etc. A Khalifah considers all these to be his religious duty.

Living life fully as a Muslim means considering dunya as the theatre of deliberate actions for the Muslim, where his intentions, actions, and contributions will determine his position in the hereafter.

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, although both are good. Strive for that which will benefit you, seek the help of Allah, and do not feel helpless. If anything befalls you, do not say, "If only I had done such and such"; rather, say, "Qaddara Allahu wa ma sha'a fa'ala (Allah has decreed, and whatever he wills, He does)." For (saying) 'If' opens (the door) to the deeds of Satan.'" — Narrated by Abu Hurairah

So, it’s not enough to bear a “Muslim name” or wear “Muslim dresses.” They are parts of your identity. But they don’t guarantee success.

Think of a football team that is happy with its branded sports kits and a team flag. Yet, never won any trophy or even a single game.

A Muslim wins by actively and positively contributing to Dunya in Dunya because the path to al-Jannah is Dunya.

The big question is: how do you do this?

The simple answer is to adopt the creator’s mindset.

That is why the Prophet advised us as follows:

Take care of five things before five others: your youth before your old age, your health before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free time before your busyness and your life before your death.

This means that you have control, to a certain extent, over these realities of your life. Otherwise, the Prophet would not bother telling us to care for those aspects of our lives.

By adopting the concept of the creator's mindset, you can take your life in the direction you desire with the permission of Allah.

But what is the creator mindset?

Continue reading

Hope you enjoy it.

Talk to you soon, in sha Allah.

Teslim

The Muslimchangemaker

P.S. Don't forget to share with other fellow Muslims so that they can start 2024 with a whole new mindset. I know 2024 is just a calendar; there is nothing special about it in the sight of Allah. But everyone can make it special for themselves for the sake of Allah.

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