Muslima Success

How many of us dream of having the most righteous and successful family? How many of us envision ourselves making a profound difference in the world? How many of us ultimately dream of the highest level in Jannah, Al-Firdaws? Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him was indeed one of the forerunners in teaching us about great ambition and doing all we can with ihsan (excellence). He (peace be upon him) was the first to encourage us to dream bigger as he says: “If you ask for jannah, then ask for al-firdaws, the highest” ( Muslim & Bukhari) .  He, peace be upon him also encouraged us to work hard to achieve these great ambitions by stating: “If one of you shall do a task, then he shall do it with ihsan (excellence)”. Yet, many of us may hold back from great ambitions and may not achieve or experience the true fulfillment we are capable of.   One of the main reasons for this phenomenon is what we may label as a lack of resources: time, money, knowledge, etc.  And yes, we may indeed lack ...

When was the last time we told our children they can accomplish anything they want in the world, no matter how big it seems or how impossible it may be?   Do you think that a six year old could raise enough money to build a well inAfricaand 12 years later continue to fundraise until he has built 500 hundred water projects in 16 countries, bringing water and improved sanitation to over 620,000 people?   Well this six year old really exists – his name is Ryan Hreljac and he has his own international non profit organization called the “Ryan’s Well Foundation”.  Over 12 years ago, after his grade one teacher told him there are children dying inAfricabecause they don’t have clean water, he went home to his parents and demanded that he do something about it.  I heard his mother, Susan Hrejlac, recently share her experience at an event, and she relates that they did not take him seriously until one night at the dinner table, Ryan looked her and his dad straight in the eye, ...

When you think of it, our lives are a series of relationships. From the moment we are born, there is an instant relationship with our mothers and it is indeed one of the most beautiful relationships.  In Islam, the relationship between us and Allah (SwT) is also instantly commenced when the  Athan (the call to prayer) was softly made in our ears shortly after our birth.  Then we start to form relationships with other close relatives, friends, neighbours, teachers, and employers. And then, in sha Allah, we form one of the most important relationships in our lives, which can be the basis for a healthy and strong family and society – and that is the relationship with our spouses and children. Allah (SwT) beautifully describes the relationship between spouses in the Quran by stating: “ And among His signs is this that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquility with them, and He has put  love and mercy   between your (hearts); verily in that ...

Courage to Change Not many of us crave change.  In fact, many of us will try to avoid it and some will even resist it.  This is given that subhana’Allah change is one of the only constants we have in life.  Change affects every aspect of our lives: our relationships, our roles and careers, our health, and our level of iman, amongst other aspects. We are born as tiny helpless infants and if Allah (SwT) wills, we grow into active children and youth, then ambitious adults, and finally we grow old and become frail and weak yet again. This is just one example of the constant state of change in our lives.  We change not only physically, but emotionally.  Allah (SwT) tells us in the Quran: “And that it is He who makes one laugh and weep” (Surat Al-Najm: 44).  One day we are happy, and the next may bring sadness, but then again, Allah (SwT) also tells us:  “With hardship there is ease” (Surah al-Sharh V. 5-6). If change is a constant in our life, then I wonder why we always try to avoid it and...