Sunday, September 18, 2011

"Life" by Maryam Anwer *A Special Guest-Post*


What is this Life?

We have been created for the sole purpose of serving our lord ( i.e Prayer, Zakah ( charity), Hajj (pilgrimage),etc.). But then again we need to regulate these to the world's evolution.

For instance, there was no car in the time of the prophet, so do I not use a car? Please, Islam is a religion of the middle path as they say everything in moderation. So taking the simple example of transport, do travel as long as your end destination is not a pub or a club or anything not halal. Similarly make sure that women out there travel as much as they can with a mahram ( a man she is prohibited from marrying), then comes the question of but in this modern era why would she need a man? Keep in mind when you have a flat tire, or get into an accident , the first thing that comes to mind is who do I contact first, this is in the instance of where one is alone, and rather than having a stranger stop by to help you out, it will always be safer to have a mahram in your car, but with the life of today and everyone’s schedule, who has the time to travel with a mahram, but then again always keep in mind if it can be done , take the opportunity to do so.

Moving on to the real aim of this topic, In today's world, we strive to reach the top, i.e be the best engineer, best interior designer, be the best doctor, and the only way the world describes best is a high paying, high post job somewhere in the western world. Why is it that today's generation strives to go to the best university and dedicate years of their lives away from family and friends for the sole purpose of gaining an education that strains them? Don't get me wrong here, Islam strives on education; the first word revealed was that of READ. The idea I am trying to put forward is that we have taken it up a notch or two and completely zonked our lives on aiming for the highest without enjoying the journey and what it holds. Furthermore when we strive to reach the top, ultimately we want sources that can get us there, forgetting the people who are being your foundation, we need to learn to loosen up a bit, keep in mind that the sole purpose here is to serve our lord first. So when you sit to do a chapter, remember to begin in the name of your lord, every success you reach, remember to praise him, don't use education as an excuse to not doing extra prayers, each thing has its own place and time in the schedule. Remember doing the dishes, washing the bathroom, taking care of a sibling or smiling and greeting at your parents after a rough day is all part of ibadah (praying, serving your lord).

So in conclusion, let’s not get too wrapped up in what 'education' is today; remember the ultimate test will be on the Day of Judgment for which we need to prepare everyday.

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