Eid Reflections

“And when Abraham said: My Lord, make this city secure and save me and my sons from the worship of idols” – Surah Ibrahim v.35

As the occasion of another Eid comes to pass, we would be remiss to not pass some form of reflection on the dedication of the man this holiday seeks to celebrate. Over four thousand years ago when humanity stooped to crude idolatry and moral degeneration became embedded with material progress,  there came a man of vision and towering personality who exerted tremendous effort and dedication in redirecting humanity back to the worship of God. In this blog post, I will attempt to articulate certain critical lessons we can learn from the Prophet Ibrahim.

The very first lesson that can be drawn from the life of the Prophet Ibrahim is the immense importance of keeping an open mind as well as critically engaging with opposing viewpoints. The Quran extensively mentions the quest for truth that was embarked upon by Ibrahim. After quickly becoming dissatisfied with the worship of idols and statues, he became mesmerized by the appearance and majesty that was given off by celestial bodies (stars, moon and the sun). However, his mind was always open to the possibility that these bodies may not be the God that he was searching for. Upon the setting of the stars, moon as well as the sun, Ibrahim came to the conclusion that they could possibly not be the Creator as they lacked the omnipotence that he believed God must possess. The critical engagement of the Prophet is shown to us when he confronts a King who would tell people that he was Allah. Ibraham responded that “it is certainly Allah who causes the sun to rise from east, can you instead bring it from the west?” In challenging him and concisely dispatching the bizarre arguments put forward by him, he illustrated to us the correct way of engaging with those whose theology differs from ours. Allah Almighty commands in the Quran to “invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best” (16:125). Surely these examples can serve as the ultimate model for how we should conduct our searches for the truth as well as invite others to partake on this journey with us.

An alternative lesson that can be gauged from the Prophet Ibrahim is to have strong faith and determination in all that you do. Upon receiving the message from God, he made a commitment to bring the truth to the people with whom he resided. One of the more touching exchanges that happened as a result of this commitment was one he had with his father. The Prophet strongly pled with his father to consider Islam and told him that “my father, I sincerely fear a punishment from God overtakes you and you become a companion of the Devil”. Imagine knowing the punishment that awaited those who rejected the message and being unable to avert that from falling upon your own father! Imagine the pain that must have went through the Prophet as he realized that his words were falling on deaf ears! Now imagine the heavy heart that he must have had as he left his father knowing that there was a very minimal chance of change. Despite all of this, the Prophet Ibrahim exemplified the defining trait of the great messengers – strong faith and determination in the face of extreme personal adversity. Despite the tremendous tests that plagued the Prophet Ibrahim and all of the Prophets of God – they never wavered in their love and faith in God. This tradition of testing individuals in order to weed out the truthful and strong hearted is rooted in the Islamic scripture and evidenced by the verse in which Allah proclaims: “But We certainly have tried those before them, so God will make evident the truthful and those who are liars”. We can only pray that we excel on the tests that are given to us and come through with higher faith and love of Allah.

The aforementioned lessons are only a few that can be drawn from an illustrious life of service, dedication and total submission to Allah. In his story, we observe the complete picture of what it means to be a believer as well as a caller to the way of God. It is no wonder that the Quran remarks that “And Allah took Ibraham as a khalil (an intimate friend)”.The verse cited at the top of this post is a prayer that Ibraham made to liberate both his soul and the souls of his progeny from subservience, submission and dedication to idols. While in past times, idols manifested themselves in the form of statues – they take on varying unique shapes and forms in our current society. We ask Allah to accept the prayer of our Prophet Ibrahim and save us (his progeny) from worshiping our own souls in lieu of Allah and to mold our hearts in such a way that they will always be receptive to the divine message. We ask Allah to accept the prayer of our Prophet when he asked that “the hearts of people incline towards my progeny”. May you have a Blessed Eid and many more to come.  

Activism - Why Should I Care?

                In an increasingly covetous and greedy world, I sometimes ask myself why I ought to care about social justice issues regarding marginalized communities and those who lack access to instruments of meaningful substantial change. In this post, I’d like to present reasons which offer an insight into why striving for equality and social justice are tasks that are worthwhile as well as fulfilling to the self.

               

                In his famous “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”, Martin Luther King Jr wrote “we are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly”. This reflection of Dr. King goes to the core essence of the spirit of activism in social justice. Every single person on this planet is associated, irrespective of whether we are directly linked or not. As human beings we all share similar qualities, emotions and experiences and as a single race we are equals, wrapped in the same garments of destiny. We cannot allow ourselves to fall into the trap of thinking that the problems of my neighbour will not have an effect on me eventually. If a certain member of my community is being treated unjustly by the police THAT is my problem. If there are children in my city who do not have access to education and cannot afford to purchase school supplies that is my problem. If there are individuals across this world who yearn for liberty and the right to self-determination then my heart yearns for it as well. It is this precise spirit which allowed the persecuted refugees of Mecca to enter the city of Medina and thrive. The people of the blessed city of Medina extended a warm welcome to the newcomers and illustrated to us the true spirit of pure activism and altruism. In fact, their exhibition was so grand that God mentioned them and stated that “they gave preference to them over their own souls, even though they were in need”. By recognizing that we share the responsibility to mold a collective narrative, one can understand the immense reasoning behind the drive of activism that is found within many.

                The idea of changing the world is one which is often met with tremendous scorn and mocking by a large segment of the population. I recall telling a teacher of mine that I had the ambition to change the world in a great way. She responded by saying that in order to change the world, I had to elicit positivity and negate the deep seated cynicism that resided within me. Roughly ten years later, I understand the wisdom behind her words. Activism is met with vast pessimism, suspicion and cynicism from a population that is disenfranchised with the system. However, one does not need to look too far down the annals of history to see individuals who advocated immensely for their causes and were successful. If we look at the American civil rights movement, it would be hard to disagree with the contention that every single person involved in that movement, from Malcolm X and Dr. King all the way down to the bold men and women who braved fire hoses and dogs in Selma, Alabama, changed the world. It would be impossible to contest that the five women involved in the famous Canadian “Persons Case” (Edwards v. Canada) did not change the world when they appealed to the Privy Council and won the right for women to be considered legal persons. The point which I am making is that every single voice has inherent meaning. These tremendous world changing events listed above would not have been remotely successful had each person involved not been willing to sacrifice their time and energy in the audacious hope for a better tomorrow.

                In conclusion, it is imperative for you to find a cause that you are passionate about and locate like minded people who can assist you in furthering the development of that cause. I have been tremendously lucky to be involved in the Acorn Canada Housing Justice Program. While it started as a volunteer position to gain experience, I have quickly found an incredible passion to serve these individuals who have a barrier to accessing justice because of the socioeconomic status which they find themselves in. As a graduate of English Literature, I often have come across profound pieces of prose which can be contemplated on for hours. In his classic poem “The Road Not Taken”, American poet Robert Frost states “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference”. Not many will choose the difficult road that being an effective activist entails. Nevertheless, the reward of seeing justice and equality perpetuated throughout this great world of ours is a great recompense. And that – that will make all the difference? What will your cause be?

                 

Multiculturalism and the Quebec Charter of Values

The recent events surrounding the tabling of the so called “Quebec Charter of Values” by the Parti Quebecois has gotten me reflecting upon the great tensions which can be seen between the forces of secularity and multiculturalism in Canada. This short essay will attempt to dissect the history of secularism and multiculturalism within Canada and illustrate the deep roots which they have within the Canadian framework.

 In Canadian jurisprudence, it can be confidently said that the greatest tool for the preservation of liberties is the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Charter creates the fundamental legal groundwork for the safeguard of individual rights as well as protection from the excesses of the state. Interestingly, the preamble to the Charter states that there is recognition that Canada is founded upon principles which recognize “the supremacy of God and the rule of law”. Thus, it can be contended that the fathers of Confederation envisioned a country in which there would be recognition of religion and the presence of a divine being. This view is rejected by many who state that the constitution (as well as all other legal documents)   organic and must be read in a broad and progressive manner so as to adapt it to the changing times. Proponents of this view ascribe to a doctrine of constitutional interpretation entitled the “living tree doctrine”.  However, I describe myself to be an originalist, meaning that I believe that the constitution ought to be interpreted according to the original meaning or intent of the drafters. Thus, I do believe that the fathers of |Confederation did not intend for a secular state that urged for the reduction of organized religion from the public sphere. However, we have come to accept that that in order for total inclusion to be demonstrated, the state cannot be seen to privilege one religion over another. Our government officials are expected to remain absolutely neutral from a faith standpoint when acting in their capacity as legislators and benefactors of public goodwill.

The question then becomes: “Does the “Quebec Charter of Values” promote secularity that is appropriate within the multicultural setting that is Canada? Thomas Jefferson was once quoted to have said: ““religious institutions that use government power in support of themselves” In Jefferson’s mind, the secular state is inherently exclusive. In fact, the Quebec government has proposed an insidious view of secularity that embraces the ideology that the secular state is supposed to reject. As it is currently framed, secularity in Canada is deeply tied to multiculturalism. A cultural mosaic can only exist in a state that refuses to privilege one religion over another.

In order to fully complete this analysis, there must be a discussion of the importance of multiculturalism to the Canadian experiment. Often, it is thought that multiculturalism is a sort of government policy that has no official standing or recognition in law. However, section 27 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms states that the Charter must always be interpreted by the government and judicial figures “in a manner consistent with the preservation and enhancement of the multicultural heritage of Canadians”. In essence, this means that there can be no law enacted in the country that has an ameliorative aim or target that goes contrary to the spirit of multiculturalism. The purpose of Canadian multiculturalism is not to create a country in which a host of different cultures live and thrive together equally. Rather, the multicultural state simply recognizes that no culture is inherently inferior to another. As far as it can, the multicultural framework is one that tries to allow other cultures to preserve their traditions (including their religious traditions) in a Western nation.

In summary, the founding of Canada in 1867 was not one that was wrought in discussions over multiculturalism or secularity. Rather, it can be construed through law and history that the aim of the founders was to create a union in which all individuals can be guaranteed to receive their full measure of happiness. Over time, we have come to recognize that multiculturalism is essential to the fulfillment of the Canadian project envision by the founders. The Quebec Charter of Values is in direct contradiction to the lofty secular values it aims to rectify. Rather, true secularity is one which allows all to preserve the ideals which make their particular culture special and endearing to them.

Be Thankful!

                Often, I like to take time off and reflect on some of the things that I am lucky for and ought to show gratitude for possessing. A statistic that I find incredibly poignant is one which states that over seventy five percent of the population of the world survives on less than two dollars a day. When I thin about my spending patterns, I realize that the chocolate bar I had as a snack was more valuable than the entire diet of a child overseas somewhere. In the Holy Quran, we are reminded that “if you are thankful, you will be increased..”.  Unfortunately, it is easy to forget to take a moment to be thankful and understand the incredible blessings that enrich your daily life.

                A close friend of mine recently lost his mother. As I attempted to console him, I remembered the tremendous woman that my own mother is. I am thankful for having her in my life as the greatest motivator to change for the better and achieve my lofty goals. I am eternally grateful to my father for providing me with stability and exemplifying the qualities of a superb role model.

                As I walk down the streets of downtown Ottawa, I am confronted by many homeless and financially destitute people who yearn for opportunity and success in life. While I pass by errantly, I remember that I am grateful to have a home; to be secure of poverty and to live in relative affluence and excess. If not for the mercy and blessing of the Almighty upon me, I could have easily have been sitting downtown with a coffee cup in front of me begging for money and food.

                I am grateful to be surrounded by a tremendous group of friends who enabled me with the ability to evolve myself to be a better person. It is often said that the group of friends a person carries is reflective of their inner character. I am blessed with a circle of friends who are better than me and empower me with a desire to reach for sky and to always fulfill my goals.

                Most importantly, I am grateful to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. I owe so much to God. No one else could have taken me from the person who I used to be less than three years ago to whom I have become now. I am grateful to him for allowing me to be born into Islam and teaching me the magnificent story of the blessed Prophet Muhammed (PBUH). I am indebted to Allah that He has given me prayer as a means to communicate directly with Him. I am grateful to Allah that He has provided me with sustenance and a means of survival that is known only by Him. Finally, I am extremely grateful that He has created me amongst the most blessed of creation. As He says: “Indeed We have honoured the children of Adam..”. No matter what I do, I will never repay Him for the innumerable gifts He has bestowed upon me. All I can do is hope that I live up to the covenant that I have  given Him that I will serve Him well.

Scripture Triggered Thoughts

            In this posting I would like to allow my mind to wander slightly and jump from reflection to reflection. As a believer, we often find it very hard to understand why someone would deny the existence of the Almighty. As I was reviewing the Quran today, I passed upon a passage which states that: Indeed We created you, so why will you not witness the truth?” Immediately, I felt a strange feeling within me and so I moved to rewind the clip so I could hear the verse one more time. Afterwards, I began to wonder why I had been so struck by this verse. After all, my divine creation was not a new concept to me. This was an idea that had been engrained in me by my parents from my early childhood. Rather, I was struck at the simplicity of the message of Allah and the logic it uses to try to stimulate the mind into comprehension. I owe so much to God simply because He provided for me in my life. My life is enriched with blessings and opportunities that are scarce for so many of my fellow humans.

            Secondly, I just would like to touch on something which I heard that hit my heart. A hobby of mine is to listen to recordings of taraweeh prayers which take place in Mecca every Ramadan. As the prayers come to a close, the Imam often will make a short supplication which is recited out loud for the faithful to listen to. One of the supplications which the Imam made was: “Oh Allah, we thank you for Your grand blessings, as You have revealed to us the best of books and sent to us the best of prophets”. After hearing this, I began to remember the incredible opportunities which have been placed in my life. I have been born into Islam and have not had to spend years in darkness and self-oppression in order to find my meaning. I have been blessed with a tremendous pair of parents who have instilled in me a sense of social justice and equality. I have been given extremely talented teachers who have worked tirelessly in helping me learn Quran. Allah blessed me in allowing me to belong to a Muslim community which has allowed me to develop and hone my skills.

I owe so much to you Allah. Ultimately, I regret many things in my life. Things I've seen, things I've done and said. However, I've never regretted anything done for Allah. The friendships forged for Him, the struggles done for Him and the lessons learned for Him. Alhamdullilah, all the good in my life is from Him alone. Only the misgivings and errors have been from myself.

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