Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Raheem
In the name of God Most Caring Most Kind.
O Mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allah is that who has At-Taqwa. Verily, Allah is All-Knowing, Well-Acquainted.
Al-Hujurat Verse 13
I have a particular liking to the above mentioned verse from the Holy Quran. It was this verse that made me reflect on my purpose for taking Sociology. It was this verse that made me realise that Allah does not judge a person based on their ethnicity, race, looks and all the superficial matters but what lies in the heart of the individual. It was this verse that made me reflect on the beauty of diversity that Allah has created. It was this verse that makes me want to explore the world out there that we are after all beings different on the outside yet we bleed the colour red.
It has been a month since Reviving the Islamic Spirit (RIS) 2009 convention was held. It was something that I’ve looked forward to attend since I went there in 2005. It was a time when I came face to face with Muslims who look different than I do. What amazed me back then (and it still amazes me) was that these Muslims, young and old, Westerns, Asians, Africans, congregate to listen to lectures by well known Muslim scholars in Toronto. Being an adolescent at age 17, I thought of Canada or North America as a whole as a place where religion is secondary. And that Islam is something for those outside the ‘Western’ world. But I was wrong. Dead wrong.
The first RIS that I went to made me realise that there is so much beauty in this diversity. It was like a blow to my head and I questioned myself, that I am a born Muslim, living in Singapore where Muslims are treated well (yes in Canada Muslims are treated well too but it was 2005 and 9/11 and 7/7 were not distant memories), yet I was not practicing Islam the way it should be practiced. And these people, having to face discrimination and all those challenges that Muslim Singaporeans may not face are living their life as what was commanded by Allah. That was when I decided to change. Alhamdulillah for that.
So going to RIS again after 4 years was like ‘homecoming’ of sorts. This time around it was bigger and better. And best part of all (I think it is the best part) was that this whole initiation and execution were done by YOUTHS! There were about 18,000 (marketing was superb with coz the event was advertised on subways!) attendees and the speakers were Prof. Tariq Ramadan, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Imam Zaid Shakir, Yusuf Islam, Abdul Hakim Jackson, Shaykh Abdallah Ibn Bayyah, Habib Ali Al-Jiffri… just to name a few. On location, the collective effervescence was intense! If an alien lands at the convention centre it would have thought that it landed in a Muslim country.
The talks were mashaAllah superb and my attempts to share them are merely attempts to spread the word. The real effect comes from the convention itself. So here are some ideas (or lessons I’ve learnt from some of the lectures that I attended. Some of them may not be complete but I will try my best inshaAllah) delivered by the speakers based on the theme of SOS: Saving the Ship of Humanity. (Again apologies for not providing detailed notes on the lectures)
1) Habib Ali Al-Jiffri: A Young Person Dedicated to the Worship of Allah:
The Youth Around Muhammad, Peace Upon Him
As the title suggest, the speaker gave the seerah of the youths during the time of the Prophet (saw). These youths around the Prophet (saw) saw the ‘reality’ with their heart. They were given huge responsibilities like the example of Mus’ab ibn ‘Umayr an ambassador to Yathrib (Madinah). He was chosen because of his strong character. He then gave more examples about the youths around the prophet (saw). In retrospect, I think the point Habib Ali tried to drive at was that youths have to ability to be in charge, with the right mind, attitude and niyyah. Living one’s life to the fullest at a young age does not mean necessarily mean trying out every single thing (which may or may not include the haram) but to do great things with excellence.
2) Prof. Tariq Ramadan: Where Then Are You Going? Tough Questions for Today’s Youth
The point that Prof Tariq tried to drive at this talk is similar to the points he gave in his latest book that I’m currently reading “What I believe”. Anyways he mentioned that we as a Muslim community are passive. We need more action in terms of participating in the society. He then discussed on the position of Muslims in the West. And that it is our duty as Muslims to stick to our principles no matter where we are. The problem with us is that we have been colonised from within (our hearts , Imaan) and that we have to decolonise ourselves. This decolonisation can only take place if we understand the meaning of our shahadah.
He then talks about HabluminAllah and Habluminanaas. Which is loosely translated (in my understanding) , that we have to have a strong vertical relationship with Allah so create a strong relationship amongst mankind. There is a need for us to not isolate ourselves in our own cells and that we need to liberate ourselves with the “US” and “THEM” mentality.
Next, he brought upon the example of the Best of exemplars, our Prophet (saw) on how he (saw) taught us the education of love. In which imitation is wrong and that there is a need to understand what we are doing. There is a need to be critical on what we learn.
3) Shaykh Abdallah ibn Bayah ( in Arabic with translation by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf)
Shaykh Abdallah shared his understanding RIS 2008’s theme. Us, humans are like passengers in a ship. The current situation is that the passengers are fighting with each other. So how are we suppose to take it to port? It is through wisdom for wisdom is the lost possession of the believers. Shayk Abdallah then quoted EIntstein that civilisation is a sickness and the healers are the philosophers. What I gathered from this particular point is that we, as humans need to continuously reflect on the society.
He then gives an analogy of a silkworm. A silkworm produces silk that it created around itself in which in the end brought it to its death. We, humans have become like the silkworm. We have created things that in the end would bring danger to ourselves. To this he brings about the point that we are harming other species. The shaykh mentioned also (which I find really interesting) that the Prophet (saw) loves the frogs for the frogs does the most dzikr. And the sad thing now, we rarely hear frogs. Other problems that the shaykh quoted was the economic crises. He noted that morality is missing in the realm of economics/business/finance. At the end of his lecture that to save the ship, there is a need to call upon the owner of the ship. And that owner is Allah (swt)
[please keep lookout for an update on this post inshaAllah as I will continue to pen down the other lectures I’ve attended. Please forgive my shortcomings.}
For more information please go to http://www.revivingtheislamicspirit.com/. By the way, inshaAllah this coming May, RIS is coming to CALIFORNIA! So if you have the means, I encourage you to attend this convention.
Wallahu’alam
khairun and i
