AN HONOURABLE MENTION
What a strange phenomenon that those responsible for humanity’s fecundity, until recently, have been languishing in obscurity.
One would naturally assume that such a vital role, executed with a degree of success unmatched in any other area in human history, would receive the recognition and acclaim it deserves. But men are often wretched creatures, even reducing the wombs that bore them to second-class citizens.
Even as late as the 1800s, men in European circles still debated whether women had souls. During this period, many brilliant women, especially writers, assumed male pen names to disguise their gender and ensure their publications entered society. If not for their courage and tenacity, our literary world would have been all the poorer without their stunning contributions.
It is indeed tragic that women had to go to such lengths, but what were they supposed to have done in a male-dominated world that continually denied them?
But if men were incapable of affirming women and giving them an honourable mention, it was not true of God.
While the Bible is addressed exclusively to men using second and third-person masculine, the Quran mentions and addresses women directly, affirming their gender and spiritual equality.
In surah al-Ahzab, verse 35, Allah honours men and women equally and seats women justly next to men in their rightful positions. Unfortunately, for women, it would take the world another thirteen centuries to catch up with this Divine standard: ‘For men and women who are devoted to God—believing men and women, obedient men and women, truthful men and women, steadfast men and women, humble men and women, charitable men and women, fasting men and women, chaste men and women, men and women who remember God often—God has prepared forgiveness and a rich reward.’
THE INTENTIONAL MAN
Faith without movement is tokenistic. Movement without faith is hollow. When faith and movement are in union, magic happens.
‘Believe and do good deeds’ appears numerous times in the Quran, underscoring the integral relationship between belief and action.
Simon Sinek, international thought leader and best-selling author, is renowned for his TED Talk How Great Leaders Inspire Action, which has over 66 million views. In his address, he discusses the importance of ‘Knowing Your Why’, which speaks to the Quranic axiom ‘Believe and do good deeds’.
The Quranic principle contains four central ideas: (1) Belief without action withers, (2) Know your Why, (3) Why is a good question, and (4) Balance.
Regarding point 2, Sinek illustrates that many people or organisations don’t know Why they do what they do, resulting in inferior results compared to those who do.
This idea naturally gravitates to another primary principle in Islam: niyah or intention. An intention or purpose, or as Sinek puts it, Knowing Your Why, is critical for the correctness of ibadah or ritual worship. It also establishes sincerity, which increases work in gradation, not only for ibadah but also for any other act.
The Prophet (s) highlighted in a hadith: ‘Actions are but by intention, and every person will have only that which they intended.’
The Quran and Hadith (Prophetic Tradition) set the Why (Belief, Purpose or Intention) as the departure point and underscore that it is fundamental to establish accountability and spirituality in Islam.
The Prophet (s) embodied all four ideas. He (s) knew his purpose, believed in it completely, executed it with aplomb, sought answers through consultation, and was a model of balance. His (s) insides matched his outsides, both in speech and deed, as was his public life in keeping with his private.
He was the most intentional man and, as a result, elevated even the mundane of actions.
The poor weather.
It always gets the brunt, often by those who use it as an opener or filler to a conversation. And most who delve into bitter weather diatribes have no scientific understanding of its cycles and what drives it. For many, their connection to the weather is mainly about attire and desires. To want something as big as the weather to align with our will is absurd.
Oscar Wilde said that conversation about the weather is the last refuge of the unimaginative. It is also true of gossip.
Weather is often the hideout for scapegoats who blame it for their moods. Unfortunately, scapegoating prevents us from addressing the real culprit for our behaviour, our character.
Remember, we cannot direct the winds but can adjust the sails. And as someone once said, ‘There is no bad weather, just bad clothing choices.’
Until next week, InshaAllah
Zaahied Sallie
Author of The Beloved Prophet – An Illustrated Biography in Rhyme
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