Questioning the Faith and Hearts of Muslims

How do you put your faith into action?

Who does your heart belong to?

Who or what has power to control your heart?

What or whom do you love the most?

Today's khutba during Jumah services was about the fact that most Muslims, take the religion for sport, as a game. It's simply a part of their culture, and not an action of faith that comes from within their heart. Our Imam talked with deep passion that moved me to tears.

Moved me to question my own faith, and if I am doing enough. Enough to please my lord, enough for the community, enough good, enough in which it has an effect on my heart.

We are in the last 10 days of Ramadan, and I honestly can say that I have not taken advantage of the month. Taken advantage of the fact that it is the best time to remember Allah (swt) ask for forgiveness, and reflect on future possibilities and self reflection.

During the month of Ramadan blessings have doubled and the possibilities of temptations from Satan have been lowered. But I have been spending the majority of my time on this computer working; working on websites, working on setting up my live broadcasting and more.

The websites I have been working on are for the Masjid and the community, the live broadcasting is to show what the typical life of a Muslim is, as well as a network for Muslim Women to broadcast their own virtual shows; however it has taken me away from the true benefit of the month. Reading Quran, studying about what pleases my lord and then acting upon it.

This was just what that the Imam was talking about today.

Every Ramadan is an opportunity to heighten your spirituality, to strengthen your heart, to increase your faith, to heighten your spiritual activity, in hopes that you may reflect and continue your actions once the month has passed.

What are the things we do based on faith, what are the things we do simply because we believe and are seeking the reward from Allah (swt). The Imam says, "When your activity is low, your heart is harden, and when your activity is high your heart becomes soft.

Allah (swt) says in the Quran, ãóËóáõÇáøóÐöíäóÍõãøöáõæÇÇáÊøóæúѐóÇÉóËõãøóáóãúíóÍúãöáõæåóÇßóãóËóáöÇáúÍöãóÇѐöíóÍúãöáõÃóÓúÝóÇѐðÇÈöÆúÓóãóËóáõÇáúÞóæúãöÇáøóÐöíäóßóÐøóÈõæÇÈöÂíóÇÊöÇááøóåöæóÇááøóåõáóÇíóåúÏöíÇáúÞóæúãóÇáÙøóÇáöãöíäó

"The similitude of those who were charged with the (obligations of the) Mosaic Law, but who subsequently failed in those (obligations), is that of a donkey which carries huge tomes (but understands them not). Evil is the similitude of people who falsify the Signs of Allah: and Allah guides not people who do wrong". al-Jumu'ah 62: 5

This is a religion that is supposed to have an effect on our actions, our feelings, our hearts, and emotions. It's not just a cultural experience, but an expression of faith, and belief in the hereafter.

Allah says in the Quran ÅöäøóãóÇÇáúãõÄúãöäõæäóÇáøóÐöíäóÅöÐóÇÐõßöѐóÇááøåõæóÌöáóÊúÞõáõæÈõåõãúæóÅöÐóÇÊõáöíóÊúÚóáóíúåöãúÂíóÇÊõåõÒóÇÏóÊúåõãúÅöíãóÇäðÇæóÚóáóìѐóÈøöåöãúíóÊóæóßøóáõæäó

"For, Believers are those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a tremor in their hearts, and when they hear His signs rehearsed, find their faith strengthened, and put (all) their trust in their Lord". Al-Anfal 8:2

The Imam says, "Be a people fueled by faith. Just as faith is working, Satan is working against faith". So if you are not working for it, he is definitely working against it, and if Allah wanted, he could rid of us all.

Everyone is dependent on him, and he depends on no one.

Being a Muslim should change the way you look at life, the way you look at yourself, and your focus in life.

The Imam said a funny thing, "If a commercial moves you to go by something, to go somewhere, has your attention and interests, but rather your lord does not. Your heart has become hardened.

Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) says:

ÃáÇ æÅäø Ýí ÇáÌóÓóÏö ãõÖúÛóÉð ÅÐÇ ÕóáóÍóÊú ÕóáóÍó ÇáÌóÓÏõ ßõáøõåõ æÅÐÇ ÝóÓóÏóÊú ÝóÓóÏó ÇáÌóÓóÏõ ßõáøõåõ ÃáÇ æåúíó ÇáÞóáÈõ

There is a lump of flesh in the body - if it is set right and made good, the entire body becomes good and healthy; but if it becomes diseased, the entire body becomes diseased. Remember well - it is the Heart. (Bukhari.)

You should have a purpose in life, a purpose for each day, a purpose for the hour.

Our Imam also mentioned the fact that as Muslim we are always concerned what people will think of us, but yet we have lack of concern about how our lord looks at us, and what he thinks of us.

Our Imam says when you do good, it is for yourself, and it is not a favor for anyone else. Islam is not a favor to Allah, it is a favor to ourselves, and that we might seek refuge in him for our own benefit.

It is a favor from him, that he has opened our hearts, and our eyes. A gift. And it is this gift that affects your life; it affects your ability to do good, your status in this world and the hereafter.

Our Imam weekly offers us this advice.

Have Taqwa in Allah, make him your number one priority and concern in your existence. Make him what motivates you more than anything, or anyone else. Let your faith guide your actions.

You will never be successful until your deeds are for the sake of Allah, and the purpose he has given you in this life. It is because of him that we are here. We came here with nothing, and we will leave here with nothing.

Don't be of the people who say that which they do not do.

Lastly, seek out the night of power in these last ten days of Ramadan. Seek it out in prayer and remembrance, and forgiveness from your lord, and inshallah when the month is over, you will return with a clean and sound heart, a heart that reflects and is responsive to act upon the call of its lord.

Call yourself into account, before you are called into account.