Integrating Islam videos

I saw these videos by the same people who make our discipline with dignity videos.

Spiritual Development Notes

Thursday November 21, 2013

Spiritual Development Notes

All praise is due to Allah. We praise Him seek His help, and ask for His forgiveness. We send blessings, and salaam to His Messenger Muhammad sallahu alayhi wa salaam (peace and blessings be upon him).

“Whomever engage on the path of seeking knowledge for the sake of Allah, Allah make for him the path to  Jannah (Paradise) easy,” summarized from the hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah (radiyAllahu anhu). However, along that path the Shaytan (Satan) will always attempt to hinder you to what is good.

To pick up from where we left off with our last session, it is important to have love, and mercy to those that we educate in order to achieve our goals. Along with those two elements, patience is just as important because it is impossible to teach children without it.

The Sheikh reiterates the importance of knowing, and understanding our responsibilities. He reminds us that our responsibility is an Amana (Trust) that we have signed up for when we decided to be a part of this institution, and it will be something that we will be ask about on the Day of Judgment by Allah.

He also advised that if we want to achieve our goal as educators, we have to fear Allah. We have to have Taqwa (the fear of Allah) in all that we do.  Here the Sheikh gave an example from one of the companions of the prophet Muhammad sallahu alayhi wa salaam (peace and blessing be upon him). Once Ali Radia-Allahu Anhu (May Allah be pleased with him) was asked by another companion “What is the meaning of Taqwa?” He replied, “ Taqwa is when you are walking on a path filled with thorns, and pricks and you walk carefully and gently avoiding being harmed, this is Taqwa.

So one has to be sincere in whatever they do, and do it for the sake of Allah. He said if sincerity is lacking, sooner or later this lack of sincerity will be apparent to oneself, and others.  The individual (i.e. the teacher) has to evaluate his or herself and his or her intentions when they are in their classes or wherever they maybe in the school. The Sheikh again emphasizes and advise that we fear Allah, and that we be sincere with this trust we have been given, because we are an institution, and teachers, families, parents, and individuals have given us their children and have put forth their trust and hope that we can produce future generations that are better than themselves. 

In conclusion, the Sheikh advise that we become people who are As-Siddiq ( truthful) because in truthfulness, Allah will be pleased with us, and if Allah is please with us, we will be successful. He mentioned that we should be careful of not telling the truth. Speak the truth even when joking, because this was the way of the Messenger of Allah sallahu alayhi wa salaam. Although this is a very common thing today where people tell lies to make others laugh or to be funny, do not make it a habit to lie with jokes to the children even when giving examples. Here he quoted a hadith where the Messenger of Allah sallahu alayhi wa salaam said that a person will lie and continue to lie until it is written for him in the heavens, and he is recognized as a liar by Allah. The Sheikh closed the speech by giving an example from the prophet Ibrahim, who was a very truthful person, so much so that Allah the All mighty considered him by himself a whole nation. 

Staff members were then permitted time to ask their questions.

JazakAllahu khayran Mr. Ndiaye for taking notes.

First SD meeting notes

Spiritual Development Notes

Asalaam alaykum Wa rahmatulah Wa barakatu. 

We would like to thank everyone who took the time to be present in our first session of SD.  The meeting was more of an introductory session, presenting the theme, and touching upon some of the basic principles and foundations of Islam and what we are going to be covering over the period of the school year.

We had the Imam of Jet D'Eau, Oustadz Ismael, to present the themes.

The Imam began by discussing the blessings, and benefits of a gathering or assembly in which its purpose is for the sake of Allah, in our case to seek knowledge and to better ourselves as individuals, teachers, and role models in this institution.

The Imam elaborated on some of the characteristics of the believer, and the importance of being truthful, and sincere in speech and in actions in all aspects of life in order to be successful. The Imam went further and touched upon the role of the Messenger of Allah sallahu alayhi wa salaam and his role as a teacher and as the last prophet of Allah to mankind.

In summary, The Imam wanted to emphasize importance of the etiquettes of seeking knowledge and how to seek it, and how to apply it in sha Allah in our institution.

For future classes, we want start with a book of Aqeedah (creed) chosen by the Imam himself, in sha Allah.

Hope to see you there next week, in sha Allah.

May Allah bless Mr.Ndiaye for taking notes.  Ameen !