iNOTES "How The Quran Can Change Lives of The Youth?"

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HOW THE QURAN CAN CHANGE LIVES OF THE YOUTH?

SPONSORS:
Muslim Community Fund, Productive Muslim and Working Muslim
COLLABORATIVE PRESENTERS:
Islamic POET (iPOET) & Quran For Busy People (QFBP)
iSCRIBE: Anum Ali - Creative Writer, Poet & Expressionist; Author of Sisterly Yours
iSCRIBE RESOURCES
Recommended links and website addresses have been mentioned for your reference at the end of this entry.

Islamic POET (iPOET) is a unique brand dedicated to poetry, leadership and social media growth for young Muslims. (iSCRIBE’s Resource I & II)

Quran For Busy People (QFBP) is a unique incentive that helps people to understand Quran in Arabic. (iSCRIBE’s Resource III & IV)

iWEBINAR LEARNING OUTCOMES

1.      Importance of spreading Islam on Facebook and other social media channels.

2.    Means to maximize Dawah through social media so that on the Day of judgment Allah (swt) would be pleased with us.

INTRODUCTION – Modern Social Media Technology for Dawah

Br. Aaqib of iPOET highlighted that the incredible modern day technology can be used to promote the message of Islam and of course that is the Holy Quran. Being an entrepreneur operating via he social media, he pointed out that Facebook is a powerful platform; a revolutionary medium, for mass communication through Facebook Chat, Group, Pages, Messages. One can reach masses through one Post.

He shared how a 15 year old boy expressed his will to him to embrace Islam and was keen on saying the Shahada. He was a Canadian non-Muslim who’d become inspired to learn about Islam and got in touch with Br. Aaqib via Facebook and they communicated.

It is obligatory for every Believer to propagate the truth and to become a living example of it. Br. Aaqib; explaining the practical implications of being a Muslim, explained how each one of us can be an effective component of Dawah. He pointed out that any of the youngsters are part of Islamic organizations and youth groups and this could be the very beginning. We recommend a good restaurant down the street to people, what about the message of truth? People spend hours building farms on Farmville on Facebook when the same medium could help build a house in Jannah.

iPOET – The Ideology and the Project

Br. Aaqib narrated how he perceived the ideology of iPOET as a unique Dawah initiative structured to operate via social media. He was the marketing head of the Islamic Society at Bermingham University and served to manage the Facebook Page as one of the diverse functions of his designation. It is through this experience and exposure to social media that he transformed his regular Facebook Profile to a Dawah Profile.

Based on his experiences he motivated that if an individual, being part of a youth group at college, could influence hundreds of people offline then he could very well translate his influential abilities online.

Quran and Facebook were the main inspirations behind iPOET. Br. Aaqib narrated how he asked himself the question as to what is his purpose in life while he was staying at his aunt’s place in December 2008, in Pakistan. He questioned himself about what was his contribution to the Ummah. He had successfully nailed it into the football team, played cross-country matches and had been a high achiever. But he found himself teary eyed when he realized his services for the Ummah were minimal. He realized that if he reached the age of 65 without having done something; without having gotten off the fence, the regret would be too much to bear.

He told the listening audience how he tried to “Bend it like Beckham” on the football field by buying a 100 Pounds Sterling worth of David Beckham boots. But he could not pull it off like Beckham. So, he realized from his little incident that it is not about what you have but how you use it. We have the Internet; the social media, it depends on us how we use them.

The message, he said, was simple. “La ilaha illAllah Muhammadur RasoolAllah” There is no god but Allah and Mohammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) is His messenger. And in exchange for introducing people to this message, Jannah could be attained, the Prophet (pbuh) himself could be seen in Jannah.

And so iPOET was born. It is a character who is passionate about impacting young Muslims. And it works through social media i.e. the Internet, Blogs, Facebook and Email.

The Quran and Dawah Passion

 “The Quran is a beautiful book,” said Br. Aaqib, “Written in verses and blessed with wisdom. The eloquence, wisdom and depth of the Quran are inspiring!” And he went on to say that you cannot judge a book by the number of readers but from the impact it creates on people. And we can very well see how the Quran transformed the lives of people 1400 years ago and continues to do so to this date.

He emphasized that passion is the key element of Dawah and each Believer should be vested with it. Narrating an incident from last year when he was at a Dawah stall at an Islamic Awareness Week at his university, he came across a 75 year old man. He was passionate about reading and understanding the Quran and requested a copy in English. “When would we be that passionate?” asked Br. Aaqib.

Halal Facebook Advice

Br. Aaqib has been working extensively on Dawah activities for a long time now with Facebook as his prime medium of social interaction. He pointed out that Facebook could be good or bad depending upon how we use it and asked the audience to look at their Facebook Profiles and question themselves about what they see. The private Facebook messages and activities are being seen, he said, and not by some intelligence or the Facebook CEO but by Allah (swt) and he recommended that one must carefully moderate their Facebook interactions with Ihsan (the realization that Allah is watching).

Leave a Legacy While You Can

iPOET has a vision to make a difference and aspire the youth towards making a difference for the Ummah as well. Br. Aaqib shared the unfortunate diagnosis of his aunt’s cancer with the listening audience. She is a very wealthy woman and doctor by profession but now she is fighting for her life at a hospital. He motivated that while each one of us has the time and health, we should strive to create a legacy! And our legacy could very well be through our initiatives on Facebook.

He shared a couple of his successful initiatives and how they were effective to motivate the youth. People assume that Facebook cannot make a difference but he spoke of a Bengali brother who shared on iPOET’s Profile how he had become more practicing.  

Also, Br. Aaqib shared a very moving personal experience which he had previously shared in an iWEBINAR in January, with Working Muslim while speaking for the topic of “Leadership in Dawah”. He narrated how he met a non-Muslim brother on Bermingham Street at a newsstand and they had a nice little conversation in which he found out that the brother’s beliefs were very similar to the teachings of Islam despite him being a non-believer. Br. Aaqib stayed in contact with him and inspired him with the message of Islam in the Quran. And eventually, the brother said his Shahada while seated with Br. Aaqib at a Starbucks café! SubhanAllah. (iSCRIBE’s Resource V – iNOTES “How To Become A Leader in 2011?”)

Another non-Believer, Andy, had been taking Arabic classes. And he said his Shahada on a bus! And Br. Aaqib, good humoredly, described it as his best bus journey ever.

Br. Aaqib, before passing over to Br. Mamoon, stressed that the purpose of each one of is bigger than to just get an academic degree, a good job, and getting married. It is all that and more! And so one should question oneself about what legacy do they wish to leave behind.

Q&A SESSION

What practical help can we give to individuals so they can see the beauty of Islam?

Br. Mamoon:

Through our actions we can inspire people. A lady saw me praying at work and she began asking questions about Islam, and the Quran. By talking we can engage people in our religion; towards our beliefs.

How should the online distractions be avoided to practice focused Dawah?

Br. Aaqib:

You have to be cautious when talking online because there are trials and tests by Allah. There are distractions. So follow Islam offline; strictly, through Quran and 5 times proper Salaah and stay focused when online.

Br. Mamoon:

When working online, close all tabs and focus on one task at a time. Having 20 different windows open is a recipe for disaster. Knowledge is what most of the work of today calls for. Whether we like it or not we spend loads of time online. Online is a virtual reflection of what happens in the outside world. For instance when walking towards the market we meet many distractions. It is best to work with one task at a time. Avoid in particular the ones that send you messages! MSN and Facebook Chat for instance. Also, in your Internet browser, set up the “Quick” buttons that take you directly to your page of purpose e.g. the Compose page of Hotmail or Yahoo Mail or your email service. When you go through your Inbox you become tempted to check all the messages and reply to emails.

Also check Productive Muslim (ProM); a brilliant productivity and personal management website, for such tips. iPOET has worked with ProM for an year as their Marketing Manager in a team of two to three people. They worked through Facebook to engage people by interacting with them and asking questions. (iSCRIBE’s Resource VI – Productive Muslim website)

BROTHER MAMOON’S PRESENTATION

 HOW TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE THE MESSAGE OF ISLAM ONLINE

Definition of Dawah

“Dawaah is the effective communication of the message of Islam/Quran.”

Principles of “Effective Communication”

·        Know the person you are talking to; their thought processes

·       Know your message; “La ilaha illAllah Mohammadur RasoolAllah”

3 Reasons Why People Have a Hate for RELIGION (the concept)

1.     Organized religion controls people

The Western belief is that organized religions are designed to control people. And this perception has been shaped because of the historical accounts of the Vatican Church exercising social political controls over its followers and dictating political controversies in the past.

2.   Religion divides and causes wars

In lieu of the historical impact of religion on the Western world, the perception is that religion breeds sectarianism and causes wars. This in turn comes from the idea that the religious heads develop a superior authority and they declare that “we are the good guys” and all the others are damned.

3.   Religion is irrational/unscientific

A third reason is that people believe that religion is isolated from logic and facts and is irrational in terms of being only spiritual. A lot of the baggage that the concept of religion holds; the intolerance and the dislike, is not about Islam but because of what religion has held for the Western world.

3 Ways How Islam Can Bring Hope to The West

1.     There is no religious hierarchy in Islam

Generally, the religions of the world show signs of religious hierarchy. Christianity has the bit about the Vatican being the controlling center with a Pope in charge. Hinduism too has the Brahmans at the top with religious superiority. Islam, however, has no real hierarchy. The Ulemas/Sheikhs/Scholars that we see who pass the rights and wrongs of jurisprudence are present as problem-solvers. They do not exercise control over Muslims. They have referred authority because of their knowledge. In other religions, the common follower is usually separated from God because of the religious heads present to intercede. For instance, one has to go to a priest to make a confession of a sin and have it forgiven. Islam maintains a direct communication with Allah and there are no people at the top who can dictate whether a sin has been forgiven or not. And anybody who chooses to follow Islam can pick up the Quran for directions and use the teachings of Sunnah and Hadith i.e. the lifestyle and sayings of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) as exemplary guides.

2.   Islam gives everyone an equally fair chance of Heaven & Hell – regardless of background

One of the major objections to religions: everybody else is damned and only the chosen ones are saved. A lot of people believe in the ideology of Islam – they know that there is One God but they don’t have the framework. They just are unaware of “Muhammadur RasoolAllah” and some might know that but they’re afraid to submit because of the stereotypes of religious superiority. Just because you’re Muslim doesn’t mean you’re going to Heaven. You need to be an acting and practicing Muslim. It is not smooth sailing or an easy ride to Jannah. You have work to do in Duniya. We are really blessed with Quran.
Quran talks about the Kuffar. The word Kafir comes from Kafara (hide). Linguistically, it comes from Kafir; a farmer who covers the crops during certain season. The implicit idea is that this is someone who sees the truth but rejects it because they want to rebel against Allah. There is a distinction b/w the spirit of Islam and the legal meaning of the word Kaafir. When it says that all Kuffar are going to Hell it doesn’t mean the next door neighbor who sees Muslims as corrupt because of his perception has been shaped so, is going to Hell. He is simply unaware. That’s why Dawah is necessary. If you are not Muslim, you can start fresh and not be blamed. The Muslims are blamed for not having reached you. You are judged according to what you know and what you seek.

3.   There is absolutely no conflict between the Quran & Science/Rationality

There is no blind faith. Islam is fact. Faith grows as you read the Quran. And so, Islam and science go together.  

THE MESSAGE – SIMPLE & BEAUTIFUL

·        Tawhid – The Oneness of God
For a lot of people this concept already holds true and they are just short of the Quranic vocabulary to know that they are 50% already believing in the message of Islam.

·        Risalah – Belief in the chain of messengers and Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) as the final Messenger of Allah
There are 25 prophets mentioned in the Bible and Islam acknowledges all of them and so there is a similarity in the facts of Christianity and Islam. However, Islam stresses on the complete message that there have been more than 25 prophets because no society has gone without hearing the message of Allah. Even a random tribe in the Amazon rain forest has had a prophet. The message may have been forgotten but there have been prophets. Prophet Mohammad (saww) is the seal of this chain of prophets and messengers.

·        Akhirah – Belief in the Day of Judgment and Afterlife
Islam mentions very clearly about what would happen after we pass away – in the grave and on the Day of Judgment and in the Afterlife of the Hereafter. No other religion offers a clearer picture.

A question was brought up by a brother at this point. He asked what should he do if he lacks confidence before non-Muslim brothers in spreading the message. To this, Br. Mamoon replied with the following:

DAWAH IS ABOUT ACTIONS; NOT WORDS

·
        
Connect with people on a personal level

Sheikh Rashid ul Ghunushi said while addressing a small gathering:

Everybody who calls himself a Da’ee should have at least 10 non-Muslim friends so you show you care. Befriend and connect on a personal level. Dawah to a random stranger is not as effective. Accept people the way they are and empathize with them that they do not have Islam. Something very interesting happens when you do this. They automatically ask you questions about your faith and you don’t even have to do Dawaah. They ask you why you have been nipping off at lunch.

·
        Practice good Adab (mannerism)

Al-Ghazali said that even if your adab (mannerisms) is incorrect, you have not delivered the message. If people reject Islam then it is a fault of your mannerisms.

Important communication concept; It’s not the words you said but what the other person understood from what you said. The meaning of communication is the response you get. People have to be on the same wavelength as you to be able to understand you.

Some people are very confrontational in their Dawah style. Sheikh Khalid Yaseen came to Islam through Malcolm X. It’s his personality type to go and say why are you not Muslim, what’s wrong with you? But people have different personality types. Use the one that best suits you and the audience.

Sami Yusuf was advised by Amr Khalid and he in turn shared with Br. Mamoon:

Don’t be good for the sake of Dawah; be good for the sake of Allah (Allah will take care of the rest).

People can see right through you. And so you have to carefully and sincerely shape your mannerisms.

Br. Aaqib shared his experience about how he took a non-Muslim brother Andy to a grand Iftaar at his university. Andy was an atheist and he was considering about reverting.  And so through his actions, Br. Aaqib inspired him without any need for showing communication confidence or scholarly references.

·
        Ask Questions

Good Dawah begins with questioning and seeking to understand the other person.

·
        Good Online Adab

Courtesy in actions on social media also determines the effectiveness of your communication. This brings us to our next key discussion point:

DO’s and DON’Ts of SOCIAL MEDIA

Br. Mamoon has been working with the Quran For Busy People initiative and he maintains his interactive Dawah through social media i.e. Email and Facebook. He takes care of his social media mannerisms so as to be courteous to the online audience. He offered to share some really useful tips.

ü 
Don’t spam people and only send messages they opted for. This is true for emails as well.Don’t just add random people to your email list. Lot of Islamic organizations add people without consent – terrible adab.

ü Give lots of great info

ü Divide your list on Facebook into Muslims and non-Muslims so your posts and messages go to relevant people. If you are inviting people to an online event for instance.

ü Give people a total abundance of valuable content – don’t just create a fan Page/blog and leave it.

ü Get organized – don’t allow incoming messages to interrupt you when you are creating valuable content.

ISSUES DISCUSSED IN FURTHER Q&A

Women in Dawah: What’s Permissible?

Dawah is an obligation so there is no question as to a woman NOT doing Dawah because her family restricts her. Scholars have answered the question about male-female interaction for Dawah. There is no problem in speaking to a non-mehram as long as the woman is not alone is accompanied by either other females or a mehram and the content of her speech is correct.

Dawah to the Illiterate – How to go about it?

A question was raised on how to give Dawah to a Hindu woman who is absolutely illiterate and whether it is of any use to propagate the message of Islam to an illiterate. Br. Mamoon narrated an incident from Hadith as an answer. He said that once Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) intended to give Dawah to a powerful member of the Quraish. At the same time a blind man came to him to seek knowledge about Islam. Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) prioritized giving Dawah to the strong Quraish member. At this point Allah (swt) revealed to him that he should attend to the blind man first who yearned for knowledge and attend to convincing the Quraish man later.

Br. Aaqib contributed by advising that if one is to give Dawah to an illiterate person then one should make things simpler for them. Ask questions about their queries, talk to them and do not get into books. Preach through words and actions and examples.

Knowledge for Dawah – How learned do you have to be?

Br. Mamoon beautifully answered, “Only one ayah of Quran is enough to give Dawah. Don’t wait until you have ALL the knowledge. If you are calling people to the Quran then you should know what the Quran says. Study and understand the Quran consistently. When you soak Quran every day you will be bursting with knowledge and you would want to share it immediately.”

Dawah to Parents – How to approach without being rude?

The question was voiced in particular for Pakistani families where the parents are usually very authoritative and inflexible. Br. Mamoon started off by saying that, “Firstly, you don’t advise parents they advise you.” He emphasized that one should prioritize respecting, loving and going over and above the call of duty for their parents. And when you have created that bond of mutual love and respect, then you can slowly and gradually go for it. Also, tell the truth to them 100% of the time so they have your trust.

He recommended listening to Nouman Ali Khan’s advice on YouTube about how to approach your parents with Dawah. Nouman Ali Khan is the learned Islamic scholar and the founder and CEO of Bayyinah; an institute for Arabic Studies.

(iSCRIBE's Resources VII & VIII – Nouman Ali Khan’s talk at Ilm Summit 2009 & Bayyinah’s official website)

iSCRIBE RESOURCES

I.                 iPOET website
http://islamicpoet.com/

II.            iPOET Facebook Page
http://www.facebook.com/pages/iPOET/79083138910

III.        Quran For Busy People website
http://www.quranforbusypeople.com/

IV.         Quran For Busy People Facebook Page
http://www.facebook.com/QuranForBusyPeople

V.              iNOTES “How To Become A Leader in 2011?” iWEBINAR Jan. 2011
http://sisterlyyours.blogspot.com/2011/01/iwebinar-how-to-become-leader-in-2011.html

VI.         Productive Muslim website
http://www.productivemuslim.com/

VII.     Nouman Ali Khan’s talk at Ilm Summit 2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LumwYGp729w
(listen from 20:00 on the timeline for how to deal with parents when convincing them for Dawah and your turning in to religious living)

VIII.Bayyinah’s Official website
http://bayyinah.com/