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Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Dear brother in Islam, it gives us great pleasure to receive your question, which really reflects your care and interest to work towards strengthening the Muslim Ummah. Whether you are teaching Islam by words or teaching by your example in being active in the Muslim community, Allah says of those who devotedly work in the noble field of da`wah (calling people to Islam):(Who is better in speech than one who calls (men) to Allah, works righteousness, and says, ‘I am of those who bow in Islam’?) (Fussilat 41: 33)
In addition to developing yourself spiritually, you should work with others—preferably Muslims if you live near other Muslims—in whatever good works fit your schedule and abilities. These might be social service projects, political activism for justice, fund raising for Islamic causes, or any other activity that suits your interests and talents.
In his response to your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:
Your question is indicative of your sincere desire to improve your faith. This indeed is the first and most important step. Our aspirations and dreams are extremely important; if we follow them up with enough concentration and necessary action, they will become realities for us. “Man can only claim as his own what he strives for.” “Actions are by intentions; everyone gets what he intends.” so cherish sincere intention, and develop them into a new reality for you.
1) Knowledge is the first prerequisite of proper Islamic life. Imam al-Bukhari rightly stated in his wonderful work, “Knowledge precedes words and deeds.” In other words, before anything, one should acquire the right kind of knowledge.
2) Nurture the habit of making dhikr (remembrance of Allah). Through dhikr you can always enjoy the divine grace and become protected against temptations.
3) Perform the your religious obligations diligently. While doing so, be alive to their spirit as well as form.
4) Take care of your time. Time is the essence of life. If we take care to use the present—which is all that we have for certain—for beneficial goals and projects, we can ensure that our life is focused on good.
5) Think of life as really short and transient, so don’t complicate it by amassing things that are worthless. Store up treasures of good works as a legacy for you when you die.
6) Think of every day as an opportunity to develop your body, mind and spirit, and divide your activities accordingly.
7) Join hands and cooperate with others in doing good works as much as you can, and thus turn yourself into an instrument of goodness leaving behind you a legacy of goodness when you die.
Excerpted, with slight modifications, from: www.muslims.ca
You can also read:
Ethical Codes of Du`ah (Callers to Islam)
Tips for Du`ah (Islamic Callers)
American Muslims: Faithful and Active Citizens
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