Unleashing Your Potential

Karbala An Instrument of

Reform

Hasnain Walji

Lecture 1

قوىالبر علىوتعاونوا والتوالعدوان اإلثم علىتعاونوا وال

…help one another in goodness and piety, and do not help one another in sin and aggression

AL-MA'IDAH (THE TABLE SPREAD) 5:2

On a Sand Dune

Like a muezzin he called out

Repeated the call four times.

Who was he calling out to?

WHY?

• Call to Muslims of every Generation in every Land.

1st of Muharram 1438

• Renewal, new beginnings.

• Reflection and introspection

Leaving Madinah

• 28th Rajab in 60 Hijrah,• Mission– "Wa innama kharajtu li talabi-l islahifi ummaati jaddi".– Not to fight Yezid to get the throne– Rekindle the Islamic conscience

Beyond the Tears of History

• “If a single tear that we shed for him should signify a harmony between our souls and his spirit, THEN

• it represents a brief flight that our spirit makes along with Husayn'sspirit.

– Ayatollah Mutahhari

Prescription for Reform

• A little glow of his valor, • A particle of his free nature, • A particle of his faith, • A particle of his piety• A small spark of tawhid,

• Such a tear has an infinite value.

Time to reset

• CTRL ALT DEL ?

– reset my system which has become unstable each Muharram.

• Am I a better human being than I was last year?

Insurance against Sin ! • “ WeclaimthatImamHusayn foundedaninsurancecompanytoguaranteesecuritytosinners!

• Hehasinsuredusagainsttheconsequencesofsininreturnforourtears.

• Allthatwehavetodoistoshedtearsforhimandinreturnheguarantees immunitytothesinners.”

'Ashura - Misrepresentations and Distortions, Ayatullah Murtada Mutahhari

Resting On our Laurels?

• WhatistherelevanceofKarbalainshapingourfuture?

• EveryerahasitsChallenges

• WETOOHAVEOURS!

The Challenge?

• New generation constructs their Islamic identity differently from the way parents have constructed their identity.

• Striving to be a Muslim - and North American.

Our Response !!!• More Mosques? Amoebas??

– Home Sickness Centers? • No of Muslim organizations growing

– differences arise we create another mosque.

– "Those with fervor in their faith built the mosque in a night, but the heart is sinful and did not prostrate in years.

– Allamah Iqbal

Facilitate transition

• Vital for all N Americans to develop a better understanding of Islam

• Facilitate greater understanding of the richness of the Islamic experience

• Muslims in N America need to engage in the political system and civil society.

Need of time to nurture the next generation

• Decisions we make today about how to practice the faith in a Western context will define Islam for the next Generation.

16

Kerbala - a microcosm.

• Great lessons of Islamic Principles• Highest ideals of Hukukullah• Caring principles of Hukul Ibaad

– Karbala is about caring, Compassion • REFRAME OUR MESSAGE• I am blind – Please help• Today is a beautiful day and I can not

see !

17

STRIVING FOR A JUST SOCIAL SYSTEM

• Intentional society• Accidental Society• Individual and society

• It is the society which changes and individual?

• It is the individual who changes society?

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world.

Today I am wise, so I am changing myself ”

Rumi

I need to Change

• Now, as an old man, I realize that if long ago I had improved myself, I could have Impacted – my family, my neighborhood, my city ,–

• which could have influenced the nation and potentially changed the world."

Journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.• Let's begin by changing one important person;

– it may be a friend, – it may be a neighbor, – it may be a spouse,

• but most likely it will be your self.

ان بقوم ال یغیر ما هللاى بانفسھم ما یغیروا حت

» Al-Rad - 13:11

Behavior Change?

Behavior Change?

Niyyah – Central to Faith & Practice• Niyyah implies that you are

conscious of your choice of action – your life is lived intentionally and

purposefully • Action is evaluated by the intention

that precedes it.• Niyyah Elevates Three men on a

building site

Topics to Come 1. Karbala – an instrument of reform 2. Power of Intentional Living3. The power of Critical Thinking4. Time is life’s capital5. Value Proposition of insaan6. Emotional Intelligence – EQ v/s IQ 7. Living a purposefully and Relevantly 8. Nurturing the Next Generation9. Concept of the Society of Believers10. Life is a Journey – Islam is the vehicle

Difference between Niyyah of Yazid & Imm Husein AS

• Refused Oath of allegiance

مثلي ال یبایع مثلھSome one like me [who it utterly submissive Allah can not give his hand to someone like him –(Yazīd [who is an open sinner)

Direction for every truth seeker

• Anyone like me (mithlī) • Yazīd (mithlahu)”

– Imām ('a) does not say "I will not pay the oath of allegiance to Yazīd".

• Statement is not personal– a universal lesson for all times and all places.

• Direction for every truth-seeker.