I can dedicate my death to Allah, the problem is my life. The challenge is to make one’s life for Allah.

Team Characteristics

• dedication and sincerity
• priority
• growth and cohesiveness
• integrity and solidarity
• faith and work
• discipline and accountability

1. Dedication and sincerity

Dedication and sincerity is the unhesitant commitment to the cause. Is it easy? No it is not. It is not easy to have that commitment to the cause of Islam without any if’s, but’s or hesitations. One will not be able to have that without really appreciating Islam and one will not appreciate Islam without knowing what it is. So things are connected together. One cannot dismember or fragment this whole concept.

To understand that, let us take certain verses of the Quran and the first verse that talks about this model is:

Say: “Truly, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death, are (all) for Allah, the Cherisher of the Worlds. No partner hath He: this am I commanded, and I am the first of those who bow to His will. (Quran 6: 162-163)

This is considered to be the highest model because here the Quran is talking to Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) who was selected, prepared and equipped to be the model that will be emulated.
The Arabic keywords in this verse that need to be reflected upon are:

qul
salati
nusuk
la shariklahn

The word qul (say) has more than one meaning. Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) is a receiver and not an inventor or originator. The newspapers, in general refer to Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) as the founder of Islam, which is incorrect. Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) is a receiver and this is why Allah says, “say”. If it were not information to the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh), He wouldn’t say, “say”. But He says, “go and say that”. So the message, although it is primarily to Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) it is secondary to us because He is telling Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) to go and say.

Salati, the easiest way to interpret is, “my prayer”. But salat means “my communication to God”. It means “communication”. This is why prayer is a two way street. When we pray i.e. when we pray right, we talk and receive, two way street. We talk to God and we listen to God. This is why we recite Quran, because we are listening, that’s why we say Alhamdullilah, we are talking to Him and listening at the same time.

Nusuk has two meanings. It is used to relate to the animals that one slays for God, particularly in Hajj. But this is the ritualistic and superficial meaning of the word. Here it means, “act of complete devotion”. When you melt the silver to extract the silver and make pure silver, they say nusuk. This means, “act of purification”. Hence all my acts of self-purification to be able to connect to God. And my life and my death are completely for Allah. As one young person said, I have no problem with death — I can dedicate my death to Allah, the problem is my life. This is very profound and very true. The challenge is to make one’s life for Allah.

La shariklahn means I am the foremost in surrendering to him.

So when you look at this verse there is a huge demand on all of us, a very challenging demand. So the standard here is that the bar is so high, and this is why such a verse is primarily and deliberately addressed to the messenger, this is the standard you (Muhammad) live up to and you tell them (followers) that. So Allah has set the bar towards which we should strive and try to reach. And I cannot even explain to myself how I can make all my prayers, all my acts of purification, all my life and death to Allah without associating any partners. It is a tough one. So this is the high standard and the model we have to strive to.

The second verse that will not be less challenging is:

“God hath purchased of the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs (in return) is the garden (of Paradise): they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the Qur’an: and who is more faithful to his covenant than God. Then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme.” (Quran 9:111)

Allah has struck a deal. He has bought something from us. A deal that is willingly done, ishtara in Islam and in all Islamic jurisprudence is a contract that is ratified based on free will according to which you gave up something completely, it is different from borrowed, because in another verse it says “who will lend God something.” Here ishtara is different. One gave up something completely. It does not belong to you anymore. This verse is beginning by the words VERILY, affirmatively, God from the believers, this cannot be done with no believers or wishy-washy believers. This has got to be solid gold believers. Then they decided to go into this contract with God. And he bought from them what? Their life and their property. What is left? Nothing. Everything is given to Allah in that contract. A done deal. What is the return? What is the price? Al jannah. What is Al jannah? Is it a space or a state? We really do not know. I think the agreement in the Quran is something that we actually cannot measure or comprehend. It is the ultimate, absolute and permanent eternal bliss, which is unimaginably good. It is a good deal.

(This series is designed for those who are students and those who are involved in activism).
Editor (The writer is Sr. Advisor, Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC-USA)

Just for the Young