I Have One Goal For 2024
(I wrote this a few days before the end of 2024 but never managed to post it!)
I usually love trying to reflect back on my year to think of what lessons I want to take forward. But this year, it’s difficult to look back at anything before October 7th.
We’ve all experienced so many emotions from October 7th — distress, tears, pain. But there is an underlying emotion that a lot of us are feeling — anger.
Anger at our countries, our governments — the people who have the power to make this stop but instead aid it. Anger at being lied to that your people are seen as human as they see themselves. Anger at yourself for believing those lies.
And as a result, it’s time we’ve had enough.
If there is one lesson I take away from 2023, it is to be daringly, unapologetically Muslim.
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But what does it mean to be daringly, unapologetically Muslim?
It means to stop trying to fit in to be the type of Muslim the West wants us to be — the ‘good Muslim’.
The ‘good Muslim’ is the type of Muslim who practices their faith well, but only till the level where it stays palatable to the Wests liberal framework.
It’s the Muslim who’ll push for iftar at Downing Street but abstains to vote against genocide. The Muslim comfortable answing questions about fasting from a work collegue, but scared to call out their bosses support for Israel.
To be daringly, unapologetically Muslim means to become the opposite of that – to be Muslim to your fullest — from your prayer mat to the outside world.
To be the Muslim that stands up tall and loud, ready to stand up for the oppressed even if it’s costs them. Like the believing man working in the palace of Pharoah who stood up for Musa (as)’s message.
To be the Muslim that values the morals and principles their Lord has set above the so called morality of the west that sways like a feather in a storm. Like the Prophet (pbuh) who turned down leadership, money and more from the quraysh to carry on preaching his message.
If the world is afraid of one thing, it’s a united force of people who care about what their Lord thinks more than themselves.
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So how do we do that?
These are the 3 steps that I’m taking in 2024 to level up:
Know your Creator
The first step to level up is to listen and understand the message my Creator has given me. The Quran is the direct speech from Allah. It is the 600 page letter from Him to us to guide us to live lives true to Him. That means dedicating more time to learning and understanding my religion and specifically the Quran.
2024 is a year where the Quran will be the number one priority. (Check out my previous post to see how this will change your life 🌻)
Know your roots
As the quote goes ‘a people without knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture is like a tree without roots’, it’s time to stop being a people without roots.
Knowing your history gives you strength like the roots of a tree that hold a tree down, that help it bear fruit, that protect it from the harsh winds.
The power that history gives you is to be connected to the heroes and stories of our collective past. To know that the reality you live today isn’t an anomaly or a unique experience .
Islamic history is a rich history spanning 1400+ years from the time of the Prophet (pbuh) to as late as WW2. It’s a history of a people who spread the kalimah from the deserts of Arabia all the way to the mountains of Spain. It had both epic moments of glory along with moments of pain.
2024 will be the year to uncover our roots.
Know your rights
Many of us are immigrants or descendants of immigrants living in non Muslim democratic countries. We’ve been told to keep our head down and work. To not stand out too much. To be happy that we have a job and a good pay check.
But it’s time to stop being the ‘good immigrant’ and letting our countries take advantage of our meekness to continue with their injustices in our countries and abroad.
It’s time to learn about the system and use it to our advantage. Learn your rights as a citizen so you can stop being afraid to use your voice.
It’s time to rally behind the Muslim organisations who are in the frontline of protecting us as Muslims, providing them support monetarily and with our skills, such as organisations like CAGE and IRU.
2024 will be the year to stop being silent.
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And using these 3 goals to enrich ourselves, the last step will be to take action. To enjoin good and stop evil, just as we have been commanded by our Lord.
May Allah make us people who are true to Him and the message of Islam. Ameen.
Thank you for reaching till the end of this post.
I hope we get to meet each other in that post. Until then, if you have any thoughts about what you’ve just read let me know (in the comments or any other way). I’d love to start a conversation!
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