Islamic Soul Wellness

By:

Mohammed A,

Ali Ahmed

Ibrahim Warsame

Sadiiq Good,

Amiin Good,

Mohamed-Nuur Good,

Khayre Farah,

Mohammed Abdullahi

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Table of Contents

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1. Meaning
2. Purpose of Life
3. Beliefs
4. Forgiveness
5. Repentance
6. Self Actualization/Ihsan
7. Balance

Meaning

• To be a Muslim is to live in accordance with the will and pleasure of God, Allah (Glorious and exalted is he).
• The principles of Islam are easy and straightforward: Simply live in accordance to the commands of Allah and be good to people. This is the global meaning of being a Muslim.

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The true meaning of being a Muslim is to believe in Allah, who is the Creator and Sustainer of all people and the universes. Further, believing in the Qur’an, which is the primary source of knowledge for all Muslims and is the Book of Islam. From there, one can find deeper meanings of being a Muslim according to the teachings of the Qur’an such as honouring God (Allah) both with his “rights upon you” and respecting “the rights of the creatures” he has created.

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Meaning

Meaning

• “The straight path” is what a Muslim hopes to work for and that straight path is the perfect path that leads us back to our Ruler the one and only God; Allah (Glorious and exalted is he). This is what motivates us to become better people .
• To most people, being a Muslim today -or any day- seems to be exceedingly hard. Muslim people constantly go through various challenges, but we understand that the this life is only temporary, and we will find eternal blessings in the Hereafter.
• Overall, we find meaning knowing that our life is what Allah (God) wills and desires not only for humanity but also for oneself and that listening, understanding, and having patience is what means to be a Muslim.

Meaning

You can basically sum up the meaning of being a Muslim from the following beautiful verse from the Holy Qur’an:

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In Surah 2: Al-Baqarah: 177:

“It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces towards the East or West; But it is righteousness to believe in God, the Last Day, the Angels, the Book (All the books that came to each messenger), the Messengers; to spend of your substances, out of love of Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the wayfarer, for those who ask and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer, and practice regular charity; to fulfill the contracts which ye have made; and to be firm and patient, in pain (or suffering) and adversity, and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the God-Fearing.”

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Purpose of Life

“Purpose is defined by the Cambridge Dictionary as why you do something or why something exists..”

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The purpose of life has been a subject of debate for as long as human beings have been on earth. Some say our purpose is to love others, some say it is to find happiness, and others argue there is no purpose to life and that our existence is coincidental.

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What’s Islam’s take on this?

Purpose of Life

From the Islamic perspective, our life has a higher purpose. These purposes include...

• To worship God alone and follow his guidance. “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. (Quran: 51:56)”
• Our responsibilities towards God consist of acts of worship including the 5 daily prayers, fasting during the month of Ramadan, obligatory charity, etc.
• Our responsibilities towards people include: respecting/honoring parents, being truthful, caring for others, being good to neighbours etc.
• To do good deeds and stay away from evil ones. “And not equal are the good deeds and the bad. Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become] as though he was a devoted friend. (Quran 41:34)”

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According to Islam, life is a test where...

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• We will be judged in the afterlife based on our deeds/actions. “[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed - and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving” (67:2).
• We strive to be grateful for the countless blessings in our lives, “And whatever of blessings and good things you have, it is from Allah.” (16:53)
• and to be patient when we our struck with trials/adversity. “And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient” (Quran: 2: 155)

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“Verily, those who believe and do righteous good deeds, they are the best of creatures. Their reward with their Lord is ‘Adn (Eden) Paradise (Gardens of eternity), underneath which rivers flow. They will abide therein forever, Allah will be pleased with them, and they with Him. That is for him who fears his lord.” (Qur’an: 98:7-8).

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Notable Quotes

• “Life consists of two days, one for you and one against you. So when it’s for you don’t be proud or reckless, and when it’s against you be patient, for both days are test for you.” ~Ali (R.A)

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Must Watch: Meaning of Life

Beliefs

What is belief in Islam?

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Muslims believe that the last revealed scripture sent by God is the Qur'an or Koran. It is the speech of God revealed in the Arabic language to prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, during his twenty-three year mission of spreading the word of God. The Qur'an emphasizes moral, ethical and spiritual values with the aim of establishing justice for everyone.

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Verses from the Quran

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Monotheism is a prominent theme of the Quran, affirming that God is One without any partners. In a concisely-worded Quranic chapter, God commands, “Say, ‘He is God the One, God the eternal. He begot no one nor was He begotten. No one is comparable to Him’” (112:1-4). [Read more: Belief in One God]

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6 major beliefs

1. Belief in one God (Allah)
2. Belief in the Angels
3. Belief in the holy books
4. Belief in all the Prophets sent by God including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, peace be upon them all. Although Muslims believe in Jesus, they don't think of Jesus as the Son of God. In Islam, Jesus is a noble prophet of God.
5. Belief in the Day of Judgment and life after death. The best reward for performing good deeds is getting closer to God.
6. Belief in divine decree. This means that God is all-powerful and nothing can happen without His permission, however, he has given human beings freedom to choose whether to be good or bad. In the end, everyone will be questioned about how they lived

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5 pillars of Islam

• Shahadah (declaration of faith)—to bear witness or testify that there is no god except one God (Allah) and Muhammad is His prophet or messenger.
• Salat (ritual prayer)—the five daily prayers are performed at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and night. The prayers are offered in Arabic language and facing the direction of Mecca.
• Zakah (alms tax) –Giving 2.5% of one's wealth to the poor and needy.
• Sawm (fasting)—Muslims fast during the daylight hours in the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar called Ramadan. The purpose is to remind people of the goodness of what they have and to show equality with the poor. Ramadan is a time for study and self-discipline.
• Hajj (pilgrimage): Muslims believe in making a pilgrimage to Mecca to the Ka'bah at least once in their lifetime. The Ka'bah is believed to have been built by Ibrahim (Abraham) and one of his sons. Muhammad restored it to worship Allah. For this reason it is a very sacred place to Muslims.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is when a person stops feeling angry or resentful towards someone for an offence, flaw, or mistake.

• Forgiveness is something we see in our everyday lives whether we notice it or not.
• Think about how many times you hear “ oh don’t worry about it” or “it’s okay”.
• Forgiveness is part of what makes people human.
• Forgiving someone means to move past what they’ve done to you, and to continue living peacefully.

What is Forgiveness?

In Islam, one of the biggest blessings we receive from Allah, is the fact that he is All-Forgiving. The amount of forgiveness Allah has is even greater than our own parents. When it comes to forgiveness, Muslims believe:

• Through the trials, adversity, and tribulations we endure in life, God forgives us for our shortcomings.
• No matter how far you’ve gone sinning, Allah will forgive you if you ask for his forgiveness, as long as you are sincere and commit to staying away from that sin.

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Forgiveness in Islam

There are many Hadith (teachings and saying of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him) that indicate the virtues of forgiveness in Islam:

• The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Charity does not decrease wealth. No one forgives, but Allah increases him in honour, and no one humbles himself before Allah but Allah raises him in status.”

• Narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he said, when he was on the minbar: “Show mercy, and you will be shown mercy; forgive, and Allah will forgive you.”

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Hadith about Forgiveness

Allah mentions forgiveness many times in the Qur’an (Holy Scripture):

• “Who spend [in the cause of Allah ] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people - and Allah loves the doers of good” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:134]
• “If [instead] you show [some] good or conceal it or pardon an offense - indeed, Allah is ever Pardoning and Competent” [an-Nisaa’ 4:149]
• “And whoever is patient and forgives - indeed, that is of the matters [requiring] determination” [ash-Shoora 42:43]
• “But if you pardon and overlook and forgive - then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful” [at-Taghaabun 64:14].

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Verses in the Qur’an about Forgiveness

One of the best ways that will help a Muslim free their heart of grudges and hatred is to show sincerity and kindness towards others, and to do that for the sake of Allah, in order to get the pleasure of Allah.

Sincerity when forgiving others

Repentance

Repentance means sincere regret or remorse for past wrongs, which is accompanied by commitment to change for the better.

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Repentance - Why Repent?

• Allah's apostle said, "Every son of Adam sins, the best of the sinners are those who repent."�— Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith no. 2499

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• “O you who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance! It may be that your Lord will expiate from you your sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise)” [al-Tahreem 66:8]

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Follow the sin or bad deed with good deed

Allah says: “And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds. That is a reminder for those who remember.” [Qur’an: Chapter 11: Verse 114]

Suffocate the sin with good deeds and do not let it suffocate you. Surround it from every direction with as many good deeds as you can. Again, you are in control, so control the sin and do not let it control you or define you or steal your life from you.

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Self-Actualization

Self-Actualization

“Ihsan”

• Kindness
• The quality of being good

Self-Actualization

Ihsan

• Need for human growth towards the fulfillment of the ideal-self

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• Humility
• Respect
• Tolerance
• Sense of social responsibility

Ihsan - Definition

Ihsan - How do Muslims Reach This State?

Ihsan - Attributes

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1. Both parents
2. Orphans and the needy
3. Neighbours
4. The unkind
5. Kindness in speech

Kindness to:

Balance

When you are living with balance in your life, you are living with peace and harmony every day. Balance comes in physical forms, emotional forms, and a spiritual form.

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In life one of the most important things is balance. Moderation is necessary in all aspects.

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• E.g, student, work, life.
• For your mental health it has benefits
• Balance in the context of Islam.
• Balance in understanding destiny, balance in worship, balance in daily practice.

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Balance in Islam

Balance in Islam

Daily practical advice as passed down from the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH)

Balance in Islam

Daily practical advice as passed down through the Quran

Balance in Islam

Daily practical advice as passed down through the Companions

Balance in Islam

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• Within our daily lives, we should practice balance between work and worship.
• Balance in our tone, respect, and rights upon ourselves and others.
• Balancing your physical and spiritual well-being.

Balance in Islam - Summary

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