Prof Tariq's Lecture: Contributions of Muslims

In the name of Allah, the Most Forgiven, the Most Merciful, the Most Gracious

Alhamdulillah that Allah gave me another opportunity to be around intellectual Muslims who endlessly seeking knowledge for the sake of Him. Thounsand thanks to my hubby for giving a permission to participate in the lecture of Prof Tariq Ramadan at IIUM and as promised, I arrived at home 12am sharp, from Gombak to Bangi, by driving crazily rapidly.

I'm sure that a big name of Prof Tariq is well known by everybody. A grandson of Imam Hasan al-Banna who said: "I belong to my principles. I don't belong to my blood. I don't belong to community asking me to betray my religion because we are the same religion". Currently, he is Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies at Oxford University, author of numerous books such as In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammad, The quest for meaning: developing a philosophy of pluralism, What I Believe, Radical Reform: Islamic Ethics and Liberation, The Arab Awakening and others.

CAC, Main Hall of IIUM was fulfilled by thousands of people inside and outside of IIUM, hunger of knowledge and patient to reflect from what they listened. As said by Prof Tariq: "Don't get fooled by numbers". There will be numerous people attending the lecture but their actions will be nothing if they don't know their responsibilities.. Numbers are creating changes, but it means nothing. Because, some people who attend the lecture has none of good intention. He said: "It is useless to come and you are still same on tomorrow's morning, you are responsible on what you listened".

 Prof Tariq began his lecture by explaining the Quranic verse which recited by Bro. Kashmiri (MC), verse 110 from Surah Ali-Imran. Allah says:

كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ

 (You are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind, 

you enjoin Al-Ma`ruf and forbid Al-Munkar and believe in Allah)

Prof Tariq explained that this verse contains a very important conditions to be the best Ummah or people among other people. The conditions are by doing good deeds and avoiding bad deeds; and Only the people who believe in Allah will able to fulfill these two conditions perfectly and sincerely.

Then, he reminded the audience to bear with our own responsibility. Each one of us has our own Amanah as a Khalifah. He said: "Start with our own responsibility, and leave Allah for our destiny".

Allah is the only Lord to be worshiped, to be loved, but not to be scared of. It's true when he said that Islamic education must teach not on how to scared of Allah, but how to love Him and increase our love to Him. We also must teach ourselves not on the way that Allah can see our mistakes, but how close He is to our intention and heart. Thus, we can feel the beauty of Ihsan which means to worship Allah as you are seeing Him and while you see Him not yet truly He sees you.

Due to the topic of lecture is "In the Footsteps of the Prophet: How Muslims should contribute to the World", Prof Tariq connects each point with the life of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). 

Firstly, it's all about CHANGE. Change the way you look at things; nature, poor people, women, children and parents. 

• "Look around you. Appreciate the nature as a gift to thanks Allah"
• "Look at the nature with the eyes of heart, it deeps your relationship with God"
• If you neglect nature, you neglect your heart"
• "Love the poor people and get to be loved by them"
• "No way to close to Allah if you don't care to your kids"
•  "No way to close to Allah if you don't respect to your parents. Change the way how you deal with parents, because it is the way to enter jannah"

He also emphasized on the way of understanding. "Understanding with mind only will produce arrogance, but understanding together with heart is the essence of humility"

Secondly, Muslims must know how to behave accordingly. It's all related to our communication with Allah and people. Interestingly, Prof Tariq said that "Our relationship with Allah is a love story".

He highlighted the importance of Akhlaq and told the reason why Saydtina Aisyah described the characteristic of the Prophet PBUH equivalent to the Holy Quran. The Prophet PBUH is a very special human being. He is the most tender especially in the month of Ramadan. 

Therefore, four qualities that must possessed by Muslims are:

1. Confidence. Be confident in yourself and never doubt on La ilaha illallah.
2. Trust. Tawakkal to Allah only, trust your community, trust your family, trust yourself.
3. Ambitious. Be ambitious to change the word withe the help of Allah
4. Courage. Be courage to say the truth and speak the word of truth.

Another beneficial advices from Prof Tariq:

• "Never forget to connect the way we deal with the principle of Tawhid and connect it with the values of humanity"
• "Islam asks to do goods in this wordl and to prepare to get goods in the Hereafter."
• "Celebrate this life with the right principles"
• "Celebrate your culture, arts and creativity"
•  "Don't forget the one who taught you to walk"

I love this beautiful advice: "Two essential things that you should never forget to remember is Vicegerent (Khilafah) and Death (Mawt). If you want to have a good life, never forget that you are going to die!"

When he covers the topic of humanity, he said: "There is no humanity without education. Connect the knowledge (al-'Ilm) with understanding (al-fahm), then join with deep understanding (al-fiqh), to achieve al-Furqan"

At the end of the lecture, Prof Tariq reminds to "Learn to forgive you own self". Not only that, "Ask du'a for yourself first, NOT because you are selfish, but because you will be alone at the end of life in the hereafter." He also said: "Give YOURSELF Rahmat FIRST. Have compassion for yourself, then you'll have compassion for the rest."

Once he finished his lecture, I was rushing back to my home. I feel envy when friends of mine posted a beautiful du'a recited by Prof Tariq before they dispersed from the main hall. Anyway, may Allah listen all the du'a and shower His blessing upon all of us. Ameennn..

Enjoy the du'a HERE.


Wallahua'lam..