By Babrus Qadir
Charity can be divided as sadaqah (voluntary donations for the sake of Allah) and zakat (mandatory donation and a pillar of faith). Missing your zakat can be seen as similar to missing your Salah, another pillar in Islam.
Despite charity being one of the biggest obligations of a Muslim, we still hesitate to give. We overlook the importance of spreading wealth. We expect things to improve automatically yet we hoard wealth with a passion. We fill our hearts with the love of the dunya rather than the love of Allah. The only money that is to our name is that which is spent in the way of Allah. In the Qur’an, Allah promises on over 20 different occasions that charity brings forth increased rizq and barakah; Shaytaan makes the opposite promise just once. This leads to the question – we believe IN Allah swt, but do we actually BELIEVE Allah swt? Allah makes the promise of charity in the Qur’an, yet how many of us truly act upon it without hesitation? The transactional nature of donations today online have made it more of a passive deed, rather than a conscious effort. How will we be able to stand on the day of Judgement with the likes of Abu Bakr RA who said all that is left for his family is Allah and His Messenger SAW. Abu Bakr RA donated all his wealth on two occasions – once during the Hijra and then at the battle of Tabuk, SubhanAllah. The focus on monetary donation is because in this period, every penny was needed so much that the value of this donation was incredibly unique. Without money, it would have been very difficult for the Muslims to migrate to Madinah, survive and prosper independently  from the Qur’aysh.

Furthermore, Zakat is often not given its due worth and purpose. As Muslims, many of us have wealth in excess of the zakat threshold; it is our obligation to be responsible and honest in our calculations and pay zakat on time. If we don’t spread our wealth effectively then how can we ever expect to benefit or thrive as an ummah. We ought to do more. Not just by supporting short term projects which are excellent and essential, but long term establishments; masajid, schools, religious institutions, organisations and charities. We must become established in society and be able to have our own voice and engage in meaningful dialogue. This happens through community action, which is fuelled by funding in lesser economically developed areas across the world. We must support those that stand for the truth – Allah commands us to enjoin good and forbid evil, this is a simple yet powerful way of doing so. Charity is not just a question of who can give the most money – it’s contradictory that you give large sums of money to charity but as a person you are bitter, unfair and selfish towards others and behave arrogantly. For those of us who don’t have such large sums of money, charity starts at home: emptying the dishwasher, doing the hoover, setting the table are all simple yet meaningful tasks. Being there for your family in times of need is far more precious and valuable than writing a cheque at a charity dinner. Uttering a kind word to your parents, being respectful and patient are all virtues of the people of Paradise. Surely we should also focus on these aspects of refining our character? This reminder is first and foremost to myself, May Allah forgive us all for our sins and shortcomings and allow us to make use of our time. May Allah allow us to be of those that reflect on His Deen and implement it in our lives, may Allah allow us to be under His shade on the day of judgment through our charity. Ameen

What is IHYA Publications? A formal introduction from the team.

As Salaam Alaikum and welcome to our online reflections for IHYA Publications. This is a space for us to post shorter and more informal, discussive reflections and reminders bi’ithnillah. IHYA Publications began in 2022 and Alhamdulillah it has gone from strength to strength and is now established as the UK’s leading Islamic youth publication. We publish formal editions twice a year, as well as short form content and reminders on our socials @ihyapublications.

Our vision is to empower the Muslim youth to think independently and shape their own opinion. As second and third generation Muslims in the UK, we ought to do much more in contributing to public opinion and social discourse on the issues that matter. This is not only the genocide unfolding in Gaza but issues that affect all Brits: cost of living, the NHS and the death of honesty and integrity in politics.

It is imperative that we embrace our identity as young Muslims; we will constantly be questioned by others and by ourself at times regarding our faith; whether its worth it, its relevance, its impact on society. We must remember the Hadith of the Prophet SAW ‘“Islam began as something strange and will go back to being strange, so glad tidings to the strangers.’” (Sunan Ibn Majah 3986).

We pray that this new initiative benefits the community and the youth and may Allah allow all that we do to be as a form of Sadaqah Jariah and a means of expiation for our sins. As ever, any benefit or success from this endeavour is purely through Allah’s mercy, and any flaws are due to the influence of Shaytaan. We also wish to express our sincere gratitude to our respected mentors at Cheadle Masjid for their unwavering support and guidance, particularly Sheikh Salim, Imam Abid, and Dr. Usman. May Allah grant them reward in this world and the Hereafter.

Duas
The IHYA Publications Team

By Babrus Qadir

For the purpose of this reflection, I will be referring to students in sixth form/college as they prepare for university.

I was fortunate enough to attend a chaotic cesspit of bold ideas, frantic discussion and strong opinion for the majority of my schooling; as have my fellow co founders. Engaging in intellectually stimulating conversations is one of the hallmarks of anyones time at school, whether by polite discussion or otherwise. Its pivotal that you challenge yourself and those around you in a safe environment at school. At university, often people who are unreceptive to more than one point of view end up being incredibly obstinate and struggle to function and maintain basic conversation. As Muslims, we should be open minded but firm in our Islamic beliefs and values.

School is a wonderful place where opinions are formed about things early, people often ‘make their mind up’ on big questions while at School. As Muslims, where possible it is our duty to dispel harmful and untrue narratives about Islam which are relentlessly perpetuated by the media in an effort to whip up even more Islamophobia and hysteria. Now, more than ever, it is imperative that us as Muslims hold onto our key values and remain proud of our identity. We share a lot of concerns with all Brits; the cost-of-living crisis, the death of integrity in politics and if England will ever win another trophy.

Some parting thoughts: make sure you enjoy what you have left of school. I remember being in the same position as many of you, dreading school – the early starts, the double lessons, the constant homework.
Now in my third year at medical school, I realise that my time at school holds some of my fondest memories. Cherish what time you’ve got left and make sure you finish school with no regrets thinking what you could’ve or might’ve done – schools do a terrific job supporting you so don’t be afraid to do something a bit unorthodox. People have brought forward some great initiatives and who knows, you might go even further.

Sure, university is exciting: the freedom, the feeling of being on a massive campus, of passing your exams, moving in to your accommodation, meeting so many new people are all things that you don’t forget as you progress in your studies. It is important to not get too carried away, as Muslims we must be mindful of our boundaries and have discipline but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your time.

As a final reminder, be thorough in choosing your friends. Get to know everyone who you think seems ok, but don’t rush into a friend group as often you will realise that over time, people aren’t what they seem. At school, parents would meet each other and most of the time you grew up with your school friends. At university you’re meeting people for the first time, you have no idea what they’re truly like. I’d say take some time to make friends as they will be with you for the entirety of your time at university. You spend so much time in the opening semesters that you’ll start to follow certain habits and actions; don’t fall complacent, stay disciplined with prayer and Ibadah and try and integrate with the ISOC weekly talks or circles. Jummu’ah is also a great place to meet people as well as the university prayer room.

‘People don’t read the Qur’an, they read you; so be a good read’. – Khabib Nurmagomedov.