Welcome - getting to know me, Ibrahim Thompson, and my view along the Muslim path.
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What most attracts you to your chosen path?
I am most attracted by the comprehensiveness of Islam. One of Islam's aspects that I embrace is its generality or applicability to all human beings. It was not sent to a specific group or special race.
What is the goal of your spiritual practice? Do you consider this the goal of life?
The goal of my spiritual practice is the Door to eternal Paradise. By keeping a positive outlook in life, helping others in need, and living a clean life with respect to others, I hope to reach the Eternal Paradise.
What is the predominant spiritual practice you use right now in your life and how do you see it benefiting yourself and your interactions with others?
My predominant spiritual practice is my daily Prayer. It is the worship of Allah the Almighty, Praising and Thanking Him, acknowledging His Sovereignty and committing myself to obey and remember Him at all times. It is the central part of a way of life, which is based on submission to the Owner of all.
We must seek to remember Allah at all times. I must be mindful that everything I am, anything I do, everything I know and understand, is due to the Mercy of Allah. In acknowledging this, I strive to remember the fact that death lies in wait and I do not know when I will depart from this worldly life.
Five times a day, my wife and I stand in prayer. Focusing all our thoughts on the Creator. We praise, thank and acknowledge the Greatness of Allah and seek His forgiveness. Our sins pass before our consciousness and render us humble before the Majesty of the One who owns all things, including the Day of Judgement. We stand, conscious that Allah Sees Him at all times and that in prostration we are the closest to Our Maker.
We, as Muslims, realize that the Angel of death could be behind us at any time, that Jannah (Paradise) lies on our right and the fire of hell is on the left. The truth of our actions and their consequences are unknown to us and as we pray, our hearts are moved by sincere intent to strive harder, work more, study more, forgive more and share more.
This is also the month of Ramadan, our yearly fasting. As-Sawm (fasting) purifies the soul and helps it acquire the habit of obeying Allah and His Messenger by defeating the desires of the heart. Fasting teaches refraining from following the desires because the soul of the Sa-im becomes obedient to Allah's commands. Also, Satan has a stronger hold over the souls that often obey the desires. When the soul abandons its desires, it will become more difficult for Satan to have a hold on the heart.
Having my sins forgiven. There is no doubt that fasting directs to having one's sins forgiven and erased. The Prophet said, "The five prayers, and from Friday to the next Friday, and Ramadan to the next Ramadan, are erasers for what occurs between them, as long as major sins are avoided." (Muslim). Also, the Messenger of Allah said, "Whoever fasts Ramadan with Iman and Ihtisab, will have his previous sins forgiven."
What is the teaching or story from your tradition that has had the greatest impact on how you live your
life?
Its completeness. Every single day, I learn. The peacefulness of Islam.
What is the ultimate expression of the highest teaching of your tradition?
Simply, "And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice to him." (A'Quran, al-Talaaq 65:3)
I am most attracted by the comprehensiveness of Islam. One of Islam's aspects that I embrace is its generality or applicability to all human beings. It was not sent to a specific group or special race.
"And We have not sent you except comprehensively to mankind as a bringer of good tidings and a warner…" [A'Quran: 34:28]. "Say, (O Muhammad), 'O mankind! Indeed I am the Messenger of Allaah to you all…'" [A'Quran: 7:158]
What is the goal of your spiritual practice? Do you consider this the goal of life?
The goal of my spiritual practice is the Door to eternal Paradise. By keeping a positive outlook in life, helping others in need, and living a clean life with respect to others, I hope to reach the Eternal Paradise.
"And give good news (O Muhammad) to those who believe and do good deeds, that they will have gardens (Paradise) in which rivers flow.... " (A'Quran, 2:25)To continue…"Race one with another for forgiveness from your Lord and for Paradise, whose width is as the width of the heavens and the earth, which has been prepared for those who believe in God and His messengers.... " (A'Quran, 57:21)
What is the predominant spiritual practice you use right now in your life and how do you see it benefiting yourself and your interactions with others?
My predominant spiritual practice is my daily Prayer. It is the worship of Allah the Almighty, Praising and Thanking Him, acknowledging His Sovereignty and committing myself to obey and remember Him at all times. It is the central part of a way of life, which is based on submission to the Owner of all.
We must seek to remember Allah at all times. I must be mindful that everything I am, anything I do, everything I know and understand, is due to the Mercy of Allah. In acknowledging this, I strive to remember the fact that death lies in wait and I do not know when I will depart from this worldly life.
Five times a day, my wife and I stand in prayer. Focusing all our thoughts on the Creator. We praise, thank and acknowledge the Greatness of Allah and seek His forgiveness. Our sins pass before our consciousness and render us humble before the Majesty of the One who owns all things, including the Day of Judgement. We stand, conscious that Allah Sees Him at all times and that in prostration we are the closest to Our Maker.
We, as Muslims, realize that the Angel of death could be behind us at any time, that Jannah (Paradise) lies on our right and the fire of hell is on the left. The truth of our actions and their consequences are unknown to us and as we pray, our hearts are moved by sincere intent to strive harder, work more, study more, forgive more and share more.
This is also the month of Ramadan, our yearly fasting. As-Sawm (fasting) purifies the soul and helps it acquire the habit of obeying Allah and His Messenger by defeating the desires of the heart. Fasting teaches refraining from following the desires because the soul of the Sa-im becomes obedient to Allah's commands. Also, Satan has a stronger hold over the souls that often obey the desires. When the soul abandons its desires, it will become more difficult for Satan to have a hold on the heart.
Having my sins forgiven. There is no doubt that fasting directs to having one's sins forgiven and erased. The Prophet said, "The five prayers, and from Friday to the next Friday, and Ramadan to the next Ramadan, are erasers for what occurs between them, as long as major sins are avoided." (Muslim). Also, the Messenger of Allah said, "Whoever fasts Ramadan with Iman and Ihtisab, will have his previous sins forgiven."
What is the teaching or story from your tradition that has had the greatest impact on how you live your
life?
Its completeness. Every single day, I learn. The peacefulness of Islam.
What is the ultimate expression of the highest teaching of your tradition?
Simply, "And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice to him." (A'Quran, al-Talaaq 65:3)
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