How Sincere are You??

A late Eid Mubarak to everyone. Insha'Allah Eid was a time that we all reflected on the mercy and love of Allah (SWT) for his creation, thought about the Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and of course the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Unfortunately here in TO there was the usual debate about which day the Eid would be celebrated--- I am curious as to which day you celebrated in your community and why if readers are willing to post.

Alhamdulillah this last weekend I had the opportunity to attend a local conference at the masjid that I have been attending. It is the Abu Hurairah Center and mesha'Allah the community there is very active. They have various events going on including a great halaka on Friday nights for families. If you are in the TO area I encourage you to attend. From what little I know, the Imam is meshallah blessed with sound knowledge and the masjid seperates the brothers and sisters area completely-- I have really been blessed by Allah from my experiences there.
The things that I learned this weekend are really too numerous to include, but I will focus on one point briefly.

One of the main aims of the conference was to increase the awareness of Muslims about their faith and sincerity in the religion. To remind us that often living in this world (dunya) we are so caught up in what we think will benefit us in this life, and trying to fit in here with people around us, that we neglect our deen. There is a hadith where the Prophet (SAW) said that there will come a day when holding onto our deen will be like holding onto burning coals (this is just a paraphrase)-- I would challenge us all to think about whether that time is now? The speaker asked us all to likewise consider that thought. How many of us in the last month have prayed every prayer on time? This is a fardh action... it is obligatory on us. Yet many struggle just to do that--- a fardh that we as Muslims MUST do. If we can't even hold fast to the obligatory in our religion then how can we strive to be following the actions of the Prophet (SAW)?
Why do we have such a problem? I think that a lot of it is because we lack priority. We lack focus that the most important part of our life should always be our religion. That our days should be scheduled around our prayer, what we are doing for the deen, and we shouldn't be squeezing prayers in "when we can" to fit our worldly schedule. How many times have you invited someone to get together for a halaka or you yourself been invited to a function where your response was "Sorry I don't have enough time". Why?? Why don't we have time for our religion? Why will we watch TV or surf the net, but not pick up a Quran or arrange a get together with other Muslims to increase our knowledge...?
It is because we get caught up living for the dunya and not the deen.

It is difficult to be Muslim in a secular world--- Alhamdulillah!!! Praise be to God! Insha'Allah there is reward in this. Insha'Allah there is reward in the struggle. But looking at those who came before us in the religion-- mainly the Prophet (SAW) and his followers during the Meccan period they endured suffering far greater. They too were a minority. Let us find inspiration in that. Let us not try to "fit in" with this world because in the end all that will matter from this world is the actions you did for the sake of Allah (SWT).
Nothing that happens to us is by chance. Allah has decreed it all for us. We are living where we are because Allah (SWT) wrote it for us-- that being the case we need to focus on that fact and work for Him. Strive to be strong Muslims who spread Islam. Quit feeling sorry for ourselves and thinking that we live in the wrong place, or that it is too hard, or that we suffer so greatly. In all things say Alhamdulillah, and remember that Allah (SWT) chose you for paradise...