Continuing Religious Education

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

I just completed and submitted my continuing legal education to the State Bar. As lawyers and member of the Bar, it is mandatory to show proof of this study every few years. This part of attorney's requirement not only cost money but attorney's precious time. But we welcome it and happily do it because it helps maintain and sharpen our skills as lawyers and also keep us away from ethical violations that can cause us our license.

But what are we doing to maintain and sharpen our practice of our Deen and to keep us away from disobedience of Allah so we may attain the mercy of the Almighty and be of those people who are successful in the life Hereafter? Are we too busy with our self, work, friends and family that we have no time to learn the Deen on a continuous basis?

Our spiritual life today should be better than yesterday and work for a much better tomorrow. Your knowledge of the deen should increase and your practice of the deen should improve each day. There is always a better prayer, a better fast, a better child, a better parent, a better behavior, a better speech, etc. So there is no time to waste but to continue learning and apply what we know.

Everything has been decided and written in the lawh almahfuz. Whether it is going to be in our favor or not, it is in Allah's hands alone. We have no say about it. But we still have to do our part because we are His slaves. He is the Lord. Our part is doing what Allah wants from us. If we don't know what Allah wants from us, then we learn. We ask Allah to help us and give us tawfiq.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, knew the result of the Battle of Badr before it happened, but he did not sit back and wait for Allah to send the victory. He did his part--planned and prepared the army, not stepping on anybody's toes, and he made a long and intense du'a to the Lord the whole night.

We might find certain things difficult or impossible to do but we do them anyway to the best of our ability because we are certain that Allah does not burden a soul beyond his scope (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:286). But we don't stand still. We need to push ourselves whether it be giving up haram or doing more worship at night or seeking religious knowledge. If we beseech Allah's help humbly, the moment it is going to be beyond our ability, help will come but we have to do our part.

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِن قَبْلِكُم ۖ مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاءُ وَالضَّرَّاءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ اللَّـهِ ۗ أَلَا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّـهِ قَرِيبٌ ﴿٢١٤

Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until [even their] messenger and those who believed with him said, "When is the help of Allah?" Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near. (214)

[Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:214]

May Allah grant us the tawfiq. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in our night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam