#1
Sponsor an Orphan. Before anything else, there are hungry children
everywhere who have needs right now. There are several reputable programs that
offer orphan sponsorship at very
low monthly cost. We know that we can afford to do it. Supporting
an orphan can make us close to the Prophet in Paradise. Click
here for Orphan Sponsorship
#2
Go to the Mosque at least once a week for Salat. Even if someone can not go to the
local Mosque for the Friday prayers because of their job, then we can at least
go for one Maghrib
(evening prayer) once a week or for Zuhr (noon prayer) on the weekend. Whatever time
is suitable we can at least take timeout for this once a week Ð with our family. This will help
us and our family make the Mosque a center for activity and our children will develop ties to the community. If
we don't like the way the
Mosque is operated, we have an opportunity to make it better by getting
involved. If someone lives in a remote area that does not have a Mosque, then pray
together at home with all the family members.
#3
Send your children to an Islamic School. If your children go to public
school, and there is no Islamic school nearby, then make sure they either get
into some Sunday school program, or, if the local Islamic Center doesn't run it
right, then pool together with some like-minded families and run your own
program at somebody's house every Saturday or Sunday and conduct it the way you
think it should be done. This is the minimum requirement for not losing our
children to materialism and other social ills.
#4
Buy at least one book, audio or video produced by a Muslim company or author per
month. Have you ever wished that there were better items for you and your
family's pleasure? Unfortunately, there is not enough support for writers and
artists. People who write or produce for the Muslim market have a very
difficult time sustaining them selves. That must change if you want to see
wonderful products for ourselves and our children. Just buy one product per month.
Collectively, this can encourage our creative and talented brothers and sisters
to do more. Visit IslamiCity
Bazar.
#5
If you see new Muslims at the Islamic Center, then become a host family to them. The convert experience is basically one of isolation and
loneliness. You'd be surprised to know that most converts are often ignored
by the people in the Islamic Centers. Beyond a few pleasantries and handshakes, they are
usually never made to feel welcome or accepted. They are often cut off from
their non-Muslim friends and relatives so they are doubly vulnerable. A new
convert should be invited into various people's home for dinner as often as
possible and especially on Islamic holidays. Get together with others and make sure you all put the new
convert on your guest list for any sort of gathering.
#6
Keep three extra Quran translations and some literature in your home at all
times. You never know when you'll find someone interested who wants to know
more. Besides, our children may only understand English. Encourage the children
to read the translation and discuss the Quran with them. Quran
and Quran study materials.
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7 Invite your neighbors to your home for dinner. Most of the time we are so involved
with our circle of friends, family and co-workers we forget the people who are
living right next to us. To be good to your neighbor is an important example
shown to us by Prophet Muhammad. So invite your neighbors to your house and get
to know them and let them know you.
#8
Make a big deal out of the family meal.
The concept of a family meal is a dying trend. The dinner table is not only a
place of sustenance and family business but also a place for the teaching and
passing on of our values. Manners and rules are subtly absorbed over the table.
Family mealtime should communicate and sustain ideals that children will draw on
throughout their lives.
#9
Establish an Islamic culture in the home. Make sure you and your family have
cultural-type items in your home in abundance that are associated with Islam or
Islamic culture. Everyone in your home should have prayer beads, prayer rugs,
kufis, Hijabs, (even if they're worn only for prayer), gowns, posters, wall
plaques, stickers, logo-shirts, Islamic screen-savers on the computer, and so
on. You want to establish an identity in your home.
#10
Be a good example. Face it: human beings learn and form opinions primarily
through modeling. In fact, we can't avoid being an example and model to our
family, children, friends, co-workers, neighbors and even strangers, whether
good or bad. Being a good example, then, is probably our most important job.
This
is by no means an exhaustive list. These are just some things that can be done, with minimal trouble and fuss, by each and every Muslim
family. Through these ten points several aspects of Islam are being served and
we
can feel that we are doing something in an organized fashion to help
promote a healthy and constructive way of life, at the same time we can fulfill our responsibility to our Creator. Give it a try and see how easy these things really are.
If you have other ideas about the things one should do to create harmony
with God, within your self, your family, your neighborhood and humanity at
large, please click
here to share them with others.
Click
here to read other peoples ideas.
Adapted
from "Ten Things Every Muslim Must Do" by Yahiya Emerick
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