وَإِلَـٰهُكُمْ إِلَـٰهٌۭ وَٰحِدٌۭ ۖ لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ Your God is ˹only˺ One God. There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him—the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful. [2:163] The core message of the Prophet PBUH’s dawah was Tawheed, God’s Oneness. Through the prophetic tarbiyah model, the companions started aligning themselves individually to Tawheed and supported each other in upholding the tenants of that tawheed, and so societal norms as a whole started to shift. From the worship of idols, the abysmal treatment of women, the abuse of the underprivileged, among other social ills of Meccan society, came forth a generation that became the bastion of upholding human dignity and social justice.

ٱلْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِى وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلْإِسْلَـٰمَ دِينًۭا

Today I have perfected your faith for you, completed My favour upon you, and chosen Islam as your way.(5:3)

Humans adopt worldviews in order to further their quest of finding the truth and make sense of the world around them. The philosophies and worldviews that allow us to better understand our realities have influenced the intellectual mind but also are limited in their scope. How does the Islamic worldview compare to these other worldviews? As other fallacies are criticized for their shortcomings, where does Islam fill in the gaps? Islam provides a very unique framework that is comprehensive, balanced, and applicable to all spheres of life.

مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي تَوَادِّهِمْ وَتَرَاحُمِهِمْ وَتَعَاطُفِهِمْ مَثَلُ الْجَسَدِ إِذَا اشْتَكَى مِنْهُ عُضْوٌ تَدَاعَى لَهُ سَائِرُ الْجَسَدِ بِالسَّهَرِ وَالْحُمَّى “The parable of the believers in their affection, mercy, and compassion for each other is that of a body. When any limb aches, the whole body reacts with sleeplessness and fever.” ~Sahih Bukhari Our concept of Ummah is a universal one that extends from our family, community, and country, to the entire Muslim world. The Prophet Muhammad PBUH described the Ummah as one body; when one part of it is ill, the rest of the body reacts. In the modern age, what does this mean to us? How can we fulfill our roles and responsibilities towards our brothers and sisters across the globe?

أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ هُدًۭى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَـٰتٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَٱلْفُرْقَانِ the Quran was revealed as a guide for humanity with clear proofs of guidance and the standard ˹to distinguish between right and wrong˺.(2:185) Islam came as a cure for every time and every place. It is a timeless message with solutions to problems for every individual and for societies as a whole. Where does Islam fit in today’s world and how can we turn to the words of Allah SWT for guidance on the problems that society faces today? Understanding the essence of Islam, how to remain steadfast on this path, and how to align all facets of our lives with this path will lead to God-centeredness, strength, resilience, firmness in truth, and ultimately success as individuals, community and the Muslim Ummah

“إِنَّنِىٓ أَنَا ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱعْبُدْنِى” ‘It is truly I. I am Allah! There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Me. So worship Me ˹alone˺ 20:14 It was a phrase that made people once strangers, now family. It was a phrase that challenged the prevailing beliefs and practices of a society rooted in ancestral traditions. It was a phrase that people fought for and defended till their last breath, protecting the prized possession that they were blessed with. The phrase, “La ilaha ila Allah” was revolutionary for those who understood it and lived by it. This session will discuss the theological and practical significance of ‘La ilaha ila Allah” and how to adhere to this way of life.

وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍۢ ۚ يَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥٓ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ سَيَرْحَمُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌۭ The believers, both men and women, are guardians of one another. They encourage good and forbid evil, establish prayer and pay alms-tax, and obey Allah and His Messenger. It is they who will be shown Allah’s mercy. Surely Allah is Almighty, All-Wise. [9:71] With changing times and roles in society, there is an urgent need for Believers, men and women, to revisit and understand our core purpose of upholding La ilaha illa Allah in our interactions with one another and how we can support each other towards that mutual goal with justice and compassion. This understanding then should be our guide as we tackle modern ideologies on gender roles and expectations.

“تَرَكْتُ فِيكُمْ أَمْرَيْنِ لَنْ تَضِلُّوا مَا تَمَسَّكْتُمْ بِهِمَا كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَسُنَّةَ نَبِيِّهِ” The Prophet PBUH said, “I have left you with two matters which will never lead you astray, as long as you hold to them: the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of his Prophet.” The advent of Islam into the world marked a profound paradigm shift for all those who embraced it, as well as for the nations and societies it influenced. Adopting Islam as a comprehensive worldview implies a thorough purification and rectification of every facet of life – spiritual, economic, and beyond. This transformative process aims to enhance individual lives and, ultimately, to align them with the Creator’s pleasure. How can we wholeheartedly embrace this guidance through the Quran and Sunnah? What risks are associated with neglecting certain aspects of Islam or partially embracing alternative worldviews?

قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ هُدًۭى وَشِفَآءٌۭ Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “It is a guide and a healing to the believers. [41:44] As the generational clocks have ticked, the social ailments of society have varied and increased. Islam came as a remedy and a light to alleviate the pain and darkness. Islam is the solution and has been from the time of the beloved Prophet SAW. How can we be certain that through the Quran and Sunnah, we can find answers for every aspect of our lives?

بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَٱلزُّبُرِ ۗ وَأَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ٱلذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ˹We sent them˺ with clear proofs and divine Books. And We have sent down to you ˹O Prophet˺ the Reminder, so that you may explain to people what has been revealed for them, and perhaps they will reflect. (16:44) Islam has a very unique approach to critical thinking that stems from a God-centered worldview. How can Muslims view the world through this critical lens, unlearn when needed, and deconstruct the continuously changing ideas around them? It is through the deep reflection and application of this unique understanding that we as a community will rise above the many challenges, distractions, and conflicting narratives that surround us, and emerge on the path of clarity, truth, steadfastness, excellence, and success.