Book Review: The Defining Decade (Why Your Twenties Matter)

I stumbled upon this when I searched for must-read books in your twenties. The title itself is pretty self-explanatory. I initially thought this was just going to be another pretentious motivation under the delusion of "self-help". However, I was proven wrong. Meg Jay writes about her experience as a therapist for the twenties generation, weaving together wonderful anecdotes and compelling dialogues along with contemporary research. Therefore, this book is in itself, a science.

I turn 22 this year. And I'm feeling kind of lost. This book describes the people who also feel lost. Talks of career, networking, relationships and having babies seem like somewhere in the far-fetched future. Something that tomorrow me has to endure but somehow things will magically happen and I don't have to work for it. This fallacy of "present bias" has led many twenty-somethings into the ocean of many possibilities only to realise that all those times they spent discovering, they are still lost at sea. The idea of giving up everything to stick with one decision is daunting. As an indecisive person, I know this very well.

One thing that catches my eye is the phrase "There's a difference between making your life at thirty and starting your life at thirty."  The prefrontal cortex associated with forward-thinking is not fully developed until a human turns thirty. Twenty-somethings have fired-up neurons to absorb adulthood like a sponge. But the only way to go into adulthood is not to postpone it, but to go right into it. Learn as much as you can. Make errors. Take criticisms. Apply for the job. Start a relationship. Begin saving for the future. "I always start with the end." Imagine how you want your life to be and start working on it on your twenties.

Will things work out for me?" "You haven't decided yet."

Overall, this is a great wake-up call.

Important terminologies: identity capital, urban tribe, the strength of weak ties, the unthought known, the jam experiment, picking your family, being in like, growth mindset

Book Review: The Masjid Basics and Management by Tajudeen Yusuf and Lukman Abdur Raheem (Chapter 6)

Chapter 6: Masjid and the Business World

If the aim of a business is to increase profit, the objective of a masjid is to enhance the spirituality of the congregation, making Islam the preferred religion. Da’wah (propagation of Islam) should be similar to business advertisements in many respects. It must possess three objectives. Firstly, information objective. An Imam must provide the congregation with information on matters not only spiritualism but include education, politics, economics, global happenings etc. Secondly, it must contain competitive objective. Imam must learn to compete favourably with other existing religions by means of intellectual debates, round table conferences, discussions which are conducted by maturity, not by acrimony. Third, it must fulfil persuasive objective. Preachings given by Imam should attract Muslims and non-Muslims to the right path.

Since in reality, an Imam has been stripped of his power, we propose a restructure of the masjid’s organisation by repositioning the role of the Imam. He should not be just a paid preacher under dictates of his employer but must assume both spiritual and administrative leadership. During Prophet’s times, he was a leader and employed mutual consultation (shura) and he delegated suitable positions to his companions, for example he tasked Umar bin al-Khattab as administrator of Baitul Mal, Abu Hurairah as custodian for zakat proceeds, Zayd bin Thabit as secretary and Ali bin Abi Talib as his deputy when he was away on an expedition.

Redefined roles of masjid’s committees have a clear assignment and demarcation of tasks as well as a clear line of command. It also outlines minimum qualification for the post so as to uphold the integrity and credibility. The Imam runs the masjid with his officers without orders from the Chairman. In case the masjid is organisationally owned, the Imam will meet regularly to give reports.

Role	Qualification	Task	Reporting to
Imam	-graduate in any field of study -literate in English and Arabic -good recitation and minimum standard of memorisation of the Quran -memorise forty hadith of al Nawawi -converse in all issues -detribalised -above average level of morality	-consults with the head of each unit -leads all congregational activities
2. Naibul Imam (Spiritual)	-meet the same criteria as Imam but must accept Imam’s authority except when he deviates from Shariah	-replaces Imam in his absence for spiritual matters -coordinates educational and da’wah units	Imam
3. Naibul Imam (Administration)	-same criteria as Imam -computer literate -knowledge in accounting and statistics -supervising skills	-replaces Imam in his absence for administrative matters -leads prayers and delivers sermons when both Imam and Naibul Imam Spiritual are absent -coordinates social and finance units	Imam
4. Education Officer	-minimum requirements of conscious Muslim -necessary skills	-runs Islamiyyah School for Arabic and Quranic literacy -runs the library	Naibul Imam Spiritual
5. Da’wah Officer	-minimum requirements of conscious Muslim -necessary skills	-coordinates Usrah -organises public lectures -trains for house-to-house da’wah programmes	Naibul Imam Spiritual
6. Social Services Officer	-minimum requirements of conscious Muslim -necessary skills	-coordinates women group -coordinates affairs of asnaf -supervises humanitarian and social services -general counselling	Naibul Imam Administrative
7. Finance Officer	-minimum requirements of conscious Muslim -accounting qualification	-prepares books of account -invests idle funds -calculates zakat payment -pay salary to staff promptly	Naibul Imam Administrative

If masjid lacks the necessary manpower, it can combine roles, e.g the two naibul imam, da’wah with education, social with finance. Each of the offices can organise a committee and sub-committee for smoother running of tasks. Imam and his officers should attend regular seminars to keep abreast with current knowledge, procedures and technical skills and to brush up on leadership and management skills. This way, their intellectual capabilities are enhanced. As opposed to today’s state where masjid officials are content with archaic knowledge acquired from their Madrasas so when they deliver sermons, they cannot relate stories mentioned in Quran to contemporary issues.

Book Review: The Masjid Basics and Management by Tajudeen Yusuf and Lukman Abdur Raheem (Chapter 4)

Chapter 4: Islam, Masjid & Management

“Any ruler who is responsible for the affairs of Muslims but do not strive sincerely for their wellbeing will not enter Paradise with them” (Muslim)

This hadith emphasises the importance of managing masjid fairly. Maintenance of masjid can be divided into three:

A. Preventive Maintenance: a regular inspection of facilities to prevent breakdown, scheduled sanitation, cleaning and scenting of the entire masjid precinct including the toilet and the garden

B. Predictive Maintenace: when there is a warning signal e.g cracked wall, leaking pipe etc, activities done to prevent a breakdown, should have spare parts ready if actual breakdown occurs so it won’t be disrupting

C. Corrective Maintenance: to repair or replace damaged equipment.

Overall, preventive maintenance is preferrable as corrective maintenance is costing more.

The management should ensure effectiveness in running the mosques by taking the following steps:

1. Division of labour: break down tasks into sub-units for effective accomplishment

2. One man one boss: an employee has to follow orders from one person only so to avoid overlapping of orders

3.Pay staff salary when due

4.Ensure that the staff position is secure to avoid the fear of sudden termination

5. Line of command must be clear: each employee know who to report to when certain situations arise

6. Information flow is not hindered: it is easy for staff to communicate with the management team

7. Esprit de corps: individual goals should be congruent with masjid’s goals, every staff works together for a collective benefit

Book Review: The Masjid Basics and Management by Tajudeen Yusuf and Lukman Abdur Raheem (Chapter 3)

Chapter 3: The Post of An Imam

An institution without an imam will be led astray by the devil. The Prophet assigned a leader when two people are travelling, and the same goes to a group of three and above. Narrowly, an imam can be situational whereas his mandate expires when the situation is over, e.g for a particular programme only. Broadly, an imam is substantive whereas his mandate is permanent or for longer periods of time which is until his tenure expires, he is dismissed or deceased. For this, there is a Social Contract between followers (the ruled) to relinquish their liberty to an imam (the ruler) on the basis of Quran and Sunnah.

The functions of an imam are various. He is a guardian (murshid) and a leader (amir). A judge and also a spiritual ceremony head such as leading the ceremonies of janazah, marriage, aqiqah, prayers etc. He is a chief security officer, linking with the police department, government chairmen, leaders of faith of other religion and key members of the community. He is a financial officer to delegate the management of funds or give the task to someone else who wll report to him regularly. He is an adviser on various issues as he should be an erudite and a scholar. Lastly, he is a spokesman for the Muslim community to provide sound opinions on certain issues which represent his domain as a whole.

The Prophet said: “The one who recites the book of Allah most should be the imam of the people. If they are of equal recitation, then the one who knows Sunnah most, then the earliest of them to emigrate, and if they are equal in emigraton then the oldest among them in Islam” (Muslim). Therefore, some criteria for appointing imam are listed:

1. Faith- must not be a disbeliver or doubtful of fundamentals
2. Knowledge- highly knowledgeable in Ulum Quran, Hadith, Fiqh, Siasah, Adab etc
3. Leadership traits- charisma, eloquence, stature, diplomacy, patience
4. Age and maturity- adults are preferred to minors
5. Male- a woman can never be an imam no matter her level of education but she can assist the imam to coordinate women folks and other tasks
6. Background- must come from a civilised environment as this affects one’s outlook. The Prophet preffered somebody from town to a peasant from the desert
7. Dynamism- up-to-date with current issues

Masjid officials and functions:

1. Chairman: overall head, controls spiritual and administrative going concern
2. Imam: spiritual head
3. Naibul Imam: deputises the imam, takes his duties in his absence
4. Mufassir: delivers lectures, scholar in Quran and hadith, orator of the masjid, mufassir can be naibul imam.
5. General secretary: keeps vital documents, a literate person
6. Assistant general secretary: deputises for general secretary
7. Financial secretary: keeps all books of account, a person who is accounting inclined
8. Treasurer: keeps cash, arranges collection of money, releases money when necessary
9. Public relation officer: image-maker, disseminate vital information to the public, can be taken up by Muadhin
10. Asset maintenance officer: maintains masjid’s gadgets and equipment, can be taken up by muadhin
11. Welfare officer: monitor spiritual and medical well-being e.g coordinates programs to visit hospital, old folks’ home etc
12. Muazzin: making calls to prayers, re-echoes speeches and supplications of the imam

Commonly, conflicts often arise in the masjid community which are caused by several factors. Firstly, it is due to extreme differences in ideology and idiosyncrasy. Disagreements between schools of thought can lead to rival masjids not associating with each other. Secondly, it is the general ignorance of the Muslim folks. Masajid are led by officials with shallow knowledge of Islam which causes lack of trust among the public as knowledgeable public cannot follow ignorant leadership. In Sheikh AbdulQadr Audah’s book, ‘Islam between ignorant followers and incapable scholars’, he observes that the level of education in Muslims can be divided into three: the uneducated; who are illiterate or not having adequate education to understand ideas independently, they often imitate what others do, they cannot give a coherent reason behind the rituals of the worship, this group is 80% of our population. The second group is European-educated. The third group is Islamic-educated. People will follow the Islamic-educated when it comes to matters pertaining to religion, however when there is a wordly issue related to Islam, they will follow the European-educated. Majority of people cannot understand the comprehensiveness of Islam. The third cause of conflict is financial mismanagement. The financial statements produced are not comprehensive meanwhile the cash flows are not properly justified. Some of the funds are tied-up and not invested for profit-yield. Forth, it is the ambitions and aspirations of the masjid committee who dream to hold influential positions in the masjid and when they fail to achieve that, the winner for that position is considered as an enemy. Fifthly, there is rumour and mutual suspicion. Sixth, there is insincerity of purpose. The masjid is built on ulterior motives such as to promote a certain ideology, therefore those who do not share the same ideology are excommunicated. Seventh, there is an overlapping of functions and power. There  is no obvious demarcation of tasks, for instance, the chairman may dispel the Financial Secretary’s power. Eight, there is gross under-utilisation of resources. Gigantic masjid monuments are sadly under-occupied with beneficial programmes.

Masjid’s defective structure is due to the division of authority of spiritual and administrative leadership. Imam has no real power in the masjid administration, even his sermons are scripted. Conversely, it is the chairman who has great power in all affairs. Moreover, Islamic scholars also lack contemporary relevance and higher education, making it difficult for the elites to respect them.

Book Review: The Masjid Basics and Management by Tajudeen Yusuf and Lukman Abdur Raheem (Chapter 2)

Chapter 2: Towards Establishing A Masjid

The masjid should be a citadel of learning. The first verse revealed to our Prophet is ‘Iqra’ or read. The masjid should conduct survey to find out the literacy rates and arrange classes accordingly, firstly to teach the people in the local language, next proceeding to English and then to Arabic. Lectures or talks being given should be based on the academic calibre and language proficiency of the people in order to amass followership. We must not forget that the Prophet made it a requirement for captives in Battle of Badr to teach ten muslims how to read and write before they were granted freedom. Thus, the Islamic emphasis on literacy should not be overlooked.



The earlier roles of masjid are as summarised:
Headquarters of Muslims- to run state affairs such as signing official agreements
Judicial court- to resolve rifts and disagreements
School and university
Information center- carry news related to new baby, death, marriage, war, famine etc delivered on the minbar
Platform for oratory/poetry- the prophet provide a podium for the companions to recite poetry about the Jahiliyyah times- open to public without needing application
Abode for prisoners of war- Thumama bin Uthal was tied to the masjid’s pillar but the prophet ordered for his release. He then embraced Islam.
Clinic- the prophet pitched a tent for Sa’ad bin Mu’adh who was bleeding profusely so he could be close to him for visitations. He died a month later.
Abode for the poor- shelter for ahlus suffah
Place to relax- sleep qailullah
Place for eating- ahlus suffah eat in the corridors
Place for consultation- discuss socio-econo-political issues
Place for devotion- salawat, i’tikaf, adzkar etc
Implementation of Allah’s decree-allegation of adultery by either husband or wife

Today’s mosques are not able to accommodate all the roles due to increased Muslim population however bigger-sized mosques can still create departments for different functions. University al-Azhar in Cairo is an example of a masjid which became a full-fledged academy and still operates until now. Libraries are also installed to aid intellectual discussions and one example of a notable library in history is Darul Hikmah in Cairo. In Cordoba, mosques were equipped with a dispensary complete with medicine, attendants and even medical books.

We need to support the cause for our masjid because there will be a reward for paradise like the Prophet said “Whoever built a masjid, Allah will build him a mansion in paradise”. There is a reward for the good deeds and forgiveness of sins. It is also a proof of piety like the hadith, “He shall only attend the Allah’s masjid who believe in Allah and the Last Day”.

Masjids are all honoured sites but there are three ancient mosques being raised in virtue and position which are Masjid al-Haram, Masjid an-Nabawi and Masjid al-Aqsa. This is strengthened by the hadith, “A prayer in Masjid al-Haram is like 100,000 prayers elsewhere. Prayer in my masjid is like 1000 prayers elsewhere. And a prayer in Bait al-Maqdis is like 500 prayers elsewhere”.

As an exclusive abode of Allah on Earth, we should observe etiquettes in the masjid. Firstly, we should build it on the basis of sincerity. It must not be built on a grave. Secondly, we must maintain the masjid with proper hygiene and ventilation. The jamaah are encouraged to wear beautiful apparels and must get rid of body odour so as not to disturb others. Thirdly, there is an obligation to pray in congregation. According to hadith, “When anyone of you hear the iqamah, he must walk with tranquility to the masjid to join the prayer”. There is also a Quranic revelation on stopping trade as soon as the azan for Solatul Jumu’ah is heard. Forth, enter with the right leg followed by supplication. Fifth, salute the masjid by performing solat tahiyyatul masjid before sitting if the congregational prayer doesn’t start yet. Sixth, adopt a sutrah or barrier. It is not allowed for anyone to cross in front of a person who is performing solat without any barrier in front of him. Seventh, restrain from disturbing worshippers. Eighth, straighten rows and close gaps while praying from shoulder-to-shoulder and toe-to-toe to promote the spirit of brotherhood and equality.

Among the things prohibited in the masjid are fighting, distractive decoration, trading (it is disliked or makruh), spitting, eating garlic or onion that cause unpleasant odour, dancng, singing and clapping, turning the masjid into a graveyard, plotting or scheming.

The elite class is the intellegentsia or the brainiacs of the society. However, there is minimal involvement from them in masjid organisation towards welfare building. Mosques need elites who are accountants in order to audit the books of accounts for greater transparency. Seasoned business administators are also needed in the running of the masjid’s other segments such as the library and daycare center. Service of lawyers is needed pertaining legal matters affecting the masjid. Media journalists should work together to advertise masjid’s programmes for better public awareness. Political elites should use their position to represent the masjid’s interests. If masjid wants to be relevant to the society, these elites need to work in conjunction with Islamic clerics in decision-making.

Book Review: The Masjid Basics and Management by Tajudeen Yusuf and Lukman Abdur Raheem (Chapter 1)

Chapter 1: The Masjid and Its Origin

The masjid used to play a central role in the societal building however the sad reality of today’s world is there is great administrative incompetence among the masjid to come up with dynamic programmes to suit the ummah’s needs. Thus, the masjid has become a dying institution in dire need of revival. In definition, the masjid is not just a monument, however, it is defined as any place where one can perform the act of worship. This is according to Professor Abdel Hadey Zakaryya Mohamed. This is also synonymous with the Prophet’s hadith saying that the whole earth is a masjid except the grave and the toilet. According to Ibn Khaldun, there are two types of city mosques; small local masajids for daily prayers and big community mosques for ceremonial prayers of Eidul Fitr and Eidul Adha and Solatul Jumuah, called the jamih.

Clearly, masjids are the priceless heritage of our anbiya’ and they should be preserved and upheld in their sanctity and cleanliness. We can see a great disparity between the role of the mosque then and now. Back then, the focus is on the masjid’s pivotal role in ummah rallying and there is less emphasis in the building structure. Nowadays mosques are grandiose and exuberant in facade however the essence in terms of their roles in society are decaying. Masjids are being separated from everyday life, on grounds that religion should be separated from life, which is exactly what is being practised by liberals. Imams are not allowed to indulge in politics, by order of government. No longer is masjid a place for agenda-setting for worldly events that can better the ummah. Definitely, the masjid is reduced in its relevance and cannot enhance taqwa.

The Qiblah is the unifying symbol of Islam whereas everyone should face Mecca while performing prayers. It is important to have a common direction while observing prayers. It is a unique distinguishing feature among other religions. Locating the qiblah is convenient nowadays due to the advent technology of digital compasses and Qiblah finders. Previously, Muslims used to face Masjidil Aqsa which is a sacred place for Christians and Jews. Sixteen and half months after Hijrah, Allah revealed the change of Qiblah from Masjidil Aqsa to Mecca. It is an order which pleases the Prophet as it became a new symbolism that can discard dead rituals. Kaabah was also the earliest centre built by Ibrahim and connected to Adam.

The Sahabiyat That I Admire The Most

There is no doubt that the sahabiyat are the best ladies in terms of faith. They are exceptional role models to women who are facing tough and countless challenges in this modern life, including me. The sahabiyat that I admire the most is none other than Sumayyah binti Khubath, who is the first woman who obtained shahid or martyrdom in the defence of Islam.  

Sumayyah was a slave and she was married to Yasir and had a son named Ammar. When Islam was first revealed, Sumayyah and Ammar were among the seven earliest people to convert to Islam. As paganism or worshipping idols were majority at that time, the noblemen of Quraisy were exceptionally punishing to those who went against the religion of their forefathers, especially since the Muslims at that time consisted of people of lower-ranks such as the poor and the slaves including Sumayyah and her family.

When the news of their conversion reached the knowledge of Abu Jahal, he had ordered to capture them to be tortured. They were stripped off their clothes and tied tightly to a scalding-hot rock so that they couldn’t move as they endured the merciless scorch and heat. They were left to their sufferings while Abu Jahal just laughed and mocked and urged them to admit that the idols are their Gods, not Allah. When the Prophet pbuh passed in front of Sumayyah and her family, he had said, “Patience O Family of Yasir! Jannah is your meeting place”.

They held on to their faith. Sumayyah watched as her husband breathed his last after a heavy rock was placed on his already old and frail body. Even after seeing the deathly consequence of not following Abu Jahl orders, she still refused. Abu Jahl continued to whip her and stab her straight in the heart until she died a martyr. It was the end of suffering and the start of an ever after rest in the Gardens of Paradise. Her patience was indeed remarkable and she had displayed great strength in the face of tribulations and she was unflinching in her faith.

As a modern woman, there are many new conflicts and ideologies being spread like wildfire. People are more blatant in criticising the words of Allah, even justifying their whims and desires with false statements. It is a saddening reality as even Muslims nowadays have shared support towards ideologies which are clearly prohibited in Islam such as the LGBT movement. They start to normalise what’s not normal. Muslim women are also rallying against hijab, with the dehijabing movement growing each day through social media. It is a worrying state that the ummah is in right now. As the Prophet said in a hadith, “Islam started as ghareeb (isolated) and will end as ghareeb”. Our glory days have long since been gone and nowadays practising true faith is a source of mockery to those open-minded and liberalised generation. We have gone back to that era where Islam is isolated. I pray that our faith is as strong as Sumayyah, and we hold fast to the ropes of Allah, despite the rest of the world trying to make us let go of it.