How to begin a new year

1. How to begin a new year Sharafuddin B.S

2. Islamic Calendar • The Islamic Hijri calendar is the official calendar in many Muslim countries, especially Saudi Arabia. Other Muslim countries use the Gregorian calendar for civil purposes and only turn to the Islamic calendar for religious purposes.

3. Human Plan Vs Allah’s Plan وَإِذْ يَمْكُرُ بِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِيُثْبِتُوكَ أَوْ يَقْتُلُوكَ أَوْ يُخْرِجُوكَ • "And when those who disbelieved devised plans against you that they might confine you or slay you or drive you away." [Al-Anfaal, 8:30]

4. What prophet(pbuh) did Hijrah • 1. Masjid (Mosque):This was the beginning, but soon other Masajid (mosques) were established in Madinah. • 2. Madrasah (Islamic school and educational institution for the community):. The first school under the supervision of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was the school of Suffah. Later many other schools were opened. According to MaulanaShibliNumani, there were nine schools opened in Madinah alone in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). • 3. Mu'akhah: He established brotherly relations between the Muhajirun (Muslims who migrated from Makkah) and the Ansar (residents of Madinah who helped the Prophet and his Companions). They should have their brotherhood on the basis of faith, not on the basis of tribes as they used to have prior to Islam. • 4. Intercommunity and Interfaith Relations: Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also established good relations with other communities living in Madinah. There was a large Jewish community as well as some other Arab tribes who had not accepted Islam. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prepared a Mithaq (a covenant or a constitution) for relations between these communities.

5. What prophet(pbuh) did Hijrah • 5. Cleaning the City:Yathrib was a dirty city. When the Sahabah (Prophet's Companions) came from Makkah to Madinah, many of them got sick and did not like that city. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked them to clean the city and remove its dirt and filth. `Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: “We came to Madinah and it was the most polluted land of Allah. The water there was most stinking. (Al-Bukhari, 1756) • 6. Water System in the City: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked the Sahabah to dig wells in different parts of the city. It is mentioned that more than 50 wells were opened in the city of Madinah and there was enough clean water for every one. • 7. Agriculture and Gardening: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged the Sahabah to cultivate the land and make gardens. He told them that any one who would cultivate any dead land, would own it. Many people started working and cultivating and soon there was enough food for every one. • 8. Poverty Eradication: In a short period of time it happened that there were no poor people in Madinah. Every one had enough and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to give gifts to coming delegations. • 9. Safety, Security, Law and Order:Madinah became the safest city in the world. There were very few incidents of theft, rape, drunkenness or murder and they were immediately taken care of.

6. Advantage of Hijrah • After the emigration to Madinah (formerly known as Yathrib), the Muslims were able to organize and establish the first real Muslim "community," with social, political, and economic independence. • Life in Madinah allowed the Muslim community to mature and strengthen, and the people developed an entire society based on Islamic principles

7. Aim was clear during Hijrah • 17:80 Say: "O my Lord! Let my entry be by the Gate of Truth and Honour, and likewise my exit by the Gate of Truth and Honour; and grant me from Thy Presence an authority to aid (me)."

8. Hijrah and it’s relevance • Hijrah is a process of transfer to a better situation to enable you to be productive and active vicegerent on Earth • Think how you can apply the above to your life? What do you need to ‘migrate’ from in order to live a productive lifestyle in conformity with your purpose of worshipping Allah (SubhanhuwaTa’ala)? • It doesn’t have to be migration from place to place, but it could be migration from a non-halal job to a halal one, or migration from sins to repentance, or from evil deeds to good deeds.

9. Don't Waste Time Agonizing. Have you ever wasted an entire evening by worrying about something that you're supposed to be doing? Was it worth it? Instead of agonizing and procrastinating, just do it. Example of Donkey’s Dream

10. Five Pillars of IslamIntrinsic training system through • Paradigm Shift • Shahada and Belief • Daily Training System • Obligatory Prayers • Annual Training System • Month of Ramadan, Zakat • Major Training of Life • Hajj Pilgrimage

11. Action plant to get things done • Break large projects into manageable proportions and prepare a time line for it. • Write down your strength and weaknesses and action plans to get rid of weaknesses.

12. Prophetic Principle • ‘ Doing little regularly in better than doing a lot but with intervals. • In Islam every injunction is time bound. • “There are two blessings which many people lose: (They are) health and free time for doing good.” (Bukhari) • Make best use of five things before five things • Youth before Old age • Health before Sickness • Wealth before Poverty • Free time before becoming busy • Life before death.( Hadith)

13. Demands of our time • Work • Family • Social Activities • Friends • Others ( Unlike wealth and privileges, time is equally distributed among all irrespective of richness, gender and nations)

14. MEND YOUR ATTITUDE Triple ‘E’s of attitude. • Environment • Experience • Education Traits of Positive attitude • Caring • Concerned • Patient • Humble

15. Be a Da’ee through unspoken communications • Punctuality communicates. • Attentiveness communicates. • Body language communicates. • Your facial expression

16. Some Tips to be productive • Set your goals and focus on it. • Think ahead and plan ahead • Prioritize your work which adds value. • Maintaining a wall calendar or diary at work. • Make your do list every day and keep it in an accessible place. • Work in team or build one. • Communicate effectively and listen patiently. • Avoid being super perfectionist • Be organized. • Avoid interruptions and distractions ( Internet , mobile phones, TV etc are major distracters)

17. How to change attitude Step 1- Think and act Positive Step 2- Avoid Procrastination Step 3- Be thankful for Allah’s blessings Step 4 – Continuous training Step 5 – Positive Self Esteem Step 6 – Stay Away from Negative Influences. Step7 - Develop love towards your immediate responsibility

18. JAZAKALLAH KHAIR