Dr Qurratul-Ain Anni Rehman
President Lajna Ima’illah UK
2025 began with wars raging across the globe and we are ending the year with the same. There is no solution to these wars unless the world adopts the Islamic teaching of justice, even for those who bear enmity against us. If the world adopts this principle, a global revolution can take place. The current path is unsustainable, for international relations as we see them today are riddled with revenge and retaliation. Disproportionate responses and barbaric retributions are being normalised, which is why the Quranic injunction of absolute justice, even towards enemies, is something we all so desperately need and we can start implementing this starting with our own social spheres.
This is not a vague ideal but a divine command. The Holy Quran establishes this golden principle with crystal clarity: “O ye who believe! be steadfast in the cause of Allah, bearing witness in equity; and let not a people’s enmity incite you to act otherwise than with justice. Be [always] just, that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah. Surely, Allah is aware of what you do.” (Ch.5: V.9) Explaining this verse, His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad states: “This command has not been given in any other religious scripture. There should be no discrimination in acting justly, and Muslims and non-Muslims alike are equally entitled to attaining justice.” (Friday Sermon, 10 November 2017)
Confronted by this global reality, as an individual living in the world we may feel very despondent and disheartened by the injustices, poverty, deprivation of human rights and suffering that we see across the world. But, God has not left the believers without tools to counter the bleak atmosphere. Our spiritual remedy is clear: In the Holy Quran, Allah states, “Aye! it is in the remembrance of Allah that hearts can find comfort.” (Ch.13:V.29). Furthermore, The Holy Prophet Muhammad (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) guided to always maintain an optimistic view of life. (Sahih Ibn Hibban, Hadith 896). In the face of the greatest battles, he displayed unwavering optimism. A practical key to this is cultivating gratitude, contentment with what we have, not aspiring for more but constantly keeping a view of those with less and thanking God for what He has given us.
As Muslims, if we decide in this New Year to find tranquillity in the remembrance of Allah and to attain His pleasure, we will naturally attract happiness and contentment. True happiness cannot be gained through following our material desires; consuming and amassing more and more. This truth has been affirmed by research, as in a 2022 study by Dittmar et al, it was shown that people who believe that the acquisition of money and expensive possessions will improve their wellbeing and social standing conversely “undermine their quality of life.” The study confirms the understanding that material pursuit is “ linked to poorer wellbeing across different facets of wellbeing (personal, social, and environmental) and that these negative associations have been recorded across the lifespan.” 1
This understanding becomes urgent when we consider our fleeting lives. We are all on this earth for a finite period of time and we all experience each year passing faster than the previous one. The Islamic understanding of life puts great emphasis on time as a test. Every single second, minute, hour is an opportunity to either draw closer to Allah or drift further away. The Holy Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is reported to have said: “Two blessings that many people squander are good health and free time.’” (Sunan Ibn Majah, Kitab az-Zuhd, Hadith 417). This hadith forces us to consider how we spend time. It asks us to look within and consider whether we are investing in pursuits that matter, such as acts of worship, kindness, and personal growth, or are we letting time slip away in frivolous distractions?
As Muslims we are not left to navigate this test alone. Allah the Almighty has taught us the ways of gaining His pleasure and nearness and this is elaborated on by the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) and his Khulafa. As Ahmadi Muslims we are extremely fortunate to have pledged allegiance to the Reformer of the age and to have pledged to fulfil the 10 conditions of Ba’ait which bring us close to God. The first condition being abstaining from associating any partner with God, later conditions include being regular in the five daily Prayers to keeping away from every moral vice, to having sympathy for all of God’s creatures and more.
Therefore, as we step into the New Year, treading the path towards God, we can also remember the wisdom of the ancient Chinese philosopher Laozi: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” This universal truth—that the grandest revolution, the deepest personal reform, and the most consistent worship all start with a single, sincere action—compels us to begin now. Let our first step be a heartfelt prayer for Divine Grace and protection.
Let us conclude with this prayer of the Holy Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) for the New Year:
“O Allah, enter us into this [year] in a state of peace, faith, security and submission, whilst earning the pleasure of the Gracious God and being protected from Satan.”
May this be a year where our steps, even if initially small, draw us closer to fulfilling the divine promise: “‘Those who believe and do good works – happiness shall be theirs, and an excellent place of return.’” (Ch.13:V.30)
Ref:
- Materialistic value orientation and wellbeing by Helga Dittmar & Amy Isham; Current Opinion in Psychology; Volume 46, August 2022.