By Sajid Iqbal

My Ummah, those who follow me, the future of their faith makes me worry till I cry. My brothers and sisters in Islam, will they be strong and carry on after I die?

These are the moving lyrics from a nasheed (Islamic song) by Dawud Wharnsby Ali expressing how the Prophet (peace be upon him) was worried about the likes of ME and YOU - his Ummah.

The Ummah is the Muslim world, about 1.6 million of us in the UK from all colours, races, nations, tribe, backgrounds, languages and cultures.

By Alveena Salim

Easy! Check him out…he must be the fittest boy I've ever seen… lets sit closer to get a better view … Gwaan check him out, but don't be too obvious…

Sound familiar? Its one of the most common topic of conversations in most schools and colleges, "We're only looking, it's minor" is the defensive response of most. However the question arises "Is it really not that much of a big deal?"

The Holy Prophet has told us to appreciate five things before they go, one of which is youth before old age. Youth possess phenomenal amount of energy, and if this energy is channelled in the correct way it can guarantee a place in Paradise.

A person is physically and mentally the most active when they are young. It is during this stage in life that they can greatly benefit society around them. The great Mohammad Bin Qasim-Al-Thaqafi, a 19 year-old Arab general from Basra (Iraq) marched into Pakistan by way of Persia and Balochistan with an army of 60,000 men.

What is it that we want out of life? Where are we going? What are we doing? What should we be doing? What is the purpose of Allah (swa) sending us to this world? What exactly is our aim in life?

These are the most fundamental questions that we all need to ask ourselves. People answer these questions in different ways. Some people's aim in life is to collect money, property, to have perfect careers and perfect families, whilst other people desire name, fame and power.

Due to obvious reasons we are more inclined to befriend like-minded individuals. Someone who's there for us when we need them, someone who empathises with us when we're stressed out, someone who understands us and thinks in the same way that we do, this is the basic criteria of choosing a friend. So if we have friends whom our parents don't approve of, friends who behave in a shameless and immoral manner, friends who break all the limits ordained by Allah (swa), what does this reveal about us?

With the significant increase in pre-marital relationships in the last 30 years amongst our Muslim brother and sisters, it does seem as if most of us no longer have any shame. One just needs to visit their local shopping centre, cinema or library to see the significant increase in unmarried Muslim couples. We have an increase in Romeo's roaming the streets, happily driving around the block all day long looking for girls and an increase in melodramatic Juliet's who'll "just die if they don't end up with their man".

By Alveena Salim

Most of us are fortunate enough to be born in a Muslim family. However, it is common knowledge that those who get something after working hard for it appreciate and value it so much more then those who get something automatically. It is for this reason why, most of us do not value, appreciate or even know what it means to be a Muslim.

Fornication, adultery, drinking alcohol, gang feuds, drugs, mugging, running away from home, the minimal clothing our sisters have adopted and clubbing is widespread amongst our Muslim brothers and sisters. Is this how Muslims should act?

Arrogance. The daddy of all sins, the characteristic found in history's most villainous beings, the reason behind the downfall of Satan and the root of all spiritual sicknesses. It is also the most despicable trait found in man. No one likes an arrogant person. We dislike those individuals who look down at others, those who think they are superior to others in terms of looks, intelligence, status or piety, those who are convinced that they are right whilst everyone else is wrong, those who can not speak without praising themselves, those who belittle or talk down to others and have huge egos. Since we strongly detest this trait, it makes sense that we scrutinise our own characters and check whether or not we possess the very same thing that we can't stand in others.

In our society keeping quiet or being an introvert are characteristics that are looked down upon. This is because our society only values what is apparent; thus the self-effacing individuals who refrain from speaking unnecessarily are known as the ones who are insecure and lacking in self-confidence, whilst the long-winded individuals are deemed as being clever, witty and successful.

This is ironic, as this mentality was not shared by our pious predecessors, according to Hadrat Ali (ra) "when intelligence is complete speech becomes rare". Traditionally it has also been said that one should "be sure of the stupidity of a man if he speaks too much".

Answer by Shaykh Salim Giza

In the name of Allah the most Beneficent and Merciful.

Working in a place that sells Alcohol or Haram food carries a different ruling depending upon the circumstances. Generally it is Haram for a Muslim to work in a place which sells Alcohol or serves Alcohol in it's premises. The same applies for Haram food as the general ruling is; what is Haram to you is also Haram to others', whether they believe it or not.

Our scholars state:

"Anything haram to use oneself is haram to give to another." [Ibn Nujaym, al-Ashbah; Majalla]