I am pleased to share my three resolutions for 2025 in this week’s blog. They revolve around spreading the Quran, embracing our diverse world and nurturing spiritual intelligence. Recently I met a young American Imam, I asked how he came to Islam. He said “I found a copy of an English Quran in my school library. That was the light that guided me to Allah.” This incident has motivated me even more to spread the Quran and share it with the world.
- Improve the Quran’s literacy amongst the masses.
- Engage with diverse communities to share the beautiful message of Islam.
- Develop my spiritual intelligence.
These three resolutions are successful ways of meeting our Islamic duties. So, by adopting them you will also be the beneficiary. I love putting forward ideas that will be practised. They are viable and doable projects for personal growth, strengthening the family, creating warm homes and creating a cohesive society. Islam is not a mere belief system for an armchair believer sitting cosily in front of a warm log fire in a luxurious lounge. It demands action, encourages engagement with others and wants to call the world to worship Allah.
First Resolution: Sharing the message of the Quran
My first resolution is all about spreading the Quran to all those around me, the distribution of the Quran is a natural extension of a Muslim’s love of Allah’s book. The desire to share it with others, to give them the most precious gift. It represents a sincere commitment to distributing the Quran. So, we have developed the Motivate a Million project.
The project is focused on making the Quran available to one million people who may never otherwise see it. We will offer the Quran to young Muslims, and they will be taught how to engage with it and be blessed with Divine guidance. This is a project you can take part in, it’s a tremendous opportunity to help people recognise the value of the Quran for themselves, their families and society. Our efforts so far to make the Quran accessible to the masses involve; presenting the plain English translation of The Majestic Quran. Join us by sponsoring a copy for your local library or school. Alternatively, you can organise a Quran study circle in your local mosque or community centre.
Second Resolution: Engaging with neighbours and wider society
We dream of living in a utopia, a world where everyone gets help in crisis when they need it, a world free from the fear of diseases, to bring the world closer together, to make people happy, to have a world without friction, poverty and war.
We can only achieve this when we view ourselves and others positively. This means having empathy, trust and unity. This requires the moral values of our beloved master Muhammad (peace be upon him) like justice, kindness and patience. This will produce an attitude on how we view the world with courage, friendship and gentleness. This is the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) moral philosophy. The beloved messenger (peace be upon him) was “the kindness and compassion for all the people” (Al-Anbiya: 107). That’s a holistic, connected and simple approach to living a great life. This is coherently organised in Karimia Institute’s project HumanKind. Invite your neighbours for tea, volunteer at a local charity or join your council’s community-building committee.
Third Resolution: Developing spiritual intelligence
The Quran and Sunnah repeatedly describe the disciplines of spiritual intelligence: Taqwa, God-consciousness, piety, fear of Allah, awareness and attentiveness; Ikhlas, sincerity and genuineness in one’s intention and actions, and hub-Allah, or the love of Allah. Similarly, Islamic worship, the five daily prayers, remembrance of God, the Divine glorification, singing spiritual poems (Qasa’id or Anashid), invoking His beautiful names (Al-Asma’ Al-Husna), and fasting are effective spiritual disciplines. We are transformed inwardly and draw closer and closer to Allah, feel happy, recognise the Lord and live in His presence. The goal of spiritual intelligence is no less than becoming one of God’s friends, who enjoy a state of happiness, bliss and contentment. Spiritual intelligence is the bedrock of a devout, serene and successful life lived for God’s sake.
Start by setting aside five minutes each morning for Dhikr, and attend at least one prayer in the congregation at your local Masjid. To develop your spiritual intelligence, you must be passionate about it like anything else. To be successful at something, the fact is that you must enjoy doing it, believe and engage in it and be passionate about the benefits you will reap in the end. It will be a shame if you simply struggle and strive without being happy, so push yourself forward with joy to take the prize of spiritual intelligence. To learn more about spiritual intelligence you can read my book ‘Seven Steps to Spiritual Intelligence‘.
Conclusion
Your help whether through financial support, volunteering your time or simply sharing these resolutions with friends can transform our communities. By spreading the Quran, embracing neighbours and cultivating spiritual intelligence, we embody our Islamic duties. Join us in 2025 to realise these resolutions and become part of a positive change. I pray that Allah helps us all walk this path of goodness, forgiveness and compassion.
