Jadikan agama gaya hidup bukan gaya hidup sebagai agama..

My eighteen months old daughter knows that I make her brush her teeth every night before bed. I’m quite sure that she doesn’t know why she has to brush her teeth every night, as she grows she will have a better understanding of what her parents do for her is for her own best. As for every child the belief and trust in parents grow as the child grows.

I compare my understanding of my religion to the growth of my child’s understanding of life. I remember when I was a child I knew the five elements of Islam by heart. I was told that as a Muslim I had to believe and know these five elements. But did I honestly know the meaning of these elements; did I really know why we had to live accordingly to that? No, growing up in the west I would separate my religious belief and my personal lifestyle/opinions. “My religion is in my heart” was one of my favorite lines.

Entering the adult life I had developed my “own routines”. I came up with special way of washing face, hands and feet before going to bed and every morning, I had my own routine of performing yoga a few times a day, and I had read that meditation had a positive result for seeking inner peace. In the beginning this was “my life style” and I would separate it from my religion. As time went by and I started to grow out from the teenage years, I realized that my religion is not just a religion to be kept in my heart. The more I knew about Islam the more I realized that my religion is and should be my lifestyle. I don’t have to come up with own ways of keeping me clean, healthy and look for ways to strengthen my personality. It’s given to us.

I’m still learning, inshAllah one day I will have better understanding about the fifth element – pilgrim to Mecca – and will involve it into my life. In my mind going to Mecca has always been the action to be performed later in life. Then again I’ve also been wrong separating my religion to my lifestyle. I’m very thankful to have had the opportunities to brighten up my knowledge about this great and peaceful lifestyle and I pray I get to know even more about the flawless way of living.

I’m sure that one day my daughter will brush her teeth because she will know its good for her not only because her mother has told her. Also I will have a better understanding of why one doesn’t have to wait to grow old to go to Mecca and perform Haj.

I wish my beloved parents who are in Mecca now together with millions of other pilgrims from around the world – a blessed month. May all their prayers be accepted. Amen.

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