Points of Reflection:
- We learned in a previous episode (ISR Episode 5) that the boy in this story emerged as a da’iyah and leader in his community by spending time among the people in the service of Allah (swt).
- What does the king’s reluctance to kill the boy in front of the community, as to not make him a martyr, show?
- What is necessary to be an effective leader?
- How does this relate to being successful in making dawah?
- As mentioned in this episode, although not explicated in the story, there were most likely parallel dawah efforts happening in the community prior to the critical moment when the boy is killed, which contributed to 20,000 people choosing Belief over life in this dunya.
- Before this episode, did that thought even occur to you, or did you think the people converted solely because of how the boy sacrificed his life?
- Do you think we, as a society, tend to focus on the ordinary or the grand? How so? What about in our individual lives, our relationships, and our community? (e.g., the daily news or the fantastical story, the community member or the celebrity, the smaller consistent acts or the bigger displays )?
- Oftentimes, in this day and age, we focus more on the outcome, product, or end goal than on the process and means.
- Has this impacted how we view and engage with collective work (working in jama’ah)?
- What is the importance of working in jama’ah?
- What does Allah (swt) tell us about ourselves, His Divine Design, throughout the Qur’an?
- What is the benefit for us, what is the benefit for the ummah, what is the benefit for the society in working together?
- How does Allah (swt) remind us that we each have a role to play according to His Divine Design and Decree through this story?
- How does that relate to collective work/working in jamiya?
Quiz Questions:
- The story of the boy and the king is not just about the boy, it is also about what?
- (collective work)
- According to some historians, how many people became Muslim and were murdered during this persecution?
- (20,000)
- Is the parallel effort of dawah or collective work in the background explicitly mentioned in this story?
- (no, it is implicit)
Challenge
Do something “behind the scenes” to help someone out this week (whether it is for a stranger, loved ones, or your community) without expecting anything in return. Remember, no act of goodness is considered insignificant to Allah (swt).
About In the Shade of Ramadan Triumph in Trial: Lessons from Surat Al-Buruj
This year’s In The Shade of Ramadan (ISR) web series explores the stories, lessons, and connections that are found in Surat al-Buruj, a chapter of the Qur’an that offers us much-needed reminders and reassurances during this time of heightened Islamophobia, continued global conflict, and the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
#ramadan #intheshadeoframadan #ramadanspecial #ramadan2024 #motivation #islam #muslim #muslimamerican #purification #heart #tbt #SuratAlburuj #boyandtheking