Is crying enough for Islam?

'jab tak tere seene pe na sojaye Sakina
zindaan mein usey neend kaha aati hai baba,
jab yaad Sakina ko teri aati hai baba
sar zindaan ke diwaron se takrati hai baba...'

Above are a few lines from a nauha that describes the love of Bibi Sakina for Imam Hussein and every year we listen to these nauha's and marsiya's; we cry for our Imams and our Bibi's, we feel shattered every time we listen to a majlis. We cry, we weep and we moan for the 2 months and 8 days for the Ahlebayt, I was wondering if crying is really enough for all those sacrifices and the pain they had gone through in Karbala? I really don’t think so and I'm sure it’s the same with everyone else.

All of us are aware of the fact that we are not doing much for Islam and but why aren’t we???
Let us begin by asking a few questions to ourselves and solve this mystery.

Are we praying regularly five times a day on time?
Are we doing proper Hijaab?
Have we quit music?
Are we paying zakat and qums?
Do we know our Usool e deen and furooe deen and are we following them in the true sense?
Are we even tying to gain knowledge about Islam and spread it?
Have we really stopped practicing gheebat?
There are so many questions which all of us can ask ourselves but sadly the answers of them is a big question mark.

Deep down inside we know we are wrong, we know we HAVE to and NEED to change, like I always say, we know everything. But why don’t we follow it, why don’t we change it? Why cant we correct ourselves ?
Is it because we forget that Allah is watching everything and first we need to think about what Allah thinks and not what the society or the khandaan thinks?.Or is it because we are too busy in our day to day activities that we find no time for religion?. Are we changing the rules according to our convenience, trying to justify everything with unacceptable excuses!?

There are so many questions that need to be answered, so many things that have to be changed, the false trends have to be corrected. But when? And how ? and who ?. To take the first step seems difficult and is, but we need to reset our priorities in a just and logical manner.
We need to set our minds straight, let go of all the wrong beliefs we've held on to, change our mentalities, we need to strive hard and search for the truth and follow it with respect and responsibility..

The more we think the more complicated it will become as we get thoughts like "oh god this is not possible, since childhood I am following this, I cant change myself, I don’t have time or my parents wont allow, they'll think I am going mad, I know my intentions (niyyat) are right and that is what matters." There will be so many negative thoughts, will discourage us and yes indeed it is the work of Satan, we should find ways to overcome such situations. Just one thought, whatever I'm doing is to please Allah and for the sake of Allah and for my real life which is after my death, will change the complete way of thinking.

All of us do know that crying for the ahlebayt does not go in vain, it definitely does not.
Crying for our imams is a great sawab but is that it? Can we just cry for them and not do anything else? Islam is NOT just about the majaalis, We as muslims have more responsibility than that. I'm sure we can do a lot of things which will change everyone for the good; we can at least make an effort, can't we?

So let us begin from today in fact from now and change our ways. Try as much as possible to gain knowledge and spread it. Arrange religious gatherings and have discussions which will develop interest in others to know more about islam, pray regularly on time, always remember imam Hussein sacrificed everything for the sake of Islam and Namaaz, and not for us to only remember him and Allah in the month of ramadhaan and muharram. Fullfill all our wajibaat, and religiously follow our furu-e-deen. Strengthen our faith and always remember our aim in life is to please Allah.

Samreen Fathima Mirza, 17
Mail to: sammirza14@gmail.com