2025 Oct -OT M 12 Week 7 Oct 19,2025
When we got to class, we found out that LG was being substituted by TJ. At first, we were surprised, because LG usually teaches us in a very specific way, but TJ had her own approach which was equally as educational. She wanted us to review things from previous lessons that most of us had long forgotten, which she predicted very well. It felt almost like she knew exactly what parts of our memory had faded since last class. So first off, we began by reviewing how Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was declared the final prophet of Islam and brought down the last revelation from Allah (SWT). This reminder was very important, because it helped us understand that Islam is complete and perfect, and there will never be another prophet after him. His message, the Qur’an, is the ultimate and final guidance for all humanity.
TJ reminded us that Ramadan is not only about fasting, but also about reflection, patience, and self-control. We use the month of Ramadan to reflect deeply on ourselves because it is a holy month in which shaytaan, the devil, is locked up. This means that during this time, we cannot blame him for our bad actions. Instead, if we make mistakes, the one to blame is completely ourselves. It is a time to truly see who we are when temptation from the devil is not influencing us. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) first received the revelation during Ramadan, when the angel Jibreel (Gabriel) appeared to him in the cave of Hira. The first words revealed to him were “Iqra,” meaning, “Read,” which began the message of knowledge, reflection, and submission to Allah.
We also learned about the early Muslim leaders who came after the Prophet (SAW), known as the Khalifas. Abu Bakr (RA) was the first khalifa, followed by Umar (RA), Uthman (RA), and then Ali (RA). They were all humble, honest, wise, and cared deeply for their people. Each of them ruled with justice and simplicity, following the example of the Prophet (SAW). Abu Bakr (RA) was known for his strong faith and calm leadership during difficult times. These leaders showed us that true leadership is not about power or wealth but about service and sincerity.
After that, we reviewed the Five Pillars of Islam, which are the foundation of a Muslim’s faith and actions. The first is Shahadah, which is declaring one’s belief in the oneness of Allah and in Muhammad (SAW) as His final messenger. The second is Salah, performing the five daily prayers that connect us directly with Allah. The third is Zakat, giving a portion of one’s wealth to the poor and needy. The fourth is Sawm, fasting during the month of Ramadan as a way to purify the soul and strengthen self-control. The fifth pillar is Hajj, making pilgrimage to Makkah if one has the money and health to do so.
While discussing prayer, TJ explained that Fard actions are mandatory during prayer, we cannot skip them or the prayer would be incomplete. Sunnah actions are what the Prophet (SAW) did regularly and recommended us to do as well, while nafl prayers are voluntary ones that earn us extra reward from Allah. Learning these differences helped me understand that prayer isn’t only a routine it’s also a way to show dedication and gratitude beyond what is mandated.
We then discussed that Islam means “submission” to Allah (SWT). To submit means to surrender one’s ego, desires, and control, and to trust fully in Allah’s wisdom. Our connection to Allah should be like a phone line that’s always open, we can “call” Him through du’a at any time, and He will always listen. TJ also reminded us that Muslims believe in all the prophets and all the holy books that came before the Qur’an. These include the Torah revealed to Musa (Moses, SAW), the Zabur (Psalms) revealed to Dawud (David, SAW), and the Injeel (Bible) revealed to Isa (Jesus, SAW). Even though the Qur’an is the final and unchanged word of Allah, we respect and believe in all of these earlier revelations as part of our faith, since they are all from the same god.
We also reviewed the six main beliefs in Islam: belief in Allah, belief in His angels, belief in His books, belief in His messengers, belief in the Day of Judgment, and belief in divine destiny (Qadr). TJ added a seventh, cleanliness, reminding us that Islam encourages physical cleanliness, and cleanliness of your soul. We also received the key islamic numbers, one God, two intentions (good and bad), three rak’ahs in Asr prayer, four holy books, four Khalifas, five pillars, six beliefs, skip seven, and eight rak’ahs in Asr prayer.
After reviewing, we covered some deeper and more philosophical topics. TJ explained that every part of our life is written in pencil, meaning it can be changed through our choices. This symbolizes free will. However, two things are written in pen and cannot be changed: our birth and our death. That means Allah gives us the ability to choose our path, but the beginning and end of our life are set by Him. This idea made me reflect on how powerful our decisions are, yet how limited our control truly is.
We then talked about major sins, especially suicide and shirk. Suicide is considered one of the greatest sins because life and death belong only to Allah. Ending one’s own life means trying to take control over something that is not ours to decide. Shirk, or associating partners with Allah, is the second greatest sin. It means to worship something else besides Allah or to deny His existence. However, the reason suicide is even worse is because after shirk, a person can still repent and ask for forgiveness, but after suicide, there is no more chance to repent. This made me realize how precious life is and how important it is to have hope and patience, no matter how difficult things become.
We also compared Islam to other religions. For example, in Christianity, many believe in the concept of the Trinity, three aspects of God, and in Hinduism, there are 33 main gods, and 330 million others. In Islam, this would be considered shirk because we believe Allah is one and has no partners. However, we also learned that Allah is the Most Just, and He judges people according to the knowledge and teachings that were available to them. If someone follows the guidance that was sent to them sincerely, Allah will not treat them unfairly. This helped us understand that Islam teaches fairness, compassion, and understanding others.
Then, another teacher entered the classroom and gave us a very important life lesson. He said that at any given moment, there are about five hundred people in the world whose du’as are always accepted. These people are not famous or powerful, but they have pure hearts. They constantly remember Allah, pray regularly, treat others kindly, and maintain strong relationships with their families. But the most beautiful thing he said was that their secret is selflessness, they always make du’a for others first. When someone prays sincerely for others, those blessings often return to them in unexpected ways. That part of the lesson really stayed with me, because it reminded me that Islam encourages kindness and humility, not just toward Allah but toward people as well.
After that inspiring talk, everything got a little calmer. We spent the last forty minutes juggling and laughing. Even though it might seem unrelated to the lesson, it actually showed us that learning about faith doesn’t always have to be strict or serious. Islam encourages happiness, health, and community too.
In conclusion, this week’s class was full of both reminders and new information, and also showed me that believing is not only about memorizing facts and being strict, it is also about helping others, and learning from our mistakes, being compassionate, caring, and always being mindful of Allah. Today has been a very informative class as always so hopefully I was able to cover enough topics and reach the word requirement and hopefully anybody reading this likes my essay! Assalamualaikum!
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