2022 September 11 – MA female 14

This is my 2nd week at Green Stairs.

At the start of class today, we were discussing how kids approach parents when they want something. We talked about how important it is to seize the moment and give your conviction to others when we get the opportunity. We needed to explain the importance of conviction to a stranger. I said that, usually we want something we go up to our parents and start nicely and mention good things we have done earlier. Then we get to the point for what we want. We were relating this to prayer because when we are praying, we recite Surah Fatiha. The meaning of Surah Fatiha pleases Allah SWT. When we recite it, we are really just saying “Oh lord, you are the most gracious and most merciful” then we ask to be guided to the straight path. Surah Fatiha is something we can use in the real world.

For example, going for a job interview, when you are in a job interview, you are telling your employer reasons why the company is great and how much better the company will be with you as their new addition. While a job interview, you are trying to seize the moment, to show what you’re worth to the employer. Then the stranger I explained to, named C, shared a story, saying that he has a job that supports the company geico. His job requires him to travel to Idaho. During his time there, he went to a diner one day with another co-worker and they were discussing good additions to the company. Then their table waitress arrives to hand the bill and she tells them an idea for the company. The thing that she said changed her entire life from then. Just from that one encounter, she got supported financially for college and got a job offer after college.

The main point of it is that she seized the moment and gave her idea, without even thinking if the other person cared or not. So now, applying this idea into your own prayers is different. There is a difference between talking to Allah and talking to your parents. When you are communicating with Allah, you need to talk to him with reverence. That means you need to admire him, you need to talk to him with desperation. For praying, it is required to have B.R (belief and ritual), however, B.R applies to almost everything in life. For example, when someone is in a job interview, they have a belief that they are good enough to fit in the job position that they want. It doesn’t even matter if they get rejected, because they still have a belief that they can do well and as for ritual, they are physically present there. Next, we talked about the difference between exercising the body and the brain.

For example, when someone works out, they are building their muscles. However, the brain is the only muscle that exercises only by thinking. Now it is extremely important to exercise the brain in multiple ways. Especially considering that the average human being only uses around 6 to 7% of their brain. Einstein’s brain was once examined and scientists said his brain was really heavy. Now knowing a lot about how amazing our prophet Muhammad (SAW) was, it may even be true that he used his brain twice of Einstein. If the prophet Muhammad was able to use most of his brain then so can we. We cannot let ourselves be illiterate because Allah has given us so many opportunities to learn.

Later, LG told us a story about his son getting into TJHS (Thomas Jefferson high school). His son got into TJ and he told LG that he didn’t want to go. Later when he told his friends about it in school, they all freaked out. They questioned him if he was crazy to not accept such a great opportunity. That same day when LG’s son came back home, he told LG that he decided to go to TJ. Now his son, understanding that TJHS was a great opportunity for him, is having wisdom. Then LG told us that when he went to an open house later for TJ, he met an old man that had three kids that went to the same school. So LG asked the man for advice and the man told him two things: Give the kids a ride and don’t question their grades.

The reason why the man said that was because the kids at TJ, they learn time management. They know the importance of time and can complete assignments on time. With that they go overboard for minimum work. They keep up great grades and do more than what is required. That is what LG wants us to be like. There is no limit to our knowledge until we make one. We need to define who we are so we need to push ourselves to be the best we could ever be. Another man named MM told us about Intention. MM told us that if we keep a good intention then at the end of the day, the result will be positive. He also told us that we have a great amount of opportunities and options that we should take advantage of. There are many people in the world that don’t get the same privileges as us. So we must go up and beyond.

The point of this program is to find our potential. Each and every single one of us has great potential to be someone great. However, our potential are hidden because we keep abusing it. We have a freedom of being in this class, that freedom is having a right of speaking and giving our conviction on different topics, so it is important to use it as a strength. Lastly, We need to understand what is good for us.

LG told us his story about living in the U.S as an immigrant. He could raise his kids here until one day his wife needed to leave the country with his other child. It was a hard time and LG questioned Allah for why it needed to happen. Then one day, he found out the reason why. His uncle that was in Africa has passed away. LG had a strong connection with his uncle and when he found out about his death, he realized that he needed to spend time with his uncle. So it’s important to go with the flow to what Allah has prepared for you because Allah will never do something terrible to you.

After that lesson, LG told us about meditation. He played us an audio that said “La ilaha illal-lah, Muhammah-dur rasulullah”. Then he told us to put on a blindfold and just listen to the words. During this activity, we are supposed to open our third eye, our inner soul. While we were still and listening to it, LG went around and caused some distractions to see if we are focused or not. Some people were able to focus deeply, while others could not. At the end of the class, I had realized the great progress I made today. I was given the opportunity to teach a stranger about conviction and I seized that moment. Not only that, I also got to understand the importance of opening my inner soul, as well as the importance of having wisdom.