R.B 12 M May 17 2026 week 30
In today’s class, we went over a review of concepts like Greenstairs, the four pledges, the tree trunk analogy, and the others that we learned. These reviewed notes cover everything from how to improve our daily prayers to how to make responsible choices using our own common sense. When you look at all of these reviewed ideas together, they give us a really clear way to connect with our faith on a deeper level.
Our instructor explained that Greenstairs is a program that teaches leadership skills, presentation skills, and memorization skills. The teacher mentioned that part of this is eidetic imaging, which is creating pictures in your mind of things you want to memorize. The lesson pointed out that knowledge and wisdom are different, because knowledge is knowing it, but wisdom is knowing how to use it. We also learned that etiquette means proper manners. Finally, the teacher noted that perfection is only for angels and Allah.
According to our teacher, CCA is how you choose to interpret something by using context and common sense, and then you are accountable for whatever you choose. We were taught that QHA is how you choose to obtain or perform something specific to Islam, where first you go to the Quran, and for context or specifications, you go to hadith, and you are always accountable. The instructor stated that if you have a question with no answer, you go to the Prophet’s hadiths for info, use context and common sense, and be accountable. It was also explained that if Allah and the Prophet do not say something is forbidden or allowed, then he does not deal with it and you use your common sense.
The teacher highlighted that we have free will and the capability to do whatever we want, so if you want to be a gangster God will let you, and if you want to do good God will help you. Our leader cautioned that shaytaan can change our free will. The class notes show that goats take control of their lives and sheep follow. The instructor shared that a slacker, cruiser, and hacker are different levels of completing tasks. It was also brought up that we appreciate things more when we earn them. Additionally, the teacher talked about how the broccoli analogy means the benefit of doing something comes later, but not usually in the present.
The lesson mentioned that BS stands for belief and sincerity, meaning you should always have sincerity when doing something. The instructor described how the soap or water analogy is how we do our spiritual cleansing, where water is without sincerity or enough effort, and soap means we are sincere, focused, and determined. We also reviewed that meditation is what we do at the start of class before salah.
Our teacher explained that the karate chop analogy means taking all your energy and concentrating it into your hand to break a brick, which is the focus we need in salah. The guide explained that eight seconds represents how in bull riding you gain points every eight seconds and need to improve off of that, just like focus in prayer starts small but you need to improve little by little. The lesson connected phone to prayer by showing that to call another phone you need reception, battery, and the number, which relates to salah because you need to be focused, know what to say, and know where you are facing.
The instructor went over how S-bucks are spiritual bucks or points you get for doing good deeds to increase the chances of your dua being accepted, which you lose when a dua is accepted because you purchased it, though they will not be beamed to the heavens if you are not sincere. The teacher shared a very good point that Allah will be there for us immediately when we need him if we remember him when we don’t need him, so we must always come to him and be sincere.
We were told that predestination is our destiny and what Allah has written to happen to us. The teacher defined reverence as being fearful of what Allah can do. The lesson introduced the virtual oil jug, which comes with you when you are born, and every good deed empties it a little bit, but if you don’t empty it before you die, it explodes, which connects to the numbers one, five, and six. The instructor added that the ten commandments are the same basic sets of morals in each religion. Our teacher also explained universal values which is basically how no matter your religion there are some things that you won’t do no matter what . An example he gave was how you are not likely to murder your own mother. We also discussed that the argument of Mother’s Day is that mothers should be appreciated 24/7, but there is no harm in appreciating your mother more on this day as long as you try your best every other day.
The teacher broke down bridges and forgiveness as a concept where on the day of judgment we are tested on if we go to heaven or hell, and the bad things we do to others are between us and them, so they can hold us back if we don’t ask for forgiveness. The instructor reminded us that the rope is always holding on to that sliver of faith no matter how low you are, which is why we should never judge anybody. The lesson listed the four pledges as the pledge of allegiance, pledge of faith, pledge of knowledge, and pledge of voluntariness. Finally, our guide summarized that the tree trunk is how all religions branch off from the belief in one god. Understanding this review of concepts allowed me to understand islam better.