In my recent posts, I have really been emphasising coming to Allāh ﷻ exactly as you are because in the past when I’ve tried to find my footing in faith, I’ve often felt as though I’m not enough. As though there are some kind of inadequacies in my level of faith or my spiritual connection to Allāh ﷻ, but the truth is, it doesn’t matter. It does not matter one single bit. And trust me, I didn’t reach this conclusion overnight. It was a long time coming, and a constant battle with my own self to admit that perhaps I was using my own perception of my ‘inadequacies’ as an excuse not to make that final step towards Allāh ﷻ. But, I’m here now. And I’m trying. That is the most important thing of all, I am trying every single day to be better than I was the day before, you know? Because that’s the worst thing isn’t it, living life at a plateau.
That been said, in a bid to keep trying to better myself, I have made a rather significant step outside of my comfort zone. Well, I say this like it’s a super dramatic thing that has happened, but not really. I’ve just finally become comfortable enough to attend events/talks/gatherings etc. that appeal to my interests on my own. There’s one in particular that has my heart though, and that’s the one I want to share with you guys today because it just means the world to me.
What is Faith? from Faith Space UK on Vimeo.
A space where you can come as you are, to faith, as it is. There’s no need to be more or any less than who you already are. Run by Ustādh Shabbir Hassan (and on occasion, Shaykh Hasib Noor), they facilitate a space where you can have conversations with like-minded individuals about faith, yourself, Allāh ﷻ, and everything in between.
Now, there are many things about Faith that I absolutely adore, but I have a very personal reason for holding this community so close to my heart.
Growing up, I always wanted to experience that close-knit bond amongst Muslims that I kept hearing the older generation go on about, but the truth is, a lot of the places we had around us didn’t really want to accommodate for kids who weren’t quite there with their faith yet. And you know what, I’m not going to complain here because the generations before us have laid an amazing groundwork for us to build upon, especially in matters of dīn. But, it is high time that we take the reigns and create for our communities exactly what we needed to find Allāh ﷻ, even in the depths of our sins. And that, is precisely what Ustādh Shabbir and Shaykh Hasib have managed to do. They’ve cultivated a space that isn’t imposing, free of judgement, and does exactly what it says in its title – allows you to come to faith as you are.
If you’re in London (or in Texas because Faith is there too!), I would definitely recommend visiting the next session because it is exactly the kinda group therapy we need for the soul. May Allāh ﷻ allow Faith to grow and reach so many more hearts, and may He place an immeasurable amount of barakah in the lives of our respected teachers and all those behind the scenes so that they may continue to guide us on our way to spiritual healing. Āmīn Ya Rabb.
To learn more about Faith, check them out on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.
Photo credit: Maaria Lohiya.