بسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
أَتَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ وَتَنْسَوْنَ أَنْفُسَكُمْ (بقره / ۴۴)

“Do you order righteousness of the people and forget yourselves?”
(Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:44)

Messages for Youth and Teenagers:

Act on Goodness before encouraging Others:

You should encourage your friends and those around you to do good deeds, but before doing so, ensure that you are also practicing those good deeds. Encouraging others and acting on those principles should go hand-in-hand. This way, you not only help others but also improve your own behavior.

Focus More on Self-Improvement:

Instead of quickly judging the behavior of others, look at yourself first. If you are not behaving righteously, you cannot expect others to do so. Learning to focus on self-improvement before criticizing others will naturally lead to better actions and habits.

Messages for Parents:

Be a Role Model through Actions, Not Just Words:
Parents cannot expect good behavior from their children if they themselves do not practice it. Children learn much more from observing their parents’ actions than from listening to their words. If you want your children to act correctly, first demonstrate those actions yourself. By living what you preach, you provide a

real-life guide for your children to follow.

Messages for Islamic Leaders and Cultural Centres:

Your Actions are on the Radar:
Imams and leaders must be aware that their actions are closely observed by their community. If there is a gap between what they preach and what they practice, it can drive people away not only from them but from the religion itself. It is vital for leaders to ensure that there is consistency between their words and deeds.

Lead by example:
As Imam Sadiq (A) stated: “Call people to the faith without using your tongue”. Imams must focus on inviting people to Islam through their behavior. Actions are often far more effective than words in guiding people towards righteousness.

Messages for Muslim Communities:

Focus on Self-Reform Before Reforming Others:
In a truly Islamic society, individuals should first focus on their own behavior before attempting to correct others. Someone who is not practicing righteousness themselves cannot be an effective advocate for righteousness in others.

Prioritise Actions Over Words:
Muslim communities should pay more attention to the actions of individuals rather than their words. It is much easier to be deceived by eloquent speech than by actions. If we learn to focus on deeds, both ours and others, we will build a healthier and more truthful society.