Dr. Waffie Mohammed
The first Trinidad national to have earned a doctorate in the study of Islam, Dr. Waffie graduated from the University of Karachi with a PhD in Islamic Studies, obtained in parallel with Al-Kamil certification from the Aleemiya Institute established by Dr. Fazlu R. Ansari.
On his return to Trinidad, Dr. Waffie contributed to the development of the Muslim communities located throughout the country and the region, while at the same time serving the wider national communities. This led to his appointment to the Senate in 1981, and his later appointment as Director of the Muslim World League regional office for the Caribbean and Latin America, a position in which he contributed to global Muslim development, until his retirement in 2003.
Dr. Waffie is currently serving as the Principal and Director at the Markaz al Ihsaan Institute of Islamic Theology. He also serves as a spiritual leader of the local chapters of the Qadri and Nakshbandi Orders within Islamic Spirituality Circles.
The author of numerous books, articles and publications dedicated to Islam and contemporary social issues, Dr. Waffie also has a growing number of pioneering works in contemporary Islamic studies. Dr. Waffie blogs often at http://drwaffie.blogspot.com
Purifying your personality
- By Dr. Waffie Mohammed
- Published 02/24/2010
Say: "I am but a man like yourselves, (but) the inspiration has come to me, that your Allah is one Allah.....
(Chapter 18, verse 110)
Prophet Muhammad was a human being, in that he performed all the normal human activities (eat, sleep and work, etc). In this respect he is human. Some of the people at that time was expecting a different creature to be their Prophet. Someone who had a miraculous birth like Jesus (as). They were surprised to find such a ‘simple’ man sent to them to preach about the Oneness of God.
In order to properly understand this lesson we must first draw reference to the iron ore that is extracted from the earth. This basic metal goes through a series of refining processes that enables it to be transformed into various materials such as steel, wire, etc. The same iron ore but the different processes enable it to take on a completely different shape and construct; it can even glow like the filament in a bulb.
The human body is the basic material and Allah has infused in it a non-basic material which is the soul. Just as the wire in the bulb glows, so too, we believers must cause our personalities to become an embodiment of light.
Even at a very young age the Prophet was so refined that on a couple of occasions the light of his personality was seen by others. On one occasion Aisha (ra) swore by Allah that when she looked at the Prophet he was brighter than the full moon. He was so refined that his ‘light’ was visible to others.
Yes Prophet Muhammad was a human being, but he has shown us that it is possible for this simple human to become so refined that the personality becomes an embodiment of light. One of the blessings of Allah is that He has enabled man, this insignificant piece of mud to grow and become refined and He has bestowed upon us the capacity to recite His Holy Words and engage in acts of worship that His angels also perform.
Let us therefore use the trials and tribulations that are presented to us to refine our personalities, just as our beloved Prophet did. Put your faith and trust in Allah and Insha Allah (God willing) He will take care of our affairs.
