Event Review: Striving for Excellence by ILMSA

Striving for excellence workshop hosted by ILMSA (Institute for Learning and Motivation) on 26 March 2011. A very well structured event, rich in content and inspiration with an undertone of everyday practicality.

Speaker: Quraysha Sooliman
Quraysha Sooliman studied Islam intensively at a Darul ‘Uloom in Pretoria.  She is presently studying towards an Honours in Political Science at the University of Pretoria, where she also lectures in the same subject. A mother of three, she holds a degree in Journalism, as well as a BA in psychology and criminology. Quraysha authored the book ‘Proudly Muslim’ in 2007 and has been conducting motivational talks and workshops since then. She is a member of the Caring Women’s Forum, MSA Tuks and the Laudium Muslim Women’s Network.

As a muslim one should spend each day aiming to better oneself. In this age of fast paced life,  we blur the lines of convictions. The ideals of taqwa become watered down by new definitions. Quraysha Soolimans seminar , striving for excellence, covered the evolution of sociality and morale, clearing out the fuzzy lines and focusing on the ideals of spiritual upliftment.

An event like this is difficult to textualise as it holds different meaning for different individuals depending on where they are in their spirituality. However,  there were many gems from the event that were too great not to share. I hope you, the reader, will enjoy this post and take from it on your way forward to personal excellence.

• We put coverings around out deen to make it difficult.

• What is the base concept of life? To worship Allah! Yet we delay our salah, we avoid our duties to our religion.  Fundamentally we lie to ourselves, and the greed  of your own soul  is giving in to your desires.

A  rose who gives its fragrance even by those who crush it. – Hazrath Ali RA

• We’re so concerned with outer appearance that we often don’t ask ourselves, ‘how are we feeding our souls?’
• Knowledge does not change you, implementation of knowledge does.
• We’re encountering Resistance from our own Muslim brothers and sisters. Eg. When we consider the stance taken by many about Muslim women having space in the Masjid, we question ‘don’t the Muslims women have a share in humanity. We hare we silent about the oppression. Our silence is giving consent to. We’re giving consent by our silence.
• The difference between someone who remembers Allah and someone who doesn’t, is like being dead or alive.
• How do we conceptualize wealth. Wealth was in their pockets. Charity is also giving of your time.
  We make excuses not to do  khair
• There is a difference between narrow-minded and conservative.
• Stand up against  injustice, the Prophet SAWS did.
• Lying is a foundation of a diseased heart.

• Don’t stand in the way of gaining knowledge and educating oneself. Academic sectors give you space for a voice.
• What is the identity you portray saying about you as Muslim to non believers?

The best deed of a man is to forgive and forget –Hadhrat Ali R.A