Year 2025 at its End: A Quiet Reckoning, A Bright Resolve

✒️ Mufti Muhammad Tasleem ud Din Al-Mahmoodi 

Time passes very quietly, but leaves much behind.
The year 2025 is also coming to an end in the same way. This year was not just a collection of days and months, but a complete phase filled with trials, experiences, efforts, stumbles, and learning opportunities.

Whatever I was enabled to do on the educational and religious level this year, it was purely the grace of Allah Almighty.
Wherever a step was taken in the field of teaching, lesson, study, writing, or invitation, the intention was to advance knowledge as knowledge, as a trust, and as a responsibility.

It is also necessary to acknowledge this fact that
the standard was not always what it should have been,
the continuity was not always what was desired,
and the sincerity was not always to the degree that we claim.

But despite this, if even one person gets inclined towards knowledge,
if seriousness about religion arises in even one heart,
if even one misunderstanding is removed,
then all this becomes a hope of acceptance from Allah.

At the end of the year, the most important task is to show oneself a true mirror.
It is not possible to move forward without acknowledging that:

A large part of the time was wasted in unnecessary matters

Silence was chosen on some occasions where one should have spoken

And in some places, one spoke where wisdom was in silence

A distance was created between intention and action

The desires of the self were sometimes allowed to prevail over the preference of truth

This confession is not a weakness, but the first step towards reform.

Advice, first and foremost, for myself
This year taught me that:

If knowledge is not accompanied by forbearance, then knowledge becomes a burden

If truth is presented without gentleness, it loses its effect

If disagreement is devoid of ethics, it becomes hatred, not invitation

And above all that
Knowledge without action becomes merely an accusation

This advice is not for anyone else, it is first and foremost for myself.

For all the friends and companions who have been with me on this journey,
this is the advice:

Keep probing your intentions repeatedly

Do not make fame and popularity the standard of success

Speak the truth, but the whole truth, with full respect

And do not let disagreement turn into enmity

The most needed things in the work of religion are
ethics, patience, and continuity.


If this year:
Someone's heart was hurt

There was a shortcoming in someone's right

Someone's sincerity was ignored

Or there was severity in some disagreement

Then a heartfelt apology is necessary.

Serving the religion of Allah
is done by mending hearts, not breaking them.

The new year is not a magic,
but there can certainly be a new resolve.

For the coming year, let us make a firm resolve that, InshaAllah Al-Aziz, action will be monitored along with knowledge

Less but consistent work will be preferred

Gentleness and wisdom will be made the basis in invitation

Reforming oneself will be given priority over reforming others

And every success will be considered a gift from Allah, and every failure will be made a means of self-improvement

The year 2025, while leaving, gave this lesson that
we are not perfect, but there is always room for improvement.

If the intention is sincere,
if there is honesty in confession,
and if there is firmness in resolve,
then the mercy of Allah opens the way.

May Allah Almighty
forgive the shortcomings of the past year,
open the doors of acceptance,
and make the coming year
a year of knowledge, action, sincerity, and goodness.
Ameen.