Virtues of Sincerity and Patience

By Broadside Reporter Tina Miller

This year’s Islam Awareness Week at George Mason University consisted of a four part lecture series that began on Monday, Feb. 25 with a lecture on “Virtues of Sincerity and Patience.” The Muslim Students Association invited Imam Mohammed Magid, executive director of All Dulles Area Muslim Society, also known as the ADAMS center, to speak on this topic.

According to MSA president, Farooq Yousuf, a senior systems engineering major, there are approximately 3,000 Muslims at Mason, 600 of which are considered active.

“But this week we’re not only trying to reach Muslims,” Yousuf said. “The theme of the week is ‘The Making of a Muslim,’ and tonight’s lecture is on virtue, and that applies to everyone.”

Yousuf also added that he was excited about Islam Awareness Week this year, and he hoped that it would help foster a respect for Islam at Mason and clear any preconceived misconceptions about the religion.

Even with the large number of Muslim students at Mason, about 60 students attended Magid’s talk in Dewberry Hall Monday night. Of the 60 attending, roughly 35 were women, also referred to as sisters, who sat on the left side of the room, and 25 were men, referred to as brothers, who sat on the right.

Although the title of the lecture referenced virtue, an explanation of the event on Facebook read, “Come learn the story of a man named Ka’ab struggling against himself in the path of pleasing God.” The story of Ka’ab was instrumentally used within the lecture to bring the virtues to life.

Yousuf explains that among Muslims, Ka’ab, a seventh century companion and scribe of Mohammed, is generally a known character, and is even mentioned in the Qur’an.

“Ka’ab was a companion of the prophet Mohammed,” Yousuf said. “Prophets undergo tests and hardships. Because he [Ka’ab] was a companion of the prophet, he also underwent a series of tests and hardships.”

Magid began his lecture on virtue with the words, “This topic is the foundation of a Muslim faicath. A Muslim faith is based on these two virtues; not only that, all human relationships are based on these two virtues.”

Magid continued to elaborate on the virtues of sincerity and patience in the next hour. He told the stories of Ka’ab’s hardships and trials, including the struggles that Ka’ab underwent in his home of Medina.

Although, the story was used in the lecture, the lecture proved to be predominantly about the virtues. Magid’s explanations of the tale of Ka’ab was approached with the idea that everyone in the audience at least vaguely had some previous knowledge of it.

As Magid lectured on virtue, he maintained interaction with the audience. He asked them to define certain words, such as “patience.”

Magid’s definition of the word is that it is “a state of mind that helps you overcome obstacles that come between you and achieving higher goals.”

He also explained that patience was “the most important ingredient in the success of a person.”

Magid defined sincerity as being consistent. He said that you are sincere when “your act of worship at home is the same as in public.”

Throughout the lecture, Magid maintained the idea that these virtues were good as they pertain to Allah.

“What counts,” said Magid, “is what Allah will think of our actions, to do things only for the sake of Allah.”

At the end of the lecture, Magid held a question and answer session with the audience.

When asked what he hopes students will gain from attending this lecture, MSA president Yousuf said that he hopes they know that, “We are able to learn patience and sincerity through hardship.”