Calisha Bennett – Your Past Does Not Define You

			Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah. This is Felicia Bennett from developing diamonds coming to you on
behalf of Academy alive. Perhaps you're a Muslim who has a bit of a dark history a tainted history.
Maybe your past isn't as squeaky clean as you wish it had been. But you know what, as a Muslim who
has now inshallah reformed yourself, that's okay. Your past doesn't have to define who you are today
and it doesn't define your future. Allah subhanaw taala is most kind and most merciful. And in fact,
the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam gives us hope, through a beautiful Hadith where he says, the
best among the people in Jamelia, the days of ignorance, so the most notorious people, the people
		

			who are known for their reputation for perhaps the wrong that they used to do or commit, they can
become among the best in Islam, provided that they have sound knowledge of the religion. So when we
look at transforming our lives, transforming the story, perhaps of our past to a better story moving
into the future, it is through having sound Islamic knowledge, which will be the catalyst for us in
creating that change of reputation, that change of pathway in life. So if you have a past where
perhaps you're a little bit ashamed of it, and you want to be you know, be known within yourself and
know that you are the best version of yourself now that you have reformed yourself, then inshallah
		

			let knowledge be that first step towards redeeming yourself and creating a new path forward an
honorable path and an honorable reputation. Through this Hadith, we learn that the Prophet
sallallahu wasallam is saying that, if you were known for bad before, guess what we can change them
switch that around, and you can be known for good and you can become the best in Good bye using
perhaps those same strengths, qualities and traits you used to invest in the wrong things. Now
investing it in the right things, and what is the way to drive that forward to drive the ability of
you using your skills and talents for hate and for goodness, it is through you having a sound base
		

			of Islamic knowledge so that you can then navigate the use of those strengths, qualities and talents
which you used to use for wrongdoing, now using it for good for the sake of Allah subhanaw taala and
you can become a leader in that regard. You can be an amazing role model in that regard. So
hamdulillah there is always an amazing amount of hope. There's an amazing amount of inspiration for
us as we journey as believers from today moving into the future. It is not our past that defines us.
It's what we do today. And it's so long as we equip ourselves with knowledge today that we will be
able to navigate a better path in the life to come in the dunya and in the US or in sha Allah.