Tom Facchine – The Truth About Development

Development's an important

dimension

of growth. Right? They say if you're not

growing, then you're dying.

But we have to be able to define

what development is and isn't. Development doesn't just

mean getting bigger, doesn't just mean material success.

It needs to be, you know, defined in

an otherworldly sense. Okay? If something is moving

you closer to Jannah, that's development.

And if something is moving you further away

from it, then that's the opposite.

And that's it. Right? And if you even

look at your personal life, we have a

lot of stuff out there about self development

and developing your skills and stuff like that.

But for what? Right? Everything has to be

tied to a purpose. Everything has to have,

a law in mind. And so what are

your skills for? Are they to make Allah

Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala happy? Are they to serve

him and his deen in some sort of

way? Is it, you know, just to

raise your bottom line or make yourself more

lucrative? Okay. That's that might be permissible. No

problem. You have to make your livelihood. Or

is it for your ego and so that

you can feel better about yourself in front

of other people and show off and these

sorts of things? Right? So

what is development? The safest way and the

best way is to tie everything back to

Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala.

Right? And this goes for the individual and

also goes for

cities,

countries. Right? We hear development talk all the

time. It comes through this idea that

more technology, bigger skyscrapers,

bigger economy. This is development. Is that what

makes a lot happy?

Or is it treating everybody justly and making

sure that things are sustainable,

that we're not hurting the earth, that we're

taking care of our responsibilities?

If that's getting us closer to agenda, then

it's development.

And if it's not, then it's not.