To what extent have events changed our ideas and colored our behavior?!
Dr. Iyad Qunaybi: In the name of Allah, all praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. Brothers and sisters, peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings, and welcome to you in this blessed evening.
The topic we have chosen, titled "Gaza and the Invasion of the Soul," is the topic that occupies the scene, but we have noticed recently that it has less impact on the souls, and this is what we notice in many calamities; our souls do not take long to weaken in following a particular topic. Therefore, we conducted a survey on YouTube and Telegram to monitor the real change in behavior after the events of "Al-Aqsa Flood."
The question was: "Has there been a radical change in your behavior after Al-Aqsa Flood, to the extent that you have abstained from sins firmly, or embraced a beneficial deed with a pure heart, or obeyed Allah which you were neglecting?" Emphasizing that the question is not about the intention to change but about what has actually changed.
The results (from a sample of over 70,000 participants) were as follows:
Our goal today is to analyze these results and address the flaw of "patience" and how to utilize these events for our future. For this reason, we have invited Dr. Karim Halmy, for his depth in understanding the soul and its emotions, and his distinguished ability to express himself.
Dr. Karim Halmy: All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the most honorable of prophets and messengers. First, to stand on solid ground, we are talking about "behavioral change." Behavior is the way a person interacts with the events of life around them.
When we talk about "radical change," we mean a change in the general behavioral pattern, not just a momentary interaction (such as a passing supplication or a one-time donation and then returning to what it was). Great events cause emotional and cognitive shocks, and Islam magnifies the heart's worship (love, hatred, fear, hope) to the utmost. However, behavior remains the "mirror of thoughts and the trial of feelings"; it is through behavior that the sincerity of the heart is tested.
Behavioral change should stem from doctrinal reform. There is a phenomenon of "Islamic folklore," where a person performs acts of worship usually without doctrinal depth, leading to fragility during crises. The believer believes that "the matter is from heaven, not from earth," and that our behavior affects the descent of affliction or its removal, as Allah says: {Indeed, Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves.} (13:11)
Dr. Karim Halmy: For this group, which represents the largest proportion, we offer several pieces of advice:
Dr. Karim Halmy: This condition is very dangerous; if the soul does not move in front of scenes that shake the mountains, when will it move?
Dr. Iyad Qunaybi: I emphasize here that these people may wait for a calamity to befall them before they change. Engaging in debate and analysis that hardens the heart is an escape from individual responsibility before Allah.
Dr. Karim Halmy: Determination without action is a determination that needs review.
Dr. Karim Halmy: This category, which said that their behavior has changed for the worse (2%), is a condition that requires a precise analytical stop.
First, we must distinguish between "sorrow and grief" and "change for the worse." Sorrow and grief for what befalls the Muslims is "worship" and mercy that Allah has placed in the hearts of His servants, and it is not a change for the worse. The change for the worse referred to here is: helplessness, abandoning acts of worship, doubting Allah's wisdom, or indulging in heedlessness as an escape from reality.
Dr. Karim Halim: The Muslim should create a state of balance. One should not "completely flee" and not follow what is happening to our brothers, nor should one "become destructively absorbed" leading to a paralysis of will and psychological collapse.
Dr. Iyad Qanibi: May Allah open for you, Dr. Karim. These events are ultimately a "trial for us." Allah the Almighty tests our brothers in Gaza with killing and displacement, and tests us with them to see: {Who among you is best in deed}.
The human being must always remember that everything that happens is within the decree of Allah, and He, the Most High, extracts from these trials the servitude of patience, accountability, and support. The change we seek is "change for yourself" first, to be saved in the hands of Allah, regardless of the material results of the battle.
Dr. Karim Halim: Despite the pain in these events, there is "revival of the souls" within them. There are spiritual meanings that we would not have felt with this sincerity were it not for this affliction. Among the greatest things we can offer to our brothers in Gaza is that their affliction does not go in vain, but rather bears fruit in us with sincere repentance and real change in the behavior of the nation.
Dr. Iyad Qanibi: May Allah reward you, Dr. Karim, for this profound presentation. We ask Allah, the Most High, to alleviate the suffering of our brothers in Gaza, to support them against their enemies, to strengthen their resolve, and to help us support them as we are able.
May Allah reward you, brothers and sisters, for your attention, and we entrust you to Allah. Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.