Spirit of Islam, Jan-Feb 2024

FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF’S DESK Prof Farida Khanam is an author, editor, translator, public speaker and former professor of Islamic Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. Among her books are ‘A Simple Guide to Islam’ and ‘A Study of World’s Major Religions’. She has translated into English many books authored by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Currently the chairperson of CPS International, she is a regular contributor of articles to various publications. Prof Khanam has edited Maulana’s English translation of the Quran and has also translated his Urdu commentary on the Quran into English. She can be reached at spiritofislamperiodical@gmail.com NAVIGATING THE NEW YEAR WITH PURPOSE AND WISDOM I N accordance with the Common Era (CE) calendar, the commencement of a new year occurs on January 1st, and consequently, New Year’s Day is universally celebrated on this date across the world. The observance of New Year’s Day is marked by a collective hope that the forthcoming year will surpass its predecessor. However, this aspiration can be realized only by individuals who maintain a meticulous account of their actions and choices, as opposed to those who lead lives characterized by heedlessness. Embedded within the natural order of things is the inexorable passage of time. According to the laws of nature, each new day succeeds the previous one, resulting in the inexorable deduction of days from the finite span of human life. For instance, January 1, 2024, follows December 31, 2023, and inevitably, January 1, 2024, will too evolve into a historical footnote. In this transient world, novelty succumbs to antiquity, and every circumstance ultimately transitions into the annals of the past. While the past cannot be resurrected, it does hold within it a treasury of experiences from which one can glean invaluable wisdom. This immutable principle is ingrained in the very fabric of existence. In light of this, it is incumbent upon every individual to engage in introspection as a primary duty. A truly successful person is one who conducts a continuous self-evaluation, taking stock of what was gained