Kanwal Yousuf
Why is service sacred to you?
There came a time in my life when I was seeking for nearness to Allah after realizing that my want for love and purpose was a yearning for God. When your intention is for our Creator, the act of service becomes sacred and results in infinite blessings of ascension towards Allah. I have found my purpose from serving others and I am guided towards an inner and outer opening. There is a sweetness that comes from service and this is why service is sacred to me.
Why is this area of service sacred to you?
This area of service is sacred to me because Data Strategy involves deep listening and acquiring resources to meet community needs. I realized that the immediate occurrences in life were not only Qadr, but also experiences that resulted in decisions that have an impact on the community. I learned that listening to people and meeting their needs is sacred to me because it is an honor to help people and make them feel understood with words like, “you’re not alone”, “I hear you”, and a follow up with “what do you need?”. Data strategizing is moving towards improving solutions and increasing prevention for community healing.
Community-level data helps identify gaps and successes to make informed decisions and ensure that the community is being heard, needs are being met, and leaders are setting priority. A part of the data collection process is asking meaningful questions and actively listening to witness an individual’s story unfold. Each person and their story holds 99 names and there is so much to learn from everyone. Having the honor to make a person feel heard and understood was the way of our Beloved Prophet, peace be upon him.
Data can also be used to strategize the community's story to bring together the right people and resources that will support seekers in their journey of deepening their relationship with Allah. That is why this area of service is sacred to me.
What does Wasat mean to you and how do you feel Wasat embodies sacred service?
"Come as you are, to Islam as it is"
If you are seeking to learn about the Islamic traditions as an American Muslim, Wasat will bring balance to where you are in life. I had questions like, "What does equtiy mean in Islam", "How does Islam solve racism?", and "Is Islam the answer to all wordly problems?"
At Wasat, my friends and I were comfortable asking questions or the answers were provided to us before we asked. How our traditions are taught in this space is with love and creativity, to meet people where they're at.
Wasat is space that where I met my friends, learned Islam, and was inspired by our teachers. There came a time in my life when I was seeking for purpose and nearness to Allah. I did not know that my passion for equity can come to life through Islam. Wasat became a place for me to focus on being intentional about my interactions and decisions for social justice.