The Mahdi Times The Mahdi Times Issue #21 August 2014 | Page 2

Welcome Message by Laila Ali Ya Ali! Salam, I pray you are all well and in a place most pleasing to Allah (swt). Welcome to “The Mahdi Times”, Issue #21, August 2014. This month, I have been contemplating deeply on forgiveness. I believe many of us, while entering into the Dawah of Ahmad al Hassan (a.s) have faced many tests and even had to face ourselves, our true selves and battle our Ego Monster in ways we never thought possible. The reality is, this Dawah is a purification process that only a few are able to fully embrace and fall into without being led astray by the dunya. It’s a painful journey for the Ego Monster as it leaves us with not many supporters and friends and alone in a world of strangers. During this time, I feel we must learn to process and forgive. Not others, but ourselves for our own personal negligence and incompetence. Why not others? Because who are we to even be offended by others when we carry a massive burden of our own sins on our backs? Ahmad al Hassan (a.s) has put this all into perspective for us in some beautiful words of advice one of which is placed on the cover of this month’s magazine.