Rabi al-Awwal 29, 1448 (September 11, 2026)
Assalaamun Alaykum Warahmatullah Taallah Wabarakatuhu
Knowledge, Compassion, and the Bridge Between Hearts
The Inspiring Journey of the 84-year old British Muslim Scholar, Ruqaiyyah Waris Maqsood
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all worlds, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful. We seek His guidance, His forgiveness, and His wisdom. May peace and blessings be upon the noble Prophet Prophet Muhammad, his family, his companions, and all those who follow his path with sincerity until the Day of Judgment.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today, we reflect on a powerful lesson: how knowledge, sincerity, and compassion can transform not only an individual life, but also become a bridge between communities. To understand this, we turn to the inspiring journey of Ruqaiyyah Waris Maqsood; a woman whose life reminds us that guidance comes through seeking, questioning, and humility before truth.
She was not born into Islam. She entered this world in London in 1942 as Rosalyn Rushbrook, raised as a devout Christian. Her early life was deeply rooted in faith, discipline, and the pursuit of knowledge. She studied Christian Theology at the University of Hull, graduating with distinction, and went on to dedicate more than three decades of her life to teaching religious studies.
But dear fellow Muslims, guidance is not always about where you start; it is about where your heart is willing to go.
In 1986, after years of study, reflection, and sincere searching, she embraced Islam. She did not come to Islam out of cultural inheritance, but through conviction. And this is something we must reflect upon: how many of us were born into Islam, yet have not truly discovered it?
Allah says in the Qur’an: “And those who strive for Us—We will surely guide them to Our ways.” This was her story. A journey of striving, questioning, and ultimately surrendering to truth.
Dear brothers and sisters,
After accepting Islam, Ruqaiyyah Waris Maqsood did not keep her knowledge to herself. She turned her life into a mission—a mission of dawah, of explaining Islam in a way that is compassionate, accessible, and deeply human.
She authored more than forty books. They include The Muslim Marriage Guide, Teach Yourself Islam, and What Every Christian Should Know About Islam. These were not books written to argue or to attack, but to explain, to clarify, and to build understanding.
Here lies a lesson for us: Islam is neither spread by force, nor by harshness. Not even by anger. It is spread through clarity, wisdom, and good character.
Allah commands in the Qur’an: “Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best.”
This is exactly what she embodied.
She spent years as a Head of Religious Education in a secondary school in Hull, shaping young minds. She became a trusted authority on Islamic studies, even in a Western academic system. Why? Because she spoke with knowledge, sincerity, and balance.
She did not present Islam as something rigid and inaccessible. Rather, she showed its beauty, its mercy, and its relevance to modern life; especially for young people and new Muslims struggling to find their place.
Dear brothers and sisters,
We live in a time when Islam is often misunderstood. Sometimes, it is misrepresented by others. At other times, sadly, it is misrepresented by Muslims themselves: through harshness, extremism, or lack of wisdom.
The life of Ruqaiyyah Waris Maqsood stands as a reminder that Islam is a religion of balance. She consistently advocated for a moderate and compassionate understanding of the faith. She stood firmly against extremism, not with anger, but with education.
And this is critical: ignorance fuels fear, but knowledge builds bridges.
She focused not only on Muslims but also on Christians; people she understood deeply from her own background. She wrote for them, spoke to them, and engaged them with respect. She did not see interfaith dialogue as a battleground, but as a meeting point of hearts.
And this is especially relevant for us here in Nigeria, where Muslims and Christians live side by side. How often do we speak to one another rather than about one another? How often do we choose understanding over suspicion?
Dear brothers and sisters,
One of her greatest contributions was making Islam accessible to young people and converts. Many reverts struggle; they leave behind one identity and step into another, often without support, without guidance, without community.
She recognized this gap and filled it with compassion. Her writings addressed real-life issues: marriage, identity, faith struggles, and the challenges of living Islam in a modern world.
This teaches us another lesson: Islam is not just rituals, it is lived experience. It is how we treat people, how we support one another, how we embody mercy in our daily lives.
The Prophet Prophet Muhammad said:
“Make things easy and do not make them difficult. Give glad tidings and do not drive people away.”
Let’s ask ourselves:
Are we making Islam easy for others to understand?
Or are we making it difficult?
Are we inviting people with wisdom? Or pushing them away with harshness?
Dear brothers and sisters,
After retiring from full-time teaching in 1996, she continued her mission through writing and lecturing. She did not see retirement as an end, but as a new beginning; a chance to serve Islam in a broader way. At age 84, she’s relentless in Islamic mentorship and propagation, and interfaith harmony.
And this brings us to a final reflection: our service to Islam does not end with age, profession, or status. Every stage of life is an opportunity to give.
You may not write forty books. You may not teach in a classroom. But every one of us is a representative of Islam.
Your character is a message.
Your words are a form of dawah.
Your actions are a reflection of your faith.
So let us take inspiration from this remarkable journey; not to admire it from a distance, but to act upon its lessons.
Seek knowledge sincerely.
Practice Islam with compassion.
Engage others with wisdom.
And build bridges where others build walls.
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May Allah guide us to embody the true message of Islam. May He make us people of knowledge, humility, and mercy. And may He allow us to be a source of guidance for others, just as He guided those who came before us.
Ameen.
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Endeavour to recite Surah Al-Kahf (Chapter 18: Verses 1-110).
Juma’ah Mabrouq
