How would you define identity? Are we talking self-identity, personal identity or physical identity?...

How would you define identity? Are we talking self-identity, personal identity or physical identity? Is there even more than one identity?

In this world, everything has its own place and belonging, everything has its own purpose and everything is created by the One and Only, Allah SWT.

How do we figure the identity of our peers? Should we separate those individuals into groups of race, colour or ethnic origin? Do we group them into types of personality or even ability?

How is identity configured in general today? Identification is required for almost everything; travelling, studying, purchasing, selling, employing, giving, sending and so forth.

Identification of address or personal details is required in finance, identification is required for Government tax purposes, and identification is even required for living purposes.

In today’s world, identification has somehow become a form of status, though. Be it due to financial standing, political standing, celebrity standing or religious standing; every sub-division holds a certain amount of deference.

In other words, as sad as it is, you have to be known to be acknowledged in today’s society. And this, brothers and sisters, is the world in which we live.

How far do we go to ensure we are recognised in the world of today and for what reason? We strive to make a successful name for ourselves and our family, to enable our close ones to be proud of us amongst the community.

The bigger your house, the more respect you are given. The type of car you drive gives an outsider an indication of your financial standing and your job title even plays a factor in how people treat you, too.

Do all these things make you a respectable person? Do these things earn you automatic respect and standing in your community?

This is exactly where we need to broaden our minds. Why worry about your standing to man when you should only worry about your standing in the eyes of Allah SWT, your Creator?

Will Allah SWT favour us more in the Hereafter because we were wealthy? Will Allah SWT favour us more in the hereafter because we had a big house, or were respected amongst our peers?

Every single being in this world created by Him is equal in the eyes of Allah SWT.

For example, we see and hear of various happenings around the world on a daily basis; wars, disasters, emergencies, poverty, etc. People are dying, people are starving, people are left without a home, without nourishment, without family.

If this were to happen to an individual of some standing or someone who was very well-known in the community, perhaps of illness we weren’t aware of we would be in great shock at our loss, right?

The way in which the loss of someone who had an identity to us affects us is quite overwhelming. We mourn those we know and we see a return to Allah SWT.

Around us, we hear people saying “but he was so young”, or “she didn’t seem ill at all” and even “but it was so sudden and unexpected” and mourn for those who had some standing in our eyes. There are people dying every day that we don’t know – but how can we mourn them? Do we even try?

This is what is wrong with the world today, brothers and sisters!

Our true credentials have nothing to do with our name, age, address, wealth, belongings, physical appearance or social standing; our identity is the same as every single other living being made by our Creator.

Rich, poor, small, big, famous, anonymous, male, female, old, young; we all come from Allah and to Allah shall we all return.

None of us will be buried with our wallets, in our houses, within our expensive cars or with our qualifications; we arrive with nothing and we return with nothing – apart from our deeds.

Just because all of those that are poverty- and war-stricken in today’s world, those who have no means of nourishment or shelter, and those who do not have a choice are unbeknown to you personally, it doesn’t make them anonymous.

They have an identity, the very same identity as us. So, no matter what country, what race, what colour, what belief or what religion; when innocent people are killed in war or as a result of famine on a daily basis, just remember, they are one of us. That is their true identity and yours too; to Allah SWT, we are all the same.

There is no such standing that can outshine how you present yourself to your Creator. If you are blessed with wealth, share it. If you are blessed with knowledge, share it. If you are blessed with authority, use it. Change the world, help those who are struggling; do good deeds without wanting anything in return.

Join Islamic Helpin its mission to help those in the current Syria crisis; volunteer your time, set up a local fundraiser, donate to Syria and get involved for a good cause.

Maybe then, when we finally stand in front of our Creator, we will have an identity to be proud of.