Date: Sunday, 3rd August 2025
Venue: Theatre (Arts Centre), Warwick University, Coventry

Dr Ghazala Qadri delivered a lecture at Al-Hidayah 2025, exploring the topic of spiritual growth and offering clear guidance on how to become a better Muslim. Her talk centred on the importance of internal transformation, sincere repentance, and the pursuit of humility in character. She began by highlighting the need to embody good manners and kindness, stressing that a believer should not be rude or judgmental. Rather than focusing on the faults of others, she encouraged the audience to reflect inwardly and ask: are the people around us truly safe from our anger, our harsh words, and our behaviour? Words, she reminded the audience, can leave wounds as lasting as physical scars. Even in Paradise, the people of Jannah will remain humble—showing that humility is not just a temporary virtue but a permanent trait of those nearest to Allah Almighty.

One of the key components of the lecture was Dr Ghazala’s detailed explanation of the four stages of repentance (Tawbah). The first stage involves immediately recognising a sin and ceasing the act, which requires deep reflection and honesty with oneself. The second stage is seeking forgiveness from Allah Almighty—sincerely, from the heart, not just from the tongue. Dr Ghazala emphasised that true repentance is born out of heartfelt remorse, and that inner regret is the starting point of genuine change. The third stage is to break free from the cycle of sin. If one continues to return to sinful habits, stays in harmful company, or remains influenced by negative online content, their repentance remains hollow. True remorse compels a person to take active steps to avoid falling back into the same patterns. The fourth and final stage of Tawbah is to replace bad actions with good. The more a person fills their heart with righteous deeds, the more difficult it becomes for darkness to return. Dr Ghazala beautifully explained that letting light into the heart is the most effective way to keep it protected from spiritual harm.

She continued by stressing that becoming a person of Taqwa—God-consciousness—requires real effort and the pursuit of sacred knowledge. Just as success in worldly matters demands dedication, so too does the path to divine closeness. One must constantly evaluate: am I on a path that pleases Allah Almighty, or one He dislikes? Dr Ghazala warned against living in heedlessness or walking a path that distances a person from divine favour.

Another major theme of the lecture was the deeper understanding of Sabr (patience). Dr Ghazala pointed out that many people associate patience only with enduring illness or hardship, but its true scope is far broader. Real Sabr is about restraint—it means holding oneself back from sin even when the opportunity and ability to commit it are present. This form of patience is a critical component of Taqwa. To maintain God-consciousness in daily life, one must have the strength to say no when it is easy to say yes to wrongdoing.

To cultivate such patience, she explained, one must develop contentment. In today’s world, especially with the pressures of social media, contentment is often undermined by constant comparison and dissatisfaction. Yet it remains essential to nurturing both patience and inner peace. She ended the lecture with a powerful message: let your tongue be patient, your heart content, and your body at peace. When a person achieves this balance, they experience calmness and serenity from within—a state of true spiritual stability.

Dr Ghazala Qadri’s lecture was both inspiring and practical. Addressing the sisters attending Al-Hidayah 2025, she conveyed timeless spiritual guidance. Spiritual growth is not accidental—it is a deliberate, ongoing journey rooted in sincerity, humility, patience, and effort.