Our communities lack foundation, direction and sincerity. Our Ummah-consciousness is weak. Youth lethargic, elderly outdated, and scholars out-of-touch. All signs of the apathetic condition that our community has fallen into.

It's time to get it right! The call today is for change, not in global politics, or on the steps of Washington, but in our own backyards. Get ready to weed out your lawn, reseed, and water. The challenge today is at the grassroots level. We can sulk in our misfortunes, dwell on our inadequacies, and pale in the face of injustice. But Allah [swt] says "So lose not heart, nor fall into despair; for you must gain mastery if you are true in faith." [Qur'an 3:139]

So leave the tears for the watering pot, 'cause I'm ready to rise with my rake and hose. Are you?

To begin, we must reflect on two levels--on ourselves and on the immediate situation around us. "For Allah does not change the situation of a people, until they themselves change" (13:11). Change therefore must begin from within. Grassroots initiatives have never succeeded without conviction in the message and hearts laden with sincerity. And where better to begin than with the youth--the energetic personalities, the change we hope to see in our future--the reason we have seen invigorated transformations of societies from the time of Muhammad [s] to the revolution of Al-Hussayn [a] and Mahatma Gandhi? So the stage has been set: change must begin in the hearts and minds of a select dedicated few and, when translated outwardly, will then excite the masses to mobilize and meet the challenge set forth by the sincere.

Now to begin, step outside onto your front lawn with magnifying glass and weed killer in hand. It's time to weed, reseed, and water.

Weed. This is the tough part-first, get on your knees, and start looking for dandelions and crab grass. Your actions, beliefs, sincerity, agenda, spirituality, and environment-- those aliments that cloud your God-consciousness are front- and-center of the initial battle. Uproot all those blemishes that turn your good lawn bad! Cultural baggage, pack it up and ship it out! Affiliation and biases, rip them out from their roots! Indulgences and transgressions, zap them with a powerful dose of dua'a and prayer. And of course, knee deep in bad mannerisms? Call on the all-star team to whip you back into shape - Ahlul Bayt [a]. Strong roots bear good fruits!

An outward expression of faith such as that of activism must first be preceded by internal reflection and change in the direction of Allah [swt]. So don't let that pesky crabgrass invade your lawn, instead confront it with a heavy arsenal of faith, practice, awareness and spirituality.

Reseed. Faith-based grassroots activism, here you come! So you're anxious to be at the forefront of saving humanity, right? Get in line--the back of the line that is--where no one wants to be. The fight to rid the world of social injustice, poverty, political tyranny and all of its other problems, starts in your backyard: your own community. A place where the spotlight doesn't shine; no national prestige, media or eyes to praise your every move--only mud, dirt and a lot of bare patches of fertile earth (a powerful secret that only you know about and everyone else has overlooked). It's time now to test that fertile soil and plant those seeds within yourself and others around you.

You are ready to put your faith into action--and allow your community to reap benefits from the fruits of your labor, but don't get too comfortable, the hard work is yet to come.

Water. Analyze your immediate situation. What do you see? What bugs you (figuratively that is)? Is your community weak? Societal inadequacies? Youth identity issues? Apathy? Your community institutions have a restrictive hierarchy? Poverty? Start building coalitions with your sisters and brothers in faith and put those brilliant minds to work. Identify what you intend to change, and do it. Derive deeply held principles from your faith and translate them into your immediate environment. This is the phase where you put your faith to the test. Will the many challenges that you face be withstood? At times, the harsh environment will discourage you from continuing with your work. Look at the bright side, all of this contributes to promoting and polishing your character.

As you continue to pour your heart and soul into your community, withstanding the difficulty of the task at hand, doors will start to open. You will find that all the struggle endless meetings and barrage of emails were well worth it.

Maintain. Throughout the years as you progress as a leader and activist, your main goal is to maintain your lawn. This is a multifaceted approach where you continue to reflect on your actions; continue reseeding and watering. Yet the major criterion by which to gauge your success, is whether your work and work ethic have been transposed onto your community. Have you mentored other youth and community members? Do they understand your work ethic and the importance of the message you and your colleagues have worked so hard to promote? While engaged in your work, don't forget to involve other community members. Do this not to just utilize their resources, but also to promote leadership and responsibility, planting the seeds of your message and bringing your work full circle.

You now feel accomplished. It's now time to bring out the beach chair, a pitcher of lemonade, your favorite book and enjoy your scenic backyard, right? Wrong! At this point you're ready to move on to bigger and better things: your front yard. Why, what were you thinking? It's all about grassroots! Strengthen your community by strengthening the roots. Only then will we see major transformations. Let's get going and help weed, reseed, and water!