I write to you of hope and fear. When you were little, your parents and all of us had so much hope. Your pure heart and mind could almost literally be seen when we looked into your shining eyes and heard of your successful studies of the Quran and Islam. What dreams we had of your future! You would be among those who made a difference in the world, who would establish right and forbid wrong, and who would encourage others to high aspirations, inshaAllah. You would be one of those who answered the call of your Lord and Creator whole-heartedly. Oh! How we hoped!

Unfortunately over the years that hope began to fade, although our prayers for you didn't stop. It was a slow and subtle process. With so few good alternatives available, we felt forced to use educational tools that fed your mind and soul with a culture that tugged at you drawing you away from the center of the Straight Path. We tried to encourage you to read books with stories that would rightly guide you or that were non-fiction, but the magnetic-like pull of fantasy was compelling. Whether mystery or action or drama all seemed to contain some small seed of the wild and immoral. We tried to weed those out through our discussions with you. We hoped that by giving you better examples and true guidance from the best way of life, Islam, and the best example, Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him), you would use your critical thinking skills and decipher right from wrong.

Eventually you grew from that pure child into a young boy constantly bombarded by the excessiveness that surrounded you. Living in a society that had become mixed up in its messages and thus was losing the moral fiber it was founded upon, truly was a challenge. Initially the society's objectives were about the freedom to believe and pursue one's goals through hard work and honest endeavor, but then it seemed to have become mostly about the freedom to follow one's desires.

So we saw how the love for music and multimedia entertainment conveying these mixed messages seeped into your life. How strong its beckon was. How powerful the constancy of its temptation became. "Join us in our fun. A compromise here or there will not change what you believe. You can still be a Muslim and partake in our form of play."

Possibly its influence got its strongest grip on you when you started playing on a football team as a kid. And maybe your family encouraged you because they wanted you to learn how to work with a team and to develop your physical strength. But none of you were aware of what starting down that path would later entail... the indecency in the high school locker room both physical and verbal and the harm that the violence of that sport would have on your body or the most damaging of all... the prayers that were missed for the sake of the game.

Now you have let go of that sport a bit but the effect on your outlook on life seems to remain. Our hope dimmed and fear grew when we heard you want to be a model. It may be that you have grown into a handsome young man, my dear young brother, but have you thought this through? Do you not see where this choice will lead? You are so intelligent and capable of using your intellect to truly benefit yourself and the world. Why do you choose to use your body to sell things? Surely your looks are better off guarded and kept for your future wife. What level of modesty can you possibly be left with when someone else is choosing what clothes you will wear, when and where you will put them on and take them off, and how you will stand, sit or lie down in them? Much worse... who you will stand next to, touch, or hold in the pose "needed" for the photo shoot most certainly will play a role in such a career choice.

My dear young brother, please reflect on these things now before it is too late. Remember the real purpose of your life is to be Allah's servant. One can have no greater goal. And recall that like all things in this life your looks will fade leaving you only with your deeds to be taken into account. Do not darken your heart with choices that can ultimately destroy your soul. Turn back now!

Before you find yourself in a wretched state far off the Straight Path, turn to the Most Gracious, Most Merciful now! The choice is yours. Seek forgiveness for your sins as all of us must do and follow the example of your prophet. Find true success in righteous endeavors that properly utilize the blessings you have been given. Pursue your higher education. Take care of your family. Get involved in your community. Plant trees. Visit orphanages. Advocate a clean environment both physical and digital. Feed the poor. Read to the elderly in nursing homes. Learn survival skills. You can do these and so much more. Reflect on the problems of our world and strive to find their solutions through the Guidance we have been given. Be grateful to your Creator and Sustainer by serving Him. Choose wisely and fill us once again with hope... the hope that you will make a difference in a world that so desperately needs strong, young Muslim men to become the owners of their destinies by establishing good and forbidding evil, by striving to bring benefit to the world and prevent perversion and harm. As recorded in Tirmidhi, the Messenger of Allah said:

Begin your journey to the fulfillment of your destiny today. Choose true success!