My Head, My Hands, and the Work of Building Community
- Bro John Muhammad
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
This morning, while making salat (prayer), I had a small moment that spoke volumes. As I went into sajdah — the position where the forehead touches the ground — I realized I couldn’t lift my head without using my hands.
At first, I tried to just move my head, thinking it would be simple. But it wasn’t. My head felt heavy. I tried again, putting effort into lifting it on my own… and still, nothing. It wasn’t until I used my hands to help that what seemed impossible became easy.
That simple act — head and hands working together — revealed a deeper lesson about life and community.
Lesson One: The Head Needs the Hands
The head represents leadership, vision, and thought — the plans, strategies, and ideas that guide movement. But the hands represent action, labor, and support — the people who make those ideas real.
No matter how great the vision, it can’t rise without the work of helping hands. Likewise, hands without guidance may move, but not always in the right direction. Together, they make progress possible.
Lesson Two: Many Hands Make Light Work
Community building is like lifting a heavy head — it’s too much for one person to carry alone.
Whether it’s reviving a neighborhood, starting a movement, or keeping a family strong, it takes unity of purpose. Each of us has a role to play, and when we work together, the load gets lighter.
Lesson Three: The Power of Alignment
In prayer, every motion is intentional — the head, hands, knees, and heart all working in harmony.
That’s what family, business and community work should feel like too: aligned, purposeful movement toward a higher goal.
When we move in sync — spiritually, mentally, and physically — we rise together.
So today, I’m reminded: my head needs my hands, and my hands need my head. And in this work of building community, we all need one another.
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