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The Islamic Personality
Developing an Islamic personality and good character and teaching it to one's children is one of the main duties of a Muslim, and one's personality will only be complete when one sincerely follows the religion of Allah and implements it to the best of one's ability. Allah, the Exalted, says:
O you who believe, enter into Islam wholeheartedly. [al-Baqarah 208]
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said:
There is nothing heavier on the scales than good character. [Ahmad]
The believers with the most perfect faith are those who have the best character, and the best among them are those who treat their wives best. [Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood]
Those among you who are dearest and closest to me on the Day of Judgement are those with the best character. Those who are most despicable and farthest from me on the Day of Judgement are those who talk a lot, belittle others and are boastful. [Tirmidhi]
I have only been sent to perfect good character. [Ahmad]
Muslims should remind themselves of the ideals they should strive for and what is necessary to cultivate the soul, purify the heart and refine the character.
Taqwa
Taqwa is an indispensable quality. Translations such as ‘fear of God’ hardly do it justice, for fear of Allah is not a paralysing fear, but an activating drive. It keeps us away from sin and makes us do good deeds. Allah says:
Verily, the most honoured of you with Allah is the most god-fearing. [Al-Hujurat 13]
Fear of God also makes us lose our fear of other things and people. It also leads to:
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Humility and modesty
When we realise that all power belongs to Allah and that we in reality create nothing and have power over nothing, this not only makes us fear Allah, because we do not know what He has destined for us – whether hell or heaven – it also fills us with humility. This humility applies not only to our Creator, but also to His creatures, and is the exact opposite of the arrogance that Iblis showed towards Adam when he said, ‘I am better than him!’
And do not turn your cheek to them in contempt, nor walk proudly on the earth, for Allah does not love anyone who is conceited and boastful. [Luqman 18]
Humility is also necessary in order to recognise:
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The Muslim is a servant of God and of mankind
Allah tells us why we were created:
And I have only created the jinn and mankind to worship Me. [ad-Dhariyat 56]
And our Lord has commanded: Pray to Me, that I may answer your prayer. But those who are too proud to serve Me will surely enter Hell, despised and humiliated. [al-Mu'min 60]
However, Muslims should not only serve God, but also their next ones. Allah's Messenger (may God bless him and grant him salvation) is reported to have said:
A believer is friendly and sociable, and there is nothing good in a person who is not friendly and sociable. The best among people are those who are most useful to others. [At-Tabarani]
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Purity and sincerity of intention
The essence of actions is pure and sincere intention (ikhlas):
Their flesh (of the sacrificial animals) does not reach Allah, nor does their blood, but it is your reverence that reaches Him. [al-Hajj 37]
Those who do all deeds only for Allah are the servants of God whom Satan cannot mislead:
He said: ‘Now, by Your power, I will surely let them all fall into error, except Your servants, the Mukhliseen (those with pure and sincere intentions - unfortunately often only translated as ’select‘ or “chosen” servants, probably to keep the translation short, as this word does not exist in English).’ [Sad 82, 83] [also al-Hijr 40]
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
Actions are only by intentions, and every person will only receive what he intended. So whoever emigrated for Allah and His Messenger, his emigration was for Allah and His Messenger, and whoever emigrated to achieve a worldly goal or to marry a woman, his emigration was for what he emigrated for. [Bukhari, Muslim]
Whoever loves for Allah's sake and hates for Allah's sake, gives for Allah's sake and withholds for Allah's sake, has perfected his faith. [Abu Dawood]
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Surrender to God and trust in God
Surrendering to God and relying on Him (tawakkal) is also a result of the realisation that all power belongs to Allah and that He has already determined all things. In countless verses, Allah tells us: ‘And let the believers trust in Allah.’ [Yusuf 67, Ibrahim 12, etc.]
The Messenger (may God bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
If you trusted Allah as you should (and can), He would provide for you as He provides for the bird: it flies out (in the morning for its livelihood) with an empty stomach and returns (in the evening) with a full one. [Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah]
However, as the above hadith shows, despite its trust that it will find its grain, the bird has its part to play, namely to fly out and search. So too should man make an effort (mujahada, ikhtiar), both for this world and the next.
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Right striving
Mujahada means effort, and it is only through effort that the believer finds the right path and closeness to Allah:
But those who strive for Our sake, We will surely guide them to Our ways. And Allah is truly with those who do good. [al-Ankabut 69]
Effort takes many forms and begins with purifying oneself and intensifying worship; caring well for one's family; being good to one's surroundings, including animals and nature; propagating Islam, etc.; and, as the pinnacle, fighting for Islam (jihad).
However, the endeavour should be constant and steady (istiqamah) in order to bring the best benefit. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
The deeds most beloved to Allah are those which are done regularly, even if they are small. [Bukhari and Muslim]
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Repentance and Penance
Returning to the truth elevates a person and raises their status, both with Allah and with people, and if a person sins but then remembers God and repents, they will even be loved by Allah for it:
Indeed, Allah loves those who turn to Him in repentance and those who purify themselves. [al-Baqarah 222]
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
There is no believing servant who does not commit a sin from time to time, or a sin in which he persists and does not give up until he leaves this world. Truly, the believer was created as someone who is frequently tested and tried, who often repents (and then) forgets. When he is admonished, he accepts the admonition. [at-Tabarani]
The example of the believer in relation to faith is like the example of a horse in relation to its tether; it roams around and then returns to its tether, and the believer is negligent and then returns to his faith. So feed the pious with your food and treat the believers well. [Ahmad]
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Gratitude
Kafir is often translated as ‘unbeliever,’ ‘denier of the truth,’ or ‘rejecter,’ but the basic meaning is ‘ungrateful to God.’ Allah reminds us:
So eat of what Allah has provided for you as lawful and good, and be grateful for the favour of Allah if you serve Him alone. [an-Nahl 114]
If you are grateful, I will surely give you more (favour). But if you are ungrateful, then My punishment is severe. [Ibrahim 7]
When asked by Aisha why he stood in prayer at night until his feet cracked, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is said to have replied: ‘O Aisha, should I not be a grateful servant?’ Gratitude is found in the heart, but it is also expressed in deeds.
However, one should not only be grateful to God, but also to one's fellow human beings. Allah's Messenger (may God bless him and grant him peace) is said to have said:
Whoever does not thank people does not thank Allah either. [Abu Dawood]
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The Muslim is content
Gratitude also results in contentment. If the servant of God is content with his Lord and with what He gives him, then Allah is also content with him. And that is ultimately the highest goal, to return to God while He is content with you:
O soul that has found peace, return to your Lord content and well-pleased (i.e. with God's satisfaction). [al-Fajr 27, 28]
The Messenger of God (may God bless him and grant him salvation) is said to have said:
Wealth does not mean having many possessions, but wealth is the wealth of the soul (contentment). [Muslim]
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Patience and self-control
Contentment also means patiently enduring the trials of life and patiently performing one's duties towards Allah:
O you who believe, be patient, persevere, be ready to fight, and fear Allah, that you may prosper! [Ali Imran 200]
And the angels will enter upon them from every gate, saying, ‘Peace be upon you for your patience!’ How excellent is the final abode! [ar-Rad 23, 24]
The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
How wonderful is the lot of a believer: Everything is good for him, and this applies only to a believer. When good befalls him and he thanks Allah, it is good for him; and when misfortune befalls him and he bears it patiently, it is also good for him. [Bukhari]
Becoming angry basically means that one is not satisfied with Allah's decree. It is therefore a trait that must be controlled, which is not always easy, which is why the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him salvation) is said to have said:
The strong man is not the one who defeats someone in wrestling, but the strong man is the one who can control his anger. [Bukhari]
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Mercy
Controlling one's anger leads to mercy. Allah proclaims: ‘My mercy outweighs my anger’ [Bukhari], thereby announcing that He will forgive people because of His mercy (and not because of their good deeds, since He Himself creates them). But Allah also expects people to act mercifully and conscientiously themselves. Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
He who does not show mercy to others, Allah will not show mercy to him. [Bukhari]
Mercy is also expressed in:
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Gentleness
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
Verily, Allah is gentle and loves gentleness, and He gives to gentleness what He does not give to harshness. [Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban]
Gentleness unites hearts in friendship and love, and goodness spreads. The opposite, however, causes bad feelings and mistrust, and people turn away from one another.
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Modesty
God, the Exalted, reminds us: Does he not know that Allah sees? [al-Alaq 14]
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
Faith consists of more than sixty parts, and modesty is a part of faith. [Bukhari]
The Muslim must be ashamed before Allah of what comes into his mind and what is in his stomach. He must remember death and suffering and that his deeds will one day be revealed. If he is ashamed of his deeds in this world, he will not have to be ashamed on the Day of Judgement, inshaAllah, just as those who fear Allah in this world will have nothing to fear on the Day of Judgement.
The Western world spreads a culture of shamelessness, foul language and immorality. Muslims must beware of this and preserve the following:
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Distinctiveness
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
Whoever imitates a people belongs to them. [Ahmad]
You will surely follow the ways of those who came before you, inch by inch and cubit by cubit, until if they entered a lizard's hole, you would enter it too. [Bukhari and Muslim]
Muslims have a distinctive personality with their own special nature, worldview and character. If they copy un-Islamic behaviours and customs from non-Muslims (such as celebrating national holidays, New Year and birthdays), they become like them. Unfortunately, this is increasingly the case due to the phenomenon of ‘globalisation’. Instead, he should follow the example of the Prophet (may God bless him and grant him salvation):
Say (O Prophet): If you love Allah, then follow me. Allah will love you and forgive your sins. Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. [Ali Imran 31]
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Justice and balance
Thus We have made you a balanced nation, so that you may be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger may be a witness over you. [al-Baqarah 143]
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
Love whom you love to a certain extent (moderately), for perhaps one day he will be someone you hate, and hate whom you hate to a certain extent (moderately), for perhaps one day he will be someone you love. [Tirmidhi]
The Muslim is balanced in his love and hatred. He is just, both when he gives and when he takes, and he is moderate in all things.
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Truthfulness
Being just also means being truthful and honest. One must be truthful towards others, but one must also not lie to oneself or deceive oneself.
O you who believe, fear Allah and be with those who are truthful. [at-Tauba 119]
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said:
We said: O Messenger of Allah, are you joking with us? He (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: Yes, except that I only speak the truth. [Tirmidhi]
His jokes consisted of words that were true, without fabrication or falsehood.
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
Three things are the signs of a hypocrite: when he speaks, he lies; when he promises, he breaks his promise; and when he is trusted, he proves to be dishonest. [al-Bukhari]
The Muslim is truthful and honest in his speech, faithful in his promises, and trustworthy in fulfilling what has been entrusted to him. The word ‘trustworthy’ (sidiq) is derived from (sadiq), which means ‘truthful’.
The truthful person is one who is prepared to die without shame if his innermost secrets are exposed, for God, the Exalted, says:
Wish for death if you are truthful! [al-Baqarah 94]
If one still fears death and meeting Allah, one is probably deceiving oneself and has not yet seriously tackled the following:
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Fighting against one's own desires
Allah, the Exalted, says:
But as for those who fear their Lord and restrain their souls, the Gardens of Paradise will be their refuge. [an-Naziat 40, 41]
The struggle (jihad) against the soul (Arabic: Nafs; not Ruh, the Self) is generally considered the greater jihad because it is permanent, while jihad against Shaitan, unbelievers or hypocrites is temporary, and because it is, so to speak, a prerequisite for the other types of jihad. For one can hardly be successful and receive Allah's support if one does not control the soul and still commits sins oneself.
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The Muslim has no free time
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
There are two blessings that many people lose: health and free time. [Bukhari]
Make use of five before five: make use of your life before your death, your health before your illness, your youth before your old age, your wealth before your poverty, and your free time before your busyness. [al-Hakim]
For every action there is a phase of enthusiasm/activity, and for every phase of enthusiasm/activity there is a phase of rest/inactivity. So whoever follows my Sunnah in their phase of rest/inactivity is on the right path, but whoever follows something else in their phase of rest/inactivity is lost. [Ahmad]
Free time is a great gift from God that each of us possesses, no matter how busy we think we are. Using this time wisely means not wasting it on fruitless activities. Even the simplest deeds can become valuable when done for the sake of God.
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Responsibility
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
Each of you is a guardian and responsible for those under his care. Thus, the ruler is a guardian and responsible for his subjects; a man is the guardian of his family and responsible for those under his care; a woman is the guardian of her husband's house and responsible for those under her care; a servant is the guardian of his master's property and responsible for what is entrusted to him; and a man is the guardian of his father's property and responsible for what is under his care. So each of you is a guardian and responsible for what has been entrusted to him. [Bukhari, Muslim]
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Finding excuses for other Muslims.
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
No one loves to accept excuses more than Allah, and for this reason He sent the bearers of good news and the warners. [Bukhari, Muslim]
If Allah, who is free from all imperfections, grants excuses, how can you, O servant of Allah, a weak creation of His, not try to find excuses for others? Similarly, there is a saying: The believers seek excuses for others, while the hypocrites hope for the downfall of others.
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Do not harbour envy
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
There should be no envy except in two cases: a man whom Allah has given wealth and he strives to spend it in a righteous manner, and a man whom Allah has given wisdom (i.e. understanding of the Qur'an) and he acts upon it and teaches it to others. [Bukhari]
Envy is a dangerous disease and a harmful evil that leads to many sins. When we see something with others that we would like to have ourselves or that we admire, we should say ‘Masha'Allah’ (‘what Allah wills’) and thus prevent the evil eye and envy.
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The piety of the Muslim
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
That which is permissible is clear, and that which is forbidden is clear, and between them are matters of doubt about which many people have no knowledge. So whoever avoids doubtful matters saves his religion and his honour, and whoever falls into doubtful matters falls into the forbidden. Just like a shepherd who grazes (his sheep) near a private pasture (belonging to someone else) and then enters that pasture. Every king has his private territory. The territories of Allah are the things He has forbidden. Indeed, there is a piece of flesh in the body which, if it is good, makes the whole body good, but if it is corrupt, then the whole body is corrupt. It is the heart. [Bukhari]
Staying away from doubtful things is one of the signs of a Muslim's piety.
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Knowledge for the sake of knowledge
Allah will raise those of you who believe and those who have been given knowledge to high ranks. (Mujadala 15)
Knowledge has a lofty status in Islam, as does the knowledgeable person over the diligent but ignorant worshipper. However, knowledge must be sought and passed on purely for the sake of Allah.
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
Do not acquire knowledge to compete with the scholars, nor to argue with the ignorant, nor to dominate the assemblies. For whoever does so is threatened with the fire! The fire! [Ibn Majah]
Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said:
How will you fare when you are afflicted by a trial in which the young grow old and the old become frail? If any of this is abandoned, it will be said: The Sunnah has been abandoned. It was said: When will that happen, O Abu Abdur Rahman? He said: When your scholars die and the ignorant among you become numerous; when there are many reciters among you, but few who understand religion; when there are many leaders, but few who are trustworthy; when this world is sought after with deeds of the Hereafter; and when knowledge is sought for purposes other than religion. [Darimi, Hakim]
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The believer is a mirror for his brother
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
The believer is a mirror for the believer, and the believer is the brother of the believer. He safeguards his property for him and defends him from behind. [Bukhari]
It is generally the case that when we see something bad in our brother, this bad thing can also be found in us.
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The struggle of the Muslim
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
Verily, my Lord has commanded me to teach you what you do not know, from what He has taught me today: "The wealth that I grant to a servant is entirely lawful for him, and I have created all my servants with a natural inclination towards the true path, but the devils came to them and turned them away from their religion, and they forbade them what I have made lawful for them, and they commanded them to associate with me in worship that which I have not sent down any authority for." Allah looked at the people on earth and hated them, the Arabs and the non-Arabs, except for some remnants of the People of the Book, and He said: ‘I have only sent you to test you and to test others through you, and I have sent down to you a book that cannot be washed away by water, which you will keep and recite while you sleep and while you are awake.’ Allah commanded me to destroy the Quraish, so I said: ‘O my Lord, they would break my head as one breaks bread.’ He said, "Drive them out as they have driven you out, and fight them, and We will help you, and spend, and We will provide for you. Send forth an army, and We will send five more like it. Fight those who disobey you. The inhabitants of Paradise are three: The just ruler who gives to charity and is guided to do good; a man who is merciful and kind to all relatives and Muslims; and the chaste man who does not beg, even though he has a family to support. The people of the Fire are five: The weak man who does not have the will to avoid evil; those among you who are only followers (of others) and do not strive for family or property; and the dishonest man whose greed cannot be hidden even in small matters; and a man who betrays you morning and evening in regard to your family and property (He also mentioned stinginess or lying); and the man with bad manners and foul language. [Muslim]
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The remembrance of Allah
Allah, the Exalted, says:
And if Satan incites you, seek refuge in Allah, for He is All-Hearing and All-Knowing. Those who are God-fearing, when Satan incites them, they remember and immediately see aright. [al-Araf 200, 201]
The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
...and I command you to remember Allah often, for it is as if a man is being pursued by enemies until he reaches a fortress and takes refuge in it. The same is true of the servant, for he protects himself from Satan only by remembering Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. [Tirmidhi]
When a Muslim remembers his Lord, it puts him in a position of safety and protection that Satan cannot overcome. This protects him from many sins and numerous negative qualities.
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
Prayer (ad-Dua) is worship. Your Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, said: ‘Call upon Me - I will respond to your call.’ [al-Ghafir]
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The Muslim guards his tongue
Allah admonishes us:
O you who believe, avoid much of conjecture; indeed, some conjecture is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when he is dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful. [al-Hugurat 12]
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
Do you know what slander (al-'Adh) is? They said: Allah and His Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) know best. He said: ‘It is to convey the words of some people to others in order to cause discord between them.’ [Bukhari, Bayhaqi]
Whoever intervenes and prevents one of the punishments prescribed by Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has disobeyed Allah with regard to His commands. Whoever dies with a debt will not repay it with dinars and dirhams, but with good and bad deeds. Whoever argues about something he knows to be wrong will remain in the wrath of Allah until he desists. Whoever accuses a believer of untruthfulness, Allah will make him dwell in the pus that flows from the inhabitants of Hell, and he will not escape it until he retracts his words. [Ahmad]
The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is also reported to have said that the slanderer will not enter Paradise. Slander and defamation thus destroy a person's good deeds, destroy brotherhood and destroy a person's reward.
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Cleanliness
And God loves those who purify themselves. [At-Taubah 108, al-Baqarah 222 etc.]
O you who believe! When you rise to pray, wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, and wipe your heads and wash (wipe) your feet up to the ankles. And if you are in a state of impurity, then purify yourselves. [Al-Maidah 6]
Cleanliness, both internal and external, is an indispensable quality, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told us:
Cleanliness is half of faith.[Muslim]
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The Muslim does not interfere in matters that do not concern him.
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
Part of the perfection of a person's Islam is that he keeps out of things that do not concern him. [Tirmidhi]
He therefore keeps to his limits and keeps his curiosity in check.
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A time for this and a time for that
Hanzalah al-Usayidi (may Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said:
Abu Bakr met me and asked, ‘How are you, O Hanzalah?’ I replied, ‘Hanzalah is guilty of hypocrisy!’ He said, ‘Allah is free and far removed from all defects!’ What are you saying? I said: When we are with Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and he reminds us of the Fire and Paradise, it is as if we see it with our own eyes. But when we leave Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and attend to our wives, our children and our businesses, much of it slips from our minds. Abu Bakr said: By Allah, we feel the same way. So I went with Abu Bakr until we came to Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). I said: Hanzalah is guilty of hypocrisy, O Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Then Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: And how is that? I said: ‘When we are with you, you remind us of the Fire and Paradise, and it is as if we see them with our own eyes. But when we leave you and attend to our wives, our children, and our businesses, much of it slips from our memory.’ Then Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "By the One in Whose hand is my soul, if you remained as you are when you are with me and remember (Allah), the angels would shake hands with you on your beds and on your paths. But O Hanzalah, there is a time for this and a time for that, there is a time for this and a time for that, there is a time for this and a time for that. [Muslim]
We also have to deal with worldly affairs, and our families also have a right to us. Most of us cannot constantly think about hell and all the prevailing fitnah without becoming depressed or losing our zest for life. We need a certain balance, but this must not lead to forgetfulness of God.
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He does not take sins lightly
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
Beware of sins that are considered minor, like a people camping in the middle of a valley, one bringing a log and another bringing a log, until they are finally able to bake their bread. Likewise, sins that are considered minor and for which man is held accountable will destroy him. [Ahmad]
It is as the noble Companion 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said:
The believer sees his sins as if he were sitting under a mountain that he fears might fall on him, while the wicked person sees his sins as a man sees a fly sitting on his nose, and then does this (one of the narrators said: he wipes it off his nose). [Bukhari]
Sins that are ignored lead to destruction by removing faith and fear of Allah from the heart. The Muslim should therefore not consider sin to be great or small, but rather should consider it in relation to the One whom he is disobeying and fear Him.
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Muslims do not commit oppression
Allah warns us:
He admits whom He wills into His mercy. And He has prepared a painful punishment for the oppressors. [al-Insan 31]
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
Beware of oppression, for on the Day of Resurrection oppression will be darkness, and beware of greed, for greed destroyed those who came before you. It caused them to shed blood and declare lawful what was forbidden to them. [Muslim]
There are two types of oppression: oppressing one's own soul and thus committing sins, or oppressing others and depriving them of their rights.
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Freedom (from the world and its creatures)
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
Jibril came to me and said: O Muhammad! Live as you wish, for you will surely die; love whom you wish, for you will surely leave them; act as you wish, for you will surely be rewarded for it. Know that the excellence of the believer lies in his praying at night, and his honour lies in his not needing other people. [Hakim]
The person who is attached to this world is poor in terms of his religion and his intellect. He does not realise that there is little good in this world except to use it for the Hereafter.
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
Two hungry wolves let loose among sheep do not cause them more harm than a man who strives for wealth and status causes to his religion. [Ahmad]
Abu Umamah Iyas ibn Tha'labah (may Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said:
One day, the companions of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) mentioned this world in his presence, whereupon the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: Will you not listen, will you not listen! Wearing old clothes is part of faith, wearing old clothes is part of faith! [Abu Dawood]
Zuhd (abstinence) means paying little attention to this world, professing one's poverty and need before Allah, treating the servants of Allah kindly and gently, not spending lavishly on clothing, food and drink, and avoiding fame. A sign of detachment from this world is that the believer increasingly abandons material distinctions and categorises everything according to its usefulness for the next world.
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Good deeds
Allah, the Exalted, promises:
...who believe and do righteous deeds; for them there will be a reward that will never cease. [al-Insiqaq 25]
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
Alms (sadaqah) are to be given every day the sun rises, from every limb of a person. Exercising justice between two people is a good deed; and helping a man mount his mount or lift his luggage onto it is a good deed; a good word is a good deed; and every step you take towards prayer is a good deed; and removing obstacles from the road is a good deed. [Bukhari]
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How Muslims treat people
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
The worst people before Allah on the Day of Resurrection are those who are abandoned or forsaken by people in order to protect themselves from their evil words. [Bukhari]
A Muslim does not harm others, either by deeds or words, but rather benefits them. He overlooks the faults of others and prefers them over himself. He does not avoid the poor and does not seek out the rich and powerful or try to please them. He is generous and magnanimous, and he fears Allah and not His creatures.
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Visiting brothers
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
A man set out to visit a brother of his in another village, so Allah, the Most High, sent an angel to wait for him on the road. When the angel came to him, he said, ‘Where are you going?’ He replied, ‘I am going to visit a brother in this village.’ The angel asked, ‘Have you done anything for him for which you expect something in return?’ He replied, ‘No, I love him only for the sake of Allah.’ The angel said, ‘Then I have been sent to you by Allah to tell you that Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, loves you as you have loved for His sake.’ [Muslim]
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The Muslim knows his own worth
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
Verily, the false Messiah will be preceded by years of deception, in which the truthful will be lied to, the liars will be believed, the trustworthy will be discredited, the traitors will be trusted, and the shameful will speak. [Ahmad, Ibn Majah]
Even if the world looks down on him with contempt, the Muslim does not give in to the spirit of the times but follows the truth, whatever other people may think of him.
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The Muslim hopes for good for himself and his brothers
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
A man said: By Allah, Allah will not forgive this and that. Then Allah, the Most High, said: Who is it that swears by Me that I will not forgive this and that, for I have forgiven this and that and nullified your deeds. [Muslim]
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Enjoining good and forbidding evil
The wise Luqman instructs his son in the Qur'an:
O my dear son, perform the prayer, enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, and bear with steadfastness whatever befalls you. Verily, this is part of the determination (in handling) affairs. [Luqman 17]
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
Bear witness to the one who does good that he does good, and to the one who does evil that he does evil. [Baihaqi]
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Be cautious to avoid hostility and discord
Allah's Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:
Verily, Satan has given up hope that those who pray will worship him in the Arabian Peninsula, but he tries to stir up hostility between them. [Muslim]
Perhaps someone may utter a careless word that hurts one of Allah's servants, or he may commit a mistake that may ignite a great fire in the hearts of the brothers. That is what Satan desires most.
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