SOME ISLAMIC
DIRECTIVES
ABOUT Kindness
MuhammadAli's sore throat got better but his mind was swimming with
ideas. He thought about purity, integrity, and truthfulness. His curiosity
was growing. He wanted to know about the next item on his Dad's list,
kindness. When dinner was over, Abdul-Rahman asked his son how he felt.
"Fine Dad, but anxious to hear about Kindness," answered MuhammadAli.
After dessert, the two went to the family room. After getting seated
comfortably Abdul-Rahman began, "Islam invites us to a very high moral
level. Being kind, considerate, and loving is a prerequisite for any good
Muslim.
Being kind, loving others, feeling empathy for others are virtuous
acts. We should have even these feelings for animals and plants. Such
emotions are recognized by Allah (swt) and rewarded accordingly.
"You mean Islam specially urges us to be kind," MuhammadAli
interrupted.
"Yes," his father replied immediately, "this is central to building a
solid and powerful self. Kindness is a very important attribute. We must
do our best to be kind to all for the sake of the Almighty and for the sake
of goodness. Let us see what the Holy Quran says:
وَيُطْعِمُونَ الطَّعَامَ عَلَى حُبِّهِ مِسْكِينًا وَيَتِيمًا وَأَسِيرًا
And They Feed For The Love Of Allah, The
Indigent, The Orphans, And The Captives.
(Surah
76: Ayah 8)
قَوْلٌ مَّعْرُوفٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِّن صَدَقَةٍ يَتْبَعُهَا أَذًى
وَاللّهُ غَنِيٌّ حَلِيمٌ
Kind Words And The Covering Of Faults Are
Better Than
Charity Followed By Injury.
(Surah
55: Ayah 9)
…وَآتَى
الْمَالَ عَلَى حُبِّهِ ذَوِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينَ
وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَالسَّآئِلِينَ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ
And Spend Of Your Sustenance, Out Of Love For
Him: For Your Kin, The Orphans, The
Needy, The Wayfarer, And For Those Who Ask
For The Ransom Of The Slaves.
(Surah
55: Ayah 9)
وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَاناً وَذِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينِ
وَقُولُواْ لِلنَّاسِ حُسْناً…
Show Kindness To Your Parents And Kinsfolk,
To The Orphans And The Needy, And Exhort To
Righteousness.
(Surah
55: Ayah 9)
"In the above Surahs," Abdul-Rahman continued, "Allah (swt) orders us
to treat our parents and relatives and especially the disadvantaged, with
kindness and tenderness. He also implores us to assist and help those in
need."
"As to the importance of kindness," Abdul-Rahman went on, "it is as
basic and essential for a good Muslim as being pure and truthful. Be kind.
And helpful to others. You may be sure that Allah will see it and reward
you. Allah's Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh) said:
إرحموا من في ألأرض يرحمكم من في السماء
When You Carry Out Mercy To Those On Earth,
He
Who Is In Heaven Will Engulf You With His Mercy.
Muslim And Bukhari
Other Hadiths of the Prophet (pbuh) and/or sayings of the Imams are given
here:
► Kindness Is A Mark Of Faith;
And Whoever Has No Kindness, Has Weak Faith.
►
Allah's Kindness Toward His Creatures Is More
Than A Mother's Toward Her Bay.
►
Whoever Is Kind To Allah's Creatures, Allah Is Kind To Him;
Therefore Be Kind To Man On Earth, Whether Good Or Bad;
And Being Kind To The Bad Is To Withhold Him From Mischief: So That
In Heaven You Will Be Treated Kindly.
►
Who Is The Most Favored Of Allah?: The One From Whom The Greatest Good
Comes To His Creatures.
►
He Is Not Of Us Who Is Not Affectionate To His Young Ones And Does Not
Honor The Elderly; And He's Not Of Us Who Does Not Encourage What Is
Good, And Prohibit What Is Evil.
►
The One Who Is Not Kind To Allah's Creatures And To His Own Children,
Allah Will Not Be Kind To Him.
►
To Gladden The Heart Of The Weary And To Remove Suffering Of The
Afflicted, Has Its Own Reward.
►
In The Day Of Judgment The Reward For These Actions Come Like A Rush Of
The Torrent, And Take Our Burden Away.
►
Call Upon Each Other, And Be Kind, Cordial, And Gracious To Each Other.
Be Congenial In Your Brotherhood Just As The Almighty Has Commanded You.
(Imam
Ja'far Al-Saadiq, book of Al-Usool from Al-Kaafi, Vol. 2, Page 175.)
MuhammadAli shook his head at the depth and meaning of these words.
His father continued, "For us to be kind, we ought to be sensitive and
tenderhearted. Our kindness should come from deep within our hearts.
We are kind to Allah's creatures out of love for Allah, and out of
love and appreciation for Allah's creation. The kind and tender handling of
these creatures is an act to be rewarded by Allah Almighty.
Our kindness is supposed to extend to everything around us. We are
supposed to be kind to the needy and the orphans; and to feed, help, and say
kind words to them is a true act of piety.
Our kindness should involve not only a helping hand, but also spending
our money to help people. Spending your own wealth to help others that are
less fortunate is an important part of our religion. The very least that is
expected of a Muslim is to use kind words toward others. We should not be
kind in order to get a reward, but for the sake of Allah (swt) and a desire
to be good. In other words, kindness should spring from your love of
Allah.
At the same time, our religion tells us to avoid being mean. To be
careful that you are not inconsiderate or cause trouble for others. Such a
person won't be liked or tolerated by others. Such a person will be
avoided. good Muslims try to be considerate and try not to be a burden to
others."
"So what you are telling me is that Islam teaches us many aspects
about kindness?" MuhammadAli asked.
Abdul-Rahman answered briefly:
|
ISLAM
TELLS US ABOUT KINDNESS:
|
|
-
to be kind out of love for Allah and for the noble sake of being kind
-
that kindness is part of our faith
-
that kindness involves: a) material help to others in need,
b) acts of kindness to others, and c) kind words to others
-
kindness and material aid to all of Allah's creatures.
-
that Allah favors those who are kind
-
that a good Muslim is to be kind especially to his parents, to
brothers, sisters, and relatives and just as kind to orphans, the
needy, and to Allah's creatures
-
that a Muslim who stops mischief and wrongdoing has done an act of
kindness
-
to avoid being mean, troublesome or inconsiderate.
|
ABOUT Courtesy
MuhammadAli's
knowledge of the Islamic ethical points was fast increasing. His keen mind
made him even more curious. "Will you please tell me about Courtesy, and
what Islam says about it?"
"Sure. I'm glad your mind is working," his father smiled. Then he
said, "To be courteous shows aspects of good manners. Everyone appreciates
courtesy in all its forms. A courteous person is well liked by others and
his courtesy will encourage others to be courteous. This therefore produces
positive feelings all around. A Muslim should greet others pleasantly. He
should be mild-mannered and soft-spoken. He should have humility and he
should be courteous to all at all times. If you are like this, people will
appreciate you. You should try to adopt these characteristics.
Let us refer to the Holy Quran to see how Luqman was advising his son:
يَا بُنَيَّ أَقِمِ الصَّلاةَ وَأْمُرْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَانْهَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ
وَاصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا أَصَابَكَ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ الأُمُورِ
وَلا تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلا تَمْشِ فِي اْلأََرْضِ مَرَحًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ
Oh
My Son! Establish Regular Prayer,
Enjoin What Is Just And Forbid What Is Evil.
Bear With Patience Whatever Befalls You,
For This Is Firmness Of Purpose In The Conduct Of Affairs. And Swell Not Your
Cheek With Pride At Men,
Nor Walk With Insolence;
For Allah Loves Not The Conceited, The Vain.
(Surah
31: Ayah 17-18)
وَاقْصِدْ فِي مَشْيِكَ وَاغْضُضْ مِن صَوْتِكَ إِنَّ أَنكَرَ الأَْصْوَاتِ
لَصَوْتُ الْحَمِيرِ
...Be Moderate In Your Pace And Lower Your Voice;
For The Harshest Of Sounds Is The Braying Of The Ass! (Surah
31: Ayah 19)
وَإِذَا حُيِّيْتُم بِتَحِيَّةٍ فَحَيُّواْ بِأَحْسَنَ مِنْهَا أَوْ رُدُّوهَا…
...When You Are Greeted, Answer With A More Courteous Greeting,
Or At Least Of Equal Degree. (Surah
4: Ayah 86)
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا تَدْخُلُوا بُيُوتًا غَيْرَ بُيُوتِكُمْ حَتَّى تَسْتَأْنِسُوا وَتُسَلِّمُوا عَلَى أَهْلِهَا
ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ
O
You Who Believe! Don't Enter Houses Other Than Yours, Until
You Have Asked Permission And Greeted Those In Them.
(Surah
24: Ayah 27)
"Do you see?" asked Abdul-Rahman.
"Yes I see," acknowledged MuhammadAli.
His father then added, "Being courteous makes people feel good. It
shows them that you care about them and love and respect them. It also
makes the person showing courtesy feel good. The fact that he is
appreciated by others will also make him feel good.
Courtesy is a component of good manners. Good manners are required of
each Muslim. The Prophet (pbuh) urged us to be humble, modest, courteous,
and respectful of others, and he urged parents to teach their children such
qualities.
See what he says:
أكمل المؤمنـين إيـماناً
أحـسنهم خلقـاً وخيــاركـم خيـارهـم لنسائهم
The Finest Among The Faithful Is The One Whose Moral Character Is High,
And The Best Among You Are Those Who Are Kindest To Their Women.
Tirmidhi
حق المسـلم على المسـلم ست: ....إذا لقيـه فسـلم عليـه.....
Obligations Of A Muslim Toward Another Are Six, One Of Which Is To Greet Him First.
Muslim
من أخلاق
المؤمن: حُسن الحديث إذا حدث، وحسن الإسـتماع إذا حُدِث، وحسن
البِرِّ
إذا لُقي، ووفآءٌ بالوعد إذا وعد
Of
The Manners Of A Mu'min Are:
When He Talks He Speaks Nicely; When Someone Speaks He Listens;
Upon Meeting Others He Welcomes Them With A Smile; And When He Promises
He Fulfills His Promise.
Dailemi
Other Hadiths of the Prophet (pbuh) and/or sayings of the Imams are given
here:
►
No Father Has Given His Child Anything Better Than Good Manners.
►
Respect People According To Their Eminence.
►
Humility And Courtesy Are Acts Of Piety.
►
True Modesty Is The Source Of All Virtue.
►
The One Who Is Humble To Men For Allah's Sake, May Allah Exalt His
Eminence!
►
The Servants Of The Almighty Are They Who Walk On Earth In Humility.
►
It Is My Way That A Man Shall Come Out With His Guest To The Door Of His
House.
►
Meekness And Humility Are Manifestations Of Iman (Belief), And Vain Talk
And Embellishing Are Manifestation Of Hypocrisy.
►
A Cheerful Countenance Will Favorably Replace The Critical, Spiteful
Manner. (Imam
Al-Kadhim quoting the Prophet (pbuh), Book Al-Usool from Al-Kaafi, Vol. 2,
Page 104.)
►
Allah's Speedy Punishment Will Be To A Person Who Is Audacious, Pompous,
And Haughty. (Imam
Ja'far Al-Saadiq quoting the Prophet (pbuh), book of Al-Usool from Al-Kaafi,
Vol. 2, Page 327)
"You see how Islam emphasizes good manners over and over again?"
Abdul-Rahman continued, "It is in good taste to have good manners. It is
good to be lady like and act like a gentleman, as the case may be.
Be gentle and courteous to others and kind and considerate to them.
You should respect others. You should also respect their ideas even if you
don't agree with their point of view.
In addition to these things MuhammadAli, you should use restraint in
your daily affairs. You should be humble and not vain about yourself, your
belongings or your accomplishments. You should not brag about any of
these things since they really come from Allah. You should be modest and
low-keyed. MuhammadAli, it is also very important in Islam to be moderate
and not to go to excesses in anything whether that be in your manner of
living or spending or even eating. Excesses are not good and they can lead
to trouble many times and Islam warns us to avoid excess."
"Dad, basically Islam recommends many facets regarding courtesy in
conduct," MuhammadAli affirmed.
Abdul-Rahman answered briefly:
|
ISLAM
RECOMMENDS TO US ABOUT COURTESY:
|
|
-
To
be considerate to others
-
To
be moderate
-
To
show humility and exercise humbleness
-
To
strive to be gentlemanly and lady-like
-
To
learn how to control ourselves and to use restraint
-
To
be modest
-
To
be respectful of others.
|
ABOUT
Contentment
MuhammadAli was not able to watch TV, instead his thoughts kept
wondering to what his father was going to say that night. "Dad," he said
after dinner, "What do you say about being content and gentle?"
Smiling, his father answered, "You will not feel happiness unless you
are content. Not aspiring for aims beyond your reach will give you a
feeling of contentment. Doing your best, and being satisfied with what you
have will also give you a feeling of being content. Islam encourages us to
be content and gentle.
Unreasonable expectations make us miserable and unhappy since the
goals are not realizable. It is a wholesome thing and a good thing to be
content with who we are, how we are, and what we have. Besides, Allah is
gentle and loves people who are gentle and mild mannered. To be gentle at
heart makes a person more likely to be content.
"On the other hand," Abdul-Rahman reflected, "a greedy person will
always want more and more. He will drive toward such aim, often at the
expense of himself and others. The more he receives, the more he wants, and
the harder he tries. The more this goes on, the more compulsive he
becomes. This leads him to worries and unhappiness. Sooner or later, other
people will be hurt by him directly or indirectly.
Much trouble in the world, be it today, in the past, or in the future,
is a result of greed. This excessive drive may be for power,
self-indulgence, or other aspects of life.
The more people follow greedy desires, the more likely they are to
cause or initiate trouble. Islam urges us to be moderate and to avoid being
greedy. Moderation is wonderful in every aspect of life. When content, we
build the basis for our happiness.
Let us also see what Allah's Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh) says:
إذا نظر أحدكم إلى من فُضِّلَ عليـه في المـال والخَلْق،
فليـنظر إلى مَنْ هو أسْـفَلَ منه
When You See A Person Who Has Been Given More Than You In Wealth And Beauty
Then
Look To Those Who Have Been Given Less.
Bukhari
القنـاعة كنْـزٌ لا يفنى
Contentment Is A None-Vanishing Treasure.
Other Hadiths of the Prophet (pbuh) and/or sayings of the Imams are given
here:
►
Riches Are Not From Abundance Of Worldly Goods, But From A Content Mind.
►
Look To Those Inferior To Yourselves; So That You May Not Hold Allah's
Benefits In Contempt.
►
Verily, Allah Is Mild And Is Fond Of Mildness, And He Gives To The Mild
What He Doesn't To The Harsh.
►
Verily Allah Loves Those Who Are Content.
►
Allah Is Gentle And Loves Gentleness.
►
Verily The Ones Most Knowledgeable About Allah Are The Ones Who Accept
Their Fate With Contentment. (Imam
Ja'far Al-Saadiq)
►
Verily The Ones Most Knowledgeable About Allah Are The Ones Who Accept
Their Fate With Contentment. (Imam
Ja'far Al-Saadiq, book Al-Usool from Al-Kaafi, Vol. 2, Page 60.)
►
Allah Is Gentle, And He Generously Rewards Gentleness, And He Will Treat
Harshness In The Manner It Deserves. (Imam
Ja'far Al-Saadiq, book Al-Usool from Al-Kaafi, Vol. 2, Page 119.)
►
Holding To Gentleness Forms Half Of The Good Conduct. (Imam
Al-Kadhim quoting the Prophet (pbuh), Book Al-Usool from Al-Kaafi, Vol. 2,
Page 120)
►
The Worst In A Servant Of Allah Is Greed That Controls Him, And The Worst
In A Servant Of Allah Is An Ambition That Humiliates Him. (Imam
Ja'far Al-Saadiq, book of Al-Usool from Al-Kaafi, Vol. 2, Page 320.)
"I didn't know there was so much about contentment," interrupted
MuhammadAli. "There is more, much more, if you just knew some Arabic," his
father answered. Then he asked, "Do you want to be content and happy or
grumpy and miserable? Of course everyone wants to be content since
contentment is the doorway to happiness.
You are content if you appreciate what you have, whatever Allah
Almighty has given you. Don't try to compare yourself to others who have
more than you, lest you become envious. Instead, compare yourself to those
who have less than you, and be thankful.
Being content gives you a feeling of being satisfied and you are more
likely to be happy. You develop serenity and gentleness within you. The
Almighty is gentle and loves gentle Muslims."
"In other words Islam teaches many aspects about being content and
gentle," MuhammadAli commented.
Abdul-Rahman answered briefly:
|
ISLAM
TEACHES US ABOUT CONTENTMENT:
|
-
to feel content, so that we become happy
-
to compare ourselves to those who have less than we have
-
that being discontent may lead to misery, and may make a person
difficult to himself and others.
|
"
ABOUT Compassion
For sometime MuhammadAli had been wondering why people lied, cheated,
were hard to trust, or had qualities that Islam so clearly advised against.
"My father makes things so clear to me. Too bad many Muslims are ignorant of
what the Quran or Hadith recommend," MuhammadAli thought to himself. "I can't
wait to learn more." That evening, he asked Abdul-Rahman, his father, to talk
about compassion.
Abdul-Rahman began by asking a question. "Who is the most merciful and
the most compassionate? It is Allah Almighty of course. And who cares very
much about us and knows our weaknesses and frailties? It is Allah Almighty of
course." The answers were clear and very important. After a brief moment
Abdul-Rahman continued, "Allah's mercy and compassion are so vast as to remind
us that He repeated it in every Surah of the Holy Quran except one (The
exception is Surah Taubah.)!
Allah's care and love for all of us and for all creatures on earth is truly
boundless. This reflects His Compassion to us."
After taking a sip of water, Abdul-Rahman continued, "Islamic Directives
urge us to be compassionate too. In other words, Muslims should develop a
feeling of empathy for others. Muslims are supposed to have an understanding
and appreciation of the circumstances of others. If you understand their
circumstances and have sympathy, you can help other people better.
Islam recommends giving a helping hand especially at times of need, and
the person will be well rewarded by the Almighty.
A good Muslim will feel for others and will try to help others. By
doing so, Allah will increase his Thawaab (reward for meritorious act) and
credit him accordingly."
MuhammadAli burst in, "What is Thawaab?"
"Well son," replied Abdul-Rahman, "We'll go into that in some detail
later, but simply speaking Thawaab is the reward Allah will grant for the
meritorious or good deeds a person does in his life time."
Let us quote the Holy Quran about that:
إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ اللّهِ قَرِيبٌ مِّنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ…
... Lo! Allah's Mercy Is Near To Those Who Do Good
(Surah
7: Ayah 56)
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ إِنَّا لا نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ مَنْ
أَحْسَنَ عَمَلاً
...As For The Ones Who Believe And Do Righteous Deeds—Verily, We Shall Reward
Them Well...
(Surah
18: Ayah 30)
In fact, the phrase:
بسـم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In Allah's Name, The Merciful, The Compassionate.
is repeated in the Holy Quran by us many many times so that we may be
constantly reminded of Allah's compassion toward us. Therefore we must follow
and constantly try to extend our compassion to others.
Abdul-Rahman continued after a short pause, "We say this phrase when we
pray, before we eat, or when we start any endeavor. We do that to affirm
Allah's presence and mercy in our hearts. Let us quote from the Quran:
رَبَّنَا لاَ تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن
لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْوَهَّابُ
Our
Lord! Let Not Our Hearts Deviate Now After You Have Guided Us, But Grant Us Mercy
(Surah
3: Ayah 8)
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءتْكُم مَّوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَشِفَاء
لِّمَا فِي الصُّدُورِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
O
Mankind! There Has Come To You Wisdom From Your Lord And A Healing For What
Is In Your
Hearts
And For The Believers A Guidance And Mercy.
(Surah
10: Ayah 57)
Let us refer to a few Hadiths too. Allah's Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh)
said:
إرحموا من في الأرض، يرحمـكم من في السـماء
Have Compassion On Those Who Are On Earth, So That
The One In Heaven
Will
Have Compassion On You.
Tirmidhi
لا يرحـم الله من لايرحـم الناس
Allah Will Not Show Compassion To Him Who Has No Compassion Toward People.
Muslim And Bukhari
لا يؤمن احدكم حتى يحب لأخيه ما يحب لنفسـه
His
Belief Is Weak Until A Person Loves For Other Muslims What He Loves For
Himself
Muttafaq Alayh
مثلُ المؤمنين في توادهم وتراحمهم وتعاطفهم،
مثل الجسد إذا اشتكى منه عضو تداعى له سائرُ الجسد بالسّهْر
والحمّى
In
Their Love And Compassion The Believers Are Like A Body, If It Has A Problem
The Rest Of The Body Will Respond With Symptoms And Fever.
Muttafaq
Alayh
Other Hadiths of the Prophet (pbuh) and/or sayings of the Imams are given
here:
►There Is No Reward But Paradise For A Muslim Who Suffers Out Of Compassion
When The Soul Of His Friend Is Taken.
►Verily Allah Is More Compassionate On His Creatures Than A Mother On Her
Child.
►He Is Not Quality Muslim Who Does Not Take Interest In The Affairs Of Fellow
Muslims. (Imam
Ja'far Al-Saadiq, book of Al-Usool from Al-Kaafi, Vol. 2, Page 164.)
MuhammadAli was in awe. "Those are very powerful Hadiths," he said.
"Yes of course," responded his father, "Allah will reward us very much
when we show mercy, compassion, and love toward our fellow man. It is
essential for all Muslims to be understanding of and helpful to others.
On the other hand Islam also warns Muslims and urges them to avoid the
opposite. Islam advises against cruelty to others. Cruelty breeds cruelty,
and often leads to hurt feelings, destruction, and giving pain to innocent
unsuspecting people. Cruelty of a ruler is especially bad and to be
fought against. Many people will suffer from a cruel ruler. Also take the
cruelty of a conqueror to a nation and how devastating it can be. The
textbooks of history tell us a great deal of such instances. Cruelty is a
dreadful disease, and Islam prohibits it. Islam also urges Muslims to
struggle against any cruel man, ruler or not.
Cruelty to animals is just as bad and can lead to a good deal of
suffering. Islam warns sternly against all kinds of cruelty.
Let us refer to a Hadith in this regard. Allah's Messenger, Muhammad
(pbuh) said:
أفضل الجهاد مَنْ قال كلمةُ الحق عند سلطانٍ جائر
The
Highest Jihad Is To Speak Up For The Truth In The Face Of The Tyrant Ruler Who
Deviates
From
The Right Path.
Tirmidhi And Ibn Maajeh
Other Hadiths of the Prophet (pbuh) and/or sayings of the Imams are given
here:
-
He who shows compassion is promised to be well rewarded by the Most
Compassionate of all, Allah Almighty."
"Dad, what does Islam specifically recommend about compassion?" MuhammadAli
asked.
Abdul-Rahman answered briefly:
|
ISLAM
TEACHES US ABOUT COMPASSION:
|
-
to show compassion and mercy, that this will reap for us a very good
reward, presently and in the Hereafter
-
that love and caring will become mutual sooner or later, and friendship
and understanding will result
-
that the lonely, sick, or needy, need the friendly feelings more than
others
-
that of course the most merciful and compassionate is Allah Almighty,
and we constantly need His kindness, compassion, and love.
|
ABOUT Forgiveness
Several days passed before it was possible for MuhammadAli to sit again
with his Dad, since his father had gone away on a trip. The days passed
slowly, but it gave time for MuhammadAli to review all the things his father
had taught him.
"Dad, I missed you and our talks. I am lucky to have a Dad who knows so
much and can explain it to me. What are we going to talk about tonight?"
Abdul-Rahman stopped for a second and then asked MuhammadAli, "Have you
ever been in a situation where you were hurt by someone? You could either get
back at him or forgive and forget? What Islam says is that the one who has a
good heart will try to forgive.
Forgiveness is a wonderful quality and everyone ought to be quick to
show it whenever possible."
"So Islam urges us to forgive?" asked MuhammadAli.
"But of course," answered his father, "Islam certainly urges Muslims to forgive. When we forgive, we must do it from the bottom of our
hearts. It shouldn't be just lip‑service, it ought to be something we truly
feel. The person who forgives will one day be in need of forgiveness himself
and he will receive it in return.
The most forgiving of all is Allah Almighty, and He has mentioned that
repeatedly in the Holy Book, the Quran. We should also try to be as forgiving
as possible. See what Allah says:
…وَإِن تَعْفُوا وَتَصْفَحُوا وَتَغْفِرُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
And
If You Pardon, Overlook, And Forgive,
Verily Allah Is Forgiving, Compassionate.
(Surah
64: Ayah 14)
…خُذِ الْعَفْوَ وَأْمُرْ بِالْعُرْفِ…
Hold To Forgiveness; And Command To What Is Right.
(Surah
7: Ayah 198-199)
قَوْلٌ مَّعْرُوفٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِّن صَدَقَةٍ يَتْبَعُهَا أَذًى…
A Kind Word And Forgiveness Are Better
Than Charity Followed By Hurt.
(Surah
2: Ayah 263)
"A person who gets hurt," continued Abdul-Rahman, "and is quick to
retaliate is a person of low caliber. But the one who forgives, is a person
of high caliber. Such a person will be well credited by the Almighty for his
acts. See what Allah's Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh) has said:
…أمرك ربكَ أن تعفوا عمّن ظلمك، وتعطي مَن حَرَمك، وتصلَ من
قَطَعَك
Your
Lord Has Commanded You To Forgive The One Who Has Done You Wrong,
And
Give To The One Who Has Not Given You, And Visit The One Who Has Shunned You.
مَنْ سرَّهُ أنْ يُشْرفَ له البُنْيان وتُرفَع له الدرجات،
فلْيعْفُ عمَّن ظلمه، ويُعْطِ مَن حَرَمَه، ويصِل مَن قَطَعَه
A
Seeker Of Distinction Let Him Forgive The Ones Who Harmed Him, Forgive The
Ones Who Denied Him, And Visit The Ones Who Cut Off Their Relations With Him.
Ibn
Ka'b
Other Hadiths of the Prophet (pbuh) and/or sayings of the Imams are given
here:
►
The Favored With Allah Is The One Who Pardons When It Is In His Power To
Injure The One Who Had Hurt Him Before.
►
If The Unbeliever Knew Of The Extent Of Allah's Mercy, He Would Not Despair
Of
Paradise.
►
Forgive, For It Boosts The Person's Distinction; Therefore Practice
Forgiveness And May Allah Boost Your Distinction. (Imam
Ja'far Al-Saadiq quoting the Prophet, Book Al-Usool from Al-Kaafi, Vol. 2,
Page 108.)
►
To Communicate With Those Who Shun You, And Be Generous To Those Who Do
You No Favors, And Forgive The Ones Who Harm You, Lo If You Have Done So
Allah Will Ennoble You. (Imam
Ja'far Al-Saadiq quoting the Prophet, Book Al-Usool from Al-Kaafi, Vol. 2,
Page 108.)
►
Forgiveness Is At Its Best When You Forgive While You Have The Upper Hand. (Imam
Ali.)
►
Lack Of Forgiveness In A Man Is His Greatest Shortcoming, And Vindictiveness
Is The Worst Of Transgressions. (Imam
Ali.)
"What kind of person is he who forgives?" asked MuhammadAli anxiously.
"Well," said his father, "to forgive means not only do you have a big
heart, but you are understanding too. It means you are in control of your
emotions and actions and thus can forgive. The highest form of forgiving is
when you are able to retaliate or take revenge, and yet refrain from doing
that and instead forgive. Better still, is your ability to forgive when you
are angry. On the other hand a person who wants to take revenge or retaliate
is a person lacking in good Islamic spirit. Taking revenge will lead to more
hurt feelings, more destruction and to more losses. Revenge will breed
revenge and ought to be avoided. Not much can be gained by revenge except
more trouble and destruction. Such are the directives of Islam and the
recommendations of Allah's Messenger.
The best historic example is when the Muslims triumphed over Mecca.
Though they had been severely mistreated by the Meccans for almost 20 years,
Muhammad (pbuh) showed unparalleled forgiveness for he forgave them all
including his most bitter enemies, without any conditions whatsoever. This
shows us the extent to which forgiveness can go. What a good example for all
of us!"
"Dad, basically Islam recommends many aspects about forgiveness, right!"
MuhammadAli affirmed.
Abdul-Rahman answered briefly:
|
ISLAM
TELLS US ABOUT FORGIVENESS:
|
-
To
remember Allah's boundless forgiveness
-
To
be quick to forgive others just as Allah forgives us
-
To
control our emotions and not to let our anger get in the way of our
ability to forgive
-
To
not look for revenge
-
To
refrain from being mean spirited.
-
To
Allah Almighty will reward us for forgiving rather than avenging. Our
forgiving, in compliance with the commands of the Quran, is rewarded by
Allah Almighty, and will increase our Thawaab several fold."
|
ABOUT Self-Control
At school a group of older boys had made fun of MuhammadAli making him
angry. Now he was anxious to talk to his father about the incident. "Dad, it
was so hard for me to control myself today, I wanted to punch that guy in the
face."
"Son, I am glad you didn't. What you practiced today was the Islamic
principle of self-control. Whenever you become so enraged that you almost
take action and yet you willfully control yourself and calm yourself down you
practice self-control. Whenever you do this you have obeyed a recommendation
of Allah's Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh)."
His father continued, "Islam urges us to control ourselves. You
see, in anger a person can make bad decisions, can say things he doesn't
really mean or normally wouldn't say. In anger, a person can hurt and injure
the feelings of others and end up destroying his relationship with them.
On a larger scale, a ruler of a country or governor of a
district can make a decision in anger that may prove disastrous, hurting
innocent people or even damaging a country. An angry person is not himself
and cannot think clearly; his emotions rather than his mind are governing his
decisions. Let me quote the Holy Quran:
وَسَارِعُواْ إِلَى مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالأَرْضُ
أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ
الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ فِي السَّرَّاء وَالضَّرَّاء وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ
وَاللّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
And
Hasten To Earn Forgiveness Of Your Lord And A Paradise As Wide As The Heavens
And Earth,
Prepared For The Righteous Who Spend Alike In Prosperity And In Adversity, For
Those Who
Curb Their Anger And Those Who Forgive.
(Surah
3: Ayah 133-134)
See what Allah's Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh) says:
قلتُ يا رسول الله أيُّ المسلمين أفضلْ،
قال: مَنْ سَلِمَ المسلمون مِن لسانه ويَدِه
The
Excellent Muslim Is The One From Whose Hands And Tongue Other Muslims Are
Safe.
Muttafaq
Alayh
Other Hadiths of the Prophet (pbuh) and/or sayings of the Imams are given
here:
►Whoever Suppresses His Anger, When He Is Capable Of Showing It, Allah Will
Give Him A Great Reward.
►He Is Not Strong And Powerful Who Runs People Down; But He Is Strong And
Powerful Who Withholds Himself From Anger.
►No Person Has Drunk A Better Draught [Drink] Than That Of Anger, Which He
Has Swallowed For The Sake Of Allah.
►The Most Excellent Jihad Is That For The Conquest Of Self.
►I Prize A Person Whose Reserve Supersedes His Anger. (Imam
Zainul Abideen, book Al-Usool from Al-Kaafi, Vol. 2, Page 112.)
►Anger Invalidates The Hearts Of The Wise, And The One Who Does Not Control
His Anger Will Lose His Reason. (Imam
Ja'far Al-Saadiq, book of Al-Usool from Al-Kaafi, Vol. 2, Page 305.)
Our Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) encourages us to control ourselves. He says
that by doing so we will have performed a part of Jihad, the struggle for the
cause of God.
It is recommended that we control our anger especially when we have the
power to retaliate. In anger a person may say cruel and hurtful things and
then the injured person may retaliate and the problem multiplies. That is
because our emotions may make us do things that may not be right for that
situation and that we may later regret.
As Muslims we benefit when we practice self-control. In this was we
give ourselves time to think and reason and whatever made us angry can be
considered thoroughly. By controlling ourselves we will give ourselves time
to cool off and not react hastily."
"But don't we have any reason to be angry?" asked MuhammadAli.
"Yes, sometimes," answered Abdul-Rahman. "The only time Prophet Muhammad
became angry was when someone abused the name of the Almighty or His Holy
Book, the Quran. So, MuhammadAli, in cases where our religion is attacked or
the name of our Creator is abused, it is permissible to show anger. But in
most circumstances it is better to show self-control."
"I'll try," smiled MuhammadAli.
"One other thing," Abdul-Rahman continued, "We live in a country where
many people, the media, and the press abuse Islam and the Quran, even the name
of God—often out of ignorance and perhaps prejudice. Therefore, it is our
duty to explain Islam as we understand it. We must keep doing this diligently
and with perseverance. This is our greatest form of Jihad."
"Well, I know one thing" Abdul-Rahman said with emphasis, "If Allah's
name is abused around me and people refuse to listen to my explanation, then I
will be angry for sure. Only ignorant people abuse Allah's name or His
religion. Since we are Islam's champions, we must do everything possible to
provide correct information and to correct those who are spreading inaccurate
information."
"Dad, what are the main points Islam says about self-control?" MuhammadAli
asked.
Abdul-Rahman answered briefly:
|
ISLAM
TELLS ABOUT SELF CONTROLTHAT:
|
-
it is bad to be angry or lose self-control
-
losing tempers often leads to troublesome results,
-
it is better to control yourself, think things through and use reason
-
imitating our leader Muhammad (pbuh) is best. Therefore, we should be
angry and defend Allah's name and Islam whenever we see it misused or
misrepresented.
|
ABOUT Being Responsible
Abdul-Rahman asked his son, now that they had finished dinner, "MuhammadAli,
how important do you think responsibility is in the eyes of Islam?"
MuhammadAli was taken aback, "Very important, isn't it, Dad?"
"Very much so," answered his father, "Not much can be achieved if we
don't feel responsible. Responsibility can also be heavy at times, it varies
according to our age, the position we have in the community, and how capable
we are.
We are obliged to fulfill our responsibilities to the best of our
abilities, and it is our responsibility to live Islamicly as best as we
can. Islam commands us to be responsible." Abdul-Rahman then added
after some thought, "Personal responsibility can be a burden, yet we have to
carry it until the job is done. The Holy Quran says:
مَّنِ اهْتَدَى فَإِنَّمَا يَهْتَدي لِنَفْسِهِ وَمَن ضَلَّ فَإِنَّمَا يَضِلُّ عَلَيْهَا
وَلاَ تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى…
...He Who Is Guided Will Be Guided For Himself, And He Who Strays, Will Stray
For Himself,
And
No Soul Will Carry The Burden Of Another's Soul.
(Surah
17: Ayah 15)
وَكُلَّ إِنسَانٍ أَلْزَمْنَاهُ طَآئِرَهُ فِي عُنُقِهِ…
And
Each Man Is Held Responsible For His Own Actions.
(Surah
17: Ayah 13)
لا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلا مَا آتَاهَا سَيَجْعَلُ اللَّهُ بَعْدَ عُسْرٍ
يُسْرًا…
Allah Holds A Soul Responsible Only For Something He Has Given It.
Surely Allah Will Make Ease After Hardship.
(Surah
65: Ayah 7)
"As Can Be Seen," Explained Abdul-Rahman, "We Are Strictly Responsible
For Ourselves, Be It Our Welfare Or Demise. We Are Also Responsible For The
Welfare Of Others In As Much As Our Interaction With Them. We Are Responsible
For The Welfare Of Our Parents And Children, Our Relatives, In The School, And
Community.
The Responsibility Must Be Carried Out Well, Conscientiously, And To
The Best Of Our Abilities. No Lip Service Should Be Given To Such An
Important Quality. In Other Words, We Should Fulfill Our Intentions, And Not
Merely Talk About Them. We Must Put Our Thoughts Into Action, Action Of The
Highest Quality. See What Allah's Messenger, Muhammad (Pbuh) Says:
ألا كلـكم راع وكلـكم مســؤل عن رعيــته
Truly, Each Of You Is Responsible To The
Lord. Be
You Leaders Or Followers,
بادروا بالأعمال الصالحه فستكونُ ِفتـناً كقِطَع الليل
المظْلم:
ُيصبحُ الرجُلُ مؤمِناً ويُمـسئُ كافراً ويُمـسئُ مؤمِناً
وُيصبحُ كافراً يبـيعُ دِيـنَهُ بِعَرَضٍ مِنَ الدنْـيا
Take
Initiative To Do Good Works, As There Will Be Times Of Turmoil, Like A Dark
Night Where A Believer Wakes Up As A Believer And Ends His Day As
Non-Believer; And Wakes Up As Non- Believer And Ends His Day As A Believer.
He Sells His Faith For The Worldly Goods.
Muslim
Other Hadiths of the Prophet (pbuh) and/or sayings of the Imams are given
here:
►There Is No Muslim Being Of Service To Brother Muslims, Without Allah
Granting Him In Heaven An Equal Number Of Servants. (Imam
Ali quoting the Prophet (pbuh), book of Al-Usool from Al-Kaafi, Vol. 2, Page
207.)
The Hadith clearly directs us to view and follow through with responsibilities
very seriously. The Almighty will hold us accountable and judge us
accordingly."
"That is scary!" intercepted MuhammadAli.
"Yes," answered his father, "but it is a privilege to carry
responsibilities, and it is cowardice to shun them unless we are incapable of
the task. The person who is neglectful of carrying out his responsibilities
is one who is negligent of the teachings of Islam."
Having poured some orange juice Abdul-Rahman continued, "MuhammadAli,
one of our greatest responsibilities is to work for Islam. For example, every
Islamic endeavor, such as living Islamicly, teaching Islam to our children,
studying Islam, or teaching it to others, are great ways of carrying out
responsibilities. Writing for Islam, in books or newspapers, lecturing about
it in churches, schools, radio or television, are most meritorious. The
society has to learn about Islam and the guidance it brings, since ignorance
about Islam is common in many countries. Even the very act of applying Islam
and encouraging what is good and prohibiting what is evil is carrying out our
responsibilities. Doing so can go a very long way to produce a healthier
society."
"So how does Islam look upon responsibility in brief?" MuhammadAli asked.
Abdul-Rahman answered briefly:
|
ISLAM
TELLS US ABOUT RESPONSIBILITY THAT:
|
-
responsibility is on the shoulders of everyone, and must be carried out
well
-
to carry responsibilities is a privilege, especially for Islamic works
-
we are judged by Allah, our Creator, according to the way we carry out
our Islamic responsibilities
-
he is a coward who avoids shouldering the many Islamic
responsibilities—he must be reminded of that, and encouraged to work for
Islam
-
the field for Islamic work is vast and everywhere. So, go ahead,
produce, and don't say, so and so person will do it instead.
Plan, produce, and achieve, then say we have done it already. This is
the way it ought to be
-
a person neglecting his responsibilities will not only hurt himself but
also the people around him. Whatever field he is in, if he is not
punctual, productive, and doing his best, then his work suffers or be of
poor quality. His family, and even his society, can suffer. A person
ignoring his responsibilities is like a parasite upon society.
-
When enough Muslims accept Islamic responsibility, the Muslim community
will flourish and be a tremendous entity, and the energy of goodness
will dissipate the darkness around it.
-
Of course, Allah Almighty knows our capacity. He rewards us for
carrying out our responsibilities to the degree of our potential, and
the one who carries Islamic work well will be greatly rewarded, and how
lucky he is!
|
