Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem
As Muslims,
our character, morals and etiquette should differentiate us from others.
Non-Muslims are not so attentive to our beautiful Salaah, Tilawah, Zikr, and
other Ibaadaat as they are to our character and dealings with others.
Wherever the
Sahabah (Radhiyallahu ‘anhum) went, it was their character which attracted so
many; which often became the focus of attention, as well as admiration.
When Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) invited the Quraysh to the
worship of ONE Allah, he climbed Mount Safa and called out to his people,
calling every family of the Quraysh. When they arrived, he asked them: ‘If I told you that horsemen were advancing
to attack you from the valley on the other side of the hill, would you believe
me?’[1]
Simultaneously
and immediately, they all responded: ‘Yes!
We have always found you honest.’
Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) presented his credentials to them : That that person who has never
spoken a lie for 40 years, do you think he is going to do so now, in his
invitation to the worship of One Allah?
How many of
us can present trustworthiness, honesty and truthfulness as outstanding traits
within us, let alone beautiful speech and noble etiquette in our dealings with
people?
This is one of the main reasons why a large
number of non-Muslims remain aloof from Islam. Our poor character and our poor
dealings have become a barrier to them coming into Islam. It is as if we are
standing at the door of Islam, and keeping them out – or pushing them away.
…Have we ever given a thought as to how we are going to answer for this?
Islam is not
only Salaah, Fasting, Hajj and ‘Umrah. …These forms of worship only make up one
branch of Shariah. … The person may be
fulfilling the rights of the Creator (Allah Ta’ala) but he is at the same time
displeasing Allah Ta’ala by neglecting and violating the rights of the creation
(Makhlooq).
There are 5
branches of Shariah :
§ Aqaa`id :
Beliefs
§ Ibaadaat : Worship
§ Mu’aamalaat :
Business transactions and dealings
§ Mu`aasharaat
: Social dealings
§ Akhlaaq :
Character
Every Muslim
has to make an effort to correct all of
these branches for perfection of Islam. It must not be that any one of us
returns to Allah Ta’ala with plentiful of Ibaadaat, which subsequently accrues
to others and is lost to ourselves.
Hazrat Abu
Hurairah (Radhiyallahu ‘anhu) related that Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) once asked his companions: ‘Do you know who is a pauper?’
The
Companions replied that a pauper is a person who has no money or property.
Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: ‘A pauper from among my followers (Ummah) is one who will come on the
Day of Judgment with a good record of Salaah (prayers) and Saum (fasting) and
Zakaah (compulsory charity) but also he had abused somebody; slandered someone
or beaten yet another person. Then all the oppressed persons will receive a
part of the aggressor’s good deeds. Should they fall short of his aggression,
then the aggrieved persons’ sins and defaults will be transferred from them to
him, and he will be thrown into the Fire (Hell).’[2]
Hazrat Abu
Hurairah (Radhiyallahu ‘anhu) also related that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: ‘If any Muslim has
oppressed his brother, concerning his honour or anything else, let him obtain
his pardon today (in this world) before the time comes when he will have
neither Dinaars[3]
nor Dirhams[4]
(i.e. he will be penniless). If the aggressor may have some good deeds (in his
account) the same would be deducted in equal proportion to his wrongs. If the
aggressor will have no good deeds in his account, the wrongs of the aggrieved
would be added to the account of the aggressor in equal proportion.’[5]
I often say :
‘Pay back HERE, to save your back
THERE.’
If we want safety and salvation, we have to
get our deeds in order. We need to make amends and compensate for our shortcomings
HERE, in this worldly life; otherwise, THERE, on the Day of Resurrection, there
will be great regret and humiliation. May Allah Ta’ala guide and protect us all.
By Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh)
[1] Sahih Bukhari
[2] Sahih Muslim
[3] Dinaars
: gold coins
[4] Dirhams
: silver
coins
[5] Sahih Bukhari
