Bismillahir
Rahmaanir Raheem
Our Muslim
names, Islamic dress and our prayers are like the sign board found outside a
shop, which informs us that inside this shop, sweets, chocolates, biscuits,
cakes, fruit, etc. are stocked and sold. The person reading the signboard thus
expects to find what has been advertised outside, inside that shop.
What would be the reaction of the person if he or she finds cow dung,
horse manure and cat’s droppings inside, instead of sweets and chocolates?
In a similar vein, our beautiful Muslim names and Islamic garb informs
others that inside our hearts there is certain ‘merchandise’ in the form of
firm Imaan in Allah Ta’ala and love for His Beloved Rasul (Sallallaahu
‘alayhi wasallam). A person expects to find, the attributes of trustworthiness, honesty,
sincerity, forgiveness, charity, Taqwa (piety), Zuhd (asceticism), Sabr
(patience), Shukr (gratitude), etc. These are the qualities and traits a person
expects to find in his social dealings with us.
The beard, kurta, turban, tasbeeh, or the cloak, purdah, etc. are all
additional signs which lay more and more emphasis on the person’s virtue and
goodness.
What would be a person’s reaction, when instead of these virtues, he or
she finds arrogance, pride, malice, greed, jealousy, etc.?
[Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (Rahmatullahi 'alayh)]
